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
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Saturday, January 05, 2008
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
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
Monday, December 31, 2007
Happy "New" Year
I won't go on at length since I talked about it yesterday (for those at church), but Happy New year everyone. I like the idea that because some monk picked this day 1300 years ago we get to ignore everything we did before and have a fresh start!
btw, for all those coming to the all-nighter tonight, unless we get some adults/parents to help we will have to cancel or have everyone leave early. Sorry, but I'm not allowed to be the only adult in the building with people under 18.
btw, for all those coming to the all-nighter tonight, unless we get some adults/parents to help we will have to cancel or have everyone leave early. Sorry, but I'm not allowed to be the only adult in the building with people under 18.
Happy New Year!
T
Sunday, December 23, 2007
What's Most Important
Sorry it's been a few days, not to mention I will be gone again for the rest of the week (happy holidays everyone, more specifically, Merry Christmas!)
So here's a thought for the week. Lorie and I watched a special tonight kind of by accident about different beliefs in God. Very interesting. But one thing was in my head. It originally started with two guys who were doing a documentary at the World Trade Center on 9/11, the day causing so many questions to them they decided to go around the world talking to religious leaders.
So, of course, there was one question about the place of terrorism and war in religion. Although one person was smart enough to point out that out of the six billion people in the world, only a few thousand hold to terrorism. Good point. But one other leader talked about how he had been to the U.N. one time and they didn't mention terror. They mentioned hunger. They mentioned the quality of life around the world. And this religious leader made the point that these things cause more deaths every day than terrorism ever will so we should not lose focus on where the real threat is.
Good thinking. It also got me thinking about Boxing Day, the holiday after Christmas that was originally intended to be celebrated by taking the left-overs, the abundance of food from the holiday, plethora of gifts and things, box them up and take them to those less fortunate. I invite you to do something like that this Christmas (and don't wait for someone to organize it, just do it).
"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can’t steal and moths can’t destroy. Your heart will be where your treasure is." ~ Jesus (Luke 12:33-34)
T
So here's a thought for the week. Lorie and I watched a special tonight kind of by accident about different beliefs in God. Very interesting. But one thing was in my head. It originally started with two guys who were doing a documentary at the World Trade Center on 9/11, the day causing so many questions to them they decided to go around the world talking to religious leaders.
So, of course, there was one question about the place of terrorism and war in religion. Although one person was smart enough to point out that out of the six billion people in the world, only a few thousand hold to terrorism. Good point. But one other leader talked about how he had been to the U.N. one time and they didn't mention terror. They mentioned hunger. They mentioned the quality of life around the world. And this religious leader made the point that these things cause more deaths every day than terrorism ever will so we should not lose focus on where the real threat is.
Good thinking. It also got me thinking about Boxing Day, the holiday after Christmas that was originally intended to be celebrated by taking the left-overs, the abundance of food from the holiday, plethora of gifts and things, box them up and take them to those less fortunate. I invite you to do something like that this Christmas (and don't wait for someone to organize it, just do it).
"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can’t steal and moths can’t destroy. Your heart will be where your treasure is." ~ Jesus (Luke 12:33-34)
T
Monday, December 10, 2007
O That The Church Would Have This Problem
Tonight I was doing a little reading in the book of Exodus and came across Bezalel, Oholiab and the "skilled workmen" who built the Tabernacle, the Ark of The Covenant, and all the other cool stuff God told the Israelites to build. Now I could go into a whole rant about how skilled people were giving their best to God, but we'll leave that for another time.
Instead, let's focus on the task at hand. These guys have to build this stuff for the isarelites. one small problem, they haven't arrived in the Promised Land yet, all the Israelites are still living in the desert which means no jobs, no resources, etc. So how did these guys build all this stuff? Donations. That's right, the people of God were to donate to the cause, donations from people who are living out of tents, have no permanent homes, have no jobs, have no source of income other than what they left Egypt with.
So you have skilled craftsman building incredibly ornate objects of worship for God, mostly made out of gold given by homeless people. What a surprise, they ran into a problem. The amazing part is, it's not what you think it would be.
Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. ~ Ex. 36:4-6
Yeah, that's right, in the desert, these unemployed people were giving too much to God! What a horrible, horrible problem to have. "Sorry everyone, thanks for your donations out of the tiny amount that you have, but it's too much so we need you to stop giving to God for a while..."
