residual spark

Moving in more than one way...

2006-08-18T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ah... change is in the air.

We finally are getting settled into our new apartment and culture in Harleysville, PA. So after getting married, taking a honeymoon, moving half-way cross country... Sarah and I are going to have a combined blog to make it a little easier for both of us. So, there is a little change in the air. It's not a bad thing. Just changing address's so you can keep tabs on boths of us at the same time... 2 for the price of one... can't beat that!

So see you over there @ www.hansontrek.blogspot.com

... for those fallen...

2006-07-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day

To remember those who went gone on before.

To remember those who gave their utmost.

To remember those who sacrifced more than we would dare to lose.

To remember those who believed in a dream.

To remember those who defended the freedom we so dearly cherish...

To remember...

Independance Day

2006-07-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

Independance Day

Oh for love of country and land,
Singing of song, playing band.

We marvel at the wondrous sound,
Freedom, heard loud and strong.

From sea to far shining sea,
The Nation, the land of the Free.

Take time to remember, ponder, celebrate,
The men of old, those men great.

Devotion to love, land, and liberty,
Now home to both you and me.

May we strive to uphold the truth self-evident,
For the freedom of past lives spent.

Above all and always we must remember,
In God we trust for always ever.

Mark J. Hanson

Father's Day...

2006-06-18T19:22:00.000-05:00

Father's day. One day is not enough to honor our father's enough. So I thought I would take the time to express my great respect, honor, esteem, and love for my Dad.

My Dad is a soldier. My Dad is a 8-year 4-H alumni. My Dad is up working before the sun rises and often home after it sets. My Dad loves mowing. My Dad loves throwing little kids up in the air. My Dad is quiet and knows how to listen. My Dad is the homes mechanic. My Dad has sacrificed much for his children, more than I think I'll ever know. My Dad admits his mistakes and allows his children to learn from them...

These are just a few of the far from numerable things that my Father is to me. And I just wanted to take a small piece of space to allow my Dad to know he means the world to me.

I love you Dad!

Wedding update...

2006-05-28T11:13:00.000-05:00

Ah yes... an update... it's been a while as always. I was just thinking that it's been about a year since I placed those first few hesitant steps in the world of online journaling. So... I guess it is simply another way to mark the passing of time.

Anyway... onto whats going on now. I guess the biggest news is that Sarah and I have been making our own invitations, and actually, it's been fun! Completely agreed as we narrowed down options, we both put our ideas together and combined them ever so nicely into a simple yet stylish invitation. How awesome is it to have the same mindset with another person enjoy working through life with them. This was a great chance to experience that.
And even better than the beginning of a thing is it's end... we just mailed them all out yesterday. It's nice to find things slowly being marked off on the to-do list. And that for us was really the most time consuming job we had in front of us. It is nice to know that you can start to take time for other things.
So now we're moving onto nailing down the order of the wedding ceremony and all the little details of who goes where, at what time, with whom... etc., slowly but surely we're making progress. It seems as though life is dragging by, especially when your waiting for something so cool, special, unique... just like having to wait those last few weeks of the school year before summer vacation... seemingly endless. As of yesterday we are down to exactly 8 weeks until the big day! I'm excited and yet still anxious because it seems so far away, even though it really is knocking on the door.

I guess no matter how much time there is, or was, or will be... Sarah would be worth waiting for, for any length of time. So... I'll take my eight weeks, and know that in two months... I'll be married to my closest friend!

Modern Army Combatives Course

2006-05-11T18:15:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a physically challenging one. I had the priviledge of being selected to represent my National Guard unit and take part in the first Combatives course held at Camp Ripley, MN.

Army Combatives have been around for quite some time mainly focused with Ranger and Special Forces units. This Modern Army Combatives (MAC) course has within the past decade become a formal training that is being implimented across the Army as a whole.

The MAC has three levels of training with level one focusing on basic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu ground grappling. Level two continuing on with Jiu-Jitsu in more detail and difficulty,building on the basics learned in level one. Level three then moves onto Muay Thai kickboxing, boxing, Karate, and Kali (knife and stick fighting). I have just completed level one and have the ability to move on to level two.

Basically this is what everyone thinks that the soldier should be. A lethal fighting machine with the ability to personally inflict physical force against the enemy and win. I have now been trained to do that. My whole body is sore. A daily schedule consisted of instruction and practice of the technical form of the moves we would learn. Followed by a practical exercise where we would practice them on a fellow student trying to gain the more dominant position with our new found knowledge. Eight hours of full contact wrestling is a little taxing on a body not use to that kind of physcial strain. Our final test was the "clinch drill," which consisted of our instructors and some professional martial artists wearing boxing gloves and punching us as we attempted to close on them and disable their ability to fight. I've never been in a fight or even had a real punch throw at me, so it was quite an eye opener when that first punch landed on my temple. You learn pretty fast to dodge the hard punches to the face... but you also learn to take the punches that come when you are grappling with them and attempting to pin their arms down. The test is to allow you to experience violence in a controlled environment instead of in a combat situation for the first time. By the fourth round of the drill I was able to avoid all but to punches to the ribs and wrap up the martial art instructor in a matter of seconds. Of course they only were going at maybe 40-60% of what they were capable of... but it was more than enough to make you realize the importance of not getting hit while at the same time being confident in taking the offensive to them and disabling their ability to fight.

It is a little weird trying to balance violence with the obvious message of love for all men that God gives to us through His Word. But I have decided that our country has been granted our liberties and freedoms of religion through the defense of our country and will willingly defend those by giving time in Military service for this Nation. I have come to the point where I would not desire to take a man's life without provocation, but know that if I was placed in a situation where my mission was to do so, I would. Thankfully God has not allowed that position to come upon me... and I hope that He doesn't in the future. So that's what I've been up to lately... ;)

Quote: Marcus Cicero

2006-04-04T06:41:00.000-05:00

"The budget should be balanced,the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced,the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled,and the assistance to foreign landsshould be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

Marcus Tullius Cicero
(106-43 B.C.) Roman Statesman, Philosopher and Orator

http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Marcus.Tullius.Cicero.Quote.730D

I have to agree... people need to learn how to work. God has instructed His people to care for the needy. The government can help, but to try to completely bear the burden of caring for those people is only a detriment to those individuals who have the ability to work and choose not to. God has given us two hands to put to good use... we are made to work. So let us do so...

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."

Solomon

Ecclesiastes 9:10

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

Paul
2 Thessaloians 3:10

I understand that it is not always just as smiple as writing this statement and it coming to pass... but the principle must be applied at some point rather than letting people just live going "along with the ride"... there are no free rides. Someone is paying for it. And in the end when this life is over... we all have to pay up, being judged according to our work before and to God. We should work hard while we have the chance... and make sure that it is not for selfish gain, but rather God's glory.

... he was zealously jealous for his God...

2006-04-03T18:29:00.000-05:00

I've been reading in Numbers lately and ran across something that struck me, seemingly missing it all the other times I've read this passage. In chapter 25 we have the account of Phinehas the priest (Aaron's grandson) striking a man who was caught in the act of immorality. I guess I never read the text close enough to see that there was more to this story than just a punishment of sin...

Numbers 25:1-13 "...and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods... and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand... And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through... And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy... Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace... because he was zealous for his God.

First, God's children were in direct disobedience to God. They were profaning themselves both physically and spiritually in front of God. This angered God as any Father would be after instructing his children in how they are to conduct themselves. God had a righteous anger because His children had been unfaithful to Him. He had every right to be angry.
The situation which is described in detail is the peak of the whole ordeal when a man of Israel brought a woman who was not his wife in front of the whole nation, and before the House of God. He was so callused to his sin that he didn't try to hide it in the least. It was a sin of great pride and a lack of humility before God. Yet Phinehas the priest saw this great dishonor that was brought to God's name and character.

He jealous for his God's glory... and he zealously pursued it. And God blessed him because of it.

That was a huge conviction for me today... would I see a situation in which God's name was being dragged in the mud and do something to change that in which His name would again be lifted up to the highest of heights? Would/could God say that I was jealous for His honor, and zealous in how I lived for Him???

That specific kind of life style/attitude is not just for when a "situation" arises. But rather it is a daily, continual, passionate pursuit of God's glory as a way of living. And that's where I want to be...

Birth Day...

2006-03-04T21:47:00.000-06:00

Well... on a really quick note, March 2nd was my birthday. I'm now offically one year shy of a quarter century.

On a little side bar I'd like to point out that
I share this birthday with two people of intrest (to me anyway) writer/author Dr. Suess and pro-football player Ben Rothlisberger. Ben and I are the same age, whereas Dr. Suess was born 78 years before myself.

Army Training in Louisiana

2006-03-02T19:33:00.000-06:00

Well as a quick update I've been gone since the end of January until about a week ago. My Army National Guard Unit was activated for a month to train with the several thousand Guard Soldiers from Minnesota that are being deployed to Iraq towards the end of March 2006. We we're providing support for their JRTC course at Ft. Polk in Louisiana.

My aviation unit was providing air support for simulated medivac and infantry insertions with the units that are being deployed. Our unit was involved in their final phase of training for a 3 week "Simulated-Real" wargame in which there is a simulated enemiy and actual attacks which results in lost vehicles, equipment, and personel which in turn allows the units to evaluate themselves for proper training implementation and prevention of many known enemy tactics in the field to which they will be operating in.

During the training my airfield was attacked and I actually ended up being a casualty. I was rushed to the medic station and my "wounds" were treated and then I was actually transported to the field hospital to go through the procedures and paperwork of being injured. A rather time consuming ordeal, but it was to allow the units being deployed to get used to "real" situations which they have not necessarily been allowed to train for outside of a concept type environment. My favorite part of our training was being selected to be a member of our units Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART). We had several oppertunities to train with several simulated and one real mission in which aircraft were grounded mid-flight. Our job was to take a team and repair the aircraft to a point in which it we would be able to give it enough fly time to return it to a hanger for higher level maintenance work to be done.

It was good training not only for our soldiers being deployed, but also the units that supported them which will remain here in the States. Our unit benifited tremendously by maintain 24 hour operations and preforming serveral downed aircraft recoveries. I enjoy my job in the military, since I've been doing it almost 7 years... I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

So that was a quick "What I've been up to" update... more to come at 11. ;)

ENGAGED!

2006-01-10T18:23:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to all who will frequent this blog of mine. I have to say that I do apologize for not updating my posts in a timely fashion... I've been kind of preoccupied ;)

So... its a couple days past but it does not detract from the importance of the event any less. On the first day of this New Year, within it's very first waking hour... I asked my beautiful girlfriend... Sarah Jean Borth... to be my wife.

There is so much that could/should be said about this life-changing moment in time. I have asked one woman to embark along a journey, a trek of life... no longer as a single entity but as a unified whole with another person. And can you believe it? She said yes! That one simple fact still amazes me... (Ok, it�s only like a couple weeks after the fact)... and I think that it will continue to amaze me as long as God plans for our lives to continue together.

So the basic run down of the events:
I picked Sarah up from work so we could go to a mutual friends wedding. Then I gave her a huge "I Love You" card I had made out of cardboard and to start things off. Wrote a letter with dozens of reasons why I love her. I gave her that a little while later. We both attended our friends (Liz and Nate) wedding and helped serve cake at the reception. Afterwards Jonny and Jess (more college friends) invited us over for games, movie, and dinner.
After dinner I took Sarah up to the Twin Cities to go ice skating at the only place I found to be open late at night. We skated until about 11:30 p.m. I was hoping to propose in the Cities, but the sky was cloudy, she had to work in the morning so we moved on. So while we were driving back I asked God to clear the skies so that I could do it under the stars before the heaven which declares His glory. By the time we got to Owatonna, MN... the sky was completely clear and I decided that my alma mater would be a perfect place since everyone was on Christmas break; it is the highest point in town and has a beautiful open view of the sky. And because it is where most of my life-changing has happened... I decided to add one more (the biggest one in my book).
I had made a fleece blanket for her since she is always borrowing mine. I had her close her eyes and walked her to the middle of campus and presented the blanket to her. I had a heart made into the middle of the blanket and tied into the point at the top of the heart... I had tied the engagement ring. It took her awhile to notice it... but as soon as she did she gasped a little... I untied it and bent on one knee and asked her to be my wife. She paused for what seemed like an eternity... and then fell to her knees in front of me and said yes.

