Clay's Ramblings

Customer Service in America

2008-10-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Is it any wonder the United States is falling apart? Nobody gives a )%&# about anybody else in this country. Everybody bows to the almighty dollar and if screwing customers over can bring in more money then so be it!

In the late 90's, we were customers of Southwestern Bell. Their customer service was horrible - to the tune of being without dial-tone for as long as a month due to their own ineptness. They kept sending technicians to the wrong address. They told us "The technician will be out there sometime between Monday and Wednesday." They blamed it on the weather. They blamed it on a strike. They kept pointing fingers at everybody but themselves. As soon as the phone industry was de-regulated we jumped ship.

AT&T was a great customer-oriented company. One 15-minute phone call generally resolved issues within hours, not days. We loved being AT&T customers. But then the baby bell SBC bought AT&T, bringing us back to the land of crappy customer service. So, we got VOIP. At first we stuck with AT&T CallVantage, 'cuz the introductory rate was great. Also, there was a direct number to dial for CallVantage and I didn't have to deal with the typical SBC run-around. But, as time went on, the introductory rate expired and the cost went up. Eventually we were paying double the introductory rate.

So, we switched to Vonage. Not bad - we got the hardware quick, installed it and were running. Even though they promised us we wouldn't get double-charged for the month we switched, it did happen. But several phone calls later that was credited to our account. Then the customer service nightmare started. Several days went by without a dial-tone. We had internet, but there was no signal from Vonage. They admittend there was a problem on their end, but refused to credit our account for the downtime. Several more phone calls and a couple of managers later, we saw the credit on our account. But the dial-tone problems continued so we started looking for something worth our while. Even though I loathe AT&T, I tried to convince my wife to switch back to CallVantage simply so we would have steady phone service. The costs were too high and we couldn't afford it.

Then ComCast took over Houston's cable service from Time-Warner. With Time-Warner we had unlimited access to UseNet. As a Linux user, I download a lot of stuff from UseNet. But ComCast nixed that. No more downloads. And they restricted e-mail sizes, so I switched to gMail and 10MB attachments. And they restricted bandwidth (apparently) because the service kept getting slower and slower. And all the phone calls to their "Customer Service" basically told me if I didn't like it, find something better."

So, this month we switched our internet and phone back to AT&T. Not that their customer service is any better, but dammit, we should have a steady dial-tone and unrestricted internet service. Last night, while hooking up our new hardware, I called the repair service. They told me a technician was coming out and I needed to contact customer service in the morning to make sure the tech would call me. I called and got moron after moron who had no idea what I was talking about. They could not see that it was a new install on their computers 'cuz they didn't bother looking.

So, after 40 minutes on the phone, I got in touch with a lady who did know what I was talking about. She got everything straightened out - yes, a technician is coming out; no, I don't need to be present to win.

I vented regarding the lousy customer service I had experienced and lamented the fact that no good telephone company remains in the US. Maybe T-Mobile qualifies, but they're mobile only. And they're not an American company, they're Deutsche Telecom - a German company.

So, what should we do? Every time you contact lousy customer service, demand to speak with a supervisor. Let the supervisor know that the service was lousy and tell them it needs to be fixed. Do this every time you encounter lousy service and suck up all their time talking to them about it. Eventually, they'll come around and, maybe - I know it's a longshot, but maybe - they'll fix it.

I'm tired of my blood pressure going up every time I need to find out something from a giant conglomerate that doesn't believe I'm a human being.

Rethinking a Green Approach

2008-08-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not an environmentalist. I whole-heartedly believe the radical environmental movement around the world has brought progress to a screeching halt. Many have good intentions but the road to hell...

I do, however, propose a new approach to green thinking.

If you truly desire to show the benefits of green thinking to an ungreen society, you must change your paradigm. I'll tell you how this ungreen conservative found the wonders of green thinking. It was actually a different type of green that made me start looking at alternatives.

With the price of fuel at record high prices, and the failure of our home climate control system on a Southeast Texas summer day, I knew I needed to start finding another way to live a non-Amish life. I began to research alternatives that could not only save me money, but perhaps increase my own. My research included:

Solar Power
Wind Power
Hydrogen Power
a Cistern
Proper Construction

I started with Solar Shingles. Though an initial outlay of $25K-$50K, I will pay zero for my electric bill. In fact, the law says that the electric company has to buy back my excess - which means I'll make a profit in the long run. Then I looked into Wind power. The cost is between $15K and $50K - though I am certain I won't need the high end system.

It started getting interesting when I looked into Hydrogen Power. According to Motor Trend, a residential hydrogen station will run about $500. Add that to a hydrogen car, and I'll be able to drive for free. The cistern provides water for the hydrogen station.

Finally, I looked at proper construction for a house. Older houses, built before air conditioning, had high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that provided cross-ventilation no matter which way the wind blows. So, if I build a house with high cathedral ceilings throughout, I should be able to cool the house for less. Add a close-able roof vent and the warm air will go out during the summer. Since we have extremely long summers (generally from June 1 to May 31), this construction will serve us well.

What does this have to do with big business? Simple. We've all been stupid in our devotion to mechanics. Let nature do the work, and we'll all save a fortune. In addition to that, the environment will be greener.

How can you be so stupid...

2008-07-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, when the tragedy of Katrina struck, I kept hearing people ask how anyone could be so stupid as to build a city below sea-level. Well, I chide them for their ignorance (New Orleans has been sinking over the last couple hundred years - it used to be above sea level), then point out that the city in which I (and generally the other party as well) is also very close to sea-level and floods quite often.

Then, today, I heard about a whole lotta shakin' goin' on in California. And I got to thinking. How can anybody be so stupid as to live in...

A city that is so hot and humid that it didn't even start growing until Air Conditioning was invented. A city that is very close to sea-level and floods quite often. A city where the mosquitoes and alligators are more at home than the people.
Answer: Houston, Texas
A city that shakes - at least a hurricane will give some advance warning.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.
Farmland where tornadoes are guaranteed every year to come by and wipe out at least a portion of your crop
Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa...
A place where blizzards routinely punish the citizens with snow drifting so high it's better skiing than Vale.
Minnesota, North Dakota...
A place where nothing can grow because the ground will only support sagebrush and tumbleweed.
(I used to live here ->) Pahrump, Nevada or any other desert community

My point - either we're all stupid or we've come to accept that there is some point in our chosen residence that others may not be willing to live with. But each of these places has something beautiful to trade for their single point of contention.

Since I started picking on New Orleans, let me tell you that the countryside surrounding New Orleans is unique and beautiful. And the people - they're wonderful to hang out with and amazing cooks. Coffee in New Orleans is the best in the world. Jazz was invented here. So was gumbo. What more need be said?

And, my current home of Houston does have a lot to offer. History, science, children's activities - there's never a dull moment! Yeah, it gets hot, but that's what freon's for!

Los Angeles - no matter what climate you like, you're never more than an hour away from it. Put on your skis and hit the slopes. Next day go surfing! Get some fresh fruit and spend the evening at a restaurant watching celebrities. Enjoy the round-the-clock comfort of perfect temperatures.

Tornado country - is also home to America's food source. Nearly everything you buy at the grocery store comes from the Great Plains. No need to level your field! Just plow and plant. Don't forget to check out the Great Rivers as well for some fun in the water.

The frozen north is our dairy country. Minnesota is known as the land of 1000 lakes - and they've adapted quite well to the cold. Heck - Houston comes to a screeching halt if the temperature dips to 25F. Minnesota keeps going at -50F! And they can handle the warmest, most humid days Houston can dish out. Beautiful countryside and four real seasons. What more could you ask for?

Pahrump, Nevada. Home to Art Bell. First place blown up in “Mars Attacks” (Jack Nicholson for President)! More brothels than wineries. An hour away from Vegas and Death Valley.

See - we're all stupid. We all like to live in inhospitable places. But we learn to make the best of it wherever we may be. Next time you want to call someone stupid 'cuz they live in a flood zone, think about your own hometown. Why wouldn't I want to live there.
Ah- but then again, why would I?

SFTROOCFTBOTDB Success!

2007-04-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

When I was but a young lad, I enjoyed reading a short-lived publication by Marvel Comics called Pizzazz Magazine. No, it wasn't a comic, it was more akin to Mad or Cracked. Stan Lee really wanted to get in on more action than just comics.

It was funny stuff. This issue, for example, had an article about the Society for the Removal of Old Cars from the Backs of Ten-Dollar Bills. In the article, they reproduced the back of one of the offending bills and detailed the locations of the old cars. Here are the old and new bills, with the offending bill on the bottom.:

Unfortunately, though I tried and tried, I could not locate a good enough image to use. Sorry! But, the bill had about 10-12 old cars on the back. The new bill has no cars - old or new - on the back!

Congratulations to the Society for the Removal of Old Cars from the Backs of Ten-Dollar Bills! Their lobbying effort has been a true success!

Dishwasher works.

2007-04-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Cool. I ran the dishwasher for a while and kept opening the door every cycle. At one point, it was full of bubbles. Well, Samurai Appliance Repair Man say "Impeller cannot pump bubbles!" Somehow, some Dawn made its way into my precious dishwasher. I ran a cycle with about a tablespoon of Wesson Oil (advice from Samurai Appliance Repair Man) and my dishwasher is running quite nicely. I ran two loads last night.

Domo!, Samurai Appliance Repair Man! You have again saved the day!

Dishwasher no clean. Clay's wife not happy.

2007-04-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

But there is hope. I've found an incredibly well-written and easy-to-understand site to get appliance repair (Appliantology) information. The Samurai Appliance Repair Man's website is chock-full of great knowledge from hands-on experience. Written with a sense of humor and the "Samurai User-friendly Difficulty Scale" - measuring difficulty in the number of beers consumed to make the repair.

My dishwasher is not cleaning. I have discovered the problem, thanks to the Samurai. The problem is that it was not draining properly. I have fixed the problem, thanks to the Samurai.

Samurai, if you are reading this, I am saving up $40 for your beer fund. I want the book. In the meantime, please accept this plug as an "earnest deposit" in your beer fund.

Thanks for reading.

100th post!

2007-04-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!

Sorry - just had to do it.

VOIP - Who would I recommend?

2007-04-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

I've been using Voice Over Internet Protocol (internet telephone) since October, 2003. Initially, it was a way that I could afford high-speed internet. We were paying $72 for our unlimited long distance, but with cable-internet for $28 and VOIP for $40, we'd actually be paying less and getting more! Yes, I worked up the Excel charts and showed them to my wife. She approved.

So, we signed up with AT&T CallVantage. They were one of the first VOIP services available. We were very happy with AT&T land-line, and we figured that AT&T VOIP would be just as good. In all honesty, I never had to call AT&T's technical support line in the entire time I had their service. The only downtime I encountered was when the lights or cable went out. AT&T's service was flawless.

But, with an income that wasn't keeping pace with the rising cost of living, we began to consider cancelling the VOIP and cable and going with a limited long-distance land line. Most folks we knew had either cell phones or an unlimited plan of their own, so we could call them on our dime, then ask them to call us back. Yeah, they'd call us cheapskates, but it'd work out fine.

Then I saw an advertisement for Vonage VOIP - $25/mo. Hey, that'd save us $15/mo, and we could keep the cable internet! Cool! We switched from AT&T to Vonage in January, signing a year-long contract with a 60-day back-out.

Of course, the first real test came five days after the back-out period expired. On the afternoons of April 5, 6 and 7, Vonage experienced some problems with their servers. The problem was documented on their website, and their engineers were working to resolve it. With my on-going job search and the death of a close friend, I needed my phone to work without interruption. I asked friends and family who were familiar with Vonage if this was a regular thing, and they said it wasn't. After a brief discussion, I received the requested credit for the downtime.

Not only did they admit that the problem was on their end, when it came down to it, Vonage was there to support their customers. They don't want to force a customer to pay for service they are not getting. Customers will only do that for so long before they decide to go elsewhere. Vonage stands behind their customers.

Who would I recommend for VOIP? I'd highly recommend Vonage. Ask me for a referral!

This is just plain weird!

2007-04-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

OK. I'm a weather junkie. And weird weather really gets my attention, if I can relate to it. Hence my fascination with hurricanes but not with snow - except when it snows in SouthEast Texas. And, that's what it's doing tonight. April 7, 2007. Well, not here in Houston, but up the road a bit (where my wife and kids are trying to come home from Arkansas!) it's snowing. And there's sleet in the forecast for my area. Sleet. In April. In Houston.

My friend Adam, who lives in Chicago, blogged the same thing about a couple days ago. Let me tell you what April means in Houston. It means putting away all the winter gear that you've only used since December. It means that on April 4, the TV weather people predict a high on April 7 of 68, with the disclaimer that it may be cooler than that. It means camping in 80°F (30°C) weather. It means rain, possibly thunderstorms and tornadoes (which we had last Saturday). It definitely doesn't mean freezing precipitation.

For those of you who are fans of AlGore, here's proof that he's wrong about global warming. This is an anomalous cold weather season. But the anomalies should be warmer, not colder.

Nyah! Nyah!

Oh - forgot to mention. Tuesday will be back close to 80...

No more computers, PLEASE!!!!

2007-04-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

Christmas, 1979, my folks bought me the most wonderful present in the world - a computer. Yes, it was wonderful. It had 4 kilobytes of memory, and 1013 bytes were reserved for system function, leaving 3,583 bytes of accessible memory. It did not have a disk drive - that was an extra $150 for a 5¼" floppy - but accessed everything from cassette tape. To load a program that fit in 3,583 bytes took nearly 3 minutes.

That Christmas present changed my life. I went on to get a BS in Computer Science, and pursued a career in networking and field support. I trained my daughter to build a computer from scratch and load an operating system. I filled my home with technology (notice I didn't say "latest" - I can only afford other people's trash!), including a home network with wire and wireless capabilities.

For those of you who aren't too good with math (CS students have to be good in math! :P ), that's nearly 30 years of working on computers. Most people retire from a career after 25-30 years. I'm about ready to retire from this one.

Now, I realize that computers are the modern-day equivalent of television, typewriters, telephone, etc. I also realize they are here to stay. And, I enjoy gaming and surfing the 'net. But I'm tired of being the go-to guy when someone's computer dies.

"Clay, my computer isn't reading CDs. Why?"
"Is the CD you're trying a good CD?"
"Clay, my computer monitor doesn't work. Why?"
"Is it plugged in?"

I CAN'T TROUBLESHOOT EVERYTHING OVER THE PHONE!

I am officially tendering my resignation as the official phone support guy for your broken computer. If you don't bring it to me, I can't fix it. No, I'm not going to drive to Dallas to spend a weekend with you just so I can fix your broken computer.

End rant.

If you want to call me with your computer problem, go ahead. I'll do my best to work on it. I feel bad that I even wrote this. I'll likely delete this entry within the next week...

A New Look!

2007-04-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hey - that guy's bald!!

OK - My wife went out of town, and I decided to take a razor to my head. It probably won't stay this way, 'cuz she wants me to have hair. (That's why I waited until she went out of town.) Comments! Let me know what you think! I need ammo for when she comes back! 'Course, her opinion is the only one that matters...

Funky & Freaky Weather

2007-01-15T04:45:00.000-08:00

OK - when I first moved to Coastal Texas 27 ½ years ago, everyone told me "If you don't like the weather, just stick around. It'll change." Well, I waited around all summer and it didn't change. It didn't even cool down at night. I mean, it'd drop from 92 to 85 at night, but that's hardly a cool down. And the humidity - man! Unbelievable! Especially for a kid who was still used to the arid valleys of Southern Nevada!

Then winter came. Winter, in all it's glorious 'lets you know you're alive' presence! Woohoo! Um - where's winter? Oh, don't tell me you don't have winter down here! That's just wrong!!! No, they dont' have snow (except Christmas Eve, 2004). No, they don't have ice. No, they don't even have cold! Well, not much of it. Winter in Coastal Texas comes in bits and pieces. A little here, a little there. A total of two weeks of "winter", spread out over a three-month period.

Since I've moved to Yewsten, Texas, I've experienced a little more of winter than I did in Corpus Christi. It gets cooler here than it did there. And the cold snaps last maybe a day longer. And we get maybe one more every year than Corpus Christi does. So, Yewsten get three weeks of what those of you from north of I-10 (read: Yankees!) would call "winter". (Yeah, I'm south of I-10 in Yewsten, so I ain't no Yankee! Yeah, I'm pickin' a fight...)

This weekend, though, has baffled meteorologists, both professional (National Weather Service, TV) and amateur (your intrepid blogger). Last Monday, I checked a 7-day forecast and found that they were talking about an ice storm in Yewsten next week. Starting on Sunday, the temperature should drop down from the 70sF (20sC) into the 30s (0C) and by Monday be in the 20s (-5C). That's downright cold for Yewsten (our all-time record low is 5F or -15C) even if you "Yankees" don't think it is.

Throughout the week, they kept warning us on TV and radio about the severe cold snap that will shut down Yewsten on Tuesday of next week (which is now tomorrow). The good news is, they were probably right about that. The funny thing is what happened this weekend.

Saturday, we went to Texas City. It was hot. I don't mean warm winter weather like the 50sF (10C), I mean it was pushing 80F (25C). It was warm for winter. 'Course, we've come to expect that, even in January. That's not uncommon. Uncomfortable, but not uncommon. I checked the forecast before we left the house, and the National Weather Service (NWS) said the low would be about 64 Saturday night. Not bad. We won't have to cover the plants. We likely won't have to run the heat, either.

On the way back from Texas City, we stopped and filled up the car about six miles from our house. It was warmer and muggier than it had been all day, even though it was after dark. I don't know the temperature, but it was stiflingly warm and humid. When we got home, it was much cooler outside. I checked - the temperature was 65F (18C). The NWS website had adjusted the forecast low to 51F (10C). That was about 9pm. At 11pm, they had adjusted the forecast low to 44F, an adjustment of 20 degrees in a matter of eight hours. On television, they said that the low we had anticipated arriving on Sunday had already arrived.

Sunday came, and we all got bundled up for what promised to be a cold day. The forecast high was 51. Lucky thing I'd learned that layers work better at keeping one warm, so we all wore several layers of clothing. Another good thing about layers, you can peel them off as the day warms up - which Sunday did. It started off rather cool and foggy, but quickly warmed up to the mid 70s (23C) and stayed there most of the day. We were out and about all day, finally getting home about 9pm. The temperature finally started dropping about 8:30 and continued all night.

This morning, it's cold and raining. The forecast is that the 40F (4C) right now will be the high for today and it will continue dropping to 27F (-3C) tonight. Tomorrow is forecast to get up to 31. That is the first time in several years that our high temperature did not exceed freezing. Research through the beginning of 2000 indicates that every day this millenium got above freezing. January 16, 2007, however, is forecast not to rise above the freezing point.

Temperatures like that, with the precipitation forecast, mean the city of Yewsten will be glazed in a sheet of ice. The roads will not be safe for travel. Therefore, the city will likely shut everything down in order to minimize accidents. We do not have the equipment required to remove the ice from the roads. Since this is the first ice storm in at least seven years (I think the last one was in 1989), it would not be economically feasible to buy the equipment and let it sit around rotting while not in use.

The schools will close, many offices will close, and many people will not be paid. Economically, it will impact us, but not too bad. Our tropical plants will suffer - my wife and I have been discussing how to prepare our flowerbeds for the cold. While much of our flora will be OK, we need to protect our roses, and other sensitive flowers. That means going out in the cold rain and wrapping them with old bed sheets. Likely, the sheets will freeze to the plants, but only the top layer of the plant will freeze. Good news on this, though - we'd been meaning to trim those roses. Now they'll trim themselves!!!

Lastly, remember my family. Our central heat died a couple of years ago, and we don't have the $$$ to fix it. It's not a serious problem, as we have some portable heaters. We also have a fireplace. They work quite well at keeping one room warm, and we will use them as much as we can. I will also do a lot of cooking today. I feel a pork roast coming on...

American Business - Why do we Buy Overseas?

2006-12-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

Two recent experiences show me exactly how lame online customer support really is.

In November, I tried to ship a package with a large shipping company that uses brown trucks. I don't have a printer, so I asked them some questions about it. They replied wanting to know the tracking number for the shipment with which I was having problems. I wrote back explaining that I didn't ship the package with them because of the problem. I had to ship it with a different company. They wrote back asking for the tracking number. This exchange went on three times before I told them, "This is fun! It's amazing to see how little you actually pay attention to your customers."

Last night, I went to an American website that offers free television listings looking for HDTV information (yippee!) I found that they had one of the PBS HDTV stations listed as 9.2 when it should be 8.2. I also noticed that they only had one HDTV channel for channel 14 when, in reality, there are 5. I wrote to tell them about this, saying, "I am in Houston, Texas, using rabbit-ears to pick up broadcast TV and my zip code is...". They wrote back asking for my city, state, zip code and which cable system I'm using.

Yeah, it's funny to tell the stories, but it's really sad. These are both American companies. And American companies wonder why they're failing. It's because their customer service sucks. In the first case, I went with a German company that uses yellow trucks - asking a question on-line and receiving an answer in a couple of hours rather than days. In the second case, I'm just going to keep flipping through the channels to find out what's on.

At the UN, Nikita Kruschev once said to the American delegate, "We will bury you without firing a shot." American companies have shipped our (read: my) jobs overseas. American companies have a gut-feeling that Americans will buy American because it's American, even if it's expensive and of poor quality! American companies treat their customers as if we were an interruption to their business, rather than the reason for it.

It's time for them to wake up. I, for one, am no longer putting my money into expensive, shabby products and services just because they bear a tag that reads "Made in USA". I will buy from the company that offers decent products at a reasonable price. Heck, shipping the package via the German company was actually $4 less than brown. And, they got it there in two days, where brown said it would be 7-14.

Folks, don't let the businesses dictate to you how you will spend your dollar. It's your dollar. Take it to the company that treats you right. Bear in mind, however, that eventually that dollar will begin to be called Ruble or Mark or Won...

Wreckers in Houston compete for business - and that's bad for Houston

2006-10-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

OK - I know I euthanized Clay's Ramblings, but I've decided that some of what I want to blog about doesn't fit under my other blogs. It's about local politics, and few outside of Houston or Texas really care about it. So, I'm bringing Clay's Ramblings back to life.

My first political blog was posted on Clay the Rambling Homeschool Dad 'cuz I didn't think about resurrecting Clay's Ramblings. But here's the second.

Most other cities I've lived in have a wrecker notification that determines which wrecker will respond to a situation. There's a list of X wrecker companies, duly checked out by the city, with rates set at a flat fee.

Houston and Harris County, however, do not operate that way. Wrecker operators sit in their trucks, listening to their scanners and driving at outrageous speeds to get to the wreck first and, hopefully getting the money from the possibly injured or terrified driver for the transportation of their vehicle. I have personally observed:

Wreckers driving at very unsafe speeds, weaving in and out of traffic.
An accident involving two cars with one law officer and eight wreckers.
Accidents involving wreckers, presumably because of the unsafe manner in which they are operated.

Now, don't get me wrong, There's a good chance that most of the wrecker operators in Houston and Harris County are law-abiding citizens who operate within the framework of the traffic laws. As we've seen with other issues, however, it only takes a few bad seeds to spoil an entire crop.

Here's the latest from this morning's news:

(10/19/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - An elderly couple was killed as they were leaving services at their church in northeast Houston Wednesday night.

It happened on Wallisville near Colvin in northeast Houston. The couple was leaving Blessed Hope Missionary Baptist Church around 9:30pm when they were hit by a wrecker driver allegedly going twice the speed limit. They were trying to pull out eastbound on Wallisville when they were hit.

Police say the wrecker driver was traveling approximately 90 miles per hour when he slammed into the couple's vehicle. The couple, police say, had no chance of surviving such a horrendous accident. They died instantly.

The wrecker driver was taken into custody. He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he's being tested for alcohol.

Investigators say there were no skid marks, indicating that the wrecker drive was going full speed.

Members of the congregation gathered outside the church, devastated by what took place.

The tow truck driver could face several charges.

What will it take before Houston and Harris County leadership open their eyes? How many more people must die before they begin to regulate the way wreckers operate? I know they've tried before, most recently with Houston's SafeClear act in which only certain wreckers are even allowed on city freeways during rush hour. But the wrecker lobby is apparently more powerful than the concerns for citizen safety.

I urge Houston and Harris County adopt some sort of wrecker policy that would:

Put wreckers on a rotation. They would respond to the calls in the order in which the calls occurred.
In order to get into rotation, wreckers must demonstrate a responsibility to the law and to the public. Continued unsafe operation would result in removal from the rotation, and a resultant loss of income.
Drivers who need a wrecker will have an option to call for their own towing service, and responding officers must allow them to do so.

Houston's a big city. It's about time we operate as one.

Moving Day

2006-08-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of my lovely wife, Clay's Ramblings is moving.

The word ramblings seems to indicate that I'm not very direct when I speak. While it may be true that I tend to digress on occasion, and I've been told that I'm wordy, that's not a good description of someone who desires to spread the Word of the LORD. She has read my blog, and has noticed that the vast majority are about healing in some way. She suggested the name Healing Power and, after much thought and prayer, I have accepted her idea.

Healing Power resides at http://healing-power.blogspot.com. I will not delete Clay's Ramblings, but I will not be updating it any more. I will still be maintaining The Rat and the Rambler, and Clay the Rambling Homeschool Dad.

Healing Power is also the new name of my podcast. It should be up and running (with all the old files) on Monday. I'll post the link then.

Pray with me that God will reach people through this ministry. Pray with me that the podcasts will be well received, and give people pause for thought. I believe that the LORD is working through this ministry, and I have received personal feedback along those lines.

Thank you for your support, and come with me to the new Healing Power!

Adios,
Clay

Moron Podcasting...

2006-08-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't misspell it. I'm a moron who's trying to podcast. So, I'm a Moron Podcasting. Kinda like the sign that says "Men Working", my sign says "Moron Podcasting".

So now, I'm looking for someone who has webspace to which I can FTP a lot of stuff. I'd like at least 5 GB of space, and I know that's a lot to ask. But, if someone has a website that I can just drop my stuff in a folder, I'd be very happy.

If anyone out there on the 'net has some server space they'd like to donate to this broke dude, let me know. Shoot an e-mail to claysramblings at gmail.com.

Adios,
Clay

Fear - A New Series

2006-08-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

I invite you to come to The Rat and the Rambler to read a new series I've started called "Fear". I will be posting there more often then here until the series is completed, so be sure to check there often!

Adios,
Clay

I Smell Smoke!

2006-08-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

With those words, I woke my wife at 3:28 this morning.

Now, I've tried to wake her gently, with kind words, at an appointed time on the weekends. Grabbing her shoulder and nudging her, holding a cup of freshly brewed, sweetened and creamed coffee under her nose, it takes a few seconds to register that it's actually time to come to life.

This morning, however, I smelled smoke. And I said "I smell smoke." She woke up and was out of bed before me! We started sniffing around the house. When I woke up, I smelled it by my alarm clock (set for 5:00 am). I called her back and had her sniff near there. Nothing. We took a smoke detector off the wall and put it there, but nothing tickled it to make it scream.

That whole ordeal took about five minutes. We determined that it must have been a dream and she went back to bed. After all, her alarm will go off at 4:30. She has almost another hour to sleep.

