A walking contradiction.
A dreamer without reality.
A doer with nothing to do.
An Indian with out a tribe.
A 19th Century cowboy without a horse or cow.
A drifter who is tied down to nothing.
A romantic in philosophy,
lacking in life.
Stand up! Go out and live!
Bring your dreams to life!
The past is history,
so make it become the present.
Release yourself from nothing,
to be who you want to be.
To no longer be
a walking contradition.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
He was knocking on the door, but I answered the phone
Samuel was born to Hannah. Hannah had tried to conceive before, but was barren. She prayed fervently before the Lord and she was granted her petition and she had a son. Because the Lord granted her request, she offered Samuel to the service of the Lord. She took him to the temple to be raised and serve the Lord.
One night, Samuel was lying down in the temple near the ark of God. The ark represented God's dwelling place on earth. While Samuel is laying there, he hears "Samuel!" Thinking it was Eli, the priest, he gets up and walks to Eli and says "here I am." Eli sends him away, saying he didn't call him. A little bit later, Samuel hears "Samuel!" and once again goes to Eli. Eli sends him away, saying that he didn't call him. A third time, Samuel hears "Samuel!" and gets up again and goes to Eli. Realizing that it is God who is calling Samuel, Eli sends him away and tells him that next time he hears the voice, to say "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears." God calls out to Samuel again and Samuel responds appropriately. God then speaks to Samuel, giving him a message of what is to come.
Samuel heard from God because he listened to God. Have we taken the time to listen to God? When we want to listen to someone, do we remain distracted and ignore them or do we turn off distractions and focus solely on that person and their message? Why should we do differently when God talks? Have we taken the time to listen to God?
One night, Samuel was lying down in the temple near the ark of God. The ark represented God's dwelling place on earth. While Samuel is laying there, he hears "Samuel!" Thinking it was Eli, the priest, he gets up and walks to Eli and says "here I am." Eli sends him away, saying he didn't call him. A little bit later, Samuel hears "Samuel!" and once again goes to Eli. Eli sends him away, saying that he didn't call him. A third time, Samuel hears "Samuel!" and gets up again and goes to Eli. Realizing that it is God who is calling Samuel, Eli sends him away and tells him that next time he hears the voice, to say "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears." God calls out to Samuel again and Samuel responds appropriately. God then speaks to Samuel, giving him a message of what is to come.
Samuel heard from God because he listened to God. Have we taken the time to listen to God? When we want to listen to someone, do we remain distracted and ignore them or do we turn off distractions and focus solely on that person and their message? Why should we do differently when God talks? Have we taken the time to listen to God?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Maybe it DOES matter!
I sometimes refer to myself as non-materialistic. That is a poor description.
A few weeks ago, my truck was hit by another driver. Since then, it has been in the shop being repaired. The insurance company has placed me in a rental car until the truck is fixed. The rental car is a PT Cruiser. I do not like the car.
Now not liking the car doesn’t make me materialistic. There could be lots of reasons to not like a car. Perhaps it handles poorly, gets bad gas mileage, doesn’t perform the way the driver needs it to or get to places you need to go. Several of these reasons exist for me. One of the reasons I got my truck was for its four-wheel drive capabilities. Because I do not have the truck right now, I am unable to use go to some places I want to go. For example, this week I had planned on going to Big Bend and hiking Mariscal Canyon. In order to get there, it requires driving a couple of hours down the 4x4 river road. The PT Cruiser wouldn’t make it. I do not particularly like the way the PT Cruiser handles. Of particular complaint is I do not like how it handles tight curves. This though could be because I am not use to it and not a flaw in the design. But what does make me material is the biggest reason I do not like the car, its looks.
I think the PT Cruiser is just ugly.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
On the Road with a Friend
This past weekend, I went on a trip with a friend of mine. The trip was a day trip, or perhaps I should say night trip. We left about noon and got back at 2AM.
The trip was a lot of fun. We first went to the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. There we toured the facilities and saw the telescopes. That evening, we participated in their Star Party. We learned how to use star charts, the constellations, the stories told about the constellations, and got to use telescopes to see objects in the sky such as planets, craters on the moon, and nebulas.
