Colossians chapter 3

I still have much more time I need to dedicate to both chapters 1 and 2, but for those of you who want to press on to chapter 3, feel free to post as you feel lead. Hopefully it's evident to those who didn't already know, that the Bible has too much in it to just read it like a novel. We've been on chapters 1 and 2 for over a month now! So much for reading the Bible in a year. But I trust that others are learning as much as I've been learning. And I truly appreciate those that are helping me be more accountable to my connection with God through His Word. And isn't Colossians an incredible book?...just wait until we get to Romans, Corinthians, Ecclesiastes, Acts, Hebrews, James, Isaiah, John....where do I stop?

Colossians Chapter 2

To keep the discussions flowing, I'll start this new post on Chapter 2 of Colossians. The chapter 1 discussion is still on going and feel free to keep adding to it. I don't think we've tapped out all it's truths yet. But I can already tell that chapter 2 has much to discuss and I'm looking forward to getting into it. Hopefully everyone involved can see that a close study of the scriptures opens up many thoughts, studies, and discussions. That's my intent and I appreciate all who are actively involved as well as those who are quietly following along. But to those quiet ones, I want to encourage you to contribute to the discussion. Just searching for something to write in these forums often times opens up your mind to new and challenging thoughts. Give it a try!

The book of Colossians

I've been struggling to find a good book in the Bible to begin a study in. I didn't want one that was too deep that it would require a lot of Old testament research (like Romans or Hebrews) and I wanted to find a book that was a good introduction into the person we study the Bible to learn about...Jesus Christ. All scripture points toward Jesus, but some more clearly than others. Colossians is one of the clearer ones. So to begin with let me say that to study the Bible is more than reading the Bible. This is not like reading "Old Man and the Sea" or a John Grisham book. The Bible is deep enough to study over a lifetime and still not be able to tap into all it's depths. So, for me, to "study" means to read small sections of it slowly and then keep re-reading those same sections over and over. It sounds like over-kill, but many times the scripture will begin to open itself up after this type of "meditation". So let's get into Colossians.

This is a relatively short letter written by Paul to a church in Colossae. It seems to be a church that Paul didn't ever visit personally, but had an acquaintance (Epaphras) that apparently started the church. So it helps to read this as a letter written to encourage an early church, and read the zeal and passion Paul has for both this church and Jesus. I'm going to start with spending some time in chapter 1 and I'll use the comment section of this post to record some of my thoughts. And any one is welcome to contribute anyway they see fit. Chapter 1 has one of the most thorough descriptions of Jesus in all the Bible, and pretty much spells out the Gospel message perfectly. Check it out...and as you read it, check out how there is no selfish motive in Paul's intent behind this letter. Paul is actually in prison as he writes this, and his only desires seem to be for these people in Colossae and their (and his) God.

"The Bible says..."

Have you ever heard someone say things like: "The Bible says...'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'", or "The Bible says...'God helps those who help them self"', or "The Bible says...'every dog has it's day'"? Well, the Bible doesn't say those things! In fact the Bible doesn't say a lot of things that people claim it says. And conversely, the Bible says a lot of things that people never claim it says. So how can we know what the Bible really says? We can listen to hear-sayer's, or we can read it for ourselves. An estimate 90% of Christians have not read the Bible all the way through. I am part of that majority. I have read large portions of the Bible, and all the New Testament many times, but even after seven + years into Christianity I'm still sometimes surprised when I hear about "new" Old testament books of the Bible. Books like "Nahum" or "Obadiah". Where did those books come from?

So to combat this problem of people (myself included) not having a very strong grasp, or even a light grasp, of what the Bible is really teaching us, I plan to start a regular Bible study and post what God is revealing to me on this Blog. Hopefully others will follow along and learn and share with me, but more importantly, I hope this format brings me a little accountability so I stay consistent in my studies. Consistent Bible study is what I believe is the key to a successful life. Way more crucial than a collage education, but you wouldn't know that based off our society's influence on our kids. So stay tuned and hopefully I'll live up to my expectations of a regular, beneficial, God honoring Bible study that ultimately helps me to know what "The Bible says..."!

War on Scientology

I might be late to this news, but has anyone heard of the group that calls them-self "Anonymous"? They have apparently declared war against the Church of Scientology (and Tom Cruise). I don't know much about either group, but being a fan of the "written word" I found their mission statement pretty powerful. Check it out:

"Over the years we have been watching you, your campaigns of misinformation, your suppression of dissent and your litigious nature. All of these things have caught our eye. With the leakage of your latest propaganda video into mainstream circulation the extent of your malign influence over those who have come to trust you as leaders has been made clear to us. Anonymous has therefore decided that your organisation should be destroyed, for the good of your followers, for the good of mankind and for our own enjoyment. We shall systematically expel you from the Internet and proceed to dismantle the Church of Scientology in its current form. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.”

This war has apparently been waged for a while now, so apparently it is not a bluff. It not only sounds like they have a problem with the Church of Scientology, but they also sound like they have some resolve....We'll see!

I guess I'm crazy

After years of putting up with a pain in my neck (literally), I finally went to see a professional for my diagnosis. The actual definition of a professional is "someone who receives money for their actions or knowledge". Well my Doctor received a great deal of money, so I assume she is a great doctor. The first visit, for $180 and 10 minutes of her time, ended with me having an appointment to get a MRI. The only questions repeatedly asked to me were "do you have metal in your body?" and "are you claustrophobic?". To which I confidently answered "no..unless you count my bicep as being metal". After all, I'd know if I had any metal in my body, and being a man, I definitely wasn't claustrophobic! So the time and date was set for my first MRI.
Seconds before being rolled into the MRI machine, they asked the two questions again, which I answered "no" with a chuckle this time...the same questions were getting tiresome. Then they rolled me into this 24" diameter tube and wouldn't you know it, I'm claustrophobic! Who knew? 10 seconds into this 20 minute procedure, and I was fighting back the words "GET ME OUT OF HERE !" I felt a panic coming on, but my greatest fear won out over this new fear. My greatest fear is looking like a fool. So my claustrophobia came in a close second this day. My pride wouldn't allow me to quit, but like I said, it was close. The only words I could remember were the Lord's Prayer. So I repeated them over and over. I wasn't even really praying, they were literally the only words I could remember, so I used them to distract my mind. It worked, and 20 minutes eventually crawled by. My heart rate was up and down like a roller coaster as this new fear occasionally tried to take over, only to be extinguished by my pride.
So I learned a few things about myself last week. I learned my pain in the neck is just that, a forever pain in my neck. I have arthritis. But I also learned I have a bad case of "the claustrophobia". This hurts even worse. The problem I have with this phobia of mine is I know who I am now in a Sci-Fi movie. You know the movies on the Sci-Fi channel where a group of people are being attacked by something strange and only 1 or 2 people live in the end. Well up to this moment of my life I thought I was the hero type. The leading man type. The strong one left in the end because I defeated the enemy with my strength, intelligence, and courage. Well after being "tested" in the MRI machine I found out I'm more apt to be the annoying character, the one filled with fear that the audience knows (and hopes) is getting killed off early....Take that "my Pride"!

