I was having a conversation with a friend about faith and wondering if what we believe is real or not. It wasn't that they doubted things, but that they just had some fleeting questions. I mean sometimes I am even like why is life sometimes so crappy(ak.a. cancer, tradgic deaths, etc.)...what makes God real? So I consulted God's word for some answers. And this is what I came up with:
1 Corinthians 15: 1-6 "Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I have preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I have preached you. Otherwise, you believe in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."
1 John 5:11-13 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
John and Paul both write to us explaining that our belief in Jesus is what gives us eternal life. They even give us proof that Jesus's resurrection was real. Faith is something God gives us...it is ok to question...but listen for the answers when the come. God is real.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Monday, February 21, 2005
Monday, February 14, 2005
My Friend Eric...
My friend Eric came to Riverview with me on Sunday. Hols introduced him as the friend whom I met in a junkyard. Which is totally true, but it sounded like we met there last week, which made it funnier. I have known him for the better part of ten years. He is one of my closer friends….and I would say he believes in God but isn’t a Christian. He doesn’t really like organized religion…and I can’t blame him on that one. It was so cool that he actually came to church with me…didn’t think that would ever happen. After church HMB, Eric, and I went to eat some Jersey Giant Subs. Good food!
He was telling us this story about this "church" his company is putting exterior brick on and these guys who work construction for him. He said the guys have manhood issues. He went on to explain how each one tries to prove how big his cahonies are, and how many guys they’ve beat up or could beat up. This one guy who voluntered from the church was a high school guy and talked a ton of trash. He said he was studying to be a black belt from the pastor. He also said that the pastor would just keep hitting him in the face until he could block the punch! The hard-knocks way to martial arts. (This reminded me of the self defense instructor from Napolean Dynamite).
Eric-"He would've hit me in the face once, and I would've kicked him in the balls!"
Then there was this other 60 year old guy who claimed to hold over 30 world weight lifting titles. Eric said he was nice, but really old. Eric also said the guy wasn't strong enough to sqeeze a hot glue gun! So he felt like he was surrounded by guys still living in the past or thinking they had to be the toughest man and one up the other.
Eric- “I wish they would just take it out back and settle it once and for all. I would just club them all once with a 2 x 4 and walk away!”
We all laughed…he really is hilarious. He then goes to tell us he doesn’t really care who is toughest or how many people they were able to beat up while in 11th grade. Like I said his sarcasm is so funny.
Eric- “If they want to see just how much of a man they are, they should come spend a couple of hours with my four kids. Try taking an elbow the size of a quarter to your left testicle and see how tough they are. Think about it...have you ever seen how pointed and sharp little kids elbows and knees are...they are like leathal weapons. I have seen my father drop like a rock because my daughter's head was waist high and she ran to give him a hug...and smack! I have never seen a grown man drop so fast! He had to hold onto the fridgeto keep him from falling to the ground. Or how about waking up to a poop filled diaper to the face as your kids jumping on you to get up and make breakfast...that will test your real manhood.”
He then procedes to tell us about this "church" he was invited to in Maryland which they were doing brick work for. He said the only way you could attend the service was through an invite...it wasn't open to the public. They had a service that lasted like 4 hours long on Sunday, like 2 hour services on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Eric and his buddies debated on going. "What if we get stuck there and it sucks...we are there for frickin' four hours! But get this...and they had cheerleaders running up and down the isles during the service. That is what got them to go :oP. After he went with some of his worker buddies, they concluded that it was a cult. He also said the Pastor sounded like a salesman and said that "it was peoples' duty to give money to the church for God and it could be spent at his descrestion..."
Eric-"I guess that is why the dude rolls in a 2005 Escalade with $12000 optional wheels."
He said this one guy from the church invited them over for dinner one night and treated his wife like she was his maid or servant. They were going to take their shoes off because they were muddy and the gentleman said "don't worry...leave them on... my wife will mop it up later." He then proceeded in ordering her around and to wait on them hand and foot...and she did.
Eric-"If I ever treated my wife like that she would beat my face in with a bat!"
When we came back from eating and story time, we decided to go online to see the video feed of this church...it was odd for me....but we all laughed and watched them sing a song that lasted a good ten minutes and it just repeated itself over and over and the pastor jammed on the organ. We also saw the cheerleaders...and the guy who orders his wife around...the weight lifting champion...and the kid who thought he was Jean Claude Van Damn.
I wonder what Eric thought about our church?