Me, I went back to bed and lay there staring at the ceiling. I got my PalmPilot and started playing Shishenso. I finally got up about 3:50 and got a cup of coffee. Then I sat down to write. After all, writing is what I love to do - especially writing about God. What does smelling smoke have to do with God? Well, before we went back to bed, we prayed. It was her suggestion. "Father in Heaven, Our Protector in times of trouble, we ask for your protection this morning. Whether the smoke was real or imagined, please protect our family. Douse the fire, or at least let us know it's real. Don't let your children be hurt by the fire."

God is our Protector. He will not necessarily protect us from all harm or illness; all of the faithful will eventually die. "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment," - Hebrews 9:27, NIV says the apostle. That's it. But, in the intervening time, we can ask for protection and receive it.

Do I believe in divine protection? Even before I became a Christian, that answer was abundantly clear. I'm pretty good with a stick-shift, and have been since I was about 18. I know how to work the clutch. Very rarely do I kill the engine by popping the clutch. But one day in 1992, that happened. My light turned green and I started moving forward. I popped the clutch too fast and the engine died. Then a car came sailing through their red light across the intersection. Had I not inadvertently killed the engine, I would have been hit hard in the driver's side. Being a "CHINO" (CHristian In Name Only), I knew about divine intervention. I began to tell people about it, along with this disclaimer: "God saved me. I don't know why. He must love drunks."

God is our Protector. The psalms are full of praises for His guardianship of His people. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and his servant saw that the city of Jerusalem was surrounded by an enemy army. His servant was frightened, but Elisha prayed that the servant's eyes would be opened to what Elisha could see. An army of angels stood between the enemy army and the city. He asked the LORD to strike the enemy blind, and it happened. He puts a shield up around us to protect us from evil and from physical harm.

Nearly 500 years ago, Martin Luther penned one of Christianity's greatest hymns to the tune of a popular drinking song. It begins, "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing." Luther's conversion to Christ came from divine protection. Travelling in a terrifying thunderstorm, with lightning flashing all around, Luther bargained with God, saying that if he made it through the storm, "I shall become a monk!" He kept his promise.

I don't like the idea of bargaining with God. I don't believe that it's necessary. "Ask and it will be given to you". - Matthew 7:7, NIV Jesus didn't say, "make me a good deal and I'll see if it can be done."

Is there some terrible trial befalling you? Are you faced with an evil that you cannot defeat on your own? Ask God for help. He will see you through it. If He doesn't stop the problem, He will give you strength and peace to deal with it.

Do Not Covet

2006-08-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

Do not covet. - Exodus 20:17

Do not covet - Deuteronomy 5:21

But still, I covet. I covet people who have nicer cars and houses and computers than I do. Particularly computers.

See, I long to host my own blog - without worrying about another server crashing. I long to host my own podcasts - without worrying about another server crashing. I long to be able to record the podcasts - without worrying that my software is about to crash 'cuz it's running out of memory. So, I need a better computer. Ideally, I'd like a dual-4GHz processor with about 4GB of memory and a redundant connection. I'd like about 500GB of hard disk space. I'd like to run linux - it's a great web system.

But what I've got is not quite what I'd like to have. I have a 300MHz webserver - which has crashed. It had 20GB of disk space, and my problems began when I added the second 10Gb drive. Maybe you remember that...

Well, trying to make the thing work, I have hit rock bottom. I want a better computer. I want a better connection. I want redundancy (a back-up system so I'm never down). I want. I want. I want.

My mother used to tell me to want in one hand and poop in the other. Then see which fills up the fastest. Wise words. I've devoted some of my time and energy to making the systems I have work. There's really nothing wrong with an old webserver, but with the software I've got, it's very hard to maintain. It's mostly my own ignorance.

So, I need to examine the source of the covetousness. Am I coveting out of greed or laziness? Or am I coveting because I desire to have a tool that will allow me to do the job that I believe God has assigned me? Well, it's entirely possible it's a combination of both (or all three - a lazy, greedy guy who thinks that only a better computer...)

I like blogging. I like podcasting. And iTunes no longer recognizes my podcasts after I moved them to a new server. On the outside, nothing's changed. You can still access them at http://clay.fhlforums.com/download/whatever.mp3. But they're not available through iTunes. I'm so sorry about that. I don't know how to fix that.

And it frustrates me.

Sunday night, after attempting for the fourth time to install an operating system on my webserver, I shut it down in frustration and walked around the block, barefoot. I was rather angry. I cursed at God. Yeah, I know. I shouldn't do it. I let my anger take control (James 3:1-6 tells us that our words are the least controllable thing we have) but that's no excuse.

God still spoke to be, however. He said, "You know, you have a Windows machine with a webserver installed. It's easier to maintain than Linux. Why don't you use that?" I went home and got my Windows webserver running. I'm getting the pages formatted, but you can still download the podcasts from the links at the end of this blog entry.

Why am I frustrated? Because I believe these messages are what I need to be doing. I'm frustrated because I believe God wants me to do His work - and this is part of it. And as I do the work, I keep running into obstacles. I joined the US Navy because Marines and Army make you go through obstacle courses (well, that's not the whole reason, but that was part of it). I don't like that stuff. I'm like electricity. Take the shortest path to ground. God apparently wants me to be a little more like directional drilling through hard rock.

OK - I'm off my pity-pot. I am going to succeed at this because it's what God wants me to do. Look at the Clustr-Map® to the right. I'm getting hits from all over. And it's not my doing - it's the movement of the Spirit. Heck, I don't write most of this stuff. I'm a ghost-writer for the Spirit. He guides my fingers. He tells me what to write and all I do is put it on electrons. I know I'm not a good writer. He writes through me. And I thank Him for that daily. With Him behind me, I cannot fail.

Links to download my podcasts directly without iTunes:

Enjoy listening. This will have to work 'til I figure out what's wrong with my iTunes entry.

What the...

2006-08-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 08.09.2006
OK - that's enough for today.

I've been pulling out some of my original blog - hand made and posted on a small 5MB webserver - and posting them here. Today, I posted 10 of them. This was my first attempt at blogging. I was doing it by hand so I could learn about web development and RSS. Now, I just want to write. 'Course, the RSS stuff did help in posting my PodCasts on iTunes.

Enjoy! Feel free to comment! There have been changes in my life since these were written, and the last post (If I had a Million Dollars) was edited to show that I've started my prison ministry.

If I Had a Million Dollars

2006-08-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 05.01.2005

If I Had a Million Dollars ¹

If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you a house (I would buy you a house)
If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you furniture for your house (maybe a nice chesterfield or ottoman)
If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you a K-car (a nice Reliant automobile)
If I had a million dollars
I'd buy your love ¹

For those of you that don't know, the "Barenaked Ladies" are neither ladies nor naked. For those of you that don't bother to read the footnotes, "The Barenaked Ladies" is the name of the group that performs "If I Had A Million Dollars," the song referenced in this installment of Clay's Ramblings. The Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian group that makes good fun music. Much of it sounds farcical, as the lyrics to this song suggest. But that really has nothing to do with today's topic. The lyrics to the song, however, do.

My wife and I began discussing all the things we would do if we won the lottery - which we neither desire nor can afford to play. (Gee, two uses of neither/nor in one installment! Am I getting too big for my britches? I don't think so. I been working out...)

She said she would quit her job and let me go to work. After all, that's what I want to do with my life. I said I would, but that I would continue the work I am now doing. Namely, I volunteer at the YMCA and at my church.

I guess my life wouldn't change much - except that I would let someone else do the cleaning around here. I enjoy volunteering my time, but I don't do it often enough. I would like to be able to leave the kids at home and head out to work at a soup kitchen or Impact Church of Christ. As it is, I can't seem to find the time to do my own laundry!

I would like to get involved with prison ministry (Goal met! Woohoo!). I would like to be there for each of my friends and neighbors when they need a shoulder to cry on. I would like to say "Here am I. Send me!"² but I just don't have the time.

But what was it Jesus said? It happens to be my favorite verses from the bible.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ³

See why I like it? It tells of where I want to be. I want to work for God. I want Him to pay me. Maybe I will have to make some tents along the way. God will still make sure I'm fed and clothed for the journey. He did so for the Apostles, and He'll do so for me.

So, I want to devote my life to the worship of God. It's hard to do, but that's a message for another day. Complete devotion results in complete care. The more I think about it, I don't want to be rich. I want to be able to relate to people. I want to understand them. If I won the lottery, even if I could relate, they wouldn't believe it.

Prayer:

Jehovah Gyra, our Father in Heaven, You give us all we need. If we had a million dollars, would we spend it all on You? Father, if we had a million dollars, it would all be Yours. Our use of it would either please or disgust you.

Father, please give us the desire, the drive, the gumption to do Your work. Make us to be shining lights of Your Holiness and Love. Guide us down the paths of Your Righteousness that we may be at peace.

Thank you, Lord, for your complete and unerring grace that leaves us free from worry.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen!

¹ Title and Lyrics ©1992 by Barenaked Ladies
² Isaiah 6:8, NIV
³ Matthew 6:28-34, NIV

Human Fragility

2006-08-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 04.23.2005

Why are people so fragile? For the last few weeks I have dealt with injuries and illnesses across my family. My youngest daughter got sick, passed it to her sister and she gave it to me. It was nasty, with a cough and fever. My wife missed a couple days from work -- one so I could rest, the next for herself.

But that is not all. The next week my father went in for a simple, routine heart procedure. He had a stent installed. Not a big deal, I didn't even go to Corpus for it. But then my Mom called and Dad was running a fever so they wouldn't let him out of the hospital. I went to Corpus on Friday night and left Monday morning. Sunday while I was there, my Mom came down with the flu. She slept the day away and loaded up on vitamins and was feeling better by Tuesday when my Dad was discharged from the hospital.

Oh no, that is not all! This Thursday, my wife went in for knee surgery. Another simple, routine procedure which went quite well. The next day we drove her 75 miles away for a ladies' retreat. We went early and toured the Blue Bell Ice Cream Plant. You get a free sample at the end of the tour! YUM! The best ice cream on the planet!

So, I have dealt with fragile humans quite a bit lately. Why are people so fragile?

I hate to say that we deserve it, but God says we do. Go all the way back to the beginning. In Genesis 3, the only two people on the Earth decided they would rather listen to temptation than God. God said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."¹

Needless to say, Adam and Eve did not die when they ate that fruit, but I believe the plan was to allow them to live forever in the Garden. When they chose to disobey, they were then no longer allowed to live forever and were banished from the Garden. Death had come. God killed an animal to clothe them. Adam and Eve had two sons, one of which was a shepherd. When it came time to make sacrifices to God, Abel had to kill his best sheep. We all know what happened to he and his brother.

Death has come. What happens now? Well, God also promised that the woman's offspring would crush the head of the tempter. In fact, all Jewish scripture (called the Old Testament in Christian circles) points to the coming of this man who will defeat the tempter, Satan. He is known as 'The Messiah' or, in Greek, 'The Christ'. What does that mean to you and I?

Jesus Christ was the offspring of the woman. Jesus Christ was God's promised deliverer from sin and death. What are the wages of sin? A well-known passage, Romans 6:23, says "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."²

Sin equals death. When we choose to ignore what God has commanded, we sin. When we sin, we are condemned to die. Who among us has not sinned? I won't go into detail here, but I don't think any one writing or reading this material can say you have not sinned. Sin is a part of us since The Fall. Temptation comes along, and we must resist it.

Sometimes we are tempted to something we find revolting and we can resist that temptation on our own. Other times, however, the temptation is not revolting. It may even be fun. This temptation may be something that violates God's law. Then, only by the intervention of the Holy Spirit can we avoid this temptation. I know it happens to me several times a day. Often, I fail. Only through prayer can I resist the temptation.

Am I any better than someone that succumbs to temptation all the time? No. One sin equals death. I died when I stole a Hot Wheels car from a neighbor kid that I believed stole one from me. That was sin. That was probably not my first sin, but it's the earliest thing I can remember. It was quickly followed by lying, "He gave it to me!" I don't remember if I was caught, but it doesn't matter. I sinned. I was as good as dead.

Christ died to remove our sin. He died so that we might live. See Romans 3:9-30 for details. Christ crushed the head of the serpent.

God has also promised us a new imperishable body after this life is over. "No one in Zion will say, 'I'm sick.'"³ "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law."⁴ (Read all of 1 Corinthians 15 here)

In a nutshell, we who are in Christ will pass into God's arms with a body that will never be harmed. We will be immortal beings clothed in a body that will never become sick. "Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."⁵

If you have a bible handy and want to know God's plan for our salvation, read Romans. It presents the reason for Christ's death and resurrection to us in plain language that everyone can understand. You don't have to be a theology major to understand it, I promise. If you do have any questions, however, feel free to contact me.

¹ Genesis 2:16-17, NIV

² Romans 6:23, NIV

⁴ 1 Corinthians 15:54-56, NIV

⁵ 1 Corinthians 15:57, NIV

Writer's Block

2006-08-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 04.13.2005
Writer's Block
writ'er's block (rtrz)

A usually temporary psychological inability to begin or continue work on a piece of writing.

This column is all mine. I own it. That's the great thing about the internet, everyone can be published and most of the time it won't cost you a dime! So, I own this column. That means I can write to it whenever I want. That also means I don't have to write if I don't want. Why, then would I even attempt to write when suffering from Writer's Block?

Writer's Block means, basically, that I am not able to come up with anything to write. Ironically, my analysis of the source of my writer's block has led me to write this column.

For the last two years, I have wanted to become a preacher. Perhaps this is news to you who read my column. I hope it has been somewhat apparent, but... Anyway, I figure that by writing this column, I can get some of that out of my system while I get through school. I had planned to attend a local Christian university and study ministry, paying for it with my veteran's benefits. One package in particular is the only one I have not exhausted - the Texas Hazelwood Act. I had checked, and this school does accept veterans' benefits. I could'a swore I asked about Hazelwood, but maybe not.

So yesterday, I went to the veterans representative on campus to find out how to get Hazelwood started. I was informed that Hazelwood is the only veterans package this school cannot accept. It is only available to state schools like UT or A&M.

I was shocked. I was flabbergasted. I was <insert adjective here>. Now how am I stupposed to get into school? If I can't get into school, I'll be stuck doing computer work for the rest of my life. I was tempted to lose my temper as I usually do in situations like this, but with God's help, I remained calm until i got to my car -- and bawled my eyes out.

See, school was more than a path to preach, it was a path to get back into the workforce and let my wife come home. Make our family the way God intended. Make my wife happy. Make my kids happy. Make me happy. Now, it all comes crashing down. The best laid plans...

Now what am I going to do? A long dead part of me cried out, "Go get drunk!" Now, I'm the first to tell people that getting drunk solves no problems. It only makes new ones. And, with God's help, I overcame that temptation as well.

I got home and really did not know what to do. I ate lunch and sat down to write. I had originally titled this "Bummed Out" but after reading it decided it was too depressing. (And this ain't?)

Well, I prayed. I sat down and asked God what to do. God rarely speaks out loud, he just turns on a dim light and hopes you'll see it. This time I did. I started looking for Financial Aid on the internet. I applied for several grants and scholarships. I even found out I'm not completely shot down for loans (I defaulted on my last student loans, though I've been paying on them quite nicely for the last 7 years). So, perhaps funding for furthering my college education is out there. Perhaps my preaching career is not on indefinite hold. Perhaps I can get started with this soon!

There are two more endeavors I'm undertaking. I'm writing a book called "Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Dad." I'm quite qualified for it.

God may close one door, but there's another one waiting to be opened right around the corner. Patience and prayer will help you find it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for helping me face the issues in my life. Thank you for providing for me in my time of need.

Father, I know you have a plan for me. Finding out what that plan is may be the most difficult thing for me to do. I am not looking for a free ride. I simply want to know how I am to fulfill your plans for me in this lifetime.

Grant me the wisdom and the means necessary to reflect your glory. Let me carry your word and grace to those who have never heard it.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Who gets to live and who gets to die?

2006-08-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Originally posted 04.01.2005

No food or water for two weeks. Try it. I've experienced fasting and dehydration. They're not any fun.

I've tried fasting, and usually have difficulty making 36 hours without food because of the hunger pangs. Have you ever experienced hunger pangs? They are very uncomfortable. I usually don't make it through a fast, and I've never committed to a complete fast. The longest I've succeeded at fasting was a little over two days, and that was just avoiding solid food -- drinking one glass of freshly prepared vegetable juice for each meal. The hunger was amazing!

I've experienced dehydration. Labor Day, 2000, was the hottest day ever recorded in Houston, Texas. The high that day in the city was 112° Farenheit. My car broke down about 20 miles west of civilization on I-10. I walked several miles before I came to a gas station. The first thing I did was drink two quarts of Gatorade. I then called a friend to pick me up. The next day I went to an emergency room to be rehydrated. I was nauseated, dizzy and unable to stand.

Those two experiences were nothing like two weeks without food or water. I cannot imagine what pain and agony someone suffers when they are helpless and food and water are withheld.

So a court decides that, because a man no longer wishes to care for his wife, she must die. She must be executed. Do you agree with this? Do you believe that a person who must be cared for by others should be killed without their voices being heard?

Then there is nothing wrong with unwanted babies being dropped into dumpsters.

Then there was nothing wrong with Susan Smith rolling her car into a pond to drown her children

Then there was nothing wrong with Andrea Yates drowning her five children in a bathtub.

Then there was nothing wrong with ___________ (Fill in the blank).

Do you believe that?

OK, so maybe Russell Yates wanted to care for the kids, and his wife denied him that pleasure and responsibility. That doesn't matter, the parents of Terri Schiavo wanted to take custody of and care for her.

OK, so maybe an aunt, uncle or grandparent wants to care for a baby that a teen mother has dropped in a dumpster. That doesn't matter, Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, want to take custody of and care for her.

Is it un-compassionate of me to compare Michael Schiavo to Andrea Yates? Is it un-compassionate of you to decide a woman must die simply because she cannot speak for herself?

Terri Schiavo was murdered by fascists. People who, "for the betterment of society," believe that those who creeate a drain on society must be removed.

Sound familiar?

Sound like Europe in the early 1940's

Ahhhh, now we're really touching a nerve, aren't we?

Many of the people who denounce Nazism as racist groups are acting like Nazis themselves.

When Judge Greer ordered the execution of Terri Schiavo, he showed his fascist side.

When higher courts, though cleared by the elected officials of this country, refused to intervene, they showed their fascist side.

Terri Schiavo was murdered. Nobody will be held responsible for it in this lifetime.

Now it is too late for her. Perhaps, though, her death will not have been in vain.

God urges us to "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." - Proverbs 31:8 (NIV) "When you're kind to others, you help yourself; when you're cruel to others, you hurt yourself." - Proverbs 11:17 (The Message)¹

The LORD has called us to action. Let us act. Let us strive to care for those who cannot care for themselves. Rally behind The Banner of God. Rally to the cry of "Help the Helpless!" Individually we cannot do anything. As one, we are the Body of Christ. As one, we are mighty. As one, we are able to move mountains.

As one, we can change the world!

Prayer:

Lord, Almighty Heavenly Father, You have worked miracles for centuries to make yourself known. Show yourself today!
We have counted and come up short. We should have striven to help others but we did nothing. We should have broken the barriers when the government defied You, but we did not.
Father, grant usthe strength and wisdom to be your soldiers. We are called to help the helpless. Give us what we need to fight your battle! Rally your people to take this world back from Satan according to Your will.
Father, we pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Holy Son, the Bearer of Our Sin.
Amen.

How to Help:

What can I do? I'm only one person. I'm a small voice. "Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave."

This is not a conservative issue. This is not a liberal issue. This is a life issue. What happens ifYOU are the one that cannot speak for yourself? What happens if YOU are on life-support and, even though you are conscious, you cannot speak? What happens if YOU are the one that is executed because nobody is there to speak for you?

Things you can do:

Write your Congressperson.
Write your Senator."
Vote. Sorry, there are no non-partisan links for this.
Pray.
Talk to others

Neighbors
Co-Workers
Friends
Family
Church Members

One last thought. A friend of mine from high school was seriously injured in a car accident in 1984. He was comatose for nearly six months, and some thought he would not live. He is now gainfully employed, living on his own without the help of others. If, as in the case of Terri Schiavo, his plug had been pulled, he would not be here today to be one of God's lights to the world.

Interesting reading...

2006-08-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 03.24.2005
It's always interesting (especially for me!) to read the Ramblings I type in the wee hours of the morning. See, my wife works the evening shift - from 3:00 to 11:00. Her hours have changed, she used to work from 5pm to 1am, sometimes longer. Now, she gets off two hours earlier. Before her hours changed, I did my geek stuff between 10pm (after the kids went to bed and I had somewhat cleaned the house) and whatever time she got home. Now, those hours have shortened considerably, and she wants to spend some quality time together with the kids asleep and us awake.

On rare occasions (like last night), she has to work late, and I get some extra time to work on my Ramblings. Some of those times, I really do ramble! Both times I've done this, I've replaced it the next day. For some interesting reading, check out Mar. 14, 2005 and Mar. 23, 2005.

OK, OK. So this is a new project, and I've only done it twice -- including today. Maybe it would be an interesting trend to develop. Stay up late, imbibing large amounts of coffee and writing my Ramblings. Hmmm.

I've done this all my life. When I was in college, I would stay up late writing papers the night before they were due. Thinking I had written a masterpiece that the professor would want to publish, I turned the paper in. Dr. Whatzizname would hand it back to me asking me to put some effort into it.

Unfortunately, I also put this sort of effort into my spiritual life (evident by the fact I do it on my Ramblings).

I am supposed to sing at 10:15 on Sunday morning. I skip practice on Wednesday nights, then get the music from the director at about 9:30 and begin practicing.
I am supposed to read a bible verse on Sunday morning. Early Sunday morning, I record the verse onto a cassette tape and listen to it all the way to church -- hoping I'll memorize it by the time I get there.
I get into a spiritual discussion with either a believer who disagrees with me or with an unbeliever, and try to prove a point I'm unprepared to defend.

These actions serve only to tear down the word I am trying to spread.

If I am to be God's messenger, if I am to prepare God's fields for the harvest, I need to be prepared to do my job. I need to burn His word into my heart. I need to study and pray. I need to listen to His responses.

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight the cry rang out: "Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!"
Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out."
"No," they replied, "there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves."
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said. "Open the door for us!"
But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you."
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
- Matthew 25:1-13, NIV

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, your glory is beyond our ability to say. Your magnificence is too great for words. Yet we long to tell you how awesome you are. You made everything there is, and you still shed a tear when I feel the slightest twinge of pain. You are a loving father that serves as an example for the rest of us.

Father, we know that we are sinners. We know that we are not worthy to come into your presence. Yet you gave your son, Jesus Christ -- blameless in his own life -- to take our sin upon him, to be our sin in your eyes, that it may be sacrificed upon the cross. Jesus became sin and died so that we might live. He came to life on the third day so that, when our time comes, we may also come to life eternal and spend it with you in Heaven.

It is for that sacrifice that we thank you, Lord. We have struggled so much through our lives to support ourselves, when you promise to take care of it for us. And take care of us you have. You have ensured that we are fed and clothed and sheltered.

Father, instill your word in our hearts that we may know it. We want to do your will and be prepared for the day when we must carry your word to others. Help us to be ready to be your servants.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

My Father's House

2006-08-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on 03.23.2005
"You trust God, don't you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father's home. If that weren't so, would I have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I'm on my way to get your room ready, I'll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I'm taking."
- John 14:1-4, The Message

My father's house is big. So big that it can hold everyone who has turned their lives over to Christ. Well, given the way this evening went, I'm not sure I want to be in a house with a lot of people. I'm having trouble with the kids and the wife. And she's at work!

Tonight's episode boiled down to this. I wanted my oldest daughter -- she's six -- to do something and she refused. No, she argued with me. "It's not fun!" She's just like her Daddy. I can say that; I "R" him.

She's trying out her boundaries. She wants to be independent. Though, at the same time, she wants to be treated like our baby. She's jealous of the attention, of the "special breaks" that the baby gets. Don't forget that the baby is just now learning to say some words. She understands some (and she is punished when she ignores those that she knows), but she is not old enough to be held accountable for her actions to the same degree the oldest is.

How do we make the oldest understand this? Well, we don't follow Daddy's method. Daddy has a -- shall we say -- temper problem that results in lost tempers on an all too regular basis. It can be an ugly sight. Once I lose my temper, I am ashamed for the way I behave. I keep reminding my oldest that she is to set an example for her sister, then I pull a stunt like this.

In my father's house is a lot of room. Perhaps I could let someone else in this big house watch the kids while I get away for a few minutes. Maybe I could actually spend a couple of hours worrying about something more important than the fact that my kids don't treat me with any respect. Maybe I could praise God.

Paul and Silas sang in prison. Acts 16:23-26 (NIV) says "After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose."

Many days I feel like I'm in prison. I can't do what I want because I have a family to look after. Yeah, I know, it was my choice -- at least it was partly my choice. I did choose to give up an illustrious career as a professional bug killer to pursue my life as a stay-at-home Dad. I did choose to have kids in the first place.

If Paul and Silas were able to get God to wreck the prison just by singing hymns, perhaps I can as well. My wife tells me when I'm down I need to sing praises. Basically, when you don't feel like singing is the time you should be singing. It will keep your mind focused on God. He will then lift your burden from you.

Prayer:

Abba [Daddy] Father God, we know we are lower than the lowest Heavenly beings. We acknowledge our worthlessness to come before you. We are sinners, and we are not worthy to even be in your presence. Yet even with all our spots, our sins, we have been redeemed so that we can come before you.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross was more than a misunderstanding. You promised this to Adam in the very beginning of time. You promised that we would be free from sin and the devil through the death of Christ. Your promise came true on that first Easter morning.

Father, we ask that you will show us your glory so we are always reminded of your infinite mercy and grace. When that mercy and grace is poured out on use, we can then pour it out on our neighbors.

Thank you, Father for your gifts to us.
In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

The Hornet's Nest

2006-08-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on March 15, 2005
I used to enjoy putting sticks in virtual hornet's nests. I had a shirt that said "Spotted Owl Tastes Like Chicken!" I went to the Mondale rally with my Reagan signs and proudly displayed my new shiner for all to see. I took one for the Gipper! I spent a lot of time in trouble because I believed my job in the Navy was telling my superiors exactly how I felt in certain situations. They called it disrespect. I somehow never made it before the Captain. I don't know why...

But for some reason, I balked at writing this. It's weighed heavy on my mind for several years, but I've never had the nerve to finally put it down. It springs from my own jaded past, as well as those around me. Are we, as forgiving Christians, to tolerate or accept those around us? Or are we supposed to (as we've been taught by so many through the years) get in the faces of those we have personally condemned as sinners?

I grew up in the church. There was always a small spark of the Spirit in my heart. When I was drunk at topless bars, I'd tell people I was a Christian -- heedless of the damage my witness was causing to the body of Christ.

I have joked that I was out partying on Saturday night, and standing, hungover, in the choir loft on Sunday morning. I don't know how many of those around me knew of my double-life. From what I've seen in others' lives, likely a lot of people knew it but wouldn't say anything. Had they said something, perhaps the next ten years would have been different.

Let me say that I believe God differentiates between sinners and sin. We are sinners, condemned by our sin. God hates sin. God loves sinners. God gave His son that we might be free from sin. God wants us to be without sin. God does not condemn us if we ask Him to forgive us. Therefore, he loves us even though we are sinners. If God differentiates between sinners and sin, what right do we have to link the two? The following questions do not deal with the issue of sin, rather the person who is trapped in that sin.

