Thoughts and Philosophies on Life

Esaeler Ym Traeh

2010-02-15T14:04:00.002-05:00

If you can read the title above, then you know I am talking to you, and exactly what I want.

Egnarts

2010-02-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

Neeb gnileef eht esab fo ym gnir regnif rof etiuq emos emit won, neve retfa I draeh uoy tog deirram. Ton etiuq erus tahw ti snaem...

Following God’s Will

2010-01-23T16:53:00.000-05:00

God gave me a chance back in September to make peace with someone, and I didn’t speak up. Then in October and He gave me more chances, and I blew those as well. I had one more opportunity: take a trip to Dallas Theological Seminary the first week of January. Naturally Dallas is not even close to her location, and I had no intention of going where she was, either. Just a trip down, visit the seminary, and come right back. I felt strongly like the Lord wanted me to do it, but I hesitated; and now, all chances to make peace with this person are gone. Let me encourage you: if God is telling you to do something, do it right then, or if it’s for the future, make firm plans. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.

This is Refreshing

2010-01-16T16:49:00.000-05:00

It’s refreshing to see that someone is actually checking this blog. For a while I was quite certain that no one was reading it.

I Thought I Knew

2010-01-13T16:08:00.001-05:00

I’m filled with a lot of conflicting emotions right now, and I don’t know why. If I was supposed to have gone to Texas and come back by now, why hasn’t it happened? Why as soon as I had found a good deal did the deal evaporate? Why almost as quickly did the money I had held in reserve start to be needed for other things? I’m also genuinely worried, and I hope that the only woman I ever truly loved in the deepest sense of the word isn’t making a terrible mistake. Perhaps I should say no more. I don’t know anymore. Sometimes I get to ranting, and this blog is a nice place to vent, because hardly anyone ever reads it.

eirelavuoyevolllitsi

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T13:50:00.003-05:00

Hope the holiday brings cheer...no...hope you bring cheer to the holiday. God bless you all, and I’m still praying for you, V.

Delzzup

2009-12-03T09:59:00.002-05:00

Yb eht kcal fo esnopser ot eht suoiverp tsop, I esoppus rehtie gnihtyreve si gniog ylhtooms rof uoy, ro uoy yllautca od etah em won, ro ebyam uoy tsuj t’nevah daer ti tey. M’i ylno yrros I t’ndid ekam siht tnemtimmoc elihw ti dluoc llits tifeneb uoy. Ym remrof noitissop saw ot yrt ot tsiser ni ym nwo htgnerts, dna taht t’nsah dekrow. Uoy yam ton eb eht eno, tub fi I yrram niaga, I tnaw ot evig ym efiw eht tsom detoved evol taht I ylbissop nac, dna fi ton, s’ereht on esnes ni gnitpmet flesym. S’ti a gnilifed, gnitpurroc ecneulfni, dna I tnaw on trap fo ti eromyna.

I have decided

2009-12-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

I promised God that I will no longer knowingly or intentionally look at anything immodest or obscene. This would even include real people that I would happen to see out in public as well. Even if a very close friend should ask if we could view something together, I would say that the Lord has convicted me concerning this and I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I just can’t participate. This is a solemn vow that I have taken. If I should ever look at anything inappropriate, even so my vow remains in effect. Praise the Lord, who has called me to and virtue and purity. There is only one exception to this: Genesis 2:25 (and this only applies to people who are currently married to each other). What you do with your eyes is your own business, but I have decided to follow Jesus. Matthew 5:27-28 is my guide, as well as the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T12:41:00.002-05:00

And I’m praying for you.

Circumlocutions I have heard

2009-11-14T03:06:00.000-05:00

“I’m doing such-and-such” could mean “I’m planning to do it.” “I’m thinking of doing it” could mean “I’ve already done it, and now I’m thinking of it.” “My last spouse...next spouse” could mean “I’m not remarried yet, but I’ll let you think I am.” Who can tell? Only the speaker knows for sure.

Oh, well.

2009-11-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

I tried, but I lost. He’s an old friend; how can an ex-husband compete with that?

Living as a Christian

2009-10-28T15:45:00.000-04:00

Living the lifestyle of a believer in Jesus is a lot like a baby taking his first steps. I mean, you take a few steps and then fall flat on your face. But do you stay on the floor? No! you get back up again. This insight into repentance and obedience to God gives me hope that some time soon I will be where the Lord wants me to be, and on my way to greater success in my Christian walk. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Proverbs 24:16a)

Read this.

2009-10-26T06:55:00.002-04:00

I thought I’d share this with you. It’s the Our Daily Bread devotional for today.

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/10/26/devotion.aspx

Learning to lean (on Jesus, that is)

2009-10-25T16:13:00.001-04:00

Consider: The Lord has promised to supply all our needs. This means that if He does not give us something, we must not need it after all, and it would be a sin to take it for ourselves. This is especially important to me as I have been waiting for signs of His leading concerning Valerie, and then everything just fell apart, right when it appeared the most promising. Do not misunderstand me: I’m not saying I don’t want her anymore; But if it appears that the Lord will bring her back and he does not, I guess my person, identity, and character is not bound up in human companionship after all. But I’m still praying and seeking the Lord’s will for her and for me. I care very deeply about her. In the mean time, Jesus is teaching me how to lean on Him.

I thought so

2009-08-20T12:19:00.002-04:00

If anyone checks this blog, please comment so I know it’s still getting read.

Cynical Ol’ Me

2009-08-05T16:53:00.000-04:00

I bet no one reads this post. Prove me wrong.

Dirt is not a part of you

2009-08-02T17:28:00.002-04:00

Sin, like dirt, can be washed away. It is not a permanent part of who you are. So if you find that you carry the dirt of the world around you, take heart; that dirt can be washed away and you can be clean. How often do I need to remind myself of that! Stay close to Jesus, and He will keep you clean.