"Uncle Greg...Uncle Greg"

Last week I came pretty close to feeling like a celebrity. If you're ever laying in bed in the morning and hear your name being chanted from another room because of the excited anticipation of your company, then you too could experience this "superstar" feeling. I had the privilege of spending a week at Vero Beach with my wife, kids, my sister, her husband, and their kids. The youngest of their two boys is Jordan. He's the one who came to love me the way I always knew I could be loved...and should be loved! The others in the house never seemed to get it the way Jordan did. Carley, Jacob, and Josh never chanted my name ("Uncle Greg"). And Angela, Kim, and Jim didn't seem to get the concept either. But this wide eyed 2 year-old saw something in me the others didn't...or if they did, they suppressed it. But that's what's great about toddlers, they don't hide their feelings. They'll immediately let you know if they're mad, happy, sad, or scared. Heck, they'll even let you know when they're pooping on the floor with no shame at all! If it comes naturally, whether a physical feeling or an emotion, then they're going to live it out without pride getting in their way. How cool is that? So if you love someone, you should be like a 2 year-old....be like Jordan...and shout it out! Whether they're in the room or not.

If you ever get the chance to go to Vero Beach in August be sure to take some bug spray. Or you could do like us and opt for having a built in game of "connect-the-dots" on your legs (my sister got the super-sized version of this game). A bug called "No-See-Ums" feasted on us like red-necks on a KFC hot bar. But the itchy red dots were soon forgotten when we walked out into the radioactive heat of day that is Florida in August. It was the same 90+ degrees we have in S.C., but it must have been the 165% humidity that made it a little less refreshing. But the sauna like heat was soon forgotten when we jumped into the 45 degree Atlantic Ocean. It's hard to believe, but the ocean water was truly bitter cold! It was all I could do to just stay in long enough to pee!

So we had bugs, heat, and cold water, but to counter-act these few negatives we had many positives: great food and drinks, an awesome house, a big pool (complete with a water slide), coconut trees, rabbits (not the dangerous kind), little lizards, many activities for the kids, massages, our own chef (thanks Jim), relaxation, and family! So many thanks go out to Jim, Kim, Josh, and Jordan for inviting us to share in their vacation. We had a great time and loved it even more than Jordan loves his "Uncle Greg"!

I must add that both me and Angela were referred to as "Uncle Greg" by Jordan. But being that he's only 2 years removed from God's presence, I assume he still only recognizes marriage as "One Flesh". The world's view of two in a marriage hasn't sunk in on him yet...Hopefully it never will!

Denied

It's 7:45 AM on Saturday morning and I have plans to help a friend move some of his heavy furniture from a storage building to his house in about an hour. So I woke up early with intentions of fixing a pot of coffee and relaxing for awhile in front of the TV, computer, a book, or the pool. Sounds nice doesn't it? A quite house, steam rising off the mug of a freshly poured cup of coffee that's being cradled in a pair of grateful hands. And as many of you know, everything, be it TV, computer, a book, or a chair at the pool, is better with a hot cup of rich coffee! I think I heard an "Amen" out there. But my problem this morning, which is the reason behind me having the hands free to type, is that when I opened the "coffee cabinet" there was only decaf.! Decaf. coffee in the morning is like non-alcoholic tequila on a Friday night in Cancun. The decaffeinated coffee bean is made for caffeine addicts who either "need" a cup of coffee before bed or "need" to drink coffee all day. It's not the way a cup of coffee should be! I feel sorry for those people who are so addicted to coffee that the have to supplement their cravings by tricking their senses of smell, touch, and taste with a product that doesn't do what it is intended to do. Coffee's intent is to put the drug of caffeine into my body. Sure, this drug is capsuled into a hot, fresh, steaming, delicious, all satisfying package. But it's not the drink I need as much as the drug. Because as much as I LOVE my coffee, I'm still sitting here empty handed with two bags of Decaf. sitting in my cabinet. So my Saturday morning turned out far worse than what it could have been......it could have been so beautiful!

My Road to Damascus

A group of us at church are sharing our testimonies with each other, so I thought I post mine on this site as well.

My testimony could take 30+ years to tell if I were to give all the details. God's hand has been guiding me to Him since He first released me into this world. But for the sake of time and entertainment, I'll just hit the high (and low) points:

I grew up in a Lutheran church, baptized as an infant, confirmed as a teen, and quit going to church as soon as my parents would allow. Church was hot, boring, caused social anxieties, and made no sense to me. So I set off into my adult life with plans to make it on my own. I was a typical high school and college student who went to every party I could find. I was never "really bad", but I was a very typical teen who loved to "party". Check out any '80's teen movie for a quick reference to my life style. (By the way, I'm confident that the Lutheran Church is not to blame for my choices early on).

I met Angela in collage and she was a big step in getting me off the "road that leads to destruction". We both worked hard, bought our house and cars, made decent money, payed our bills, had two children, and some pets. We were almost the "perfect family". We were taught that if we did all the above we'd live happily ever after...and it was looking like we were heading that way.

I had a busy work schedule and as a result, Angela started going to church on Sundays without me. I was cool with that because I was sure I didn't want to go, so she went her way and I went mine and after church we'd meet back up. This was okay until she started "pushing" Jesus on me (not really pushing, but it always feels that way). I felt a wall starting to build between us, and I felt strongly that I wasn't going over to her side.

About 6 months after these events started, my Grandmother passed away. This was on Sept. 10, 2001. My work load required me to work all day on this Monday after I got the news of my Grandmother's passing. The visitation was to be in Iowa on Wednesday, so Angela and I decided to drive all night Monday to arrive in Iowa by Tuesday afternoon. Jacob was 4, Carley was 6 months. About 16 hours into the drive, Carley was still steadily screaming. She had gotten sick because of her 6 month shots she received the day before. So Angela and I (and the kids) were very tired when we heard the news report on the radio. The World Trade Centers were hit by planes! When we finally reached our hotel after 22 hours of driving and 36 hours without sleep, we were pretty miserable. Soon there after we had to take Carley to the hospital because she was so sick, and we got word from the doctors that it looks like she might have Leukemia (she didn't though).

That last paragraph is when I left my "self-established" world and stepped into my Hell! This is my equivalent to Paul getting knocked off his horse (Acts 9:4). My conversion came a few months later, but it was due in large part to Sept. 10-12, 2001. As a result, I began searching for God. I started going with Angela to church and tried to understand what was being taught. It still didn't make sense, but I did see people with a true passion for Jesus so I new I was missing something.

One day I was driving home from work and I turned my radio off and prayed. I prayed out loud to Jesus. I had recognition of my sins and my dependency on a savior, but my prayer felt like a stab in the dark...because I wasn't sure it was real (the prayer or Jesus). But something happened to me! No lighting strike or loud thunderous voice, but 5 minutes later when I got home I had a strong desire to read the Bible. So I read, and read, and read. Then I desired to learn from others so I asked, and asked, and asked. It was truly miraculous! I have so much confidence in the promise of God's gift of the Holy Spirit into a believer's heart, because I experienced it. I was a different person. Still the same old Greg as always, but also very much different. Just ask anyone who knew me.

The moral of my story is that I had little to do with my change. I had no initial desire to be a "Jesus freak"! I was scared (fear of the Lord) and as a result, I seeked God. That was my part. He gave me His Spirit which fueled my desire to learn, my love for Christ, my love for others, and my ability to encourage people about Jesus. So to God be ALL the glory!

