::not as big as i am::

Gong Alien

2009-07-19T07:07:00.004-05:00

This is my last post here on ::not as big as i am::. I've begun a new blog, more about what I've seen or done than about what I've been thinking or commentaries on books. I wanted to begin capturing my life as an alien in Wollongong, Australia. I'll be reporting on my life on that blog. No more posts for me on this blog. So go on . . . Get! :-)

My Resilient Friend

2009-07-15T17:23:00.000-05:00

An admired friend of mine from University has written a book and for almost a year now, I've been receiving his brief excellent thoughts like this one I'd like to share. Perhaps you'd want/need to buy his book, My Resilient Life. ;-)

I love those gracious, wise people who give others space and simply fill the room with quiet grace. By letting me be, they empower me to be...better. Read on for more.

Waste Not! Food Swap, 27 July

2009-07-01T06:10:00.014-05:00

This time Nicole and Ella and I went together and we took Corey and Emily with us. Some of the plants on the table are ones I planted in beds I helped build on a former landfill site. They taste great. We also swapped three lemons from the tree in our backyard, spring/green onions, and some Thyme for some lettuce, rocket/arugula, and a mandarin orange or two. We also took some parsley and cilantro/coriander.

You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground.

Rain and snow come down from the sky. They do not go back again until they water the earth. They make it sprout and grow so that it produces seed for farmers and food for people to eat.

Share your food with the hungry, take the poor and homeless into your house, and cover them with clothes when you see them naked. Don't refuse to help your relatives.

Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? The master will put that person in charge of giving the other servants their food at the right time. That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes.

Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn't have any. Whoever has food should share it too.

Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.

Don't work for food that spoils. Instead, work for the food that lasts into eternal life. This is the food the Son of Man will give you. After all, the Father has placed his seal of approval on him.

They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other's homes and shared their food.

Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.

Faith Disoriented

2009-06-27T00:11:00.009-05:00

Daniel Dennett, Mother Theresa, and Sigmund Freud walk into a bar. Who do you suppose gets up off the ground the least confused? . . . It's just an introductory joke I made up.

Below in block quotes is a comment I copied from a blog post by Richard Beck. He responds to Daniel Dennett's judgment of Mother Theresa saying,

I see [Dennett's] point. But again, I think he's working with the Freudian simplification: Faith and doubt work along a simple continuum. If she expresses doubt she's got to be an atheist (or she's confused).

But scholars of the religious experience have long said that faith and doubt are two sides of the same coin. Placing them in a binary tension misses vast swaths of the religious experience.

In short, I think a part of what these essays can accomplish is to expose these binary models found in people like Freud and Dennett as well as in many Christians sitting in churches (the healthy-minded who dismiss the sick soul and avoid lament).

The "she" referred to is the saint now known as Mother Theresa. One thing the blog post claims is that not all religious varieties fall into an either/or category of atheism or theism. Faith isn't a light switch that is either on or off. Freud, on the other hand, believed that even if a legitimate faith that was somehow out of science's reach did/could exist, no one would accept that faith because people will only accept faith to provide consolation of their anxieties. People who live with the tension of faith and doubt, like Mother Theresa in India and like Jesus enduring shame, seem to be phenomena Freud ignored. Put simply, Dennett, an athiest, tried to put Theresa in the category of atheist because she doubted.

We trained hard in soccer. Our abilities were sharpened up. Our skills developed, our speed and agility heightened, we scrimmaged the girls' varsity team and won, handily. We were oriented well toward soccer. Then, we played our first real game of the season and lost decisively. For the next practice time, we didn't go back onto the field. We went inside for "chalk talk". If we could've we would've watched video clips to help rehash the most painful parts of our loss in disbelief. Now soccer, the game we thought we knew more or less, had dis-oriented our team. Eventually, we pushed past the loss and somehow ramped our training up even more. In fact, to an extent, the pain of the loss pushed us. The dissatisfaction with loss motivated us toward becoming a better soccer team. We cursed the defeat that eventually blessed us. Whether or not we won a game, that defeat and the practice that followed made every game richer. Soccer became our master again, so to speak. It re-oriented us to soccer in a more respectful way.

Eventually, doubting Theresa recognized God's presence in the times she had been most convinced of God's absence. How long was this sense of God's absence? Decades. She must've passed through dark times of dis-orientation, . . . but apparently later felt re-oriented in a new way more fully aware of darkness. She cursed the doubt that later made her feel most deeply united with Jesus.

I follow Beck in the above comment that "faith and doubt are two sides of the same coin." The Biblical Psalms, for example, witness to orientation, dis-orientation, and re-orientation. The over-arching story of the Bible tells of good, bad, then better. So, doubt isn't the end of faith; it's the beginning of faith's new birth.

In my own story . . . when the recognition for my need overcame the fear of confessing it, I received Jesus as my/the Redeemer and Master of myself/the world. Still wet from my watery grave, I was beginning to feel God's rescue as well as I understood it. Then, a feeling of God's absence replaced the sense of salvation. My understanding was disoriented, confused. Could I continue to practice my faith? If I want to know Christ and the power of his rising, I must share in his suffering, conform to his death.

Me . . . a Winter Baby?

2009-06-17T06:27:00.005-05:00

This is how a girl from Queensland keeps her "born-in-a-Texan-summer" baby warm in a New South Wales winter. I might have endured snow and minus 30 temperatures in Canada; a non insulated apartment and icy cold bike rides to school in Japan . . . but I still call it cold here.

As is typical of homes in this part of Australia, we do not have the luxury of central heat or ducted heating. While the temperatures remain above freezing (lows from 38F and up) and daytimes can even be "pleasant" (highs in the high 50s), we still have to work hard at keeping warm. Our house does well at holding in the cold air -- a good thing for summer days.

Many mornings we put a coat over Ella's pjs and slippers over her feet. There is nothing we can do to keep her hands warm as she crawls all over our wooden floors. And nothing I can do to keep those chilly hands away from me while she nurses! She doesn't seem too bothered by the cold, the attire, or that fact that she'll have many of her birthdays in the dead of winter as long as we live in Australia.

I'd have to say though, that there isn't much cuter than a bundled up baby . . .

One Thing to Avoid

2009-06-12T17:47:00.002-05:00

"Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling" (Proverbs 20:3, NLT)

These are someone else's thoughts I wanted to share:

I’ve found that for most people, it can be easy to start a fight but hard to end one. It’s easy to get offended and say things that we know we shouldn’t, but once you get started, it’s difficult to stop. It’s hard to let it go. That’s why the scripture tells us that it’s much better not to ever even start a quarrel.

If you want God to honor you, if you want to enjoy your life to the fullest, then always strive to be a peacemaker. Be the kind of person who goes the extra mile to avoid an unnecessary argument. Make your home a place of peace. Choose to be in harmony with your spouse and the people you live your daily life with. The Bible says that you are blessed when you are a peacemaker. So today, look for ways to make peace. Choose to overcome strife and wear the mark of honor He has given to you.

God of peace and new beginnings, today I choose to be a peacemaker. Let me break out of my antagonistic spirit and get unstuck from miry quarrels. Let my insisting spirit die. Dice it up with the sword of your Spirit. Let my next argument be to start something life-giving that begins and ends with peace. Let me take the time necessary before I react to begin in peace and let that peace be sustained by your patience. May I wear that mark of honor by avoiding strife. I yield every area of my heart, hands, and feet to You. Like Jesus. Amen.

A Good Prayer (a poem)

2009-06-04T07:24:00.005-05:00

Open up the windows and doors.

Clear out the dusty toys from the attic.

Put on a mask and take out the trash that’s stinking up the basement.

But open the windows.

Don’t let the wind slam the doors.

Let fresh air into the house.

Let the warm, then the cool
summer breeze change the mood of every room.

Take a breath of it. Yeah!

Breathe in, breathe out.

Let out a joyful shout!

Grab a broom and sweep the house out.

Let the warm summer breeze draw you outside.

Under the sky. Under the sun. In the grass and among the trees.

Let the sun warm you up and the breeze cool you down.

Cry a little, but smile, too.

Just breathe in, breathe out.

Go back in the house and put up the broom.

Close the doors, but leave the windows open for now.

Laugh a little now.

It was a good prayer.

“How much do I owe for this sunshine and fresh air?”

by Jason Whaley

- - - -

Poem inspired . . .

Matthew 5:43-48

James 1:17

Somewhat by Frank Laubach:

January 3, 1930

To be able to look backward and say, “This, this has been the finest year of any life”—that is glorious! But anticipation! To be able to look ahead and say, “The present year can and will be better!”—that is more glorious! I have done nothing but open windows—God has done the rest. There has been a succession of marvelous experiences of the friendship of God. I resolved that I would succeed better this year with my experiment of filling every minute full of the thought of God than I succeeded last year. And I added another resolve—to be as wide open toward people and their need as I am toward God. Windows open outward as well as upward. Windows open especially downward where people need the most!

Fearless and Free and Sharing

2009-05-30T00:31:00.000-05:00

Read this short blog post about debt and sharing in ancient Israel: Fearless and Free

Waste Not! Food Swap

2009-05-29T23:45:00.004-05:00

I took Ella to this today. Awesome. Neat. Even in a bit of rain. Even though I had nothing to give, the others gave me a bunch of huge healthy kale, basil, coriander, limes, tamarillos, a bunch of chili peppers, a few chokos, and thyme--all fresh and organic. Ella especially loved the birds, ducks, chickens, and the one Chihuahua that was standing behind the coffee servers. The Garden's blog (with pictures of last month's Waste Not! Food Swap) here.

Sodom, Sheep, and Simeon

2009-05-28T18:54:00.002-05:00

This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.

- Ezekiel 16:49

Matthew 10:16-20

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Pray for opportunities to witness as a sheep among wolves.

Simeon’s Song

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.

Smile by Faith

2009-05-19T19:04:00.002-05:00

I read a devotional today and wanted to share a more concise, redacted, and personalised version of it:

When times are tough, when things aren’t going as planned, many people have a long, sour face. They’re down, discouraged, worried, and upset. But when you choose to rejoice, you smile and have a pleasant demeanor no matter what. And it’s not because you necessarily feel like it or because everything's perfect. You just simply smile by faith. You smile knowing that your expression is saying to God, “I trust You. I know you're working all things out for my good.”