After we finished at the observatory, we went to Marfa and saw the Marfa Lights. We spent about an hour there and watched the lights as they came and went, changed colors, and moved.
The best part of the trip though was being with my friend.
The trip was a lot of fun. We first went to the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. There we toured the facilities and saw the telescopes. That evening, we participated in their Star Party. We learned how to use star charts, the constellations, the stories told about the constellations, and got to use telescopes to see objects in the sky such as planets, craters on the moon, and nebulas.
After we finished at the observatory, we went to Marfa and saw the Marfa Lights. We spent about an hour there and watched the lights as they came and went, changed colors, and moved.
The best part of the trip though was being with my friend.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Persecuted for Christ
I have recently been reading a book called Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith.
The book, as evident by the title, is about Christians who are persecuted for their faith. It ranges from villagers who are attacked and killed for being Christians, to Christians who are missionaries in their own lands, to international missionaries.
I recently heard someone say that one of the best things that could happen to Christianity in the US would be for us to be persecuted for our faith. While reading this book, while it isn't a desire of mine, I understand his point. Though we are not persecuted in the US by our government, we can be encouraged by the faith of those who are and seek to encourage them.
Though I am not finished with the book yet, I have half a chapter to go, I feel a response is necessary on my part. So as part of that response, I want to share with you what is going on in the persecuted Church and how we can respond. Remember that we are one in the Body of Christ and when one member suffers, we all suffer. As individuals we are not persecuted, but as the Body of Christ, we are.
Most experts suggest there are about 200 million Christians worldwide who suffer persecution for their faith, with another 200 million to 400 million who face discrimination in some form simply for being a Christian.
Columbia: One pastor missing, three others reported killed in past month.
Christians in Colombia are anxious to learn the fate of pastor William Reyes, missing since Sept. 25, even as three other pastors have gone missing in the past month. Reyes, a minister of the Light and Truth Inter-American Church and member of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao (FRAMEN, Fraternidad de Ministros Evangélicos de Maicao), left a meeting in Valledupar, Cesar, at 10 a.m. that morning heading home to Maicao, La Guajira. He never arrived. Family members and fellow ministers fear that Reyes may have been murdered by illegal armed groups operating in northern Colombia. Since March of this year, FRAMEN has received repeated threats from both the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and right-wing paramilitary units. In the past month three other Christian pastors were reportedly killed in separate incidents across the country.
SOMALIA: CHRISTIAN AID WORKER BEHEADED FOR CONVERTING FROM ISLAM
Among at least 24 aid workers killed in Somalia this year was one who was beheaded last month specifically for converting from Islam to Christianity, among other charges, according to an eyewitness. Muslim extremists from the al Shabab group fighting the transitional government on Sept. 23 sliced the head off of Mansuur Mohammed, 25, a humanitarian aid worker, before horrified onlookers of Manyafulka village. [Mohammed] converted from Islam to Christianity in 2005. One recited the Quran as he proclaimed that Mohammed was a “murtid,” an Arabic term for one who converts from Islam to Christianity. Mohammed remained calm with an expressionless face, never uttering a word, said the eyewitness.
KENYA: ISLAMISTS ATTACK CHURCH IN NORTHERN TOWN
A longstanding effort to replace a church with a mosque in Kenya’s northern town of Garissa culminated in an attack by 50 Muslim youths this month that left the worship building in ruins. The gang stormed the building of Redeemed Gospel Church on Sept. 14 and pelted the congregation with stones, sending many Christians fleeing while others became embroiled in fistfights. Ten Christians received hospital treatment for minor injuries and were released. Church leaders said the Muslim mob also destroyed pews, damaged the church building’s walls of corrugated iron, smashed the glass-mounted pulpit and burned the church banner with its stand. Government security intelligence had reported that Muslims planned to destroy the church if it continued to operate within the residential area. A missionary said that Muslims have distributed leaflets threatening to destroy all churches in Garissa.