The "Best Days"

If we all were to look back on our life, what would we consider to be the "best days"? Would it be the times when everything seemed to be perfect? The times when the sun shined the brightest and the soft warm breezes wrapped around our body like a gentle massage? When our friends and family contributed and enhanced our sense of fulfilment and love? When the world wasn't fighting against our plan for happiness, but rather, seemed to dance along with us and, at times, even let us lead? Are these the best times in life? If so, then I got to see a few of the best times of my life last week while at the beach with my family. But as I recall all the events that took place last week, I realize that we all had more than a week's worth of struggles as well. But I'm beginning to realize that it's these struggles that actually make up the "best days" of our lives.

To me, there is not a much better feeling than sitting on an ocean beach with my mind fully aware that tomorrow's plans are just going to be a carbon copy of today's. Relaxation has been a goal of mine since as far back as I remember. And the best remedy I've found for my stresses, fatigue, and anxieties is a series of lazy days laying on a warm sunny beach. Waves continuously crashing, children continuously playing, and the sun and breezes continuously affecting my senses is as close to heaven as I've felt (at least physically). But as I look back on all my beach trips, all the times of laying on the beach seem to be lumped together in one package. No one day seems to be better than any other. In fact, all the "good times" from these vacations apparently go in a big box in my memory entitle "BEACH". So some of the "best days" of my life have been at the beach, but I don't seem to recall the specifics, just the whole package...the whole box entitled "BEACH".

But what I do recall specifically is the bad times: The arguments, the jelly fish bites, the neck pains, the sicknesses, the sun burns and rashes, the deaths in the family, the tornadoes, the toe nails ripping off.....So in reflection, I wonder why these tough times, these struggles, come to us in the midst of our "good times". Is it God's hand or is it the Devil's handiwork?...or both? My Father-in-law has always jokingly referred to our family vacations as "the vacation from hell #(?)"...I think this year was #12 or something. But even with this title, he along with all of us, keeps coming back for more. Year after year we all eagerly await the next "vacation from hell". So after all this time I'm beginning to realize that these one week vacations are mini-capitulated examples of our whole life. In one week, the good times are multiplied substantially, but as a result, the bad times seem to be as well. But it's the bad times we remember best, because it's the bad times that effect us the most.

Now as I'm three days removed from "the vacation from hell #12", let me be the first in the family to say "bring on #13"! Because with 12 vacations behind us, this family has something that most families do not. Just like people who have been to war together will attest to, it's the struggles in life that bring about growth. And when people struggle together, they grow together. And when our life's journey starts drawing to an end, it will be in these times of shared growth that we will realize that God has given us the "best days" of our lives.

Ode to "Disco Bob"

I've always considered a good book, poem, or letter to be one that can effect the mood of the reader. If the written word can take an angry person to glad, a glad person to sad, or a sad person to laughter, then I believe the author has succeeded in giving the reader the emotional journey required for a "good read." I am so intrigued by this ability, that the written word has almost become an obsession to me. And now I try to use my written words to point others to God, show love to loved ones, entertain, honor, and inquire. All of which give me joy and fulfillment in the process. So thanks to everyone who takes the time to read my ramblings, you give me the motivation to keep pursuing the desire God has placed in my heart...the desire to write.

I'm going to put my writing skills to the test today. I am going to try and give my Dad his due honor. And do it within the confinements of a short enough post as to not bore the reader into retreat. In only 3 paragraphs, I'll strive to make my Dad both laugh and cry. No small feat in either case! And this or the previous paragraph does not count. So here it goes:

Last night I asked my kids to clean out my truck of all their junk that has accumulate over the past months. I left them completely unsupervised so I could put their work ethic to the test. When I walked to my truck this morning I was pretty much expecting to be disappointed, but when I opened my truck door I was shocked at the sight! Although the kids did successfully shovel out the multiple layers of paper, food, and drink that I had become so accustomed to, the interior of my truck was covered with more hair than Andre Agassi's shower drain ever saw! With a little investigation, I noticed my hard working 11 and 7 year old had left the back cargo window of my truck open. You know, the one that's about 10" x 10" wide. As I stared in disbelief at the situation, I realized that the thunderstorm the following night had scared my two German Shepherds enough to cause them to force their way into this small window and take refuge in my truck. Anyone with an imagination can guess how much hair two wet dogs with a combined weight of 170lbs can dispense inside a small truck's interior. Plus the smell wasn't that of a rose peddle! This story is so my Dad knows that his son is also a dad with the typical dad stresses. This should bring him joy!

My Dad grew up the youngest of three boys. I can't say for sure, but I would guess that he grew up without a lot of hugs and compliments from his older siblings. In fact I would say it was probably quite the opposite. Brothers are often very competitive and to acquire the confidence the older brothers need to succeed in life, the youngest brother can become quite the physical and verbal punching bag. But love is too powerful to be concealed. So a young boy can grow up being "picked on" and struggling to gain the respect of his older brothers, but still know that he is loved...that he will always have his role as a brother. So teasing, joking, and harassing isn't always negative, sometimes just below the surface of these actions is an immense love and respect. This is true of our family. These actions are a big part of the"glue" that holds us all together. Not many conversations with Dad come and go without some form of teasing. But contrary to what others might think, I feel great love and respect both to and from my Dad during these exchanges. It is who he is and, as a result, it is who I am. I love when my wife, kids, friends, and family tease me, because it's in this teasing that I equate love. Love can not hide. If it exists, it will be evident even when we are making fun of each other...and in the case of our family, I would question it's presents if those jokes quit coming.

This is by no means a insincere attempt to manipulate my Dad's emotions. I have great respect for who he is as a man, a dad, and a husband. He has achieved great things both in his life and in the lives of our family. I've used him as a model of strength and integrity my whole life, and he's just as solid today as when I first "met" him. I had a phone conversation with my Mom a few days ago, and she had a tearful moment that came as a result of her telling me about some seemingly insignificant action my Dad had done. I'm sure he's not even aware of what he did that effected her so. My Mom's tears were the tears of joy because, in this action, she was fully aware of the love my Dad still has for her. That's one of the best gifts a father can give his child. And that's a gift no Father's Day present will ever match up to. So Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you....even though you look gay in your pink shirt!

The world as we know it

.."It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it.

It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine..."

For those of you who lack the 80's music influence that I had, this is a music video and some lyrics from the song "It's the End of The World as We Know It" by R.E.M. I can't understand all the lyrics or the video, but I can understand the chorus. These words ring in my head as I think about gas prices closing in at $4.00/gal., with rumors of it hitting $7.00/gal in the coming years. That being the case, then it is the "end of the world as we know it". So do you feel fine? How does it feel when everything we understood to be our security begins to dissolve away? How many of us could afford to drive to work at $7.00/gal? Or worse yet, there could be such a shortage of gas that our money will no longer help us in filling our tanks. So we may need to find other ways to get to work. Walking, running, horse back riding, bicycle. But then I would guess that most of our employers need gas to stay in business, so our jobs might not be there waiting when we gallop in on Trigger. So then what? No job, no heath insurance, no car, no income, no house, no security. In a matter of months we could find all that we've been collectively working for is gone. The promises of a good education, hard work, and a savings account not fulfilled because our dependency on oil and transportation has become too great.

I say all this to say this: Have we created a god?

You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3) This is God's first commandment!