However, . . . what if I can't smile. I've tried to move my face into a smile. I've tried to repeat the words in my head, "God will make a way," but I can't believe the words right now. It's not a feeling of a rainy day, but one of being buried under water. What can I give thanks for? In what good do I believe?

Things are too bad, too miserable, too chronic to accept as permanent. There must be an End to evil and suffering. There must be Judgment against the violent, the greedy. I'm not one of these. So, I will long for the Day of Judgment with a . . . smile, though tears still flow.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Joyful One, I choose to rejoice in you. Your goodness goes way beyond my difficulty. Even when I don’t see a way, aren't you making a way for us? I surrender every area of my life to you in confident hope that in the end you'll put all things to rights. You're the Judge I trust. With my big brother, Jesus, I pray with a smile on my face. Amen.

Space for Joy

2009-05-19T17:39:00.001-05:00

I have committed myself to joy. I have come to realize that those who make space for joy, those who prefer nothing to joy, those who desire the utter reality, will most assuredly have it. We must not be afraid to announce it to refugees, slum dwellers, saddened prisoners, angry prophets. Now and then we must even announce it to ourselves. In this prison of now, in this cynical and sophisticated age, someone must believe in joy.

- Richard Rohr

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

- Psalm 98:7-9

CHANGE IS A POSITIVE PART OF YOUR LIFE

2009-05-11T17:29:00.002-05:00

I got this these two e-mails and thought they applied to me well since we've only been living in Australia for about four months now.

CHANGE IS A POSITIVE PART OF YOUR LIFE‏

You must avoid breaking when things don't go your way.
You'll always be secure to the degree that you accept change.
True security comes from being able to bend your insecurities.

When you recognize and accept that change will inevitably take place.
You'll become secure, not by standing still, but by growing, moving, and staying energized.
Be secure in the knowledge that you can deal with anything that happens to you.

Have the courage to bet on your ideas.
Take some calculated risks and act on your dreams.
There is no permanent security on this earth, there is only opportunity.

THANKFUL FOR THE KINGDOM

Today's Scripture

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).

Today's Word

Thank God, we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken! The kingdom is simply God’s system. It’s His way of doing things. The Bible tells us that His kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. In God’s kingdom, when you give, it shall be given back to you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. In God’s kingdom, you can have an abundance of peace and prosperity in your spirit, mind, and body no matter what’s happening around you. And just like the verse says, His kingdom cannot be shaken! That means, if the stock market goes down, God’s kingdom is still strong. If the housing market goes down, God’s kingdom is still strong. If gas prices go up, God’s kingdom is still strong! You can live in God’s kingdom that cannot be shaken—no matter what’s happening here on earth. Begin to thank God today for His kingdom. Thank Him for His system of blessing in every area of your life. As you obey His Word and worship Him with a grateful attitude, you will see His hand of blessing and walk in the abundant life He has for you!

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for the kingdom. Thank You for Your system of blessing in my life. I open my heart to You and ask that You reveal Your truth to me so that I can live to please You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Lion and Lamb

2009-05-03T05:30:00.002-05:00

Last month, in a weekly local newspaper given complimentarily to a large part of Wollongong . . . Toward the middle, on opposing pages, two "Easter" articles.

The left article, written by a Pastor, expressed conservative Christian beliefs, namely Jesus' resurrection. A Lionish Easter representation. The right article, written by a Reverend, emphasized the death of Jesus, subversive to dominating empires and kingdoms and powers of the world. A Lambish Easter representation.

My reactions . . . The left article seemed to represent something I believe is core and essential to the Christian faith, ie Jesus' resurrection. The article also represented the typical debating spirit of the church, especially since the Reformation. It chose to challenge atheists [stereotyped] in an argument of sorts. However, I can't imagine a lamb starting an argument with someone who was already mocking him and misunderstanding him (Matthew 26:62f).

. . . The right article seemed to represent a foreign Christianity. Toward the end of the article, the Rev said, "The cross stands as a critique of domination and those things that diminish life and the divine spark in us all." This article was particularly engaging and interesting to me. I thought, How true that "he was killed because of his politics--because of his passion for God's justice." How true that "God in Jesus . . . [on the cross] is a metaphor of radical grace . . ." How true that the cross shows in a subversive way the evils of dominating and destructive systems in the world that deny the image of God in us! Yet, is that all? Certainly not! If the cross reveals sin's darkness, how much more that the resurrection stands as God's power to deal with sin and redeem life from death!

Easter is not only the Lamb's judgment of the powers, but the Lion's supreme dominance over them through the vindicating resurrection and the rightful enthronement and new creation that follows.

REstore.ME

2009-05-01T16:22:00.007-05:00

Invisible God, The I AM:

too many images, too much spam

delete all but one

move spam to the trash

close out my programs--

just force quit all before i crash

give me a reboot, patiently i wait

re-install your image, i pray

run in me

yours is my self, my network, my world

am i really to be the password anew?

you’ve restored me--Oh, GLORY!

loving you and your world,

alive and giving you praise, Oh, I AM.

Amen.

Without a Camera

2009-04-28T08:19:00.003-05:00

Dear God,

Thank you for, in all your power and wisdom, allowing me to leave my digital video camera on the train Saturday.

Actually, I was depressed Saturday night because I just felt so small and worthless. But Sunday was a new day and I began learning to be thankful. Thanks for Sunday. The self-absorbed depression turned more into humility and joy. I'm able to laugh at myself and because of the irony of winning something through losing.

And thank you for letting me be absent-minded for that brief second on the train. I don't blame you for not reminding me or intervening. I don't blame you as if you intervened to make me forget the camera. I'm just saying I attribute the good that came out of it to you and your generosity.

I'm thankful because several times in the last few days I wanted to take some video of Ella being amazing. I said to myself, "Oh, I can't take a video. I'll have to just watch her and be with her now." I paid extra close attention to her and tried to memorize her movements and faces and sounds. I felt especially connected to her and her dad.

I'm thankful because I experienced Nicole's forgiveness. You know how she responded to my absent-mindedness. The weight of losing such a valuable record of important moments in our lives and the technological ability to record many more memories all makes the depth of her forgiveness more encouraging.

I'm thankful because I also realize the blessing it is to record image and video of people and things. It seems to say, The person herein pictured is important and significant in this very moment and should be remembered. I'm thankful that I've been able to take so much video and so many pictures of Ella and Nicole and other people we love and scenes of God's creation we care about.

What a blessing, God, to have a camera and not to have a camera! You certainly do send both rain and sunshine to the just and the unjust. Whether I'm at my best or worst, you're patient and eager enough to wait for me to become a blessing.

And thank you for the Mullinses' camera and generosity so we could have afternoon tea with them and have Ella's nine-month old picture taken.

Please let us have the camera again if that's your will.

Let all my life be all yours. Amen.

The Rescue

2009-04-23T18:54:00.002-05:00

To save my own child I would do anything no matter the cost. To save other children, even if it meant giving up a bit of comfort, I'm not sure I would do it so eagerly, especially when there's no guarantee the children will actually be rescued. Would I be giving up some comfort for nothing? I don't see any easy options for doing any great things.

Ignore God: the domino effect

2009-04-22T01:35:00.001-05:00

Shouldn’t I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn’t tell their right hand from their left. -Jonah 4:11 GW

A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But {even} the compassion of the wicked is cruel. -Proverbs 12:10 NAS

Or, The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. -Proverbs 12:10 NRSV

. . . 1 There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. 2 Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing. -Hosea 4:1-3 NRSV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;
20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;
23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. -Romans 8:19-23

Happy Birthday to me! 34 years old and looking forward to the redemption of my body!

Happy Earth Day, too! God, set Earth free from its bondage to decay and let Earth see your children when they're revealed. Amen.

The Kingdom of God is Like . . . Soap

2009-04-21T07:01:00.003-05:00

Ancient Momma's Poem

2009-04-17T04:56:00.002-05:00

I thought I'd share an ancient poem that has meant a lot to me since that week we found out we we're having a girl and we had a lot of anxiety about the placenta previa and so on.

Ella's born now. No more previa and she's not yet weaned. We still have pressures and ambitions from without and from within . . . This poem helps me to find calm:

Before the Lord
I'm not proud in passions or logic
I don't occupy my self with things too great and too marvelous for me
But I've calmed and quieted my soul
like a mother calms her weaned child
My soul is like the weaned child that is with me
Hoping in the Lord

Psalm 131 with some poetic license.

Chaste Good Friday

2009-04-10T09:44:00.003-05:00

The preacher said, "Drip, drip, drip, . . . our innocent Savior's blood from the horrible crown of thorns . . . every one our sins bringing lash after lash of the whips made of bones and sharp steel . . . nails driven through bone and flesh . . ."

This is often how I've heard Good Friday told by Christians. It's also a brief sketch of Mel Gibson's the Passion of the Christ. Lots of physical violence and gruesome depictions and descriptions and elaborations of the Son of God's crucifixion.

The Gospel of Mark is different, and I think for a significant reason:

I begin reading about Good Friday in the 14th chapter of Mark and the first time I encounter physical violence against Jesus is verse 65:

Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, "prophesy!" The guards also took him over and beat him.

Then, Mark gives no more attention to physical violence against the Son of God until chapter 15, verse 15:

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

What brevity! In a single sentence Mark says "flogging" and "to be crucified" without gruesome depiction. Then, in 15:17 and 19:

. . . and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him . . . They struck his head with a reed . . .

Restrained, the violence depictions in Mark are limited to four verses out of about 38 since Jesus' arrest. A "violence" verb list would be:

spit
blindfold
strike
took
beat
after flogging
handed
put
struck
stripped
crucified

Eleven verbs, four of which inherently imply violence, none of which does Mark elaborate. Each time violence comes up, Mark moves on past it.

So what of Good Friday does Mark emphasize and bring out? I think the clue is in 14:51-52 and in the frequent mention of clothes. The closest Mark comes to belaboring violence against the Son is when he says, "they stripped him of the purple cloak . . ." 15:20.