Question 1: Should we "get in the faces" of those we believe are condemned as sinners? The answer is NO! We, too, are sinners. We have no right to condemn another for their sin. As Christians, we are forgiven for our sins. Our record is wiped clean. But we should not forget from whence we came. The Apostle Paul remembered his past, even when he was in prison for preaching Christ.

When the people brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery, Jesus did not judge her for her actions. He did not condemn her as a sinner. Rather, he called into question the hearts of those who had condemned her. Beating someone over the head with a Bible will only drive them away. I've seen it happen. It happened to me.

Question 2: Should we tolerate or accept sinners? By all means, YES!

Should we tolerate or accept sin? That's a little more tricky. Given the definitions of tolerate and accept, I believe it is two questions:

Question 2a: Should we tolerate sin?
Question 2b: Should we accept sin?

I believe toleration says we should ignore sin while we teach the sinner about Christ. Once they accept Christ, we work with the new family member to help them overcome their sin. It's imperative! We cannot deal with the extensions until we deal with the problem. People will sin. It started in the Garden. If we try to change someone without convincing them why they should change, they will not change.

If a doctor says, "You need to take this medicine. It will make you very sick. It may even kill you." Will you take the medicine? I hope you wouldn't take it given what you were told. Now, if the doctor says, "You have hepatitis-B. It's dormant, but it will raise it's ugly head at some point. When it does, you will be hospital-bound for at least a week. During that week, we will treat the disease with interferon - a medication that will make you even sicker, perhaps even kill you. But, if we don't treat it, the disease will kill you." Will you take the medicine? Maybe, now that you have more information, you can make a better decision.

The same thing happens with non-believers and sin. You want to take away the things they enjoy? You want to take away free sex and drunkenness? You want to take away drugs and spiritual anarchy? You may as well kill them. What good is life without those things? First, make them believe that life with Christ is better than a life in sin. That's a hard sell. Once Christ has convinced them, whether through you or someone else, then the Holy Spirit can begin to work on their sinful nature.

I've heard many people quote the Apostle Paul when he says, as the NIV titles the section, 'Expel the Immoral Brother!' How many have read the follow-up in 2 Corinthians? Paul states very clearly that we should forgive and welcome those among us who are suffering from sin. I admit that I have blindly followed the teaching from 1 Corinthians without looking further.

Question 2b: If we accept sin, we are simply telling people that there is no problem with their lifestyle and there is no reason to change. We are telling people that they have no need for Christ. We are missing the Great Commission.

I ask that you consider what I have said. Think about it. Pray about what you have read. Let me know what you think.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, you have created your people to serve you. Only through you can we become like you. We desire to be holy -- like you.
Father, we know people who are overwhelmed by sin. We know people who do not know you. We know people who need your help. They may be our spouses, our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors. Help us to shine your light that they may see it. Help us to introduce these people to you. Help us to demonstrate through our lives that life with Christ is much better than life without. With Christ, we are more like you.
We also acknowledge that we are often guilty of shunning these people without giving them a chance to know you. Work in our lives to be more forgiving, as you require. Work with us to help us be more like you.
Thank you for being in our lives. Thank you for being our salvation. Thank you for taking over all that we do. Thank you for helping us be more like you.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

God is a Blacksmith

2006-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on February 28, 2005

That's right, I said God is a blacksmith as well as a potter. I have good reason for that, too.

See, when I was saved on January 30, 2002, I asked God to make a difference in my life. I asked that He make me into the person He wants me to be. I really didn't think that meant He had to do something with all the other stuff in my life.

Many people compare God to a potter. Potters take a lump of formless clay and mold it until it becomes something beautiful or useful. That molded clay is then baked until it becomes firm, though breakable. A good potter can make something useful and beautiful. The key here is that the potter take a lump of formless clay.

Do you realize what a blacksmith does? When, for example, a blacksmith makes a horseshoe, he takes a straight iron rod and heats it. When he removes it from the fire, it is glowing. Then he beats it with a hammer. The iron doesn't get a break, it is put right back into the fire. This process of heating and beating is repeated until the straight iron rod looks like a horseshoe. The harder the iron, the longer the process. Note: For those of you who want to be swords for the spiritual battle, the process is the same.

How many of you were formless before God got 'hold of you? I know I wasn't. I had a form, and it wasn't pretty. Nor was it anything approaching Godly. I was quite the sinner, with an eye on bringing others down to my level. I won't go into gory, graphic details, but let's just say it involved tequila and wild women.

Needless to say, when I 'gave God permission' to change me, he had to first undo something that was carved in stone. I was not soft and malleable. I was hard. I had some bad lifestyle choices that had to change. Changing those life choices was not going to be easy.

First, I lost my job. Since my wife had a decent job, we have not missed any bills. We did have to make some changes, however. That leads to the rest of the heating and beating:

I am now a stay-at-home dad. I never realized how hard housewives work! And they never get any credit!
Though I have applied for literally thousands of jobs, I have only interviewed twice. I had to turn down both offers because they would cost me money if I accepted.
My kids are constantly trying my patience. Well, don't all kids do that to their parents?
I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
My wife is no longer happy with her job. That increases stress at home.

Need I go on?

Yes, the heatings and beatings will continue until morale improves. Well, to be perfectly honest, my morale has improved. I have learned that, in accordance with His word, He will provide. He will take my burden. He will give me peace. He will make me a success at all I do in His name.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you created the heavens and earth. You created every star and every grain of sand. You created the animals, birds, fishes, trees and grass. You created iron and water and air. Yet you still care about each grain of sand. You care about each feather on each bird. You care about me. You alone are God and you alone are holy.

Father, I know I am not worthy to come into your presence. My sinfulness have separated me from your holiness. Because you love me in my sinfulness, you sent your holy Son, Jesus Christ, a part of you, to die a horrible death. His death was the ultimate sacrifice, and His blood absolved my sin. His life was the perfect example, and His resurrection was victory over death. Through Jesus I am a new man; my sin forgiven.

I thank you for all the blessings you have poured out on me. You have provided for me shelter and clothing and food. You have given me gifts that I may use to serve you. You have promised for me an inheritance in your palace and royal family. Most of all, I thank you for Jesus Christ.

Father, I ask you to show yourself to our world. Make yourself known. We want to reflect your glory. We ask that you watch over us. Post your angels around us to protect us from evil. Make us ready, willing and able to do your work. Make us bold yet humble.

We ask all this in Jesus holy name. Amen.

Laundry Day

2006-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on March 14,2005
To-day is Laundry Day. I've put it off as long as I could, but it has to be done. So now, I've got about 8 loads of laundry to wash, dry, fold, iron and hang up. Fun work. I'd like to think that I'm not a chauvinist, but days like this I understand the differences between men and women.

Let's see here. Among other things, stay-at-home dads get to do:

Laundry
Dishes
Bathe the Kids
Clean the house
Clean up after the dog,cat & guinea pig
Feed the kids (can't forget that one!)

Those are some of the tasks I am assigned. Along with those, I also have to:

Mow the lawn
Repair the siding
Repair the soffit & gutter
Re-wire the home LAN
Fertilize the lawn
Pull weeds
Kill bugs (and other creepy things!)
Anything else that may come up

See, my week is cut out for me. Not much time to update Clay's Ramblings. My wife does more than her fair share of the work around the house. Since she's working, though, I feel guilty if she has to do too much. Most of the first group I can handle. Most of the first group gets done every week. I'll admit that I never get laundry done in one day. Most of the other chores there get done at least every day.

Why am I rambling on about this? I'm not bitter, if that's what you're thinking. I'm just reflecting that Men and Women are different. I've been thinking about a book project titled Home Improvement: or, How Wiring and Plumbing can Wreck a Home.

Men and Women have different plumbing. Of that, most of us are sure. There are a few that are confused about that, but I don't have time to go into that today. But I digress. Suffice to say that our plumbing is different. So is our wiring. I'm convinced of that daily as I watch Mothers and Fathers interact with their kids.

Scenario 1: Kid falls down at the local playground (boy or girl -- it makes no difference):

Dad says: "You're not hurt! Get back out there and play!"
Mom says: "Oh, my poor baby! Let me kiss it and make it better."

Two completely different responses to the same situation. We're wired differently. We respond to things differently.

Scenario 2: Out for dinner with friends and baby starts crying:

Mom: "Honey, can you see what's bothering the baby?"
Dad: "What -- the baby's crying?"
Mom: "Yes, dear. She's been crying for 20 minutes."
Dad: "OK, let me finish telling Ralph about the..."
Mom: "Please, dear. I took care of her last time, and I would like to talk to Sandy for a while."
Dad: "OK, just a second. So, anyway, there we were in the fishing boat...
As Mom looks on in fuming silence, Dad relates the details of the fishing trip. Not wanting to make a scene, Mom takes care of the baby -- changing a diaper. Ten minutes later, the baby's crying again.
Mom: "Honey, can you see what's bothering the baby?"
Dad: "Aw, gee. I just took care of her last time!"

OK, I'm not going into further detail. The words cannot be printed on a family website. Let's just say that Dad's not really wired to take care of the kids. That does not absolve him of his fatherly duties!

God gave each of us a certain wiring. Men are rough, testosterone laden beings with one purpose in life: Kill. That's why we like war movies. That's why we like football. Women, on the other hand, are caring and nurturing. My wife and I have observed that Mom will sacrifice Dad to save the kids. Dad will sacrifice the kids to save Mom. Is this a bad thing? It is just our place in life.

In the 21^st century, we humans are determined to wreck God's plan for us. I took my wife's last name at marriage. I am a stay-at-home Dad. I have taken on a role for which I was not designed. I am working hard not to be miserable at my chosen lot. (I am also working hard to switch places with my wife who is working at a marvelous job with excellent benefits. (E-mail me for my resume.)

It all goes back to the Fall of Man in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve were doing very well. They relied 100% on God to provide them with all that they needed. They trusted that God would feed them. There was no need for clothing or shelter, as there was nothing to be clothed or sheltered against. But along comes Satan. As always, he has to destroy a good thing. He tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit, and she ate. She then gave it to Adam and he ate.

He blamed her, she blamed the snake in the grass. God said, (Genesis 3) "I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it. Y'all are in trouble. Y'all messed up big time. Now you have to work for a living. You have to leave the garden and you can't come back. Women will bear children and men will work for food."

Now, in my house, partly through design and partly through circumstance, our roles are reversed. She is working for our food, and I am dealing with the kids. Dads, not all pains of bearing children come from birth! Kids are a pain to raise.

This is How it Feels...

2006-08-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Podcast for this entry available here.

This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

- These and other lyrics from the song "Held" recorded by Natalie Grant, lyrics written by Christa Wells

Every time my daughter hears this song, she cries. The first time she heard it was watching a PowerPoint presentation at church shortly after Hurricane Katrina. The PowerPoint was full of images of smashed houses - and the people that lived in them. It struck especially close to our hearts, as we have family in Gulfport and Biloxi, MS. This was also just before we thought we may be in the same situation with Hurricane Rita.

The song "Held" by Natalie Grant is full of poignant lyrics, written by Christa Wells "in the wake of losing two loved ones". - ChristianityToday.com ChristianMusicToday.com - Natalie Grant It is driven by a haunting melody as we are reminded of the promise that no matter what happens to us in this fallen world, we would be held.

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It’s unfair.

Many Christians (and non-believers scoff because they) believe that God will protect them from all harm and misfortune. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Paul suffered greatly for his faith in Christ; being flogged and imprisoned several times just because he believed. Paul himself oversaw the stoning of Steven - a martyr in the name of Christ. Yet he wrote the following (2 Cor. 1:3-7, NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Suffering is part of being a Christian. I wrote once in a now-defunct blog that I believe God is a blacksmith, not a potter. That means I'm a hunk of hard iron, resistant to change - not a lump of malleable clay (though that is my name... Hmmm). When I dedicated my life to Him, I asked Him to take over my life completely. Make me into what He wants me to be. Well, in order for Him to do that, He needed to break me down. There was (and, apparently, still is) a method He has to follow to make me into his servant.

First, He removed everything upon which I depended. He knocked my legs out from under me. I demonstrated this to my seven-year-old daughter by catching her behind her knees with one hand while catching her with my other hand. That is what God did to me. He knocked my legs out from under me. He left me with nothing to lean on - except Him.

I'm not going to lie to you. It hurt. It still does sometimes. But the truth is, it had to be done. I was very self-absorbed, and relied on my own talents to get me through life. God took all of that away from me so I could lean on Him and count on His blessings to get me through life.

Today, I'm basically unemployable (a computer network engineer who's been out of the loop for four years!), I live in a house in a perpetual summer with no air conditioning and my 26" TV bit the dust leaving me with a 5" black and white. My brother-in-law felt sorry for us and gave us a spare 14" color. I love to eat dinner at fine restaurants, but now that only happens when someone else is buying.

So, to put it bluntly, my life sucks. But,

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow.
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

I'm not incredibly wise, but I've learned to look for blessings in the little things - like the lilies of the valley.

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

- Matthew 6:28-30, NIV

My wife keeps singing a song that goes

When upon life's billows, you are tempest-tossed
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the LORD has done!

Following that song's instructions has put everything in perspective for me. Yeah, life sucks, but there are many, many blessings that I seem to forget. We were spared Rita's wrath, for example. Yeah, we spent 16 hours on the road and only went 22 miles, but we didn't suffer any damage from the storm that was forecast to come within 10 miles of our house with over 100 mph winds.

I will not deny that Christians experience suffering. Perhaps we suffer more because of our faith than those who are not faithful. Satan tempts us as he tries to lure us away from Christ. Satan puts snares in front of us as he lies, telling us his way is better. If we abandon Christ, Satan will stop working to make our lives miserable. It's a fact.

And, many have fallen for Satan's lies. I, myself, have suffered depression and been under a doctor's care for bipolar disorder because of these lies. I still occasionally fall for them. But when I stand firm in the teachings of Christ, I am tried even harder. Ephesians 6 warns us about these trials, and urges us to "put on the full armor of God". It is only with this armor that we can make it in this world.

The song "Held" ends with the words:

If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.
This is what it is to be held
And to know, that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held

Yeah, our hope is born of suffering. Our hope rests eternal in sharing the suffering, death and resurrection of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, only through suffering can we come to depend upon our LORD. If life is 100% hunky-dory, will you ever know the joy of the LORD?

In 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 and continuing in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul 'boasts' about his sufferings. He takes pride in the fact that he has suffered for Christ. He discusses the "thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." And his answer when he prayed for relief? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my pwer is made perfect in weakness."

So, I'll just reiterate what Paul said to the Church at Corinth. Rejoice in your sufferings, as hard as it may be. Rejoice when things go wrong. Like right now when I'm trying to get this thing written and the kids are being hard to get along with. It's hard to rejoice, but it's what we are commanded to do.

I'm there to hold you when you're suffering. I'll pray with you and I'll cry with you. But most of all, I'll rejoice with you.

Re-installing Linux

2006-08-07T05:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I like Linux for my webserver. It uses far less overhead than Windows, therefore, it runs quite nicely on my Pentium //-MMX 300MHz with 64MB RAM (and, now with 20GB of disk space! Woohoo)!

I was running a system called YES Linux, which was great for folks that aren't really technical and want to run a "out-of-the-box" webserver on an old slow machine. But, I'm technical, and I wanted to do a lot with my webserver that just couldn't be done on YES.

So, last Friday, when I was adding a 10GB HDD, I accidentally erased the old drive - the one with my data. I had to rebuild. I installed an old, very good, bulletproof Linux system called FreeBSD. It's a little different than my favorite Linux, Red Hat's Fedora Core, but it's small and fit quite nicely on my old, slow machine.

After installing it, the first thing I had to do was install a good text editor. I'm not installing Linux X (the Linux point-and-click Windows-type thingy), so I need to do everything from the keyboard. And the native editor - vi - is called "very insane by other techies. So, I downloaded my favorite from college called joe. Joe is easy to use - kinda like a word processor without a mouse.

After that, I downloaded the webserver application called Apache. It's very customizable, but also easy to install for first-timers. There is an Apache available for Windows and Macs as well, and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to run a webserver on any platform.

OK - a technical blog entry to kinda let you know what this weekend held. Oh yeah - I couldn't work on it between Friday night and Sunday night - I was out of town! :)

But, it's up and running now! Thank you for your support!

Adios,
Clay

Experiencing Technical Difficulties...

2006-08-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

My webserver crashed. All of my podcasts were stored there. If you are attempting to get a podcast, the server should be back online after the weekend. I sincerely apologize for any difficulties this may cause.

Oh - and you probably can't see my lovely face over there...

Like a Dog

2006-08-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

Dogs are known for unconditional love. But I'm not going to expound upon that today. Bye!

OK, OK - here's my blog entry for today:

I've been noticing how eager my dog is to please. Unlike dogs in my past, she obeys every command without question. I know she likes to be outside, but I have trouble believing anyone, even a dog, would enjoy being outside in the muggy Houston summers. This morning, for example, the outside temperature is close to 80°F. My dog needed out - so she wouldn't soil the carpet. She went outside and looked happy laying in the grass.

At 5:30, my wife left for work and asked the dog if she wanted to come in. She got up, hung her head and slowly began walking to the door. She had a "not my will but yours" look on her face. (Dogs can do that 'cuz they have eyebrows. Cats don't have eyebrows. They just have a bunch of stuff sticking out of their heads. - Thank you, George Carlin) I just closed the door on her and watched her through the window. She happily returned to her spot in the grass.

I don't want to say that I'm a dog, but I have learned that I'm called to do just that. When I get comfortable, God says, "Clay, come here." I can choose whether or not to go.

Abraham did exactly that when God called him in Genesis 12. But his name wasn't Abraham at that time, it was Abram. God said, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." -Genesis 12:1, NIV
Abraham had a choice. He could either do what God said, or he could say, "God, I really like it where I am. I don't feel like leaving."

God did have an incentive for him, though:

"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

- Genesis 12:2-3, NIV
Abram followed God's instructions. He made some mistakes, but he pretty much did as God commanded. He left his father's family in Haran and went to Canaan. Life was pretty good, but Abram didn't trust God fully. He still tried to do some things on his own. That's when things got messed up.

We do the same thing. We try to follow God on our terms. Problem is, that's not part of the deal. When we abandon our dreams and goals in favor of God's goals for us, we begin to see true blessings. Sometimes it takes discipline to deny yourself so you can reap the blessings. Jesus put it this way:

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

- John 12:24-26, NIV (emphasis mine)
OK, so we have to die? "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20 Yes, we do. We have to die to our own desires. We have to die to our personal dreams. We have to see God's dreams and goals realized.

Here's a kicker to that. I'm not a disciplined person. So, how did I learn about God's blessings? Picture a man clinging to the mast of a ship high above a stormy, shark-filled sea. There are legs to support this mast. One by one, the waves of the sea knock the legs from the mast and the man falls into the sea. But, when he falls, he finds that the sea will buoy him up and keep him away from the sharks. The sea gently carries him to shore.

Life is a lot like that. Technology, my job, physical comfort and a tummy full of chicken-fried steak (one dish I haven't figured out how to make) were the legs of my mast when I dedicated my life to Christ. When I became saved, I told God to take my life and make it into something that will please Him. He immediately began tearing my life down so He could rebuild it. He knocked each of those legs from my mast so that I could come to rely on Him completely.

So, it doesn't always take discipline. If God wants you, He'll come and get you. If you won't bend your knees, He'll bend them for you. Having lost all of my comforts, I cried out to Him. I begged Him to return me to the life I found so comfortable. As Natalie Grant put it so poignantly,

This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

- Held by Natalie Grant
No, God didn't promise us a happy life with all the riches of Solomon. (Read Ecclesiastes. Solomon wasn't happy!) He did, however, promise us a joy-filled life with all the riches of God. His riches are far different from gold and silk which thieves steal and moths destroy. God's riches are joy, peace and love. Without those, what good is life?

Like my dog, we need to be willing to give up our comfortable spot in life and go where God has sent us. Like my dog, we need to come when we are called.

To Be a Hero...

2006-07-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Podcast loosely based on this blog entry available here.

All my life, I've dreamed of being a hero. The guy who pulls someone out of a burning building. The sailor who takes his injured shipmates topside while the ship is sinking. The guy who pushes a little old lady out of the path of an oncoming car.

Sadly, none of those opportunities have presented themselves in my nearly 41 years. My brother and a bunch of his buddies went into a burning house and took all the furniture out while the homeowner was away. I know a few people who have performed CPR on people and saved their lives. Once, when we were in very deep (~25 feet) water off Padre Island, my best friend saved my brother when he started sinking with a charley horse. Me, I've just been chugging along wishing I could one day be a hero.

Then, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine (a lady I called 'Mom' 'cuz I spent so much time at her house during my high school years) told me that I was a hero and was indirectly responsible for saving many souls for eternity. It kinda put everything in perspective.

My friend had four sons and a daughter. The two oldest sons were already out with families of their own. The third son was a year older than me and a good friend. Her daughter is a year younger than me, and the youngest son is a few years younger than her.

In 1982, their dad died of a massive heart attack. Curtis (number 3 son) tried to save him with CPR, but the ambulance crew said he was likely too late - even a few seconds afterward. I'd never been in a situation like that before. I attended church, and I knew a church was supposed to reach out to families in need. If anyone was ever in need, it was that dear family of my friends. I invited them to my church. Then, a few years later, I abandoned the church.

Mom joined the church. The two oldest boys are now preachers. Curtis, sadly, died of cancer a few years ago, but was happy to go to the LORD, for he knew that was his destination. The daughter has become very active in her church, even inviting several friends to turn their lives over to Christ.

And all because I grabbed them while they were sinking.

I learned that it doesn't take much effort to be a hero, really. After all, these lives on Earth are short anyway - and whether we are pulled from a hundred burning buildings, we will eventually go to meet God one day. That's when the real test is. Will your friends stay out of the fire or be burned? What about the co-workers who laugh at you about your relationship with Christ?

Can any of us be a hero? Yeah. We can all be. But it takes some courage. You have to open up your mouth and tell what Jesus has done for you. Remember this: What He did for you, He can also do for your friends. Tell 'em about it!

Can't Have Anything Nice...

2006-07-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

Having one of those days, I guess.

Today, after pondering over the weekend the wisdom of repairing our washing machine and somewhat seriously considered moving to a mountain retreat where electricity was unheard of so we could legally wash our clothes in a stream, we spent $270 to repair it. That's $270 out of the Christmas fund. That's $270 out of next year's vacation fund (which, likely would have been camping at Garner State Park - if it's still open). That's $270 that we won't have to change the oil in the car - which will lead to more mechanical failures and more money down the road. Man, that mountain stream is looking more and more invitin'!!

On Saturday, out of desparation and a refusal to take our dirty laundry outside the house, we put some of our more 'necessary items' (read: underwear) in the bathtub. Using our kids' feet as agitators, we washed our clothes. When they got tired, we took over. We did two rinse cycles, complete with fabric softener. Then my feet and the hands of my wife and I wrung the water out of the clothes so we could put them in the dryer. It worked. In fact, those clothes are some of the brightest I've seen in a while. I think my wife's gonna kill me for publishing this fact. But we got a taste of that mountain stream...

So today we spent the money to repair the washer. After the first load, I find a spring in the bottom of the washer. I called GE and they said, "We can have someone out there on Thursday." I said no way and found the tech's cell phone on caller ID. Being a technician myself, and knowing the horror of someone actually calling your private line for 'free advice', I made it clear why I was calling.

He laughed and said, "I accidentally dumped my toolbox in the tub of the washer. I thought I got everything out! The part you described is from a dishwasher. It's not part of your washer." I thanked him and promised him this would be the only time I called him on this line.

So, I don't have to wait until Thursday to find out I can use my washer. Probably saved my $70 for the service call, too!

Anyway, I'm rambling. After spending the money, I get an offer to be an election judge for a Municipal Utility District (MUD) election. After hearing that it pays, I heartily accept. Well, just paid for the washer repair! Things are looking up again! I begin to wash clothes. And I wash clothes. And I forgot to turn on the dryer. And I have to wait for that load to dry... Oh yeah! Fix dinner! Get dinner done, keep folding clothes... Wife's gotta get up early in the morning and goes to bed before the kids.

Here's the part that really got my blood boiling, and the reason for the post (and for the title of the post). Getting the kids ready for bed, my youngest goes clear around the edge of the living room and trips over the power cord to my wife's laptop. The laptop that I managed to find enough spare parts to build. The laptop that I've poured a lot of time and energy into. The laptop that she loves 'cuz she hates being tied down to a desktop. It was supposed to be a birthday present in 2005, but took me so long to complete that it was a Mother's Day present (three months later). It's not much, it's an old PentiumII-300MHz with 64MB RAM and a 4GB HDD. I mean, $500 could get a much nicer machine today. There was no network built in, so she'd been forced to use Wi-Fi (Yeah, I did spring for a USB 802.11g and a wireless router). Life's tough, right?

So she trips over the power cord and pulls the laptop on the floor. I was getting her bed ready for the night (her matress pad had been waiting for the laundry to be working). My oldest came in and told me what happened. In her hands were the pieces of the USB 802.11g network adapter. Only one piece is missing: The USB plug. In other words, it's broken. I was irate. I put the girls in bed and went and scrounged the parts. I think it's all there, but I am not a soldering technician. I don't like using solder, and there's a reason for it. Perhaps if I could handle a solder iron, I could fix it.

I can't figure out why we can't have anything. The girls insist on breaking everything we have. Why do they do it? If they're not breaking something, then time breaks it - like the washer. Either way, we're not allowed to have anything nice.

'Course, Jesus did talk about this. And writing about it is therapeutic in a way...Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21, NIV

See, my treasures won't be destroyed by moth and rust, rather by my children. They've destroyed keepsakes from my childhood and dishes and gadgets we use every day.

But more importantly, they've destroyed the bond that kept me tied to my job and away from my family. Without them, I would have been a work-a-holic. (My wife's rolling her eyes saying, "Yeah, right!") Am I better off, then, without the stuff? I think so. I've gotten a handle on what's more important in life. Though in the heat of the moment I may fail to recognize it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father. You have dispensed grace upon those of us who did not deserve it. Help us to share that grace with those around us that we feel do not deserve it. Our attachment to material things is not what you have asked. You have asked that we divorce ourselves from these things.

Forgive us for not letting go. Help us to be the role models you want us to be for our children, and for the world. Help us to understand that our piddly 'treasures' won't even hold a candle to what you've promised us!

Help us forgive others when, through ignorance or intent, they destroy what we have. Guide our emotions to your forgiveness. Remind us of how we've grieved you and that you have chosen to discard our actions.

Thank you for cleansing our spirits, Father. Bless those we contact today. Shine your Light through us, so that others may see you in us.

In Christ's Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Father, Take this Cup from Me

2006-07-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Matthew 26:36-39, NIV

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Mark 14:32-36, NIV

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Mark 14:35-36, The Message

Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out: "Papa, Father, you can—can't you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?"

Luke 22:39-44, NIV

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, as these three accounts attest, Jesus asked his father to take away the cup - or, as The Message states, "get me out of this". Let's face it. His task was much more than His physical body could handle. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die, and it took many hours (sometimes days) to accomplish. And He knew what was coming. He knew that He would be crucified - and not for anything He had done. Rather, He would die for what we have done.

Though He knew his assigned fate was a necessary part of Salvation's Plan, He still asked that His Heavenly Father get Him out of this.

Many times, we are also faced with a task which we do not want to complete. This task may be something like visiting a sick person in the hospital or prison. Perhaps it's taking food to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Or, maybe, we have to do the most horrible of all tasks: share Jesus' love with a lifelong friend who does not know Him. And, we, like Jesus, pray that God will get us out of this. We pray hard about it, just like Jesus, though it's not likely you have sweatdrops like blood.