Here is a definition of a god: a person or thing of supreme value. I'd say that definition qualifies most of us for having a god before God. I'm not trying to be one of those "End of Times" Christians, but I am not proud of the fact that my life has been in pursuit of security apart from the security I'm told to pursue in the Bible. And it does not take a whole lot of imagination to play this gas shortage scenario out into a full blown crisis. But one good thing about a crisis is that it helps to show us what is truly important, and where our security is really found. So I'll continue on like most other people and hope gas prices fall and everything returns to normal. But I will also use these stressful times as God's reminder that He may just want us to "Be still and know that He is God"! (Psalms 46:10)

The Rules of Men

I was worried I might have broken a "Man rule" by posting a poem on my last entry. So I looked up the "man rules" just to see if I had stepped outside of any of these pre-established bounderies. I apparently have not, but just to prove I did my research, let me post some rules that are on the list.

Rule 1: Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella.

Rule 5: If you've known a guy for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits forever, unless you actually marry her.

Rule 7: No man shall ever be required to buy a birthday present for another man. In fact, even remembering your buddy's birthday is strictly optional.

Rule 13: Unless you're in prison, never fight partially clothed or naked.

Rule 15: If a man's fly is down, that's his problem, you didn't see anything.

Rule 28: There is no reason for guys to watch Men's Figure Skating or Men's Gymnastics. Ever.

The ladies may never know the awesome responsiblity that comes with being a man and keeping up with this list of "man laws". And it's a responsibility I don't take lightly. So men, feel free to read on with the security of knowing that all these posts have been run through the filter of the "rules of men."

A poem

I'm discovering that a spiritual journey is a lot like a poem.
You don't merely recite a poem or analyze it intellectually.
You dance it, sing it, cry it, feel it on your skin and in your bones.
You move with it and feel its caress.
It falls on you like a teardrop or wraps around you like a smile.
It lives in the heart and the body as well as the spirit and the head.
Sue Monk Kidd

I though that was cool enough to share!...It's actually more of a quote than a poem, but it "feels" like a poem.

Sleep

Do you ever wonder how much more we could get done if we weren't required to sleep? Yes, we are apparently required to sleep. To try and abandon the sleep instinct would either result in failure or death. So in my continued amazement and wonder at the fact that people can put their faith in Darwin's theory of Evolution, I stumbled upon this thought: How and why does "sleep" fit into this evolutionary theory? Wouldn't sleep seem to be an product of existence that would "evolve" away, since it leaves both predator and prey susceptible to danger and death? Wouldn't billions of years of evolution work this seemingly needless and potentially harmful instinct out of our existence? And humans are not alone. I can't think of one animal or mammal that is exempt from this daily activity.

This is where I would typically plug a Bible verse that helps explain God's answer to the question I posed. But in this case I can not find anything in scripture to explain why we need to sleep. So I have to try and come up with my own theory.

Maybe God gets tired of us in large doses. Any parent can relate to this I'm sure. I could not imagine loving my kids more than I do, but it's always nice when 9:00 pm rolls around and they go down for the night. The house is a different place. The two or so hours Angela and I have in the evenings is quite different from the 12 or so we have during the day. Much more quiet, much less stressful, and a gentle peacefulness falls on the house. The kids are still with us, but the kids are quiet...they're finally asleep! So maybe that's God's design for His creation. He loves to watch us, listen to us, connect with us, help us. But maybe sometimes He loves to know that we're still with Him, but we're finally asleep!...and for a few hours a gentle peacefulness falls on the earth.

"Dr Phil's" best seller

"Imagine if you will..." a book. A book that was started in the year 400 A.D. by a man who was the "Dr. Phil" of that century. It is a self-help book that explains not only how and why people act the way they do, but also leads the readers to a clear understanding of how to avoid the pitfalls in life. It gives the readers clear advice on how to obtain the proper thoughts and actions required to live a more abundant life...a life more successful. But the only problem is this "Dr. Phil" of the 5th century could not complete this book. In fact the book required over 1600 years to complete and about 40 different "Dr. Phil's" to write. But even though each author worked independently of the other, the words were written as though they all shared one mind. Each author complimented the other 39 authors without any conflicting thoughts or needless repetition. It is as if they were all in the same room while writing the book, even though they were separated by time, nationality, social standing, and education levels. In the end, the result will prove to be the best literary body of work this world will ever see. People will read this book and never be the same again. Lives will be impacted in such a way that this book will be shared and studied daily for many lifetimes, and the full benefits of it's truth never completely tapped out. Needless to say, it will hold the place forever as the world's best selling book. So "Imagine if you will..." that this book was started 1608 years ago and it's due for release today. Would you take the time to read it?

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. I have three people who play a role as a mother in my life, and I wish to honor all three in this one post. I recently heard the story of David Lloyd George. He was the British Prime minister from 1916-1922 and in his life he had many great accomplishments. The reason his story is relevant today is because of his mother's love for him. When David Lloyd George was a baby, his mother, while carrying him in her arms, got caught in a bad snow blizzard. The journey, combined with the weather, proved to be too much for this young mother to handle. The rescuers eventually found the lifeless mother's undressed body lying over her baby, who was wrapped in her cloths for protection. She assumably could have left her baby to save herself, but she chose to sacrifice her life for her baby's. I can't help but wonder what her last thoughts and last words were to her child as she slipped into unconsciousness... I would guess she was saying and thinking "I Love You!" That's what being a mother is all about, and I'm proud to have Mothers that love like this in my life. That's how we know what love is, that one would lay down their life for another (1 John 3:16 /John 15:13). So thanks should be to God for the gift of mothers...In His infinite wisdom He introduces us into this world in the arms of not only the one that will protect, provide, nurture, educate, and love us, but the one who will give her life for our well being. In fact, "her life" is often given daily. Thanks Revonda, Angela, and Mom! I love you all very much!

What is beauty?

Now seems to be the time of year when people are frantically working to get them self into beach body shape. Since I've been working out at my gym for the past 9 months, I've noticed this gradual increase in members within the last month or so. I assume this sudden increase in the popularity of the gym is due in large part to the fact that swimming suits are starting to come out of the closets. And I must confess, I'm glad I have had my nine month head start this year. There's no doubt I started my new health kick just so I could be healthier, happier, and God willing, be around to watch my children become adults. But I also can not deny my desire to have a healthy looking body, and I wonder if it's my vanity that's truly motivating my discipline. I would venture to say that everybody has this curse that is vanity. And indeed it is a curse! But is the look we all strive for a look that is truly "perfect", or just our "perception of perfection"? What I mean by that is, where is this standard of "beauty" established? I looked up the definition of "beauty" just now and found:

1. the combination of all the qualities of a person or thing that delight the senses and mind
2. a very attractive woman