Here is 14:51-52:

A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.

It's a metaphor for the disciples' shame. In fact, the verse just prior says, "All of them deserted him and fled." I think the point is that Jesus suffered the shame his disciples and friends deserved. There are no Jews, Empires, or instruments of torture. Just naked shame.

Listen again at the chasteness and brevity of Mark's crucifixion description:

And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.

Mark has something we've often missed. Or, put another way, we feel like we've got to add so much ornamentation compared to Mark's simple telling.

Perhaps we can learn to tell the Gospel the way Mark does it. What are some ways we can tell the Good News more like Mark does and less like the movies have?

One way I thought of doing this is concentrating on just telling the Easter story instead of emphasizing elaborate explanations and atonement theories (not that they're bad). Perhaps chastity is a powerful seed for conversion we've overlooked in the past.

Reptile or Mammal?

2009-04-09T16:48:00.002-05:00

Reptiles are deadly serious.
Mammals are playfully curious.

Sharks, though not reptiles, and dolphins, certainly mammals, demonstrate this well.

Sharks simply swim, kill, copulate, react, and survive.

Dolphins, on the other hand, have a more abundant life. They play, laugh, kill, mate, act, even save humans (although they've also been known to hurt humans). They don't just survive; they really live.

I want to be the mammal. How do I do this?

Copulate or mate?

Be reactive or proactive?

Survive or thrive?

Be cynical or curious?

Withdraw or explore?

Life . . . What It Is!

2009-04-05T20:32:00.002-05:00

Life . . . is what it is . . . Life is good, then it's bad, then it's good again . . . Life is just absolutely wonderful and amazing! . . . Now I'm ridiculously hungry! . . . The whole world loves me, doesn't it! . . . Won't you take me out of my car seat so I can play? . . .

No prejudgment . . . No terrible memories rehashed . . . Now is what I have and I'm thankful for it and have decided to eat it and enjoy it . . . I'm free and I can move so I will! . . . What is that? . . . You love me, too, don't you! . . . Good. Now what is that flavor? . . . Why aren't you smiling? . . . Why aren't you picking me up? . . . Can you put me down? I'm in the mood to play . . .

Those are some phrases that I think express the tone of Ella's life as well as some of the sentiment of the book of Ecclesiastes.

Oh, and one more phrase that Ella says quite clearly: LOL.

Press "Play", then press "HQ" to view in High Quality . . .

Everything's Possible w/ training

2009-03-21T05:29:00.001-05:00

Everything is Possible - video powered by Metacafe

Today's Journal Entry (w/ a bit o' lyric)

2009-03-18T19:04:00.006-05:00

It's killing me to be quiet . . . I've been staying at home with my healing face . . . reading books, reading blogs, cleaning up the place. Mostly taking care of Ella and washing dishes and talking with Nicole. Today, though, I get the stitches out and, supposedly, Dr. M says I can rock climb tonight.

So, tonight while climbing with my partner will be another test of whether I'm a good listener and communicator.

. . .

Stitches out. 10% skin strength in my face wound. Thumbs up for climbing, "Just don't smash your face on the wall." "Okay."

. . .

So, I'm back from climbing and I think I listened well . . . then I stumbled and struggled on the question of "So what do you do?" by the new partner. There are three of us now climbing together Thursday nights. Great time.

. . .

Prayed with Corey via chat for the Ockers of Australia, rednecks of sorts whom, I know, Jesus would love. They have a great sense and practice of EQUITY, RISK-TAKING, TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER, ANTI-HYPOCRISY WHETHER RELIGIOUS OR OTHER, . . . CONFESSION OF PERSONAL FAULTS, NO PRETENTIOUSNESS, NO SHOWING OFF! They sound like I imagine the Twelve.

I end today thanking God for my precious wife and daughter . . . and the new U2 album! Here's a lyric that reminds me of trying to rush prayers to God and God speaking back:

Restart and reboot yourself
You’re free to go
Oh, ohhh
Shout for joy if you get the chance
Password, you, enter here, right now

Oh, ohhh
You know your name so punch it in
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, ohhh
Then don’t move or say a thing

Okay, another good lyric:

I can stand up for hope, faith, love
But while I’m getting over certainty
Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady

Week of Meek and a Poem

2009-03-15T07:15:00.005-05:00

On Sundays we've simply been reading sections of 1 Thessalonians and making a commitment to make room for God to change certain things in our lives. Last week I determined to work quietly with my hands. That would be my new 'practice', so to speak, not that it was a new thought, just something I'm not normally intentional about.

I called it "the week of meek" so I wouldn't forget to reign in my urge to talk about God and faith ALL day. I learned three things after practicing this attitude among non-Christians for a week:

1) It is a challenge for me to listen and be content with living as a Christian without talking about it A LOT. I tend to be slightly pushy and wordy about my beliefs without listening and getting the vibe of the other person.

2) Hard work is hard work, especially when done quietly. On a scale of 1-10, one being the quietest worker and ten being the most talkative, I believe I'm usually a seven or eight.

3) Sometimes I unintentionally use God, through overt Christian talk, to make my self look righteous, more righteous than I am. Really I've been aware of this habit since the late '90s, but I haven't changed much since then in the area of self-righteousness.

Practicing is hard. It's like training. It reveals weaknesses. But it's good. I realize I need more consistent training. I need to stretch my self further. I'm going to keep this week of meek going a little longer, at this point I'm thinking two more weeks.

Of course, I'm ready to talk about my faith if someone demonstrates curiosity, but when I feel the urge to tell them everything I think I know . . . I'm going to reign the urge in so I can give them an opportunity either to express more curiosity or to express their own beliefs and knowledge.

Since, if you've read this post thus far, you've proven to love this kind of information and you know you're welcome to comment as lengthily as you like, I will share one more thing from the week, a poem that popped into my head late one night, just for my blog readers, if I have any, to enjoy. If you read 1 Thessalonians, the poem should make sense. Anyway, here it is,

Turning from idols to serve the True One
Laboring, started by love
Nursing mother, caring for her own
Overflowing from one to one
Until the Voice and the trumpet call
Then, "Look!" . . .
in the sky!
meet the Son!

Oh, and here's an excellent principle I learned, intellectually, from Dr. Friedman, which I hope will help me keep reigning in my eloquent waxing:

“People cannot hear you unless they are moving toward you, which means that as long as you are in a pursuing or rescuing position, your message will never catch up, no matter how eloquently or repeatedly you articulate your ideas.”

Areas of Spiritual Poverty

2009-03-08T01:24:00.008-06:00

One of my professors drew this little diagram back in 1997, I believe. I don't remember what he said, but the image has bothered me ever since . . . in a good way, I think. Recently, I thought of adding the question to ask my self in all honesty. Am I impoverished in each of these three areas? Is it possible to find the sweet spot? Is it even worth asking? Should the words be different, like WAY/TRUTH/LIFE?

God So Loved The . . .

2009-03-08T01:16:00.002-06:00

Any comments? Thoughts? I was trying to capture "tax collectors and sinners" with more provocative language. The spider part was partly inspired by some, perhaps faulty, theology by my lovely wife. "God only created spiders after sin and the cursing of the ground." :-)

Religious Practices (Or Practicing Worship)

2009-03-03T05:42:00.006-06:00

A couple weeks ago we had a high intensity workout for worship.

Okay, I know that sounds strange if not unscriptural. Let me explain. I believe when Christians get together it should be for the purpose of celebrating what God has done and getting fit for daily tests. For example, to grow able to love our neighbors, we practice loving on each other when we commune together; to become fit enough to consider trials to be pure joy, we each other and carry each other's burdens in church.

So here's what we did a couple Sundays ago just before communion, how we built up an appetite for the Lord's Supper:

Warm-up:
We said to each other, "I don't know what I'm doing, but God loves me anyway."
We discussed, "What is Christ best known for throughout the world?" and basically said, "Love."
We discussed, "What are Christians (we) best known for?" and basically said, "self-righteous."
We said to each other, "Oftentimes, I don't love, but God loves me anyway."

High-intensity workout:
We practiced saying each of Jesus' beattitudes to each other by putting the teaching into a common phrase.
For "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom," we said, "I need you."
"Blessed are the mourners for they will be comforted," . . . "I'm sorry." (meaning sorry for our sins)
"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth," . . . "I respect you." (meaning although I could exert power over you in some way, I choose to respect you)
"Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness . . ." . . . "I want to do what's right, regardless."
"Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy," . . . "I have forgiven you already." (this was powerful to hear)
"Blessed are the pure in hearth for they will see God," . . . "I will be honest with you always." (this was particularly hard for me to say)
"Blessed are the peacemakers . . ." . . . "Let me be the first to stop the fighting." (this opened my eyes to my lack of self-regulation when I see the opportunity to win a fight)

Then, at the climax of our workout we remembered Jesus' teaching on LOVE: "A new command I give you: Love one another. This is how the world will know that you are my disciples." So we said to each other, "I will cut you slack because Jesus did me." (since practicing this statement aloud in church, I've said it numerous times during the week in my mind and returned a blessing for a curse)

Cooldown:
We discussed the question "How has God been good to us?" and retold parts of the story of God in Christ.

It seems like church is meant to get us fit for heaven. So I plan to look at it this way from now on. The church should be a blessing to the world. How can we do that without practicing and working out when we get together? How can we really hunger and thirst for the Lord's Supper without doing core Christian practices together? How can we love like Christ without practicing? It won't happen by accident or just wishful thinking.

Australians, Generalizations

2009-01-23T06:28:00.004-06:00

Okay, remember the quote I put on here the other day: Rare is the culture in which all or even half of its members follow all of its customs. Family members tend to select from their culture’s repertoire of customs and ceremonies those behaviors that support their own idiosyncratic patterns, whether they are healthy patterns or neurotic, and pay most attention to those values in their tradition that prevent change. Edwin Friedman

So I've generalized four values/customs/behaviors from my impression of Australians, but I'm in no way saying all or even half of the broad Australian culture.