Christian Persecution Intensifies Across China
CAA has received reports of intensified religious persecution in Beijing, Heilongjiang, Yunnan and Shangdong provinces. In Beijing, Pastor "Bike" Zhang Mingxuan and his family members have been evicted from their home, beaten and arrested. In Heliongjiang province, one city called Yichun recently banned all house churches, CAA reported. In Yunnan province, some house church members were attacked right after the Olympics. In Shandong province, Pastor Zhang Zhongxin was sentenced to two years of re-education through labor, and after the Olympics his appeal was denied, according to CAA.
Meanwhile, CAA has learned that 29 house church leaders have been serving time in labor camps and prisons in Henan province since July 2007. They are accused of being "evil cult" members.
Letter Writing
Hundreds of men and women are in prison serving sentences that range from a few months to life. They are not criminals who have robbed or murdered other citizens but Christians who were put on trial for their faith in Christ and found guilty. They could have avoided prison by simply denying allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they are literally “doing time for God.”
You can be an encouragement to many of these prisoners by writing letters to them and to government officials on their behalf. The VOM Prisoner List, called “Doing Time for God,” will give you instructions and addresses for a ministry to Christian prisoners in restricted countries. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time praying, writing and entering into the fellowship of sufferings with these Christian prisoners. You will be “doing time for God” by sharing His burden for those who suffer for His sake.
“I was in prison, and you came to me”
---Jesus (Matthew 25:36)
http://www.prisoneralert.com
Prayer
(2 Th 3:1-2) "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith."
(Luke 6:28) "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Learn More
Learn about groups such as Voice of the Martyrs, a non-profit, interdenominational organization with a vision for aiding Christians around the world who are being persecuted.
http://www.persecution.com
The book, as evident by the title, is about Christians who are persecuted for their faith. It ranges from villagers who are attacked and killed for being Christians, to Christians who are missionaries in their own lands, to international missionaries.
I recently heard someone say that one of the best things that could happen to Christianity in the US would be for us to be persecuted for our faith. While reading this book, while it isn't a desire of mine, I understand his point. Though we are not persecuted in the US by our government, we can be encouraged by the faith of those who are and seek to encourage them.
Though I am not finished with the book yet, I have half a chapter to go, I feel a response is necessary on my part. So as part of that response, I want to share with you what is going on in the persecuted Church and how we can respond. Remember that we are one in the Body of Christ and when one member suffers, we all suffer. As individuals we are not persecuted, but as the Body of Christ, we are.
What is happening to the persecuted church?
Most experts suggest there are about 200 million Christians worldwide who suffer persecution for their faith, with another 200 million to 400 million who face discrimination in some form simply for being a Christian.
Columbia: One pastor missing, three others reported killed in past month.
Christians in Colombia are anxious to learn the fate of pastor William Reyes, missing since Sept. 25, even as three other pastors have gone missing in the past month. Reyes, a minister of the Light and Truth Inter-American Church and member of the Fraternity of Evangelical Pastors of Maicao (FRAMEN, Fraternidad de Ministros Evangélicos de Maicao), left a meeting in Valledupar, Cesar, at 10 a.m. that morning heading home to Maicao, La Guajira. He never arrived. Family members and fellow ministers fear that Reyes may have been murdered by illegal armed groups operating in northern Colombia. Since March of this year, FRAMEN has received repeated threats from both the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and right-wing paramilitary units. In the past month three other Christian pastors were reportedly killed in separate incidents across the country.
SOMALIA: CHRISTIAN AID WORKER BEHEADED FOR CONVERTING FROM ISLAM
Among at least 24 aid workers killed in Somalia this year was one who was beheaded last month specifically for converting from Islam to Christianity, among other charges, according to an eyewitness. Muslim extremists from the al Shabab group fighting the transitional government on Sept. 23 sliced the head off of Mansuur Mohammed, 25, a humanitarian aid worker, before horrified onlookers of Manyafulka village. [Mohammed] converted from Islam to Christianity in 2005. One recited the Quran as he proclaimed that Mohammed was a “murtid,” an Arabic term for one who converts from Islam to Christianity. Mohammed remained calm with an expressionless face, never uttering a word, said the eyewitness.