And here we are, roughly 3500 years later, probably in a rich first world country if you have the internet to read this, but for me, in one of the richest countries in the world, in what was once in the top ten richest counties in America, and churches are struggeling financially. Almost every family in my church has a job, many above the national average and our church has financial problems. Homeless Israelites need tons of gold to build stuff, and have too much. How does that work?
Luke 6:38 ~ "Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
T
Instead, let's focus on the task at hand. These guys have to build this stuff for the isarelites. one small problem, they haven't arrived in the Promised Land yet, all the Israelites are still living in the desert which means no jobs, no resources, etc. So how did these guys build all this stuff? Donations. That's right, the people of God were to donate to the cause, donations from people who are living out of tents, have no permanent homes, have no jobs, have no source of income other than what they left Egypt with.
So you have skilled craftsman building incredibly ornate objects of worship for God, mostly made out of gold given by homeless people. What a surprise, they ran into a problem. The amazing part is, it's not what you think it would be.
Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. ~ Ex. 36:4-6
Yeah, that's right, in the desert, these unemployed people were giving too much to God! What a horrible, horrible problem to have. "Sorry everyone, thanks for your donations out of the tiny amount that you have, but it's too much so we need you to stop giving to God for a while..."
And here we are, roughly 3500 years later, probably in a rich first world country if you have the internet to read this, but for me, in one of the richest countries in the world, in what was once in the top ten richest counties in America, and churches are struggeling financially. Almost every family in my church has a job, many above the national average and our church has financial problems. Homeless Israelites need tons of gold to build stuff, and have too much. How does that work?
Luke 6:38 ~ "Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
T
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Who Came First?
It still amazes me how many people say they believe in God or Jesus yet know so little about Him.
Here's what got me started on this. Apparently this week on "The View" there was some disagreement about who came first, the Greeks or Jesus. Stories of Jesus being first because the Greeks fed the Christians to the lions abounded (you can see the story and clip at http://television.aol.com/news/story/_a/view-host-has-new-history-faux-pas/20071205081809990001).
Okay, a celebrity show not knowing all about theology and history. I can take that. But then there was an online poll asking who came first, the Greeks or Jesus. At the moment, 21% are wrong (1 in 5 people!). To me that's just shocking. Maybe it's because I care enough about what I believe to learn more about it, maybe I'm a freak that way, wanting to know more about Who it is I believe is the Son of God. But don't people want to know more about Jesus? If they don't, how do they believe in Him, a little goes a long way?
Btw, the Greeks came first. The Roman Empire took over just before Jesus came, and they were the ones who fed Christians to the lions a little later...
T
Here's what got me started on this. Apparently this week on "The View" there was some disagreement about who came first, the Greeks or Jesus. Stories of Jesus being first because the Greeks fed the Christians to the lions abounded (you can see the story and clip at http://television.aol.com/news/story/_a/view-host-has-new-history-faux-pas/20071205081809990001).
Okay, a celebrity show not knowing all about theology and history. I can take that. But then there was an online poll asking who came first, the Greeks or Jesus. At the moment, 21% are wrong (1 in 5 people!). To me that's just shocking. Maybe it's because I care enough about what I believe to learn more about it, maybe I'm a freak that way, wanting to know more about Who it is I believe is the Son of God. But don't people want to know more about Jesus? If they don't, how do they believe in Him, a little goes a long way?
Btw, the Greeks came first. The Roman Empire took over just before Jesus came, and they were the ones who fed Christians to the lions a little later...
T
Monday, December 03, 2007
Those Tough Verses
I like reading the Bible, I think there's lots of good stuff in there, but this is one of those times I read something and wonder, "Oh, how's that going to work." Working with teenagers, youall are going to love this one.
Ex. 21:17 ~ "Anyone who says cruel things to his father or mother must be put to death."
Now, some versions say "curse" instead of saying cruel things, but I'm sure a lot of people fall into that category too.
So haw many think they should be acting a little differently now, since just a few thousand years ago the same God we served would have allowed you to be stoned for saying mean things to your parents? I don't think it's a coincidence that the only one of the ten commandments that comes with a promise (that of a long life) is the one that says to honor your father and mother.
By the way, if you aren't sure if you're honoring them or saying cruel things, ask them. If you're scared to ask, I think you know the answer...