But let's look at the rest of Jesus' prayer: "But please, not what I want—what do you want?" - Mark 14:36, The Message Did Jesus just try to bale out? No. He said, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it." See, Christ didn't just bale out. He acknowledged that this cup was going to be hard to swallow. He also acknowledged that drinking this cup was God's will and part of the Plan.

Perhaps we need to add that to our prayers when faced with an unsavory task. And, add this as well: "Please grant me Your strength and peace to complete this task in Your Holy Name." Asking for His strength in our daily struggles will assure us that we can complete His works. He has promised us this strength.

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.

- John 16:13-15, CEV

The Holy Spirit brings the promised strength. Through the Spiritual Gifts promised in scripture, Christ gives us strength to do our job. When we learn to completely trust in Him, we can completely surrender to Him and do the work He wants us to do.

Take this cup from me, but what I want is not important. Help me do what YOU want me to do.

Woman Spends Life-Savings to Lift Curse

2006-07-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Wo. Ya know, it's amazing what some folks believe.

This lady goes to a psychic and pays $75 to light some candles. "When she said she lights candles, it automatically makes me think it's like a spiritual thing ... a good thing ... you're praying for somebody." But it wasn't enough to be ripped off once, she had to go back and be ripped off again. The second time she was told that there was a curse on her family. It wound up costing her $220,000. And there was a threatening letter written in blood demanding $63,000 or Satan would take someone from her family instead of the cash.

That's when the lights came on and the police were called in.

Read the story here.

What do I believe?

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. - Leviticus 19:31, NIV
I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people. - Leviticus 20:6, NIV
A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.- Leviticus 20:27, NIV

"Ah," you say, "but that is Old Testament Law. That no longer applies under Christ!"
Really?

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

- Galatians 5:16-21, NIV

There's a New Testament Scripture for ya. Witches call upon demons for their power. So do fortune-tellers.

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

- Acts 16:16-18, NIV

So what's the difference between God's prophets and fortune-tellers?

Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us."

- Micah 3:11, NIV

Prophets receive the Word of God and tell the people what God says. They rarely receive the word in plain language, rather in riddles as Numbers 12:6-8 shows:

"When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD."

So, God speaks to prophets in visions and dreams. And He tells them to write exactly what they were told. Hence the cryptic manner of Isaiah and Ezekiel. And prophets do not charge money. Nor are the LORD's prophets ever wrong.

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

- Deuteronomy 18:21-22, NIV

My thoughts about this poor lady who lost everything to a false prophet - "I hope you learned a lesson".

But don't believe me. Check out some of these articles:
AlertNet: Secrets of a Telephone Psychic
Slate Magazine: My Life as a Phone Psychic
CourtTVnews: Seeing the future -- or just dollar signs?

I pray that you won't be misled by false spiritists and seers. I also pray that you will see where the 'real' ones get their power - from the Father of Lies, himself! Your soul (your money, too) are way too precious to be wasted on drivel such as this. Spend your money at Dave and Buster's instead! It's my favorite place to waste money!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2006-07-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

The old Clash song has taken on new meaning. And, it is with fair trepidation that I write this. This may strike a nerve with some readers...

I have been attending two churches for several months. My home church is a wonderful group of people. They introduced me to the Lord. They saw me through many issues, including the loss of my job and the depression that followed. They have helped us financially and spiritually. I have served on ministry teams, and am currently on the Audio/Visual team and the Praise Team. I have made many friends there, and am very happy with MY place in that group.

Yet there have been problems. While I have settled in quite nicely and found my place there, my family has not. My oldest daughter is the only girl in her Sunday School class of seven regulars. Occasionally another girl will visit, but most of the time it's her and 6 rowdy boys. Outside of the Tuesday Morning Ladies Bible Study, there is an annual retreat for ladies. My wife works, so she's only able to attend the retreat. And, they charge money for every dinner or party they have. With our income lately, we simply cannot afford to pay all the time, and who wants to constantly be a charity case? And they don't like pot-luck because they used to have them so often the members got tired of them. Well, I can tell you that's been over five years sincethe last one, 'cuz we've been members there for five years now. When they do have an event, there is nothing for the kids to do. We usually wind up leaving early.

So, I started looking elsewhere on Wednesday nights. I found a nice church, closer to home, with a lot of great programs - some of which I've already become involved. There are more girls in my daughter's class and there are programs for women with jobs. So, a couple of weeks ago, I picked up a New Member Packet.

The following Sunday, one of the leaders at my church remarked that they were trying to find ways to 'grow' the church. I mentioned a few things to him, but didn't get to the meat of the issues until the next Sunday when I mentioned the above problems. He was taken aback. He did not know about these issues, as his kids are grown and gone. We discussed this at length, and I mentioned that my wife would like to join in this conversation as well. I said that we would be available to share our ideas with the elders, the administrative team or anyone who wants to listen.

During the week between the first and second discussion, my wife and I prayed about changing churches and came to the conclusion that it's the same as running away from a problem. That church is our home. The theology is right on, and the people are friendly. We've already carved out a niche there. Why leave? We threw the New Member Packet from the other church in the trash.

How would you deal with problems such as those I've mentioned? Would you church-hop 'til you found the right one? Would you suffer in silence? Or would you choose to voice your opinion? I'll be honest. Had I not been asked (indirect though it was), I would not have said anything. We likely would have begun the transition to another place of worship. Instead, my wife and I would like to work with the church leadership to address these issues. We believe that addressing these issues will help to 'grow' the membership.

Hey, Bering is our home. Leaving there would be like cutting off relations with our own parents.

Response to Amos 9:14-15 comment

2006-07-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was going to do this in a comment, but I'm a rambler and it won't fit in a comment. :) Sorry, GR!

Regarding my previous post and a comment on it...

Amos 9:14-15 (NIV) -

I will bring back my exiled [g] people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

Yes, it does seem to contradict my statement. But when I read the entire passage, beginning with verse 11, I think it agrees with my statement. Read Amos 9:11-15 (NIV):

"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name," declares the LORD, who will do these things.
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.

14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

Amos wrote before the Northern Kingdom was taken by Assyria. He witnessed first-hand the long-term Assyrian plunder. He told the people why this was happening and that they needed to repent. But, he did shine a light of hope, much like Jeremiah and Isaiah who promised that the Kingdom would return. He spoke of the coming LORD and His Kingdom.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary tells it like this:

Christ died to gather together the children of God that were scattered abroad, here said to be those who were called by his name. The Lord saith this, who doeth this, who can do it, who has determined to do it, the power of whose grace is engaged for doing it. Verses #(13 to 15) may refer to the early times of Christianity, but will receive a more glorious fulfilment in the events which all the prophets more or less foretold, and may be understood of the happy state when the fulness both of the Jews and the Gentiles come into the church. Let us continue earnest in prayer for the fulfilment of these prophecies, in the peace, purity, and the beauty of the church. God marvellously preserves his elect amidst the most fearful confusions and miseries. When all seems desperate, he wonderfully revives his church, and blesses her with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. And great shall be the glory of that period, in which not one good thing promised shall remain unfulfilled.

And Edmund Halley's Bible Handbook says this of Amos 9:

Further Prediction of Captivity (1-8). Within 30 years it came to pass, and the apostate kingdom ceased to exist.
The restored Throne of David (8-15). An ever-recurrent prophetic vision of radiant days beyond the gloom. Amos lived near Bethlehem, the city of David. He took it to heart that the Ten Tribes had renounced the Davidic Throne, which God had ordained for his people, and for 200 years had obstinately declined to return to its fold. His last word: In coming days David's Kingdom, which they had despised, will recover, and rule, not over one nation only, but over a World of Nations in Eternal Glory.

The restoration of Israel is, as I said, Christ's Kingdom. It's you and me, brother! It has nothing to do with the current physical city of Jerusalem. It has nothing to do with the mountainous land just west of the Jordan River. It has to do with the people Christ claimed for Himself. Praise God! We will be restored into a land of milk and honey!

Thank you for your comments, GR. I did a lot of reading today.

Morning 'Cokkee'

2006-07-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

My three-year-old is hooked on her morning 'cokkee'. Well, the rest of us call it 'coffee', but she's still working through pronunciations. 'Kingles' is sandals. 'Ca' is water. 'Gucky' is either yucky or hungry, depending on the situation (and there are times when we get confused - like the time she peed her panties and was crying that she was 'gucky' and I kept telling her "that was your choice! you should've used the potty!" then found out that she was hungry...)

Anyway, she likes her morning coffee. The coffee has evolved out of the morning drink, but she doesn't know it. It's now warm milk with a touch of Italian syrup and sugar, but she still thinks it's coffee. Soon the sugar and syrup will completely evolve out and she'll be left with warm milk. It's my wife's fault; she got her started on it. I was opposed to giving an energetic child caffeine in the morning. But in all reality, it started out as a splash of coffee (about 1/4 inch deep) in her sippie cup.

So, she is like her mommy and daddy - she likes her morning coffee. Ya know, you just can't start the day without it. I don't know how I managed to get going for 30 years without it. For several of those years I started the day with a beer. Then my wife got me hooked on coffee. Started off sorta like my daughter's cup, 1/4 inch of coffee in a cup filled with sugar and milk. That's still the way my wife drinks it. Now, I brew a different pot for myself. Mine's dark roast. And strong. And I don't add anything to it, except the very rare heavy cream.

I've learned that there is something better with which we can start our days. It's a morning communion with our loving Father in Heaven. I know, I've started many days this way. Those days seem to be peaceful and easy to manage. I really enjoy the days that begin with a prayer. So why don't I start every day with a prayer?

Well, this morning, I woke up at 5:00 to help my wife get ready for work. Then I went back to bed. I told myself that I'd pray when I got up at 7:00. My alarm went off at 7:00 and I hit the snooze button; several times. When I finally got up, it was almost 8:00. I had to get online and check my e-mail, the status of Tropical Storm Beryl (even though it's nowhere near Texas) the news... and get my morning coffee. I neglected to pray.

Other mornings, I wake up and start praying, only to fall back to sleep 'cuz I was too lazy to get out of bed and talk with the awesome One that created me. Still other mornings, I just don't think about it. I allow the enemy to steal my time away from me. And many of those days I suffer the consequences.

A morning devotional and prayer time makes a marked improvement on the day. It's really worth the attempt to continue. Won't you join me in committing to a more active prayer life? I'm not asking you to give me 30 minutes of prayer every morning. If 30 seconds gets you started, do it. Soon you'll find, as I have, that it may take much longer.

And you'll find your days filled with peace, I promise.

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, The Message

The End of the World... hey - it's right around the corner!

2006-07-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

I've heard a lot of people relating the Israel/Hezbollah "police action" in Lebanon to the Gog/Magog war. Is it? Well, I read Ezekiel 38 and it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, even from the Message. Not much of Ezekiel or Isaiah do. But, I do know one thing. When these prophets (and Revelation) talk about Israel, they are not necessarily talking about a geographic nation, but a group of people.

The word Israel means "Prince of God". When the people of Israel were carted off into Assyrian Captivity 740 years before our Lord was born, the nation of Israel ceased to exist. Therefore, the prophets could not be speaking of a geographic nation. When the nation Israel was established by the United Nations in 1948, it was not founded upon the Laws of the Torah, therefore it was not a nation of God and not the Israel spoken of by the Prophets.

So, we are left with a group of people. But which people? Moses said, in Deuteronomy 18:15-19:

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die." The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.

That prophet was the LORD, Jesus Christ. Peter affirms this in Acts 3:22-23:

For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'

So, if today's Jews have not accepted Christ, they have been cut off. They cannot be the Israel, the Prince of God of whom the prophets spoke. That leaves only one group of people: Christians.

Now, when we read end-of-the-world prophecies concerning Israel, we see that they are speaking about Jesus Christ's true Church. The people of Christ in all parts of the world. And Satan has declared war on us from day one. From Roman persecutions to modern apathy, we have been at war.

Who is Gog? He is the Father of Lies. He is Satan. He has declared war on God and Christ, and on all of us who call Him King. Where is Magog? All the Earth, as Satan is puppet-master of princes and principalities.

Now, to answer my previous question: Is this recent Israeli action against Hezbollah (and, presumably the entire Arab population) the end of the world? It may seem like it when nukes start flying, but my belief is that God did not specify this particular group of combatants.

Comments appreciated...

Anakin Skywalker - revisited

2006-07-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I should call him Anakin Frywalker?

Image courtesy of Entertainment Earth. Click here to see their site!

This is Darth Tator. My wife knows how much I've enjoyed the Star Wars series, particularly Revenge of the Sith. So, she bought me this keyring of Darth Tator. Combine my warped sense o' humor (see my banner above!) with my love for Star Wars, and you get this.

I'm yer po-tater, Cuke! Come to the dark side!

OK, it's lame. But it's all I could think of...

Kinda Pierces your Heart...

2006-07-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

Some friends of ours have adopted their grandchildren. The parents (the generation in between) have been declared unfit parents. There are three children involved. Right there, that's enough to make a grown man weep. The curses are three-fold:

Children taken from their birth parents
Parents who can't get off drugs long enough to raise their own kids
Grandparents who should be celebrating and spoiling their grandchildren have become mom and dad.

The oldest of the three is the only one who really had spent any time with his parents. He lived with them until he was three and he's now six. The second and third were taken shortly after birth. The oldest is, predictably, emotionally scarred by this transaction. Today, at a rehearsal for a children's musical at church, the oldest kid started bawling. Not just whimpering, but let it all hang out bawling.

I picked him up and asked, "What's wrong, big guy?"

He said, "I miss my mommy and daddy."

Wow. What can you say to that? I've never been in his shoes. My mom and dad raised me 'til I was 30, and I plan on keeping my kids until they're ready to leave - somewhere around 45. But this... How am I supposed to respond?

I just held him until he quit crying. But there wasn't anything I could say. This kid has some deep problems. His grandparents are getting him to counseling, and they say it's helping. I just let him know that I loved him and he is loved by everyone in this church.

This was more than I was ready for today. With the Lord's grace, I think things went okay. He was able to finish his work on the musical, and when his grandmother came to pick him up (great-grandma in tow!), he was happy with life.

Jesus tells us "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark 9:37, NIV)

What I did today did not come from scripture, but from the Holy Spirit. I saw a little one crying, and all I wanted to do was hold him. Prior to this day, I've not wanted to hold any kids buy my own. Today, I wanted to hold him and make his tears stop. I really felt like finding his dad so I could show him the tears. "Get your life together, man. Show this child of yours that you love him! He is yours and all you can do is bring pain into his life."

But, I won't do it. If I ever do meet his dad, I'll likely just say "Hi," and mutter something unintelligible.

Pray for all the abandoned children. Love them. They are the innocents of this world. And when they act up, they need to be disciplined in love. Welcome them into your life, and you have welcomed Christ into your life.

A Church in Mourning

2006-07-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

- Romans 12:9-16, NIV

In the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, July 8, 16-year-old Ashton Glover was declared missing from her home in Sugar Land, Texas. An active member of the First Colony Church of Christ Youth Group, she was well-known and loved within the community and her church. Texas EquuSearch, a mounted search and recovery team, began searching on Monday, July 10. That afternoon, her body was found - five miles from where she had last been seen. She had died from blunt-force trauma to her head.

Sugar Land is a small community just southwest of Houston. According to the city's website, Sugar Land is the eighth best place in the USA to raise a family, and among the top 50 places to live in the US. Nearly 75,000 people call Sugar Land home. Sugar Land is also home to the largest Church of Christ in the Houston area, First Colony Church of Christ - where Ashton was a member.

Sugar Land, even with it's close proximity to Houston, is a relatively quiet place to live. As residents said this week, murders are something you just don't hear about in Sugar Land. How could something like this have happened here?

I've been attending First Colony on Wednesdays, and have been feeling a part of the family. Though I did not know Ms. Glover personally, tonight I felt a strong sense of loss. The service was going as normal, with little indication of the heavy hearts many people felt. But roughly 30 minutes into the service, in came a throng of people - Ashton's family and friends - with news that two suspects had been caught trying to cross the border into Canada just minutes before. Then they burst into tears.

Pastor Ronnie Norman ended his lesson - less than a minute into a biography of Mother Teresa - and asked that we abide by Romans 12:15 - mourn with those who mourn. Emotion flooded throughout the church as even those of us who were strangers to the family began to weep.

I pray that Ashton's family can find peace in this ordeal. I pray that those involved will find refuge in Jesus Christ. I pray that we can all be available to mourn when our brothers and sisters in Christ are in pain, as I saw demonstrated tonight in awesome power.

Whose Turn?

2006-07-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

In the continuing chess game that is my life, God and I take turns moving. If I move out of turn, I am penalized (example: I'm pretty sure I bought my house when it wasn't my turn, and now it's the biggest heartbreak I know). So, every now and again, I come to a point where I have to ask "Whose turn is it?"

Funny thing is, He and I are on the same side. We are not opponents.

God is very gracious, and will often let me make mistakes without penalty. Many times, He will even fix my mistakes for me or tell me how to do it. Then, there are times that I like to call the 400 years of silence. I'm in one of those right now. Granted, it hasn't been 400 years since God last spoke, but it sure feels like it.

So, here I am. I'm writing a blog (well, two are mine and one I share), and I'm beginning a 'spoken word' ministry that may eventually go beyond my webpage. What's next? I can't support my family with the income I'm receiving from my blog or my ministry, not that I ever expected to. But there's got to be something more.

I've lost track of who made the last move. Was it me, or was it God? If it was Him, I now have to open a door. My wife tells me it's not my turn, because I don't know which piece to move.

I ask for your prayers as I continue to move pieces with God. Pray that I may find the right move. Pray that whatever I wind up doing, I do it for His glory. And, pray that whatever I wind up doing, it relieves my wife of some of the burden she's currently enduring.

Thank you.

The Name of God

2006-07-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

What is the Name of God? He told Moses (and Jesus later used this name) that His name is "I Am". Throughout scripture, we see Him called YHWH - a name that the ancient faithful dared not even write down, much less speak! But what is His Name?

We know Him as God. He is the One True God. He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. But didn't ancient names have a meaning beyond "mommy and daddy thought this name sounded neat"?

One of the names mentioned in scripture has always stuck with me. "God is Love." That's a name with meaning. If your name is love, isn't there something implied about your character? If you are love, then what else must be true abou you?

Let's compare that with what we already know about God. He's infinite, eternal. He covers everything because the entire universe, with its millions of stars and planets, isn't big enough to hold Him. He's omniscient - He sees and knows everything. He created everything.

Add to these attributes the ingredient love. Now you have infinite love - a love without limits. A Father who will do anything to keep His children with Him, even sacrifice Himself. A Father who, though rejected regularly, is still waiting for Hs children to come to Him.

Eternal love never ends. It is that simple. Your Heavenly Father loved you before you were born, He loves you now (even with all your sin) and he will love you for all eternity - even after the very end of time itself. God is always going to be there for you, even when it seems like the whole world is out to get you.

God's love covers everything. Everything! There is not a spot in all of creation that cannot feel or experience God's love. He made everything. He touches everything. His love permeates the deepest dungeon with the same intensity as on the mountaintop. You cannot escape it, though you may, at times, want to.

He loves you, even though He sees your heart and deeds. He loves you, even though He knows you. Can you say the same of your friends? Your family? Your spouse?

Let's be honest. None of us is as goody-goody as our family would like, let alone our Heavenly Father. Yet "He loved us while we were still sinners."

Romans 5:8

Finally, His love for us is a simple, unconditional love that a Father has for His children, and the love an Artist has for His work. We are His children, and we are His handiwork. His love for us is above and beyond all that could possilbly try and come between us.

Have you felt the love of the Father? Have you felt the peace that only the Lord can provide? He's waiting to give it to you. All you have to do is ask with a truly repentant heart. He gave you life. Give it back to Him and He will fill it with joy.

Do you have any questions? Let me know.

The Mountain of God

2006-07-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

- The Mountain of God by Third Day

A friend of mine once asked "How do you get out of the valley?" It sparked a memory of when I lived in a valley - literally.

From 1976 until 1978, I lived in Pahrump Valley in Southern Nevada. Among Pahrump's claims to fame are: cotton, amazing wines, Art Bell, and it was the first place blown up in the movie "Mars Attacks!" Summers in Southern Nevada are hot. Though the temperature regularly tops 100°F, it's still more comfortable than the routine 90° with 95% humidity here in my new home. And, when the temperatures are high in early summer, you can drive up to the top of Mt. Charleston and, occasionally, cool down in snow. This is Mt. Charleston viewed from Pahrump.

During the summer months, when you are struggling with the heat, you take a break and go play in the snow. Now, this is not as easy as it seems. That mountain is quite a distance from you. It's 11,918 ft tall, and your elevation is about 2,800 feet. So, you have to climb 9,000 feet to get to the top of the mountain. Load up the 4x4 with food, make sure your spare (or two) is good, and pack a lunch. You're gonna be there for a while.

It takes a couple of hours to drive up the mountain. There are no roads. When you get there, you've got to spend some time in the snow. Then a couple hours to drive back. And you don't want to drive where there are no roads after dark. And night comes early in the valley.

Yeah, it's kinda like the Mountain of God. Your valley is where you live. You struggle and struggle to maintain some sort of sanity as life throws all kinds of curve balls at you. But, you look up on God's mountain, and there's snow. So, you prepare (study the Word), and get yourself ready for the journey. You pledge yourself to be God's worker in this world. You promise that you will head up that mountain whatever it takes. In my case, I lost my job. That was part of getting ready.

When you're prepared, you start climbing up that mountain. There's a lofty (literally!) goal ahead of you. You want to touch the face of God. And, one day, you will make it to the summit. It's going to be hard. Getting up that mountain is not easy. But when you meet God, it will all make sense.

I pray for each of you, as I do for my friend, that the journey up God's Mountain will be as painless as possible. I pray for peace as you struggle. Please pray for me, as well. The journey is difficult, but I know I'll see every one of you in the end.

My Thoughts about Ken Lay & Enron

2006-07-06T04:36:00.000-07:00

I live in Yewsten, Texas. In 2001, I worked for a large oilfield-support company. I had been in downtown Yewsten for a while with a desk by a window on the 26th floor. Outside my window, I watched a parking lot be transformed into the Enron II Building. It took six months to dig the hole, then they added a floor a week until I was transferred and couldn't watch construction any more. :(

After 9/11 came the Yewsten IT crunch. Maybe it was a nation-wide IT crunch. Either way, I was out of a job. And none were forthcoming. Here in Yewsten, all fingers pointed to Enron. I don't know how Enron could have affected my job with an unrelated company, except for the fact that so many experienced people were dumped on the job market at one time. Those in charge of Enron began to be villified for what they'd done.

Now, I'll be honest. I'd never met Ken Lay or Jeffrey Skilling or any of the others who took the heat for their role in the fall of Enron. But Prison Ministry has given me a new outlook on people. Prisons are full of hard-core, violent people as well as a lot of good people who made a mistake. In fact, my experience in prison, both as an inmate and a minister, shows that the latter are a vast majority over the former.

I believe that those who were responsible for Enron's failure fall into the latter category. Let's start by looking at all the good they did.

Enron Field - The Astros were looking for a new home. They needed investors to build a new stadium, and Enron topped the list. They bought the naming rights to the stadium, but lost the rights after they couldn't pay any more. It is now called Minute Maid Park (Minute Maid headquarters are right here in Yewsten).
Ken Lay YMCA - Ken Lay donated much of the money needed to build a YMCA branch in Katy, Texas. I've been there. It's one of the nicer YMCA facilities in the Yewsten area. After his conviction, the YMCA began considering a name change. They don't want a convict associated with a Christian organization.
The Ken Lay Foundation - donated $2.5 million in 2000 to various organizations.
Kenneth L. Lay Chair in Economics - At his alma mater, University of Missouri - Columbia.

Kenneth Lay was, for the most part, a good man. Like so many in prison, he made a serious mistake. A mistake that was serious enough to forfeit the rest of his life. And in true American fashion, all the good he did was completely forgotten.

Now that he's gone, we need to let bygones be bygones. The appeal of his conviction will never happen. Wherever he is, he can't take it with him. I pray that his family finds peace; that society leave them alone. We cannot undo the past. As Christians, we are called to forgive and love.

Many have told me that the reason I lost my job was because of this man. I don't care. I look at what he did in the first 59 years of his life, and see a great deal of good.

The Devil and Anakin Skywalker

2006-07-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

SPOILER WARNING!

if you have not seen the Star Wars series, and you wish to do so, stop reading now!

Click here for PodCast.

This weekend, we rented the first three Star Wars DVDs. My daughter likes Jar Jar Binks. Well, I think he was put there to keep the kids happy as Mom and Dad watched a good movie.

When Star Wars first came out, I was a Han Solo fan. Yeah, Luke was the hero, but I liked Solo. Yeah, Darth Vader was cool, but I liked Solo. All that changed when I grew up and George Lucas offered us the 'prequels'. I watched 'cuz I wanted to see how Darth Vader got in the suit. What I got was a life lesson that continues to haunt me.

Anakin Skywalker was a good kid. Born of a virgin (part of the story I have issues with, but I'll overlook that for this discussion), Anakin was stronger in the Force than any living Jedi. We would say he was more spiritual than anyone. But, as I have found, spirituality does not mean you are a good person. Anakin, as a boy, was good. "He gives to others without thought of reward."

When he began to be recognized for his abilities, however, he began to feel pride. The pride led to jealousy since he wasn't recognized as highly as he thought he should be. The one person that did recognize him was someone who just wanted to use him. A guy named Palpatine, a 'Sith' lord, was Lucas' version of Satan.

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
- 2 Peter 2:1-3

Just as Satan rejected God in his search for power, Palpatine rejected good in his search for power. Satan pulls his most effective workers from the pews. Palpatine plucked his recruits from the ranks of the good Jedi Knights - the galactic defense squad. Satan twists truth and logic to make evil appear good. Palpatine did the same.

Anakin Skywalker, obsessed with his forbidden love, believed that she would die if he didn't take steps to prevent it. Enter Chancellor Palpatine. With a lie, he begins to plant the seed that would undo Anakin's goodness. "You can save her life, if you bow down to me." With that, Anakin rejects his vow to the Jedi and becomes evil. He becomes Darth Vader.

How he gets in the suit is now immaterial.

Anakin rejected the Jedi in much the same way many of us reject God. We are trying to find our own way to fix things that are best left in God's hands. Yoda tells Anakin, "Death is a part of life." We must believe that what God is doing needs to be done. We must believe that God is guiding us into His path. And, we must allow it to happen.

Oh, and don't forget that Anakin repented at the end of the series (which came out before the beginning...). He knew he couldn't kill his own son, even though the devil told him to do it. So, he destroyed the evil that had twisted his mind.

Have you rejected the Lord in favor of doing it your way? It's not too late to ask for His forgiveness, and that's all you have to do is ask.

If you'd like to talk about it, let me know.

Here's Lena's Pan

2006-07-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

FHL - Where my Friends Are

2006-06-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Faith, Hope, Love Forums is my place to hang out. Why?

Well, in October 2005, I was looking for something to do on the internet. I'd heard about chat rooms, but even with over 11 years of internet experience I'd never visited one. So, I decided to search for forums with Christians. I found one called, appropriately enough, Christian Forums. I enjoyed the camaraderie that I was building there, but there were some very restrictive rules. Some of my posts were removed due to 'questionable content', and I was getting frustrated 'cuz I couldn't figure out what the objectionable content was.