That�s the basic order of events... reaching that happy ending of my becoming engaged to the sweetest, most beautiful girl in the world (and yes of course I'm biased). For the really good rendering of the story I'll leave my fiance to fill in the nice details with her smiling eyes... and I know she'll be more than happy to share! So... now you can know... planning a wedding late summer... July 22nd. God is so good... what wonderful gifts He gives in His time! And I think (know) I got the best one!

No-So-Random Quote: Benjamin Franklin

2005-12-20T09:11:00.000-06:00

"A Bible and a newspaper in every house,a good school in every district -all
studied and appreciated as they merit -are the principle support of virtue,
morality, and civil liberty."
-- Benjamin Franklin -- (1706-1790)
You have to stop and wonder how this nation would be different if this simple application was made to life. However, just because every home might lack these things to some extent... it does not give us an excuse to lack them in our own homes. We have the right to choose. And Basically along those lines knowledge is power. But Mr. Franklin tied in not only the human/physical but also the spiritual/immaterial... and that by far empowers one on such a larger basis. One in which "It is not I, but Christ who lives within me..." What great immeasurable strength, power, and wisdom... seldom used to the fullness that God could bestow upon us, if only we see our need and our weakness within ourselves and trust/rely/depend on God and God alone.
If "WE"... would do that... this nation would be different, way different... it would be so much more hostile to "US"... because we are not like "THEM"...
May Christ be seen in me... and may I reflect Him in the way He intends, deserves, requires... so that others might know Him... and Mr. Franklin was right on... that begins at home.

Sad...

2005-12-05T18:59:00.000-06:00

I ran across this and it... it is more than appaling. It is completely disgusting to think that people who would claim to be Christian (even though they never use the word) could preform something in this sort of realm, attracting people not to the Bible... but to gratify the lust of the flesh and "moralizing" it by taking the Bible just as a name rather than as what it is... God's Word.

A German Protestant youth group has put together a 2006 calendar with 12 staged photos depicting erotic scenes from the Bible, including (an uncovered) Delilah cutting Samson’s hair and (an undressed) Eve offering an apple... Anne Rohmer, 21, said... “We wanted to represent the Bible in a different way and to interest young people,... anyway, it doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible that you are forbidden to show yourself...” Bernd Grasser, pastor of the church in Nuremberg where the calendar is being sold, was enthusiastic about the project... “It’s just wonderful when teenagers commit themselves with their hair and their skin to the Bible,” he said.

www.msnbc.msn.com

When people take God's Holy Word and twist a concept striaght from Satan "Has God indeed said...?" (Gen. 3:1), and use it as a method of reasoning an action into exsistence. Prove to me that it is what God wants us to do! Provide the precepts and principle which God commands to us that allows such actions. You won't find it in the Bible. That is not representitive of the God I serve... the God I serve is set apart from that kind of worldly attitude. He is perfect and Holy... He asks us to set aside our bodies as temples for His Spirit. That one fact should make us seriously consider what our bodies are for. Are they even for ourselves? No... they were created to serve God... and that alone should be enough of a concept to dictate our actions to be different than this world which promotes "skin" as a method of attracting people to whatever we want them to pay attention to. God never used that as a method of spreading the Gospel. God is so... not like this. It breaks my heart for Him thinking of Him viewing people who would claim to be children of God acting like this.

So how do you read God's Word? With the seriousness one should with a letter written to man kind from the Creator of the universe? Or do you treat it lightly? Do you read it... or read into it... oh how God's heart aches for those who change His Word for their own agenda's rather than focusing their time on glorifying the One True God.

Veteran's Day...

2005-11-11T23:47:00.000-06:00

I have so many emotions, there is not enough time or space to attempt to place them in readable thoughts. To few Americans really understand what they have. Our culture is slowly moving away from understanding what "real" war is. When we fought the WWII there were people that protested then saying that it was "just that war over there...". It is never "just" a war. Being in the Armed Forces currently (while not actively fighting yet) gives me a different perspective then the "anti-war" media.

I am willing to die for my country. I am willing to protect, sacrificing my life for the freedoms of this country. I fight for what this country was founded upon, the oppertunity to worship God. THE GOD... without fear of government interferance. Even though that happens more and more frequently today, I am still fighting for that right. The sad thing is that many people think of it as merely a priviledge, which can be taken away. That was not the original intention of the establishment of what this nation was founded upon. I even fight for the freedom of the people who dissagree with me... it would be interesting to see if they would fight for mine. I greatly respect all men who have taken the risk of placing their lives on the line for this country. The ones who have passed on doing their duty have my highest respect and honor. And I show that by honoring and respecting those men who are still alive today.

So in conclusion I leave these thoughts of two great military men...

"Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."
-- General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) WWII Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific, Supreme United Nations Commander

"It is certain that the two World Wars in which I have participated would not have occurred had we been prepared. It is my belief that adequate preparation on our part would have prevented or materially shortened all our other wars beginning with that of 1812. Yet, after each of our wars, there has always been a great hue and cry to the effect that there will be no more wars, that disarmament is the sure road to health, happiness, and peace; and that by removing the fire department, we will remove fires. These ideas spring from wishful thinking and from the erroneous belief that wars result from logical processes. There is no logic in wars. They are produced by madmen. No man can say when future madmen will reappear. I do not say that there will be no more wars; I devoutly hope that there will not, but I do say that the chances of avoiding future wars will be greatly enhanced if we are ready."
-- General George S. Patton, Jr. (1885-1945)

http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca

Random Quote #11: Lord Tennyson

2005-11-07T20:23:00.000-06:00

To ride abroad redressing human wrongs,
To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it,
To honor his own word as if his god's,
To lead sweet lives in purest chastity,
To love one maiden only...
And worship her by years of noble deeds....

-- creed of the Knights of the Round Table
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Idylls of the King

World Picture #11: Spain

2005-11-07T19:52:00.000-06:00

Barcelona: Spain
photo by: David Greer

Random Fact #11: Gum

2005-11-07T19:47:00.000-06:00

In Singapore, it is illegal to sell or own chewing gum.

(Doesn't make school look so bad... your principal won't send you to jail!)

http://www.hookedonfacts.com

New Love!

2005-11-02T14:53:00.000-06:00

I am honored to proclaim to the world the fact that I have begun a "Trek", an adventure with the most wonderfully, beautifully precious girl. Her name is Sarah Borth. It's been several years of friendship development leading up to this point and just recently we started a formal relationship. I first met her when we worked together at Northland Camp in Wisconsin with 3rd thru 6th graders (at Pioneer Village) the summer of 2003.

I am simply amazed at all the things that God has worked out for me recently, and this I would have to say tops it all. It is a great cap stone to a God's amazing blessings. This post is me telling the world... that I have found an amazing girl. One in whom I would love to share my life with if the Lord so leads us both in that direction.

So now you know in the short, to the point way... and just so you all know I cherish (yes I would even use the word love) her in a way that is almost inexpressable because I see her as a gift from God...

... and I find it special because I think God made her especially for me.

SI:FFL - update week #8

2005-11-01T20:03:00.000-06:00

Well I am proud to announce that my team has marked their first win this week! My team is now 1-7! Yes!... I guess as long as I didn't get skunked for the season... thats good enough for me.

So here are this weeks results...

Salisbury Eagles 35 vs. Owatonna Doughboys 93

Me 149 vs. Mayfield Mudcats 89

Desert Giants 125 vs. Lakewood Legends 114

Cody Wapiti 58 vs. Hyde Park Presidents 99

2005-10-23T00:53:00.000-05:00

This past week was the MEA weekend for all the public schools which means all the kids get Thursday and Friday off. The GARBC holds a fall retreat over this extended weekend and Grace Baptist in Austin where I worked this summer have been attending this for several years. Pastor Larson usually takes the kids up to Camp Jim near Brainerd which is like a 4-5 hour drive (depending on how well rule #37 is followed ;) ).

Pastor Larson was not able to take the kids this weekend due to the marriage of one of his sons on Saturday. He called and asked if I would be willing to take the youth for him. Schedules all worked out nicely, and I was able to do exactly that.

We took 18 kids (9 guys and 9 girls) Mr. Olson and Marit Dybvig were the chaperones along with myself. Everything went fairly well considering all the variables that go along with 18 kids, 5 hours in the van, and 3 days of being together... it was a wonderfully interesting trip. I learned a lot personally and continue to be encouraged to keep up ministry whenever and wherever oppertunities present themselves.

The highlight of the trip was one boy in particular, his name is Danny. He is one of the nicest kids you could meet, but even nice people aren't perfect. Danny realized that fact this past Friday. After the evening service there was an invitation time and he came back to where I was standing and asked if we could talk, so we did. He decided that he wanted to be saved right then and there. Out of all the kids there he was the one that I focused on the least because he had his ast more together than most of the kids on the trip... but God still works even if we might not see it, and I am so glad for that. The body of Christ grew by one just a little over 24 hours ago. How sweet it is to trust in Jesus... just to take Him at His Word...

That's what Danny did. And God was gracious enough to me to allow me to be a part of His saving Grace... not by anything I have done or did buy according to His mercy... He saved Danny and allowed me to be the first to welcome Him into the family of God!

Praise God!!!

New Car!

2005-10-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

I just got a new car! It's a 2000 Grand Am GT, V6 with RamAir. It's my first car that is less than 10 years old and it had just over 100,000 miles when i got it (which is way less than my other 2 vehicles). It has a moonroof which is cool. The biggest plus... it has four doors. All my cars so far have been 2 door coupes. I would run into a lot of annoying situations because of my 2 doors, so that is now a thing of the past. And the car works great.

The only bummer is that I have only had the car a week and this past Wednesday I hit 2 deer at the same time... I was very grateful for my mom in encouraging me to opt for comprehensive coverage which covers 3/4ths of the cost of the estimated repair. Even with that very big negative... I was so thankful that it was not any worse since I had all the little kids with me, taking them to church, and it could have been a lot more serious.

Needless to say... I'm excited to get it back and on the road again... and I thought some of you out there might be interested to know...

devotions...

2005-10-13T20:42:00.000-05:00

I've been doing my devotions in Jeremiah recently. I have been amazed at jsut taking some time to look at God and His responses to His creation...

Jeremiah 8:5-9 - Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return. I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane¹keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD. "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?

It seems that God is saying "why have they turned away? I have paid attention and even listened to them... but they claim innocence. They all choice what thy want, not what I have for them. Even my other creations (animals) obey my instructions, why do the people I love not obey my commands? They have rejected my Word... how is that wise?"

Jeremiah 7:23 - But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'

"I have made it easy... only obey me, make me your God and I will be. Walk in the manner I instruct you to... I AM YOUR GOD THIS IS MY COMMAND TO YOU!"

God doesn't make it hard for us... He only wants us to be His and us to want Him to be ours. He wants His children to treat Him as their Father so He can treat us as His sons. The love is so real... and yet time after time we reject and do not comprehend the seriousness of our sin in disobedience to God in His sight... may God remove the insensitivity of our hearts and keep us tender to the condition of our relationship.

New Job!

2005-10-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

I'm slowly catching up writing down whats going on in life. A couple weeks ago my dad was on his way to Iraq with his national guard unit. So I talked with Malt-O-Meal (where my dad works) and he asked if it would be possible for me to take his job and hold it until he got back. So I was in the process of applying and being hired when several days before he was to leave his name wasn't on the list anymore. Since I had gone through the whole process they offered me another part-time position which I accepted. This week was my orientation week and next week Monday I offically start my job and start working in Phase 2 which makes the Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice cereal. The job is for a lady who is on a medical leave so the job right now could be for 2 months or 6 months... nobody really knows. We'll see... in the mean time... I've got a job for a while.