He was telling us this story about this "church" his company is putting exterior brick on and these guys who work construction for him. He said the guys have manhood issues. He went on to explain how each one tries to prove how big his cahonies are, and how many guys they’ve beat up or could beat up. This one guy who voluntered from the church was a high school guy and talked a ton of trash. He said he was studying to be a black belt from the pastor. He also said that the pastor would just keep hitting him in the face until he could block the punch! The hard-knocks way to martial arts. (This reminded me of the self defense instructor from Napolean Dynamite).
Eric-"He would've hit me in the face once, and I would've kicked him in the balls!"
Then there was this other 60 year old guy who claimed to hold over 30 world weight lifting titles. Eric said he was nice, but really old. Eric also said the guy wasn't strong enough to sqeeze a hot glue gun! So he felt like he was surrounded by guys still living in the past or thinking they had to be the toughest man and one up the other.
Eric- “I wish they would just take it out back and settle it once and for all. I would just club them all once with a 2 x 4 and walk away!”
We all laughed…he really is hilarious. He then goes to tell us he doesn’t really care who is toughest or how many people they were able to beat up while in 11th grade. Like I said his sarcasm is so funny.
Eric- “If they want to see just how much of a man they are, they should come spend a couple of hours with my four kids. Try taking an elbow the size of a quarter to your left testicle and see how tough they are. Think about it...have you ever seen how pointed and sharp little kids elbows and knees are...they are like leathal weapons. I have seen my father drop like a rock because my daughter's head was waist high and she ran to give him a hug...and smack! I have never seen a grown man drop so fast! He had to hold onto the fridgeto keep him from falling to the ground. Or how about waking up to a poop filled diaper to the face as your kids jumping on you to get up and make breakfast...that will test your real manhood.”
He then procedes to tell us about this "church" he was invited to in Maryland which they were doing brick work for. He said the only way you could attend the service was through an invite...it wasn't open to the public. They had a service that lasted like 4 hours long on Sunday, like 2 hour services on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Eric and his buddies debated on going. "What if we get stuck there and it sucks...we are there for frickin' four hours! But get this...and they had cheerleaders running up and down the isles during the service. That is what got them to go :oP. After he went with some of his worker buddies, they concluded that it was a cult. He also said the Pastor sounded like a salesman and said that "it was peoples' duty to give money to the church for God and it could be spent at his descrestion..."
Eric-"I guess that is why the dude rolls in a 2005 Escalade with $12000 optional wheels."
He said this one guy from the church invited them over for dinner one night and treated his wife like she was his maid or servant. They were going to take their shoes off because they were muddy and the gentleman said "don't worry...leave them on... my wife will mop it up later." He then proceeded in ordering her around and to wait on them hand and foot...and she did.
Eric-"If I ever treated my wife like that she would beat my face in with a bat!"
When we came back from eating and story time, we decided to go online to see the video feed of this church...it was odd for me....but we all laughed and watched them sing a song that lasted a good ten minutes and it just repeated itself over and over and the pastor jammed on the organ. We also saw the cheerleaders...and the guy who orders his wife around...the weight lifting champion...and the kid who thought he was Jean Claude Van Damn.
I wonder what Eric thought about our church?
Thursday, February 10, 2005
The Bible...Lego Style
This is fricking Hillarious...you gotta check this out. Thanks to Hols and her pals for this one! Check out The Flood. It was killing me I was laughing so hard.
Am I Job? (pronounced..JOBE)
Ok so this day is finally done! And I am so glad...it was the day from hell. I felt like Job from the old testament.
First I got up early from a whining puppy...no biggie...it happens when he has to go potty. So I let Titan out and left Cain to sleep some more....which is normal. But I came back in and he was pissing all over the brand new bed I had bought him. So I had to take care of that and all that jazz. As I turn the corner I noticed some cat puke. As I am cleaning it up, I notice five more spots of cat puke. Now I feel like Noah...can you imaging the work he had to do on the ark just feeding and cleaning up after those frickin' animals?! I now have to find the culprit.
(read with an Aussie accent)
As I put on my crocodile hunter moves trying to stalk Chessie...I follow her distinctive "yacking" sound....only to find her hiding up inside of the bottom of my couch. I carefully tip over her nesting place and remove the ferocious calico from her resting spot. While doing so, I gracefully put my hand in an unseen pile of vomit! CRIEKIE...she's got me. I wrestle her into her crate and plan for the move to the vet.
Ok...no more accent. I go back to bed for 40 more minutes of sleep. Back to feeling like Job and not Noah. I get ready...I am running late...I go to start the car...and it won't start! I try for fifteen minutes to get her running...but nothing. I call my father...he can take the cat to the vet. I call a friend for a ride to work...but then the dang thing starts. I am ten minutes late for school. Kids are waiting in the hallway...the bell had already rang...man I should've stayed in bed. That was the kind of day I had...no fun!