1. Australians work hard. Very hard. And well. Very hard and very well.
2. Australians have holidays well. They know how to spend a good vacation and do so.
3. While drinking tea, coffee, or beer Australians insult each other politely; it makes you feel like "one of the gang".
4. Australians are averse to religious pomp and certainty, but not to good works or spirituality.

I believe all these values are contagious. For example, tonight, we were drinking tea with several Australians and Corey, the American started laughing because a certain brand of Australian tea prints on the boxes: "How an Australians should enjoy a up of tea . . . boil . . . steep . . . drink tea while politely insulting each other." Right-o!

I believe there is nothing particularly good or evil about any one of these [4] characteristics. I think it's by the grace and truth of the Word that these values can be redeemed and saved for God's good pleasure. As I am invited to join into life here, I approach the invitation with thoughts of my redeeming God.

New Creation Sermon

2009-01-17T05:07:00.006-06:00

When you look at the world, what do you see? frustration, money, brokenness, pain, suffering, . . .

But I believe God is in the business of new creation.

Galatians 6:12-16

In the Smoky Mountains where plants and trees were torn out in order to put down a winding asphalt road, soon plants and trees will bust through the stony ground. What once was bitumen will soon be lush re-growth and life. Who is behind this?

Genesis 1:2, 7

From everything being one jumbled up mess to being separated into different places and paths, God is the One who creates order from chaos.

Genesis 2:7-8, 15

The first gardener, Adam. The first vocation, blessing the earth. How'd Adam do? sin . . . chaos . . . flood--the separated waters went back to being jumbled up in the middle and destroying everything. Sin leads to chaos in creation. But God made a new world out of the destruction.

So then the second gardener, Noah, planted a vineyard in the new creation.

Genesis 9:20

How'd Noah do? sin . . . chaos . . .

Hosea 4:1-3

No acknowledgement of God . . . leads to bloodshed, etc., . . . leads to fish in the sea and birds of the air dying . . . order returns to chaos . . . what a mess

But there's a new gardener:

John 20:11-15

Jesus is the Cosmic Gardener:

God went to the center of creation, the most broken part, to heal it, to make it new again. He had to be all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

For God to become all in all isn't easy. Bringing order from disorder isn't easy. Bringing life from death isn't natural. Healing creation isn't easy. God had to heal it from the inside out. The Son is the firstborn of all creation. Without him, none of creation can be reborn. (Colossians 1:15)

His healing begins in you:

Philippians 1:6, "I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus."

There are four circles. In which one are you?

1. The world, the cosmos, is all good.
2. All is wrong with the world.
3. Through Jesus, God is redeeming the world, making it new. Jesus is my Savior.
4. God is sending you and me together into the world to be part of its healing, its being created anew, his will done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus is the Lord of all.

I was in a mall recently, followed the signs to the men's toilets, and found a one stall room occupied and therefore full. I turned to rush to find new signs leading to new toilets. Just as I turned, there was another man going in to the one-stall room. I told him, "There's only one toilet and it's taken." He said, "That is ridiculous!" in a perturbed, frustrated voice. Sufficed to say he beat me to the new toilets. After washing my hands, I was in the fourth circle, so to speak, thankful and ready to do good works. But the man disgruntled at the one stall was drying his hands still with a sourpuss face as if the one-stall situation had ruined the goodness of the new and spacious men's room. He was still stuck in the second circle as if the world were wrong without any hope of redemption.

But I believe God is in the business of new creation. So, whatever truth there is to all four of these circles, I want to be in the fourth circle as much of the time as possible.

Cultural Camouflage

2009-01-17T04:27:00.004-06:00

Rare is the culture in which all or even half of its members follow all of its customs. Family members tend to select from their culture’s repertoire of customs and ceremonies those behaviors that support their own idiosyncratic patterns, whether they are healthy patterns or neurotic, and pay most attention to those values in their tradition that prevent change. Edwin Friedman

I must confess that I don't follow all American customs. I've often wondered just how many I do follow. Perhaps like my parents and siblings and church and hometown, though, I selected certain behaviors that suited my own idiosyncratic patterns, good and bad, so I could maintain the emotional processes I was already used to.

Have you ever made generalizations like, "I just don't get along with [those kinds of people]," or "Americans are so loud?" Maybe those statements are appropriate, but to blanket those generalizations on all Americans or on all the people of a particular culture (e.g., Western) or subculture (e.g., church) is ignorant. To say, "I hate Australian culture," is ignorant of the fact that perhaps the Australians with whom I have been acquainted weren't following all or even half of Australia's behaviors.

I'm an American living in Australia, but I'm not defined by my being American. Who or what defines me? Who or what is . . . me? Do I define my self? Or does my self define me? Or does the Creator define me?

What value is it to dialogue with these questions? It's a value to me as I begin a new life in and among various cultures and families. It's important that I don't blame God when it is I who is slack in my responsibilities. It's important that I don't believe in cultural superiority. Culture is neither determining or defining. It simply brings to light society, communities, families, and selves. Culture is neither good nor evil. As Paul put it, "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; what matters is new creation." That is the rule.

1. I will try not to be rash about applying generalizations to individuals based on my impression of generic Australian culture.
2. I will not apply my experience with specific individuals to all Australians.
3. I will seek to find new creation within people no matter what impression of their culture or subculture's stain.
4. I will take responsibility for my behavior--it's not because of my culture or subculture, but because I have succeed or failed in taking steps to follow Jesus whom I regard as my Savior and Lord.

Three Pictures

2009-01-12T16:03:00.002-06:00

Ella with two suiters, Joshua and Jonas.
Ella with "Aunt" Brenna, teammate and friend, just before we took off for Australia.
Teammates, Shawn and his son, Darian.

Thirteen Pictures

2009-01-06T16:20:00.011-06:00

We're here in Memphis briefly, saying goodbye (for a while) to friends like Kari Nieman:

Some of our first friends in Austin that we met in June. We will remember Sami and Abby in prayer:

Another wonderful friend and encouragement in our faith, Jason. Friends since 1993:

Our life for the past few months has been a trip. Thankfully, we always packed light. ;-)

Ella's a triune citizen: of U.S.A., Australia, and Heaven:

Our mission coach, Amos Allen, and his wife, Anne, a mentor:

Shipping our belongings and attachments and accoutrements to Australia, with Ella showing the actual size during tummy time:

Ms. Toni teaching Ella who made the fish:

Mark and Cindy Oswald are some of our most righteous supporters. Mark let me join him in home remodeling work while we lived in Austin. The work he gave me let us "live a little" and also let me see how to work like a Christian. And Cindy demonstrates how to be nice. ;-) Cindy grew up in the same small town in Oklahoma that my dad did, Velma Alma:

Wonderful friends of ours, Ken, Patty, and Alex Kohl! We knew they liked us because they've always given us a hard time. As you can see, Ella punched Alex in the face. He's fine now, though. I think Ella's shaping up to be my million dollar baby (that is, a boxing success):

Our wonderful teammates and friends! The Griffiths are still awaiting their permanent residents visa, so they can't come to Australia yet, but we and the Mullinses are flying on tomorrow. We'll stay in touch through e-mail and video conferencing and of course we will gather 'round the throne together in prayer:

Aunt Missy makes Ella comfortable:

Baby Ella shows Grammy and Papaw how to play UNO:

Flying with Ella

2008-12-28T23:16:00.001-06:00

More Soren Quotes

2008-12-27T23:46:00.003-06:00

I still haven't read any of Kierkegaard's books, but I always enjoy coming across his words. Some Soren Kierkegaard quotes:

God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners.

If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.

It is so hard to believe because it is so hard to obey.

Once you label me you negate me.

One can advise comfortably from a safe port.

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.

The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived.

The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you.

The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins.

Communication w/o Static

2008-12-08T22:40:00.005-06:00

. . . communication is itself an emotional phenomenon, rather than a matter of the intellect that is influenced by feelings or the emotions, and . . . [communication] depends on three interrelational rather than “mental” variables: direction, distance, and anxiety. Whether you are a parent, a minister, a healer, or a CEO, your communicant’s capacity to hear you depends primarily on the emotional variables of direction, distance, and anxiety. Others can only hear you when they are moving toward you, no matter how eloquently you phrase the message. In other words, as long as you are in the pursuing, rescuing, or coercive position, your message, no matter how eloquently broadcast, will never catch up. And as for anxiety, it is the static in any communication system and can distort or scramble any message. It cannot be eliminated simply by turning up the volume, since that invariably also turns up the static. Messages in families, . . . or in organizational directives come through less because of the quality of their content than because of the emotional envelope in which they are delivered.

The above quote is, again, from the book Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin H. Friedman. As I've been reading his book, I keep recalling Scripture references to anxiety, so then I did a quick search on Heartlight.org and pasted a few below:

Do not worry . . . (Jesus, Matthew 6)

I want you to be free from anxieties. (Paul, 1 Corinthians 7)

Do not worry about anything . . . but . . . prayer . . . and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul, Philippians 4)

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. (Peter, 1 Peter 5:7)

Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time. (Hannah, 1 Samuel 1:16)

Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up. (The Wise, Proverbs 12:25)

Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. (The Questor, Ecclesiastes 11:10)

When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." (Jesus' parents, Luke 2:48)

Seeds of Life

2008-11-28T14:35:00.002-06:00

Many years ago, seeds of faith in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ were planted in fertile ground throughout the Bible Belt region of the United States and throughout rural America. I have enjoyed the fruit that has cropped up there and grown from it. It has made me want to die to my own self-interest and live as Christ. It has made my family and me more integral and wholly God's possession. It has made us realize we are blessed to be a living blessing!

So, numerous partners are sending our team with bare seeds in order to sow them on fertile ground in Wollongong, Australia. We believe many beautiful plants will grow up because God has already prepared the ground for the harvest and Jesus is the light that enlightens and enlivens everyone. We're so excited to be his workers. Pray with us that we can present a new crop to God as a pleasing offering to Him. As Paul said, "I’m doing this because God gave me the gift to be a servant of Christ Jesus to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit." Romans 15

With another thought in mind, somewhat related, we are not going as church-planters per say, but as seed-planters. As Jesus said, "Go and make disciples . . ." and it was God who has always added to the church and created new communities.