Worth a reading, I think

2009-07-30T15:09:00.001-04:00

Here is an article I came across today on the topic of cohabitation. Although it’s about ten years old and there are some statements in it to which I must take exception, I think on the whole it gives a balanced approach to the social data available at the time, and there may be much that we can still learn from it today. Please read the whole thing carefully before passing judgment. True, many of the statistics are undoubtedly out of date; but the vast majority of the conclusions drawn from them, even back then, are still relevant for today.

http://www.smartmarriages.com/cohabit.html

Πορνεία: What makes sex right?

2009-02-22T14:50:00.001-05:00

Πορνεία (por NAY ah) is the word in our Greek New Testament commonly translated “fornication” or “sexual immorality.” So why am I writing about this topic? It’s because the moral relativism in our culture has led many to redefine the word to suit their own particular preferences.

My question is this: what makes sex between a man and a woman something that God intended, and even smiles upon? Is it mutual consent? Not at all. Sex without consent is just forced πορνεία, or rape. Well, then, is it love? Again, no. Sex without love is just consenting πορνεία. Is it commitment? No. Sex without commitment is promiscuity, and so with commitment would simply be πορνεία between only two people.

There’s only one thing that turns what otherwise would be πορνεία into something beautiful that God created to be mutually enjoyed: a marriage covenant. Without it, sex is reduced merely to a game we play with each other’s bodies. Stop settling for second best; do it God’s way.

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

2008-12-24T11:04:00.002-05:00

To all of you who read this, may you all have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! And though it may be inappropriate, ot eht eno I ssim eht tsom, Yrrem Samtsirhc! Dna eht lanosrep golb si llits pu, dna I lliw eb gnitrats ot tsop ot ti niaga. Mu...

Tseuqer

2008-12-06T22:10:00.001-05:00

Eirelav, dluoc I esaelp evah eht drowssap ot ruoy gniddew etisbew? I thguoht tuoba gnidnes a lamrof tseuqer, tub I t’ndid wonk woh Ttam dluow ekil eht aedi. No dnoces thguoht, ebyam eht elohw gniht si a dab aedi. M’i yrros I deksa...

Loneliness is Selfishness in Disguise

2008-12-03T10:29:00.001-05:00

Hear me out. I’m not saying that lonely people are bad people. Good people suffer from loneliness, too; but I am saying that the focus of loneliness is self. Check it for yourself. The next time you get lonely, are you going to say, “__________ needs me; I suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to go do something nice for him/her”? No! The first thing that comes to mind will be something like: “I’m lonely. I miss __________. I wish he/she were here. I feel really good when we’re together!”

Please don’t get me wrong. I get lonely myself. But it’s important to understand where the loneliness comes from. A’ight?

ot eirelav

2008-11-03T12:54:00.003-05:00

mi ton erus fi i dluohs neve yas gnihtyna tuoba siht tub i tnod kniht ti dluow krow rof a tcefrep regnarts hcus sa flesym ot klat ot ttam tuoba taht eussi ti thgim neve erifkcab knaht uoy rof gniulav ym evitcepsrep no eht tcejbus tub i leef retfa hcum reyarp dna noitaredisnoc taht uoy dluow eb retteb devres fi i tndid erefretni dna tel uoy krow siht tuo neewteb uoy i lliw eunitnoc ot yarp

Creative Signage Options

2008-09-30T19:49:00.005-04:00

(Or, How to Annoy Passing Motorists)

Upside-down “A” in place of “V”
Backwards “B” in place of “8”
Backwards “D” in place of “O” or Zero
Backwards “E” in place of “3”
Flipped upside-down “F” in place of “L”
Flipped upside-down “G” in place of “E”
“I” in place of “L”
Rotated upside-down “J” in place of “F”
Flipped upside-down “L” in place of “F”
Rotated upside-down “L” in place of “7”
Upside-down “M” in place of “W”
“O” in place of Zero
Flipped upside-down “P” in place of “B”
Rotated upside-down “P” in place of “D”
Upside-down or backwards “Q” in place of “O” or Zero
Backwards “R” in place of “A”
“S” in place of “5”
Backwards “S” in place of “2”
Upside-down “T” in place of “1”
Upside-down “V” in place of “A”
Upside-down “W” in place of “M”
“Z” in place of “2”
Zero in place of “O”
“1” in place of “I” or “L”
“2” in place of “Z”
Backwards “2” in place of “S”
Flipped upside-down “2” in place of “5”
Backwards “3” in place of “E”
Backwards “2” over backwards “3” in place of “&”
“4” (the open kind) in place of “Y”
“5” in place of “S”
Flipped upside-down “5” in place of “2”
“6” in place of “G”
Flipped upside-down “6” in place of “E”
Backwards “6” in place of “A”
Rotated upside-down “6” in place of “9”
Rotated upside-down “7” in place of “L”
“8” in place of “B”
“9” in place of “G” (yes 6 and 9 both work, sort of)
Upside-down “!” in place of “I”
Upside-down comma in place of apostrophe
Upside-down apostrophe in place of comma

Of course, I certainly don’t recommend these, except for a few that won’t look bad. For instance, upside-down W for an M looks pretty good, though the reverse is not true.

Prayer

2008-09-02T11:30:00.002-04:00

Dear God, it is all in your hands. You deal with it. Let come what may, still I will trust you. Give me grace to pray once more, and I will believe for the answer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Making Right Choices

2008-08-30T13:38:00.003-04:00

Making right choices often means no one realizes that we did! It often involves refraining from certain types of behavior, or from talking about someone or something we used to. But if we point out that we’re making the right decision, we miss the point: Right actions are right by virtue of what they are, not whether other people know. Well, that’s my thought for the day. Stay with it, folks!

Morality

2008-06-25T11:15:00.004-04:00

Let me begin this post with a caveat: I am not speaking to or about anyone in particular, but I believe these things so strongly that I feel a certain obligation to share them. My comments are about the world in general, and are not to be construed as directed at specific individuals.

