Thursday, October 25, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Surgery: SUCCESS!
After two days of having my leg wrapped tighter than a mummy, the bandages came off! Now just two weeks with a compression stocking, and I should be good as new.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Praise the Lord!
Well, there's good news, and then there's the best of news! Dewey is up and walking, running, jumping, and playing like any normal 3-year old, aside from an occasional limp or misstep as his body is still correcting the problem. But the best news is that the fracture in his L5 appears to be an old one! Possibly even from birth! Still, we're watching him for any signs of deterioration or advancing problems, and having a chiropractor check him out just in case. So, Praise the Lord!!!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Accident
My 3-year old had an accident yesterday afternoon. He fell off a 10-foot retaining wall and fractured his L5 vertebra. Going to orthopedist today. Please pray.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
A warning to our society, and our nation.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil ; Who substitute darkness for light and light fordarkness ; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20
I look at our country, our society, our government, and I see us doing exactly what this passage says we ought not do! This verse is not just a suggestion, but a pronouncement of a curse upon those who do what it warns against!
We are calling same-sex (read: homosexual) marriage a good thing, and those who oppose it, we are trying to get them labeled as mentally ill! We are getting deeper and deeper in debt, calling it "good" economics, while the Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:7:
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." (emphasis mine).People, I believe that the US is either under a curse, currently, or soon will be due to our ignorance of the Word of God. It is timeless, and applies to all nations, and the arrogance of our nation will be a downfall to us. So if the US does fall, nations of the world, heed this warning. Do not go the way of this Nation, but follow God in all.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Why do I read the Bible (almost) every day?
As I walked to work this morning, I was listening to an old sermon from my church (I have a schedule that now makes me work on Sundays, so this is how I get my teaching, now.) and Pastor Dave Wick was preaching in this one about "sanctification" and the difference between "pietism" and "legalism".
So, as I started reading my Bible this morning, I got to thinking, why am I reading the Bible? Is it because I think it's required by God as some sort of act that will sanctify me, or do the actual words on the page have some sort of divine power in and of themselves? Well, the written word in a book, itself, has no power, except for what the reader attaches to them. And to someone who is not a Christian, I'm sure some impact would come, because the words written are full of wisdom.
But for a Christian, one who has been baptized by the Holy Spirit, there is a power in the words. But it does not come from the words themselves, as if the words are indwelt by that same Spirit. The power comes from my eyes being opened to the truth by the power of the Spirit. It doesn't come from my own wisdom, because my wisdom is corrupt, damaged by the fall and the sin which pervades this present world.
In other words, without the Spirit, I have no power to gain any other than the most rudimentary insight from the written words of the Bible. The Flesh, as Paul referred to the sinful component that every man is suffused with since birth, cannot understand the Truth of the Bible without being given the power and ability by God, through the power of His Spirit.
So, I came to the conclusion that I read, not because the act itself sanctifies or even saves me, but because the Spirit within me has given me the desire, and the ability, to read and understand the words of the book. Without Him, it's just another book of wisdom, but a wisdom I would never fully grasp. As Paul, in Romans, makes so primitively plain, our Salvation comes solely, totally, completely from the Lord, so that I can never boast that anything I have done has brought me salvation. From the act of hearing and understanding, to actually believing, and finally submitting to that Truth, it all comes from Him, to His Glory alone!
So, as I started reading my Bible this morning, I got to thinking, why am I reading the Bible? Is it because I think it's required by God as some sort of act that will sanctify me, or do the actual words on the page have some sort of divine power in and of themselves? Well, the written word in a book, itself, has no power, except for what the reader attaches to them. And to someone who is not a Christian, I'm sure some impact would come, because the words written are full of wisdom.
But for a Christian, one who has been baptized by the Holy Spirit, there is a power in the words. But it does not come from the words themselves, as if the words are indwelt by that same Spirit. The power comes from my eyes being opened to the truth by the power of the Spirit. It doesn't come from my own wisdom, because my wisdom is corrupt, damaged by the fall and the sin which pervades this present world.
In other words, without the Spirit, I have no power to gain any other than the most rudimentary insight from the written words of the Bible. The Flesh, as Paul referred to the sinful component that every man is suffused with since birth, cannot understand the Truth of the Bible without being given the power and ability by God, through the power of His Spirit.
So, I came to the conclusion that I read, not because the act itself sanctifies or even saves me, but because the Spirit within me has given me the desire, and the ability, to read and understand the words of the book. Without Him, it's just another book of wisdom, but a wisdom I would never fully grasp. As Paul, in Romans, makes so primitively plain, our Salvation comes solely, totally, completely from the Lord, so that I can never boast that anything I have done has brought me salvation. From the act of hearing and understanding, to actually believing, and finally submitting to that Truth, it all comes from Him, to His Glory alone!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Who's to blame for our Governmental mess?
