i just found out that cj mccall (singer of convoy fame) is the same tech dude behind mannheim steamroller.
okay, i may be the only one who thinks that's cool...
but vh1 has proved its worth to me.
fun and educational all at the same time!
10/18/2003
this old house
we're painting cotter's room today.
a dark blue that really is quite blue...
really blue.
like so blue we suddenly need to buy some bright white posters and sports-related border, just to make sure he doesn't develp into "that sullen kid who's always depressed."
and on a related note: i've unintentionally created a new "painting shirt." you know, the shirt that suddenly is good for nothing except for projects where it can accumulate the hues of the rainbow of project you undertake. this was not my original plan for this shirt. it was still fit for public display. but no longer.
a dark blue that really is quite blue...
really blue.
like so blue we suddenly need to buy some bright white posters and sports-related border, just to make sure he doesn't develp into "that sullen kid who's always depressed."
and on a related note: i've unintentionally created a new "painting shirt." you know, the shirt that suddenly is good for nothing except for projects where it can accumulate the hues of the rainbow of project you undertake. this was not my original plan for this shirt. it was still fit for public display. but no longer.
10/17/2003
how does he think of these things?
cotter, to kelli:
mommy, if i water my nipples every day, will i grow boobs?
mommy, if i water my nipples every day, will i grow boobs?
i must be an optimist
but CU is playing KState tomorrow.
i'm actually naive enough to think the buffs have a chance.
i'm actually naive enough to think the buffs have a chance.
you're gonna listen to one of the "stars" of gigli???
bennifer afflez compares US to declining Roman Empire.
he recently finished watching gladiator, so he had a frame of reference.
he recently finished watching gladiator, so he had a frame of reference.
i'm a big fan, really
i guess it's time to get interested in the baseball season.
go yankees.
but only because i hate the wildcard system, and am bitterly resentful of the marlins, who came into the league the same year as the rockies.
go yankees.
but only because i hate the wildcard system, and am bitterly resentful of the marlins, who came into the league the same year as the rockies.
even so
despite jen's desperate faith in a bad team (as compared to my completely rational affection to a superior one) i still think the world of her & her blog, and will continue to steal from it as necessary.
to wit from cheddar x:
1. What was the last person, thing or event that made you cry?
2. What was your most recent vivid dream about?
3. What is the best bumper sticker you've seen or thought up?
4. Who was your worst room mate? Why?
5. What do you order most often when you go out to eat?
6. What's your cocktail of choice? Or beverage for the non-drinkers?
to wit from cheddar x:
1. What was the last person, thing or event that made you cry?
not a big crier, but i did get choked up when i heard the stories of the sons of Jorge Posada and JoeJureviciosjeriviJurriyou know who i mean
2. What was your most recent vivid dream about?
i don't remember. i know i've had 'em. but i quickly forget most of them.
3. What is the best bumper sticker you've seen or thought up?
i don't know. it's friday. my brain's not working in 'clever' mode.
4. Who was your worst room mate? Why?
i only had two roommates. both were pretty good. Chris & I had a ton of wild animals in our room (mostly his), and Shawn was the wild animal in our room. Lots of fun times with both, though
5. What do you order most often when you go out to eat?
I'm pretty predictable. T-bone steaks at Bugaboo Creek. Fajitas, burritos or enchiladas from Mexican places. Lasagna or Chicken parmesan from italian places. Combo fried rice from Chinese.
6. What's your cocktail of choice? Or beverage for the non-drinkers?
i'm not a cocktail-er. Unsweetened iced tea most often. But i like Mr. Pibb or Mtn. Dew, too.
why is that beautiful unwrapped gift sitting on your shelf?
how long has it been since you've taken a spiritual gift inventory?
i just took one, after about a year. In fact, i added a link to it on my right column, for y'all to partake at any time in the future.
i took it for a couple reasons...
...to see where i am weak, to ask for strengthening....to see if gifts had been strengthened, according to new ministry.
here's my results (from weakest to strongest):
showing mercy:10
prophecy:11
serving:13
giving:14
teaching:16
exhortation:16
evangelism:18
administration:21
pastor/shepherd:21
these results don't really surprise me. I want to be more merciful and i'm asking for that regularly, recognizing that answers to spiritual requests can at times be refining processes. I don't want this for my benefit, though, it's only by faith that i can ask for it. frankly, its frightening to think of all the ways the Lord can develop mercy in me. but my fears are selfish.
i also wish serving were higher. i justify it (incorrectly) by saying its weak because pastor/shepherd is so high. for example, i answered "do you like to work behind the scenes?" with "almost never." This is because i enjoy leading the charge. however, a good shepherd doesn't always have to be in the front. there are other times, it is the work he is doing at the rear of the flock, making sure all the sheep stay together in a safe group, that he is doing his best, most important work.
baaaaa...i sure have a lot to learn.
i think i'm still in denial over my gift of administration. its because my first inclination is to liken it to "bookkeeping." and that makes me want to hurl.
where i'm most administratively minded is putting a plan to the vision. taking the big picture and developing a process to "cross the jordan" so to speak.
here's how their results have compiled:
How do you compare with the rest of the Body of Christ?
this is how they at the website interpret their findings:
Could the results from these comparison charts be skewed? Probably to some degree. Two factors to consider are 1) Results are not compiled from the Christian public at large but only those who are Internet users. 2) On the laity side, a much larger percentage of those taking the spiritual gifts inventory on-line are women (63.7%). Women tend to score high in the Gift of Shepherding because the characteristics of the gift of shepherding are very similar to the God-given instincts of mothering which comes natural to most women. Although many women have the gift of shepherding and it manifests itself in many areas of service, we believe women should take this factor in consideration when evaluating whether or not they actually have the gift of shepherding.
my "take" on the same summaries:
pastors are only half as good as the laity in giving, who are woefully bad themselves. this tells me we are all a bunch of turned inward, bickering idjits, arguing like a bunch of upper-room apostles about who is the greatest. its shameful that we're so low in our giving. the same thing is true, with only slightly better results, in serving.
the vast majority of folks fancy themselves to be pastor/shepherds, both those behind the pulpit as well as those filling the pews. could this be a problem? is this why churches split? if the people in the pews are called to lead, then they need to lead. if the people who are leading are not called to do so, they need to quit being so full of themselves and step aside. i think the "high" ratio of this gift could be more about how we perceive ourselves, rather than how God has truly gifted us. these inventories only work if we're honest with ourselves.
does it say anything to you that exhortation is higher than evangelism? it just seems funny to me that we want to exhort people to godliness, to encourage people to hope, but are less willing to tell others about the only way to be godly and the only source of real hope. and by 'funny' i don't mean 'ha ha' funny, i mean 'dear Lord, please forgive us' funny.
one more criticism. why is 'teacher' higher than giving and serving? is it because we are having a "disconnect" with the Scripture that says were are not to be mere hearers of the word, but doers as well? we have everyone hungry to get into small groups, to have their needs met, to have someone put some salve on their "father wound," but we are still struggling to meet the demands of ministry in a lost, hurting, and dying world.
it's the end of the week. and i'm not trying to bring you down, here. but let's get real. we have work to do. and we better quit thinking about ourselves and start being salt and light. and starting now, each of us better be willing to say with conviction, "it starts with me."*
*disclaimer: this rant was not a manipulative attempt to increase my prophecy score in future assessments.
i just took one, after about a year. In fact, i added a link to it on my right column, for y'all to partake at any time in the future.
i took it for a couple reasons...