I made some friends there, known only by their screen names. Among them were Squatpuke (he's a weight-lifter), Addicted2Jesus (who types his native Texan dialect quite well), Andiesmama (quiet but very interesting once she gets started) and, of course, The GutterRat (needs no introduction, but needs to post in his blog!).

One day, I got a PM (private message - come on! Get with the times!) from GutterRat inviting me to a new place with few rules and even fewer deleted posts. I decided to check it out and what I found was a group of people who truly love the Lord. But they are not the high-and-mighty people that many have come to associate with Christians. So, I signed up.

We talk about bodily functions. We talk about our spouses (even if they are also active members...) Occasionally we get out of hand. But more importantly, we are there for each other.We pray when another needs prayer. We celebrate when another has a praise report.

These are the folks that inspired me to start blogging. These are the folks that inspired me to actively pursue a theology degree. These are the folks that helped me through some hard days and kept me laughing on rainy days. There are days when you won't get anything done, 'cuz you gotta see the next reply. I check it almost daily (weekends excepted), even when out of town. This is My Healthy Internet Addiction (with apologies to Laura Ingraham).

Check us out. We are FHL Forums. We'd love to meet you!

Update on Podcasts...

2006-06-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm creating a repository of my podcasts. You can download them from here, and there is a link in the sidebar to the right. Check 'em out!

Individual downloads:
Hell.mp3 - about that Fiery Place
Hate.mp3 - Hate in the Name of Love
Prison.mp3 - My recent foray into Prison Ministry
Radioactive.mp3 - Comparing the experiences of David Hahn with our lives as Christians

Enjoy!

Radioactive Boy Scout

2006-06-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

See Also my Homeschool Blog for some more details.
Download the podcast here.

In 1994, David Hahn built a nuclear reactor in his backyard. He was using materials that are commonly available such as lantern mantles and smoke detectors. When it was all said and done, his mother's potting shed was cut into pieces and buried in a high-level nuclear waste facility in Utah. He had absorbed enough radiation to prevent him from ever working in the nuclear industry again.

David Hahn was messing with something a lot more powerful than he really understood. Though he's a genius in the world of nuclear physics, he's caused irrepairable damage to his reputation... and to his body.

Our lives can be a lot like that. We start playing with things about which we don't understand the power, like alcohol or pornography. These things are dangerous. We think we can play with it once, and still have control over it.

Experience tells me we can't control these things. You try it once and you like it. You stick with it for a little while. Before you know it, you're hooked and you can't get away from it. Or, like David Hahn, you find yourself in a position where you can never, ever, be around it again.

These things are dangerous. But we do have something that can help us around them. His name is Jesus Christ, and He can protect us from evil.

Folks, Jesus Christ is the best thing that ever happened to me. He freed me from pornography and he freed me from alcohol. He can do the same for you if you only let him.

If you have any questions, ask me.

They call it a PodCast

2006-06-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

I just don't get it. :)

Seriously, I'm getting started at this. Check out Hell.mp3 and hate.mp3. You can also hear them at my new favorite 'net radio station: Sound Relevance. Check it out.

Ok - not much to write, been too busy recording. :)

Adios!

Going to Prison

2006-06-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I went to prison. Yeah, I know - you're saying, "I thought Clay was such a good guy. Yeah, he rambles a little bit, but overall he's a good guy."

Well, it's not what you think. I went there on a prison ministry program. I'm hooked. I met a guy who reminded me so much of me about 20 years ago. It was scary. Here he was, in his white pajamas, telling me about his life. Though he wasn't interested in studying the Bible, he did want to talk about life. When I told him about where I'd been, he felt he could relate to me.

In a nutshell (Read the whole gory story here), my story is two months in the Navy Brig, three years drunk and three years medicated for bipolar disorder. There ya go. None of those is who I am now that God has his hand in my life. So, this guy was pretty close. Only he's in prison for a little longer than two months; he's got two years.

I'd felt nudged to check out prison ministry for quite a while. Now, I think it may be a route to follow. I've got a lot of giving to do, and I can give a lot here.

Bulemic Animals

2006-06-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

All I can figure is dogs and cats must be bulemic. You don't bulemia? (say it out loud. :)

My dog and my cat both like to eat grass until they puke. Usually the dog keeps it outside. But the cat, however, hates our new carpet. She's not even allowed outside, but if my two-year-old leaves the door open - she's out there eating grass.

So, I have bulemic animals. I wonder what other psychiatric disorders they may suffer from.

How about schizophrenia? The cat barks like a dog and the dog scratches like a cat. Hmmm.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder? The cat gets really upset if her litterbox isn't exactly in the right place. Accidentally kick it or nudge it a couple of inches, she gets mad. The dog obsessively cleans the floor of any food particles. OK - maybe that's just a dog looking for more food, but you get the idea.

How do you treat animals with 'emotional issues'? Is there doggie-lithium or kitty-halidol? Nah. Just love 'em. They're still your kids, and you gotta love your kids. Remember - they are the meaning of unconditional love.

A Communion Meditation

2006-06-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today, I was asked to deliver the Communion Meditation. This is what I wrote:

Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, and he said to them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."

Matthew 26:36-38, CEV

Jesus knew what was going to happen. Only a short time before, He had told His disciples about it. He was going to take on all the sins of all people - past, present and future. For one to bear their own sin is much more than any single person can bear. How, then, can one Man bear the sins of the whole world?

His humanity couldn't handle it. His deity could, but it required great physical agony, prompting the emotional agony in the Garden.

He prayed three times that this cup be taken from Him, but His relationship with the Father led him to say, "Not My will, but Yours." What You know needs to be done, let it be done.

We take the elements, the bread and the cup, in memory of His sacrifice. It's our way of saying "Thank You!"

Can we REALLY live under the law?

2006-06-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

Is it possible for a human being to live under law? Why would you want to?

Galatians 3:10-14
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Living under the law is a curse. Is one capable of being 100% pure and holy? Have you ever, even for a fleeting moment, thought about sinning? "Hey, she's hot! I'd really like to..." That, my friend is a sin. Did you pray to God at that moment and ask forgiveness? What if you'd died while that thought was in your head? Would you be resting in His favor or would you be barbecued?

Living under the law is what drives many away from the church of Christ - and, quite honestly, keeps them away from church at all. When one realizes that living a holy life is unattainable, they decide that there's no use in trying. Why try if all that work means you're only going to be condemned in the end? "If I'm going to hell anyway, I may as well enjoy the ride!" I spoke those words after a Navy chaplain - a man to whom I'd gone for counseling and reconciliation - told me "Jesus doesn't want people like you". I then embarked on a life of drunken revelry.

Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

God knew we couldn't live up to His standards. They're too high. That's why he made available atonement through sacrifice. He knew we would all need it. People became more attached to the "law" than to God. A new order was created - the Pharisees. They were self-appointed "God's police", as if He needed police. Their job was to ensure nobody broke the letter of the Law. But in doing so, they missed the spirit of the Law. They gave to the temple, but only because they were commanded to do so. They worshipped in a manner pleasing to God, but only because they were commanded to do so. Their hearts were empty and God knew it.

His Holy Word put on flesh and came to Earth as a human being: the Messiah, the Christ. The reason - to be a sacrifice. To be cursed in order to lift our curse.

Romans 3:21-26
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

- the emphasis was mine.

Our righteousnes comes through Christ. That's it. We cannot be holy, so Christ is our holiness. Obedience is a symbol of our faith in Christ. Disobedience is not a question of salvation (because my child disobeys me, I do not disown her), rather a question of faith - and that is not necessarily for others to decide. Others can bring the disobedience to light, in a private conversation or (if necessary in very rare instances) by following the example in 1 Corinthians 5.

My friends, I am a sinner. I am not worthy of God's favor. I cannot be; it is an impossible task for me. Yet, I am justified and holy through Christ. I am obedient to His command because I desire it, not because I am fearful of any consequences. My obedience will not get me into Heaven, nor will disobedience get me barbecued in the lake of fire. They are rewarded and chastised (respectively), quite often in this lifetime. I will die with a disease acquired from my promiscuous lifestyle (hepatitis B). My credit is shot, and nobody will give me credit at a decent rate (but they will give it to identity thieves!).

Teaching grace is sadly lacking in the traditional church of Christ. Grace is our only hope. Without grace, our lives are meaningless; our deaths, final. Without grace we will face God's wrath as an unbeliever. Without grace, my every indiscretion would remain with me throughout my entire existence - both on this world and after. Without grace, I would not rest with my Heavenly Father.

Can one REALLY live under the law? No. With Christ, we don't have to.

The Mystical Book

2006-06-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

All my life, I'd heard stories about ancient books filled with wisdom, written by mystics of old. Some of them have keys to unlock ancient doors. Others contain words that, when used properly, can unleash tremendous powers. The legends of these books are probably as old as the wisdom they are rumored to contain. With an eye to easy power, I began to search for these books.

I thought, "If I'm to understand what this ancient wisdom is all about, I need to read about the times." I began to study ancient religions in an attempt to get a better feel for their roots. If I understand why people worshipped ancient gods, I may be able to understand their wisdom. Though the idea of worshipping a god of rain seemed far from wise, there had to be something there, right?

My search for wisdom in ancient books was abandoned, however, when I became frustrated at what seemed to be a futile search. I became bogged down in everyday life and decided that the wisdom of the ancients was fine for the ancients. I needed contemporary wisdom. I can only find that in contemporary studies.

I began to study the works of Neitzsche, Voltaire and Twain. I indulged in the works of [George] Carlin, [Garrison] Keillor and [Lenny] Bruce. I listened to Beethoven, Mozart, Rush and Pink Floyd. "There is wisdom in their art," I exclaimed. Still, though, I felt that modern philosophy had somehow missed the mark.

"What does it all mean?" I pondered this question day after day, seeking an answer that was apparently not availble in temporal things. My thoughts kept returning to the ancient wisdom. Socrates? Plato? Aesop? Sargon?

One day I began to read an ancient mystical book. In it, I found what it all means. I discovered the ancient wisdom I had sought for so long. And I didn't have to hunt through dusty book stores or meet in a meadow with torches to get it. It was available in my local store. In fact, I got it at no charge just for asking.

What is this book? It is the Ancient Word of God - the Holy Bible. All my life, I had sought the wisdom that was always at my fingertips. All my life I thought the Bible was merely a collection of laws and instructions. Well, I was wrong. This book is full of ancient wisdom. Had I read it and absorbed it sooner, my life would likely have been a lot different than it was.

Are you seeking wisdom? Are you seeking answers? Try the Bible. E-mail me if you would like to talk about it.

Asceticism

2006-05-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

Noun

asceticism

The principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity

- Thanks to Wiktionary for this definition

To be ascetic for Christ. To deny oneself for the sake of spiritual growth. Monks throughout history have done it, some of them successful. Others have just decided it's too hard and fall away.

So, is ascetism a good or bad thing? Well, I've thought about it quite a bit. Not like I sit there and think, "I need to become an ascetic." Rather I think that humbling myself to God to the point where I have nothing will require me to allow Him to provide for me. Does that make sense? Let me try it this way:

humble yourself until you have nothing
God must provide

OK - so, to what degree should we deny ourselves? I've read writings by Christians who are offended when they see other people claiming to be Christians driving around in fancy cars. Heck, if I believed that, I'd be offended by nearly every member of my church! Many Christians become ascetic to a degree during Lent - though some do it because it's tradition and have missed the point of self-denial completely. Some believe Lent to be a competition "I can hold out better than you can!" Boot camp was asceticism for a different reason.

Another example of asceticism would the Amish people.

Amish people interpret linking with electrical wires as a connection with the world - and the Bible tells them they are not to be 'conformed to the world' (Romans 12:2) In 1919 the Amish leaders agreed that connecting to power lines would not be in the best interest of the Amish community. They did not make this decision because they thought electricity was evil in itself, but because easy access to it could lead to many temptations and the deterioration of church and family life.
- http://www.800padutch.com

But why? And how? Those questions are probably better answered by each individual. Why would you want to deny yourself earthly pleasures? Why would I want to deny myself a motor vehicle or the occasional beer or (heaven forbid!) my blog? Well, the answer lies in my desire for spiritual growth.

I want nothing more than to be close to God. Sometimes, that means I must deny what I want - especially when my desires conflict with His. So - am I ascetic? I don't know. I desire a nice color TV (mine died), rather than a 5" black and white, but to buy one means I would be denying food for my family. So, I deny my desires for a TV to fulfill God's desires in my life - feeding my family. Am I ascetic? Nah - I'm not extreme.

But, if denying the TV brings me closer to God, will denying myself other things also bring me closer? Maybe, maybe not. I think it all depends on my focus for denial. When I deny myself these things, will I focus on the fact that I miss them? That focus leads to the "Forbidden Fruit" mentality. I become so engrossed in what I can't have that I can't focus on what I do have. That happens when I try to fast. I can't think of anything except the gnawing pain in my empty tummy.

For asceticism to work, there are many factors that must come into play. One day, I hope that I will be happy with whatever I have, and not desire to have more. God will fulfill all of my desires, and I will be left not wanting more. That likely won't happen until the day I meet Him face to face. 'Til then, I'll keep working on it.

It is Well With My Soul

2006-05-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

The old hymn - kicked up a notch by Todd Agnew - really holds true for me. Whatever my lot, you have taught me to say 'it is well, it is well with my soul'. I can't say it any better than Mr. Horatio Spaford did 133 years ago.

I have weathered some storms - some that many people in the same situation have hung it up. In fact, I tried. But I made it through, and only by the Lord's peace.

I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life.

Lamentations 3:55-58, NIV

My pit was bipolar disorder. The depths of the pit was wanting to join Him as quickly as I could (read: enditol - suicide).

But by honestly seeking Him and His Presence in my life, I have escaped the pit. He said, "Do not fear". He redeemed my life.

When the future looks dark and scary, I can turn to Him and feel peace. When it seems as if it just can't get any worse, I look to Him and see the blessings. When I feel like I just can't go on, I find motivation in Him.

When peace like a river attends my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
You have taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul"

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought.
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll!
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend!
It is well, it is well with my soul!

More blogging

2006-05-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

OK - so maybe I'm blogging too much. Hey - you can never have enough blogs, right? Well, I started one about homeschooling. It's at http://homeschooldadrambler.blogspot.com. Check it out! Let me know what you think!

I'm outtahere...

Providence - God Provides

2006-05-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

The American Heritage Dictionary defines Providence (definition 3) as The care, guardianship, and control exercisec by a deity; divine direction. Definition 4 says simply, God.

God does provide. God knows the future and guides us to it, if we will only listen.

The weekend of April 28, my wife asked me to 'whack and re-load' her Windows '98 laptop. 'Whack and re-load' means to completely erase everything from the hard drive and put everything back on. With early versions of Windows, it's actually routine maintenance to do this periodically. The reason? The machine was running slowly. So, the first step was to back up all the data. I painstakingly searched for every bit of something that she may want to keep, and put it in a safe place. I then 'whacked and re-loaded' the laptop.

A week later, the hard disk died. No way to recover the data - it was gone. But, apparently because of God's prompting, all the data was backed up. All I had to do was pop a new hard drive in and restore the data I'd backed up on April 28.

See, God knows what He's doing, even if we don't understand it. To many people, the prospect of backing up the data would have been more than they could handle. Me, being a tech-support kinda guy, it was part of the routine maintenance. When He prompted us to re-load the computer, He knew that backing up the data would have been part of the procedure. That way, when the drive died a week later, everything was there.

Now, I was really upset about the drive dying. Here, God gives us stuff (a friend of mine had a bunch of 'junk computer equipment' he wanted to get rid of so it's filling up my garage!), then He takes it away. Why does He do that? Well, before He took it away (time did that, not God), He made sure we didn't lose anything except the physical asset of the drive. All the intellectual property (the projects my wife is working on) survived.

Not to mention the fact that I couldn't get the computer to recognize the new drive for a day or so. Well, if I'd pushed the drive all the way in so it made contact with the connector... DOH!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, sometimes you bless us in ways we never see. Sometimes you guide us to do things that don't even register - they look so routine. But behind every little thing You do, there is a larger reason. Help us, Father, to see what you are doing in our lives. Help us to be thankful for even the smallest gifts You give us.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Random Ramblings

2006-05-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

Just 'cuz it's been a while since I've posted.

Proud Papa Moments

My youngest is finally potty-trained. That alone is reason for celebration. But there was an extra bright spot last Friday when we were shopping. I had put a diaper on her for her nap, and as soon as she woke up, we went to the store. I didn't change her, just left her diaper on. She said, "I need to go potty". I said, "Just go in your diaper" since I didn't have a change with us. She wouldn't do it. She held it. I found a change in the car and we went back inside and took care of business.

My oldest is learning (among other things) about telling time. We were working on half-past yesterday. She was having trouble getting it, I'm not sure exactly what was the hold up, but we kept plugging away. Suddenly, the light came on. I could see it on her face. She was able to get the whole page of half-past questions in about a minute. I remember moments like that. I remember how it felt. I reached down and hugged her.

Why am I a Christian Moments

I'm a non-denominational Christian. I have issues with denominations. In fact, I'm asking my church to change their name to simply 'church'. As you know, if you've read much of this blog, I would like to see the Body of Christ reunited into one body - not a bunch of folks who can't agree. Then I run into someone who's so wrapped up in their own truths that they think it's gonna be only them and the angels in Heaven with God. How the heck do they figure they're so righteous? And they tend to cram it right down your throat, too. "I never touched a drop of booze. I never went to a school dance. I was never naked until I was married." So, I try to talk to them, but I'm not good enough for them to listen.

The church behind my house keeps scheduling construction in the wee hours of the morning. They don't seem to understand that people live and sleep near their facility. This morning at 5:00, I have no idea what they were doing. But I hear a loud diesel engine running then the "beep beep beep" as it backs up and goes again. Last summer they were putting in a parking lot and everything started at 3am. 3:00 in the morning. I didn't even get up that early in Boot Camp! What's up with that?

Then I remember, "Jesus died for them, too." They may be in Heaven with me, and I have no right to be hard on them. I would sincerely like to dialogue with them, but if it won't happen, I won't lose any sleep over it. I'll just keep praying for them.

FINALLY!!! Moments

In February, I posted about the sewage coming up in my house. Well, in early March, we moved all the furniture from the area of the house that's getting new carpet. We painted and waited for the carpet to move everything back. The only things that remained was the living room furniture and our master bedroom bed and dressers. Everything else went to our spare bedroom and dining room. So, we haven't had access to our spare bed or dining table since the second week in March.
Well, last Friday (April 28) the carpet was finally installed. FINALLY! This week we started moving everything back. It's a slow process, especially since the wife has to be present to supervise the move and make sure everything gets exactly right. She does listen to my suggestions, she's not bull-headed, but I better not do anything when she's not here.
By the end of this weekend, we should have everything put back where it goes.

In March, I posted about my upper GI. Last Wednesday (April 26), I had an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. I asked the nurse how to pronounce it - she said, "EGD". I laughed. Well, they found a hiatal hernia. This isn't like a hernia from lifting something wrong, this is where the stomach actually pokes up into the esophagus. There is a sphincter there that is supposed to keep acid in the stomach. If the stomach comes through that sphincter, acid comes up into the esophagus. What causes it? I can't find that information. So the doctor wants me on medicine that my insurance won't cover. I would appreciate prayers that this will heal - soon. It hurts.

HMMMmmmm moments

I read the news and I can't believe some of the stuff I read.
A Kennedy crashes his car into a security barrier by the Capitol building. Though he appears intoxicated, "Someone over the rank of patrolman said to take him home."

Associated Press, 05/04/06

Yeah, right. If I tried that, I'd be taken to jail with a broomstick as my best friend. He's a Kennedy, though, and he can get away with murder. Happens all the time with them.
Moussaui gets life in solitary confinement. 23 hours a day without human contact. I can see the human rights freaks swarming all over this one saying, "It's cruel and unusual punishment!" Well, I think the punishment fits the crime. He tried to attack the United States. As far as I'm concerned, he's an enemy combatant and shouldn't even be in the civilian prison population. Put him in the same cell as Terry Nichols. Let them live it up together.

OK - I'm starting to get a little hot under the collar. Gotta stop this one before I get out of hand. Just remember - there is no justice in this world. Adam turned it all over to Satan in the Garden when he chose to disobey God. Maranatha! May Christ Return Soon!

Stormy Morning

2006-04-21T05:24:00.000-07:00

Seems like every couple of years we get a storm that knocks out our power for an extended period of time. We've been in this house for 6 1/2 years, and this is the third one. Well, the power went out while I was working on a nice, long post at FHL Forums. And, I'd just gotten my desktop hooked up so I was using it. That means, when the power went out, I lost my post.

Well, the power went out at about 6:00 this morning. I'm listening to the radio (KSBJ - you can get it where you are via the 'net!), and we're on the edge of the tornado warning. Now we've got a candle going, and I'm working on my laptop. When it's not connected to the network (which is down right now due to lack of power! :) ), I get a couple hours of battery life. Not too bad.
Well, I'm rambling right now. (Is that appropriate?)
My girls got up - the thunder and lightning scared them. I lit a candle and I've got nice God music playing on the radio. I pulled out the sofa bed and they're snuggled up on it. My little one is terrified. Big sister is holding her. We are incommunicado 'cuz I let my cell phone lapse, and without power our VOIP is down. I need to get a backup power system. My wife got to work before the storm started. There was a lot of lightning when she left.
We're very close to the Fort Bend/Harris County line (on the Harris County side) and Fort Bend County is under a tornado warning until 6:35am. It's 6:30 right now. A severe thunderstorm warning for Harris (and surrounding) County until 7:00 am. I'm completely in the dark - no lights inside or out. But Fort Bend County is large, and, though I don't know where the tornadic storm is, I can be about 95% sure it's not near our neck of the woods.
Of course, this won't be posted until the lights come back on. What's frustrating is that I got up early (5:00) to work on my web page. All my stuff is stored on a server which is down right now.

Well, apparently, God has bigger things in store for me today than working on my webpage. I've got the windows open and the radio on. I'm keeping my kids calm. I'm watching God's light show and listening to His drum solo. If anyone knows how to play the drums, it's Him!
6:40 - there's still a lot of thunder and lightning, but the rain's let up. I think the storm has passed to the east. When the power comes up, I'll download a radar loop and post it along with this. There are about 20 counties under a severe thunderstorm warning, and Chuck Swindoll just came on the radio. He's always a calming influence. The kids like the radio, it's keeping them calm.
I'll post more later.
Well, 7:17 now. The lights came back on. I'm getting breakfast ready for the kids. I'll find the radar loop and download it.

Fun morning! Adios!

The Perils and Pitfalls of being a Stay-At-Homeschool Parent

2006-04-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well, my doctor said it wasn't the wasp sting that made me sick. No, it's the flu. Just good timing.

So, now I feel horrible, and I'm still responsible for my 24x7 job. My wife can't take off from work, and I know she can't, so I have to take my daughter to homeschool PE. I have to prepare lunch. I still have to do lessons. And I feel horrible. I just want to lay in bed.

When I had a job, if I had the flu, I'd stay in bed until I got better. Now that I don't have a real job, I have to work. I wish there was a better way.

Homeschooling is great. She's in first grade (technically) and reading at a 4th grade level, doing 3rd grade math. She's not exposed to the anti-Christianity you get in public schools. She's not exposed to the blatant sex and drugs that are available in elementary school.

But days like today make me wonder. True, I've still got a two-year-old to deal with, even if the older one was in school, but that would only be half the kids to care for.

Ah, well. I guess that no matter what we choose, there will be problems associated with it. Today I want to make my kids take a nap all day. That way I can, too.

nothing special

2006-04-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

I was gonna write something profound today, but yesterday I got stung by a wasp and I think I'm mildly allergic. I really don't feel good today. So I'm not going to write anything today except for this complaing. Check back often - you never know when something really profound will come from this keyboard!

Getting things set up

2006-04-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm setting up a website that I call "A Clearinghouse for All Things Clay". It's gonna have stuff about homeschooling, Christian Unity, programs I've written, etc. I'm also going to have a place on there from where I can sell stuff. Homeschooling is expensive, and I need to raise money. So, I'm gonna try to sell stuff. As soon as I get a domain name, I'll be online.

More later!

Learning experiences

2006-04-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

A brief note 'cuz there needs to be a couple of updates...

On February 13, 2006, I posted a comment about the sewage that spewed up into my house. I was very happy for my neighbor who has been fighting ever since (2 months tomorrow) to get this resolved. I am still without carpet in the affected areas. But I continue to thank God for my good neighbor who's keeping an eye out for us.
Rather than post names and phone numbers of everyone's who's dropped the ball on us, I ask that you pray for those who have tried to hold out on us. Pray that they may see the error of their ways. Pray that they may change their hearts. Also, pray that I maintain an even keel through this whole thing.
Lesson Learned: Always know who your friends are!

My oldest learned how to ride her bike on Tuesday. This was a major success. She'd been so afraid to ride it that she grew out of two bikes before successfully riding one. Sunday afternoon, she came in excited about riding her bike. Mommy was going to help her. A few minutes later, she was crying that Mommy wouldn't let her skate. I said, "I thought you were going to ride your bike." She said, "I want to skate. Mommy wants me to ride my bike."
I went and asked Mommy - the same Mommy that will not tolerate quitters. She said, "She got scared to ride her bike and wanted to skate instead."
So, I went back in and began what I call my "Baptist Sermon" about riding the bike. My daughter's favorite Bible verse is "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I started hitting that one hard. If I'd had a pulpit, I would've been hitting it. I told her that she knows that verse in her head - now she needs to drive it home in her heart! There will be no skating until you can ride your bike to the end of the street! And your goal is Friday. "So let it be written, so let it be done!" That was Sunday.
Monday, she was out there trying to ride her bike. Though I told her she was going to get 30 minutes, she worked for 90 minutes. She was doing pretty good, but still needed help. Tuesday, she went AROUND THE BLOCK!!!! Woohoo! Three days before her goal of riding to the end of the street, she went around the block with Mommy! I was so proud of my girl! Now she can choose - skate or bike.
Lesson Learned: Determination will get you through anything.

Wednesday, we made a cake. I gave Nichole two measuring cups (1 cup, 1/4 cup) and asked her to fill them up and put them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Well, we didn't quite understand the concept of seconds and minutes. She set the microwave for 30:00 and hit start. I was getting stuff ready and looked around for my water. I looked at the microwave and my jaw dropped when I saw that there were 26:37 remaining in my 30 seconds. It had cooked for 3:23!
I opened up the door and pulled out the plastic cups of boiling water. One had a spot in it. When I picked it up, all the water ran out through the spot - which was a hole in the bottom of the cup. We embarked on a lesson which my daughter will never forget about seconds, minutes and hours.
Lesson Learned: Don't think your kids know everything like you think they do... Ya think?

Sin - What's YOUR Favorite?

2006-04-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

I was born in a place called "Sin City" - Las Vegas, Nevada. It was ALL there. Billboards with scantily-clad women. Gambling. Streetwalkers. Crime syndicates. What's your pleasure? Come to Vegas and indulge!

There are resorts in Jamaica called "Hedonism". According to one web definition, it is the belief that pleasure is the greatest good and highest aspiration of mankind. In early utilitarian thinking, this belief provided the interpretation of 'utility' or 'good'. An online travel review of the resort says, At the resorts Hedonism II and III the term pleasure is synonymous with, SEX! So Webster would define the resorts as "a way of life devoted to sex."