That's whats new... more updates to come!

Random observations...

2005-10-11T12:19:00.000-05:00

Since being home now for some time after college I realize that things have changed and I have missed a lot of my younger siblings lives. Today my little sister Mackenzie was trying to tell her younger brother Micah that yesterday was a holiday. She said: "Micah it's important it was Christy Lumbus day!" with as much seriousness and confidence a 7 year old can muster.

I love my family and I'm looking forward to being home for a little while before I move into the next phase of life.

SI:FFL - Week #5

2005-10-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

Well... on tuesdays the final scores are tallied for the past weekend (after the Monday night game). So... I really want to say that I have not lost again... but alas... I have. My team was mostly gone due to the bye week... so I had to make a hodge-podge team with the leftovers... and lost by one. Rough.

Oh, and a random note I get to face-off against a good friend of mine this next week. A college roommate and friend, Dustin. Hopefully he'll show mercy... but, nah... we're to competitive... so I wish him a good game since his team is doing real well, so we'll see if the underdogs (me) can shine!

Final score: 81-80

Week Scores:
Salisbury Eagles 100 vs. Lakewood Legends 103
Owatonna Doughboys 118 vs. Desert Giants 77
Minnesota Cobalt Cobras 80 vs. Cody Wapiti 81
Matfield Mudcats 116 vs. Hyde Park Presidents 65

Question of the day...

2005-10-08T00:23:00.000-05:00

What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?

(... i hope that i never have to find out personally...!)

SI: FFL - update for wk #4

2005-10-06T14:50:00.000-05:00

Well... 4 weeks into the season... and yup 0-4. This last one I thought I had a chance and lost 126-123. Big bummer. It kinda hurt a lot when my starting QB was Daunte Culpepper and he was sacked 9 times and threw 2 or 3 interceptions. But oh well. "That's ok"

Somebody has to be the team that gives everybody else the wins. So at least I'm accomplishing something (even if thats on the more negative side of things).

Prior Week Scores:

Team
Salisbury Eagles 123.00 vs. Desert Giants 130.00
Owatonna Doughboys 92.00 vs. Lakewood Legends 99.00
Cobalt Cobras 123.00 vs. Hyde Park Presidents 126.00
Cody Wapiti 66.00 vs. Mayfield Mudcats 90.00

Random Fact #10: Raining Cats & Dogs

2005-10-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

The phrase "raining cats and dogs" originated in 17th Century England. During heavy downpours of rain, many of these poor animals unfortunately drowned and their bodies would be seen floating in the rain torrents that raced through the streets. The situation gave the appearance that it had literally rained "cats and dogs" and led to the current expression.

this random fact found @: http://www.some-guy.com
Drawing: Raining Cats and Dogs Artist: Hannah Gluck

Random Quote #10: Theodore Roosevelt

2005-10-06T00:27:00.000-05:00

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt
"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

(Just a sidebar... this is my favorite president and one of my favorite figures in history. He has an amazing ability to articulate thoughts in a way that has been lost over the years. I love his passion, enthusiasm, energy, and excitement for life. This is one of my personal favorite quotes of all time!)

World Picture #10: Caldera

2005-10-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

Caldea: Andorra

photo found: www.etstour.ru
more info: Infoplease.com

2: Can God sin?

2005-10-05T22:18:00.000-05:00

Another aspect that needs to be covered is whether or not it is possible for God to sin. Now if you remember last time we looked as some of what the Bible describes sin as. In every single instance it is in reference to how it controls and effects men and women. The is no mention of it effecting or controlling God. Sin is basically that which is opposite or opposed to God. Since it is impossible for God to be opposed to Himself... since He's perfect... in a logical way it rules out the possiblity for God to sin.

But we also need to prove it from Scripture. So we will look at how the Bible shows the interaction between God and sin.

Genesis 39:9 - "... How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Joseph understood that sin... in this instance a moral aspect of life, was not just against other people, but its association is directly connected to God and our relationship with Him.

Jeremiah 16:10-11 - '... what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?' "Then you shall say to them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken Me,' says the LORD; 'they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law."

We sin when we ingore God. God does not, nor can He, ignore Himself. This is one thing that is hard for us to grasp with our human minds. We are the created, He is the creator. We have the obligation to respond to Him as He sees fit, on His terms. We have in no way the ability to create the terms with which we can establish our relationship with God. We sin when we forsake (ignore) God and His Word.

John 1:29 - "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Romans 6:22 - But now having been set free from sin...
Romans 8:3 - God... by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin...
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us...
Ezekiel 18:30-31 - "Therefore I will judge you... every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit."
2 Samuel 22:31 - As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven.

God could not remove sin if He was caught up in it. If He were under the direct effects of sin He would be under judgement as we are. He is the perfect judge. Because of His perfection, His righteousness, He can judge with absolute authority. His unstained record grants Him alone the position of universal judge.

1 John 3:9 - Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

With that perfection, with that righteousness... God has granted us the ability to inherit that status as one of His adopted children if we accept the fact that we are far from perfect. That we have sinned, made and established our lives in opposition to His majesty. When we turn from that in repentance... God grants us new life by being born into His family. With that new status He no longer looks at us as opposed to Himself, but rather as children seeking to please their Father.

So... does God sin? No. It is against His nature... yet sadly... sin is a part of ours. This one fact alone separates us from God so sharply, so distinctly that only God could repare the immense fissure of division. That one road across that divide is His Son Christ and the payment He has made to make restiution for our disobedient offense. Praise God for His righteous character which cannot allow sin to be part of His character.

1: Define Sin

2005-09-27T17:23:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest spiritual questions that a person must wrestle with is the possiblity of a chance that God sins. This has been in the front of my mind for quite some time. To start with we have to ask ourselves some basic quesitons before we can come to a conclusion on the what I would call the larger issue.

1) - Define sin.
2) - Can God sin?
3) - Who is capable of sinning?
4) - Does God cause it or allow it?
5) - If God does either of the afore mentioned, is that sin?

Well we have to start with an all around conclusion to what sin actually is, so...
1) What is sin? - Well just keeping it simple and sticking to how the Bible defines it...

-- 1 John 3:4 - Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
-- Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
-- Romans 6:20 - For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
-- Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death...
-- Romans 7:7 - Is the law sin? Certainly not!
-- Romans 7:11 - For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
-- Romans 7:23 - ... bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
-- Romans 8:10 - ... the body is dead because of sin
-- Romans 14:23 - ... whatever is not from faith is sin.
-- Galatians 3:22 - The Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
-- James 1:14-15 - But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
-- James 4:17 - Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
-- 1 John 1:8 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.

Sin is death. Sin is anything that is removed from faith. Sin is temptation turned desire, turned into a choice of action. Basically, in a simple sense, whenever one takes or does anything that is defined in the Bible as being contrary to God and His character... it is Sin. Sin is when we take God's priorities, remove them from the place of rightful prominence which they deserve and instead place our own opinions and desires in their place. Sin is completely us... in direct opposition to God.

Next time I'll talk about the possiblity of God sinning...

To get some info in regards to this topic check here: Fido

Random Quote #9: Hansell Duckett

2005-09-26T23:34:00.000-05:00

"What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to."
~ Hansell B. Duckett

Which means someone needs to start speaking it... never assume someone will do it for you.

Random Fact #9: "Pants"

2005-09-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

In England, in the 1880's, "Pants" was considered a dirty word. I wonder what they would do if they could see the world today...

World Picture #9: Iraq

2005-09-26T21:35:00.000-05:00

The Shaheed Monument: Iraq
photo by: TrekShare

Opened in 1983, it commemorates Iraqi soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988).

fantasy football update...

2005-09-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

After this the third week... I find myself at the bottom of our 8 team league at 0-3. Everyone else has at least one win. It's a rough start... but I'm sure my team will pull through in the end. Well, I'd like to think that anyway. With the scoring system that they have (which I won't go into detail because it's kinda complicated), this last game my team played we were outscored 171 to 91.

All I can say is "ouch." & "Better luck next time."

pldc

2005-09-25T21:01:00.000-05:00

Over the past two weeks I've been out in Ft. Lewis, Washington home of the U.S. Army "I Corps" taking the Army Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) at the Henry H. Lind Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (NCOA). The NCO Creed is what all NCO's adhere to as the driving purpose and philosophy behind what our responsibilities entail...

~ NCO Creed ~
No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as "The Backbone of the Army." I am proud of the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the Military Service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit, or personal safety.

Competence is my watchword. My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind--accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my soldiers. I will strive to remain tactically and technically proficient. I am aware of my role as a Noncommissioned Officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.

Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, Leaders!

We started with an overall class count of 101 students. The class graduated 83. We were all divided into 3 platoons with 2 squads each. I was in 3rd platoon, 1st squad. We had eight tests during the length of the course. You had the ability to retest once if you didn't pass with a minimum of 70% the first time. Here's a picture of my fellow squad graduates from left to right

top row : SPC. Diaz, SGT. Scott, SGT. Van Winkle, (me), and SGT. Garcia.
middle row: SSG. Hunter, SPC. Soberg, SGT. Williams, SPC. Aring, and SPC. Gauger.
first row: SPC. Castenada, SGT. Dorn, SPC. Holliday, and SGT. Escobar.
instructors: SSG. Taylor, SSG. Mendiola, SSG. Damian

Just in case your wondering... "Last of a Legacy" was our Squad motto... and it eventually became the NCO Academy motto while we were there. Our class (so we were told) was the last class to be known as PLDC. The Army is changing the course as of this next month to make it the Warrior Leadership Course. So we took the motto since we are the last class of an army course the has had a major impact in shaping the modern army structure as we know it today.

One goal I had in mind when I started the course was to do the best that I could. In every military course only those who excel above the standard are recognized. The goal I set for myself was to graduate at the top of my class. To be honest, I thought it was a fairly unrealistic goal at the beginning of the course but I like setting the standard high and trying to meet the challenge. I was rather shocked when the end of the cycle statement came out and our class instructors informed me that I had the highest overall grade of 95.87 which just edged the next guy who held a 95.65. For attaining that acheivement I received two awards: the Commandants Coin and a Certificate of Achievement.

Now to be completely honest, this is the biggest problem I have personally found for myself in the military. Almost everything is focused on your achievment... and while there is nothing wrong with giving recongition where and when it is due, pride in personal accomplishments has always been one of my biggest struggles. I love being the best. But I often let it go to my head. So I'm trying to find the balance between taking pride in hard work, in making my parents proud, in trying to be the best and yet to always take that step back and say it's "Only by God's grace..."

Because if we leave that out, it's all about oneself... and when you get to that point God often lets you go at it solo... and that is not a place I ever what to find myself.

reminder...

2005-09-06T15:39:00.000-05:00

"Today turns a new page in the history of life."

So what have you done today that would be worthy of being remembered? Have you left a mark on this world that has meaning? Will it pass with this world... or on into the next? Just a little reminder...

Katrina...

2005-09-03T13:54:00.000-05:00

... is as God purposed her to be...

Jeremiah 4:27-28 - For thus says the LORD, "The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction. "For this the earth shall mourn, And the heavens above be dark, Because I have spoken, I have purposed, And I will not change My mind, nor will I turn from it."

2 Timothy 3:1 - But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

People say that God manipulates the world so that people have to depend on Him. God does not have to manipulate... we have to depend on Him. Period. God uses all these things to bring glory to the power and majesty of who He is, proving how much He is in control. Because there is nothing we can do in situations like these, we have to depend on God in these situations and all the time.

Proverbs 3:5-7 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

We can only depend on Him completely. We have no other course of action... because we have His great and precious promise...

1 John 2:25 - And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.

free books online...