...to see where i am weak, to ask for strengthening....to see if gifts had been strengthened, according to new ministry.
here's my results (from weakest to strongest):
showing mercy:10
prophecy:11
serving:13
giving:14
teaching:16
exhortation:16
evangelism:18
administration:21
pastor/shepherd:21
these results don't really surprise me. I want to be more merciful and i'm asking for that regularly, recognizing that answers to spiritual requests can at times be refining processes. I don't want this for my benefit, though, it's only by faith that i can ask for it. frankly, its frightening to think of all the ways the Lord can develop mercy in me. but my fears are selfish.
i also wish serving were higher. i justify it (incorrectly) by saying its weak because pastor/shepherd is so high. for example, i answered "do you like to work behind the scenes?" with "almost never." This is because i enjoy leading the charge. however, a good shepherd doesn't always have to be in the front. there are other times, it is the work he is doing at the rear of the flock, making sure all the sheep stay together in a safe group, that he is doing his best, most important work.
baaaaa...i sure have a lot to learn.
i think i'm still in denial over my gift of administration. its because my first inclination is to liken it to "bookkeeping." and that makes me want to hurl.
where i'm most administratively minded is putting a plan to the vision. taking the big picture and developing a process to "cross the jordan" so to speak.
here's how their results have compiled:
How do you compare with the rest of the Body of Christ?
|
Laity |
||
|
Most dominant gifts of 244,220 people surveyed |
||
| Evangelism |  |
3.51% |
| Prophecy | |
1.89% |
| Teaching | |
10.08% |
| Exhortation | |
9.43% |
| Pastor/Shepherd | |
23.97% |
| Showing Mercy | |
27.21% |
| Serving | |
6.93% |
| Giving | |
1.51% |
| Administration | |
15.46% |
| Pastors | ||
| Most dominant gifts of 41,392 people surveyed | ||
| Evangelism | |
6.48% |
| Prophecy | |
2.27% |
| Teaching | |
17.34% |
| Exhortation | |
4.84% |
| Pastor/Shepherd | |
36.16% |
| Showing Mercy | |
8.86% |
| Serving | |
2.42% |
| Giving | |
0.78% |
| Administration | |
20.86% |
this is how they at the website interpret their findings:
Could the results from these comparison charts be skewed? Probably to some degree. Two factors to consider are 1) Results are not compiled from the Christian public at large but only those who are Internet users. 2) On the laity side, a much larger percentage of those taking the spiritual gifts inventory on-line are women (63.7%). Women tend to score high in the Gift of Shepherding because the characteristics of the gift of shepherding are very similar to the God-given instincts of mothering which comes natural to most women. Although many women have the gift of shepherding and it manifests itself in many areas of service, we believe women should take this factor in consideration when evaluating whether or not they actually have the gift of shepherding.
my "take" on the same summaries:
pastors are only half as good as the laity in giving, who are woefully bad themselves. this tells me we are all a bunch of turned inward, bickering idjits, arguing like a bunch of upper-room apostles about who is the greatest. its shameful that we're so low in our giving. the same thing is true, with only slightly better results, in serving.
the vast majority of folks fancy themselves to be pastor/shepherds, both those behind the pulpit as well as those filling the pews. could this be a problem? is this why churches split? if the people in the pews are called to lead, then they need to lead. if the people who are leading are not called to do so, they need to quit being so full of themselves and step aside. i think the "high" ratio of this gift could be more about how we perceive ourselves, rather than how God has truly gifted us. these inventories only work if we're honest with ourselves.
does it say anything to you that exhortation is higher than evangelism? it just seems funny to me that we want to exhort people to godliness, to encourage people to hope, but are less willing to tell others about the only way to be godly and the only source of real hope. and by 'funny' i don't mean 'ha ha' funny, i mean 'dear Lord, please forgive us' funny.
one more criticism. why is 'teacher' higher than giving and serving? is it because we are having a "disconnect" with the Scripture that says were are not to be mere hearers of the word, but doers as well? we have everyone hungry to get into small groups, to have their needs met, to have someone put some salve on their "father wound," but we are still struggling to meet the demands of ministry in a lost, hurting, and dying world.
it's the end of the week. and i'm not trying to bring you down, here. but let's get real. we have work to do. and we better quit thinking about ourselves and start being salt and light. and starting now, each of us better be willing to say with conviction, "it starts with me."*
*disclaimer: this rant was not a manipulative attempt to increase my prophecy score in future assessments.
friday5
1. Name five things in your refrigerator.
2. Name five things in your freezer.
3. Name five things under your kitchen sink.
4. Name five things around your computer.
5. Name five things in your medicine cabinet.
i'm assuming i'm supposed to tell you all the unusual things. but we're trying to eat healthy. so it's pretty tame right now. lots of poultry. lots of produce. a couple gallons of dairy. oatmeal muffins. bottled water.
2. Name five things in your freezer.
tuna steaks. pork steaks. chicken breasts. orange roughy. various cuts of dead bovine.
3. Name five things under your kitchen sink.
i'm only guessing here, because i don't spend much time there: trash bags. dishwashing detergent. Fantastik®. melon-scented candles. dishsoap.
4. Name five things around your computer.
bills. cdroms. notepads. kelli's work. wires & cables.
5. Name five things in your medicine cabinet.
again, foreign territory to me. but i'm pretty sure there's children's advil. band-aids. simethicone, bug bite de-itcher (that's the scientific name), and a thermometer (of the oral variety).
10/16/2003
cotter...tmi
walking out of the bathroom, my son had this to say, zipping his britches:
"well, that one sure was a plugger!"
when that didn't get a response, he came over to the couch where his proud parents sat.
"daddy, do you want to know what a 'plugger' is?"
"no, that's alright bud. i think i can figure it out. will you go get the plunger for me?"
"well, that one sure was a plugger!"
when that didn't get a response, he came over to the couch where his proud parents sat.
"daddy, do you want to know what a 'plugger' is?"
"no, that's alright bud. i think i can figure it out. will you go get the plunger for me?"
the amazing pus-filled pore of 2003
in a blog entry that will surely cause my bride to cringe ("why in the world did you write about this???"), i have to share that i'm obsessing about this pimple.
if you were to make an "O" shape with your mouth (and you know you're doing it right now, aren't you?), Mt. Pizzuvius is a festering boil at approximately 8 o'clock.
it's really not terribly bad. at least that's what i tell myself when i look in the mirror. it's just red. but apart from my delusional time in front of the mirror, its all i can think about. it's tender. i can feel my pulse within it. for some reason, it's all i think people can see.
i went in to a meeting this morning. one of my colleagues says something like, "i really like this identity statement for Baptist Men On Mission. It's challenging, inspiring, motivating. What do you think, Bryan?"
"you're looking at my zit, aren't you"
"excuse me?"
"quit trying to deny it. I can tell. i'm disgusting to you, aren't i? My zit is repulsive and i am hideous to behold."
"um, Tim, is Bryan okay?"
that's pretty much when i ran from the office with my arms shielding my face, screaming, "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!"
moments ago, i went to check on the status of the third eyeball attempting to emerge out of my lower lip. with a little digital manipulation, its mounting-and-nearly-unbearable tensile subdermal pressure was reduced to a status of equilibrium.
i squoze it.
aaahh.
relief.
clearly....this is the most disgusting topic upon which i've ever posted.
bonfire of the vanities, here i come!
if you were to make an "O" shape with your mouth (and you know you're doing it right now, aren't you?), Mt. Pizzuvius is a festering boil at approximately 8 o'clock.
it's really not terribly bad. at least that's what i tell myself when i look in the mirror. it's just red. but apart from my delusional time in front of the mirror, its all i can think about. it's tender. i can feel my pulse within it. for some reason, it's all i think people can see.
i went in to a meeting this morning. one of my colleagues says something like, "i really like this identity statement for Baptist Men On Mission. It's challenging, inspiring, motivating. What do you think, Bryan?"
"you're looking at my zit, aren't you"
"excuse me?"
"quit trying to deny it. I can tell. i'm disgusting to you, aren't i? My zit is repulsive and i am hideous to behold."