But, aside from sex, there are other sins. Lying, gluttony, pride, theft - all self-indulgent sins. Why are they fun? Why will Christians go to great lengths to justify these sins for themselves or others?

I have been watching, with great interest, a discussion on the Bible's stance on homosexuality. I have two concerns with this:

Why just homosexuality? There are a great deal of sinful lifestyles that the church does not address, including corporate greed (hey, as long as they give us some $, we don't care), bigotry (race, appearance, financial status, etc.), pride (we're the only ones going to Heaven!)...

Why would any Christian want to condone any sinful lifestyle?

I define a sinful lifestyle as any lifestyle an unrepentant sinner undertakes. One is unrepentant if they acknowledge their sin and choose to continue in it, or if they refuse to acknowledge it as sin (denial).

Let's look at pride. In all reality, this is the worst of the sins. Pride is what caused Lucifer's fall. Pride led many kings to be declared gods. Pride has led to many, many splits in Christ's Church. Does anyone honestly want to approach this issue? Why not? Because it might hit home. For anyone to preach against pride, one must preach against themselves. Only after one has been humbled by defeat in their personal plans can one preach against pride. And, if the sermon is a success, people will be heaping praise upon the speaker -- which leads to pride.

Or, perhaps after you deliver your sermon, someone in your church gets offended - someone with a lot of money - and they leave the church with their money, never to return. Truth be told, you would probably be better off without their negative influence (1 Corinthians 5). But can the church survive without their financial support? So, the preacher decides not to preach that sermon out of fear of stepping on toes.

That's really what it boils down to - stepping on toes. Let's preach on sin, but not any sin that might be happening in our institution. Let's not say anything that's politically incorrect.

What is sin, after all? It's so watered down. Some people say that since Jesus said nothing about a certain issue it cannot be a sin. After all, the New Testament overrides the Old Testament, right? Wrong. Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

Matthew 5:17-18, NIV

The Old Testament defines sin as anything that separates us from God. Our pride causes us to not admit that our pleasure is sin. We then become separated from God without knowing it. Satan provides a convincing illusion that we are in tune with God and His desires, when in reality we are far from Him. For 36 years, I believed I was walking with God. I claimed to be a Christian while I spent my time getting drunk in topless bars. I sang in the choir with a hangover. I believed I was walking with God, but I was walking with His enemy. And I honestly believed that "Drunkenness is not a sin - it's what you do when you're drunk that's a sin. Looking at naked women isn't a sin - it's actually doing something with them that's a sin." Not to mention, I did the things when I was drunk, and I did more than look.

Can anyone honestly tell me that any sin is acceptable to God? Can you read the Bible objectively and tell me that some of the things listed above are not sins?

What's YOUR favorite sin? Are you willing to give it up?

Raising a Child

2006-04-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

Are you a parent? How do you correct your children? Do you lead by example? Do you use time-outs? Do you find that on a rare occasion a firmer discipline is necessary?

How about as the children grow up? Does the discipline change over time? Do teens respond to time-outs the same way a six-year-old does? How about adult descendants living in your house (ie: 20 year old college student living at home)?

Like it or not, your precious child will have to be disciplined at some point in time. I've seen kids that are not disciplined, and I'm usually embarassed for the parents. Human beings are, by nature, rebellious. That means we don't want to follow orders - particularly when we think we have a better idea. So, we rebel. My kids are good at that. Even my two-year-old. They must be disciplined. And, they respond differently to different disciplines.

Occasionally, a kid must be spanked. Just a little something to let them know they crossed the line. As they grow older, however, and begin to learn about life, there are other methods that get their attention. Time-out, grounding, removal of priveleges - these are a few of the punishments kids experience as they grow up. When they are adults, the rule is, "If you want to live in my house, you'll follow my rules. You don't like my rules, you find another place to live."

The Bible calls this rebellion a sin nature (Romans 8). When we sin, we are rebelling against God. Sin requires discipline. How, then does God discipline? Why is there the Old Testament punishment (whacking an entire civilization) and New Testament punishment (grace under the Blood of Christ)?

Mankind was born when Adam and Eve were created. Mankind entered toddler years when they chose Satan over God. Mankind needed to be smacked. No longer immortal, they discovered what Paradise really was. They were no longer welcome there. God still took care of them, but He let them experience the fallen world in which we live. Mosquitoes, famine, cold, death.

Mankind began growing up in the fallen world. Always trying new things, by the time Noah was around it was time for discipline. Mankind needed a spanking. God disciplined the world for the sin that was being committed. After Noah, mankind continued to grow. God began to make deals with people like Noah, Abraham and Jacob. They are called 'covenants' in the Bible. These deals said, "Treat me right. Treat me like I'm the Only God ('cuz I am) and I will bless you." There were mistakes - and these mistakes were disciplined in painful ways (read about Ishmael and Dinah).

Still, though God loved His children. God wanted to steer us in the right way. He laid down the Law with Moses. "Live by these rules, and you will be blessed." There were a bunch of people who had not followed God's covenants and they had to be smacked. These people lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. They were the Edomites, the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Canaanites. They had begun to worship other gods. They had begun sacrificing their children to Molech. This was a practice that God said was 'detestable'. They worshipped fertility gods by having temple prostitutes whose job it was to perform lewd acts. This practice was also detestable. The people needed to be spanked.

With Moses, God's reactions to the Israelites began to change. Yeah, some people were smacked, but now they began to feel 'time-outs' when they disobeyed. Oppression by invaders (throughout the book of Judges) and famine were some methods. And mankind continued to grow. God began to warn people against their wicked ways through prophets. He began to let them know that they won't necessarily be smacked unless they absolutely need it. At one point, he grounded the entire population of Judah for 70 years. We call it 'The Exile'.

Finally, mankind grew into adult children. We're the 18-20 year olds living under Mom & Dad's roof. God sent His Son to tell us "If you want to stay in My house, you gotta follow my rules." And the rules were pretty simple. Believe Jesus died for your sins. Accept that. Accept the indwelling Holy Spirit. And listen to Him. Strive to live a life like Jesus would have. Those are the rules. You don't have to be perfect, as mistakes will be made, but you're welcome to stay in His house.

There will come a day when God will punish mankind once again. It is written in Revelation. And at that time, He's either gonna kick you out of His house, or He's gonna let you stay. I think you'll want to stay. That lake of fire doesn't sound like a good beach spot...

New Blog

2006-04-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

I started a blog in partnership with a friend of mine. It's pretty new, so there aren't very many posts. But if you'd like to check it out, it's called The Rat and the Rambler. The Rat is my friend Gutter Rat from The Gutter Rat Chronicles. 'Course, I'm the Rambler.

We are from very different backgrounds. I know only very structured, traditional worship. He enjoys a bit more modern style on Sunday morning. I like a capella (vocal only - no instrument) music. He likes heavy metal. I have a checkered past that includes alcohol and a little pot. He's never touched the stuff. I think tattoos are disgusting. He has Christian tattoos.

Somehow, though, we agree on much of what we believe about Christ. As such, we want to demonstrate Unity in the Body of Christ. If you would, please visit our shared blog. Let us know what you think. And, by all means, please comment. It gives others a feeling they're not the only ones reading! :)

I'll still be posting here. There are some of my thoughts that work better here. So, I'll be doubling my efforts.

See you there! And here!

Adios,

Clay

Positive Thinking

2006-04-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

I have heard all my life about having a Positive Mental Attitude. For forty years, my father drove this into my thick skull. I believed it, I really tried to practice it. But every day life kept getting me down. Maybe there's something to it, but I could never find it. The harder I tried to focus on the positive, the harder the negative would pound me. It got extremely painful to think positively. I mean, when you beat your head against the wall, you're gonna knock yourself out and get a little bloody in the process. So, from the time I was about 8 until I was 21, I tried to focus on the positive.

Since I met her, my wife has been telling me the same thing. There is an old song, "I want a girl just like the girl that married dear old dad". My song would be slightly different: "I got a girl just like the guy that married dear old mom". Not that she's masculine - she's very feminine (and HOT!). She's more woman than most of the women I know. But her mind works just like my dad's. She's focused, determined and successful. She's got her act together. She knows what she wants and she gets it.

Tonight we were having a discussion about homeschooling. I'm having serious trouble with it. I really didn't want it. I took it because it would mean her career would stabilize. I can't get a job to replace her pay, so I'm the Stay-At-Homeschool-Dad. Her job is one that I would love to have - dealing with computer security and scripting. Wow!

We discussed how to succeed - you picture in your head a successful outcome. Then, when all is said and done, you have succeeded. Simple, right? So I picture in my head a successful homeschooling. And the toilets back up and I'm stuck spending a lot of time trying to get the house ready for new carpet. Then I focus on schooling again. And I get sick. Then I focus and something else happens. How the heck do you stay focused on something when you keep getting whacked in the head?

Pray. Prayer is our hotline to God. He may not instantly change things to your liking, but He can give you peace to handle it. Ask Him for wisdom in situations that have you flustered. It works. Then you begin to ask His hand to guide you through His will to your goals. As long as your goals don't conflict with His will, you are guaranteed success. I see it in other aspects of my life. Why not here?

I have a mental block about this. I don't want to be here. Though I've been doing this for a while, I'm sitll hoping against hope that it will be a temporary situation. I'm still hoping that soon I'll be working again and my wife can come home and take care of the kids and the house. What's a man's position in the world, after all? Aren't we supposed to be bringing home the bacon? The male-oriented world has twisted my perception of the family into something it doesn't really have to be.

So, I need to pray hard for success in someplace that I really don't want to be. That's my problem. The success won't come without His intervention anyway; I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. The converse is also true, I can do no things without Christ to give me strength. I want my kids to succeed in their education. I want my kids to learn at home 'cuz there's a lot of bad stuff in school, public and private. I want my kids to grow up in a Christian environment with little influence to abandon their Christian upbringing. That means, as long as I'm home, I need to be the one to ensure this happens.

I pray that God will show me how to be His servant even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. He has promised that He will give us no problems we can't overcome. So, I can overcome this - with His help. I need to change my attitude (as my wife always tells me) and believe that this is where I need to be. I need to focus on the now, and not worry about where I want to be. If I am faithful with a little bit, I will be rewarded with a lot.

I Am

2006-04-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

That is the name God gave Moses when he asked who sent him. I'm sure Moses thought, "That's a strange name." But then again, he was talking with the One True God. So, maybe he didn't think a whole lot except, "Wow. I'm talking to God!"

Well, I've already rambled away from my intended topic. And I haven't even started. So here we go:

Why did God choose a phrase like "I Am" for His name? Why not "Bob" or "George" or "Almighty Master of All That There Is"?

I believe it has something to do with the immediacy of the phrase "I Am". It indicates now. Where did God come from? What is eternity? I've heard it said (and I think it was Irwin Lutzer that said it) about eternity:

Imagine a ship from outer space comes every million years and takes a single grain of sand from the Earth. It picks up one grain of sand and flies away for a million years. Then it returns and takes another single grain of sand. A million years later it returns for another single grain of sand. How many millions of years before there is enough sand to fill your hand? How many millions of years before there is nothing left here? And over that period of time, eternity will have hardly begun.

I read once that scientists estimate there are 10¹⁷ grains of sand. That is a 10 with 17 zeroes. Multiply that by a million (for a million years between each grain of sand) and you have a 10 with 23 zeroes. 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years - and eternity has only just barely begun.

Well, if that's hard to get your mind around, perhaps this will make it easier. Time is a constraint. We are unable to move forward or backward in time because time itself prevents us from doing so. For God, however, that constraint is apparently not there. Prophets prove to us that God knows the future. He can also stop time (read Joshua 10) and run it backward (read Isaiah 38). So, He is in complete control of time.

My daughter was in a play where they said, "God holds time in the palm of His hand." That line helped me get my earthly scientific mind around this unfathomable concept. That implies that God created time. He is the Master of all He created. He created time. He is the Master of time. Therefore time has no meaning for God. Time is not a constraint for God. Time is not able hold Him back. Nor can it allow Him to change.

Without time, there is no future and no past. WIthout those, there can be no present - though some may argue that it is always the present, even without time. This author believes that it's a moot point. Without a future or past, there is no medium for change. God never changes. He doesn't have to - it's all the same.

I've heard people say that there are parallel universes through which one can pass - through which we all pass as time marches on. We can only go one direction. Kinda like Stephen King's Langoliers. I've also heard it said that time is a wheel or a circle that keeps repeating itself - and sometimes people or things get left in the wrong cycle. I think my idea is more plausible.

For God there is no time. That makes eternity possible. For God there is no time. He always was because there was never a beginning or past, and there will never be a future or end. That answers my question about "Where did God come from?" Remove the constraint of time and it all falls into place.

A deep philosophical rambling from the mind of Clay Harryman. I hope it hasn't hurt anyone!

Promises

2006-04-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.James 5:12, NIV

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:33-37, NIV

"I promise I'll be back to check on you this week," I told my friend.

He'd recently been released from the hospital and was recovering at home. (The financial people at insurance companies force hospitals to release people too early in my esteemed opinion, but that's fodder for another blog!) He had called to ask if I could pick up some juice for him, and I obliged. When I got to his house, his fridge was empty - just a couple pieces of lunchmeat and some rancid Miracle Whip.

I told him to expect me back later that afternoon. Well, it was much later than expected - about 9:00 pm - when I arrived with groceries to put away for him. I made sure it was nutritious stuff, and also made sure that he could prepare it easily. On my way out the door, I made the promise I stated above.

I called a mutual friend and asked him to drop in and check on him periodically, he said he would. We sorta arranged to split it with him on MWF and me on SSTT (Sat, Sun, Tue, Thu). That way, someone was there everyday just to make sure there was food and that our friend was doing okay.

Last week was busy. I am a stay-at-homeschool dad and there were functions. I had to run to see my parents 200 miles away. I had to do this, I had to do that. The promise I made my friend fell by the wayside. When I arrived in Corpus Christi on Thursday, I felt horrible. I had broken a promise.

I saw my friend in church on Sunday, and he was still thanking me for the food. I apologized that I hadn't dropped by like I promised, but he said I was still there every time every time our friend dropped in.

So, what is a promise?

If you say you are going to do something, do it. Pay the credit card. Visit the friend (in the hospital or elsewhere). Do the work. I used to bite off a lot more than it was humanly possible to do. Someone needed something done, I would be there to do it. Quite often, however, I'd promise to do stuff without checking my calendar. I was notorious for double- or even triple-booking time slots. And when that happens, I wasn't helping the people I wanted to help.

I have become snake-bit to this, and I rarely make promises. I know how hard it is to keep them, and rather than disappoint someone, I'll just not commit. But friendship goes beyond that fear, and I'm learning how to make the commitment to my friends - and stick by it. When I got a mutual friend to visit, I was keeping my promise.

Upon analysis, I find that my promises have become better kept over the years. Partly due to diligence on my part, but mostly due to the influence of the Holy Spirit upon my life. As I go through my life and become more the person God wants me to be, I'll be able to make and keep promises every day. I'm so much better than I was five years ago, and this is not by my action.

Keep your promises. Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No,' 'No'.

Ancient Pharisees and Modern Church Leaders

2006-03-27T05:22:00.000-08:00

The 23rd Chapter of Matthew is a long rant from Jesus Christ to the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees. These guys were the 'religious right', the folks who made sure every move was in line with God's law. They made sure people knew how important they were with their lavish clothes which included prayer shawls, tassels and boxes called phylacteries (more on that later).

God had written the law to help people love one another and Him. He didn't miss a beat in His law, with nearly four books devoted to the law. Still, though, people didn't get it. People followed the letter of the law to avoid sinning, but they still didn't have love in their hearts. Without the love, they also began to break the law. About 600 years before Jesus, God said, "You don't love me, I'm kicking you out" and He brought an army in to take them all away. It only lasted 70 years, but Israel never returned to her former glory under Kings David and Solomon.

After the exile, people took God seriously. They were abiding by the letter of the law again, and still did not have love in their hearts. Afraid of exile again, the Pharisees began to make sure that Israel remained true to the law. The system of rules they implemented bordered on the ridiculous, but they thought it was the right way to go. Hey - they needed to appease God, right? They didn't realize that God is Love and all He wants is for us to love each other.

So, in accordance with Deuteronomy 6:8, they made boxes into which they put certain commandments. These boxes, called phylacteries, were tied onto their hands and foreheads to remind them of commandments - namely to love God and to love one another. They needed the physical boxes. The love was not in their hearts.

Along comes Jesus. He knows God's will. He knows that the whole reason we are here is to love God and one another. He becomes known as the thorn in the Pharisees' side, and He won't let up. The Pharisees want Him dead because they see Him as a threat. So, in Matthew 23, He tells the Pharisees exactly what's on His mind:

He opens with a very interesting statement. Speaking to His disciples, he says of the Pharisees, "You must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, fo rthe do not practice what they preach. They tied up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."

vv 3-4

They say 'You are a sinner. You must repent.' But when the time comes for them to face the music, they pray "Lord, Thank you that I am not a sinner like this man over here."

He moves on to describe their dress: "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'"

vv5-7

Self-explanatory?

In verses 8-12, He commands His followers: "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." We are all one down here. The guy in the pulpit is no greater than the lady in the pew, though some would have you believe they are the best thing since sliced cheese. Rabbi means teacher. Christ is our teacher. He is our Master. God is our Father, not a pope or a priest.

He then proceeds to condemn the Pharisees. Read carefully what he says in verses 13-32, taken from The Message:
I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either.
You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned.
You're hopeless! What arrogant stupidity! You say, 'If someone makes a promise with his fingers crossed, that's nothing; but if he swears with his hand on the Bible, that's serious.' What ignorance! Does the leather on the Bible carry more weight than the skin on your hands? And what about this piece of trivia: 'If you shake hands on a promise, that's nothing; but if you raise your hand that God is your witness, that's serious'? What ridiculous hairsplitting! What difference does it make whether you shake hands or raise hands? A promise is a promise. What difference does it make if you make your promise inside or outside a house of worship? A promise is a promise. God is present, watching and holding you to account regardless.
You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment--the absolute basics!-you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that's wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?
You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something.
You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You're like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin you're total frauds.
You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You build granite tombs for your prophets and marble monuments for your saints. And you say that if you had lived in the days of your ancestors, no blood would have been on your hands. You protest too much! You're cut from the same cloth as those murderers, and daily add to the death count.

Wow. Anybody you know? How about some of the legalistic, self-righteous church leaders we have today? How about some of those who are so caught up examining the bark on every tree they can't see that the forest is on fire?

Let's continue with the next four verses, again from The Message:
Snakes! Reptilian sneaks! Do you think you can worm your way out of this? Never have to pay the piper? It's on account of people like you that I send prophets and wise guides and scholars generation after generation--and generation after generation you treat them like dirt, greeting them with lynch mobs, hounding them with abuse.
You can't squirm out of this: Every drop of righteous blood ever spilled on this earth, beginning with the blood of that good man Abel right down to the blood of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered at his prayers, is on your head. All this, I'm telling you, is coming down on you, on your generation.
It's purely coincidence that Christ's list of murdered prophets is A to Z - in the Hebrew alphabet it doesn't work this way. But Abel was the first murder in the Bible, and Zechariah (see 2 Chronicles 24:20-22) was the last murder, chronologically, in the Old Testament. Jesus tells the Pharisees that all the blood of everybody murdered on account of their relationship with God will come down on their hands. The Pharisees will pay for the crimes of their ancestors because the Pharisees do not have God's love in their hearts. Here's how - the last three verses:
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Murderer of prophets! Killer of the ones who brought you God's news! How often I've ached to embrace your children, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you wouldn't let me. And now you're so desolate, nothing but a ghost town. What is there left to say? Only this: I'm out of here soon. The next time you see me you'll say, 'Oh, God has blessed him! He's come, bringing God's rule!'

Jesus loves the people of Jerusalem. They do not love Him. They are going to add Him to the list of the murdered that God sent, and He knows it. Yet, He loves them. He tells them of His eminent return, the return for which we all wait, when He will come on a white horse. This time, He won't be sitting in the shade telling parables about God's Kingdom. He'll come with a battle cry and a sword.

Folks, I'll tell you what I believe. This passage applies to all the self-righteous in the Church today. The closed-minded who work under Satan's leadership to divide the church into it's little splinters so they can be glorified - they are the modern-day Pharisees. Anybody who says that Christ's blood is not sufficient for salvation - they are the modern-day Pharisees. Anybody who says you may be saved, but you are not worshipping properly - they are the modern-day Pharisees. They are hopeless. They are frauds. They are condemned, and they are taking everybody they convert with them.

This sounds like harsh words, but they need to be said. Matthew 23 wasn't preserved so we could see how Jesus treated people 2000 years ago. We aren't meant to sit back and say, "I'm glad I'm not a Pharisee!" What can we learn from this passage? Can we learn that our modern Church needs to observe the mistakes of the Pharisees? Can we learn that the same condemnation that fell upon the Pharisees may indeed fall upon us?

I pray fervently for the Church to heal from it's shattered pieces. There are many who are praying and working with me. Perhaps you are one, as well. By working together, we can reunite the amputated parts of Christ's body. Working together, we can build a force that, unified against Satan, will show this country and this world how much love there really can be.

Christian Unity - A Futile Hope?

2006-03-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
John 17:20-26

I have stated before that there are basic foundations upon which the church was founded. Those basic foundations are summed up quite nicely in the Nicene and Apostle's Creed. Christ's Church is built upon this foundation. Disagreement with these foundations is disagreement with the Gospel - which is disagreement with God's Word - which is disagreement with God.

But, beyond those foundations, Christian demoninations have found their strength in setting up their own rules.

On Mount Sinai, God laid down the Law. The Talmud. Pharisees, so afraid of violating the Law, built a wall around the Law called the Mishnah. God said, "Don't cook a baby goat in the milk of its mother." The Mishnah says, "Don't eat milk and goat meat, 'cuz you might accidentally use the milk of the mother." Modern Orthodox Jews won't eat cheeseburgers because they don't know the source of the meat and the milk. The cheese might be from the milk of the mother of the burger.

The Mishnah is also the source of some of the Pharisees' complaints about Jesus. God said, "Honor the Sabbath and keep it Holy." The Pharisees said, "If we don't do anything on the Sabbath, it will be holy. Nobody is allowed to do any work on the Sabbath. That way they will keep it holy." When Jesus walked through a grain field and popped the kernels to eat, He was violating the rule of the Mishnah - which was written by men who didn't think God had gone far enough in His Law.

In Christianity, unfortunately, we have some Pharisees of our own. They are the 'hard-liners' in demoninations. They believe their additions to the foundations are the only thing that is right. Some are fanatical about methods of worship. Some are fanatical about no meat on Fridays. Some are fanatical about instrumental music. And, if you disagree with their interpretation of these non-Divine additions to the foundations, you are damned.

I am driven to attempt to re-unite Christ's Holy Church. That cannot be done by just me. It requires all Christians to put aside their doctrine and traditions that were invented by people and step back to the Bible. My own tradition, the Church of Christ, claims to have done that. And, in many ways, they have. But some are rabidly fighting to maintain some things that are not foundational. For example, instrumental music. I have been told that, since God punished Nadab and Abihu for doing something they were commanded not to do, God will also punish me for doing something I was not commanded to do in worship.

Huh?

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,[ that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Romans 10:8-13

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
John 3:16-21

What do these passages say to us? Believe and you are saved. You are not saved by being dunked - though you are commanded to. You are not saved by helping others - though you are commanded to. You are not saved by singing praises - though you are commanded to. Don't believe and you are condemned. You are not condemned for not being dunked. You are not condemned for not helping others. You are not condemned for not singing praises, even if you have a piano, guitar or other musical instrument accompanying you.

My friends, we are called to fight a huge battle. The battle we must fight is against those outside our faith. We are called to bring as many with us as we can. Why, then, do we feel we must fight amongst ourselves over petty matters that only serve to shatter us? When accused of driving out demons by the king of demons, Jesus said, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand."

Matthew 12:25

Well, Satan took note of that and has been using it in Jesus' Kingdom ever since.

Satan is dividing the church and conquering it from within. As a splintered force, we are easy to defeat. A defeated army will have problems gaining new members. We are all seen as hypocrites when we fight amongst ourselves like this. Who is guarding the outer flank? We are all so busy fighting each other, we are perilously exposed to the real danger.

Still, though, when I try to speak with people about divisiveness, all I hear is, "I'm right. Agree with me and we will be unified." Am I that blind that I can't see what is so important about pre- and post-millenialism? Am I so stupid that I can't see the importance of grape juice vs. wine in the cup? Am I so crazy that I can't understand the implications of using musical instruments in corporate worship?

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
Born of the virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead and buried.
On the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven where he sits at God's right hand. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, the forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting.

That's it. That's my statement of faith. I don't know if Hell is a flame that burns sinners forever or until they're consumed. I don't know if Jesus' millenial reign will be before or after the tribulation. I will not say anything beyond that creed is necessary for salvation. Nor should any demonination.

Yes, there are guidelines laid down for worship. Yes, there are rules we should follow in life. No, they are not the difference between Heaven and Hell, and no, I don't think anybody in the church should consider them worth splintering the body.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

2006-03-24T01:08:00.000-08:00

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to stay
Well Blessed be your name

- Blessed be Your Name, Tree 63

I'm sitting in Denny's writing this one on my Palm IIIxe. I'd listened to the song on the way over, but their Muzak is playing BeeGees - "How Deep is Your Love". Yuk. Drove all thoughts of Tree 63 out of my head. :-(

But the idea is still fresh. Written, presumably, with a thought to Job, this song says (and this is Clay's Paraphrase again) "no matter what life deals me, I will say Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

It's a hard thing to remember, especially when it feels like life's dealing from the bottom of the deck. How can you sing praises when you want to reach out and touch somone with a closed fist ? "Praise God and let this left break this guy's nose."

It's even worse when the problem isn't a person but a seemingly cursed house. At least a bruise will heal. Put a hole in the wall and your wife will never let you forget. Trust me, I know.

So, I'm left with an attitude that needs to praise God, but instead screams out (not in Denny's, thank you very much) "Who is doing this to me and why are you doing it?"

There can only be two possible answers - God or Satan.

For those who may be reading this that don't believe in this malarkey, here are my troubles: A/C quit - and another Houston summer is rapidly approaching. The TV quit - I may be able to fix it. I haven't had a job in four years. There's a hole in the ceiling where I fell through when working in the attic - yeah, I know, I brought that one on myself. The sewer backed up twice in 14 months - both times 'cuz they were doing maintenance on the lines. This time they don't want to replace the damaged carpet. The galvanized pipes routinely leak. Both cars need major work. The siding on my garage needs replaced. And we barely have the dough to make ends meet under ideal conditions.

This cannot possibly be random chance. A string of events like this would prove to the most hardcore atheist that there is/are higher power(s).

So, it's gotta be God or Satan, right? The Bible tells us that God loves us right? If He loves us, then why would He do this to us, especially someone who believes himself to be saved by the Blood of the Lamb? Well, first off, the saved of this world are no different from everyone else. Some just don't like to admit it. We are told that we will endure trials for His name's sake: Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your faith works out sndurance. And let endurance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4, Recovery Version. We also know that the Lord will not give more of a trial than we can overcome - with His help. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message

So, if this trial comes from the Lord, then I know that I will make it through as long as I lean on Him.

If, on the other hand, this trial is borne of the enemy, then I am to lean on Christ all that much more. Nothing on Earth is worth more to me than Christ. As a servant of Christ, I make sure my family is properly cared for. As a servant of Christ, I ensure my family is taught His ways.