So, what is this seed? It's often difficult to distinguish the seed from the fruit, message from the messenger. On one hand, it is a seed that can only grow properly in one kind of soil: the fertile kind. On the other hand, it is a seed that can grow all across the earth wherever people are found; and that is what it is meant to do. In fact, a preview of this "seed" was given to Abraham: "Through you all the people of the world will be blessed." In this very seed is the truth that it is for every tribe and subculture in the world. God loves the world.

Of course, in addition to the purpose in the seed itself to fall across the universe, is the deep and central life and story of Jesus. Though outwardly the world is wasting away due to sin, inwardly it is being renewed day by day through whom none other than the Resurrected One. The redeeming, resurrection power held dormant in the seed will not be exhausted until it has transformed every tribe and club and destroyed all present powers including the final power: death. Life overcomes death.

So, if I were being extra concise about describing this seed, I would say that 1) it must be planted in every tribe and language and, 2) it is universal life through the only one who can defeat evil and death. It must be planted to the ends of the earth, but its roots must be deep in the indestructible life of Jesus.

I didn't include other essential beliefs (e.g., One God) or related core practices (e.g., one baptism), though there aren't very many of these. I wanted to be too concise and just say what, latently, the seed is in four english words: ONE FOR ALL LIFE.

New Frontiers into Reality (Some quotes)

2008-11-24T09:09:00.002-06:00

"As every school child knows, the belief that the equator defined the end of the world limited the spirit necessary to produce reality." Edwin Friedman, Failure of Nerve

"The equator served as an emotional barrier, . . . a belief born of mythology and kept in place by anxiety. Such beliefs exist in every society and take hold to the extent that society is driven by anxiety rather than adventure." Edwin Friedman, Failure of Nerve

"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." Friedrich Nietzsche

"The ship is safest when it is in port. But that's not what ships were made for." -Paulo Coelho

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." -Paul, the apostle

"We can only live changes: we cannot think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group, must become the model of that which we desire to create." -Ivan Illich

" . . . take note of those who live according to the pattern . . ." -Paul, the apostle

"A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution." - J. Oswald Sanders

" . . . mission is . . . God's initiative . . . to restore and heal creation." -Darrell Guder

"No song, however satisfying, is ever satisfying enough." -Jason Whaley (me)

Imagination with Nerve

2008-11-17T23:23:00.004-06:00

. . . extraordinary changes in form and perspective for painting, sculpture, literature, and architecture . . . the Reformation led by Luther and Calvin . . . the invention of the watch . . . observations of space, the creation of the telescope . . . the newspaper . . .

In seeking a source for this "Renaissance," the culmination of which began in 1492, Edwin Friedman writes:

It is appropriate that this "rebirth" of the human spirit has been referred to as the "Renaissance." But the tendency to attribute the Renaissance to a renewed interest in learning may, despite its origins, be the same kind of academic bias that focuses leadership training programs on data and technique rather than on emotional process. It certainly has not been my experience in working with imaginatively stuck marriages, families, corporations, or other institutions that an increase in information will necessarily enable a system to get unstuck. And the risk-averse are rarely emboldened by data.

Columbus's discovery was the catalyst for the quantum leap we call the High Renaissance. So, getting a gridlocked relationship system unstuck requires not a cognitive phenomena, but imagination and curiosity. Friedman names this spark, if you will, "nerve."

He says, ". . . I believe that the catalyst for those other imaginative breakthroughs was the "nerve" of the great navigators who led the way."

In the midst and wake of Columbus' voyages to the New World, Michelangelo sculpts his David . . . Leonardo completes the Mona Lisa, and Shakespeare! and Galileo!

And I love what he says here to name the history lesson:

The effect of America's discovery on the European imagination was as though God had been hiding a piece of land bigger than the known world since the dawn of creation. The great lesson of this turnaround is that when any relationship system is imaginatively gridlocked, it cannot get free simply through more thinking about the problem. Conceptually stuck systems cannot become unstuck simply by trying harder. For a fundamental reorientation to occur, that spirit of adventure which optimizes serendipity and which enables new perceptions beyond the control of our thinking processes must happen first. THis is equally true regarding families, institutions, whole nations, and entire civilizations.

But for that type of change to occur, the system in turn must produce leaders who can both take the first step and maintain the stamina to follow through in the face of predictable resistance and sabotage.

O Lord, let me never discourage leaders who have this "nerve". Let them teach me imagination and curiosity. Wake me up to their imitation of Jesus, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. Amen.

Character Visa

2008-11-13T10:38:00.006-06:00

I'm applying for a Religious Worker Visa to Australia. Here is what has happened recently:

While traveling through Atlanta, Georgia, we stopped in to get my lungs X-rayed. Done. Went upstairs to Dr. W's office and gave urine and blood and got a physical. Dr. W said I'd probably live to 100. Great. Now I feel like I should take extra care of the body God gave me.

Then, Dr. W tried to contact us yesterday. He's been very helpful. Last night I was thinking, "Maybe he wanted to tell me that, on second thought, I'll live to 110," but we called him back and found out that the radiologist thought my lungs were too full of air or something. So we took a lateral X-ray and expedited it to Dr. W who, as I understand it, will pass the X-rays on to the embassy in D.C. This was already an expensive, bureaucratic process. Thankfully, we knew someone in Memphis who took X-rays for a steal of a deal.

So, as perplexed as we are, I can't imagine what Mexicans feel like trying to legally work for a few years as migrants in America. The difference between us and them is, they are trying to survive. To be as resilient as many Mexicans, it seems I need to reframe how I see this process.

At this point, all I can see are the pains of the system in process, but I know there must be some excellent and praiseworthy things in this process. Let me try to name these . . .

Dr. W said my lungs were probably so full of air because I'm athletic and fit. That was quite encouraging. He also said my heart is super healthy. So, I'm not as worried about the number two highest risk of death--heart disease. The number one cause is iatrogenesis. See Journal American Medical Association July 26, 2000;284(4):483-5

I suppose this process could work to make me more perseverant. Perhaps I'll become more able to complete tasks thoroughly in the future. People will trust me with greater responsibilities than they have in the past. Perhaps I'll be able to help someone else through a similar trial.

. . . Well that's a start. Maybe I'll notice some other excellent and praiseworthy things in this process as it goes along. And, at this point, it seems like it will keep going along until my 100th birthday. Surely by then I will have become a character.

The Big Story

2008-10-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

In a Word? inaword

2008-10-21T23:05:00.003-05:00

To accept this nomination, I have to answer the following questions with one word answers and nominate 10 other blogs for the "I heart your blog" award. Here goes...

1. Where is your cell phone? THERE
2. Where is your significant other? THERE
3. Your hair color? BROWN
4. Your mother? ENTHUSIASTIC
5. Your father? CALM
6. Your favorite thing? ELLA
7. Your dream last night? FORGOT
8. Your dream/goal? INFLUENCE
9. The room you're in? DINING
10. Your hobby? FITNESS
11. Your fear? SHARK
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? WOLLONGONG
13. Where were you last night? EDMOND
14. What you're not? BORED
15. One of your wish-list items? MICROBOUNCE
16. Where you grew up? STILLWATER
17. The last thing you did? VIEWED
18. What are you wearing? BOARDIES
19. Your TV? NEVER
20. Your pet? MAYBE
21. Your computer? MacBook
22. Your mood? EVEN
23. Missing someone? YEP
24. Your car? CAMRY
25. Something you're not wearing? GLASSES
26. Favorite store? NAMCHE
27. Your summer? AUSTIN
28. Love someone? MUCHLY
29. Your favorite color? HALLOWEEN
30. When is the last time you laughed? TODAY
31. Last time you cried? JULY

Okay, here are my 10 nominees - IN ORDER AND LIMITED TO:

- COREY
- SHAWN
- RUSTY
- GREEN
- LITTLEJOHN
- LAURA
- JON
- REX
- MATTHEW
- B

me, 4-ish

2008-10-21T23:00:00.000-05:00

Notable Conversations

2008-10-10T21:55:00.005-05:00

One of the young women who works for our apartment complex loves to see Ella (who wouldn't?), so when we take Ella for a walk we usually go by the main office. The woman, I'll call her "Grace", came out yesterday to see Ella and talk with us. We spoke for a few minutes out by the big water fountain the Ella likes so much.

So, Nicole talks about how we're missionaries about to move to Australia and Grace listens and inquires curiously. The conversation had almost come to an end when I say, "So, Grace, what's your faith background?" She talks a little bit about how her fiance's family are from a particular religious group and they tried going along with them, but it just didn't take. Then, with genuineness and enthusiasm she says, "I believe in God. I thank Him everyday. I have a relationship with God." I take the message as, "I'm good. I don't need more religion. Everything's fine. Don't bombarde me with information." I just say, "Well, good," but I wonder whether I should invite Grace to church services with us or have she and her fiance over for a meal. How could we possibly fit a meal in with them and what does she need our church for if she's so satisfied and enthusiastic without an organized church?

So, today I am walking around with Ella by the fountain and Grace comes out. I'm thinking, "I should invite them to church services, I really should." She greets Ella as usual, but then asks confidently, but without direct eye contact, "So, where do you and your wife go to church?" I say, "Round Rock church of Christ . . . and . . . [a little bit of an awkward stutter] we'd love to have you and your fiance join us some time." She says, "Yeah, for a while now I've just really felt like . . . GO!" She inquires further about what time and where the church meets and we go to her desk where she can write directions, and Nicole's phone number and I get to show Ella off to other staff.

What did I learn? I learned the same thing I always learn: God is at work in human hearts and lives. Not that I have an unessential role, but my role is secondary to His.

It is certainly true that, " . . . he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act."

But it is also true that, "He has given them the seasons of the year and the boundaries within which to live. He has done this so that they would look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. In fact, he is never far from any one of us. Certainly, we live, move, and exist because of him."

He is never far from any one, even one away from church. Yet, there is something we are missing if we don't have the "God's people" connection.