2005-09-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

I ran across this webpage and thought I would share with any and all who are interested in finding books to read online that you might not take the time to otherwise read. It's a good as going to the library (but if your like me you don't have a library card anymore)... only you don't have to check the books out or take them back

http://www.readprint.com/

Fantasy Football...

2005-08-27T19:20:00.000-05:00

I joined the SI:FFL (Sharper Iron Fantasy Football League) this week. I've never played fantasy football but I thought I'd give it a shot and see what happened.

Since I'm kinda into computer graphic design I made a logo/mascot for my team. The Cobalt Cobras. So I'm sharing this new aspect of my life with you... draft is a week from monday... so games are starting right quick!

Isn't the design cool though??? (I don't really care how I do... but I have the coolest team logo!)

wisdom...

2005-08-25T00:37:00.000-05:00

Last night I had Bible study with the youth kids at Grace Baptist in Austin. We talked about God's Wisdom last week and this week we talked about the application of how it effects and impacts the way we live. So we talked about what wisdom is, what it is not, and how we obtain it. Wisdom simply put is...

... knowing what to do and when to do it...

And while defining it is much more complicated than that... this definition sums up the concept to the point where one can grasp the application to how one lives. Wisdom is not knowing or understanding completely God's ways. Wisdom in its simplest form is a complete, humble trusting of God's control. True wisdom finds intself drawn the the best form of truth. What better than God to trust in? What could be wiser?

So the question then was how do we obtain it. The two things you must have to being the pursuit of wisdom are these...

#1: A total reverence, respect, and trust in God.
#2: A complete trust in the truthfulness of God's Word.

We first must understand who God is and who give this wisdom to begin with...

Proverbs 9:10 ~ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

And this connects to the second point, we have to take the time to know God. It is imperative to take time to know God through His written Word to us. Thats what it is for, for us to know Him. We will never reach the point of complete wisdom, but we should be continually increasing in the knowledge that only God can give to those who search for it. When we know what to do (glorify God)... and when to do it (all the time)... we can apply true wisdom to any and all situations which God allows to cross our path.

Kanji Word Test

2005-08-25T00:31:00.000-05:00

What Kanji word best suits you?

brought to you by Quizilla

World Picture #8: Hong Kong

2005-08-25T00:13:00.000-05:00

Hong Kong: China
photo by: Tiffany Roberson

Random Fact #8: One Way

2005-08-24T23:49:00.000-05:00

On this date in 1617 London, England established the first one-way street.

Now we know which way to go!

Random Fact #7: multi-leaf clover

2005-08-23T13:16:00.000-05:00

Most Leaves on a Clover

The symbol of St Patrick's Day is the three-leaf clover, although the most leaves ever found on a clover stem (Trifolium repens L.) is 18. The presumably-very-lucky clover was discovered by Shigeo Obara of Hanamaki City, Iwate, Japan, on May 25, 2002.

(and an amazing reason why the four leaf clover is so special...)

The clover is associated with St Patrick's Day because the saint – whose death is marked each March 17 – used a three-leaved clover to illustrate the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Finding a fourth leaf is considered lucky as it represents God's Grace and therefore a blessing.

(I still have yet to find my first four-leaf-clover... )

found at guinnessworldrecords.com

Random Fact #6: Tallest Tree

2005-08-23T12:53:00.000-05:00

Tallest Living Tree

The world's tallest living tree is the Stratosphere Giant measuring 112.7 m (370 ft) as of July 2004. This coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) was discovered by Chris Atkins (USA) in August 2000 in the Rockefeller Forest of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California, USA.

found at guinnessworldrecords.com

Quote #8: Chuck Reid

2005-08-22T22:40:00.000-05:00

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice;
In practice, there is.
-- Chuck Reid --

found here

World Picture #7: Yemen

2005-08-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

Sana'a: Yemen
photo by: unknown

its been awhile...

2005-08-22T20:11:00.000-05:00

Well a quick update for any and all who are keeping tabs. I have finished offically working for the summer at Grace Baptist in Austin. This summer has been the most rewarding being able to seemingly connect ministry with "real" life. By no means am I saying that any ministry done in the past wasn't real, but this summer seemed to bring together what I've learned with the desires that I feel for a vocation. Currently I'm still keeping up some of the ministries down there, Wednesday Bible study, Sunday school, and songleading. So now looking for a job is towards the top of the list of priorities. It is nice being home for a change... but it's a little different since I've been gone (with the exception of a few weeks) for the past 4 years.

Right now I've put plans for seminar on hold for a while. My dad's guard unit has been given notice of activation and will be deploying soon. With this development I have decided to find a job acloser to home and be around to help out my family with anything they might need if (when) dad has to go.

There are so many different timeframes, variables, and options... it's a hard to determine where to go when. I'm trusting that God will work everything out in His time for His glory... and if His plans are for me not to go to seminary then so be it. I want to be where God wants me, and right now that seems to be with my family.

books...

2005-08-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

Book Meme

I ran across it while searching for pictures of a doughboy (don't know how it got this, but it linked to this site) but I was kinda curious what a "Book Meme" was... and basically it is a list of books that is passed around from person to person. Webster states that a Meme is

... an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.

So... its kinda like a "pass it on" type of thing. A word of warning... I did not edit this list so it contains the book exactly as people have listed them before me. I can not say anything to the content... simply to warn you that some titles... are on the side of book reading to which I do not venture.

*bold those you've read...
*italicise those you've started-but-haven't-finished or read part of...
*underline those you want to read but haven't gotten to yet...

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Susskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 1/2, Sue Townsend
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession, A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp, John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner, George Eliot
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Gross-mith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews
201. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
202. The Eye of the World, Robert Jordan
203. The Great Hunt, Robert Jordan
204. The Dragon Reborn, Robert Jordan
205. Fires of Heaven, Robert Jordan
206. Lord of Chaos, Robert Jordan
207. Winter's Heart, Robert Jordan
208. A Crown of Swords, Robert Jordan
209. Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan
210. A Path of Daggers, Robert Jordan
211. As Nature Made Him, John Colapinto
212. Microserfs, Douglas Coupland
213. The Married Man, Edmund White
214. Winter's Tale, Mark Helprin
215. The History of Sexuality, Michel Foucault
216. Cry to Heaven, Anne Rice
217. Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, John Boswell
218. Equus, Peter Shaffer
219. The Man Who Ate Everything, Jeffrey Steingarten
220. Letters To A Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke
221. Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn
222. The Vampire Lestat, Anne Rice
223. Anthem, Ayn Rand
224. The Bridge To Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
225. Tartuffe, Moliere
226. The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
227. The Crucible, Arthur Miller
228. The Trial, Franz Kafka
229. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
230. Oedipus at Colonus, Sophocles
231. Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther
232. A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen
233. Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen
234. Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
235. A Raisin In The Sun, Lorraine Hansberry
236. ALIVE!, Piers Paul Read
237. Grapefruit, Yoko Ono
238. Trickster Makes This World, Lewis Hyde
240. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
241. Chronicles of Thomas Convenant, Unbeliever, Stephen Donaldson
242. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
242. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon
243. Summerland, Michael Chabon
244. A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole
245. Candide, Voltaire
246. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, Roald Dahl
247. Ringworld, Larry Niven
248. The King Must Die, Mary Renault
249. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
250. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L'Engle
251. The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
252. The House Of The Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne
253. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
254. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
255. The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson
256. Chocolate Fever, Robert Kimmel Smith
257. Xanth: The Quest for Magic, Piers Anthony
258. The Lost Princess of Oz, L. Frank Baum
259. Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon
260. Lost In A Good Book, Jasper Fforde
261. Well Of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde
261. Life Of Pi, Yann Martel
263. The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
264. A Yellow Rraft In Blue Water, Michael Dorris
265. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder
267. Where The Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls
268. Griffin & Sabine, Nick Bantock
269. Witch of Black Bird Pond, Joyce Friedland
270. Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH, Robert C. O'Brien
271. Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt
272. The Cay, Theodore Taylor
273. From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg
274. The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Jester 2
75. The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
276. The Kitchen God's Wife, Amy Tan
277. The Bone Setter's Daughter, Amy Tan
278. Relic, Duglas Preston & Lincolon Child
279. Wicked, Gregory Maguire
280. American Gods, Neil Gaiman
281. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry
282. The Girl Next Door, Jack Ketchum
283. Haunted, Judith St. George
284. Singularity, William Sleator
285. A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
286. Different Seasons, Stephen King
287. Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk
288. About a Boy, Nick Hornby
289. The Bookman's Wake, John Dunning
290. The Church of Dead Girls, Stephen Dobyns
291. Illusions, Richard Bach
292. Magic's Pawn, Mercedes Lackey
293. Magic's Promise, Mercedes Lackey
294. Magic's Price, Mercedes Lackey
295. The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gary Zukav
296. Spirits of Flux and Anchor, Jack L. Chalker
297. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
298. The Hardy Boys Series by Franklin W. Dixon
299. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace
300. The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
301. The Cider House Rules, John Irving
302. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
303. Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland
304. The Lion's Game, Nelson Demille
305. The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars, Stephen Brust
306. Cyteen, C. J. Cherryh
307. Foucault's Pendulum, Umberto Eco
308. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson
309. Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk
310. Camber of Culdi, Kathryn Kurtz
311. The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
312. War and Rememberance, Herman Wouk
313. The Art of War, Sun Tzu
314. The Giver, Lois Lowry
315. The Telling, Ursula Le Guin
316. Xenogenesis (or Lilith's Brood), Octavia Butler (Dawn, Adulthood Rites, Imago)
317. A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold
318. The Curse of Chalion, Lois McMaster Bujold
319. The Aeneid, Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil)
320. Hanta Yo, Ruth Beebe Hill
321. The Princess Bride, S. Morganstern (or William Goldman)
322. Beowulf, Anonymous
323. The Sparrow, Maria Doria Russell
324. Deerskin, Robin McKinley
325. Dragonsong, Anne McCaffrey
326. Passage, Connie Willis
327. Otherland, Tad Williams
328. Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay
329. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry
330. Beloved, Toni Morrison
331. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore
332. The mysterious disappearance of Leon, I mean Noel, Ellen Raskin
333. Summer Sisters, Judy Blume
334. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo
335. The Island on Bird Street, Uri Orlev
336. Midnight in the Dollhouse, Marjorie Filley Stover
337. The Miracle Worker, William Gibson
338. The Genesis Code, John Case
339. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevensen
340. Paradise Lost, John Milton
341. Phantom, Susan Kay
342. The Mummy or Ramses the Damned, Anne Rice
343. Anno Dracula, Kim Newman
344: The Dresden Files: Grave Peril, Jim Butcher
345: Tokyo Suckerpunch, Issac Adamson
346: The Winter of Magic's Return, Pamela Service
347: The Oddkins, Dean R. Koontz
348. My Name is Asher Lev, Chaim Potok
349. The Last Goodbye, Raymond Chandler
350. At Swim, Two Boys, Jaime O'Neill
351. Othello, by William Shakespeare
352. The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas
353. The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
354. Sati, Christopher Pike
355. The Inferno, Dante
356. The Apology, Plato
357. The Small Rain, Madeline L'Engle
358. The Man Who Tasted Shapes, Richard E Cytowick
359. 5 Novels, Daniel Pinkwater
360. The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Juliet Marillier
361. Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
362. To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
363. Our Town, Thorton Wilder
364. Green Grass Running Water, Thomas King
335. The Interpreter, Suzanne Glass
336. The Moor's Last Sigh, Salman Rushdie
337. The Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson
338. A Passage to India, E.M. Forster
339. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
340. The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux
341. Pages for You, Sylvia Brownrigg
342. The Changeover, Margaret Mahy
343. Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
344. Angels and Demons, Dan Brown
345. Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo
346. Shosha, Isaac Bashevis Singer
347. Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck
348. The Diving-bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
349. The Lunatic at Large by J. Storer Clouston
350. Time for bed by David Baddiel
351. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
352. Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre
353. The Bloody Sun by Marion Zimmer Bradley
354. Sewer, Gas, and Eletric by Matt Ruff
355. Jhereg by Steven Brust
356. So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane
357. Perdido Street Station, China Mieville
358. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte
359. Road-side Dog, Czeslaw Milosz
360. The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
361. Neuromancer, William Gibson
362. The Epistemology of the Closet, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick
363. A Canticle for Liebowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr
364. The Mask of Apollo, Mary Renault
365. The Gunslinger, Stephen King
366. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
367. Absalom, Absalom, William Faulkner
368. The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway
369. Dreamhouse, Alison Habens
370. Hyperion, by Dan Simmons
371. Prospero's Children, Jan Siegel
372. Gaudy Night, Dorothy Sayers
373. Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond
374. Enchantment, Orson Scott Card
375. Cetaganda, Lois McMaster Bujold
376. Beauty, Sheri S. Tepper
377. The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector
378. The Patron Saint of Liars, Ann Patchett
380. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula Le'Guin
381. Assassin's Apprentice, Robin Hobb
382. The Axis Trilogy, Sara Douglass
383. Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie
384. Sabriel, Garth Nix
385. Maurice, E.M. Forster
386. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer
387. The Wild Swans, by Peg Kerr
388. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
389. Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides
390. Welcome to the Monkey House, by Kurt Vonnegut
391. The Stranger, by Albert Camus
392. Angry Candy, by Harlan Ellison
393. Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
394. Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Lethem
395. The Brains of Rats - Michael Blumlein
396. Agent of Change – Steve Miller and Sharon Lee
397. The Diary of Anais Nin, Volume One
398. The Swiss Family Robinson – Johann Wyss
399. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O’Dell
400. North and South, John Jakes
401. Watchers, Dean Koontz
402. Death du Jour, Kathy Reichs
403. A Is for Alibi, Sue Grafton
404. Postmortem, Patricia Cornwell
405. A Rustle In The Grass -- Robin Hawdon
406. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations -- Dan Kimball
407. The Davinci Code -- Dan Brown
408. Desiring God -- John Piper
409. Knowing God -- J.I. Packer
409. The Bible-- God: penned by men