"um, Tim, is Bryan okay?"
that's pretty much when i ran from the office with my arms shielding my face, screaming, "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!"
moments ago, i went to check on the status of the third eyeball attempting to emerge out of my lower lip. with a little digital manipulation, its mounting-and-nearly-unbearable tensile subdermal pressure was reduced to a status of equilibrium.
i squoze it.
aaahh.
relief.
clearly....this is the most disgusting topic upon which i've ever posted.
bonfire of the vanities, here i come!
just take a few inches off the top, please
i've made some nips to my blogroll.
most of the changes were organizational. i moved most of the blogs that i don't read often, but would like to, into other areas higher up. the only reason i don't read them more is because they don't ping weblogs and rise to the top of the roll. so i've moved them so i can glean better, more often.
a few i removed. not because they are bad. if that were the case i never would have added them. but they don't ping, and when i returned today, i couldn't connect with what i read. so if you were there and now aren't, nothing personal. i've re-added blogs before, and will do it again, i'm sure.
i don't really know why i had to explain myself, but now that you are totally bored, i can move on with my life.
most of the changes were organizational. i moved most of the blogs that i don't read often, but would like to, into other areas higher up. the only reason i don't read them more is because they don't ping weblogs and rise to the top of the roll. so i've moved them so i can glean better, more often.
a few i removed. not because they are bad. if that were the case i never would have added them. but they don't ping, and when i returned today, i couldn't connect with what i read. so if you were there and now aren't, nothing personal. i've re-added blogs before, and will do it again, i'm sure.
i don't really know why i had to explain myself, but now that you are totally bored, i can move on with my life.
are you brazen-hearted?
from my one in a million prayer e-letter:
Bronze is an attractive metal but needs a lot of work to keep it polished and shiny on the outside. One interesting fact about bronze is that despite its shiny outer surface, it is not pure all the way through. While the outer surface may be shiny, the inner core has blemishes and impurities present. Unlike bronze, gold is different because it is entirely pure throughout.
As Christians we can pretend that we are good, righteous, and holy. We can put on a outer appearance of godliness.
It takes a lot of work to pretend to be the person that others admire. But God knows the heart and only He knows if our heart is pure and wholly His. His desire is that His followers should have hearts and lives that resemble gold rather than bronze. Is that true of you? (Glenna Heidt, prayer consultant, Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists)
How is your heart? Is it pure? Or, do you have to spend a lot of time on your outer appearance so that you can look good to people? Have you been a Christian so long that you know all the right words and all the right passages of Scripture to make you look good and give you influence but have not heard from God in a long time? Ask God to search your heart and try you and know your anxious thoughts. Ask God to see if there is any hurtful way in you and to lead you in the everlasting way (see Ps.139:23-24).
either a king or a turkey
either way, i'm stuffed.
today, apparently, is boss's day.
and come to find out, at least from one person's perspective (not mine), i'm a boss.
all the secretaries of mission education and mission opportunities prepared a breakfast for the editors, strategists, manager, director, and vice president.
they treated us wonderfully, and have shown through their hard work and selflessness why none of us can take any of the credit for the work of all of us.
today, apparently, is boss's day.
and come to find out, at least from one person's perspective (not mine), i'm a boss.
all the secretaries of mission education and mission opportunities prepared a breakfast for the editors, strategists, manager, director, and vice president.
they treated us wonderfully, and have shown through their hard work and selflessness why none of us can take any of the credit for the work of all of us.
i'm blessed
just want to take a moment to thank God for giving me an opportunity to work and serve with other people who are earnestly following the Christ. I'm so thankful to be able to stop whatever we're doing, and pray publicly, out loud, without fear of criticism or rebuke or chastisement. i am so appreciative of the opportunity to a steward over a small bit of resources that are being used to glorify the Father and encourage the saints. i'm thankful for the wisdom of my supervisors and their servant hearts.
a memo to the entire NAMB building
from Lee, our friendly person at the door who makes us look professional:
i laugh as i get this, and mention to my boss3 how funny that we need to be reminded not to walk into the door.
"i've done that," he said. not laughing.
"oh."
oops.
Please remember that during cold weather, the front sliding doors will only open halfway, to reduce the amount of cold wind entering the lobby (and freezing the receptionist). Please take precautions not to walk into them. Thanks!
i laugh as i get this, and mention to my boss3 how funny that we need to be reminded not to walk into the door.
"i've done that," he said. not laughing.
"oh."
oops.
10/15/2003
near....far.....wherever you *eject*
titanic has been listed as having the best ending of all time.
i agree.
i've never been happier for a movie to be over than when i saw leo play the jackcycle and the blue diamond sink to Nemo's reef.
i agree.
i've never been happier for a movie to be over than when i saw leo play the jackcycle and the blue diamond sink to Nemo's reef.
i'm here all week, try the prime rib
C&P from mikey:
don't forget to tip your waitress.
A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning.
The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."
The husband said, "You are in charge of the cooking around here and you should do it, because that's your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."
Wife replies, "No you should do it, and besides it's in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."
Husband replies, "I can't believe that! Show me."
So she fetched the Bible, opened the New Testament and shows him at the top of several pages, that it indeed said...Hebrews.
don't forget to tip your waitress.
junk science in the bedroom
this has to be the most asinine thing i've read today...
give up abstinence, you'll live longer.
i get where they're coming from, & i'm just not buying it. don't get me wrong, i don't have a problem believing sex has physical benefits.
my point is that it becomes junk science when it tries to attack the value of abstinence with its findings. the reality is, the full benefits of sex will only be realized in a healthy, frisky, adventurous, monogamous relationship. when additional "partners" are brought in to the equation, the additional risk of health detriments certainly has to be factored.
God knew what He was saying when He said, "it is not good for man to be alone." But He also knew what He was saying when He said, herefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. "
give up abstinence, you'll live longer.
i get where they're coming from, & i'm just not buying it. don't get me wrong, i don't have a problem believing sex has physical benefits.
my point is that it becomes junk science when it tries to attack the value of abstinence with its findings. the reality is, the full benefits of sex will only be realized in a healthy, frisky, adventurous, monogamous relationship. when additional "partners" are brought in to the equation, the additional risk of health detriments certainly has to be factored.
God knew what He was saying when He said, "it is not good for man to be alone." But He also knew what He was saying when He said, herefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. "
will puberty end before middle age?
even as i discover new gray hairs (which i'm still denying exist), i feel the slightly irritating tenderness of a pimple-in-development.
i'm 31 for cryin' out loud.
too young for senility, too old for oxyclean...yet, forced to contend with both.
i'm 31 for cryin' out loud.
too young for senility, too old for oxyclean...yet, forced to contend with both.
sung to the tune of turn turn turn
from outside my window, i can observe the trees turning from their deep greens lovely hues of orange, yellow and red. it seems as though this phenomenon captivates many of us, from dr. dave, to mob68 to the back porch collecting so many leaves that the website needs a rake.
i love autumn. it amazes me to see the transformation that takes place each season, how colorful the panorama becomes.
i've always loved this time of year. i can remember going to aspen, colorado, during the 10th grade, for a football game. we broke out of the huddle, and as the quarterback was barking out signals, giving an audible for me to streak down the field for a slant pass, i looked up to the mountains surrounding the field, and was awe-struck by the beauty of the changing aspens. moments later i was dumb struck by a forearm shiver to the head, delivered by the defensive cornerback who happened to be a little more familiar with his surroundings and a slightly less appreciative of the grandiosity of it all.
yeah....we lost that game, too.
anyway, back on point, here. amidst all the beauty of the changing seasons is the loss of understanding of what is actually happening to the trees when they becomse so colorful this time of year. They are responding to the coldness of the world, their resources are going into a mode of self-preservation. they are starving their outermost extensions of their own being, the very components used for growth and expansion. They are sacrificing their extensions so their essence can survive.
we see these trees in vibrant oranges, in deep reds, and fantastic yellows, and we think, ooooh how pretty. what we don't see is that the leaves themselves are being cut off from their source of life, they are withering on the branch, drying up, falling away, and dying. but because its pretty, we tend to romanticize it. once a leaf lands on the ground, its much less beautiful. now, its just something that has to be raked, bagged, and burnt.
now don't get me wrong, this isn't a rant sponsored by the arbor day society. i just see a tremendous analogy between the autumn tree and a large number of churches rooted in the forest of Christianity. time waits for noone and as the Holy Spirit advances us toward the culmination of God's plan, there is a strong possibility that we're likely in the autumn season, so to speak. when we look around, we see more churches than ever before. They exist in the largest, most modern, most advanced, most user-friendly buildings than we've ever had. Truly, the western church is a beauty to behold.