Now that we’ve come to the 21st Century, it appears that many people are abandoning the strong morals that were prevalent when our nation was founded. In short, we no longer understand the full import of the sanctity of marriage. Couples are enjoying the trappings of marriage without the marriage covenant itself. And these live-in relationships are on the rise. It seems people would rather have the benefits of the marriage relationship without all that difficult responsibility.

But boyfriends and girlfriends who “play house” invite for themselves a host of problems which, although also present among traditional marriages, exist in to a greater extent among couples who either cohabit or were married after having cohabited. What has happened to us? I see that we’ve lost our way, and the problem is that we fail to take the Bible seriously.

The Bible says, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help[er suitable] for him.” (Genesis 2:18) As the story unfolds, God proceeds to form Eve out of one of Adam's ribs, presents her to him, and officiates at the first wedding ceremony. What, you don’t believe me? Verse 24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

That the becoming one flesh comes after the cleaving to the wife is evident from this New Testament passage: “Honorable be marriage among all people, and the bed unsullied; but immoral persons and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4, my own translation) The message is very clear: Ring before fling. God doesn’t want us to have trouble; because He loves us, He wants our ultimate marriage to succeed.

Some of you may be in this identical situation. My advice to you is to separate from each other physically until you’re ready to be married. Even if you’ve done it with no one else but your partner, this have long-term benefits for you: it will build trust, character, respect, and purity. But above all, God is able to forgive past failures if we commit to doing it the right way.

Having a dilemma

2008-04-24T13:09:00.001-04:00

I’ve got a dilemma: if you have someone you’ve estranged from yourself with your attitude, do you just give up and leave them alone, or do you post something where they’ll find it saying that you’re sorry?

Why do we spell, Part 2

2008-03-11T15:04:00.001-04:00

Iph lhu kan nheed dhis, lhonh hebhee on phonniks. Iph lhu nheed bhizhuallee, lhul habh monh diphikuhltee dhan iph lhu heenh dhuh samhdz in lhonh hed.

Why do we spell the way we do?

2008-03-10T13:35:00.003-04:00

Just for fun, try reading the following words:

Iph lhu kan nheed dhis, lhu ahnh smanhtnh dhan moast peepl. Sum ubh us need tu habh the spelng cloas tu pnhopnh tu nheed enething undnhstanduhblee.

Update (3/11): “Corrected” the spelling of some of the sounds. Namh its eebhn monh tshalenzhing dhan bephonh.

Here I sit... again.

2008-01-30T18:02:00.000-05:00

Well, here I sit, two weeks or so into the new semester, about to get eaten alive by another book critique that’s due tomorrow. Also think that the official position of the love of my life is that she absolutely hates me. That can take a man and discourage him in a hurry, but I can’t let her know that. Oh, wait—I think I just did!

Caucus Update

2008-01-04T13:48:00.000-05:00

Well, Thompson didn’t win Iowa, but he did tie for third with John McCain. Not entirely a bad start. We still have all the primaries ahead of us. The first and second on the Republican side were Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. The Democrat winner was Barack Obama, followed by John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. After the caucus, Joe Biden announced he would drop out of the race.

On Conservatism and Fred

2008-01-03T16:52:00.000-05:00

When it comes to the Republican candidates, Fred Thompson is the only electable candidate that’s truly conservative. Duncan Hunter doesn’t have enough support, and Alan Keyes got into the race a little too late, and you can forget about the others. I know Mike Huckabee sounds conservative; but take a long look at his record. That is why I hope Thompson can win—yes, I said win—in Iowa today. And, my goodness, I really hope he doesn’t drop out of the race before we Virginians get the chance to vote him in!

Boy am I Tired

2007-11-27T23:14:00.000-05:00

I’m tired, and discouraged, and lonely. But we’ll succeed, God and I. I guess, when it comes right down to it, He’s all you need! Well, a little human interaction would be nice, in due time, if He wills it, but in the mean time, “Trust and obey…”

Happy Turkey Day

2007-11-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends, relatives and enemies on Thursday, November the twenty-second, [in the year of our Lord] Two Thousand Seven!

P.S. Happy Birthday to me! ;-} (same day)

For Valerie

2007-11-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Valerie, if you are reading this, I will give you my phone number, only to be used if you need to contact me and cannot use email. Below are three rows of ten letters. The first two provide clues to the code. The third row is my phone number.

qscfthnjik

cnhjsqtifk

qqscthjjik

Update: If you can’t figure this out, send me an email or comment on this post. But you must sign in first so I will know it’s you. If you don’t, too bad.

Hint: the first three digits are NOT 800.

I dreamed this morning.

2007-11-03T18:09:00.000-04:00

Yes, a lot of my dreaming takes place in the morning, before I get up. This morning I had a dream about Valerie: I dreamed I called her on the phone. This is very odd, because I no longer have a number that works for her, and even if I did, I wouldn’t attempt to use it. In the dream, the conversation went something like this:

“Hello?”

“Hi.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s me—Brian.”

“What do you want?!”

“I just wanted to hear your voice again.”

“OK. You heard my voice. Now beat it.”

“good bye”

“Good BYE.”

Oh, what a nightmare!

Strange

2007-10-26T12:59:00.000-04:00

I got a “snail mail” delivered to my home yesterday. I opened it this morning. The return address block read simply, “90210.” That’s the zip code for Beverly Hills, CA, but the envelope was mailed from Dulles, VA. The envelope was hand-addressed in a beautiful feminine handwriting. The only contents were a printout of “The Brian Diaries.” Handwritten in the upper left-hand corner of the first page were the omenous words, “And you still love her!”

I know Valerie’s handwriting; this is not hers. So who mailed this? Are they acting on her behalf, or alone? Val, if you’re married, just say so!