In fact, I would say this "God's people" connection is in the three most core beliefs that I hold:

I believe there is one Creator God, meaning Lord over and Redeemer in all things.
I believe He raised Jesus from the dead, a sign of God's ultimate authority and re-creative power.
I believe the world needs to be connected to God's people and vice versa because God has the highest stake in them for His new creation.

Reckoner

2008-10-03T19:46:00.003-05:00

Radiohead - Reckoner - by Clement Picon

Reckoner
You can't take it with you
Dancing for your pleasure

You are not to blame for
Bittersweet distractor
Dare not speak it's name
Dedicated to all you
All human beings

Because we separate like
Ripples on a blank shore
Because we separate like
Ripples on a blank shore

Reckoner
Take me with you
Dedicated to all you
All human beings

Is There A Christian View of Politics?

2008-09-29T13:08:00.003-05:00

If you click on the title, you'll be linked to an article I recommend on the topic, "Is There A Christian View of Politics?"

In brief, what I believe about politics?

I believe in God's revolution. I believe he manages activities and affairs through Wisdom by whom he creates all things, bringing all things into order. But in the face of God's original creation and bringing life to order, human rebellion messes the order up. So, through the Word, God began a new creation, a new order. Jesus came back to life, so he is King of the new order, God's Kingdom breaking in. Those who reject all kings but this resurrected King may outwardly waste away, but inwardly they are renewed every day. This inward renewal will soon become whole. He says, "Look, I make all things new!" I want to join this revolution of God making all things new, starting with me, but not ending with me. This revolution, this salvation, ends of the worlds or it has no end. I believe America, like all other nations, is special to God, but he also scoffs at her because she is not the rightful heir of sovereignty. So if I act or vote or govern as an American, I want to do so in a way that is totally submissive to Christ, acting and voting as if Christ is above every government official. However, I don't think my governance through voting or management has nearly as much influence for God's sake as my own way of life has when it is bowed before God and imitating Jesus. God's Revolution will eventually topple every government and nation in history.

Corey Loves Syrup

2008-09-27T18:27:00.003-05:00

You know, Corey just loooooves syrup!

Romans 11:28-36

2008-09-27T08:30:00.002-05:00

While visiting my family in Abilene, I went to just a couple of things at ACU's Summit Lectureship. The theme was "The Righteousness of God" in Paul's letter to the Christ-followers in Rome. I love this doxology of praise to God. It was enriching to reflect on God's mercy to the people I usually refer to as "they" as well as God's mercy to "me".

The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God’s choice they are loved because of their ancestors. God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone. In the past, you disobeyed God. But now God has been merciful to you because of the disobedience of the Jewish people. In the same way, the Jewish people have also disobeyed so that God may be merciful to them as he was to you. God has placed all people into the prison of their own disobedience so that he could be merciful to all people.

God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep
that it is impossible to explain his decisions
or to understand his ways.
“Who knows how the Lord thinks?
Who can become his adviser?”
Who gave the Lord something
which the Lord must pay back?
Everything is from him and by him and for him.
Glory belongs to him forever! Amen!

Prophets and Countries, Taken Captive for Christ

2008-09-15T23:42:00.003-05:00

It's hard to find someone who just doesn't like Jesus, someone who easily ignores him thinking he is unimportant and irrelevant to the greater human race. I find people in my local church who like Jesus, people in my apartment complex who don't go to church, people who follow Muhammad or Abraham; they all like Jesus. Jesus is alright; Jesus is my friend; Jesus is a prophet; and Jesus is my savior. But, is Jesus Lord?

I even run into a lot of people at my chiropractor's office, in restaurants, and in nice neighborhoods, people who claim that Jesus is both their Lord and their savior. One says, "I follow the prophet Muhammad and I believe in Jesus." Another says, "I am a patriotic American and I believe in God's Kingdom." Another says, "I am a shopper and I believe in God's economy." I'm one of these people who lives with tension between lords and kingdoms. I make this claim of Christ's supreme lordship verbally and I even think about it on the way as I follow my intentions and inclinations and initiatives to various occupations, vocations, and hobbies.

I am among people everyday who claim Jesus as Lord, but who of us lives in such a way that it is clear that Jesus has a claim on us and everything we think about, feel, and touch? Which of us is obedient to His lordship? How can I tell if I am truly submitting to Jesus' lordship?

I heard a young man, Patrick, talk about how running consumed his life. His thoughts, his feelings, and his feet always carried him, in every "free" moment, to running on the trails. He ate, slept, breathed, and dreamed the Western States Ultra-Marathon. He made the 16% cut for the 2008 race--what an accomplishment--but when fires required the race to be cancelled, he came face to face with Jesus. He had invested all his passion in a burned up trail. He wondered whether his trail passion had rivaled God's passionate desire for His creation. As an amateur philosopher of religions, I often ask, what is God's will for every trail? or Do all trails lead to Christ? But, presently I'm distracted by the personal question, What is God's will for every lone trail runner?

When you are passionate about something, are you necessarily denying Jesus' ultimate lordship as Christ? Are you forfeiting one race because you're too involved in another?

It seems like there are two good responses to coming face to face with Jesus no matter which trail you find yourself on.

Using the metaphor of ultra-marathon running, one good response is: There's nothing wrong with running; it's one of life's healthiest pleasures. I will run with the attitude of Christ to God's glory. I will take every public or media opportunity to say something for God, especially, "I couldn't do this without Christ in my life" and "I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ".

Another good response is: There's nothing wrong with running; it's one of life's healthiest pleasures. But I will translate all my passion that burns so naturally for running into a passion for knowing Christ and spreading the knowledge of Him. I will run, but only as it improves my knowledge of Christ and aids in spreading the knowledge of Him.

It seems to me both these responses are good. Of course, I don't think all choices are so clearly contrasted or so easily separated, but these responses, I think, represent two ways of opportunity in which I might be taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10)

That's my problem: taking every thought, feeling, and thing captive and making it obedient to Christ.

If I am a Muslim, taking my passionate belief in Muhammad captive for Christ and letting the Christ reveal Allah to me.

If I am an American Christian, making my passionate zeal for my country obedient to Christ and raising his Kingdom above my own.

Is this how you make Jesus Lord? But, I don't know that lowering other false gods like Muhammad or America is enough, though. I just don't know. But how would you know anyway whether you really are pressing your competitive thoughts, feelings, and practices adequately lower than THE prophet or THE nation (I mean Jesus of Nazareth and the Kingdom of God)?

If we take everything captive and make it obedient to Christ, just how captive and obedient must we make it in order for our running to match our claim "Jesus is both Lord and Savior"? How do we decide whether to reject our trail completely or just to see it in a different light?

Sharing

2008-09-01T15:03:00.004-05:00

YES, I have a truck;
NO, I will not help you move.

Ironically, I was following a pick-up truck with this bumper sticker just a couple of hours ago. Doubly ironic, I think. First of all, there was an "ichthys" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthys) Jesus fish emblem just about the bumper sticker. I assume the driver is a Christian, yet, perhaps, he doesn't see the responsibility of sharing as one that is Christian. I don't know, but it is definitely ironic in light of some parts of Scripture like, "All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other."

I remembered hearing about a group of Christians living in the same general neighborhood. One bought a lawnmower, which he shared with the other three or four Christian friends. Another of them bought a weed-eater, also shared among them. Another bought some other purposefully shared tool, and so on. Imagine how much less expense and clutter for them. Imagine how much more interaction and encouragement they received from one another.

I also remembered something that happened only just today. Yesterday, a man and his wife, in tears, told our Bible class that their home would be foreclosed this week and that they must move out. So, today, a group of us showed up and loaded a moving truck and shared out other items: lawn care equipment and bicycles to one friend's house, washer, dryer, and refrigerator to another's. There was a fair amount of laughing and teasing each other even while we were sweating. One friend was prepared share and be generous with water bottles. Every bit of help was done in love and even joy and gratitude. Working together with the particular men and women I was working with today made it seem less like work and more like . . . a sense of communion.

Prodigal Love and the Eyes of Faith

2008-08-25T22:19:00.003-05:00

by Joey Swofford, one of our elders

The word "prodigal" means lavish, without restraint, or no boundaries. We remember the story about the prodigal son and his lack of self-control and personal restraint (Luke 15). But also in that story, we see a father, who is also prodigal, in a different sense. He was prodigal in his love. He had love with no boundaries, no restraints, no conditions. He had an undonditional love for his undeserving son. Do you realize his love came from an unlimited source? It was God! God is love and He is the same place our love should come from. Our Lord and Savior has this kind of love for us. He is the God of the lost, hurt, and undeserving. He not only welcomes us back home but He comes searching for us when we have gone astray. In Luke 15, we see that our Father looks for us like a shepherd looking for lost sheep, like a woman looking for the lost coin, like a father for his missing son.

God is a loving, searching, giving and forgiving, and restoring father. You may be thinking that you've "sinned away" all the grace you received from God, but please know that you have not. God loves you and will not stop loving you every day of your life. I believe that it is a good time to ask yourself this question: How am I responding to the Lord's love for me? Do I truly believe and accept His grace and understand what that means? It is His gift. Ephesians 2:8-9

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On a slightly different note . . . I sometimes hold Ella in my hands while we look into each other's eyes trying to understand each other. I know I'm trying to do two things: 1) to understand what she is trying to communicate and 2) to communicate my love for her in ways she understands.

In some ways, she is more limited than me with regard to communication. She can smile, let her lip quiver, sigh, squeak, cry out, swing and kick, . . . but she seems to do most of her communication with her eyes. (secondarily, I would say she uses her mouth a lot, too, especially to signal her hunger to me, although sometimes I think she does it just to tell me that her favorite thing to do his feed.)

I can't see what my eyes are sending her, but I imagine they can only tell the truth as far as what is in my inner being. It almost worries me. Don't I believe God is powerfully able and generously giving? What if Ella sees in my eyes that the real truth is that I believe God to be selfish, lacking, and stingy? That He only helps people who help themselves. That He only gives to the ones who deserve it.