As a target of the enemy, however, I am undoing all the teachings of Christ. And it's all because I don't sing praises when I am afflicted.

I am 40. Four years ago I became a Christian. The 36 years of rage; 36 years of trying to handle life's difficulties on my own - they are dying a slow death. Though Clay Harryman was crucified on the cross on Januzry 30, 2002, some of the old heart keeps creeping back. Satan doesn't want to let me go.

So, I'm back where I started. How can I sing praises when I just want to lay down and cry?

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord

So, like so many before me, I just suck it up and praise the Lord. After all, I can't take it with me. And these ~80 years (of which 40 are past :o ) will only be a flash in the pan of eternity. My house in Glory won't need an air conditioner. It won't have a hole in the ceiling. I won't need a TV. Nor will I have a mortgage. I will be able to praise His Name for all time as I finally experience perfect peace. No more trials. No more broken dreams. No more chasing after the wind

All through Ecclesiastes.

So, while we still have breath, let's show Satan what it's all about. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Quality of Life

2006-03-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

Someone once asked me how I felt about euthanasia. I replied (in my smart-alecky way), "I think they really took it in the shorts in Tienamen Square!"

Seriously, though. This is a very important topic. Some are inclined to believe that just 'cuz someone's quality of life isn't what the rest of us think it should be, that person should be eliminated. Case in point: A friend of the family was in his 30s when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. His friends wouldn't play golf with him anymore because he was so slow. Basically, he was abandoned. So, he took a gun and blew his brains out. I was told that this is a good reason for euthanasia. I think it's a good example of why euthanasia should not be even considerable.

Another example: I wanted to die. I thought my life was as bad as it could get. There was no way it could be any worse. First off, I was wrong - it could get worse. Secondly, it really wasn't that bad. Someone ministered to me when I was down and out. Someone cared enough about me to get off their duff and tell me that the most powerful being in the universe cared about me. I was then led to the light, and taught that no matter how dark the world appears, there is something special to be found.

So, into my life that was filled with anger, booze and emotional disorders, came God. He showed me how beautiful my life wias, even with all the problems. He showed me that I had something to offer the world. I began to reach out to those who have suffered like I have. I began to share God's love with drunks and people with emotional disorders.

After I was told that this man's death was a good reason for euthanasia, I responded, "Think of the testimony he would have had if only someone had ministered to him! Instead of throwing him away because of his disease, bring him up and teach him about life! He could have been an agent for change rather than a dead man."

I commented before about how the infirm can help teach God's love without even saying a word. It's all up to us. We can share God's love with everyone - regardless of their, or our, abilities.

Fluoroscopy & a Barium Milkshake

2006-03-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

Just last Sunday (Mar. 19), a friend of mine was detailing his 8 weeks in the hospital. One of the comments he made was, "Nobody can make a barium milkshake taste better!" Well, the next evening, I started suffering major stomach cramps. My wife coerced me into seeing the doctor. She wanted me to get an Upper GI. I had to drink a barium milkshake. Well, it wasn't as bad as I'd been led to believe. Although, the straws they used wound up splattering me with the stuff. Yuk.

My doctor thinks I have a duodenal ulcer. I turned 40 in October, and since then I have come to appreciate the body of my youth; the body I ravaged with alcohol and other bad stuff. That body could handle nearly anything - 750ml of tequila, jalapenos by the gross, running a mile and a half in 15 minutes (well, that was stretching it) and numerous hits to the head and other parts of my body. Now, I'm breaking down. I need reading glasses. My back hurts when I wake up. My legs hurt. I may have an ulcer. And it all comes with age.

Solomon wrote "Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, NIV

He was probably an old man at this point. Some would say he was a cynical, grumpy old man. Like me, however, he ravaged his youth with physical pleasures. He also recognized that these pleasures would only last a short time. He would grow old and die. And what would become of his life?

I am getting old. I will die. What will become of my life?

My daughters don't want to know that I will eventually die. They do not yet understand that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment"

Hebrews 9:27

. What will I leave? What will be my legacy? I would like the world to remember me not as the drunkard that roamed the world until 1994. I would like the world to remember me not as the person who took advantage of his friends. I would like the world to remember me as I am now - a man who desires to seek after God's own heart.

So, as I sat in the waiting room at the Imaging center, waiting to drink my yummy shake, I pondered over the events in my past. I thought about who I have been. I also thought about who I am becoming.

We, the aging population of the world, are looking for purpose. We are looking for a legacy. I pray that my legacy will be one of Christ. I pray that I will leave the world having introduced at least one other to Christ.

More About Prayer

2006-03-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

What I Learn from My Kids
My two-year-old is very thankful. Though it's hard for us mortals to understand her, I love to watch her pray.

"tain oo Gaw for my foo, my chay, 'Cole, Daddy, Mommy, stool, TB, bur, doddy, ca..." and she thanks God for everything she sees.
(Translation: "Thank you God, for my food, my chair, [sister] Nichole, Daddy Mommy, stool, TV, bird, doggy, cat...")

To have the faith of a little child who, to steal a line from the Word, in all things gives thanks - this pleases our Lord. She doesn't conceive of God in the same way we do, but she does know where glory is due. Perhaps that is our problem as grown-ups. We lose that childish simplicty.That simple faith that knows who God is and what He can do - before we forget it all.

Children believe what they are told. Their minds are like sponges soaking up all they see and hear. As aduts, we become more cynical and choose what to believe and what not to. It is a necessary part of life - wihout it we would be easy prey for every con artist around. We would also easily fall for the deception of the Father of Lies.

Still, though, Jesus told us that we are to become as the little children. We must accept His teachings though they are opposite the world's teachings. It is a hard pill to swallow, especially for one trained in the sciences as I was. Science tells me there is no God. Experience tells me there is.

The disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4, NIV

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? My little girl will be (and your young children as well), though I - with my hard heart and even harder mind - will be much lower than her.

Prayer

Almighty Father in Heaven, hear our prayer. We confess that we try to understand that which is not understandable - to conceive the inconceivable - to fathom the unfathomable. Our sin is that we try to mold You into our image. Our sin is that we cannot understand You so we try to put you in a box that we can handle. Rather than do as Christ instructed and simply accept what we're told, we try to get our minds around that which we could never grasp. Our child-like faith is damaged and we must reduce it to a tiny portion of the truth.

Father, please forgive us for being unable to understand. We believe. Help our unbelief! Give us the faith our children happily possess. Remove from us the knowledge that keeps us from knowing You. Take from us our will and impose Your own upon us. Mold us back into Your image - the image that was destroyed when sin entered Your creation.

Thank you, Father, for Your lovingkindness that refuses to hold us accountable for our inability to understand. Thank you for nudging us ever so gently to the truth. Thank you for not giving up on us.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

With whom would YOU like to speak?

2006-03-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

Pick someone. Anyone. Given the chance, with whom would you like to speak? Anybody out of history, past or present. Who would it be?

George Washington?
Abraham Lincoln?
Hannibal?
Martin Luther?
Abraham?
King David?
Jesus Christ?

I always wanted five minutes with Geddy Lee and a couple of bass guitars. I would like to thank him for all he taught me via Rush records. Nah, I'm not a world-famous bassist, but I did pick up a couple of tricks listening to him play. I never could master YYZ, though.

I've only spoken with one celebrity. I nervously asked for Leslie Nielsen's autograph while telling him that he was awesome in Airplane. Yeah, I know. Not much of an intro.

So, anyway, who's your tag? A celebrity? Someone in politics? How about the most powerful person in the world? What if you could actually speak with the person who made you? What if you could carry on a conversation with Him anytime you wanted? And get this - what if He actually wanted to talk with you? Does that interest you?

Lots of people look at prayer as a drudgery. It is something you must do because you're a Christian. Praying is the thing you do before meals and at bedtime. And you ask for more than you thank Him for. And you try to look sincere o your kids will believe you really like it. After all, you're just muttering words to the air, right?

But honest-to-goodness chats with the Creator can change your life. I'll tell you about a chat I had with Him one day about four years ago. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I had grown tired of taking pills every day just so I wouldn't lose my temper. I earnestly prayed that God would remove this curse from me. My daughter ran away when I walked into the room. My house had holes in the wall from throwing things. My wife was ready to leave me before things got worse. With medication, I was better. But it took 22 pills every day. So, I asked God to remove the curse.
The answer came to my heart - not a voice but a feeling. He replied that he would grant me the peace promised when people seek Him. Through prayer and study of His Word, I have found peace. Through prayer and staying in contact with Him, I am remaining on an even keel. And I stopped taking medications a couple of years ago.

With whom would I like to speak? I would like to speak with the One who can grant me perfect peace. I would like to speak with He who has removed my curse. I would like to speak with He who made me and to whom I will fly one day.

See, I already have a direct line to the most important Person ever. I can speak with God whenever I want. And He wants to hear from me.

He also wants to hear from you. He is your Father and He loves you. Just ask Him for a few minutes. Tell Him how much you love Him. Yeah, you may feel awkward at first, but eventually you will find that it becomes easier. You will speak with God and He will grant you perfect peace. He "will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in [God]."

Isaiah 26:3

So, why don't you speak with God right now? He's waiting to hear from you.

To Change the World

2006-03-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

2000 years ago, a man came to change the world. His name was Jesus Christ. He accomplished His goal - He changed the world.

When Jesus came, the world was embroiled in many pagan forms of worship. People worshipped many gods; they declared their king to be a god; and they practiced sorcery and divination. Christ, the embodiment of God's Spoken Word, showed us what God wants us to be. He said we are to love God and one another.

That's simple. Loving God means eschewing the false gods. It means not calling on evil spirits for sorcery and divination. Loving one another means just that - loving one another. Don't be mean, help those who are weak and hungry. Do so because you want to, not because you want attention.

Sadly, in blasphemy to His name, the world remained the same. He came to teach love. Men hate each other in blasphemy to His name. He came to gather his flock. Men scatter His flock in blasphemy to His name. Well, that's not entirely true. Men of this world are subject to Satan - to whom the Earth was given by Adam's disobedience. Satan wants God (Jesus Christ) to lose the Holy War that has been running since the beginning of time. Satan, however, knows that he cannot beat God. Satan knows that his only hope is to destroy Christ's legacy. So he tries everything he can.

Instead of worshipping the gods of war, nature and the sea, people began to worship images of Christ. Instead of worshipping the king of the land, people began to worship the pope. Anybody who had a problem with that was declared an enemy of Christ and martyred. This worked for a millenium and a half.

Finally, people began to see the light and break free from slavery to the blasphemous institution that called itself the church. But, as they sought freedom, they found consternation. One said "The Bible says this." The other said, "The Bible said that." Men were free to interpret scripture, and they interpreted it to death. Satan decided that it was now time to confuse people. There are now many denominations that each claim to be the only way to Christ.

To defeat the enemy and restore Christ's Church to its former glory, we must renounce our individual pride. We must be willing to deny our man-made doctrine and review the teachings of Christ. There is room in the church for everyone, and we must make sure everyone knows it. There is room for minor differences in opinion, as long as the basic foundations are there.

Love everybody. Do not refuse admission to the church based on appearance. Do not refuse admission to the church based on history. Love the drug addict and he will become free. Love the homosexual and she will see the glory of Christ. Love the murderer, the liar, the thief. They will see the beauty of Christ and come to know Him.

The only way to change the world is to follow Christ's example. Let's be Christ to the world. Let's change the world.

Minister to the sick. Teach love.

2006-03-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

This week, I've been at my grandmother-in-law's house. She is in the final stages of Alzheimer's and requires constant supervision. My mother-in-law and her sister have left their homes to take care of her after Hurricane Rita forced Grannie to leave Biloxi, Mississippi. They are both over 1,000 miles from their homes.

Though I've talked with them on the phone, and though my wife came up in December to help, I had no idea the magnitude of the situation. Since Grannie requires constant supervision (She cannot walk, wears diapers, can be a fighter, etc.), they cannot leave the house together. There is no such thing as time off for the care-givers.

When we came up, the first thing we did was give my mother-in-law and her sister a day off. They had not had one since December. They have asked for help, but due to miscommunication, none was forthcoming.

The experience has made me think. Wednesday night, the preacher spoke about Peter and John healing a lame man. He explained how God used the spectacle to allow Peter and John to teach (preach) about Jesus. He explained that God's miracles are to bring glory to Him.

Well, I began to think that God may also use infirmity to bring glory to Himself. In the case of Grannie, He is using this to touch the heart of one who has long thought of the church as enemies. She is faithful, but she believes the church has nothing to offer her. She is my mother-in-law. She has been betrayed by the church on numerous occasions. The church can demonstrate their love for her by caring for the sick. Perhaps this love demonstrated can show her that the church is truly the Body of Christ.

I have also come to an understanding of what it means to be in the Body of Christ. There are many shut-ins that are members of my home church. I have avoided them because they make me nervous. I have no idea if their care-takers have a chance for a day off or not. I do not know if they can afford home care or not. I have decided that I, though I have very little material goods, can give of myself. I can give my time. I can give my muscles. I can minister to the well by caring for the sick.

This week has taught me about life, aging, friends, family and being a Christian. I will be digesting my experiences over the next few weeks and writing about them here.

Prayer:

Almighty Father in Heaven, all things turn for your glory. Father, you heal those whom you want to heal, and you allow others to be sick -- all for your glory. We know you love everyone and it pains your heart to see anyone suffer. Still, you teach us love by allowing suffering. You are all-powerful and wise.

Father, thank you for the health you have given us. Thank you for able, strong bodies that can lift the weak. Thank you for knowledge to care for those that cannot care for themselves. Thank you for humble hearts that give us the push we need to care for others - even when it's nasty and yucky.

Father, grant us the gifts we need to reach out to those who are weaker than us. Give us caring hearts, patience and strength. Most of all, Father, give us love.

In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

A message for today's world

2006-03-02T05:43:00.000-08:00

Reading: Joel 2

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

Perhaps that's how we would word it today. The prophet Joel was warning his homeland of impending danger. God's Judgment was approaching, and it wasn't gonna be pretty. The first 11 verses detail a doom that makes a nuclear wasteland look like a spring day in the Alps. "A black day! A Doomsday! Clouds with no silver lining! Like dawn light moving over the mountains, a huge army is coming."

Joel 2:2, The Message

But this was meant for Israel, right? I'm not so sure. In the previous chapter, Joel tells Israel (and us) that there are no offerings in the house of God. "And also you priests, put on your robes and join the outcry. You who lead people in worship, lead them in lament. Spend the night dressed in gunnysacks, you servants of my God. Nothing's going on in the place of worship, no offerings, no prayers--nothing."

Joel 1:13, The Message

Is there anything going on in our places of worship? Is the attendance in our churches going up or down? Are those in attendance in touch with God? Are we following true teachers or false teachers?

What, then, shall we do? "Blow the ram's horn trumpet in Zion! Trumpet the alarm on my holy mountain! Shake the country up! GOD's Judgment's on its way--the Day's almost here!"

Joel 2:1, The Message

I like the way The Message says it, "Shake the country up!" The other versions say, "Let everyone tremble in fear," as if nothing can be done. The situation can be fixed, and we are called to do it.

Verse 13 and 14 say, "Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to GOD, your God. And here's why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, this most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe. Who knows? Maybe he'll do it now, maybe he'll turn around and show pity. Maybe, when all's said and done, there'll be blessings full and robust for your GOD!"

Joel 2:13-14, The Message

Revival in the nation will cancel catastrophe. Through prayer and conviction, we can guide this country back to God. There is a lot going on in America today. Many people out there who believe Christians are self-righteous holy rollers whose only goal is to beat others over the heads with their bibles. We are called to be different than that. We are called to be humble and loving, bringing people to people by love not rebuke.

I ask each of you reading this to go into the world and face your co-workers, neighbors, friends and family in the name of Christ. Loving them for who they are, not who you want them to be. Show them the Christ that Christ showed the prostitutes, drunkards and thieves of His day. He went into their world. He did not demand that they come to Him. We are each called to do the same.

Everybody you encounter will experience God's love, not his wrath. And that's how Christ wants it to be. Once we experience His love, we want to keep it. And we can only keep it by giving it away. That love convicts us to follow His ways. Without that love, we have no desire to please God. And so it comes around. To avoid God's judgment on a wicked generation, we must love that generation with God's love.

And the promise God gave to Joel: "What a day! Wine streaming off the mountains, Milk rivering out of the hills, water flowing everywhere in Judah, A fountain pouring out of GOD's Sanctuary, watering all the parks and gardens!"

Joel3:18, The Message

Prayer:

Almighty Heavenly Father, be with us. Your boundless love has conquered us and shown us the true way to Your light. Help us to share that love with those who do not know You. Your love is gentle yet firm, reminding us of your presence, and correcting our mistakes. We do not know Your wrath, except as we have read it in Your Word. We do not want to know Your wrath, nor do we want it to fall upon those whom we love.

Forgive us, O Lord, for failing to love others as You have commanded. Teach us to love and not rebuke those who do not know You. Show us how to shepherd our neighbors and friends and others we meet into Your flock.

Thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your forgiveness.

In Jesus Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Lent - why?

2006-03-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

All my life I'd heard about Lent. I'd seen the kids at school with the gray crosses on their foreheads. I'd heard people talking about making sacrifices. Some of the more devout would follow through on their willing sacrifices of something petty such as lima beans or rabbit and squirrel meat. I knew promiscuous people who would fast on sex during Lent, only to cut loose after Easter and make up for lost time. I never met a single soul who honestly and truly fasted during Lent as a holy experience. Still, there were some tuggings in my heart.

Traditionally, the Church of Christ do not observe the church calendar as it is not mentioned in the New Testament. They do not observe Advent or Lent, Easter is not a holy day and neither is Christmas. They believe these are neo-pagan observations of seasons that have no meaning. They tell us that every day should be celebrated as a holy day; not just the special days that men have set aside.

On Sunday, our minister reflected briefly on Lent. Many were taken aback, myself included. But what he had to say made a lot of sense. The Tradition of Lent is one that gives people an opportunity to reflect on the Passion God has for His creation. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die a painful death, that He may conquer death, that we may have life. Our minister asked what we would sacrifice if we were asked and let it drop, moving on with the sermon which was unrelated to Lent.

Lent was instituted by the early Church around the second century. The goal was to ask people to focus on Christ, not their earthly lives. 40 days would be the time (the Orthodox church observes 50 or 58), starting on Ash Wednesday and ending the Saturday before Easter. The name comes from an Anglo-Saxon word, 'lencten' which means lengthen - the days in Spring get longer or lengthen during this period. Carnival is a latin term that means removal of meat (carni) as those fasting would eat no meat for the 40 days.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season as Christians, in the ancient tradition, put on ashes to indicate mourning. As we reflect on Christ's ultimate sacrifice, His life for ours, it is inevitable we think about death so we put on ashes.

There are those who see Lent differently. Rather than see it as a time of reflection, they see it as a time of imposed restrictions. They lead up to their loss by indulging in all manner of sin and excess on Fat Tuesday (or, Mardi [Tuesday] Gras [fat] in French). They then demonstrate their faithfulness by abstaining from the sins and excesses for the next several weeks.

It is after careful and prayerful consideration that I have decided to observe Lent this year by fasting. I will make sacrifices of my own, including abstaining from things that take my time away from my Lord and foods that are not in my health's best interest. Among these are chat forums I attend and time-wasting web-surfing. I will continue to blog and read e-mail. If I need to download something or maintain my webserver, I will, of course, be on the internet. That is my chosen field of work. But, just to kill time by looking up pictures of atomic bomb explosions (yes, that's a favorite past-time of mine), that's gonna stop. I will devote the extra time to reading the scriptures and praying, which is why Lent was started in the first place.

I appreciate the information I received from the following online sources:
A History of Lent: Ancient Opportunity for Spiritual Renewal by Rev. Dr. Richard P. Bucher, Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Definitions: Ash Wednesday ThisisChurch.com - What does it mean...? by St. Mark's Church Community Centre and Putnoe Heights Church Centre, Bedford, England
Seasons of the Christian Church The Seasons of the Church Year by Dennis Bratcher for CRI/The Voice also at www.crivoice.org.

Upon this rock...

2006-02-27T06:06:00.000-08:00

Reading: Matthew 16:13-28

After Peter's confession of faith in Jesus Christ, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,"

v16, NIV

"Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church"

vv17-18, NIV

What rock? The man Peter, whom Jesus rebukes in v23, calling him Satan? How about Peter's faith. Peter said quite simply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

In what do you believe? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and you have to be immersed? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and you have to live a perfect life? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and certain verses do not apply any more because this is 2000 years later? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and musical instruments are not allowed in worship? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and _____ (fill in the blank)?

Jesus praised Peter's confession because it was simple and complete. In John 3:10-21, Jesus lays down the fact of salvation to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. The word "believe" is mentioned three times in the NIV translation of this passage:

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John 3:14-18, NIV

Jesus tells Nicodemus that believing is all that is necessary.

People will argue this point saying, "How can you prove you are saved without _____ (fill in the blank)?" To whom do you need to prove your salvation? People? Why? People are not the judge, only Jesus is the judge. You can't fool Him. He knows what is in your heart. You can say all day long, "I believe," but if you do not truly believe, your words are empty.

I tell you the truth from personal experience. If you truly believe, your heart will change. You will not need to manufacture acts of lovingkindness. You will not need to pretend so others will know you are real. The reality will ooze from you like a sweet sweat. Your natural odor will not need to be covered up by perfume. (Note: I am speaking figuratively here!)

With the indwelling Holy Spirit, your desire to disobey will dwindle. Communion with God will reduce your desire to live outside His will. Eventually, as you grow in the Spirit, you will become what God wants you to be. And this all without following any instruction in the Bible except the word "Believe".

With belief comes growth. With growth comes desire. With desire comes holiness and purity. And all you need do is believe. You can't fake it.

The rock is the foundation on which Christ builds His Universal church. The rock is faith. The rock is belief. The rock is common among all believers.

How to be an Effective Christian

2006-02-24T05:50:00.000-08:00

Reading: 1 Peter 2

Podcast for this message available. Click Here

Carrying signs, chanting slogans, blowing up abortion clinics, praising the enemy. These are all ways that Christians have thought to get the message out. Have any of them worked? Yeah, they've grabbed the media's attention, but it sure hasn't been positive. I've been told while witnessing that people really don't want to be part of that. It has soiled the Body of Christ and made it unattractive.

How, then, do we get our message across? "Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

1 Peter 2:1-3, NIV

That's step one. Vengeance for the death of an unborn baby is malice. Hating people in the name of Christ is hypocrisy. Wishing my church was as big as the one across the street is envy. Giving the Body a black eye by your actions is slandering the name of Christ.

You have tasted that the Lord is good. You know what He can provide. Share that with others who need to hear it. Share the Lord's milk with all you meet. That milk is love. Berate a sinner for his actions, he will only rebel. Love a sinner in spite of his actions, you are acting as God has toward you. God's love for you exceeds your sins, and you know it. Why not do the same for others?

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

1 Peter 2:11-12, NIV

Our actions among the pagans show our true selves. If we claim to be Christians, we must act as Christians. Follow the guidance of the Spirit.

Allow me to share an experience from my past. Raised in the church, I believed that I was saved; a member of the Body of Christ. I had attended church, listened to the sermons, even tried to read my Bible. I learned the memory verses. I sang in the choir. I talked the talk. But my daily actions showed otherwise. I drank to excess. I spent nearly all my money in topless joints. I lived for myself with no regard for fellow people. When I did help others, it was only for my glory, not the Lord's. Was I a true believer? I seriously thought I was.

Since my birthday, I have learned the error of my ways, and it grieves me. A devout atheist friend shared food with a homeless person but the Christian wouldn't. I would sing in the choir on Sunday morning with a hangover. I would sit in bars, drunk, and tell others I was a Christian. Many other sins too numerous to count, all while spouting my righteousness.

With that experience, I need to ask: Do you truly know the Lord? Are you living a double-life? Are you a hypocrite? Do you need to re-examine your walk? Read on.

"It is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God."

1 Peter 2:15-16, NIV

The boldface is mine, to emphasize a point. By doing good, not by spouting empty words. As the 80's band Def Leppard put it: "Gimme Action! Action! Action, not words". Our actions speak much louder than our words. One's heart is visible through actions. A modern cliche illustrates this: "Practice what you preach."

Again, I ask: Do you truly know the Lord? Can you feel the Holy Spirit moving inside you to change your lifestyle, your dreams, your goals and pleasures? Do you truly know the peace of God? Have you fully turned your life over to Him? Read on.

It is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:19-25, NIV

I am still learning how to do this. When I am rightly accused, I lay low and take my punishment like a man. If, however, I am falsely accused, I fight tooth and nail, screaming and cursing as I am dragged down. By my actions, I am dirtying the image of the Body of Christ. To follow Christ's example, to live as Christ, to be a Christian (or Christ-like), I must monitor all my actions. Not that I should accept punishment if wrongly accused, but defend myself in a civil manner; pay the proper respect due the accuser.

Do you know the Lord? Do you feel the Spirit guiding your thoughts and deeds? Are you convicted by the Spirit when you do wrong? Do you yield to the Spirit and change your ways? It's hard to know what you are missing if you haven't felt it. I know that from my experience. But there's more to being a Christian than getting converts. There is no heavenly scorecard being kept for all your harvest.

You may be able to fool men about your relationship with Christ. You cannot fool Him. He knows what is in your heart. He will deny ever knowing you. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

Matthew 7:21-23, NIV

I invite you to pray with me now. "Almighty Father in Heaven, Maker of all there is, hear my prayer. Lord, I am a sinner. I have done wrong. I do not know You. Make Yourself real to me. Show me Your peace. Enter my heart and remove all the impurities. Replace them with Your Spirit and purity. Mold me into a creature of Your likeness. Make me new. Thank You for creating a new being inside of me. In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen."

Saying this prayer, and truly meaning it, brings salvation. Saying this prayer, and truly meaning it, will bring you to a new life. It did for me, and it did for millions before you. Be a non-conformist. Invite Christ to rule in your life. Find the joy of a new life. Find the peace. Learn how to share it with others.

The ONE True Church

2006-02-22T06:21:00.000-08:00

I've seen a lot of debate recently over which church is right. Actually, remove the word recently. I think this debate has been going on for two thousand years. I want to tell you that I think my church is right.

I am a member of the Body of Christ. That is my church. It contains Methodists, Orthodox, Messianic, Baptists, Calvinists, Armineans, Independents, Catholics, Protestants... You get the picture?

I refuse to say "You don't believe like I do so you're going to Hell." All I know that's right is contained in the Nicene and Apostle's Creed.

Apostle's Creed

Nicene Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Beyond these foundational truths, there are only details that have no bearing on our salvation. What is the proper method of baptism? Is Hell eternal torment, or are you consumed? Will Jesus come before the tribulation or after? Will there be a rapture? What exactly are the blonde locusts in Revelation 9? I've heard it said that they are actually Apache helicopters...

Who were the chief people to receive Jesus' condemnation when he was here? The Pharisees. They followed the details of the law but missed the whole reason for the law. They showed love for the sake of the law, not out of concern for their fellow man.

The modern church has become Pharisaical. The modern church, with its numerous divisions over the years, is more concerned with the trees than the forest. Jesus taught us "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall."

Luke 11:17, NIV

. Well, Satan is a crafty devil, and listened. He has since sought to divide the church against itself. Hence the countless sects in the Body of Christ. He has also put many false teachers, which only increase the division.