And Valerie, if you should be so inclined to remove said article from your webpage, perhaps you can try "imzadi" or some variant.

Love is unconditional.

2007-10-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

If you could stop loving someone on the basis of a change in circumstances or information, it must not be unconditional love. So many of us have been hurt in the persuit of unconditional love. If you are one of them, you're in my prayers.

“.eirelaV,uoygnivolpotsrevenll’I?titeguoyt’noD”

I’m in denial.

2007-10-06T13:23:00.000-04:00

The title of this post says it all. If you’re part of the situation to which I’m alluding, then you know what I mean; if not, don’t worry about it.

tcepsusIlliwsyawladnaeirelaVuoyevolllitsI

Contrary vs. Rebellious

2007-10-02T08:59:00.000-04:00

Although a young child being contrary and a person being rebellious may look similar and might have similar results, I think there’s an important difference between them. One is a youngster trying to find his or her identity in disagreement, simply for its own sake. The other is someone having already made up his or her mind as to what he or she wants and resenting authority because that authority blocks them from achieving their stated goal. We may chuckle at the first, which is merely a game kids play; but the second is much more serious. Unfortunately, we have many in our culture who are making their own rules today. They tend to associate with those who agree with them, in many cases to their own peril and destruction. I the first case, it's fairly easy to set the child straight. Correction in the second case, however, is much more difficult.

A Thought on Love

2007-09-12T18:03:00.000-04:00

Throughout the Bible, the concept of love is expressed as an action, not feeling. It is a matter of character, not blind luck. Does not the will enter into this? Cannot a man or woman or child make a conscious choice? Is not love a willful behavior? Matters of character are up to the individual, but love is often referred to in our culture as something where we “can’t help ourselves.” Why is this? Would it not be better to listen to the Word of God and note all of the commandments to love?

O Lord,

2007-09-12T13:45:00.000-04:00

Please grant me the grace to continue with your will, even as it relates to chatting.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Well, Well, Well

2007-08-13T23:41:00.000-04:00

So I’m sitting in the computer lab, thinking about my “dearest,” and checking my Yahoo! mail, and, lo and behold, there she is on my online list! Scared about trying to chat I am though, because I know where I stand. I’m still her ex-Brian and until that changes on her part, I dare not intrude into her world. Ironic, Isn’t it? I mean I love her enough to leave her alone, even if I don’t like it, because I realize that she wants it. Still I struggle with the feeling. Is she thinking about me, too?

“eirelavuoyevoli”

Update

2007-06-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it’s been a while since I wrote a post on this blog. Since my accident, I got another car, a burgondy 2005 Ford Taurus. I also enrolled in seminary for the fall term. And for all of you IE7 users out there, today I fixed the bug that prevented the drop capital from showing up. I call it the Double Colon Bug because when you use the CSS double colon (::) syntax, IE7 ignores the selector as invalid. I think someone should speak to Microsoft about that...

Owwwwwch!

2007-04-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

So I got a 2003 Dodge Neon back at the end of January, and have been driving it ever since—well, not quite. Until Saturday, April 14, that is. I must be very dumb, stupid even. I turned into the path of an oncoming midsize car, and, well? my Neon was toast. So was the food I was about to deliver. And I’m so sore that I have to take pain medicine. But I’ll be OK, I guess. And cars are replaceable. So I guess the blessing is I’m not dead or seriously hurt. But what was I thinking? I usually check the other direction before making a left turn…

Hmm...

2006-12-30T12:16:00.001-05:00

This should be the part where I just shut up an go away... um...

Welcome to IE7!

2006-12-03T16:19:00.000-05:00

And welcome to a new set of bugs! All of you should see a drop capital on the first letter of each post. All of you except those viewing with Internet Explorer 7. Alas, my schedule is full, and I have no time to investigate the problem. Oh, well!

Which Greek NT?

2006-09-01T15:21:00.000-04:00

On the question of which Greek New Testament text should be used for serious Bible study, there is much debate. On the one hand, there are those who hold that the oldest available manuscipts alone, which happen to be of the Alexandrian textform, are to be trusted. This selection was made by Westcott and Hort, who favored Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus almost exclusively. On the other, there’s the “King James Only, ergo Textus Receptus all the way” camp, which appears to favor the Byzantine textform in most cases but occasionally favors the Western textform when such is the only available source for some traditional passages. There are also those who claim that the original text of the NT has been lost forever, and it is up to them, out of scattered readings found across the various manuscripts from the Alexandrian, Caesarean, Western and Byzantine forms, to assemble a reasonable facsimile. This is known as modern eclecticism, and forms the basis of Nestle-Aland and UBS texts, which are at best a stab in the dark.

Somewhere in the middle, the Byzantine textform has gone largely unnoticed and ignored, due to its reputation for being a "late" form, in spite of manuscripts that date as early as the 4^th century AD. To complicate matters further, Byzantine manuscripts bear about 80% of the total textual witness, and most Byzantine manuscripts are in more agreement with each other than can be said of those from any other texform, even the precious Alexandrian. But despite this weighty evidence, the Byzantine-Priority position has fallen by the wayside in favor of other forms of textual criticism. Why, when such a choice is so obvious? Why not check out The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005 and decide for yourself? It’s edited by Maurice Robinson and William Pierpont. Happy studying!

On Relationships and Fire

2006-08-24T15:03:00.000-04:00

I think if I had another chance to love someone, I would do things differently than I have previously. When it comes to loving and bonding with another human being, I think it is somewhat like fire:

Fire provides warmth and comfort and meets legitimate needs in the right context, but if it’s not kept in its proper setting, it can cause damage.
Fire that is tempered serves a useful purpose, but if it gets out of control, it destroys people and possessions alike.
A roaring bonfire is sometimes necessary, and sometimes a smaller fire is called for. Timing and setting are important.
A blazing fire will consume more fuel and die out quicker.
If you play with fire, you are certain to get burned.