T
Ex. 21:17 ~ "Anyone who says cruel things to his father or mother must be put to death."
Now, some versions say "curse" instead of saying cruel things, but I'm sure a lot of people fall into that category too.
So haw many think they should be acting a little differently now, since just a few thousand years ago the same God we served would have allowed you to be stoned for saying mean things to your parents? I don't think it's a coincidence that the only one of the ten commandments that comes with a promise (that of a long life) is the one that says to honor your father and mother.
By the way, if you aren't sure if you're honoring them or saying cruel things, ask them. If you're scared to ask, I think you know the answer...
T
Thursday, November 15, 2007
What's Your Focus?
So tonight I was reading the story of Jacob and his wives Leah and Rachel. For those that don't know the story, quick synopsis. Jacob loves Rachel, but Leah is older and daddy wants her married first, so he convinces Jacob to work seven years to get Leah. Leah dresses up as Rachel and marries Jacob. It must have been a thick veil, because he didn't notice. Daddy says, sorry but you can have Rachel if you work another seven years. Jacob does. Big happy family.
Almost.
Jacob doesn't have to wait the seven years, just work the seven years. He actually gets Rachel a week after Leah. So Leah obviously feels pretty unloved. And so the women fight for Jacob the only way they know how. Having children. They even get their servants to sleep with Jacob and have kids when they can't (kind of overkill, but okay).
But here's what I noticed tonight. Heard the story, knew all that, exciting none the less, but knew it. This part I never really picked up on. After every single kid is born, no matter who to, the mother (or surrogate mother, master of the servant) says something along the lines of "Jacob will love me now because I have a son" or "God has answered my prayer for a son" which they really only prayed to get Jacob's attention, or something along the lines of vindication or celebration. Every single child born the focus is in some way on Jacob. Every son but one.
Gen. 29:35a ~ Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!”
Now I don't know which is sadder, that it took four kids before she praised the Lord, but after all the bickering over a man, this was the only child born in which God was praised without a hidden agenda to Jacob.
And which tribe did Jesus come from again? Hey, if you want to go even deeper into spiritual ramifications of what God thinks and feels, was Jesus from the tribe who's mother was loved or despised...?
T
Almost.
Jacob doesn't have to wait the seven years, just work the seven years. He actually gets Rachel a week after Leah. So Leah obviously feels pretty unloved. And so the women fight for Jacob the only way they know how. Having children. They even get their servants to sleep with Jacob and have kids when they can't (kind of overkill, but okay).
But here's what I noticed tonight. Heard the story, knew all that, exciting none the less, but knew it. This part I never really picked up on. After every single kid is born, no matter who to, the mother (or surrogate mother, master of the servant) says something along the lines of "Jacob will love me now because I have a son" or "God has answered my prayer for a son" which they really only prayed to get Jacob's attention, or something along the lines of vindication or celebration. Every single child born the focus is in some way on Jacob. Every son but one.
Gen. 29:35a ~ Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!”
Now I don't know which is sadder, that it took four kids before she praised the Lord, but after all the bickering over a man, this was the only child born in which God was praised without a hidden agenda to Jacob.
And which tribe did Jesus come from again? Hey, if you want to go even deeper into spiritual ramifications of what God thinks and feels, was Jesus from the tribe who's mother was loved or despised...?
T
"That's Not Believable"
So here's the story that made me laugh a little hard this week. Lorie and I went out on Monday night (it was our 2 year, 2 month, 2 day anniversary, awww) and we ended up seeing The Bee Movie. Nice movie, cute, had a good lesson that even small jobs are important if they are done well. Anyway...
So we get to the end of the movie, big climactic ending that I won't give away, but it ends up that all the bees work together to do something amazing. This is the point Lorie leans over to say something to me, but ends up laughing. I ask her why and this is what she says:
"I was about to say, 'that's not believable' until I realized we were watching a movie about talking bees."
Gotta love it.
T
So we get to the end of the movie, big climactic ending that I won't give away, but it ends up that all the bees work together to do something amazing. This is the point Lorie leans over to say something to me, but ends up laughing. I ask her why and this is what she says:
"I was about to say, 'that's not believable' until I realized we were watching a movie about talking bees."
Gotta love it.
T
Friday, November 09, 2007
Did It Really Happen?
So yesterday I was reading about Noah's ark. I know, old children's story, everyone knows it. Animals enter two at a time (seven if you can eat them) into a big boat built by some old guy and next thing you know water floods the earth.
