Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Winter Retreat Highlights

We're back, most of us in one piece, and we have had another Winter Retreat. Honestly, I thought this was the best one yet. Some highlights for me:

~the Cave being so huge!
~the bitter cold on the first night (by the time we left I was sweating)
~hitting the rock hard ground on the first play in football
~having a room full of smoke thanks to the flue
~people singing so loudly I could barely hear myself (that was awesome)
~talking to many people I didn't know so well
~having both Katelyns on my football team, and both helping us win!
~seeing Taylor in his full camo
~beating Shawn at carpet ball, even if it was the only game I won all weekend
~having my air mattress deflate during the night, rolling around at 2:00am like a fish stuck in it half-inflated
~lots and lots of food
~talking to the adults who are continually amazed at the spiritual depth of students
~giving people a chance to slow down and walk in nature, and them enjoying it!
~fighting with Liz's projector for 90 minutes (I"m still going to figure it out)
~the boys leaving as reigning champions of Four On A Couch
~talking about/with God for so much time (I love it)
~Taylor not playing drums for 1/2 of "I Want To Go Up"
~winning Capture The Flag (Pastor Aaron was in jail for almost an hour)
~watching Sarah play football for the first time, starting out not knowing the rules and ducking when the ball came near her to by the end having 4 "tackles", 3 receptions and a touchdown
~seeing people thinking as they read the Bible and learn Spiritual Truths
~hiding in sardines for 40 minutes with no one finding me, even though I was 20 feet from where we started.
~the lovely faces of certain non-morning people at breakfast
~getting beat in euchre 10-2 (we sucked)
~talking with Mr. Patterson, someone who has never been on a trip with us before, hearing what he thought and how he enjoyed the weekend
~watching Carrie run full tilt into a big cement chair during sneak (hey, she won)
~pouring salt in people's cereal, and them getting back at me (the hot sauce in the chili was good)
~the brownies and ice cream made by loving adults
~watching the Jr. High faces when going over the rules "Oh, and no sex. I don't have to explain that, do I?"

There's a short list, if you want to add your own, give your two cents at the discussion board at www.fumcfireandwater.com

T

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Religious Leaders?

Bill Maher was on the Tonight Show last night and I happened to catch a bit of it. I know most people hate Bill Maher but I like him. I think he's incredibly intelligent. He has a slight problem presenting his message because he's overly sarcastic and people don't like him for it, so I think he and I would probably get along.

Anyway, he was on last night and I got there just as he was talking about how the Pope was a big Catholic celebrity. Yeah, offensive and a little overboard, but the point he was trying to make had some validity. He was saying how over in the Muslim countries if a religious leader says something, the people do it. If a religious leader in the Middle East says to kill someone for adultery, the people take that person out and kill them. Yet over here, if a religious leader says to do something, we give blank stares and do nothing. His example was the Pope saying no sex before marriage. How many people who say they are Christians uphold that one?

Obviously we have a level of cynicism being that we have many religious leaders who don't agree and have had a few nuts our in left field who have claimed "God told me" but in the grand scheme of things do we listen to our leaders and try to learn from them, try to live as we should, or are they celebrities, faces we watch but not voices we listen to?

And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other. ~ I Peter 5.5a

T

Monday, January 14, 2008

Twins Marry?

I won't even comment, I'll let you decide...

T

We've all heard those heartwarming stories of twins who were separated at birth finding each other again later in life. Torn apart by circumstance and fate and unaware of the other's existence, they are understandably overjoyed to find that missing piece of themselves. Except in this case. These two "separated at birth" twins discovered their unique bond at the worst possible time. After they married each other.

Lord Alton, a peer in the British House of Lords says, "They were never told that they were twins. They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."

The court dealt with it by annulling the marriage. But can you imagine the "issues of separation" the formerly-married twins are dealing with?

Mo O'Reilly, the director of child placement for the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, says that while this situation is rare, it isn't completely unheard of. And that makes sense, considering the fact that many of us are attracted to someone who we find to be similar to ourselves. You just can't get more similar than a twin."

(From http://www.parentdish.com/2008/01/11/twins-unknowingly-marry-each-other/)

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Who Was Jesus' Wife?

I'm a commercial flipper. I don't like watching them so I flip to other stations when they come on. So today I flip to "Power of 10" in which they ask the question, "What percentage of Americans believe Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene?" The scary part is the answer was 29%. 29%! Are you kidding me? Over 1/4 of Americans think Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene!

So here's my question. Obviously I think that is wrong, so who is the bride of Christ?

If you need some help, try Eph. 5:27...

T

Saturday, January 05, 2008

I Love My Wife

That's it, I just love her :)

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

So Much Pain

For all of you who felt the need to be at home and sleep, you missed the all-nighter on New Year's, fun for all. But here's my problem. I am so sore. And I mean sore. I hurt before it was even over.

So I got to thinking about how our bodies heal ourselves and I started to wonder. Why is it when we are pushing our bodies too hard our muscles tighten up? I guess the pain it causes stops us from pushing even harder, but seriously, why couldn't they go a little more limp? Why does my back feel like it's being pushed downward? Maybe lying on the floor, my muscles in a pool like jell-o isn't the right answer, and I know God orchestrated it so our bodies would work this way for a reason, but is there no other way?

I guess I could drug myself up, but that scares me more than tight muscles. I guess I'll have to get out all the muscle massaging things Lorie has gotten me for my birthday and Christmas.

Come to think of it, she's gotten me a lot of stuff like that. How old does she think I am?

Off to polish my walker...

T