KENYA: ISLAMISTS ATTACK CHURCH IN NORTHERN TOWN
A longstanding effort to replace a church with a mosque in Kenya’s northern town of Garissa culminated in an attack by 50 Muslim youths this month that left the worship building in ruins. The gang stormed the building of Redeemed Gospel Church on Sept. 14 and pelted the congregation with stones, sending many Christians fleeing while others became embroiled in fistfights. Ten Christians received hospital treatment for minor injuries and were released. Church leaders said the Muslim mob also destroyed pews, damaged the church building’s walls of corrugated iron, smashed the glass-mounted pulpit and burned the church banner with its stand. Government security intelligence had reported that Muslims planned to destroy the church if it continued to operate within the residential area. A missionary said that Muslims have distributed leaflets threatening to destroy all churches in Garissa.
Christian Persecution Intensifies Across China
CAA has received reports of intensified religious persecution in Beijing, Heilongjiang, Yunnan and Shangdong provinces. In Beijing, Pastor "Bike" Zhang Mingxuan and his family members have been evicted from their home, beaten and arrested. In Heliongjiang province, one city called Yichun recently banned all house churches, CAA reported. In Yunnan province, some house church members were attacked right after the Olympics. In Shandong province, Pastor Zhang Zhongxin was sentenced to two years of re-education through labor, and after the Olympics his appeal was denied, according to CAA.
Meanwhile, CAA has learned that 29 house church leaders have been serving time in labor camps and prisons in Henan province since July 2007. They are accused of being "evil cult" members.
What can we do?
Letter Writing
Hundreds of men and women are in prison serving sentences that range from a few months to life. They are not criminals who have robbed or murdered other citizens but Christians who were put on trial for their faith in Christ and found guilty. They could have avoided prison by simply denying allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they are literally “doing time for God.”
You can be an encouragement to many of these prisoners by writing letters to them and to government officials on their behalf. The VOM Prisoner List, called “Doing Time for God,” will give you instructions and addresses for a ministry to Christian prisoners in restricted countries. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time praying, writing and entering into the fellowship of sufferings with these Christian prisoners. You will be “doing time for God” by sharing His burden for those who suffer for His sake.
“I was in prison, and you came to me”
---Jesus (Matthew 25:36)
http://www.prisoneralert.com
Prayer
(2 Th 3:1-2) "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith."
(Luke 6:28) "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Learn More
Learn about groups such as Voice of the Martyrs, a non-profit, interdenominational organization with a vision for aiding Christians around the world who are being persecuted.
http://www.persecution.com
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Listening to John Mayer, Again
In 2006, John Mayer came out with the album Continuum. The first single off the album released was Waiting on the World to Change. When I first heard this song, I liked it. The music was good and the words seemed catchy. You can read all of the lyrics of the song here. You can hear the song here. But after a few times of listening to it, I realized that the song's message was about doing nothing when faced with adversity.
The opening verse says
So he describes his generation, of which I am apart of, as seeing all that is going wrong in the world. This is certainly true, there is much wrong in the world. Wars, poverty, terrorism, abuse, starvation, disease, etc... We have corrupt leaders of both parties and in many countries. However, Mayer says that his generation feels powerless, that they cannot do better for themselves and not be a victim.
The first chorus says
Instead of taking action, Mayer and his friends choose to do nothing and wait for everything else to fix itself. They do not want to become involved and have to work for what is right, they prefer to let someone else do it.
The rest of the song continues with this theme or seeing corruption, but not having the power to fix it, so they choose to take no action and wait for the "world to change." One verse even says
Perhaps Mayer has not heard of the internet which allows us to access media world wide instantaneously. We have access to more information now from more sources at a faster rate, than at any moment in history.
This is a horrible message.
When asked in The Advocate what the song meant, Mayer said "It’s saying, ‘Well, I’ll just watch American Idol because I know that if I were engaged in changing anything for the better, or the better as I see it, it would go unnoticed or be completely ineffective. A lot of people have that feeling." This is the message he is telling the world. Do not work to correct wrong doings. You might fail and you may not get attention brought to yourself.