That's a pretty broad definition (no pun intended). So as I watch all these people (myself included) striving to be recognized as one of the beautiful people, I'm trying to imagine what a world would be like without a "standard" of beauty. I guess I'm trying to imagine Heaven.
Donald Miller wrote a couple of my favorite books: "Blue Like Jazz" and "Searching For God Knows What". If you're looking for reasons why Jesus Christ is relevant to someone living in today society, and you don't see the answers in the typical routines of Sunday morning and Wednesday night church, then I would encourage you to read Donald Miller's books. He helped to start my journey of knowing Jesus the way God wants me to know Jesus, without the barriers (in my mind) of the man made traditions and rituals. I bring up Miller because in one of these books he talks about this idol that is "beauty." But in typical Miller fashion, he looks at the situation from a different perspective. He paints this scenario of a circus show where the main attractions are the people who normally would be outcasts. In fact it's their lack of appeal that makes this circus show so appealing. There's the world's tallest lady, the world's smallest man, the bearded lady, the man with three arms, the 200 lbs. 8 year old..you get the picture. Miller portrays this group as a typical group of people who work together, just like any other group of peers. But he adds to this already established group, a new "circus freak" that begins to steal the show. Let's say the new member has webbed hands and breaths with gills (I can't remember the details of his story). Miller goes on to describe the jealousy and envy the other performers begin to have as this new member is getting all the attention...all the love. They all begin wishing they had the webbed hands and gills. So it doesn't take long for the reader to realize it's not "beauty" we're after, but the attention that comes with "beauty." If having webbed hands and gills brought us love and affirmation, then webbed hands and gills would be our desire. Miller took this whole worldly perception of beauty and identified it for what it actually is: a disconnect from our original source of love and affirmation, a disconnect from God.
So we are definitely cursed in this world of ours, and we will continue to try and cover these "wounds" with band-aids. But maybe we should try and think of each pound of fat, each wrinkle, each gray hair, and the ever growing bald spot as God's gentle reminder that He's drawing us to Him. Drawing us to the place where "beauty" doesn't bring us love, but rather, where the "Love" is the only beauty we need!
BEAUTY = 1. the combination of all the qualities... that delight the senses and mind

Favre in the "Windy City"

Over a month ago I predicted David Cook to win American Idol and all signs point to my prediction being right on. So I'm going to make another prediction just to see if I have special powers! If this one comes true, then I'll be looking at ways to start my own 1-900 phone number to profit off my future telling skills. But until then let me tell you all the way I think Brett Favre's future will pan out.
I think Mike McCarthy (Packer's head coach) wanted Farve to retire. I think this rookie coach didn't want his successes to be credited to Brett Farve. And that's exactly what would happen in any success gained in Green Bay under the leadership of Farve. So I think there was tension in the organization. And I think Farve felt this tension, and "retired" as a result. But he still can play, and he knows he still can play. I think he could easily sign a 3 year deal for probably 8+ million a year. So for him to leave the game, would be him leaving 24+ million sitting on the table. That ain't ESPN analysis' money! I believe he'll entertain offers as soon as Spring training camps are over. And I believe one of the most likely teams to look him up would be the Chicago Bears. So there you have my prediction. I think Farve will take the field this year as a Chicago Bear! That's too good of a story not to pan out. And the NFL knows that would spark some interest, and the NFL is really no more that a glorified circus side show. The game is for our entertainment, and the players are our entertainers. I'm sure Farve knows this role well, and I believe he'll give us the best show he can. Now we just have to sit back and wait...
Wouldn't it be cool to see #4 on a black jersey?

The Clock and Chair

I apparently had a lot on my mind back in March, with 15 different post on this blog. April has proven to be quite the disappointment to my many loyal readers (that's you Kim and David L. ). I had a number of people (2) ask me this month "why have you quit writing?" Well, I've been writing, but just not in this forum. Writing is turning out to be one of my favorite hobbies. Who would have guessed the kid who graduated high school with a "D" in Language-Arts (English) would find enjoyment in reading and writing? I realize my grammar and spelling might reflect my high school grade average, but my desire and passion do not. I guess that goes to show that who we were when we were 18 isn't necessarily who we "grow-up" to be. Thank God! It is like we get to live several different lives in this one gift of "our existence."
I had a conversation with Angela the other night about two of my lives that have unpredictably overlapped. As I was sitting at home in a rocking chair that once belong to my grandparents, I remembered that this is the same chair where I once sat as a child on my Grandfather's lap. We would look together out his back window at his well maintained yard, with the red VW bug and his camper parked in their usual spots. We would be listening to "How Great Thou Art" or "Old Rugged Cross" playing in the back ground while my Grandma was in the kitchen fixing either a ham sandwich with butter, her ever popular lemonade, or her equally appreciated fudge. And at the same time I remember her working to stay in the conversation with us even though she was in another room. And my grandfather would always find a way to start his two finger walk on my leg that ended with him attacking me in a flurry of tickling. I remember my laughter, but my memory is more of him laughing after this tickle attack. He had a laugh that wasn't fake. His love for me and his love of life were evident, even to, and perhaps especially to a child. Now I'm sitting on this same chair, and my kids are now the age I was in this memory. And Angela and I are also looking at a clock on our wall that once shared the room with this same chair back in Iowa. I never remember a time when this chair or that clock wasn't a part of my life. The clock today is reading 2:00 pm right now. It has read 2:00 pm about 13,850 times in my life and, God willing, I could see 2:00 pm another 13,850 more times. But when my last 2:00 pm does come, I feel quite confident in the fact that the fond memories of my grandparents will become realities again...I can almost tasted that ham and butter sandwich and I can almost feel that two fingered tickle march starting again!

A success story

A month ago I started the story of my brother-in-law's (Dave) training for the Cooper River Bridge run. Well Dave has finished the race. He didn't place in the top 10, but mainly because of the participants who traveled from Kenya and Ethiopia...all the top 10 runners were from these countries and finished the race in under 30 min. That's less than 5 min per mile! I couldn't run to my mailbox at that pace, yet alone 6 miles straight. I do have to admit that Dave did much better than I had expected. I kinda expected him to cross the finish line in an ambulance. But he finished the race in full stride and, according to his wife, he had a big grin on his face. That's a success story to me! So although he didn't shock the town of Charleston with a top ten finish, he did shock his family with his rightfully owned 19,859th place finish. Trust me, that's much better than it sounds. Congratulations Dave!

Trying new things

As a Christian in today's modern world I think it is important to keep up with the current trends in today's culture. So often the Christian community shuns modern culture to the point of alienating ourself from the people who might need us most, like the people wrapped up in drug addictions. So for those of you who haven't noticed yet, I tend to think a little "outside the box" when it comes to my spirituality. So my lastest effort to reach out to people might seem a little controversial, but I hold my assurance by remembering that some of the greatest people in history have been accused of being controversial. So how am I going to try and connect with a culture that is getting farther and farther removed from the church? I'm going to try some methamphetamines! I better let y'all have time to let that one sink in a little............
Alright, here me out. First, this is one of the fastest growing, and most distructive drug problems in the U.S. It is one of the most easily accessible and cheapest illegal drug on the streets. So it's obvious why kids (and adults) are getting hooked. And the fact that it ages a person so quickly by ruining the skin and rotting the teeth through severe malnutrition, only proves to me that this must be an experience worth trying at least once. After all, if it helps people alleviate some of our deep rooted feelings of vanity, then maybe they're on the right track.
I have no intention of getting hooked! I just feel to better understand the "buzz" of this product, I need to experiment with it in a controlled enviroment (like my house or in my car). And then, hopefully, when I'm armed with the knowledge of the drug's effect on my brain, body, and emotions, then I'll be "one" with the methamphetamine community. I can infiltrate their lives for their benifit. I can be a light in the darkness!
I don't expect much support from the traditionalist. I don't expect much support from my family. But I am a pioneer! I'll fight the good fight! I'll be the modern day martyr! And before you discount me as someone who has gone past the point of rational thought, remember what today is...It's not a day to be timid. It's not a day for complacency! And it's not a day to crawl into our bunkers and hide from the enemy!.............It's April Fools Day!