But really, did it happen? It seems so inconceivable, but, if you believe the Bible is true and God's not a liar, then you can't pick which pieces you like and which ones you decide are or aren't true (frankly, I don't know how people can decide that they know so much about the Bible they get to decide what's right and what's not, so basically we should decide what's true on everyones' personal feelings, yeah, that will work...). But it must have really happened.
And then I started trying to figure out what animals were able to swim and not on the ark. Did alligators make it on? They swim pretty good but they need land so they must have. What about seagulls? So many questions.
I think it's also interesting that according to that story man only became carnivorous after the flood, before we ate only plants.
But, here's the big thought of the day? Is the story so unbelievable that it couldn't have happened? But then, isn't that what makes it a miracle? Wouldn't be a crappy miracle if it was an everyday thing? Hmmm....
T
But really, did it happen? It seems so inconceivable, but, if you believe the Bible is true and God's not a liar, then you can't pick which pieces you like and which ones you decide are or aren't true (frankly, I don't know how people can decide that they know so much about the Bible they get to decide what's right and what's not, so basically we should decide what's true on everyones' personal feelings, yeah, that will work...). But it must have really happened.
And then I started trying to figure out what animals were able to swim and not on the ark. Did alligators make it on? They swim pretty good but they need land so they must have. What about seagulls? So many questions.
I think it's also interesting that according to that story man only became carnivorous after the flood, before we ate only plants.
But, here's the big thought of the day? Is the story so unbelievable that it couldn't have happened? But then, isn't that what makes it a miracle? Wouldn't be a crappy miracle if it was an everyday thing? Hmmm....
T
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Bestest Christmas Present Ever
I wanted this for Christmas, but then found out it's not real :( . The "Hello Kitty Assault Rifle".
http://www.styledash.com/2007/10/25/assault-in-style-hello-kitty-style/
T
http://www.styledash.com/2007/10/25/assault-in-style-hello-kitty-style/
T
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Why Are You Hiding?
For those that don't know, this is Clover, our little pet rabbit.
For those that didn't notice, little Clover here has been chewing his new favorite box. We let Clover chew somethings, not others (like the newly painted trim in the living room). The box is one thing we let him chew.
But what does he do if we go near him while chewing the box? He hides. He gets in there behind that box and makes sure that no one can get him.
But here's the funny part. He hasn't done anything wrong. We didn't get mad at him. Hey, to get this picture I was lying on the ground with a camera, not too scary. But he thinks he was wrong. He hid because he thought he did something wrong.
Have you noticed how we don't need to be told we did something wrong, we just hide (or hide what we did)? Even the very first time, Adam and Eve, it says they realized they did something wrong and what did they do? Say their sorry? Nope. Hid. (btw, they tried to hide from God. Don't try that, it won't happen).
So here's my question for today. What are you hiding? Why are you hiding? And why?
Prov. 28:13a ~ "If you hide your sins, you will not succeed."
T
Monday, October 08, 2007
Would You Drink This?
Here's something I don't think I want to drink. Jones Soda is out of Seattle and made two new flavors for their Seattle Seahawk fans. Dirt and sweat (I think it's funny that sweat flavor is called "Sweet Victory", while dirt is just called "dirt"). You can read more about it here.
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/28/jones-soda-jsda-offers-customers-a-taste-of-the-nfl/
Bottoms up.
T
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/28/jones-soda-jsda-offers-customers-a-taste-of-the-nfl/
Bottoms up.
T
Friday, September 28, 2007
How Many Times Have You Asked?
It's a question that came to me today while reading the Bible (lots of questions happen that way). Next week (Oct. 7) in NewSong and at Fire & Water we happen to be talking about faith (it was not planned, two separate calendars planned months and years in advanced, what are the odds of that? Maybe God is trying to tell us something...). And it just so happens that today, I was reading about faith.
Have you ever noticed how many times in the Bible God tells people to do something for a miracle. Go wash in the Jordan to be healed of leprosy. Go look for rain. Things like that. The amazing part is that God never says "Go" and then it's done. For both of those stories, the person had to perform the act seven times.
Why seven? Why not just do it the first time? What if it's to see if you really want it? What if it's to test your faith in God?