I've spent much time thinking about our current state of affairs in this nation. And everyone is looking for a scapegoat, someone to blame for all our problems. So I figured, let's look at all those who are having fingers pointed at them and see.
First, the Republicans and Democrats.
Well, "We, the People" are the ones who keep putting them back there, expecting them to do things differently. (Isn't doing the same thing over and over the definition of insanity?) So we cannot directly point the finger at "them".
How about "Big Business".
Well, we keep giving them our money. We keep letting them fund candidates who will allow them to break rules the rest of us can't. We keep our Congressmen in power for 5-10-20 terms, and they keep doing the same crap. So we can't blame "Big Business".
How about the "1%ers"?
Well, it's been the people we've elected, and the things we buy that have created the 1%ers. If we stopped doing the two things above, the 1%ers would look more like us. So we can't blame them.
What about big banks?
See the previous three.
What am I getting at here? WELL, it is US, the People of these United States of America, the ones who vote based on what these creeps can give to us, or take away from us. WE are all at fault for our crisis. We don't remember history. We fail to teach ourselves economics, both micro- and macro-. We fail to give up what "belongs to us" (though it never belonged to anyone before us). We vote based on race, on religion, on what "[our] country can do for [us]", and not "what [we] can do for [our] country".
Until we get truly educated on history, and what it teaches us, no matter how we vote, this will ALWAYS happen. It's time for people to learn for themselves, and stop letting others do the "due diligence" for them.
First, the Republicans and Democrats.
Well, "We, the People" are the ones who keep putting them back there, expecting them to do things differently. (Isn't doing the same thing over and over the definition of insanity?) So we cannot directly point the finger at "them".
How about "Big Business".
Well, we keep giving them our money. We keep letting them fund candidates who will allow them to break rules the rest of us can't. We keep our Congressmen in power for 5-10-20 terms, and they keep doing the same crap. So we can't blame "Big Business".
How about the "1%ers"?
Well, it's been the people we've elected, and the things we buy that have created the 1%ers. If we stopped doing the two things above, the 1%ers would look more like us. So we can't blame them.
What about big banks?
See the previous three.
What am I getting at here? WELL, it is US, the People of these United States of America, the ones who vote based on what these creeps can give to us, or take away from us. WE are all at fault for our crisis. We don't remember history. We fail to teach ourselves economics, both micro- and macro-. We fail to give up what "belongs to us" (though it never belonged to anyone before us). We vote based on race, on religion, on what "[our] country can do for [us]", and not "what [we] can do for [our] country".
Until we get truly educated on history, and what it teaches us, no matter how we vote, this will ALWAYS happen. It's time for people to learn for themselves, and stop letting others do the "due diligence" for them.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
A call to return to a biblical fatherhood (patriarchy).
I am reading a wonderful book by Phillip Lancaster called which talks about a return to biblical fatherhood, and how this can positively impact the family, and society at large. While I know that this idea rubs a great many the wrong way, God did set up an order of things in the garden. While man was given a task (subdue the garden and rule over it), woman was also given a role (to be his helper). Woman was to be submissive to the headship God granted man.
The problem we have in our current culture is that we mistake headship (i.e. authority) has something to do with quality or the value of a human being. And being in the society in which we now live in, this is generally true. But the reality is that man was called to a position of authority simply because God wanted it that way. Insofar as value is concerned, the New Testament states it correctly: all are equal in the sight of God. (Col. 3:11) But authority is not a measure of greater value.
Just like in the real world, authority is sometimes given to those who may not be the best qualified to wield it. Likewise, sometimes authority is removed from those who are less qualified in order to best accomplish a task. Authority, or headship, is simply a chain of command, and a chain of culpability.
God has ordained this chain of command in the family: God, Christ, husband, wife, family-at-large. Does this mean that a wife is a lesser being than a husband? Of course not! But a woman was not created to lead, to make decisions, to steer the course of the family. That is not to say that they can't make decisions, or lead, or steer the course. But they weren't created to do so. That was given to the husband, not because he is the best for the job by reason of his value, but because men were created to be task-oriented, to get the job done. Women were created to fill a supporting role, because they are much better at doing that than men.
Headship doesn't mean better, any more than submission means inferior. It just is a way to get things done in the most efficient way.
The problem we have in our current culture is that we mistake headship (i.e. authority) has something to do with quality or the value of a human being. And being in the society in which we now live in, this is generally true. But the reality is that man was called to a position of authority simply because God wanted it that way. Insofar as value is concerned, the New Testament states it correctly: all are equal in the sight of God. (Col. 3:11) But authority is not a measure of greater value.