Guilt Money

My family and I were driving to Greenville this morning and stopped at a red light at a major 4 way intersection that was being occupied by a church group looking for hand-outs. I'm not sure what the cause was or even what church they were representing, but I did read "church" on one of their buckets. Does anyone appreciate these opportunities to give? Because if people are looking for an opportunity to give some money, but haven't found the time or avenue to act out this desire, then this form of panhandling might have it's purpose. But I would think people with this desire would be in the minority. So is this technique for raising money honoring to Jesus? And is God in need of "guilt money"? (which is what I think they were collecting).
First I need to state that I love the idea of giving to charity, church, and Christ honoring ministries. I feel it is not only something we need to do, but something we should want to do as well. It is the best defense from keeping money from turning into a god (or an idol). The easiest way to give money away is to give credit to God for supplying it in the first place. But at the same time ,we are commanded to be good stewards with our money. So when should we give and when should we keep?
I think charity should be done out of love, compassion, and sympathy but never out of guilt. I'm convinced that God doesn't need money, and that God doesn't motivate through guilt. Charity is a gift from God, both to the people in need as well as (if not more for) the people who are giving. America unfortunately is in a time of the "Prosperity Gospel", which sells Jesus as the provider of health and wealth if the person obeys His commands. To me, wealth is the god in this message! It is not the Gospel! But with this idolatry in our churches today, it only makes sence that people are mislead about giving and the motivation behind it.
To me, the offering plate at church is not much different than the people standing at the intersection this morning. I wonder how much "guilt money" ends up in those plates on any given Sunday morning. We have gone from an individual placing an offering on their knees at the alter of the Lord, to dropping an envelope in a plate passed down the aisle. I use to be one of the people handing these plates out in a church service. I remember the college kids, as well as occational adults, who didn't have money to put in the plate. Their eyes told their story. They wanted me to know their reasonable explanation, but they knew they couldn't explain. Guilt and shame was very evident. And I've been guilty of these looks and feelings as well, in addition to feeling prideful when people happened to see me during the times when I did drop that envelope in the plate. This can't be God's plan! Publicly giving to God has to generate thoughts that aren't God honoring. I wish the church would rethink this issue of offering and come up with an enviroment where people could give their money (or not) to God in such a way that is free of public pride or public shame. Pride and shame are not from God!
But the church does have a big disadvantage when it comes to money. The preachers can not teach about tithing without producing some negative attitudes. The church leaders are perceived as the God's beneficiaries, so of course they want people to give to God. So let me say, as someone who is not in the ministry, that giving to God through Christ honoring ministries, with a modivation of love, is a blessing in itself. The Bible does promise rewards for people with this faithfulness of giving, but contrary to the "prosperity gospel", God's intent behind these financial blessings is not to make people wealthy, but to give people the resources to provide charity. So the churches of Jesus need to try and keep our money where God intended to be: Behind us and Him, not between.

Just because I mentioned it in this post, I'll post John Piper's video of his opinion of the Prosperity Gospel. This video is tough to watch, but it is from a Baptist minister who is very passionate about Jesus, and someone I admire as a preacher of Christ.

David Cook

Friends, here's the new winner of American Idol! If he can make Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie songs this cool, then he's unbeatable! The rest of the show is just about who's coming in second. Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

perceptions

I

Love
Paris in the
the Springtime !

I'm curious to know if anyone has a problem with this statement. Read it carefully! Do we always see things the way they actually are?

The Lord's Prayer

See if you think this video is cute.

The foundation

Some statistic somewhere is stating that half of all marriages in the U.S. are ending in divorce. This is apparently true of people both in and out of a church membership. So is this at least leaving half the marriages as a success story? I don't think we can assume that all the couples that end up staying together are living happily-ever-after either. So why is the marriage relationship seem such a natural union but at the same time seem so tough and unnatural on our emotions? What's God's plan for marriage?
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (Gen 2:24).
The Bible teaches that God puts great importance on marriage. Divorce is one of the few things God hates! (Malachi 2:16). I'm becoming more and more convinced that God might want us to put our marriage relationship even before our relationship with Him. I'm sure that opinion will stir some controversy, but let me try and explain myself and let me assure everyone that I'm not claiming this as Biblical fact, just my opinion.
I'm going to speak from experience first. You cannot read to much into my Blog without realizing I'm one of those "Jesus freaks." But I'm fortunate, in a way, to have lived a large part of my life as a "Greg freak" also. In otherwords, I loved me some Greg before Christ entered my life. So I'm pretty aware of the Christian and the non-Christian perception of marriage. The Christian side of marriage is easier, but still not automatic either. It's this Christian view of our relationship that made me realize God wants the marriage to be first over all (this statement does not apply at all to single people, their first priority should be to God). I enjoy church, Sunday school, and group Bible studies. But I find when Angela and I are in a fight, those places are almost the last place I want to be! If we are fighting on Tuesday, I start thinking about how Sunday morning is going to feel at church, because I know if we are not "one", then worship will seem fake. It is like God is telling me that if Angela and I are apart emotionally, then "our" heart required for worshiping God is incomplete and therefore not honoring Him. That's where I derive my opinion of marriage being priority one in God's eyes.

This theory of mine is not the cure all for the marriage relationship, but it puts the priority on the foundation of marriage. The marriage should be the most important relationship in a husband and wife's life. Friends, parents, children, work, entertainment, (and possible God) should not be put between or ahead of the relationship. And it is imperative that there is no divorce option. When the thought or threat of divorce lingers, the marriage is on shaky ground. One of the best metaphors I've heard for the marriage relationship is the husband and wife are locked together in a house with no key to the doors, the windows are all barred up, and there is no way out! Your stuck with you spouse of choice forever! You can spend time apart in other rooms, but you can not leave the house. When this mentallity is accepted by both the husband and the wife, then the realization of a life of misery turns into the modivation to work together towards happiness rather than work together for the escape route. You can no more disclaim you spouse than you can your child, they're yours forever. That's "becoming one flesh." That's God's plan for marriage! That's the foundational plan of marriage that will honor God, produce emotionally healthy happy children, and cultivate a relationship that's capable of receiving God's blessings of love, passion, intimacy, security, and respect. And the foundation is crutial, but it's just the beginning.

Who's the monkey?

There's been a debate going on in our house about who's the monkey in this picture. What I mean by that is I've been claiming that I'm the monkey and Angela's the pigeon. That's me implying that I'm the one who's doing the lovin' and she's the one receiving the lovin'. Because that monkey obviously loves that bird! Of course Angela thinks I have it backwards, claiming that I'm the one with less heart. So is it true? Is every couple made up of a "monkey" and a "bird"? And if so, and you're presently in a relationship, which one are you?

Realistically, I might be the bird on the outside....but I'm the monkey in my heart.