Where would America be if this was the attitude of all Americans? Where would we be if our fore fathers had decided to just wait for the world to change and not great a new country of free people? Where would we be if Abraham Lincoln had decided to just wait for the world to change and not free the slaves? Where would we be if Susan B. Anthony and countless other women had just waited for the world to change and not fought for the right of women to vote? Where would we be in countless millions of men and women had chosen to just wait for the world to change and hadn't taken up arms against the enemies of our country? Where would we be if Martin Luther King Jr. and countless other men and women of all races had just waited for the world to change and hadn't fought for equality of all men and women, no matter their color?
These people fought not for recognition, not because they knew they would win, not for money, but because they knew what was right. They knew what was right and fought for it. Many gave all they had. Many people fought to change the world whose names are not remembered. They became involved. They got up off their couches and turned off the TV. They fought the fight, no matter how unfair. They fought to see that the American ideals of justice and liberty for all people were upheld.
America was founded by people who refused to wait for the world to change. They changed the world. The change they started has inspired people world wide to change their world and not wait for someone else to do it. Mayer's message is to just stay home and watch TV.
Which America do you want to live in? One that stands up and changes the world, no matter how hard the struggle because we know what is right, or one that just stays home and watches American Idol and wait for someone else to come and fix things?
I choose to stand up and change the world. What will you do? Will you stand up or will you wait?
The opening verse says
Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could
Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it
So he describes his generation, of which I am apart of, as seeing all that is going wrong in the world. This is certainly true, there is much wrong in the world. Wars, poverty, terrorism, abuse, starvation, disease, etc... We have corrupt leaders of both parties and in many countries. However, Mayer says that his generation feels powerless, that they cannot do better for themselves and not be a victim.
The first chorus says
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
Instead of taking action, Mayer and his friends choose to do nothing and wait for everything else to fix itself. They do not want to become involved and have to work for what is right, they prefer to let someone else do it.
The rest of the song continues with this theme or seeing corruption, but not having the power to fix it, so they choose to take no action and wait for the "world to change." One verse even says
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want
Perhaps Mayer has not heard of the internet which allows us to access media world wide instantaneously. We have access to more information now from more sources at a faster rate, than at any moment in history.
This is a horrible message.
When asked in The Advocate what the song meant, Mayer said "It’s saying, ‘Well, I’ll just watch American Idol because I know that if I were engaged in changing anything for the better, or the better as I see it, it would go unnoticed or be completely ineffective. A lot of people have that feeling." This is the message he is telling the world. Do not work to correct wrong doings. You might fail and you may not get attention brought to yourself.
Where would America be if this was the attitude of all Americans? Where would we be if our fore fathers had decided to just wait for the world to change and not great a new country of free people? Where would we be if Abraham Lincoln had decided to just wait for the world to change and not free the slaves? Where would we be if Susan B. Anthony and countless other women had just waited for the world to change and not fought for the right of women to vote? Where would we be in countless millions of men and women had chosen to just wait for the world to change and hadn't taken up arms against the enemies of our country? Where would we be if Martin Luther King Jr. and countless other men and women of all races had just waited for the world to change and hadn't fought for equality of all men and women, no matter their color?
These people fought not for recognition, not because they knew they would win, not for money, but because they knew what was right. They knew what was right and fought for it. Many gave all they had. Many people fought to change the world whose names are not remembered. They became involved. They got up off their couches and turned off the TV. They fought the fight, no matter how unfair. They fought to see that the American ideals of justice and liberty for all people were upheld.
America was founded by people who refused to wait for the world to change. They changed the world. The change they started has inspired people world wide to change their world and not wait for someone else to do it. Mayer's message is to just stay home and watch TV.
Which America do you want to live in? One that stands up and changes the world, no matter how hard the struggle because we know what is right, or one that just stays home and watches American Idol and wait for someone else to come and fix things?
I choose to stand up and change the world. What will you do? Will you stand up or will you wait?
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