So it is with relationships, togetherness, passion, etc. If you don’t watch a relationship closely, things could get out of control. If you don’t feed it, it could die. If a relationship is started and/or maintained in the wrong context, it will cause great damage and destruction. Well, that’s my thought on life for the day. I hope I have given you a little something to take with you and use.

Selfishness?

2006-08-04T14:24:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed that the letter that begins the last five posts is the letter I?

Confessions of an Occasional Bible Reader

2006-08-04T14:19:00.000-04:00

I’m starting to get worried. I haven’t read my Bible for more than maybe one chapter a week in the last 2 months. This isn’t like me. And it explains a lot about my attitude. I’m beginning to question my own sincerity and to feel that I’ve let my master down. Well, we never survive on last month’s food. I know what I must do. I need to disperse the haze and fog that I’ve created for my own soul, by looking intently into the perfect law of liberty and continuing therein, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. Matter of fact, I’ll do so right now...

The trouble with Hezbollah

2006-07-28T14:50:00.000-04:00

In the wake of recent mispronunciation of Hezbollah (HEZ bo LAH), I got to thinking: All the Israelis are doing, really, is eradicating the Hezbola virus from the middle east! Heh, heh. (A little terrorism-as-a-disease humor there. And terrorism can be just as deadly, you know.)

To be a better listener

2006-07-20T14:53:00.000-04:00

In pursuit of better communication skills, the thought has occurred to me: effective communication is more than just talking. Communication is a two-way street. If I expect others to listen to me, I need to listen to them. And listening requires active participation. Simply hearing the other’s words is not enough, nor is it enough to perceive and parse what has been said. To be a better listener, I must honor the wishes of the other person. This is not simply doing what I want to do with their wishes, but seeking to understand and do what they want done. I think after so many years I am finally starting to get it. I just hope I get far enough along in my understanding before I would mess something else up.

I never knew.

2006-06-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

I did what? Oh, that was your food? You didn’t eat because I did eat? Why didn’t you tell me what your food allergies were? We could have discussed these things intelligently instead of waiting for them to become problems. Guess that’s my fault; I spent so much of our conversations talking about what interested me. I regret not paying attention to the issues that were important to you. Now I see that the hurt has gone deeper than I could ever have imagined. Will you forgive me, Valerie?

I know what I believe...

2006-06-17T15:15:00.000-04:00

I know that I believe that marriage is sacred. This is because God created it back in the Garden of Eden when He made Eve out of Adam’s rib. Yes, I do believe this account and take it literally. But I digress. My response to marriage in my own life was not in keeping with this precept: “And they two shall become one. What, therefore, God has joined, may man not separate.” May God forgive me; I failed to do all that I could when I had ample opportunity.

Hm...

2006-06-01T15:49:00.000-04:00

Now, I know what I believe, and why I believe it. But how does it apply to me personally? What would you do if your beliefs on a certain issue came into conflict with your behavior toward it?

The Word from God

2006-05-04T14:34:00.000-04:00

How do you view the Bible? Is it above every other book, or is it just another of many books written by fallible man and therefore not entirely trustworthy? Is it divine revelation? If so, does God speak in riddle and metaphor, or does He speak plainly? Can we trust what we read about the creation of the universe, the fall of man into sin, the global flood, the life of Abraham, etc., or do we need to delve for some hidden meaning? All of this is part and parcel of your worldview. Cheers!

The Truth

2006-04-28T14:03:00.000-04:00

Your worldview is important because your view of the world around you affects your view of realty. This in turn affects your opinions of what is true and what is false. If you have a worldview that says everything is relative to the individual, for example, then what's real to you may not seem real to me, and therefore, what's true for you may not be true for me—in other words, a relative concept of truth. On the other hand, if you believe that truth descends from God, and God is not relative to any individual, then you must conclude that truth is absolute, whether it is believed by the majority or not. So how you view the world is important, vitally important.

Worldview: What is it, and why do I need one?

2006-04-24T17:10:00.000-04:00

Your worldview is your set of basic assumptions about the world around you, which in turn affects your basic philosophy of life. How you view the world around you is important because it influences your understanding in every area. It colors your interpretations of everything from science to history to ethics to your choice of religion—you name it. There is nothing your worldview does not touch. I will discuss this topic at greater length in later posts. Have a nice day, and God bless you.

Looking within myself

2006-03-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

Whenever I say something that annoys a person, even if it’s something as simple as “Happy birthday” or “Having a good evening?”, I always tend to hand them the blame for not responding as I had hoped. But I find more and more that the answer lies with myself.

This is my new approach: when I hurt someone’s feelings, I must look first for where I went wrong: not necessarily that what I said or did had no reason behind it, or that I meant it to come out that way, but who was I thinking about when I said or did it—myself, or the other person? If I’d had a genuine interest in the one with whom I was dealing, it would have showed. On the other hand, if I was self-absorbed and trying simply to get by with as little effort as I could, that definitely would show. If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged (read 1 Corinthians 11:31).

Expecting perfection?

2006-02-24T13:50:00.000-05:00

It’s really easy, isn’t it, to sit in God’s place and judge another person. But that is what bitterness is. Bitterness waits till the person admits their weakness, fault, sin, or mistake, and then pounces. But bitterness overlooks the same imperfections in its own host. I never expected such a violent reaction, but that’s what bitterness does. If you don’t nip it in the bud, it grows. And for the record, I really did like that necklace. Why do you think it was that I wore it everywhere that I went??? And the real offense, I believe, has been my trying to use this blog to settle misunderstandings and disagreements. If I have hurt you by airing dirty laundry here, I deeply apologize; and if you persist in unforgiveness, yet I will always forgive you. I know you’re not perfect; I also know I’m not, either. That is what friends are for. That is what mates are for. And that is what forgiveness is for. In Jesus’ Name, I forgive you, and I pray that He may forgive you as well.