First I got up early from a whining puppy...no biggie...it happens when he has to go potty. So I let Titan out and left Cain to sleep some more....which is normal. But I came back in and he was pissing all over the brand new bed I had bought him. So I had to take care of that and all that jazz. As I turn the corner I noticed some cat puke. As I am cleaning it up, I notice five more spots of cat puke. Now I feel like Noah...can you imaging the work he had to do on the ark just feeding and cleaning up after those frickin' animals?! I now have to find the culprit.
(read with an Aussie accent)
As I put on my crocodile hunter moves trying to stalk Chessie...I follow her distinctive "yacking" sound....only to find her hiding up inside of the bottom of my couch. I carefully tip over her nesting place and remove the ferocious calico from her resting spot. While doing so, I gracefully put my hand in an unseen pile of vomit! CRIEKIE...she's got me. I wrestle her into her crate and plan for the move to the vet.
Ok...no more accent. I go back to bed for 40 more minutes of sleep. Back to feeling like Job and not Noah. I get ready...I am running late...I go to start the car...and it won't start! I try for fifteen minutes to get her running...but nothing. I call my father...he can take the cat to the vet. I call a friend for a ride to work...but then the dang thing starts. I am ten minutes late for school. Kids are waiting in the hallway...the bell had already rang...man I should've stayed in bed. That was the kind of day I had...no fun!
Friday, February 04, 2005
Starting a zoo
It's official. I am startng my own zoo. I now have two kittens and dog and a puppy. I may have to charge admission to my zoo to pay for the food it takes to supply their nutritional need. No wife or kids, but a butt ton of animals. And exactly what is a butt ton you ask...well let me tell you.
After cleaning up after four animals fecal matter during the week, I figure that it must weigh approximately a ton. Thus I have a "butt Ton" of animals. And no...it is not button....it is Butt Ton.
After cleaning up after four animals fecal matter during the week, I figure that it must weigh approximately a ton. Thus I have a "butt Ton" of animals. And no...it is not button....it is Butt Ton.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Coolest Teacher Award
I got the most amazing thing today when I got to school. A student whom I taught last year was recognized by Scholastic Services as an outstanding student and has the chance to get some major college scholarships. In doing so, they asked her to nominate her most influential teacher that she has had. She nominated me and they sent me a certificate in recognition. I almost cried. It was the single coolest thing a student has done for me in my short teaching career.
A little background on this student. She took art as a whim...and she just had a natural talent. I encouraged her and she got really good. Her effort and determination is what made her so good. This year she came to my room to tell me that she was moving schools because her family situation was bad. I was disappointed because I thought that Mason had the better art program and thought she would get more experience here. HMB and I saw her at the mall during Christmas and that was the last time I have heard from her until today.
It's amazing how sometimes you never know who you effect and how you effect them. God allows them to grow and sometimes you never see the end results. Thank you God for letting me know with this student, and that I am being effective because He allows me to be.
A little background on this student. She took art as a whim...and she just had a natural talent. I encouraged her and she got really good. Her effort and determination is what made her so good. This year she came to my room to tell me that she was moving schools because her family situation was bad. I was disappointed because I thought that Mason had the better art program and thought she would get more experience here. HMB and I saw her at the mall during Christmas and that was the last time I have heard from her until today.
It's amazing how sometimes you never know who you effect and how you effect them. God allows them to grow and sometimes you never see the end results. Thank you God for letting me know with this student, and that I am being effective because He allows me to be.
Young Life
James Granger invited me to visit a Young Life meeting yesterday. For those of you who don't know what Young Life is...it is a bunch of young high school students getting together to learn about God and have fun. If you have ever been to Campus Life in high school...it is pretty much the same thing. One of the biggest differences was that the kids form small groups and have older Christians help lead. That is kind of why James invited me. He wanted me to check it out and see if I would be interested in being a leader. If that is what God wants me to do then I am definately up for it.
The coolest part was that I knew about 80% of the kids from the high school and they all couldn't believe that I wanted to hang out with them at Young Life. God is definately showing me ways to interact with my surroundings and opening doors to talk about him with kids. I've been praying for that for awhile.
The coolest part was that I knew about 80% of the kids from the high school and they all couldn't believe that I wanted to hang out with them at Young Life. God is definately showing me ways to interact with my surroundings and opening doors to talk about him with kids. I've been praying for that for awhile.
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