but in so many ways, it shares the same qualities as the tree advancing toward dormancy. more churches than ever before are doing less than ever before. we haven't evangelized our own country, much less the world. we outpace the world in divorces. we see people going to hell in an alarmingly rapid rate. but oooh, look at the pretty new building we just built. the new parking lot we just paved.
we put our resources in the things that will preserve the existing core rather than invest in growth and expansion. we fund cut ministry expenses before we cut pleasure expenses. christians bail on tithing before they cut out paying for their own follies. we can't pay for mission trips because we're saddled with debt. we have beautiful buildings with huge utility expenses that are going unused for 85% of the week. the church, in too many instances, is pulling back its resources, despite its beautiful appearance. too often, its attention turns in, rather than expending its resources on spiritual growth and kingdom advance. it worries more about core self-preservation than it does about supplying the body with life. and despite its beautiful appearance, it is doing everything it can just to survive.
i'm not saying this is every church. but it is too many churches. pretty on the outside, fighting just to make it through a spiritual winter on the inside. this is the current state of affairs for some entire denominations. denominations fighting over essential identity issues such as the ordination of homosexuals, the role of women in the church -- they exhaust so much of themselves on this battle that they never seem to notice the disenfranchised congregants whose very spiritual joy has been sucked from their marrow, and they fall away, much like the crinkled leaf from the upper branch in November.
what happens to the tree that cannot survive the harsh winter? it remains, a barren hull of itself. it experiences rot from the inside out. it offers none of its initial benefits -- capturing a breeze, offering its shade, providing a home to many of God's creatures. it is a skeletal waste of space until someone comes along and brings it down and removes it.
May God not allow that to be the destiny of the many, many churches in peril today. may He bring His life, His restoration to the vast number of congregations that have lost their first love, that are playing the game, that are going through the motions, that are impressive to observe, but impotent to serve.
God is at work. His Holy Spirit is not stopping to wait for you, or your church. Many churches are doing what God wants them to do and being who God has ordained them to be. make no mistake about it: these churches are full of life, are growing and are prospering. If you look at "the leaves of your church" and see beautiful hues of red, yellow, and orange, don't be so caught up in their transfixing, captivating appearance, that you forget the end result is that those leaves will fall to the earth, leaving behind a lifeless trunk with nothing to offer.
i love autumn. it amazes me to see the transformation that takes place each season, how colorful the panorama becomes.
i've always loved this time of year. i can remember going to aspen, colorado, during the 10th grade, for a football game. we broke out of the huddle, and as the quarterback was barking out signals, giving an audible for me to streak down the field for a slant pass, i looked up to the mountains surrounding the field, and was awe-struck by the beauty of the changing aspens. moments later i was dumb struck by a forearm shiver to the head, delivered by the defensive cornerback who happened to be a little more familiar with his surroundings and a slightly less appreciative of the grandiosity of it all.
yeah....we lost that game, too.
anyway, back on point, here. amidst all the beauty of the changing seasons is the loss of understanding of what is actually happening to the trees when they becomse so colorful this time of year. They are responding to the coldness of the world, their resources are going into a mode of self-preservation. they are starving their outermost extensions of their own being, the very components used for growth and expansion. They are sacrificing their extensions so their essence can survive.
we see these trees in vibrant oranges, in deep reds, and fantastic yellows, and we think, ooooh how pretty. what we don't see is that the leaves themselves are being cut off from their source of life, they are withering on the branch, drying up, falling away, and dying. but because its pretty, we tend to romanticize it. once a leaf lands on the ground, its much less beautiful. now, its just something that has to be raked, bagged, and burnt.
now don't get me wrong, this isn't a rant sponsored by the arbor day society. i just see a tremendous analogy between the autumn tree and a large number of churches rooted in the forest of Christianity. time waits for noone and as the Holy Spirit advances us toward the culmination of God's plan, there is a strong possibility that we're likely in the autumn season, so to speak. when we look around, we see more churches than ever before. They exist in the largest, most modern, most advanced, most user-friendly buildings than we've ever had. Truly, the western church is a beauty to behold.
but in so many ways, it shares the same qualities as the tree advancing toward dormancy. more churches than ever before are doing less than ever before. we haven't evangelized our own country, much less the world. we outpace the world in divorces. we see people going to hell in an alarmingly rapid rate. but oooh, look at the pretty new building we just built. the new parking lot we just paved.
we put our resources in the things that will preserve the existing core rather than invest in growth and expansion. we fund cut ministry expenses before we cut pleasure expenses. christians bail on tithing before they cut out paying for their own follies. we can't pay for mission trips because we're saddled with debt. we have beautiful buildings with huge utility expenses that are going unused for 85% of the week. the church, in too many instances, is pulling back its resources, despite its beautiful appearance. too often, its attention turns in, rather than expending its resources on spiritual growth and kingdom advance. it worries more about core self-preservation than it does about supplying the body with life. and despite its beautiful appearance, it is doing everything it can just to survive.
i'm not saying this is every church. but it is too many churches. pretty on the outside, fighting just to make it through a spiritual winter on the inside. this is the current state of affairs for some entire denominations. denominations fighting over essential identity issues such as the ordination of homosexuals, the role of women in the church -- they exhaust so much of themselves on this battle that they never seem to notice the disenfranchised congregants whose very spiritual joy has been sucked from their marrow, and they fall away, much like the crinkled leaf from the upper branch in November.
what happens to the tree that cannot survive the harsh winter? it remains, a barren hull of itself. it experiences rot from the inside out. it offers none of its initial benefits -- capturing a breeze, offering its shade, providing a home to many of God's creatures. it is a skeletal waste of space until someone comes along and brings it down and removes it.
May God not allow that to be the destiny of the many, many churches in peril today. may He bring His life, His restoration to the vast number of congregations that have lost their first love, that are playing the game, that are going through the motions, that are impressive to observe, but impotent to serve.
God is at work. His Holy Spirit is not stopping to wait for you, or your church. Many churches are doing what God wants them to do and being who God has ordained them to be. make no mistake about it: these churches are full of life, are growing and are prospering. If you look at "the leaves of your church" and see beautiful hues of red, yellow, and orange, don't be so caught up in their transfixing, captivating appearance, that you forget the end result is that those leaves will fall to the earth, leaving behind a lifeless trunk with nothing to offer.
< grumpy old man > back in my day.... < /grumpy old man >
i've had this link in my inbox for a little over a month, so i might as well comment on it before i delete it (boy, if that doesn't inspire you to read further, i don't know what will).
beloit college just* came out with its mindset list for the class of 2007. this represents the general state of mental orientation for young adults entering college, having been born on or about 1985.
this list is fascinating, and accomplishes the equally important goal of making me feel old. Back when they were being born, in 1985, when I was 13 years old, king of the hill at Craig Middle School, this was the world that the class of 2007 will never fully know nor appreciate:
*a little more than a month ago
beloit college just* came out with its mindset list for the class of 2007. this represents the general state of mental orientation for young adults entering college, having been born on or about 1985.
this list is fascinating, and accomplishes the equally important goal of making me feel old. Back when they were being born, in 1985, when I was 13 years old, king of the hill at Craig Middle School, this was the world that the class of 2007 will never fully know nor appreciate:
- my red parachute pants rocked
- they offered negligible improvements to my breakdancing skills
- it was through breakdancing to electric boogaloo that i could connect with my urban roots
- WHAM rocked
- wake me up before you go go? well, i know it's not the coolest song, but it's just so catchy!
- "no way george michael is gay. no stinkin' way."
- "how cool is it that this guy's name is billy ocean? hit rewind, let's listen to suddenly one more time!
- me, about becca watkins: "i wonder if she loves me as much as i love her?"
- becca watkins, about me: "i wonder if bryan will care that i just kissed his three best friends and have agreed to go with two of them to the same dance..."
- our football season was filled with games to be described later as "character-building experiences."
- basketball season? ditto
- track season? it was all about being able to lose enough weight to be in the 'lightweight' category, and nothing to do with the meet itself.