I don't believe any of those things--I believe all power, wisdom, and beauty belong to God and that He shares it like there's no tomorrow. But when I look at Ella I wonder what my eyes reveal to her. It makes me wonder whether grace and generosity and faith are welling up inside of me or if it's greed and selfishness and scarcity. There's a song that says, "There's love enough for the taking . . ." I hope that Ella will see that when she looks into my eyes because it's true--there's more than enough love to share and oh, what a joy to share it with her. God knows that she is a gift of love to us and of that generosity we are truly grateful.

An Olympic Success

2008-08-22T14:50:00.001-05:00

Triple Post: In Love with Ella, Jesus and the Religions, and Heavenly Embarrassment

2008-08-20T23:01:00.007-05:00

It's been so long since I've blogged and Ella's sleeping peacefully, so I thought I would do two blogs posts in one. The first one's short. The third one's probably confusing. The second one, I'm sure, is just right. ;-)

In Love with Ella
For me, having a daughter is like falling in love for the first time again. I look at her and think "How can someone so beautiful want to be with me?" I look around at other girls and ask, "Is she really the most valuable girl in the world?" and I decide, "Yes, she is, but I don't deserve her." Ella certainly doesn't take Nicole's place in my life. I am still madly in love with Nicole, no less now than before, but even more. But, I find myself longing to come home from work or wherever to see her and look in her eyes and express my love for her.

Jesus, the Heart?
I heard a statement a few weeks ago that is still bothering me. I was in the gym working out and conversing with two new friends. One is a Muslim originally from Chicago, but his parents are from the Middle East. The other guy is a Christian and Latino from Dallas. There was a slightly awkward point in our conversation when they found out that I am preparing to be a Christian missionary, but we naturally began discussing various theological questions. We talked about common misconceptions about Muslims and stereotypes. Then, we talked about anti-evolution and creation and human inability to fathom what God has done. Through everything, we either agreed or at least learned something from going back and forth on what each of us believed. Then, I was stunned a bit. The Christian said, "Well, I believe Christ is at the heart, right? And other religions are different veins, but each one flows to the heart, right? So, everybody's okay, right?" Well, I couldn't say I agreed, so I just said, "That's interesting." The Muslim went on to say that he believed in Jesus and that he figured he was closer to being a Christian than, say, a Jew, or someone who did not believe in Jesus. I thought, "That's great that you believe in Jesus. But what does that mean?" But, it was the first question, by the Christian, that has been bothering me almost constantly. Yes, of course, I believe Christ is the heart of life. I believe other religions point to Christ as much as anything else in creation. But, that it means everybody's okay just doesn't seem congruent with the way Christ and his earliest followers acted. They seemed to believe that Christ should be Lord. He was the One, whether they understood what it meant for Jesus to be the Messiah or not. They surrendered to Christ as the ultimate authority above all rulers and powers visible or invisible. Any religious or political figure must give up all power to Christ. Perhaps a better image for Christ is the head. The brain sends signals to all religions and cultures and politics in order for them to submit and be healed. As individuals and groups perhaps we drop to our knees realizing the he is Lord, Master, Boss, CEO of the Universe. We give him permission to heal us. Like someone with a broken leg that heals, due not to the surgeon's scalpel or the pharmacist's drug, but due to proper relationship between the brain and the leg . . . people of various religions that submit to Christ will certainly receive help and salvation. Those who consider Christ as an equal or lesser option will go the way of destruction.

Going to Heaven
That being said, . . . "What does one have to do to go to Heaven?" is a question that bothers me to no end. Along with that is the equating of "salvation" with "heaven". It bothers me in two points that I'd like to mention here on my blog so I can look back on them and see what was bothering me. 1) I do not find this interest as one of the hotter topics in the Bible. No one came to Jesus saying, "Rabbi, am I going to heaven?" Paul never said, "Your works don't get you into Heaven." Jesus never said, "Blessed are the meek for they get to go to heaven." I could go on and on and on of examples where God's early servants could have used the phrase "going to heaven", but didn't. 2) People teach and act like the only thing that matters is going to heaven. If you ask a Christian, "What's the most important thing?" I imagine they would say, "Going to heaven." If I then said, "What in the Bible gives you this idea?" I can't imagine what they would say, but I would certainly be curious. 3) The Christian's understanding of heaven (and hell) doesn't seem any different at all to what pre-Christian Greek philosophers or what popular Americans believe. Or another way to put it, The Christian's understanding of Heaven (and hell) seems void of Scriptural images and narratives and words. Doesn't that startle anyone else?

My irritation is not arrogance. I am not proud. I simply feel alone. I am embarrassed to ask the questions, "Isn't Jesus the only way?" and "Where do you get 'Going to Heaven' information?" I've been reading the Christian Bible my whole life. I meditate on the words almost constantly. I'm not proud of that; it's just that Scripture tastes like honey to me. I'm not necessarily good at understanding Scripture, though. Perhaps I read things into it or miss "weightier" distinctions. There's also a possibility that my obsessive irritation with these questions grows out of my own avoidance of taking the claim of Scripture seriously for my own life. My weakness, perhaps, is that I don't look inwardly to see what needs to change in my life if I do indeed believe Scripture is authoritative and "heavenly".

Our Baby Girl

2008-07-28T12:22:00.001-05:00

Ella Rhys Whaley,
Born in Austin, Texas,
July 28th, 12:22 PM,
6 lbs. 4 oz., 19 inches long,
Beautifully made!!!

Ella: foreign, . . . torch, bright light
Perhaps the old German meaning “foreign” is appropriate since Ella is the first child of parents who fell in love while both were foreigners in a strange land. Perhaps also because of a sense of affinity with Abraham and Sarah in the Bible who both lived as sojourners and waited for a child through whom God would bless all foreigners. May she seek by faith a lasting city.

Perhaps the Greek meaning torch gives the sense in which we hope Ella will be a witness to the The Way. Perhaps she will testify concerning the bright light that is Christ.

As popular a name as it was in the 1880s . . . “Ella” is back again!

Ella Fitzgerald was an African-American jazz singer with a beautiful gift for music.

Jason likes the name because Ella has the “El” sound, which means “god” in Hebrew. For example, the Bible begins with “B’reshi’t barah Elohim . . .”, “In the beginning God created . . .”

Rhys: enthusiasm for life
The English word, enthusiasm, comes from Greek—breathed-by-God—but the name Rhys has a Welsh origin and is popularly used for boys’ names in Wales after some strong rulers in the country’s history. Jason’s ancestors were from Wales, hence the family name, “Whaley”.

Perhaps “Rhys” is more commonly a boy name, but don’t be confused; let her first name make it clear since “Ella” also means “she” in Spanish. ☺ And, Rhys is a girls name according to one of our baby names books.

Another Welsh meaning has been used for this name in recent times and applied to girls as well: a stream. Of course, we hope this is a reminder of the natural power and grace of the Holy Spirit, sometimes thought of as a stream of pure water.

Other meanings include . . . ardent, fiery, zealous . . . eagerness, love, and passion . . . We have confidence that she will be a zealous doer, not merely a hearer of the Word . . .

Reese Witherspoon is a famous actress, but apparently “Rhys” seems to be an unpopular spelling for girls. It gives a unique sense to “Ella”, which is a much more popular name.

Ella Rhys . . . both names seem to fit together well and fit our daughter and give her lots of room to grow as well. We think Ella is going to be a sweet name for one sweet and joyful little girl who will grow into a woman with a sweet disposition and a joyful heart. May she seek a lasting city by the light of the Son of God.

Scripture that has Ella Rhys Whaley in it:
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning Elohim . . .”

Hebrews 11:8-16, “Faith led Abraham to live as a foreigner . . . Faith enabled Abraham . . . and Sarah . . . [They] were longing for a better country—a heavenly country. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them.”

Galatians 3:8, “ . . . So Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham ahead of time when it said, ‘Through you all the people of the world will be blessed.’”

Ephesians 5, “ . . . Live as children who have light . . . Light exposes the true character of everything because light makes everything easy to see . . . ‘Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ . . . be filled with the Spirit by reciting psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs . . .”

Isaiah 66:12, “This is what the LORD says: I will offer you peace like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream. You will nurse and be carried in Jerusalem's arms and cuddled on her knees.”

Amos 5:24, “But let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Micah 4:1, “In the last days the mountain of the LORD's house will be established as the highest of the mountains and raised above the hills. People will stream to it.”

Habakkuk 3:4, “His brightness is like the sunlight. Rays of light stream from his hand. That is where his power is hidden.”

Justice Wears a Heart

2008-07-20T20:40:00.004-05:00

I really want to see the new Batman movie and hope I can find time and a friend soon to see it with me.

I remember just before Batman Forever came out in 1995, they showed the movie trailer and one of the lines was, ". . . but justice wears a mask . . ." referring to Batman who wears a mask and fights crime. Does God care about justice? What does/would he do about injustice? Would God wear a disguise and slaughter bad guys?

Recently, I got the chance to be in class with a group of recent high school grads and college freshmen. We read Leviticus 19:1-37 and asked, basically, four questions and took notes as to some of what they all said. (Nicole chimed in, too.)

What does God do?
brings people out of oppression
saves people
delivers people
communicates

What is at God's heart? What does he care about most?
Sabbath, reverence, holiness,
caring for the poor, justice--fairness,
the stranger in the land,
worship (not to false gods),
life, supporting life,
compassionate (e.g., the deaf and blind),
honesty--don't steal

What information or knowledge is God most eager to share?
about himself--"I am the Lord"
"be holy"

What's the use of the Old Testament?
we're not slaves to the law . . . but it shows us what's right/wrong
it teaches us to care about what God cares about

There's a lot I would probably add in answering the last question, but that's another post.

I've Always Loved Tusken Raiders

2008-07-19T09:29:00.001-05:00

Tusken Raiders at the Office | Viral | SPIKE.com

Rescue from Diabetes

2008-07-19T08:59:00.005-05:00

I copy/pasted part of an article from www.mercola.com. If you are like me, pre-diabetic, perhaps you can adjust your lifestyle according to some good sense. My good friend Song Sun died a year and a half ago due to type 2 diabetes complications. He found it very difficult to change his lifestyle in order to reverse things before the dominoes began to fall on his organs. I hope that you and I are able to change ours. God, bless us.