Me and Oprah like "The Shack"

One of my favorite books, as I point out in my “profile” to the left of this Blog, is the book called “The Shack.” It was recommended to me by a friend of mine that has given me a number of books that have helped me to draw closer to Christ. “The Shack” was no exception. The one thing not lacking today is the amount of people writing, talking, and debating about this book. The latest stir is that Oprah is lumping it together with her endorsement of the book “A Course in Miracles”, which is apparently New Age. I have not found a lot of information to support this claim, but proof is not needed to express the point I want to try and make. I’m going to try and write this post without pushing the book on people or pushing the book away from people. I’m just going to try to share my frustration with the fact that fear has (and continues) to inhibit the Christian walk with God.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..” (Proverbs 9:10). Fear is good. It draws the unbeliever closer to the Creator. On the other hand, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4: 18). So the unbeliever’s “fear of God” should change to a “love for God” after a saving faith in Christ has been accepted (and/or administered). I say all this to point out my opinion of how the church has pushed a fear-based agenda so much that it has become a deterrent to both the believers and non-believers in this world.
The church has pushed sin and punishment on non-believers pretty hard. Scripture makes it clear the cost of not accepting Jesus, and we’ve done our job in making that clear as well. But scripture also makes it clear that Christ came to give a life more abundant through God’s free gift of salvation. When I was a non-believer (not too long ago) I remember thinking that if God was sending me to hell, I was at least going to go there my way. I had God pegged as someone who wanted me unhappy for His sake. I was misled! Fear eventually did draw me to Jesus, but I wonder if love could have drawn me there earlier. Alcohol, drugs, and sex are quick and temporary fixes for people’s insecurities. To me that’s why kids turn to these vices, to be set free from their prison of insecurity. Guilt, shame, and self-obsession will lead people to some form of escape. I think “The Shack” can help people see God as more than an old bearded white man in a robe, sitting on the big judge’s seat in the sky. But instead, see God as the original author who whispered to John the verse we’ve numbered 3:16, which is the ultimate escape route from our insecurities.
The preaching of sin and punishment has also affected the believers in the church. The difference is our sin might not be so much about the sins that make the headlines, but more about our lack of discipline and desire to please God. Many are convinced that we “need” to read the Bible, go to church, witness, love others, and pray. And without these actions, punishment from God will soon come our way. This mentality is fear based. Love for Jesus will lead a person to these “Spiritual disciplines” not just to please God, but to learn to love God more, to acquire more of what feels good (similar to feeding a negative addiction). When we feel we’ll be punished, we will tend to think the inevitable tragic events in our lives are punishment from God. And who wants to worship a God that does not protect the life of a six-year-old girl abducted by a serial killer? Especially when the family is God-fearing Christians who attended church regularly (this is a reference to ”The Shack”). If there are Christians out there who can answer this question with a peace that surpasses all understanding, then they don’t need to read “The Shack”. But I’m sure there are Christians who don’t truly know what Paul was implying when he wrote “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Roman 8:28) For those people, I would recommend searching for answers both in Scripture and in “The Shack”, because this understanding of God and His nature is essential in the Christian walk.
So if Oprah is endorsing “The Shack”, then I say that’s a good thing. If Oprah is not a Christian and she is promoting Christ on her show then I’ll echo the words of Paul again “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Phil 1: 18). I could try and address more specific accusations of this book, but I’ve found much smarter people than me have already done that. I’ll use the comment section of this post to link anyone who’s interested to the reviews that try to expose this book as heresy and the ones that defend this book as a blessing from God.

Run Dave...Run

Who isn't captured by a Cinderella story? Rocky, The Karate Kid, Rudy, Buster Douglas, the 1980 US. hockey team, and this year's New York Giants. Everyone roots for the underdog. So let me set the stage for the latest individual to "dream the impossible dream." Dave, my brother-in-law, is in training for the April 10K Cooper River Bridge Run. His training regime has been intense to say the least, with the treadmill's incline set to it's maximum! He's still yet to hit the one mile mark, but he feels confident that mile stone will be surpassed soon. And as any runner knows, there is an exponential growth in endurance after the one mile plato is reached. So two weeks is more than enough time for Dave to train his heart and lungs to keep his leg muscles adequately supplied with the required blood and oxygen (for 6.2 miles). So why, you may ask, is this a Cinderella story? Well to the people who know Dave, it's not. We've seen the effects of his training (we'd be blind not to). We know his desire and passion for intense exercise and heated competition. But the city of Charleston does not know Dave the way we do! So I'm sure he will not be the odds-on-favorite to the so called "experts." So the potential Cinderella story is in place. A famous quote from the classic movie "Chariots of Fire" reminds me so much of Dave and his need to run. When asked "why run?", the main character Eric Liddel said.. "God made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure." .. Well God made you fast too Dave! .....So run Dave!...Run!

3/16 = 3:16

Weird title I know (3/16 = 3:16). This is my first entry in what I hope turns into a regular weekly post. I'm trying to see if the internet can be used as a useful Bible study tool. I'm encouraging the Sunday school class I'm attending to join me in a sneak peek at our weekly lessons. Sunday school always seems to me to be lacking just a little. What I mean by that is Sunday mornings always seem so hectic that by the time people actually get settled in the class room environment they are not quite ready to "open up" the way a good study of God's word requires. Usually mid-way through the class people get relaxed enough to join in conversation and share their thoughts. And unfortunately by the time the class is over, we've just got to the part where we are really getting to the "good stuff." This attempt of an internet (or e-mail) connection to the class during the week is hopefully going to be able to close the gap between the hectic Sunday morning and the "good stuff."
This is by no means an attempt to steal the lessons from our teacher. Mark (our leader and teacher) has the unique ability to make a Sunday school classroom relaxed and comfortable. That's something I tried to do when I taught, but my nervousness and lack of confidence created a much more uncomforatable environment (especially for me). Mark's love for Jesus and his meek and kind nature are key ingredients in leading a group of believers. So hopefully Mark will continue his lessons as usual, but I hope we as students and as believers can be so wrapped up in God's word by Sunday morning that we will be eagerly waiting to jump right into the "good stuff."
Now about my title (3/16 = 3:16). Am I just some super code-cracker or did anyone else notice that the date of the lesson is 3/16 and the Bible verses are John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16?...weird huh? The verses deal a lot about love...the quote in the front cover of out lesson guide by Mother Teresa says "There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread." I'd say she put action to her words...how do most believers in Christ's church today compare to Mother Teresa?..are we missing something?

Favorite book of the Bible

If I had to pick, I would say my favorite book of the Bible is Ecclesiastes. Every time I look up a reference passage or turn to this book for a quick read, I end up reading the whole book. I don't know if "favorite" is the right word for this attraction because books like Romans, John, Ephesians (and the list goes on and on) all have their own reasons to be my favorite. Maybe I just relate to Ecclesiastes the best. In this book Solomon writes about all his dream chasing. All Solomon's accomplishments and failures (under the sun) are shown to be meaningless! "Meaningless" is the common theme throughout the book. Work, wealth, and pleasures (like wine and food) are things we all chase and based off of Solomon's experiences, we are wasting our time. I don't think Solomon is advising us to give up completely on these goals, but to not pursue these goals as the "missing ingredients" of our lives. He learned that they are not the missing ingredients at all. Rather he found they did not bring true fulfillment, and he had the power and wealth to really put this theory to the test. I relate because I chased these desires myself (and if I'm honest...I still do to some extent). Although the chase itself can be kinda fun, it helps to realise the rewards of work, wealth, and pleasure are not the missing piece of our heart's puzzle.

the 80's

I was watching some 1980's music videos with my seven year old daughter (Carley) Saturday morning on the VH-1 classics channel. After a few videos, she asked me if they were trying to be funny with their music!... I tried to explain to her that these were classics and "No" they weren't trying to be funny. So after she and I continued watching some more videos, she turned to me again and asked "are they trying to be funny with their hair?"... I think she had me there.