- i hoped everyone was still planning on going to the rollercade this weekend, because it was *my turn* to be dramatic and cause everyone to ask "what's wrong?" and "are you okay?"
- president reagan was one bad hombre when it came to those communists
- the buffs stunk, but we had hope with mccartney
- the broncos were mediocre, but we had hope with elway
- my brother and his friends -- 11th graders -- were the coolest guys. ever
- school was not about learning. it was about socializing
- the "enemy" was not russia. it was steamboat springs, the next-town rival.
- madonna was young and cool. nancy reagan was old and not cool.
- must see TV included the cosby show, cheers and st. elsewhere
- the real must see tv was all about finally getting past the fact that manimal had been "put down," still mourning the loss of the A-Team, sadly parting ways with Bo & Luke Duke, and hoping upon hope that Knight Rider would last forever!
*a little more than a month ago
10/14/2003
lego my ego
wired.com is reporting that lego is looking for a master builder to join the team.
you have to be able to create a perfect sphere using only square legos.
i can't even make a perfect square out of square legos.
i guess i'll keep my day job.
you have to be able to create a perfect sphere using only square legos.
i can't even make a perfect square out of square legos.
i guess i'll keep my day job.
prayer update
in my email this morning:
thanks
Charles surgery lasted a lot longer than anticipated, that obviously created stress yesterday, just do to the fact of the unknown, but Charles came through the surgery well and is in recovery.
Kathy's bother did pass away. Kathy's sister found him yesterday in his home unconscious…apparently from an asthmatic spell. He was taken to the hospital and put on life support, but due to previously signing a living will…was removed from life support. Please continue to lift up the Anderson's and Kathy's family as they struggle with their loss and for Charles continue recovery from by-pass surgery.
thanks
there she is...no really, THERE SHE IS
miss america 2000, who is also the 2nd lady of Kentucky, struck and killed a bicyclist. it wasn't her fault, according to authorities.
UPDATE: after posting, i realized i should have clarified that she was in her car. and the bicyclist wasn't wearing a helmet. neither was ms. america.
UPDATE: after posting, i realized i should have clarified that she was in her car. and the bicyclist wasn't wearing a helmet. neither was ms. america.
must be my lucky day
mr. aziz, a wealthy dying man from the United Arab Emirates has contacted me this morning to work with him to distribute his wealth to a variety of charities. $24 million. And i'll receive 20 percent for my efforts.
i must have been referred to him by that fine Nigerian diplomat with whom I'm working to secure his funds in a safe western account.
who says largess is not rewarded?
i must have been referred to him by that fine Nigerian diplomat with whom I'm working to secure his funds in a safe western account.
who says largess is not rewarded?
a reasonable explanation
oh, now i understand when Kucinich has been behind even me in the presidential polls.
because he's just now launching his bid for the white house.
he announced his candidacy at a madison, wisconsin bus terminal, where he could be photographed in the presence of other people, so as to mislead people into thinking that someone outside himself and his wife was actually supporting this expensive ego excursion.
although i have to give it to him, the shadow cast by his raised hand (showing the number of votes he expects to win in the election) makes him look a bit like Beck's older brother. This is the coolest he could ever hope to look. yet i doubt it will be enough to win him the land of the cheeseheads.
because he's just now launching his bid for the white house.
he announced his candidacy at a madison, wisconsin bus terminal, where he could be photographed in the presence of other people, so as to mislead people into thinking that someone outside himself and his wife was actually supporting this expensive ego excursion.
although i have to give it to him, the shadow cast by his raised hand (showing the number of votes he expects to win in the election) makes him look a bit like Beck's older brother. This is the coolest he could ever hope to look. yet i doubt it will be enough to win him the land of the cheeseheads.
inspired by bad movies
if, like me, you happened to miss that cinematic masterpiece the core, you can take a real life adventure that emulates its effort, on a slightly less grand scale. but to go, you're going to have to miss a few more movies and bank the money you'd otherwise spend on the matinee. actually, the price of the journey is roughly equivalent to what you'd pay at the concession stand for one of their family packs.
which leads me to ask -- are you one of those people who smuggle in your own goodies to avoid concession prices? how far do you go? just candy, or have you lined your (or your wife's, whichever is appropriate) purse with saran wrap to keep the hot food hot and the cold food cold? are you the person waiting for the deafening THX intro, so you can open your can of Coke so the tell-tale PSSHFFFT is masked? Are you the guy who has to say at least once per movie in a whisper/yell, "Cotter, BE CAREFUL," as the 20-ounce plastic bottle bounces noisily off the concrete floor and rolls to the front of the theater?
yeah, me neither.
which leads me to ask -- are you one of those people who smuggle in your own goodies to avoid concession prices? how far do you go? just candy, or have you lined your (or your wife's, whichever is appropriate) purse with saran wrap to keep the hot food hot and the cold food cold? are you the person waiting for the deafening THX intro, so you can open your can of Coke so the tell-tale PSSHFFFT is masked? Are you the guy who has to say at least once per movie in a whisper/yell, "Cotter, BE CAREFUL," as the 20-ounce plastic bottle bounces noisily off the concrete floor and rolls to the front of the theater?
yeah, me neither.
10/13/2003
do you agree?
with the list of the top 100 novels of all time
i have read exactly 38 percent of the books on this list, and seen the cinematic accounts of another two dozen or so (yes, i feel very "low class american" for admitting this).
i need to read more.
in all my free time.
i have read exactly 38 percent of the books on this list, and seen the cinematic accounts of another two dozen or so (yes, i feel very "low class american" for admitting this).
i need to read more.
in all my free time.
if you hype it, they will come
from wired.com's furthermore:
i've seen it on the web. and i'll catch it in the movie house. if any distributore is brave enough to pick it up, that is.
Mel Gibson's upcoming movie The Passion of Christ has curious movie fans crashing websites in their search for bootleg trailers. Harry Knowles at AintItCoolNews posted a trailer about three months ago, but it didn't last long. "In one day I got 350,000 downloads of that sucker," Knowles said. He took the trailer down when the site clogged, but other fan sites had snagged it and several religious sites linked to the new trailer postings. Execs of Gibson's production company resist suggestions they've organized a Web campaign to boost interest in the movie, characterizing it as a Blair Witch-like grassroots phenomenon. Who us?"
i've seen it on the web. and i'll catch it in the movie house. if any distributore is brave enough to pick it up, that is.
at least we don't have to worry about its effects on editing skills
this headline, from the Colorado State Student Paper, affirmed validation of my worries over the current state of educational affairs.
even if they had hit what they were trying to say, which i'm pretty sure was addiction, rather than addition, they would still only be eligible for the Blinding Flash of the Obvious Award. Now, though, i fear that they will have inadvertantly encouraged struggling calculus students across their campus to begin wagering.
even if they had hit what they were trying to say, which i'm pretty sure was addiction, rather than addition, they would still only be eligible for the Blinding Flash of the Obvious Award. Now, though, i fear that they will have inadvertantly encouraged struggling calculus students across their campus to begin wagering.
a prayer request update
please continue to pray for Chuck Anderson. he is in the middle of bypass surgery now, due to an artery with 100% blockage. this is his third bypass, but first in the last five years. also, his wife Kathy just received a call that her brother is within two hours of dying from an illness. she also has a sister hospitalized with a grave illness. so please take a few moments and intercede to the Lord on her behalf.
thanks.
thanks.
sung to the tune of do you love me?
over at he lives, dr. dave asks the simple question, "does God love everybody?"
the discussion contained within the commentary begins as interesting, and diverts to disappointing. not for lack of theology or scholarship, but for a lack of grace and discretion.
at least one nonbeliever is observing the thread of discussion, and i can only assume he is not being won over by the witness.
there's something in God's Word that encourages us to let the world know we belong to Him by our love for one another.
the thing shown by the response to yes/no question posed by dr. dave is just how much we don't understand God. sure, we'd all like to think we have a Gumpian grasp of love, but instead, we simply show we can't see the Forrest for the trees.
to throw my opinion in the mix -- yes, i believe God loves everybody. i believe everyone has an adequate opportunity to be fully loved by God. i have read the very compelling arguments of God's very overtly declared particular hatred. i don't pretend to comprehend God's ability to fully love all of us, yet be fully justified in his holy, righteous hatred for those who have set themselves in opposition to Him. that's why He is God, and why i am not. so, while i cannot comprehend it, by faith i simply apprehend it. i happen to think apprehension will have to serve as sufficient until i am no longer saddled by the baggage of sin and flesh. there will be a day when i'm able to comprehend it. but that day is not yet here.
i think the more germaine question is even more basic, and even more personal:
does God love you?
again, simple questions demand simple answers.
either He loves you or He doesn't.