So now you can...
*add some of your own
*post to your journal

One year ago today...

2005-08-11T11:08:00.000-05:00

11th Aug, 2004: STUART, Fla. -- A 480-pound Martin County woman (who was 4'10") has died after emergency workers tried to remove her from the couch where she had remained for about six years... full story here

11th Aug, 2004: SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- A man who once weighed more than half a ton has lost 321 pounds under the care of a team of doctors and hopes to lose 450 pounds more.Patrick Deuel, 42, of Valentine, Neb., weighed 1,072 pounds when he was admitted to Sioux Falls’ Avera McKennan Hospital eight weeks ago... full story here

I hope that you can learn from other peoples mistakes. At some point in time both of these people made choices not to get more help for problems they had. Sure sometimes there are things that are outside of ones control... but anyone can ask for help. Just remember good 'ols Smokey the Bear "Only you can prevent forest fires." And the easiest way to keep that kind of thing from happening and getting that far out of hand is the prevention in the beginning.

Book Review - Purpose Driven Life

2005-08-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't entirely read this book myself. Several of the chapters have been skimmed for some classes, but mostly I have read what other people say about it. I found a seemingly indepth review by Paul Alexander. I like the way he presents it and I will give both some positives and negatives that he listed in his review. If you want to read the full article (which is worth it if you are interested) that link is the one above.

Postive:

"The most useful summary is given by Warren himself on p306, working from the Great Commandment (Matt 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20).

“Love God with all your Heart”: You were planned for God’s pleasure, so your purpose is to love God through worship.
“Love your neighbor as yourself”: You were shaped for serving, so your purpose is to show love for others through ministry.
“Go and make disciples”: You were made for a mission, so your purpose is to share God’s message through evangelism.
“Baptize them into…”: You were formed for God’s family, so your purpose is to identify with his church through fellowship.
“Teach them to do all things…”: You were created to become like Christ, so your purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship (all emphases his).

Worship is not about what pleases us, but about what makes God smile. God smiles when we love, trust, obey, and praise Him, and when we use our abilities for His glory (pp70-76). “The heart of worship is surrender…. Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about” (p78, citing Rom 12:1-2)... Warren gives even the careful Christian reader a lot to agree with. First, he combats the self-centeredness and wrong individualism characteristic of Americans today. The first sentence of his first chapter, “It’s not about you” (p17), is a breath of fresh air, especially amid the smog of evangelistic methods and church marketing strategies that peddle the Gospel by appealing to the masses. He rightly points out later that "... we’re naturally self-absorbed and almost all advertising encourages us to think of ourselves” (p299). His prescription of “moment-by-moment dependence on God” encourages us to redirect our gaze from self to Christ. Second, Warren is careful to maintain the authority of Scripture. He explains at the very outset that discerning our purpose in life should come from revelation rather than speculation (pp19-20). Third, Warren shows an encouraging level of God-centeredness in telling the reader that “the ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God” (p53). Fourth, Warren reminds the reader that “worship is not for your benefit” (p66). Fifth, Warren rightly understands the centrality of the local congregation to the growth of the individual believer when he affirms that “love cannot be learned in isolation” (p124). Sixth, in a culture where comfort is king, Warren is helpful in reminding us that “God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development” (p173). And finally, Warren is great on the nature and necessity of servant-hood in mature believers (pp257-264)

I think that that is pretty much on the money. You can't get past those truths clearly taught in God's Word... and at this point it seems that Rick Warren is right on track.

Negative:

"To start at the beginning, we need to read Warren’s last chapter, where he comments on Acts 13:36 as the primary motivating verse for the book. Acts 13:36-37 is part of Paul’s evangelistic argument for understanding Jesus as the Messiah, which he gave at the Jewish synagogue in Pisidian Antioch on his first missionary journey. It reads like this: “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.” Warren uses the first part of verse 36 to make the point that

David dedicated his life to fulfilling God’s purposes on earth. There is no greater epitaph than that statement! Imagine it chiseled on your tombstone: That you served God’s purpose in your generation. My prayer is that people will be able to say that about me when I die. It is also my prayer that people will say it about you, too. That is why I wrote this book for you. This phrase is the ultimate definition of a life well lived. You do the eternal and timeless (God’s purpose) in a contemporary way (in your generation). That is what the purpose driven life is all about” (p318).

True, David served God’s purpose in his generation. But the point of the passage is not “David was good, so be like him.” The point is Christ’s supremacy over David as shown by His resurrection, which proved that Jesus is the Messiah – the true and eternal King of Israel. The application, then, is not that we should emulate David; it’s that we should exalt Christ. The motivating verse is misinterpreted as a moralism."

also...

"The most significant difficulty has to do with the ambiguity of Warren’s intended audience, and the way he seeks to evangelize the unbelieving reader. Warren intends to address at least unbelievers is clear from the prayer to receive Christ that he offers them on pp58-59. Yet Warren tells the reader on p44 that “the good news is that God wants you to pass the tests of life, so he never allows the tests you face to be greater than the grace he gives you to handle them.” Who is Warren talking to here – believers, unbelievers, or both? Warren continues: “Every time you pass a test, God notices and makes plans to reward you in eternity.” But God doesn’t do that for unbelievers, does He? Or again, “If you treat every day as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity” (p45)... But this simply isn’t true for those who have not repented and believed in the Gospel. The Gospel presentation on pp58-59 serves as the fulcrum of the book... What we want to see at this pivot, then, is a clear articulation of both the Gospel and the saving response to it (repentance and belief) so that the unbeliever does not continue reading under the moralistic assumption that being a good boy by carrying out these five purposes is what will save him from the power and penalty of his sin. But repentance is tepidly presented in the following terms. “Living the rest of your life for the glory of God will require a change in your priorities, your schedule, your relationships, and everything else. It will sometimes mean choosing a difficult path instead of an easy one” (p57). This is all true, of course. But there is no mention of either sin or repentance here.

Believing is expounded in the following terms: “Believe God has chosen you to have a relationship with Jesus, who died on the cross for you. Believe that no matter what you’ve done, God wants to forgive you” (p58). Yet no clear connection is made between Christ’s death and the reader’s forgiveness. Indeed, there has been no explanation of why the unbeliever would even need forgiveness. Granted, Warren clearly says that “Jesus died on the cross for you.” But a biblically illiterate unbeliever doesn’t even know yet that he deserves to die for his sins....

Receiving Christ is expounded like this: “Receive Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior. Receive his forgiveness for your sins. Receive his Spirit, who will give you the power to fulfill your life purpose [quoting John 3:36 MSG]” (p58). Here sin and forgiveness are verbally mentioned, which is great; but there still has been no clear explanation of who Jesus is, nor of why our unrepentant sin offends God and makes relationship with him impossible (i.e., because of His holiness), nor of the righteous anger that our unrepentant sin elicits from Him, nor of death as the outworking of that anger and as the penalty for our sin, nor of the relationship of Christ’s death to the forgiveness of another person’s sins and their reconciliation to God.

With the Gospel left vague and no repentance required, the rest of the book is built on the precarious assumption of the reader’s conversion. “You are a child of God, and you bring pleasure to God like nothing else he has ever created” (p63).

No doubt Warren has a great deal of "good" things to say in the sense that one needs to "live a good life." But he seems to not just nail down the salvation part. What I find odd is that he waits until fifty-odd pages into the book to explain salvation and the need of it for those who do not know Christ. To me that should be the very first thing no question. Now as I stated before I have not completely read the book. But this is one of the most concise and articulate articles showing both the positives and negatives.

The only thing I would like to comment on his interview with Larry King. He was very confident... and yet he lacked the passion of clearly saying exactly what the Bible says. He left it open to some interpretation rather than saying "the Bible says..." That is probably my biggest qualm. I watched that interview and he seems to be a very clear communicator, and yet, he kinda left a fuzzy haze over the gospel when they discussed it in the interview.

Is there good stuff he says? No doubt, just look up at the positive section in this post... I agree whole heartedly with those Words from God. As for his lack of clarity in regards to the Gospel. I think that all men (and women) of God should "...present yourselves approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed..." (2 Tim. 2:15). Now I am not saying that he came across as ashamed of the gospel... I do think that he did not present it with the power, passion, and force with which we are commanded to present it.

Good and not-so-good... thats what reviews are for...

Quote #7 - Robert Frost

2005-08-11T09:49:00.000-05:00

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." -- Robert Frost (1874-1963)
found here

How true that statment is in more than one realm of living...

Matthew 7:13-14 - "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it."

World Picture #6 - Indonesia

2005-08-07T16:41:00.000-05:00

Jakarta: Indonesia
Photo by: Kenvin Pinardy

what kind of leader am I...?

2005-08-07T16:27:00.000-05:00

Mahatma Gandhi

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I was hoping for Theodore Roosevelt... because he was the person that I looked up to the most out of American leadership (even though no one is perfect). But Gandhi's not to bad (in a good/bad sense, even though I don't agree with his religious beliefs).

No. 1 Supporter!

2005-08-07T15:51:00.000-05:00

A friend had this test so I thought I'd try it out. It was pretty close... (kinda like fortune cookies... it can kinda apply to anyone) I wouldn't mind being or having most of those professions. (I bolded the ones that apply to what fit...)

Career Inventory Test Results

Extroversion	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	76%
Emotional Stability	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	90%
Orderliness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	66%
Altruism	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	83%
Inquisitiveness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	43%

You are a Supporter, possible professions include - nurse, social worker, caterer, flight attendant, bookkeeper, medical/dental assistant, exercise physiologist, elementary school teacher, minister/priest/rabbi, retail owner, officer manager, telemarketer, counselor, special education teacher, merchandise planner, credit counselor, athletic coach, insurance agent, sales representative, massage therapist, medical secretary, child care provider, bilingual education teacher, professional volunteer.

Take Free Career Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

ALL GAVE SOME... SOME GAVE ALL...