Where's God?

I had someone recently ask my Christian opinion of what I thought when people make comments like "God was with us to protect us through the tornado hitting our house." Although this sound like a nice and grateful shout-out to a loving God, the question that this comment poses is "where was God when other people perished in the same tornado?" A good question. To claim that God was not capable of saving everyone puts limits on His abilities. And to say God is selective in His love and mercy is to claim that He is not an all loving God. Not characteristics too worthy of praise and worship and not characteristics of the God of the Bible. I believe the Bible reveals an ALL knowing, ALL powerful, and ALL loving creator. So I think the problem is not in asking "where was God" but in claiming that God is protecting only a few chosen people. So "where was God?" is the question I will attempt to tackle. Keeping this tornado scenario as an example I try to present a series of events where trajegy and good fortune both occur within the presence and control of a Holy God.
Sin is a tough concept to understand because all humanity has been so wrapped up in the sinful nature that it is hard to see it as the disease it truly is. The distructive nature of sin is the only reason we suffer, struggle, and eventually die. It is easier for me to understand sin when I view it as selfish pride rather than just wrong doing. All sin is originated in pride. I view the "fall of man" as God's creation being so well made that we ended up falling in love with ourselves more than our creator. Dog owners can understand a glimpse of this broken relationship when we think of a stuborn dog who disobeys his master even when the master provides all the dog's needs. The dog's self reliance is a deterant in the loving relationship. We are not dogs and God is definately not us, but it does make a close parallel.
So the Adam and Eve story sets the stage. Their self reliance was the deterant, so God let them (and us) live with that choice. The choice to live apart from God and on our own. Another parallel I want to add here is caring about a person with a drug addiction. Most people have seen loved ones get hook on some habit that would eventually lead them to destruction. You can try to help, but help will never truly come until the addicted person wants to change. Without this desire to change, the loved ones are forced to watch destruction run it's course, and break hearts along the way. God is watching our destruction run it's course, the destruction caused by sin!
I believe the origins of the tornado is another result of sin. In addition to God cursing the earth and all creation with Adam's sin, we can also determine (with a little Bible study) that there was no rain on earth before the flood and Noah's ark. And the rain and flood was brought about because the sinful nature of man at that time was so rampent ("God's heart was filled with pain." Gen 6:6). I believe this flood brought about the earth's weather patterns and their destructive tendencies. So the flood actually saved the human race from itself, but as a result, brought about the possibilities of tornados.
All this to say that if God is all knowing, powerful, and loving, He must watch our self destruction with a "..heart filled with pain" again. Is He wanting that tornado to rip through the house and distroys lives? Is He ignoring the parents on their knees in prayer for their child being distroyed by cancer? Is He rejoicing at the criminal getting a life sentence? or is He trying (and succeeding) to gently and lovingly guide His creation back to the place where destruction ceases to exist?...

And finally, if sin is the bad new...guess what the "Good News" is?

No one likes a quitter....Favre!

In September 1992 I began my new life as a married man. In September 1992 Brett Favre began his new life as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. This has turned out to be a pretty good turning point in my history. I hope Favre's career hasn't been the glue that's been holding my marriage together, but we'll get to put that to the test next season. In the past 15 years my wife has not know a football Sunday without her husband's great concern for Favre's on field performance. In that time she has also grown into quite the Packer fan (or maybe just a Favre fan). And speaking of Packer fans, I don't want to portray my Mom as one of those "paint your face green and yellow" Packer fanatics, but I'm pretty sure she was on the phone with Brett's Mom or possibly Deanna when Brett made his anouncement of retirement. She text messaged me the news before the internet got a hold of the story. She loves "her Brett"! Now she'll have to love "her Aaron Rogers" too!
Those die hard Packer fans will remember the post Favre seasons when an 8-8 record was a successful year. Since Farve, anything short of 10-6 was considered pitiful (and time to get a new head coach). Only time will tell if Sept. 1992 was the day God lifted His 24 year curse off of the Green Bay Packers, or if that was just the day Brett Favre got his chance to play quarterback!

Did Adam have to do push-ups?

As one of the many "victims" of the fast food industry, I have been diagnosed with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Since I found out (after years of testing it) the complacent way of attacking this problem is ineffective, my choice was either to take a drug or exercise and eat right. I'm presently pursuing the latter. For about six months now I've been pretty consistantly living heathier. As I was driving home tonight I thought about Paul writting to Timothy about the benifits of physical training (1 Tim. 4: 8). He says it is of "some value" but alludes to the fact that it pales compared to spiritual training.
Rather than try to expound on this "spiritual training" Paul is referring to, I'll steer this topic in a weirder direction. Did Adam and Eve need to exercise? The "fall of man" as recorded in Genesis brought about this curse that the human race knows all too well. Whether or not you believe the account recorded in Genesis, you can not debate the fact that the human race leaves a little to be desired! So my argument would be that exercise is a result of Adam's sin and it is another part of the curse.
So if you didn't already hate SIN enough, you now can blame it for the fact that we can not enjoy (at least guilt free) a Big Mac supersized meal with a double apple pie chaser. And if you find yourself needing to exercise this Spring for health and/or vanity reasons, you can use your time during the warm-up and cool-down periods imagining a life where the benifits of physical (and Spiritual) exercise are fully administered at birth.

The opening post

I've been reading friends' blogs for a few years now and I finally got hooked enough on the concept to start my own blog. I certainly don't feel I have anything that "needs" to be shared with the internet world, but I'm sure I'll develope some loyal readers (wife, kids, and Mom should be checking in from time to time). I think this blog is just a result of me searching for some form of entertainment other than TV or internet surfing. So with that said allow me to impress my wife and kids by posting some of their info on the World Wide Web:
My wife Angela is the love of my life! I truly feel like I knew her years before we ever meet. This is because she fit my preconceived thoughts and dreams of my perfect wife. She was a Proverbs 31 wife even before she or I knew of that description. I owe her more love and happiness than I have time to repay. I'll end up leaving this world in debt to her.
My oldest (and only) son Jacob, unlike my wife, has not fit into my preconceived thoughts and dreams of a son. He has far surpassed them. Jacob is more intelligent, handsome, athletic, kind, and humorous than any of my expectations. I already feel he has excelled ahead of me with his God given strengths and talents. It is an honor to be given the responsibility to raise this young man, and I look forward to being able to share in his successes.
Now about my daughter Carley. Everyone knows how a daughter can melt the heart of a dad. This has proved to be an understatement. My love for her and my desire to protect her is actually painful. I feel the type of heartaches that should only come with trajedies, but mine come with the knowledge that I will have to send her off into her own adult life someday. A life she must live in a very fallen world. I need to keep reminding myself she is God's child and not just mine. Fortunatelly for me she is smart, tough, and funny. This together with her natural beauty and God given faith gives her a real good fighting chance to shine in a tough world. But as any father knows, I'll always be here for her to the best of my abilities.
I've always wondered about the benifits of having a blog and I think this first post helps me to better understand. It is easier for me to post my thoughts than it is for me to express my thoughts (verbally). And with the world's access to this information, I can get the feeling (although it's false) of being world renowned! Look out Brad and Angelina...here comes Greg and Angela!