Now, if we quit worrying about how "the whole world" question is answered and instead focus on how each and every one of 6.2+ billion people answer the question for him or herself, we'll find the answer to both questions.
so, again, does God love you?
uhh..before you answer, i want to make the caveat that you cannot base your answer according to personal experience. how many times have you been able to perfectly assess the good or bad of a circumstance? in how many occasions has the passage of time given you better perspective? so you aren't allowed to choose your answer just because things have been wonderful or horrendous for you in your life.
also, you're not allowed to base your answer on popular opinion or current thought. whoever said, "never underestimate the power of stupidity in large numbers" had his/her finger on an important truth.
instead, if you are going to answer this question about whether or not God loves you, you must go to Scripture, to see what God Himself says about you. first, here's some of what God says to His children, saved by grace, through faith in the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth:
gee, do you think God's trying to say something here?
He loves you.
now, you might be one of the many who find yourself saying, "God is saying that He loves His children, His church," but you yourself are not part of either. If that's the case, you need to pay attention to John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 (both referenced above). God loves you so much that He provides you a way to escape His impending judgment and wrath. He desires that you live, not that you perish. And a the same time, God loves you so much that He does not impose His will upon you. If you agree with God that you need Him and His love, He freely gives it to you in abundance. He'll give ample love to save you from judgment as well as to sanctify you in day-to-day living. Romans says that if you are able to speak with your mouth a genuine belief that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
if you don't know if God loves you, just ask Him. The Bible says if you do, you will not be put to shame (Romans 10:9-13).
Look, I'm just a simple guy with an ability to cut and paste. I'm not a scholar. From the world's perspective, i'm nobody special. But I know God loves me. Not because of who I am. He loves me because of who He is. Now, if i'm nobody special, and I can say this, what makes you any different?
Karl Barth said that the deepest theological truth he ever grasped was "Jesus loves me, this i know."
If you search for the love of God, you will find it fully and eternally in the Christ, Jesus. God has provided His Son to the world, and He is available to you.
the discussion contained within the commentary begins as interesting, and diverts to disappointing. not for lack of theology or scholarship, but for a lack of grace and discretion.
at least one nonbeliever is observing the thread of discussion, and i can only assume he is not being won over by the witness.
there's something in God's Word that encourages us to let the world know we belong to Him by our love for one another.
the thing shown by the response to yes/no question posed by dr. dave is just how much we don't understand God. sure, we'd all like to think we have a Gumpian grasp of love, but instead, we simply show we can't see the Forrest for the trees.
to throw my opinion in the mix -- yes, i believe God loves everybody. i believe everyone has an adequate opportunity to be fully loved by God. i have read the very compelling arguments of God's very overtly declared particular hatred. i don't pretend to comprehend God's ability to fully love all of us, yet be fully justified in his holy, righteous hatred for those who have set themselves in opposition to Him. that's why He is God, and why i am not. so, while i cannot comprehend it, by faith i simply apprehend it. i happen to think apprehension will have to serve as sufficient until i am no longer saddled by the baggage of sin and flesh. there will be a day when i'm able to comprehend it. but that day is not yet here.
i think the more germaine question is even more basic, and even more personal:
again, simple questions demand simple answers.
either He loves you or He doesn't.
Now, if we quit worrying about how "the whole world" question is answered and instead focus on how each and every one of 6.2+ billion people answer the question for him or herself, we'll find the answer to both questions.
so, again, does God love you?
uhh..before you answer, i want to make the caveat that you cannot base your answer according to personal experience. how many times have you been able to perfectly assess the good or bad of a circumstance? in how many occasions has the passage of time given you better perspective? so you aren't allowed to choose your answer just because things have been wonderful or horrendous for you in your life.
also, you're not allowed to base your answer on popular opinion or current thought. whoever said, "never underestimate the power of stupidity in large numbers" had his/her finger on an important truth.
instead, if you are going to answer this question about whether or not God loves you, you must go to Scripture, to see what God Himself says about you. first, here's some of what God says to His children, saved by grace, through faith in the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth:
- the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. -- Deut. 23:5b
- Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. --Deut.30:6
- Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness. -- 1 Kings 10:9
- Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; -- Neh. 13:26a
- "I have forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have given the beloved of My soul
Into the hand of her enemies. -- Jer. 12:7 - Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord GOD. -- Ezek. 16:8
- Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods..." -- Hosea 3:1
- When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And out of Egypt I called My son. --Hosea 11:1 - Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.
- "The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. --Zeph. 3;17 - But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; -- Luke 11:42
- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. -- John 3:16
- It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father's home. -- Acts 7:20
- to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. -- Romans 1:7
- But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.--Romans 5:8
- For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. -- Romans 8:38-39
- From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; -- Romans 11:28
- I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who oved me and gave Himself up for me. -- Gal. 2:20
- But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, -- Ephesians 2:4
- and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.--Eph. 3:19
- Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; -- Eph. 5:1
-
- So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; -- Col. 3:12
- knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; -- 1 Thess. 1:4
- But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. -- 2 Thess. 2;13
- May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. -- 2 Thess. 3:5
- But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, -- Titus 3:4
- how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. -- 1 John 3;1a
- Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. -- 1 John 4:7-11
- keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. -- Jude 1:21
gee, do you think God's trying to say something here?
He loves you.
now, you might be one of the many who find yourself saying, "God is saying that He loves His children, His church," but you yourself are not part of either. If that's the case, you need to pay attention to John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 (both referenced above). God loves you so much that He provides you a way to escape His impending judgment and wrath. He desires that you live, not that you perish. And a the same time, God loves you so much that He does not impose His will upon you. If you agree with God that you need Him and His love, He freely gives it to you in abundance. He'll give ample love to save you from judgment as well as to sanctify you in day-to-day living. Romans says that if you are able to speak with your mouth a genuine belief that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
if you don't know if God loves you, just ask Him. The Bible says if you do, you will not be put to shame (Romans 10:9-13).
Look, I'm just a simple guy with an ability to cut and paste. I'm not a scholar. From the world's perspective, i'm nobody special. But I know God loves me. Not because of who I am. He loves me because of who He is. Now, if i'm nobody special, and I can say this, what makes you any different?
Karl Barth said that the deepest theological truth he ever grasped was "Jesus loves me, this i know."