Satan has taught us to focus on our differences. Jesus asked us to focus on our similarities. Regardless of your thoughts on instrumental music or infant baptism, think about Jesus' purpose on the cross. Instead of dwelling on whether or not women should preach, think about the deeper meaning of Holy Communion. It's more than crackers and juice, you know.

For a church to say that another group is hellbound simply because they disagree is abhorrent. The divisions cause problems with the unsaved, as well. People don't want to waste their time with us because we can't even agree on what's right. I know many people who say "Organized religion is stupid. There are so many of them out there."

Christianity should be inclusive, welcoming all who come in Jesus' name. When we serve Holy Communion at our building, we have to state "This table is open to all who believe, not just those in our tradition." Many Churches of Christ restrict Communion to those baptized in the CofC. That is exclusive behavior, and Christ is appalled at that behavior.

I believe my foundations of faith are right. I believe anybody deviating from those foundations needs to re-examine their belief system. I share those foundations with the rest of Christianity. I also refuse to debate the validity of arguments over details. If it has no bearing on the foundations, it is not worth getting upset over.

I implore each of you reading this to make peace with those Christians you have despised. They are your brothers and sisters, even if they do believe differently. Remember - we are people. We interpret things differently. Can we not see past those differences and see that we are all on the same side?

Prayer:

Almighty, Heavenly Father, Builder of the Church. We are a fallen race. We have allowed Satan to tear apart Your Holy Institution of the Church. We have allowed petty differences to remove faith from our lives. We have allowed the enemy to destroy what You have built. Forgive us, o Lord, for our pride. Forgive us for our hatred. Forgive us for not listening.
Father, we ask that you restore your Church to its former glory. Rebuild it from the roots up. Remove all trappings of Satan from your Church. Help us to restore Unity to the Body of Christ so that we may, once again, shine your light upon the unsaved.
Father, bring your people together around the globe and glorify yourself in our presence. We are nothing without you, and we are strong with your blessing.
Thank you, o Lord, for your blessings upon your church.
In Jesus' Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Again, I'm seeking funding.

2006-02-20T05:10:00.000-08:00

No, this is not a plea for cash from anyone who may be reading this. I know that the millions of my silent and invisible readers would love to jump at the chance to further my career. But, that is not necessary, and I will only accept money from established organizations who want to put money in my pocket. Just listen to me whine for a couple o' minutes.

It is on my heart to go into the ministry. It has been for a while, now. With the roads I've been down, I can (and have) minister to those in similar situations. The only thing that keeps me from doing it professionally (and, therefore, full-time) is lack of educational funding.

Sure, I'm a Navy veteran. But I used my GI Bill to get a useless Computer Science degree. I say useless, 'cuz it won't buy me a job. So, now I've got this Texas thang called "Hazelwood Act". It's pretty neat - if you are a veteran from Texas and you want to go to a Texas school, just ask for the money. It's there. Enough to get another four years of education.

Well, Hazelwood isn't available for private institutions. And public schools don't offer degrees in ministry. So, I'm back to being broke. I'm looking for funding to attend school, begin my ministry career and help the millions of drunken womanizers out there who want a better life. I attended a workshop on Ecclesiastes and I could say, "I've been there. Everything is meaningless."

So, if any of you know where I could obtain a couple of bucks to add to my college fund, let me know. Comments or e-mail are welcome.

Clay's Testimony - What happened in my life

2006-02-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

If I mention your denomination here, please do not be offended. I believe everybody is a part of the body of Christ. If everybody needed what was offered by one church, there would not be so many options. Every part serves a purpose. Some are soul-winning. Some are 'graduate school'. Some are service-oriented. Some are everything. Some are nothing. It's up to you to follow the Spirit where He wants you to be.

I was raised in the Methodist Church and baptized at a couple of weeks old. I kinda got the impression there that God's grace prevailed over all, so we had license to sin. I don't know if that's Methodist doctrine, but that's what I came to believe. No, I'd not read Romans at that time. I believed all I needed to know about the Bible came from the preacher.

By the time I was in high school, I was very active in Dungeons & Dragons. It started leading me away from my struggling faith. Though I claimed to be a Christian (after all, I was raised and baptized in the church), I had no idea that the Holy Spirit was real or that it would actually take up residence in you. I talked the talk, but had no idea how to walk the walk.

My high school sweetheart was a dedicated Baptist. I attended church mostly just to be with her. I really didn't like what the preacher had to say, it sounded like he was just talking to me with his hellfire and brimstone speeches. Hey, I'm not here for that. I want to hear more cool Bible stories like about the flood and parting the Red Sea.

Well, it did something for me. It showed me that I didn't like the Baptists. I said "The Methodists tell you, 'If you're good, you'll go to Heaven.' The Baptists say, 'If you're bad you'll go to hell'". I really had no idea what it was all about.

The summer between my junior and senior year of high school, I discovered alcohol. Being drunk was a real pleasure! So were topless joints! Nothing like getting drunk and being surrounded by wild women! Toss in some heavy metal and you've got it all! Wine, women and song! I believed I was truly happy.

My sweetheart was still seeing me. She and I never went any further than smooching. Nothing really physical. So I made up for that when her best friend came on to me. She thought she could change me. Fool! She broke up with me several times, but always came back. I never had to chase her, she always came back to me. Eventually, we became engaged. I knew I could not support a family on my meager salary as a pizza delivery driver, so I joined the Navy. Then I talked to her about it. She was not happy, but didn't have much of a choice.

Time came for boot camp. We spent about a week together, and I left. I wrote letter after letter. Sometimes two a day. She responded to most of them. I attended Chapel every Sunday morning during boot camp because I couldn't handle boot camp. Something about Chapel helped me make it through, but I really didn't know what it was. I played bass in the Chapel's praise band.

When I went to A school, I stayed drunk. They didn't say much about it. Passed a physical fitness test while incredibly hungover! Booze didn't hurt me! Then I reported to the USS Nimitz. Got busted there for making fake IDs and spent 63 days in the brig (that's the Navy version of jail). It wasn't fun, but I worked hard and the time flew by. Got out and celebrated by getting drunk.

My next duty station was the USS Long Beach. We went 'round the world. Among other things I discovered were prostitutes. One day, after a particularly extreme evening of sin, I went to the ship's Catholic chaplain. I explained that I really needed to find a way to change my life. He explained that Jesus doesn't want people like me.

OK, I'm condemned anyway. I may as well make the best of it. I became an animal. Nothing mattered. Heavy metal music was my life. Nearly everything they discussed (except hard drugs) was present. I wanted to learn witchcraft but couldn't find anything serious about it. I wanted to find drugs, but was too much of a geek to know anybody who would help me. I wanted to die, but didn't have the guts to do it myself.

I also discovered during this time that I was beginning to have a serious anger management issue. I went to the ship's doctor several times a month with bruised or bloody fingers from hitting walls or filing cabinets. I was counseled several times for 'speaking my opinion' to superiors. At the end of my four years, I was honorably discharged with an agreement that I would not seek re-enlistment.

I did continue going to my Mom & Dad's church. I sang in the choir every Sunday with a severe hangover from Saturday night. I'm in church, I'm doing the right thing, right? I was going to junior college and met a lady in a history class who was beautiful, witty and just wonderful to be around. Her laughter was infectious. She was dating someone else.

Well, I thought I hit rock bottom around the age of 28. Having gotten back together with my high school sweetheart, we had broken up again. This time it was for good. This time I'm the one that ended it. She said, "It's either booze or me." I chose the booze and it was my haven as I tried to get over her.

That year, I started back to college. I'd somehow amassed enough hours to get into the upper level University in Corpus Christi. I began attending full time and met again, this wonderful witty woman who was, still, dating someone else. She didn't brush me off, though, and we began to study together and spend a great deal of time together.

She was running for Student Body Vice-President, so I dropped my name in the hat for "Senator" from the College of Science and Technology. She and I were both elected. I got to spend a lot of time with her without looking like I was spending time with her. We did become very good friends. Good enough friends that she told me she didn't like my drinking. It didn't stop her, though. I did ask her if she would break up with her boyfriend so we could date. I was really looking for something more than a date, though, and she knew it. She said she wouldn't even consider dating me as much as I drank.

On my twenty-ninth birthday (Oct. 7, 1994), I set out to celebrate the milestone by getting completely [poop]-faced. I couldn't do it. The beer just didn't taste good. No alcohol did. So, I went home sober for the first Friday night in three years. During the next week, I had a beer or two every night. No problem. I set out to get drunk again on Friday. Same problem -- the beer just didn't taste good. I thought it would come right back up! Well, by Thanksgiving, I found that I could no longer intentionally get drunk. Two weeks later, she broke up with her boyfriend. Two weeks after that we started dating.

January, 1995, she invited me to attend her church. She was having serious faith issues at the time, but still hung on to the church for balance. I went, and found serious Bible Teaching. The Church of Christ claimed not to have a doctrine, and I believed that everything they taught came right out of the Bible. I began to learn about things I'd never heard about -- like commandments. Later that month, I was baptized into the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

It just didn't take properly, though. I tried to keep going to church, but nothing really sat with me. After I'd quit drinking, my rage returned with a vengeance. I was no longer satisfied with just hitting walls that wouldn't break, now I had to break something. I spent most every dime I made repairing computer equipment, windows, plaster walls, etc. Still, I graduated in December, 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

The next couple of years saw me moving around Texas. I still couldn't get settled in church. That lady I'd started dating and I were meeting every weekend as she worked on her Master's. We met either in Corpus Christi or in whatever town I lived. We were sexually active, but monogamous. She graduated and got a job in Houston. I followed her.

We set a wedding date for March, 1999. Six months later, she was pregnant. So, we moved the wedding date up to October 4. On October 3, we found out our baby was going to be a girl. We announced it at our wedding. Our oldest was born in February, 1999 -- a week after her mother's birthday.

We knew we needed help in this life, and my temper was out of control. In November, 1999, I was nearly arrested for parking my car in the middle of the street and charging a cop. I think it was the grace of God that kept me out of jail. He suggested I get serious help for my anger problem, and I took him seriously. That was one of the biggest steps I ever took. It literally changed my life.

I began seeing a secular psychologist. She was very good, although agnostic. She tolerated her patients' religious beliefs for the sake of her practice, but that was about it. She did, however, teach me how to start handling my rage. In October, 2000, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began a regimen of medications that included various anti-depressants, lithium, depakote and zyprexa (for hallucinations - yes I finally got the effects of the drugs I'd been seeking!).

Things were finally good. Later in October, my wife and I took a trip to the Texas Hill Country (daughter was with Mamaw) where we had our first real discussion. I did not get angry the entire weekend! It was a first! The medications were doing their trick! We also figured out that weekend that our lives were going seriously wrong and swore we would find a church.

We began searching in earnest and finally found a Church of Christ that shouldn't be called a Church of Christ. We became members in July, 2001. Something finally stuck in my heart. It was a feeling I'd never felt before in church. It was a feeling that I really needed to do something with my life instead of just going through the motions. It was a feeling of grace. It was a feeling that the Chaplain on the Long Beach was wrong. In January, 2002, I dedicated my life to the Lord.

I told Him to make me into what He wants me to be. Tear me down and build me back up in His image. Crucify this old man and make a new creation. Though it needed to be done, I didn't realize how painful it would be.

He did begin with a wrecking ball. I was laid off from my job in May, 2002. My job search has been totally fruitless. A second child came along in July, 2003. I had to give up my job search and become a stay-at-home dad - at first against my wishes, now I kinda like it.

In the summer of 2003, I also suffered kidney stones. There was lithium in the stones. I worked with my doctor and other mental health professionals in my church to come off the medications. I prayed incessantly for God's intervention in that aspect of my life. He told me He would not take it away, but through close two-way communion with Him, He would hold it at bay. That makes me wonder if my rage issues aren't supernatural in origin. But that's a topic for another day.

I still have issues, like this past Wednesday (11/30). When it does come back it seems to be worse every time. But the incidents are fewer and farther between. Before this week, the last time I 'lost it' was July, 2004. Kinda like a dam holding back water. It can hold a lot of water, but if the dam fails you have a raging torrent. Same with my anger.

I am open to discussion about anything you may find in here that's interesting. I feel that, with my background, I can minister to just about anybody that's down and out. I've been there. I've tried to kill myself. I've been drunk for three straight years. I've been a whoremonger. I'm still suffering from mental health issues. And God's gotten me through it all. Are there any more problems?

I have begun a ministry on my website that details my thoughts on life and grace. There is no life without grace. Nothing we can do can be what God wants it to be, so He gives us a break. I haven't added much to it lately, but that's 'cuz I'm working on my book: "Life Reconstructed".

It's been a pleasure to share this with you.

Am I just that cynical?

2006-02-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

I am a Christian. I am proud to admit that.
But I'm not a freak about it. I haven't killed one person because they don't believe like I do. I haven't bombed a single school for teaching kids that Christ was a raving lunatic that should have been committed. I haven't threatened the newspapers for printing blasphemous cartoons, even though I am offended by them.
In my neighborhood, there is a Mosque across the street from a Baptist Church which is across the street from a Presbyterian Church which is next to a Buddhist Temple. When we moved in, there were seven churches. Now there are five churches and these other two institutions. I gotta admit. When a church was sold to a Buddhist Temple so they could put up their idols, I wasn't too happy about it. But, Christ taught us to lead others to Him through love. I am working on that.
I am offended by the abomination of infanticide. It's referred to in this nation by its politically correct title, abortion. Either way it's killing babies. Eric Rudolph was a freak - blowing up abortion clinics. He missed the point. But I can't see America's point, either. People were up in arms about Scott Peterson killing an unborn child. He was charged with two counts of murder for the death of his pregnant wife Laci. Yet when anyone is concerned about the millions of unborn babies killed every year in America, they are labeled a freak because of people like Eric Rudolph.
Homosexuality is a detestable practice - labeled as such by God in the Law. And many Christians are seen as homophobic because they speak against it. But Jesus Christ taught us to love each other in His name, not hate. He ate with prostitutes, drunkards and thieves in order to teach them the truth. Teaching someone about Jesus by beating the snot out of them - or worse, killing them - just doesn't work. Sin is sin, whether your are a homosexual or you hate a homosexual.

"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother "idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell "stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill. "This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God."

Matthew 5:21-24, The Message

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' [An Aramaic term of contempt, equivalent to 'Jerk' in modern terms.] is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
- Matthew 5:21-24, NIV

In these verses, Jesus told us that we are not to do anything to harm a brother, even in our hearts. It is not our actions, but our motives that brings reward or condemnation. The Pharisees of Jesus' time strove to live by the law. But the law was in their minds, not in their hearts, so Jesus condemned them.
There are many today who claim the title "Christian" but do not truly have Christ in thier hearts. That is why they try to condemn others without trying first to win their souls.
I ask you, as Christians, to be humble as Christ taught us. Live your lives as if you were with Christ, for He is with you. You are in this world for a reason - to spread the Gospel as we have been commanded in Matthew 28. Humility is not humiliation. We are to be shining examples of Christ's love. Shine on!

Poop in my house

2006-02-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

I've spent all day on the phone. The MUD was blowing out a sewer line, and it came up in my house. I got squishy carpet and poop on the walls. Long story short, I just contacted a neighbor who said she'll get it taken care of.

Long story: I called the company that maintains the lines - they paid for the cleanup and new carpet last time it happened to the tune of $8,000. They were not involved this time. The MUD (whose phone lines ring at the water company mentioned above) said that it was the contractor's fault. The contractor said it's my fault. I didn't even ask them to blow out the lines! I also know from previous experience just over a year ago, that all they had to do was open the clean-out on my sewer line and this would not have happened. But, they did not tell me it was going to happen. I even called a lawyer who told me that the money involved would not be worth getting a lawyer involved.

Anyway, my neighbor is taking care of it. Thank God for good neighbors. And, thank God for the peace He granted me while I was getting angry.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

2006-02-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

Read Romans 8
The title is from Romans 8:1. It is, according to the note in red in my Bible, the Most important phrase in the Bible.
In chapter 7, the Apostle Paul wrote about the person who does not know Christ. This person must constantly struggle with his carnal, fleshly desires. Knowing that sin leads to death, those absent from Christ are always on guard against anything the law declares to be sin. Among these infractions are impure thoughts, unloving actions and blasphemy. Any one of these will result in condemnation, whether intended or not.
Many have realized the impossibility of living this way; many others have gone nearly insane trying to attain an unreachable goal. Many have thrown in the towel saying, "I can't be a good person. I may as well enjoy the ride."
We are a fallen race - cursed when Adam chose Satan over God. We are not capable of living pure lives. The heroes of the Bible all had issues:

Abraham: Lied (twice) about his wife. Took another woman (Hagar) to bear his child.
Moses: Killed a man. Took credit for God's miracles.
David: Had a man killed so he could have his wife. Didn't fully rely on the L
ORD
which resulted in the deaths of many in Jerusalem.
Jonah was a racist.
Elijah was a suicidal coward.
The Apostle Paul, who wrote our reading for today, was a murderer.
Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector and a thief.

These men are considered to be great in our heritage, but none were free from sin. Were they constantly worried about their sin?
Paul details three laws in our lives:

the law of sin and death
the law of our flesh
the law of the spirit of life

These laws govern our every thought, word and deed. We must choose which law to obey and which to discard. Note that as long as the carnal desires of our fallen bodies (the law of the flesh) does not conflict with the law of sin and death, those desires are not damning.
Remember, though verse 1. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That tells us that our evil desires, even if we follow through with them, are forgiven. People are people, and God knows this. Why then, should we constantly distress ourselves over our fallen state? I think if Paul were writing this now, he would use the phrase "Get over it!"
Now, I know what you're thinking. If all of our sins are automagically forgiven, why, then, should we abide by any law? It's in your heart. The Holy Spirit works in your life to override the evil desires in your heart. When Christ enters your life, He installs Counselor (Holy Spirit) version one. There has never been a need for an update. The Counselor will guide you and make your heart pure. The Counselor is your shoulder angel. Kronk: My shoulder angel. When you are tempted (by the shoulder devil), your shoulder angel kicks in to tell you what's right and what's wrong. Is it wrong to share mp3 files? Without the Spirit, you can say there's no problem. With the Spirit, you get a funny feeling when you make copies of copyrighted music.
For many years, I believed I was a saved Christian. I lived a wild life, without the intervention of the Holy Spirit. I never felt bad about getting drunk every night. I never felt bad about all the women in my life. I never felt bad about any of the things I did.
Finally, one day, I came to the conclusion that I had never really allowed Christ to take over my life as He needs to. That was the day I became a Christian. That was the day everything changed. Now, I no longer have the desire to do what I used to enjoy. Now I desire to help pull others out of the pit in which I found myself.
Are you ready to make a change in your life? I won't kid you - your heart has to be ready. You have to willingly turn it all over to Him. When you are ready, say to Him, "Jesus, I'm sorry for all the stuff I've done in my life. I don't want to live like that anymore. Please come into my life - as you've promised to do - and make me into a new person. Thank you for your gift of life. Amen."
That's it. When you say this - and truly mean it - you've committed your life to Christ. When you say this - and truly mean it - you will feel changes come into your life. Let me know if you have any questions.

Lessons learned

2006-02-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. I started the day off as I would like to be my normal routine (read: it's not my normal routine) with a prayer before the day starts. And things went wrong. I've learned that, when things go wrong, it's the enemy attacking your faith to see how you respond. Unfortunately, if you do well during a minor attack, he comes back with a bigger attack.

I'm a geek. I have a small domain running with a web server and shared storage and printing. It's cool stuff. Only one printer for three computers. My Documents is stored on a server. Cool.

I'm also somewhat of a control freak with my kids. I expect them to obey. When they don't obey - oboy! Following directions falls into this category as well.

Finally, I'm also notorious for my temper. I've thrown large furniture and laser printers. Yeah, my kids know when they've crossed the line.

Well, mes-a day started off pretty okee-day with a brisky mornin munchy... wait, wrong movie...

Yesterday started pretty good. Kids got up at 7:30, watched Sesame Street and we started lessons. But today's lessons were going to be doing math on mixing up a cake, reading the directions (!) and decorating 101. We started making the cake - went pretty well - then put it in the oven. We also started hanging decorations. (No, an inch is this much tape. That's more like five inches.)

Bang! First problem - VOIP doesn't work. After much troubleshooting (I had to ask my wife some questions - she's a baker), I finally figured it out. My router died. So, I by-passed the router and got the phone working. By this time, (small bang - second problem) the cake was poking about four inches above the cake pan. It wasn't over-flowing, just sticking out the top. My wife said, "Don't worry about it."

We got the cake out to let it cool and started making icing from scratch according to my wife's recipe. Some cream cheese, some butter, some evaporated milk and a lot of 10x confectioner's sugar. Bang! Third problem - no butter. I called her up, "Yes, margarine will work." Bang! The icing isn't white! I called her again, "Put in more sugar." Bang! Too runny and we're out of confectioner's sugar. "Keep whipping it."

I'm starting to feel stress. But I'm not losing it. But the kids are sensing it and the oldest knows it's time to lay low.

I let her start icing the cake. She does very well. We had planned to put a smiley face (a la "Have a nice day" from the 70's) on the top. It was her idea. The phone rang. I told her to put a black circle on the cake and answered the phone. When I came back, BANG! she had drawn a face on the cake. I told the person on the phone "My daughter can't follow directions to save her life!" I was rather upset about this. Then I remembered - this is her day to give something to her Mommy, and calmed down.

I sat down and got the computer back online. I began to look up coupons for the restaurant. My daughter came over to apologize. I told her she was doing good, I was wrong. And she accepted my apology. The attack ended. The rest of the day was hunky-dory and happy.

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."

1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message

God allowed Satan to test me because Satan wanted me to respond with what used to be a very common temper tantrum. I'm sorry - adults call it an outburst, but I think it's a tantrum. It didn't happen. Satan kept pushing my buttons. I came close, but - by the grace of God - it didn't happen.

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Luke 22:31-32, NIV

This verse was addressed to the apostles, particularly Peter, in the time right before Christ's crucifixion. I can testify that Satan still tries to sift Christ's followers. The goal of the enemy is to do whatever is necessary to turn us from our faith. When that happens, he's won.

It is only through regular prayer and studying the Word that I have been able to maintain a cap on my rage. Satan attacked, and God gave me the strength to remain faithful.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I try to start my day with prayer. I'm getting better. Yesterday is a good example of why it's important.

This is the day

2006-02-06T07:02:00.000-08:00

This is the day that the L

ORD

has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

It looks like it's going to be a gray day. Still, though, this is the day that the L

ORD

has made. He has made it special just for me. He has made it so I can do His work. He made it so I can praise Him. He made it. I will be a happy camper because today is the L

ORD

's day.

God is good. Though I began remarking that it looked like a gray day, God blessed me with a bit of sunshine.
Maybe it'll rain today. We need the rain. But if it doesn't, I've got yard work to do as well.

Back to basics

2006-02-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

The Bible is much like a forest. The Bible contains much wisdom and knowledge, but the meaning is very simple. Throughout the entire Bible, you can find two commands that sum up the rest of it. They are both Old Testament commandments found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. They are: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV

and "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."

Leviticus 19:18, NIV

They are also repeated by Jesus when He walked the Earth in Matthew 22:34-40.

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

I think there's w-a-a-y too much talk about the details in the Bible. What are the blonde locusts in Revelation? When will I see a goat with 10 horns? Will the tribulation be before or after the millenial reign of Christ? What did He mean when he said ...

Churches have divided, throwing all of Christianity into agony, over these issues. When it all boils down to a simple, child-like faith. A Roman jailor asked Paul and Silas "What must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved -- you and your household."

Acts 16:31, NIV

What more do you need to know? Jesus said the same thing all through his ministry. Read the gospels.

But, to truly believe in Jesus means your heart must reflect His life. As you feel the Holy Spirit working in you, you will find yourself changing into His image - the very image in which we were created - the very image corrupted by Satan's temptations. The Spirit will instill a desire to follow His commands.

God's greatest commands are to love Him with everything you are and to love your neighbor as yourself. Follow these commands and the rest is cake.

Working out vs. Moving day

2006-02-02T03:19:00.000-08:00

I worked out on Tuesday. 10 reps x 2 sets on various machines. I hurt from that workout.

Tuesday night, I drove to Corpus Christi to help my parents move. Wednesday, I lifted boxes and moved them. I hurt even more.

Today is the furniture day. I can't say I'm looking forward to bringing two beds down from upstairs - thank God they're moving to a one-story house!

Why don't house builders build houses with moving in mind? There are two doors in the front of the house - one has a wall right in front of it, the other is so narrow I barked my knuckles every time I took a box through it. I swear the people who design houses laugh every time someone buys one.

Well, that's about it. More profound thoughts later.

Today's my birthday. My body's 40, my spirit's 4.

2006-01-30T04:44:00.000-08:00

On January 30, 2002, I had an experience that many will dismiss as either hallucination or delusion. Some might even say I needed medication. But here is exactly what happened on that night about 8:45 pm.

I already knew I wanted Christ in my life, but I kinda thought He was there. If you don't know what you're missing, how do you know you're missing it? Still, no matter how hard I tried to be like Him, I wasn't able to make the jump. Then it happened.

I was listening to "Through the Bible" on the radio. At the beginning of the program, they read letters from listeners. They had just read a letter from some guy in the Middle East who was afraid to tell anyone he was a Christian. In his country, they kill people for that.

I thought, "It's a shame he has to be so afraid." and continued on my way home.

A voice - not audible but still heard - said, "Why are you afraid?"

It startled me. After I recovered, I replied, "I have a reputation to keep up. People like me for who I am. I make them laugh with my stories."

The voice said, "Are they more important than Me?"

I didn't even stop to think. I pulled into a Wal-Mart parking lot and asked Christ to forgive me. I sincerely prayed the prayer I'd faked at so many altar calls. At that very moment, I felt a change come over me. I felt that something was happening. I asked Him to turn me into the person He wants me to be. Then I went home and called everyone I knew and told them of my experience.

Starting that day, my musical tastes changed. Yeah, I still like guitars and drums, but now it's Third Day and Skillet instead of Metallica and Rush. My daily life has changed as well. Rather than steeping myself in bawdy jokes and Tales from the Cathouse, I focus more on stories about people finding Christ.

I can say with complete confidence that I died on January 30, 2002, and became a new man in Christ. Today is a day for reflection. Ideally, today would be a day spent meditating on a picnic table in a State Park with nobody around to interrupt me. But, God wants it to be a day in which I can spread His story.

Thank You, God, for granting me another day - another year - to do Your work. Thank You for tearing me down and re-building me into the person You want me to be. Thank You for getting me out of the pits and putting me on the pinnacles!

Amen!

Men's Retreat

2006-01-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend is my church's Men's Retreat. We generally meet on Friday night, eat food that our wives would chew us out for eating (Me - I'm a-gonna chow down on a double-portion of Chicken-Fried Steak with double gravy and jalapenos!). Then we go to the retreat center with a fire roaring and have a 'what's on your heart' time. It's mostly for encouragement, but there's some confession and other stuff as well.

Saturday, we start our program. This weekend it's going to be Ecclesiastes. I really like that book. Saturday afternoon, we always break for a couple hours for a football fix. Then we continue through the night.

Sunday Morning, we have a special service; weather permitting, it'll be outside. Not likely this weekend - it's s'posed to rain. Ah, well. Then we break and go home.

It'll be a weekend with fire and coffee and fatty foods. It'll be a weekend of comraderie and confession. Most of all, it'll be a weekend full of the Holy Spirit.

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