Just like in the real world, authority is sometimes given to those who may not be the best qualified to wield it. Likewise, sometimes authority is removed from those who are less qualified in order to best accomplish a task. Authority, or headship, is simply a chain of command, and a chain of culpability.
God has ordained this chain of command in the family: God, Christ, husband, wife, family-at-large. Does this mean that a wife is a lesser being than a husband? Of course not! But a woman was not created to lead, to make decisions, to steer the course of the family. That is not to say that they can't make decisions, or lead, or steer the course. But they weren't created to do so. That was given to the husband, not because he is the best for the job by reason of his value, but because men were created to be task-oriented, to get the job done. Women were created to fill a supporting role, because they are much better at doing that than men.
Headship doesn't mean better, any more than submission means inferior. It just is a way to get things done in the most efficient way.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Dr. King would be ashamed
As I reflect upon where we are at now in our country, and how we got here, I cannot help but hearing in my head a quote from the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his "I Have A Dream" speech.
And there is something about this portion of the speech that keeps niggling me in the back of my mind. It's that last part before the exclamation, "I have a dream today!"
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I look at our last election, in 2008, and I begin to understand what the problem is. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
And then I realize what it is! This President was elected in a way that would make the late Dr. King weep. We have here a President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not the content of his character! I imagine that Dr. King would feel very upset about the myriads of people, black, white, latino, jew, or otherwise who listed the only reason they voted for Barack Hussein Obama was because he was a black man! What a devestating blow to the civil rights movement to have the first black man elected to be President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not his character.
Now, fortunately, I believe that those who voted for this reason are learning why Dr. King wanted us to live where character was above all other considerations, because any man without character is not fit to hold the office of POTUS. And skin color is no substitute for sound principles, firm beliefs, and the courage to carry out what you believe, even if it is immediately seen as unpopular.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
And there is something about this portion of the speech that keeps niggling me in the back of my mind. It's that last part before the exclamation, "I have a dream today!"
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I look at our last election, in 2008, and I begin to understand what the problem is. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
And then I realize what it is! This President was elected in a way that would make the late Dr. King weep. We have here a President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not the content of his character! I imagine that Dr. King would feel very upset about the myriads of people, black, white, latino, jew, or otherwise who listed the only reason they voted for Barack Hussein Obama was because he was a black man! What a devestating blow to the civil rights movement to have the first black man elected to be President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not his character.
Now, fortunately, I believe that those who voted for this reason are learning why Dr. King wanted us to live where character was above all other considerations, because any man without character is not fit to hold the office of POTUS. And skin color is no substitute for sound principles, firm beliefs, and the courage to carry out what you believe, even if it is immediately seen as unpopular.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A Four Letter Mind
I've been thinking this for quite a while, and I'm going to put it into words now.
I ride the bus to work every day, because my job pays for it, and I hear and see people on the bus every day. I have a message for the young people of America. Every time a single "four-letter word" comes out of your mouth, regardless of the intelligence you have, gives the appearance, however wrong it might be, that you are incapable of communication higher than those words. The second one of these words are interjected in the most civilized and thought-provoking discussion, it immediately causes the conversation to lose all credibility.
Now that I think of it, even when adults (especially those of the "Hollywood Elite") interject them, idiocy is all that I can think. These words are the words of cavemen, Neanderthals, drunks, idiots, and other such low intelligence persons. They have absolutely no place in intelligent conversation. These words have no place even in the human vocabulary!
Ok, all this to say, when I hear you say any of the "four-letter words" (some of which have more and some which fewer letters, I hope you already know this), know that I instantly think you are one step more stupid than you were when I first heard you.
I ride the bus to work every day, because my job pays for it, and I hear and see people on the bus every day. I have a message for the young people of America. Every time a single "four-letter word" comes out of your mouth, regardless of the intelligence you have, gives the appearance, however wrong it might be, that you are incapable of communication higher than those words. The second one of these words are interjected in the most civilized and thought-provoking discussion, it immediately causes the conversation to lose all credibility.
Now that I think of it, even when adults (especially those of the "Hollywood Elite") interject them, idiocy is all that I can think. These words are the words of cavemen, Neanderthals, drunks, idiots, and other such low intelligence persons. They have absolutely no place in intelligent conversation. These words have no place even in the human vocabulary!
Ok, all this to say, when I hear you say any of the "four-letter words" (some of which have more and some which fewer letters, I hope you already know this), know that I instantly think you are one step more stupid than you were when I first heard you.
Friday, April 1, 2011
The Education System in America is Failing Us!
This from an OP/ED piece in an undisclosed San Francisco newspaper.God help us! And this person probably votes!
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