Think of a little kid in a toy store. I was great in toy stores. I knew what I wanted. Everything. I know I asked mom for that, and that, and this over here, oh and that one, the big shiny toy. And my mom never bought me any of them. But she did buy me a toy Knight Rider car (I've been on a Knight Rider kick lately). Why? Because I loved Knight Rider as a kid. So when I saw the car, I didn't just go "Please mom" and forget it. I asked a lot. Over and over. And over.
By doing this my mom figured out two things. One, I really wanted that toy car (it talked, who wouldn't want that?!). Two, that I knew she had the power to give it to me, maybe even wanted to give it to me, but just wasn't doing it yet.
When you pray for things, do you really want them? Bad enough to ask more than once? Do you believe God still has the power to do it and wants to even if He doesn't grant your wish immediately the first time?
What have you given up on God for that maybe you should start praying for again...?
T
Have you ever noticed how many times in the Bible God tells people to do something for a miracle. Go wash in the Jordan to be healed of leprosy. Go look for rain. Things like that. The amazing part is that God never says "Go" and then it's done. For both of those stories, the person had to perform the act seven times.
Why seven? Why not just do it the first time? What if it's to see if you really want it? What if it's to test your faith in God?
Think of a little kid in a toy store. I was great in toy stores. I knew what I wanted. Everything. I know I asked mom for that, and that, and this over here, oh and that one, the big shiny toy. And my mom never bought me any of them. But she did buy me a toy Knight Rider car (I've been on a Knight Rider kick lately). Why? Because I loved Knight Rider as a kid. So when I saw the car, I didn't just go "Please mom" and forget it. I asked a lot. Over and over. And over.
By doing this my mom figured out two things. One, I really wanted that toy car (it talked, who wouldn't want that?!). Two, that I knew she had the power to give it to me, maybe even wanted to give it to me, but just wasn't doing it yet.
When you pray for things, do you really want them? Bad enough to ask more than once? Do you believe God still has the power to do it and wants to even if He doesn't grant your wish immediately the first time?
What have you given up on God for that maybe you should start praying for again...?
T
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Absolute Truth
Hey all, I'm going to Canada for a few days, so I won't be on for a while. A parting thought for you though...
Reading today, a good thing to do, I came across this. Most people know what Absolute Truth is, something that's true no matter what. The problem is in today's world, we seem to try and get rid of it, saying there are no Absolutes. Somehow, we have become scared of something being true no matter what, like it traps us and shoves us in a corner we can't get out of.
But here's the catcher. The word absolute comes from Latin, the word is Absolvere and it means to "set free". These truths are meant to bind us up and hold us down, Absolute Truths were named so because they set us free. Now where have I heard before that the truth will set you free...?
(Oh yeah)
"If you continui in My Word, you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth witll make you free." ~ Jesus
Reading today, a good thing to do, I came across this. Most people know what Absolute Truth is, something that's true no matter what. The problem is in today's world, we seem to try and get rid of it, saying there are no Absolutes. Somehow, we have become scared of something being true no matter what, like it traps us and shoves us in a corner we can't get out of.
But here's the catcher. The word absolute comes from Latin, the word is Absolvere and it means to "set free". These truths are meant to bind us up and hold us down, Absolute Truths were named so because they set us free. Now where have I heard before that the truth will set you free...?
(Oh yeah)
"If you continui in My Word, you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth witll make you free." ~ Jesus
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Rarity
Today I'm doing some reading like normal and learned a weird and wonderful fact. There is a small bird in Asia that spits out spaghetti like spittle that forms into a nest for its young. The crazier part, it is a Chinese delicacy, spit-made spaghetti-like bird's nest, starting price around $3000.
So this got me thinking, why on earth would you want to eat that? The only answer I can come up with, it's rare. We seem to love things that are rare. If there's lots of it, it has less value but the less of it there is, the more value it holds. No one eats the bird's nest outside my house in the tree, they're everywhere. This spit-nest, special.
And that led me to thinking how much we love rare things. In a way it was currency, gold was shiny and rare. Before money, people bartered, need vs. rare. It's like the old expression, "You always want what you can't have."
But is that really true, or is it a trick? Do we only want what's rare because that's what we've been taught to believe? The reason I started asking myself those questions is this. What is the least rare thing there is? God. God is everywhere. God wants to be a part of everyone's life. Starting a relationship with God is immensely easy, probably the easiest thing possible to be done in all of history. And yet there are those that see it as nothing. Why? Because it is too easy? Because someone has deceived us into believing that if it's not rare it's not valuable and therefore not something to be sought after? Is it that simple? Has our society lost it's will to be "Under God" that easily?