Just For Clarity’s Sake

2006-02-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

There was an old friend that I contacted shortly after my divorce. I knew it was wrong, because I had also gotten in touch briefly before the divorce, only making an already bad sitiuation worse; so I make no excuses for this behavior. “Missed her” won’t cut it. “Divorced now, so it doesn’t matter” doesn’t work, either. But with that said, I’d like to set the record straight.

V., you appear to have the impression that I’m still in communication with J.; this is not the case. I haven’t heard from her, seen her, or spoken to, written, or otherwise communicated with her, since late 2001. Furthermore, I have not heard a word about her in those 4 years. Anything I told you recently (because you asked) is old information. I have no desire to reintiate contact with her either.

So set your mind at ease.

When I Dream...

2006-02-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

When I dream, all of my senses get involved. I have the sensation of color, 3-D, binaural sound, touch, temperature, pain, taste, and smell; in short, I have a virtual body. But there’s a few things I can do in my dreams that I can’t do in real life. I can fly, change the scenery, or even teleport from place to place. In my dreams I can call a person’s name, or just mention it in conversation with someone else, and they’ll show up. Are your dreams this vivid? This lucid? This fluid? Or am I one of only a handful?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2006-02-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all, and I do mean all! God loves you, and so do I!

OK, OK! I say uncle!

2006-01-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

I just give up, like the egg that knows when it’s beat, or the stamp that knows when it’s licked. I don’t care anymore. I am resigned from fighting for a marriage that was dead a long time ago, and I am resigned to the will of God, whatever that includes or requires. I’m giving up trying to impress someone who no longer cares. I just give up.

Something on my Mind

2005-12-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

To the one who I care most about: Do you remember that bead necklace you made for me when we were dating? This might sound funny to you, but the Lord has been speaking to me about the attitude I had towards it. Oh, dear! What am I trying to say? Remember how I said it was nice and all, but “there are seven colors in the rainbow, not six”? Then I gave it back, as though it were a purchased item that needed to be reworked. I ought to have accepted the necklace just as you had made it, six colors and all, and said nothing, because of who it was from. God has been convicting me of how wrong I was to have such an attitude of superiority towards you and your gift. So I’m writing this post to ask, “Will you forgive me?”

Give us this day Our Daily Bread...

2005-11-01T19:57:00.000-05:00

Thank you to whoever it was that signed me up to receive Our Daily Bread a couple of months or so ago. It’s been a real spiritual boost to me. I don’t know who you are, but whoever you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

On Our Society’s Basis

2005-10-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

From what I can determine of the extensive list of quotes in the previous post’s comment, it appears that every last one of them has been taken out of context. I’d be more than happy to quote a counterexample of things that all of those men said in defense of the Biblical and Christian basis for society and the institution of government. I guarantee there’s at least two quotes that I can find to match every one quote of yours!

You’re welcome to get your own blog if you want to rant about religious relativism.

Return to Values

2005-10-01T13:50:00.000-04:00

We need to return to the values on which our society has been based. Truth is eternal. Society and what behavior is tolerated may change, but God’s Word never changes. Laws may be repealed, go unenforced, or be struck down by courts, but God’s Law never changes. God doesn’t change with the times. We need to get back to some of the cold, hard, factual truths of Scripture, like “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Let’s stop trying to make each other feel better, straight into Hell. Instead, let’s rescue the perishing, and turn them from their wicked ways. We were all born sinners, and there’s no getting around that. But Jesus, the only Son of God, came into this world with no human father, lived a life of a human without sinning, died in our place on a literal cross, was actually buried, and did in fact resurrect from a state of physical death to a state of physical life. Belief of the Truth concerning the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life is vitally essential to salvation. “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31)

Katrina: God’s Judgment?

2005-09-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

I recently got an email asking if I thought the hurricane known as Katrina was the judgment of God or not. Let me put this into perspective. Those who think every natural event or accident is somehow God’s judgment should be asking themseleves why something hasn’t yet happened to them. Rather than seeing each disaster as God’s wrath, let’s view it as a sign of his mercy when people are able to escape it, despite the few who didn’t. But there’s another perspective, as well. Read Luke 13:1-5.

That’s better!

2005-08-04T14:47:00.000-04:00

Re: Wisdom Toothache, my mouth is no longer giving me much trouble! If you’ve been praying for me, thank you.

Wisdom Toothache

2005-07-28T15:10:00.000-04:00

Wow! I didn’t know a little thing could cause so much trouble! My left upper wisdom tooth is falling apart, and I have pain in the entire left side of my mouth, including the upper and lower jaw, my cheek, and my tounge! It hurts to bite, and it hurts to chew. if you ever get a chance to let a wisdom tooth fall apart on you, you’ll know what this feels like. Ouch!

And why do they call them wisdom teeth, anyway?

Life is always changing.

2005-07-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

I find that the better I do on my job, the more is expected of me. Now it is up to me to step up to the plate and hit better than my best, or lose the game. Filippo is counting on me; and I’ll either perform well or collapse trying. No more “X.Q. says.” ;-}

The Definition of a Know-It-All

2005-07-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

I thought of this definition and thought I’d share it with you. It may not be original with me, but it bears repeating.

know-it-all: (n.) Someone who thinks he knows everything, but actually knows next to nothing.

Think about it.

In the Beginning...

2005-06-13T15:58:00.000-04:00

We can believe the Bible when it says God spoke and created the world. We can also believe the story of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc. The Bible is 100% reliable, from the first verse and onward! And there is historical and scientific evidence to support this claim. To learn more, visit the AiG Website at answersingenesis.org.

Crucifiction?

2005-05-16T16:55:00.000-04:00

What is both the most hotly debated and the best documented and well-proven fact of human history? The historical birth, life, crucifixion, burial, and physical resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. To find out more, you may order the booklet, Risen Indeed: Evidence for the Resurrection by D. James Kennedy. This booklet also dispels a lot of misinformation about the most hotly debated and well-researched and tested Christian relic, the Shroud of Turin. I promise you will not be bored. Go to the Coral Ridge Ministries site to order.