If you search for the love of God, you will find it fully and eternally in the Christ, Jesus. God has provided His Son to the world, and He is available to you.
an open invitation to a table-turnin'
over at the livingroom, there's a post of a new electronic money-receiving system designed for the local church.
i've heard for a few years now the development of strategies to make it simple for people to give financial offerings electronically.
while i'm as agreeable as anyone to the concepts of making giving easier, i don't like this new approach.
let me explain my prejudices:
first, i disagree with a concept that allows for/encourages "card" giving. We are a nation being swallowed in debt. We are also a nation being swallowed in spiritual immaturity. talk about your peanut butter/chocolate problem. someone who is very worldly-smart must have come up with the idea that would capitalize on two of the church's most prevalent problems. I really disagree with strategies that enable a church to increase a person's credit debt. i am of the personal opinion that God does not and will not honor a gift, no matter how well intended, if it enslaves the gift-giver to someone else. Credit card tithing isn't biblical because those are monies never given by God to the tither.
second, i'm concerned that a church that avails itself this option is missing the point when it comes to stewardship. in an age of multi-million dollar building programs, and multi-million dollar congregational debt that hamstrings the ministry of the local church for years, (too) much of stewardship has emphasized the legalistic aspect of giving, rather than the sacrificial expression of love and appreciation for the grace gifts of the Father. I, Pollyanna, believe that our financial gifts should be representative of the love for God coming forth from our hearts; an outpouring, if you will. I don't have a problem with corporate times of offering, per se, but i think a church is responsible for teaching biblical stewardship in all aspects of life. it shouldn't encourage unbiblical debt-building.
maybe i'm splitting hairs, here, because i really don't have a problem with people setting up "autopay" direct deposit options to their church's general fund account, if their convictions so compel them. I just am wary of inviting worldly methodologies into the church. there's a reason we call it 'a sanctuary.'
i've heard for a few years now the development of strategies to make it simple for people to give financial offerings electronically.
while i'm as agreeable as anyone to the concepts of making giving easier, i don't like this new approach.
let me explain my prejudices:
first, i disagree with a concept that allows for/encourages "card" giving. We are a nation being swallowed in debt. We are also a nation being swallowed in spiritual immaturity. talk about your peanut butter/chocolate problem. someone who is very worldly-smart must have come up with the idea that would capitalize on two of the church's most prevalent problems. I really disagree with strategies that enable a church to increase a person's credit debt. i am of the personal opinion that God does not and will not honor a gift, no matter how well intended, if it enslaves the gift-giver to someone else. Credit card tithing isn't biblical because those are monies never given by God to the tither.
second, i'm concerned that a church that avails itself this option is missing the point when it comes to stewardship. in an age of multi-million dollar building programs, and multi-million dollar congregational debt that hamstrings the ministry of the local church for years, (too) much of stewardship has emphasized the legalistic aspect of giving, rather than the sacrificial expression of love and appreciation for the grace gifts of the Father. I, Pollyanna, believe that our financial gifts should be representative of the love for God coming forth from our hearts; an outpouring, if you will. I don't have a problem with corporate times of offering, per se, but i think a church is responsible for teaching biblical stewardship in all aspects of life. it shouldn't encourage unbiblical debt-building.
maybe i'm splitting hairs, here, because i really don't have a problem with people setting up "autopay" direct deposit options to their church's general fund account, if their convictions so compel them. I just am wary of inviting worldly methodologies into the church. there's a reason we call it 'a sanctuary.'
this is an example of eisegesis
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
--Psalm 32:1
all bedding is covered in prayer before it covers you.
again, i am loathe to be critical of another person's sincere ministry. even so, i am permitted by God's Word to be a discerner. and i discern that this product would not be one we would purchase, even though God's Word comforts me and gives me rest.
its a personal decision. if you dig it, go for it.
link by ui.
--Psalm 32:1
all bedding is covered in prayer before it covers you.
again, i am loathe to be critical of another person's sincere ministry. even so, i am permitted by God's Word to be a discerner. and i discern that this product would not be one we would purchase, even though God's Word comforts me and gives me rest.
its a personal decision. if you dig it, go for it.
link by ui.
dr. quinnbryan, medicine woman editor
what i've learned from my ongoing fight against the stubborn virus living its so-called life inside the soft tissues of my sinuses.
- the "common cold" is a misnomer. it should be called the "common cranial pressure cooker."
- chicken soup has been described as a remedy for the cold. is remedial properties to not extend to "loosening congestion" by accidentally spilling chicken soup heated to a near-scalding temperature upon one's own chest.
- a nineteen-month-old daughter will not rationally accept that a carrier of the cold virus cannot and will not kiss her upon the lips in order to protect her. any attempt to avoid this expression of affection results in what is called in our home "emotional meltdown." furthermore, attempts to wipe her face with a sterile wipe are greeted with similar outpourings of disagreement.
- nyquil? a great medicine right before bed. not so great in an 8-ounce glass as your dinner beverage.
- watching a broncos game filled with turnovers and a near defeat while in a physically-weakened state is not wise. yet, a broncos victory seems to have a surprisingly noticeable ameliorative effect.
you wouldn't believe what i just heard!
the tea and crumpet folk are describing themselves as a bunch of gossips.
but don't tell anyone you got this from me.
but don't tell anyone you got this from me.
who knew william was so unpopular?
kill bill took the weekend title as box office bully, besting last week's winner, the jack black dramatic vehicle school of rock.
sometimes these things are easy to predict. conservatives thought this was a movie about former president clinton, with uma thurman playing a muscled-up monica, and liberals thought it was a revenge flick about bill bennett, with the actress playing a gambling goon collecting a debt.
10/12/2003
speaking of straight
one of the funniest moments to result from working on a saturday, occured when we asked the men who were participating in our focus groups what their group did as regular activities.
we heard the expected things like...camping trips, disaster relief, prayer breakfasts, etc.
then one guy who was obviously thinking hard to coin a term for his group's activities said confidently:
outings!
"You're men's group has outings?" another guy asked.
"At least one a month!" the first guy said proudly.
"What kind of church are you attending?" the guy asked, incredulously.
after a brief clarification, the original speaker rephrased his term to excursions.
we heard the expected things like...camping trips, disaster relief, prayer breakfasts, etc.
then one guy who was obviously thinking hard to coin a term for his group's activities said confidently:
outings!
"You're men's group has outings?" another guy asked.
"At least one a month!" the first guy said proudly.
"What kind of church are you attending?" the guy asked, incredulously.
after a brief clarification, the original speaker rephrased his term to excursions.
tears? fears.
cam just informed us that tears for fears is reuniting.
finally, my fast can end!
over at msnbc they ask which was "the best" tff song (this acronym is not fanjargon, its laziness, trust me).
my choices are:
shout
everybody wants to rule the world
head over heels
other
i can't find head over heels in my mind's playlist, and i pretty much thought shout and everybody wants to rule the world were lyrics of the same song.
i suppose i'm glad they're coming back so i can be set straight on this matter.
UPDATE: just as i was about to post this, my synapses connected and i came up with the melodious tag line for head over heels. i was happy for about 1.8 seconds. now i'm ready for it to go away. but i fear it won't, which leads me to tears.
what a perfectly named musical duo.
finally, my fast can end!
over at msnbc they ask which was "the best" tff song (this acronym is not fanjargon, its laziness, trust me).
my choices are:
shout
everybody wants to rule the world
head over heels
other
i can't find head over heels in my mind's playlist, and i pretty much thought shout and everybody wants to rule the world were lyrics of the same song.
i suppose i'm glad they're coming back so i can be set straight on this matter.
UPDATE: just as i was about to post this, my synapses connected and i came up with the melodious tag line for head over heels. i was happy for about 1.8 seconds. now i'm ready for it to go away. but i fear it won't, which leads me to tears.
what a perfectly named musical duo.
bu!&h+ umop ap!s&n Jo pljom bu!+!cxa ay+
here you can learn about the exciting world of upside down typing.
i'm not even going to try to explain it.
just go.
it will make sense there, i promise.
¡+qnop ou ´uo!+eu!bew! a^!+calloc ay+ o+ uo!+nq!j+uoc au!J jay+oue
jaJjnsaj& o+ s×uey+ ×u!l
i'm not even going to try to explain it.
just go.
it will make sense there, i promise.
¡+qnop ou ´uo!+eu!bew! a^!+calloc ay+ o+ uo!+nq!j+uoc au!J jay+oue
jaJjnsaj& o+ s×uey+ ×u!l
don't ask don't tell
a colorado state university columnist resigned from the student paper, rather than having to apologize for being the governor's daughter every time she wrote on political issues.
was ongoing disclosure, given the audience awareness of her identity & relationship, necessary?
the editor erred, imho, revealing her own liberal leanings by requiring the disclosure. its as if she disqualifies herself or invalidates her own opinion because, as the guv's daughter, she's incapable of independent thought.
shame on CSU.
was ongoing disclosure, given the audience awareness of her identity & relationship, necessary?
the editor erred, imho, revealing her own liberal leanings by requiring the disclosure. its as if she disqualifies herself or invalidates her own opinion because, as the guv's daughter, she's incapable of independent thought.
shame on CSU.
go c.u.!
the buffs won.
barely.
against kansas.
in overtime.
but they won.
wahoo!