It's funny how we seek out the rare, but the things that are most precious, the things that we need, the things that give us life, air, water, food, they are abundant. Some of them fall from the sky, some are the sky! Maybe we should be focusing on what is in abundance and why He made the universe that way. Why there is more love of God in this world than O2 atoms...
Rom. 3:22 ~ "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are."
T
So this got me thinking, why on earth would you want to eat that? The only answer I can come up with, it's rare. We seem to love things that are rare. If there's lots of it, it has less value but the less of it there is, the more value it holds. No one eats the bird's nest outside my house in the tree, they're everywhere. This spit-nest, special.
And that led me to thinking how much we love rare things. In a way it was currency, gold was shiny and rare. Before money, people bartered, need vs. rare. It's like the old expression, "You always want what you can't have."
But is that really true, or is it a trick? Do we only want what's rare because that's what we've been taught to believe? The reason I started asking myself those questions is this. What is the least rare thing there is? God. God is everywhere. God wants to be a part of everyone's life. Starting a relationship with God is immensely easy, probably the easiest thing possible to be done in all of history. And yet there are those that see it as nothing. Why? Because it is too easy? Because someone has deceived us into believing that if it's not rare it's not valuable and therefore not something to be sought after? Is it that simple? Has our society lost it's will to be "Under God" that easily?
It's funny how we seek out the rare, but the things that are most precious, the things that we need, the things that give us life, air, water, food, they are abundant. Some of them fall from the sky, some are the sky! Maybe we should be focusing on what is in abundance and why He made the universe that way. Why there is more love of God in this world than O2 atoms...
Rom. 3:22 ~ "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are."
T
Friday, September 14, 2007
I Saw Pirates
No, it's true, real pirates. I was gone earlier this week (Lorie and I left for our anniversary) and her suggestion on things to do was go see an exhibit on pirates. So we did, we went and saw the first ever authenticated pirate ship found. Pretty sweet. We got to see the cannons, swords, stuff like that including boxes of treasure (and I mean boxes!). I see how they got rich.
Through the exhibit they mentioned how many naval people wanted to become pirates. If you worked for the gov't, you got little pay, bad living conditions etc. On a pirate ship, almost everyone was equal and got a fair share of the loot and even got recompensed if hurt in a fight. They also treated everyone as equal in terms of race and color. In a time when the slave trade was huge, pirates were all together and even freed many slaves so they could take the ships.
To me, this was so weird! We read the pirate stories, etc, and it looks all glamorous but the truth is they were thieves. People hated them and would watch them hang and cheer for their death because by robbing people these pirates caused taxes to go up, took things that didn't belong to them, and so on and so forth. Yet, this group of thieves seemed to have a higher standing of ethics when it came to the treatment of people than everyone else! It kind of makes you wonder where we should look for our moral compass. I mean at least today we have things to look to like the government, TV, movies, books, magazines, the general populace. How's that working out?
Ps. 119:11 ~ "You Word I have hidden in my heart so I will not sin against You."
T
Through the exhibit they mentioned how many naval people wanted to become pirates. If you worked for the gov't, you got little pay, bad living conditions etc. On a pirate ship, almost everyone was equal and got a fair share of the loot and even got recompensed if hurt in a fight. They also treated everyone as equal in terms of race and color. In a time when the slave trade was huge, pirates were all together and even freed many slaves so they could take the ships.
To me, this was so weird! We read the pirate stories, etc, and it looks all glamorous but the truth is they were thieves. People hated them and would watch them hang and cheer for their death because by robbing people these pirates caused taxes to go up, took things that didn't belong to them, and so on and so forth. Yet, this group of thieves seemed to have a higher standing of ethics when it came to the treatment of people than everyone else! It kind of makes you wonder where we should look for our moral compass. I mean at least today we have things to look to like the government, TV, movies, books, magazines, the general populace. How's that working out?
Ps. 119:11 ~ "You Word I have hidden in my heart so I will not sin against You."
T
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Computer Back On!
For those that don't know, I moved and I finally have internet again! So hopefully I'll write more blogs, although I really don't have anything to say...
T
T
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