What you believe does matter.

2005-04-18T13:47:00.000-04:00

I’ve heard a lot of stuff lately about Islam being a peaceful and coexistent religion, how they just want to live their lives like everybody else, how they’ll leave us alone if we leave them alone, etc, ad nausium. But history reveals a much darker, more sinister side to the religion that has become suddenly so fashionable.

When Muslims are the minority, they do tolerate; but look out when they get strong enough—they go a conquering. It’s part of their religion. That’s what they believe. The entire world must be converted to believe in Allah or face his wrath at their hand. So much for tolerance.

Islam seeks to assume all roles in society, including that of government. Some say we should never go to a Christian theocracy in this country; they value their personal freedom, they say. But which would you rather have? A Christian theocracy, with its tenets of love, respect, and dignity of the individual, law and order but personal freedom, being no one’s slave, and the list goes on; or an Islamarchy, with the absolute rule of the clerics, no personal freedom, everyone forced to believe the same thing, and I’m just warming up? Something to think about

I don’t have anything against the Muslims themselves; they are good people, just trapped in a bad religious system. For more information about the true dangers of Islam, go to www.perilofislam.com.

Be courteous and polite.

2005-04-09T14:56:00.000-04:00

I’m starting to learn a very difficult lesson: be courteous and polite to people, even when you’re sure they’re wrong. After all, wouldn’t you want others to treat you with the same respect?

I’m Back

2005-03-26T13:27:00.000-05:00

The trip was a resounding success, as I knew it would be. The kids are growing up fast! Ben’s 14, and he’s the oldest of the six. I still remember holding him as a baby! My, how time flies! Anyway, they always enjoy visits with Mom-mom, Pop-pop, and some aunt or uncle. On this trip I was that uncle.

On Thursday evening we went to see an Easter play at the church they attend. My brother-in-law played the part of the grandfather, even though he’s, like, 43? Guess they thought he was good for the part on account of his graying hair or something. The play was written by a member of that church.

Well, anyway, I had a great time!

Family

2005-03-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

I’m going to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Going to see my nephews and nieces. I’m so excited! Pennsylvania is several hours away from Virginia, so we’ll be staying up there most of the week. We’ll be getting back on Friday.

It’s been a long time. Couple of years since I last saw them, perhaps? Well, something like that. Anywho, I’ll be away from the computer during that time. I’ll post again soon.

Welcome, Netscape Users

2005-03-10T19:37:00.000-05:00

This page is now Netscape-friendly. Enjoy!

Pornography is Dead Wrong

2005-03-04T13:45:00.000-05:00

I should know. I’ve tried it. It’s not the glamorous show that it’s been purported to be. Portayals of males and females in states of partial or complete immodesty and of acts which should be kept secret only appeal to our “baser instincts.” Why is this bad? Because we were made in God’s image, and He doesn’t wish for us to take the image of our Creator and misuse it to satisfy the flesh.

There are many scriptures that apply, but just a few examples are: “...thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife...” (Exodus 20:17); “...whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28); “...God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature...” (Romans 1:24,25); “...not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater...” (1 Corinthians 5:11); and “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” (Colossians 3:5).

Like I’ve said, I’ve viewed pornography myself. But I won’t do it again, because I see its damaging effects. God has delivered me from it, but the scars remain. Sin does have its price.

Absolute Truth

2005-03-01T18:37:00.000-05:00

Two philosophers are having a discussion one day, and it goes something like this:

Philosopher 1:: Actually, it doesn’t matter what you believe. What matters is that it makes sense to you. Besides, there’s no such thing as absolute truth anyway, because everything’s relative.
Philosopher 2:: Is that true?
Philosopher 1:: Absolutely.

Think about it.

Are you saved?

2005-02-22T14:47:00.000-05:00

Many of you have been living the outward life of a Christian for years, but you might not actually be saved. The Holy Spirit might not be living inside of you, producing His fruit for you to bear. What am I talking about? I’m talking about behavior and attitudes produced by the Spirit of God.

For instance, you could be the most moral person in the country, but if you hate your brother, God says in I John that you do not love Him. You could go to Church every Sunday and give more than your share in offerings, and even do deeds of kindness to strangers; but if you’re trusting that to win entrance into Heaven, you are denying Jesus, and you haven’t been born again. Or if you’re living just like the world and have no compunction against your behavior, chances are really good that you have never been saved.

You may have prayed to Jesus to save you. And I can’t be the one to convict you if you did it insincerely; only God can do that. Examine yourselves; are you in the Faith?

It’s true, whether or not it’s believed.

2005-02-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

Truth is not defined by personal opinion. To say that truth is relative to the individual is to deny the very existence of it. But in fact truth comes from a solid basis in objective, observable facts. And facts can be verified by others who view the same information. It is the existence of facts and imperical analysis that makes scientific study possible. If nothing at all were unltimately true, we could never know anything, and so if relativism were true, how would you know it?

Guess I haven’t learned yet.

2005-01-29T14:14:00.000-05:00

Last night at work I got soundly reprimanded by the restaurant owner. It seems I was getting a little heated because there were dishes that needed to be loaded and a dish rack was in the way of unloading the previous load. The co-worker I was dealing with did not speak very good English, and I was getting frustated trying to communicate with him. (He’s from Ecuador.) Anyhow, Filippo—that’s the owner—got angry at me, and rightly so, because I wasn’t behaving in the right way. I apologized, and the night was pretty tense after that, but I’m not fired.

I guess sometimes you learn and get to use that knowledge too!

An Encouraging Note

2005-01-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

♬Be not dismayed, whate’er betide, God will take care of you.♬

Have a wonderful day.