2005-08-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

Random Fact #6 - Chrysler / Mitsubishi

2005-08-04T16:39:00.000-05:00

Chrysler built B-29's that bombed Japan, Mitsubishi built Zeros that tried to shoot them down.Both companies now build cars in a joint company call Diamond Star.

Quote #6 - Lewis Carroll

2005-08-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

Be what you would seem to be - or, if you'd like it put more simply - never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise. -- Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
Philosophy

Try to keep up with that one the first time reading it... ;)

Random Fact #5 - Jeep

2005-08-04T15:02:00.000-05:00

Why is it a Jeep?

Popular notion has it that the vehicle designation "GP" (for "General Purpose") was phonetically slurred in pronunciation, eventually becoming "Jeep." Some have stated that the vehicle was designed for specific duties and was never referred to as "General Purpose." Many\claim that the more likely origin is a reference to a character from the Thimble Theater Popeye comic strip known as Eugene the Jeep. The character could walk through walls and ceilings, climb trees, fly, and just about go anywhere it wanted, and it is thought that soldiers at the time were so impressed with the new vehicle's versatility that they informally named it after the character.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep

Quote #5 - Hesketh Pearson

2005-08-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Misquotations are the only quotations that are never misquoted.
-- Edward Hesketh Gibbons Pearson (1887-1964)

More Marines give their lives...

2005-08-03T17:45:00.000-05:00

Fourteen Marines... killed in bombing... The 14 Marines were all attached to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary ForceOn Monday, six Marine sniper team members were killed in a firefight near Haditha. The six were attached to the same the same unit as the 14. In the past 10 days, 43 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq. That brings the number of U.S. troops killed in the war to 1,820, according to U.S. military reports. U.S. freelance journalist Steven Vincent was (also) found shot to death in the southern Iraqi city of Basra early Wednesday, officials said. Reporters Without Borders, a media watchdog group, condemned the killing, saying "Vincent's death brings to 64 the number of journalists and media assistants killed in Iraq since the start of the war in March 2003." (Full article from CNN here)

Many will say "... is it worth it?" If we could go and ask the men who gave their lives and ask them this question what would they say? It is their life to give. I fully believe that most men who serve our country do so with the best intentions of serving it to the point of giving one's life as the ultimate service. That is how we are trained. Is it hard to make that choice? I have no doubt it is. These men made the choice to serve. And I doubt that any of them would have shirked their duty to God, Nation, Militry, or the Marine Corps for anything less than everything they had.

They gave it all... and held nothing back. Now it is our duty to remember.

Quote #4 - Japanese Proverb

2005-08-03T08:14:00.000-05:00

"If you believe everything you read, you better not read." -- Japanese Proverb

Quote #3 - Stephen Hawking

2005-08-03T00:19:00.000-05:00

"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about humand nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." Stephen Hawking (1942 - )

Somthing to think about...

World Picture #5 - Qatar

2005-08-03T00:03:00.000-05:00

Bedouins in the Qatar Desert: Qatar
photo by: unknown

new food pyramid...

2005-08-02T21:49:00.000-05:00

THE NEW LOOK AND MESSAGES
OF THE USDA’S MY-PYRAMID

The original Food Guide Pyramid, released in 1992, has been updated and revised. The overall purposes of the revision were 1) to improve its effectiveness in motivating consumers to make healthier food choices and 2) ensure that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food guidance system reflects the latest nutritional science. The revision has paralleled and been coordinated with the development of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released in January 2005.

If you want more information you can check out www.mypyramid.gov

And if you want to check how healthy you are you can there and enter in your age, gender, and activity level and it will give you an estimated serving level for the new guidlines. It's pretty cool I tried it out. They have a function to enter in all the foo you ate for the day and check that against your activity level for the day and show what your body used vs. what you consumed... its pretty cool you should check it out. It never hurts to be informed.

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul...

2005-08-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

Devotions: Psalm 25 (selected verses)

¹ To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in You I trust...

⁴ Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
⁶ Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they have been from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your names' sake, O LORD.
⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹For Your name's sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
¹² Who is the man who fears the LORD?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose...

¹⁴ The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
¹⁵My eyes are continually toward the LORD...

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged...

¹⁸Look upon my affliction and my ^[c]trouble,
And forgive all my sins...

²⁰ Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You...

We must hope in God completely... for without Him we are nothing... and yet God expects us not to "let go to let God"... but we are to act as well. If He is teaching we must listen, understand, and obey. May God grant us the ability to hear and obey all His instruction as we wait on Him.

senior speech...

2005-08-02T15:11:00.000-05:00

This is the speech I was able to present to those attending our college commencment service on May 7th, 2005.

---------

Good morning Dr. Crane, Board members, family, friends, students of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College of America and graduates of the class of 2005. I have been given the privilege and honor of speaking on behalf of my class before you today. I thank you all for coming this morning either by your own choice, or the college making the choice for you. We thank you for encouraging, supporting, and seeing us through several years of collegiate level studies. The interaction we have had with you who are here today has shaped who we are now. We have finally arrived at the end of this course of our lives, and we have not remained the same.

One area I have been motivated to change in, is my thinking academically. When I left high school several years ago I thought the only time you really learned was in a formal classroom setting. This mindset has changed over the past four years. I have learned how to clearly think my own and obtained the skills necessary to take any issue or topic, research it thoroughly and understand it accurately. The instruction has not only been in researching but also in presenting the information clearly, concisely, and accurately so I will be able to defend my position or challenge someone else’s with an academic credibility. The emphasis is not merely educational however, as we have been motivated to grow spiritually as well.

Motivating the students to grow spiritually is probably this institutions highest goal. There is not one faculty or staff member who has not encouraged me to grow in my relationship with God in some way. All my classes have kept the instruction focused and directly applied it to life and future ministry. My professors have instructed me in reading, understanding, and applying Scripture to the way I live daily. Not simply as another part of a class, but as an essential aspect of life. Their instruction is similar to Paul’s when he said "may you be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:9)." Pillsbury has unquestionably helped our class and the whole student body along the way, striving to increase our knowledge of God. Paul also says "let your manner of life be worthyof the gospel of Christ (Phil. 1:27)." We have been challenged to do exactly that while in college and to continue to do so in the future.

This institution has increased my desire personally to serve and submit to God’s will, ministering His gospel to any and all I meet whenever and wherever He leads. Without a doubt, Pillsbury has prepared my entire class for ministry. That day has now arrived and our time of preparation is over. We are capable. We are effective. And we are motivated to accomplish what lies ahead. We have been trained to adapt to the unknown and to place our trust completely in God’s sovereign hand. Pillsbury has prepared us for the future.

In closing, I leave you with the oft quoted words of Mr. Zak, from our first freshman year paper. "Carpe Eternitum." And truly, our motivation has been and should continue to be living for God’s eternal glory.

Quote #2 - Issac Asimov

2005-07-31T16:21:00.000-05:00

A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value. -- Issac Asimov (1920-1992)

(in other words... there are no stupid questions...)

Walk in love...

2005-07-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

I wrote this on SharperIron because it is something that all Christians have to deal and wrestle with. We all have to live our lives representing the God we serve. And we can mess it up in more than one way...

... walk in it...

Quote:

I would ask the question -- To what extent does delighting/abiding in our Lord stand with, or stand against our disiciplining/denying ourselves and our personal desires?To what extent then do these two passages bear on the subject? And how do these two passages "find fellowship" one with another?

Quote:

We stupidly attempt to regulate ourselves--stamping down our desires like that will somehow enable us to become more obedient Christians. Instead, we must learn what is meant by delighting ourselves in God. What does it mean to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind? What does it mean to pray without ceasing? We act like walking with God means a monkish separatism. We have no concept of the call to be in the world, not of it.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Colossians 2:18-23

Well to answer the specific question raised in this thread which was how do these verses mentioned relate to the statement quoted and to each other... I stopped and actually thought before replying .

First in the quote above it "We stupidly attempt to regulate ourselves--stamping down our desires like that will somehow enable us to become more obedient Christians." I have no doubt that some people think this way. But I do not stupidly attempt to regulate my life. I think that in one sense, yes our own attempts are stupid at times. And yet this is a poor choice of wording since it is the individuals personal conviction before God. One should not call another's "attempt" to glorify God in their lives as stupid. Different perhaps, but if they base the action on Scripture and on a desire to please God first (rather than self) should we then label that as stupid (tie in 1 Cor. 9:25-27)? I do not think that self-denial equates obedient living. Actions can speak louder than words... but God only counts what in the heart either way.

Secondly, "We act like walking with God means a monkish separatism. We have no concept of the call to be in the world, not of it." If you look at many of the "things" that fundamentalism has been known for, yes you could say this. I remember witnessing and talking to one guy and he asked "what" I was. So I replied Christian... and he said no "What" are you. So I said do you mean Baptist. And he said "Oh, so you dont believe in drinking, playing cards, and going to the movies." That is how many people who are outside our circles (and those who have been in but left) view Baptists. Not all people see it this way, it all depends on their contact with Baptists (or any other tradiational, fundamental, conservative church). And they don't get the "church" concept. They view it as an organization like all the other religions. So have we failed by wrongly portraying our Christianity as just separatism? Is our Christianity just a pro/con list of activities? I think that is a Good question (tie in Col. 2:18-23) to ask. Are we reacting to stuff in the world? Or are we proactively showing Christ? I think that is what we need to boil it down to.

Now, after saying that we need to find a balance. Do we now throw out all of these "lists of rules" because they have come across badly or have identified us? Or do we continue to "stupidly" regulate ourselves by them?

We need to find balance. There are so many factors that play into how this works. Tied for first are - Scripture and the leading of the Holy Sprirt. Then there are others: culture, background, experience, convictions, teaching... etc.

I end with this thought; since there so much goes into making these "conviction restrictions" if one errs on the side of "stamping down our desires" by limiting some freedom in choice... are they wrong? Is it wrong to be a cautious Christian in these areas? Or is better to label them stupid? Now I do want to say that it is not just about the terms used. Christians need to be always striving to understand God's mind in these matters and evaluating how different issues and aspects of life apply to living. If one just takes a stand and never compares it with God's Word personally and accepts someone elses standard... I believe it is wrong. We all need to be diligently searching God's Word to come to our convictions with Him and Him alone. The world is always changing and we must "change" with it as it challenges God's Truth. And as God's Word is challenged we will make mistakes. Sometimes we will be to restrictive... sometimes not restrictive enough. But we can't just live life holed up somewhere waiting for the Lord's return...

Quote:

Matthew 25:18, 25-26 - but he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money... 'I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant..."
Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...
Revelation 2:19 - "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience..."
2 John 1:5-6 - "... not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it (love).

It's not about rules. Christ tried to make it simple, not complex. I do however think that God is a God of balance... so we must ask for His wisdom and His understanding in not just these, but all areas of life. And may we all walk in love first, thinking about the "other stuff" as something is barely secondary. So -- To what extent does delighting/abiding in our Lord stand with, or stand against our disiciplining/denying ourselves and our personal desires? We are to walk in love towards others... the Bibe never gives us commands to love ourselves. I think the bascially the focus should not be on ourselves in the first place.

__________________

Quote #1 - Albert Einstein

2005-07-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

"I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details." -- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Random Fact(s) #4 - Events on July 29

2005-07-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

On todays date...

July 29, 1974 -- Episcopal Church ordained female priests

July 29, 1914 -- 1st transcontinental phone link made between New York City and SF

July 29, 1588 -- Spanish Armada defeated by the English

World Picture #4 - Lithuania

2005-07-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

Island Castle: Lithuania
photo by: unknown

Random Fact #3 - All or nothing day

2005-07-26T23:21:00.000-05:00

July 26 is . . . . All Or Nothing Day

World Picture #3 - Canada

2005-07-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

Ontario, Canada
photo by: Lauri A. Kangus

i'm how old...?