(disclaimer: i refuse to apologize for the fact that the tuba cheer makes me smile whenever i hear it.)
barely.
against kansas.
in overtime.
but they won.
wahoo!
(disclaimer: i refuse to apologize for the fact that the tuba cheer makes me smile whenever i hear it.)
sung to the tune of tomorrow
oh the sun'll come out...tomorrow...bet yer bottom dollar* that tomorrow...there'll be sun...
when you're stuck with a day, that's gray...and lonely...
just lift up yer chin, and grin...and saaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy.....
tomorrow, the broncos will be televised on cbs!
from 4 pm to 7 pm, i will be unavailable.
cotter has already said he'll watch the game with me.
*i do not endorse wagering of any kind. not even on whether or not there'll be sun.
when you're stuck with a day, that's gray...and lonely...
just lift up yer chin, and grin...and saaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy.....
tomorrow, the broncos will be televised on cbs!
from 4 pm to 7 pm, i will be unavailable.
cotter has already said he'll watch the game with me.
*i do not endorse wagering of any kind. not even on whether or not there'll be sun.
once you pop
to be honest, i really had no problem stopping.
'pizza' should simply not be a flavor for a potato chip.
i don't know what marketing genius thought this was a peanut butter/chocolate scenario, but they missed the mark on this one.
probably the same guy who green-lighted this game, that probably only Christopher could appreciate (get to the third level to see why, Christopher).
'pizza' should simply not be a flavor for a potato chip.
i don't know what marketing genius thought this was a peanut butter/chocolate scenario, but they missed the mark on this one.
probably the same guy who green-lighted this game, that probably only Christopher could appreciate (get to the third level to see why, Christopher).
lions, tigers, and bears
oh my.
last night, we sat down as a family and watched the new dvd of the lion king. kelli and i were dating when it debuted. that last word felt very silly to type. anyway, when we were watching the original in the theater, and the initial "lion king" title screen comes on with a resounding "BOOM," Kelli and I turned and looked at each other with a this is going to be good look on our faces. we attempted to recreate that experience last night, but it was pretty difficult with kaylyn arguing with cotter that whether or not the elephants were soldiers in the lion king's army and if they'd be on America's side in searching for Saddam Hussein, and Kelsi giving us a dramatic interpretation of the excited monkey. On top of that, Kelli was neck deep in the overwhelming sense of an its-10-years-later-and-we're-watching-the-lion-king-with-our-THREE-CHILDREN!!!-type epiphany.
interestingly (at least to me) earlier in the day, while talking with Kenny Luck from every man ministries, he mentioned how Simba was a very strong picture for every Christian man. Simba is a child of the King (just as we are). Simba is falsely accused (just as we are). Simba flees from his true identity (just as we do). Simba tries to reconnect with his identity, but is rebuffed by the world, as represented by a smart-aleck weasel and a flatulent hog (just as we do). Simba is ashamed to admit his offense (just like we are). Simba is restored back to his true identity by the leading of Rafiki, the red-bottomed baboon voiced by Robert Guillaume, that Kenny argues is a symbol for the Holy Spirit (just like we do, except not by Benson). Simba fights a battle against the enemy once he re-identifies with his true identity (just like we do). And Simba assumes his place of authority and responsibility because he has embraced his true identity (just like we can).
i remember that the first time i watched it, i pretty much thought it was about cartoon jungle cats. and i still laugh like an idiot when that little ferret dons a grass skirt and dances the hula.
anyway, moving from lions to tigers. i heard Sieg-fried try to say that Montecore the wild kitty was just trying to help his buddy the microphone-as-club-wielding trainer because the human had slipped. I also heard the theory that the tiger was off put because of a large-haired woman in the front rows. to both of these (im)plausible, (im)probable, (im)possible explanations, all i have to say is
roy!, its what's for dinner
i'm just wondering why PETA isn't more angry at the tiger for not going vegan.
similarly, to address the story of the twohors d'oeuvres animal activists who got. in. the. belly. of a wild grizzly. you see, i think the headline says it all, which says simply:
< blinding flash of obvious > biologists believe errors led to attack < /blinding flash of obvious >
you see, their error was that they didn't give the grizzly a wide enough berth. i pretty much think that an example of a good distance between man and beast would be, say, oh, i don't know, maybe like.....from Alaska to Georgia. yeah, that's close enough, thank you very much.
another report says there is an audio tape of the horrible attack. and while there's nothing funny about it (no, really), when i read that they guy 'never carried weapons' and so they resorted to smackin' the big meanie with a frying pan (which i'm sure just caused the bear to turn around to the girl and say, "no thanks, i like mine rare"), i'm reminded of the joke about the hunter who gets cornered by the bear:
no? nothing?
then, how ablout:
maybe you have something better?
last night, we sat down as a family and watched the new dvd of the lion king. kelli and i were dating when it debuted. that last word felt very silly to type. anyway, when we were watching the original in the theater, and the initial "lion king" title screen comes on with a resounding "BOOM," Kelli and I turned and looked at each other with a this is going to be good look on our faces. we attempted to recreate that experience last night, but it was pretty difficult with kaylyn arguing with cotter that whether or not the elephants were soldiers in the lion king's army and if they'd be on America's side in searching for Saddam Hussein, and Kelsi giving us a dramatic interpretation of the excited monkey. On top of that, Kelli was neck deep in the overwhelming sense of an its-10-years-later-and-we're-watching-the-lion-king-with-our-THREE-CHILDREN!!!-type epiphany.
interestingly (at least to me) earlier in the day, while talking with Kenny Luck from every man ministries, he mentioned how Simba was a very strong picture for every Christian man. Simba is a child of the King (just as we are). Simba is falsely accused (just as we are). Simba flees from his true identity (just as we do). Simba tries to reconnect with his identity, but is rebuffed by the world, as represented by a smart-aleck weasel and a flatulent hog (just as we do). Simba is ashamed to admit his offense (just like we are). Simba is restored back to his true identity by the leading of Rafiki, the red-bottomed baboon voiced by Robert Guillaume, that Kenny argues is a symbol for the Holy Spirit (just like we do, except not by Benson). Simba fights a battle against the enemy once he re-identifies with his true identity (just like we do). And Simba assumes his place of authority and responsibility because he has embraced his true identity (just like we can).
i remember that the first time i watched it, i pretty much thought it was about cartoon jungle cats. and i still laugh like an idiot when that little ferret dons a grass skirt and dances the hula.
anyway, moving from lions to tigers. i heard Sieg-fried try to say that Montecore the wild kitty was just trying to help his buddy the microphone-as-club-wielding trainer because the human had slipped. I also heard the theory that the tiger was off put because of a large-haired woman in the front rows. to both of these (im)plausible, (im)probable, (im)possible explanations, all i have to say is
i'm just wondering why PETA isn't more angry at the tiger for not going vegan.
similarly, to address the story of the two
< blinding flash of obvious > biologists believe errors led to attack < /blinding flash of obvious >
you see, their error was that they didn't give the grizzly a wide enough berth. i pretty much think that an example of a good distance between man and beast would be, say, oh, i don't know, maybe like.....from Alaska to Georgia. yeah, that's close enough, thank you very much.
another report says there is an audio tape of the horrible attack. and while there's nothing funny about it (no, really), when i read that they guy 'never carried weapons' and so they resorted to smackin' the big meanie with a frying pan (which i'm sure just caused the bear to turn around to the girl and say, "no thanks, i like mine rare"), i'm reminded of the joke about the hunter who gets cornered by the bear:
A preacher was being chased down the mountain by a grizzly bear. Just as the bear was about to catch him, the preacher fell to his knees and made a plea to God. He said, Oh, Lord, I implore you to make a Christian out of this bear. Shortly after this prayer, the grizzly bear immediately fell to his knees and proclaimed, Dear Lord, please bless this food I am about to eat.
no? nothing?
then, how ablout:
In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.
We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop is larger and has little bells in it and smells like pepper.
maybe you have something better?
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