Respect and Trust

2005-01-18T15:10:00.000-05:00

As I’ve said before, respect is required if a marriage is to succeed. That said, though, it is not up to the individual to require respect from another. Trust is very important, too, but if trust is broken, it must be earned again unless the person doing the trusting voluntarily decides to trust again. This is a very important distinction to make, and I regret not having learned this lesson sooner—on the supply side, trust is given, and respect is given; but on the receiving end they should not be expected, but worked for instead.

And to the one I’ve offended: if you give me a chance, I promise to earn your trust and respect; and I’ll work very hard to do so. I know I haven’t been trustworthy and respectable in the past, but I want to make it up to you.

Don’t listen to me...

2005-01-11T16:10:00.000-05:00

Don’t listen to me when I talk about how to save a marriage. Why do I say that? Because I’m divorced, and so I haven’t gotten a chance to try what I’m advocating and see it work for me. Now you wouldn’t put a water pump on your car off of a car that you knew had overheated, would you? So why take marriage advice from a divorcee? Obviously I’m not qualified to share ideas about how husbands and wives should behave toward each other—my marriage was a complete failure. All I can tell you is what hasn’t worked.

But there is someone who can tell you: God. He invented marriage, and He knows how it should work. Study the Bible, and take what you read personally. If we think the Word of God only applies to others, it cannot change us. And I include myself in that.

A thought

2005-01-03T13:40:00.000-05:00

There’s a lot of controversy today about whether the Bible should be taken seriously... Just consider this: Ephesians 5:25b-27a reads, “...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing...” When you get into the shower, do you let the water only wash part of you? Do you stand there watching the water fall and wonder what it all means? Do you pick and choose which drops are hitting your body? Of course not! We all just let the water freely flow over us, washing away all the dirt on our skin. But isn’t this exactly what some of us do with the Bible? Think about it.

He had everything going for Him...

2004-12-30T14:55:00.000-05:00

This means He is God, and always was God. He had all the power, prestige, happiness, worship, authority, true pleasure, etc. that He would ever need, not “Ladies, Booze, Cash, Cars” as Anonymous just wrote. If indeed it is possible for the Son of God to be even more glorified by doing the will of the Father, then this is exactly what occurred when Jesus came and lived and suffered and died and rose again and ascended. If you are an unbeliever, you might not understand this yet.

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB) Whoever you are, I understand your being confused about my wording. May God bless you.

The Stars

2004-12-29T17:15:00.000-05:00

“The skies look so cluttered,”

To myself I muttered

One star-spangled night.

“They’re so close together

In this kind of weather;

My, my, what a sight!”

But wouldn’t you know,

If you were to go

From one star to another,

In all of your days,

There’s way too much space

To traverse, so why bother?

Happy New Year

2004-12-28T17:48:00.000-05:00

As we make our resolutions this New Year, let’s resolve to listen to God and obey Him, even if we don’t understand why. Happy 2005, one and all!

Merry Christmas!

2004-12-23T16:29:00.000-05:00

Most people don’t know all the symbols of Christmas that point to Christ himself as the Reason why this culture of ours celebrates the holiday. Take for example the holly, as described in “The Holly and the Ivy,” or the ever-popular Candy Cane we all love so much at Christmas. You can read the story about its symbolism at this site. Or take the word “Xmas”, the abreviation of “Christmas.” I’ve heard many well-meaning Christians say that Xmas is a bold attempt to X the name of Christ out of the name of Christmas. But in their ingorance of Greek they misunderstand. You see, the Greek letter Chi (Χ), which lookes like X, is the first letter of Χριστος, the Greek word for Christ, Jesus’ title, which means the same as the Hebrew title “Messiah”, meaning “anointed.” Merry “Χmas”!

God is Light

2004-12-22T10:56:00.000-05:00

The thing which we have heard from old,

And seen, and held in hand,

Of that sure Word of Life foretold

That evermore shall stand:

That Word declare we unto you,

And manifest it be;

So with the Godhead we commune

Together joyfully.

The message is that God is Light;

In Him no darkness dwells.

If we are walking in His sight,

He shades of night dispels.

So if in darkness we are yet,

The truth we do not tell

To say the Father we have met

And in the Son do dwell.

The blood of Jesus Christ the Son

All sin will cleanse away,

As we’ve been promised, everyone,

When to the Lord we pray;

And saying not, “We have no sin,”

Ourselves thus to deceive,

But telling all our fault to Him,

To trust Him and believe.

Based on I John ch. 1

God is good.

2004-12-13T15:30:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine in Lynchburg called me up this past Friday. Seems the restaurant he works at is really busy on weekends, so I got to work there in the kitchen, washing dishes, prep’ing food, just general all-round helping out on an informal sort of basis. But I did such I good job that they want me to do the same next weekend. This could end up being a regular thing—and if I do well at this, perhaps it’ll be easier to get other employment later on.

Why did Jesus come?

2004-12-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

When you think about all the things Jesus has done for God and mankind and sinners in particular, one question can be asked: Why? He had everything going for Him up there in Heaven. What is the reason or purpose for His coming to earth?

There are many that you could list, but the one reason that encompasses them all is this: He came because it was the will of His Father. People spend time these days trying to find out God’s will so that they can decide whether or not to do it. Jesus asked no questions; He simply obeyed. How are we doing with obedience these days? Hmmm?

A note of encouragement.

2004-12-01T17:23:00.000-05:00

♬Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Jesus is very near.♬

Cross-Eyed Bear?

2004-11-30T15:45:00.000-05:00

I’m appalled! I was on Google today trying to find the lyrics to “Gladly the Cross I’d Bear” and you know what I found? Google results were absolutely cluttered with sites on “mondegreens,” “homonyms,” “malapropisms,” and “misheard lyrics,” all of them saying how that one line in the hymn was heard to say, “Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear.”

Have we all gone mad? Is there not even one serious lyrics site that has posted the words to this hymn? I certainly couldn’t find any.