2005-07-26T22:59:00.000-05:00

You Are 20 Years Old

20

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

What Age Do You Act?

Create in me a clean heart O God...

2005-07-26T16:12:00.000-05:00

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Psalm 51:10

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Devotional Thought For The Day
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

God knows the darkness of our own hearts. Only He can cleanse our
hearts. Jesus came to cleanse us from sin and guilt. He re-creates
a clean heart within us. The purity of His love moves us to love,
renewing a right spirit within us!

The world says, "work on yourself." God says, "Turn to Me." The
Psalmist has it right, praying to God for this blessing. God wills to
provide the same healing for you. He waits even now for you to turn to
Him and ask Him! His open arms are ever waiting out stretched to any and all who will come to Him in total dependence admiting we can not do it on our own, but only by His grace can we be restored clean in His sight.

don't get queasy...

2005-07-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

WARNING: Not for the queasy of stomach!

Don't lose your marbles! And don't get sick... I don't want any of that stuff on this site.

Can you make the circles stop spinning?

...now only $19.99! order today...!

2005-07-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

I was searching for website talking about prayer and this was the third one that was listed. http://www.lourdes-water.org It is a site where the Virgin Mary used water in France to cleanse herself and they claim that 2,500 miraclous healing have taken place because of contact with this blessed water. And since this gift is from God they only charge 15.00 € or $ 18.15 to buy some for your own personal healing. It's to bad they don't just give it freely so that all the world might be healed rather than those who choose to pay for a gift from God (why would you want to pay for a gift?).

May we never defame God's grace by charging money for OUR profit and claim that it is the work of the Lord... Christ came to minister... not to take people's money.

Random Fact #2

2005-07-25T22:54:00.000-05:00

Did you know...?

There is a company that will (for $14,000) take your ashes, compress them into a synthetic diamond to be set in jewelry for a loved one.
Kinda gives a whole new meaning to "til death do us part"... now you never have to!

Random Fact #1 - Chinese Skiers

2005-07-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know...?

Ten years ago, only 500 people in China could ski. This year, an estimated 5,000,000 Chinese will visit ski resorts.

They don't have chair lifts so they don't make very many runs in a day... it takes a lot longer to walk up then to ski down!

World Picture #2 - South Dakota, USA

2005-07-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

Badlands National Park, South Dakota: USA

photo by: QT Luong

World Picture #1 - England

2005-07-25T16:29:00.000-05:00

Edinburgh Castle: England
photo by: Brian Gotauco

the seven blunders of the world...

2005-07-25T16:17:00.000-05:00

"Seven Blunders of the World"

1. Wealth without work

2. Pleasure without conscience

3. Knowledge without character

4. Commerce without morality

5. Science without humanity

6. Worship without sacrifice

7. Politics without principle
—Mahatma Gandhi

He might not have know the God... but he was still right on in living life with character.

Occam's razor

2005-07-25T00:02:00.000-05:00

What is Occam's Razor?

William of Occam (1285-1349 approx)

To sum up this interesting article I found...

"Occam's (or Ockham's) razor is a principle attributed to the 14th century logician and Franciscan friar; William of Occam. Ockham was the village in the English county of Surrey where he was born.

The principle states that "Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily." Sometimes it is quoted in one of its original Latin forms to give it an air of authenticity.

"Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate"

"Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora"

"Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem"

William used this principle to justify many conclusions including the statement that "God's existence cannot be deduced by reason alone." That one didn't make him very popular with the Pope.

Many scientists have adopted or reinvented Occam's Razor as in Leibniz' "identity of observables" and Isaac Newton stated the rule: "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances."

The most useful statement of the principle for scientists is,

"when you have two competing theories which make exactly the same predictions, the one that is simpler is the better."

In physics we use the razor to cut away metaphysical concepts. The canonical example is Einstein's theory of special relativity compared with Lorentz's theory that ruler's contract and clocks slow down when in motion through the Ether. Einstein's equations for transforming space-time are the same as Lorentz's equations for transforming rulers and clocks, but Einstein and Poincaré recognised that the Ether could not be detected according to the equations of Lorentz and Maxwell. By Occam's razor it had to be eliminated.

The principle has also been used to justify uncertainty in quantum mechanics. Heisenberg deduced his uncertainty principle from the quantum nature of light and the effect of measurement.

Stephen Hawking explains in A Brief History of Time:
"We could still imagine that there is a set of laws that determines events completely for some supernatural being, who could observe the present state of the universe without disturbing it. However, such models of the universe are not of much interest to us mortals. It seems better to employ the principle known as Occam's razor and cut out all the features of the theory that cannot be observed."

But uncertainty and the non-existence of the ether cannot be deduced from Occam's Razor alone. It can separate two theories that make the same predictions, but does not rule out other theories that might make a different prediction. Empirical evidence is also required and Occam himself argued for empiricism, not against it.

Ernst Mach advocated a version of Occam's razor which he called the Principle of Economy, stating that "Scientists must use the simplest means of arriving at their results and exclude everything not perceived by the senses." Taken to its logical conclusion this philosophy becomes positivism; the belief that there is no difference between something that exists but is not observable and something that doesn't exist at all. Mach influenced Einstein when he argued that space and time are not absolute but he also applied positivism to molecules. Mach and his followers claimed that molecules were metaphysical because they were too small to detect directly. This was despite the success the molecular theory had in explaining chemical reactions and thermodynamics. It is ironic that while applying the principle of economy to throw out the concept of the ether and an absolute rest frame, Einstein published almost simultaneously a paper on Brownian motion which confirmed the reality of molecules and thus dealt a blow against the use of positivism. The moral of this story is that Occam's razor should not be wielded blindly.

As Einstein put it... "This is an interesting example of the fact that even scholars of audacious spirit and fine instinct can be obstructed in the interpretation of facts by philosophical prejudices."

Occam's razor is often cited in stronger forms than Occam intended, as in the following statements. . .

"If you have two theories which both explain the observed facts then you should use the simplest until more evidence comes along"

"The simplest explanation for some phenomenon is more likely to be accurate than more complicated explanations."

"If you have two equally likely solutions to a problem, pick the simplest."

"The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct."

. . .or in the only form that takes its own advice. . .

"Keep things simple!"

To begin with, we used Occam's razor to separate theories that would predict the same result for all experiments. Now we are trying to choose between theories that make different predictions. This is not what Occam intended.

This principle goes back at least as far as Aristotle who wrote "Nature operates in the shortest way possible." Aristotle went too far in believing that experiment and observation were unnecessary. Simplicity is subjective and the universe does not always have the same ideas about simplicity as we do.

The final word is of unknown origin, although it's often attributed to Einstein, himself a master of the quotable one liner:

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

Just something to think about today as you go your way...

eroded faith...

2005-07-23T00:04:00.000-05:00

Christian Culture Yet Again: The Erosion of Faith: Medieval people looked at the world through the lens of theocentrism. They believed in God as the Creator of the universe. Consequently, they thought that the order of the world reflected a preexisting idea in the mind of the Creator. The best way of knowing this order was to know the mind of God. Therefore, revelation was crucial and faith was the organ through which true knowledge of the world was appropriated. To coin a phrase, in the medieval mind “the Truth is up there,” or transcendent. Truth had to be received by revelation and appropriated through faith. Individual facts had to be interpreted in view of the Truth...

---------------------------------
Essay by Kevin T. Bauder
In The Nick of Time is archived here .
and found on SharperIron.org here.

If only the world had God as the center of its purpose, directing the thoughts of the majority instead of the minority. But Jesus said that was not to be... so we should not expect it...

John 15:19
"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

I'll take Christ over the world any day... wouldn't you? My faith does not have to erode because I founded it on the solid rock... my hope is built on nothing less...

1 Peter 5:12
... I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God, Stand firm in it!

Colossians 1:23
... if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven...

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

... the end of the internet...

2005-07-22T23:15:00.000-05:00

Thats exactly that...
I found it here: http://lastpage
and here... http://lastpage
and here... http://end_of_the_internet
and here... http://end

and if you want to shut it off for everyone... thats here...
http://www.turnofftheinternet.com

... ice thought...

2005-07-22T09:43:00.000-05:00

Man... makes me glad I live in MN!! I've lived through a couple ice storms... but nothing that bad. Take comfort in the small things... even summer heat. I bet the people who owned those cars whould have wanted some good old summer time right about then!

London blasts take-2...

2005-07-21T23:55:00.000-05:00

LONDON - Small explosions struck London's subway system and a bus at midday Thursday in a chilling but bloodless replay of the suicide bombings that killed 56 people two weeks ago.

Londoners fled the three Underground stations at midday, some sprinting barefoot after leaving their shoes behind in the scramble. Emergency teams were sent to all three stations after the incidents, which began at 12:38 p.m. NBC sources say that witnesses’ accounts of the bombers indicate that they expected to die.

Prime Minister Tony Blair appealed for calm. “We can’t minimize incidents such as this,” he said at a news conference with the Australian prime minister. “They’re done to scare people, to frighten them and make them worried.”Referring to the latest attacks, Blair said: “Clearly, the intention must have been to kill.... You don’t do this with any other intention.”

One of the greatest police fears is that an audacious attack will inspire similar attacks, said Rachel Bronson, director of Mideast Studies at the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations. “It’s all done to sow terror, and there’s nothing more terrifying than bombs followed by bombs,” she said. Alarmingly, it appears the group was able to attack in the midst of an intense investigation of the previous bus and train bombings. Often such follow-up attacks are uncovered and thwarted, Bronson said. “What is very worrisome, London intelligence, which is among the best in the world, was not only surprised two weeks ago, but they’re surprised by this,” she said.

-- -- -- --

Take some time to pray for the people who have been affected by this tragedy. All to soon these events will be common place. And they will take place close to home. Pray that God will use this situation for His glory... and that people will turn to Him and His love for their hope and comfort.

the atmosphere in D.C.

2005-07-21T08:08:00.000-05:00

I liked this quote... and I think it would be good for those in Washington politics to reflect on the real reason for being there... (serving???)...

"I never liked the atmosphere of Washington.
I early saw that it was impossible to build up a race
of which the leaders were spending most of their time,
thought and energy in trying to get into office, or
in trying to stay there after they were in."
-- Booker T. Washington
(1856-1915)

the simple things in life...

2005-07-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

I found this site on the web and I thought it was amazing to see how such a simple little thing such as a snowflake could be so intricately detailed when viewed up close... God has such wonderous creations!

So if you want to view these snowflakes up close click here.

terrorism... the truth told

2005-07-19T21:03:00.000-05:00

I liked what Phil Johnson had to say about terrorism. It really is stuff that needs to be said whether or not the "public" approves of its "nice-ness."

"I'm not calling for any kind of hostility against all Islam. I realize not all Muslims affirm the radical principles of the jihadists. There are indeed many peaceful Muslims. I know some of them personally. My complaint here is not with them. The point I am making in the above post is about their fundamentalist brothers who think they have a mandate from Allah to exterminate "infidels."

(It needs to be said, however, that if the genuinely peaceful Muslims had been more outspoken from the start in condemning the radical extremists in their midst, the problem would not be nearly as great as it is today. You can bet that if Pentecostals started beheading apostates—or even if they merely threatened to break the kneecaps of people who disagree with their beliefs—all of Christendom would rise together in unison to condemn them loudly. For whatever reasons—perhaps related to the ease with which radical Islamists issue fatwas—that sort of clear and high-volume protest has not even yet been forthcoming from the Muslim "mainstream.")

However, I am not suggesting that because our enemies are driven by religious belief, we ought to wage a "holy war," and advance a different religious cause in favor of Christianity. Biblical Christianity has never advanced at the point of a sword, nor should it (John 18:36).

What I am saying is that our adversaries (who are not merely America's foes, but the mortal enemies of all civilized culture) have formed a large and growing jihadist death-cult. Until that cult is either subdued or eliminated, the strife will continue. Those administering the war on behalf of the civilized world need to face up to that fact and plan their strategy accordingly. The jihadists have made it clear that they will not be pacified. They do not fear death, but love it. Their belief system is the problem, even though the hypertolerant postmodern mind is loath to admit it—or to say that anyone's beliefs are "wrong." But if we don't break out of the postmodern miasma and come to grips with reality here, civilization itself will continue to be tortured and tormented by misguided religious thugs acting in the name of Allah.

I'm sorry to be so un-PC, but reality itself is not PC. If you doubt me, I can point you to a couple of websites that have graphic photographs of several beheaded victims of the jihad."

2005-07-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

This was rather accurate I thought as far as web quizzes goes..

What's Your Blogging Personality?

mine was...

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful

You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog.
Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights.
A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time.
You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!

The accuracy can be both good and bad unfortunately...

2005-07-19T20:22:00.000-05:00

This site is Pensees is a blog from Bob Bixby and i liked this quote he had on his site...

This quote from Samuel Pearce, admired contemporary of William Carey and Andrew Fuller, brings tears to my eyes and defies the contemporary ideal of a godly pastor. O, that this would become the prayer of more of God’s people.

"Give me the preacher who opens the folds of my heart; who accuses me, convicts me, and condemns me before God; who loves my soul too well to suffer me to go on in sin, unreproved, through fear of giving me offense; who draws the line with accuracy, between the delusions of fancy, and the impressions of grace; who pursues me from one hiding place to another, until I am driven from every refuge of lies; who gives me no rest until he sees me, with unfeigned penitence, trembling at the feet of Jesus; and then, and not till then, sooths my anguish, wipes away my tears, and comforts me with the cordials of grace. Give me the preacher ‘who constantly affirms that they who have believed, be careful to maintain good works;’ who insists, that a life of peace and communion with God, is utterly abhorrent to the practice of iniquity; and faithfully reminds me, that ‘if I sin, that grace may abound, my damnation is just.’ Give me the preacher who pants not for my safety only, but also for my increase in grace; who cautions me, ‘reproves me, rebukes me, exhorts me with all longsuffering and doctrine;’ who charges me ‘to give all diligence to add to my faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.’ Brethren, if Christ have given you such a man as this, receive him as an angel from heaven; and prize such a pastor as one of the most valuable gifts that can be imparted to the church."

Drugs vs. Software...

2005-07-19T14:50:00.000-05:00

Interesting comparisons...

Drug-dealers vs software developers

Drug dealers	Software developers
Refer to their clients as "users".	Refer to their clients as "users".
"The first one's free!"	"Download a free trial version..."
Have important South-East Asian connections (to help move the stuff).	Have important South-East Asian connections (to help debug the code).
Strange jargon: "Stick", "Rock", "Dime bag," "E".	Strange jargon: "SCSI", "ISDN", "Java", "RTFM"
Realize that there's tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market.	Realize that there's tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market.
Job is assisted by industry's producing newer, more potent mixes.	Job is assisted by industry's producing newer, faster machines.
Often seen in the company of pimps and hustlers.	Often seen in the company of marketing people and venture capitalists (same thing).
Their product causes unhealthy addictions.	DOOM. Quake. SimCity. Duke Nukem 3D. 'Nuff said.

keeping up on vocab...

2005-07-19T08:32:00.000-05:00

Vocab Quiz: take it here

Is that really a word?
By Definition: A Vocabulary Quiz

Nice going -- You got 6/10 correct.

These are tough words--you are pretty smart (or pretty lucky)!

monday night at mortons....

2005-07-18T15:45:00.000-05:00

This is an article my aunt sent me in a email... I cut out a couple things that Ben Stein had to say but there is much more to his last article if you want to read more.

"... a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit, Iraq. He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.

There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament. The policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive. The orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery. The teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children. The kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.

Last column, I told you a few of the rules I had learned to keep my sanity. Well, here is a final one to help you keep your sanity and keep you in the running for stardom: We are puny, insignificant creatures.

We are not responsible for the operation of the universe, and what happens to us is not terribly important. God is real, not a fiction, and when we turn over our lives to Him, he takes far better care of us than we could ever do for ourselves. In a word, we make ourselves sane when we fire ourselves as the directors of the movie of our lives and turn the power over to Him.

... I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.

As so many of you know, I am an avid Bush fan and a Republican. But I think the best guidance I ever got was from the inauguration speech of Democrat John F. Kennedy in January of 1961.
On a very cold and bright day in D.C., he said, "With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth...asking His blessing and His help but knowing that here on Earth, God's work must surely be our own."'

One can see this as a true attempt to reveal God in a mass media outlet by a well-known hollywood personality. One can only hope that God has saved him from not only this world in a worldy sense of realizing the futility of hollywood... but that belief in God's Son has saved his soul as well. We should be looking to the real heros in this world and they are the one's who sacrifice self for their love of others... just as Christ did for us.

If you would like to learn more about who Ben Stein is you can find and article in this Wikipedia site

If you would like to learn more about Jesus Christ and the relationship that Ben Stein was talking about visit Desiring God Ministries site here

Youth Camping Trip 2005

2005-07-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

Well it's about time I got you updated with what is going on over here in Austin. We took some youth (9 in all: 4 guys / 5 girls) on a camping trip to the Badlands and the Black Hills of South Dakota. The trip actually took place the 4th week in June... so it has been awhile.

<< On our way over we had to stop in Micthell, S.D. to visit the world famous Corn Palace. To be honest I was not looking forward to it, but when we arrived I was very impressed with the amount of work that went into making it as decorative as it was.

10 hours after starting our journey we reached the Badlands. And even though they are a little rough looking we were glad to get there. One of the campers had a slight fall on some loose rocks as we were looking over this cliff... (just kidding). >> But she did slip and fall and obtained a minor scrape on her knee. And for the whole trip that was the biggest incident. Which was definitely an answered prayer from God.

We stayed the first night there in some cabins at a KOA camp ground. It was nice, the only downside was the information we received informed us that there was a large pool. Needless to say it fit our group nicely... but the other campers who wanted to join didn't fit so well. The day we pulled in (Mon. evening) there was another youth group from IL. with about 30 people... so the pool got some good use.

Bright and early Tuesday morning we hoped in the vans and drove to Wall Drug. The last time I was there was during my senior summer when we drove out to Yellowstone with the P.I. youth group. So it was nice to see a familiar site.

<< Danny and Josh didn't seem to mind visiting with the locals, but I don't think anyone told them who they were sitting with was famous. The stay at Wall Drug was fairly short... but long enough for the "ooo-ing" and "aahh-ing." Which was plenty for me. It could've been worse... several of the kids probably would have spent most of there money there if they had enough time to look around. We didn't stay to long... but long enough to get the "experience."

After Wall Drug we headed into the Black Hills for camping the second night in Custer State Park. We spend the night at a KOA campground which had just enough space for us to pitch our tents. After getting all set up at camp we went to Mt. Rushmore >> for some touring of one of our Nations coolest monuments. (This is our best group picture)

On Wednesday we got up early and spent the morning hiking to the top of << Harney's Peak. It was actually a pretty challenging climb which took about 3 hours round trip. The view was truly incredible. You can't beat standing on the highest point and being able to see for miles. I saw some Golden Eagles soaring over the peak... they are something I had never seen before. So I don't mind there being a first time for those kinda things.

After Harney's Peak we went to a lifesized maze in Rapid City. The kids went through and I was the time keeper the first one done was Esther (a college girl who came along as a leader). She was done in 25 minutes! (just a couple shy of the record 22!). Then the kids came back in three groups at 39 min., 45 min., and 1:15 min. It was hot and the kids were ready to do something different so we spent the rest of the day swimming at Hot Springs. Now you would think that we were in a hot tub... well we were in a regular pool (who wants to be in a hot tub on a hot day?).

Thursday was our "real" camping trip. We packed up the tents and drove to French Creek which is right in the middle of Custer State Park. << I found a picture one of the kids took of me getting ready to go hiking. I love being outside in the world God's created. It's so unique and full of life. It's just great that God has given us the ability to enjoy His creation and explore all the wondrous things He has made

We started hiking down the trail from one end of French creek to eventually finish the next day on the other end where the exit point was. French Creek >> is right in the heart of Custer and is in the middle of the wildlife refuge where the elk, bison, and deer are kept. We were kinda hoping to see some wildlife, but all we came across was one doe. I think the kids were loud enough to scare anything away that was within 3 miles. The only downside was that after we hiked for a couple hours we ran into some huge patches of poison ivy. Needless to say we had a crash course in general rules of what it looks like, how it works, and rule # 1: Don't Touch! Well it worked pretty good I think that only three of us happened to develop the lovely rash that accompanies poison ivy. And yes for the first time... I got it. Kinda a bummer, but since I took so long getting to writing this... it's all cleared up... so now we can smile again ;)

That night we slept out under the stars with our tents (well the girls got tents anyway). The guys actually slept out under a tarp we had hung between four trees. << I know that kids liked camping too I actually really enjoyed the fresh air and the breeze. I love sleeping outside. The only downside is that I'm starting to get old... and the reason I say that is because I used to be able to sleep anywhere and after sleeping outside that night I was a little stiff in the morning... maybe I just needed to stretch...

We ending up taking a wrong trail so when we started hiking on Friday morning we were going the wrong way (though little did we know it). We found this out when we ran out of trail and ended up running into two sheer rock cliffs on either side of the river with teh river dropping down to 30 feet. So much to everyone's disliking... we had to start hiking back. Just as the trail had run out (but before we knew it had) we ran into a man who was walking down the hill. It turned out there was a parking lot at the top of the hill so people could park and come down to fish that that spot in the river. It was a blessing to have run into him at that particular spot since we had not seen anyone the whole day. So we hiked back to that spot and we decided that I would run back and get the van and drive it to that fishing spot and the kids would just have to hike up the hill instead of the couple of hours hiking back to the beginning of the creek. As I drove the van back to where everyone else was on the creek I ran into the biggest herd of bison I have ever seen. There was about << 130 bison just blocking the road as they were leading calves to greener pasture. It was a spectacular sight... I was so bummed that the kids weren't with me. And by the time I got them up and out of the creek... the bison were gone. So while the trip wasn't perfect... we did have a lot of fun hiking (well at least I did, and running too...!) After getting back to the regular camp ground and setting up our tents there again, it started raining. God was really good with the weather, it was perfect basically the whole trip. That little sprinkling was rather refreshing... but we did thank God for His working with the weather to our benefit.

We packed up Saturday morning and made ready to leave the fair state of South Dakota. Just before leaving the state we stopped at Ellsworth, A.F.B. >> and visited the displays of aircraft as well as visiting the musem which contained many displays of historic and current Air Force memorabila. This is one of the cockpits that they had on display that you could hop in and check out what it is really like to be a fighter pilot. Cali showed us her military face >> for dogfighting...

That was the last offical stop on the trip. It was a great trip. Pastor Larson gave me the morning Bible time and he took the evening. I think that it was more that just a trip for some of the kids. After taking them on a trip you hope that what you taught them from the Bible is what they remember more than the experience and yet you want them to experience life too. Most of the kdis we took we junior high or just entering high school. Hopefully they will remember some of the things we taught them about camping as well as how to live according to God's Word. I can only pray that they will remember God's Word and start to apply it to their lives so that people will see that on this trip the kids got to know God... and are different because of it.

Austin, MN

2005-07-15T00:46:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd give you a picture of where I am in relation to my state. This is where I'm working for the summer. Posting this one picture is a lot easier than posting all the pictures for our youth trip (which I will get to one of these days...). Anyway I thought this satellite image was cool and then being able to post a marker for where I was at... yup... I like it. So this is where I grew up (Wanamingo), where I went to college (Owatonna - Pillsbury Baptist Bible College of America), and where I am presently working (Austin). I'm a home-town farm boy who hasn't moved to far away from home yet. But I love MN... so until God moves me someplace else... this is a great place to be!

And you can click here to View the Earth.