. . .
Why is Diabetes Such a Dangerous Disease?

Diabetes has become so common that many don’t even bat an eyelash anymore. It’s almost as if diabetes has become “ok.” Just take your meds and you’ll be fine.

Not so!

Aside from the potentially deadly side effects of diabetes drugs, which I’ve covered in previous articles, the additional health complications that diabetes fosters are multiple, and quite serious, including:

Heart disease and stroke – Death from heart disease and risk for stroke is two to four times higher among people with diabetes
High blood pressure – 75 percent of diabetics have high blood pressure (130/180 mm Hg or higher)
Blindness -- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years
Kidney disease – Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. In 2005, more than 45,700 people began treatment for end-stage kidney disease in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and another 178,700 were living on chronic dialysis
Nervous system disease -- About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage such as: impaired sensation or pain in hands or feet, poor digestion, carpal tunnel syndrome and erectile dysfunction
Amputations – In 2004, 71,000 lower limb amputations due to diabetes were performed in the U.S.
Dental disease -- Almost one-third of people with diabetes have severe periodontal disease
Pregnancy complications -- Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy among women with type 1 diabetes can cause major birth defects in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies, and spontaneous abortions in 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies
Putting a Price Tag on Diabetes

There’s yet another updated study that warrants mentioning here: the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) study on Economic Cost of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2007.

The total estimated cost of diabetes in the U.S. in 2007 tallies up to $174 billion. This includes $ 116 billion in excess (read: unnecessary) medical expenditures, and $58 billion in reduced national productivity.

Having diabetes not only plunders your health, but your pocketbook too. People with diagnosed diabetes incur an average medical expense of $11,744 per year, almost 2.5 times higher than those who do not have diabetes.

Follow the Bread Crumbs

The concept that diabetes is NOT a blood sugar disease is one that I keep striving to make well-known. As you can see by the numbers above, understanding the TRUE underlying cause of diabetes has the potential to save hundreds of thousands, even millions, of lives.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease caused by insulin resistance and faulty leptin signaling, both of which are regulated through your diet.

Until that concept becomes well-known in both the medical community and by the public at large, the misconception about what diabetes is and the appropriate way to treat it will continue to be promoted.

Conventional treatment that is focused on fixing the symptom of elevated blood sugar, rather than addressing the underlying disease, is doomed to fail in most cases. Treatments that concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.

Since most treatments for type 2 diabetes utilize drugs that either raise insulin or lower blood sugar, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the additional diseases and the shortened lifespan that diabetics experience.

For the last 50 years or so, Americans have followed the dietary recommendations of a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet.

As an example, WebMD; one of the most visited medical information sites on the web, states that people with diabetes, who also have abnormal cholesterol levels, would be well advised to follow a diet that calls for 50 to 60 percent of your daily total calories to be in the form of carbohydrates.

That’s absurd.

They also state that table sugar is okay, as long as you readjust your medications to compensate appropriately (i.e. take more drugs to increase your fat cell storage capacity). Using toxic artificial sweeteners in lieu of sugar also gets the green light.

Folks, many of these recommendations are not based on what’s nutritionally healthy. They’re based on industry lobbying – just like the USDA’s Food Pyramid, which is fraught with industry conflicts of interest.

The proof is in the pudding as they say, and concomitant with the standard nutritional recommendations the incidence of diabetes and obesity has skyrocketed, and has become one of the worst epidemics the world has ever seen.

Eating a high "complex" carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet for health and longevity has been shown to be wrong. Minimal common sense would say to try something else.

How to Avoid Becoming a Statistic

Getting appropriate and regular amounts of exercise, and adopting an eating plan that emphasizes good fats, and reduced non-fiber carbohydrates and starches as outlined in my Total Health Program, can place you on the right path. Doing so will greatly improve and even reverse type 2 "insulin resistant" diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, many other chronic diseases of aging, all without the use of potentially dangerous drugs.

Excerpted from www.mercola.com.

God and Country

2008-07-08T21:44:00.003-05:00

A good friend and leader in the Park Ave church of Christ in Memphis wrote an excellent, I think, short essay in July 2006 on patriotism. So I thought I would share it:

I always look forward to the Fourth of July. It means good food and good times shared with people I care about.

Expressing one's patriotism is the thing to do on the Fourth! And I have no trouble doing so. I am glad to have lived in a country that grants me the freedoms that this one does. I acknowledge an inestimable debt to those who have sacrificed, some ultimately, to preserve the freedoms I hold so dear. I root enthusiastically for our Olympians. I get as riled as most when I hear the U.S.A. unjustly maligned. My response to such is this: How many people are doing everything they can to get out of it, preferring to live elsewhere? I rest! And finally, I'm a Viet Vet! Convinced? I hope so, for I don't want to be misunderstood as to what follows.

I get a little nervous at this linking of God and country. There are all sorts of "good Americans" who are not "God's people" in any way. And, of course, there are believing English, Russians, Japanese, and such. Don't we share something with them that is far more significant than a mere common citizenship?

And though there is much in our country that is good by virtue of the influence of Christian values, this country can by no stretch of the imagination be accurately described as "Christian". A quick look around should convince you of that.

One can be both a "good American" and a Christian, but they are entirely separate things, the latter being of infinitely greater significance than the former. God is God. He is not the representative of any particular nation, not even such a wonderful one as ours. We Christians would do well to remember it, even on the Fourth!

- Tank Tankersley, July 3, 2006

Also, there are these words at the close of an essay by Charles Marsh, © Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company :
. . . I am certain that it would be better for Christians to stand in solidarity with compassionate atheists and agnostics, firmly resolved against injustice and cruelty, than to sing "Amazing Grace" with the heroic masses who cannot tell the difference between the cross and the flag.

- Charles Marsh

I wonder if anyone has additional or critical thoughts about this subject they'd like to post as comments here.

Holiday Weekend

2008-07-05T16:28:00.006-05:00

4th of July at the Abuzeide's house, the guys outside with the hot grill, one of the kids, and a puppy dog. At the time telling basic training stories and how we got to be in the Round Rock church of Christ.

Chuy's, the King of Tex-Mex.

Nicole and our friends, sisters Sammie and Abby.

The only pillow I've ever loved.

1 Peter 1:13-21

2008-07-04T04:37:00.000-05:00

Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again. Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your desires because you didn’t know any better. But because the God who called you is holy you must be holy in every aspect of your life. Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites. Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed. Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections. He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time. Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.

Good 'Ol Søren

2008-07-01T16:58:00.003-05:00

Maybe you've heard of Søren Kierkegaard. A Christian philosopher, he was a critic of the Danish church. It just so happens that his country is now mostly atheist--at least that's my impression. We met a couple of exchange student girls a few months ago in Memphis. They came to church with us and one night had ice cream with a group of us and our friends. Corey and I, fans--is it fair to say?--of Kierkegaard asked the girls if they had heard of him. One of them had. Neither girl believed in God, but one of them really enjoyed the singing in church. They were very polite and open to friendships with Christians. Corey and I got a big kick out of the Danish pronunciation of our admired philosopher's name.

Anyway, here is a little reflection on Kierkegaard in Overhearing the Gospel, but Fred Craddock:

[Kierkegaard's] charge was that the clergy and the professors did not trust the word of scripture, but were constantly building around it the scaffolding of eighteen centuries of dogma, tradition, ecclesiastical machinery, and claims of authority. Whenver he had opportunity to preach, invariably it was an occasion for sharing the promise and judgment of a text of scripture. Quite unlike the sermons and lectures of the church, the Bible for Kierkegaard had the quality of a conversation, between God and God's people.

Here are a few neat quotes from Kierkegaard's writings regarding what I would call the risk of faith:

If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.

It is so hard to believe because it is so hard to obey.

During the first period of a man's life the greatest danger is not to take the risk.

Condoning, Condemning, and Cardboard

2008-06-27T10:09:00.005-05:00

I thought these devotional thoughts from Eugene Peterson go well with the Cardboard Testimonies video I found on my friend's blog.

Condoning is the way of the sentimental humanist, the person who cannot bear to see others suffer the consequences of his own actions and wants to make everything all right with Mercurochrome and Band-Aids. Condemning is the way of revengeful barbarians, people who cannot bear to face themselves and who want to make everything all right by getting rid of the offense. Condoning and condemning are both wrong for the same reasons: they refuse to take seriously the integrity of the other person, and to accept the fact that personal choice has personal consequences; they refuse to accept children as persons in their own right and not just extensions of the parent; and they refuse to take seriously the promises of God, to believe that God is capable of bringing good out of evil, healing out of suffering, peace out of disorder, resurrection out of crucifixion. They refuse to believe in Jesus Christ.

Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"
"No one, Master."
"Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
- John 8:10-11

Cardboard Testimonies video:

A Planet that Groans

2008-06-18T14:15:00.002-05:00

"As long as we continue to croon romantic ballads about God as a heavenly sweetheart . . . we're going to have difficulties facing a planet that groans under a curse." from page 10 of Jim McGuiggan's new book, _Celebrating the Wrath of God: Reflections on the Agony and the Ecstasy of His Relentless Love_

I just thought this was a though-provoking teaser from a book I'd like to read.

What Did You Expect?

2008-06-15T22:50:00.002-05:00

What Did You Expect? (a version of a sermon preached today in Round Rock, Texas)

Can Jason really go to grad school? Surprise. He did.
Can anything good really come out of Oklahoma? Surprise. Braum’s.
Surprise, indicated by sudden raising of the eyebrows, usually leads to one or a blend of three responses: fear, joy, or confusion. Joy is the response that comes from finding the surprises that God has in store.

I was trying to make sense of something. A widow, Luisa, and her family. Grief. Depended on God for every handful of flour and every drip of olive oil. I sensed God saying, “Get up, and go,” so I finally went over there. I said, “Here, I thought I would bring you some oranges.” I gave them a big sack of oranges. They were too sour for me so I was glad they started cutting them up and sharing slices around to several of her children—the youngest, a 10-year-old. I wanted to see if they really were hungry enough to eat these sour oranges. So I found out that not a single person out of that whole sad-faced house could stand to take even a second bite of the oranges I had brought. Except, one granddaughter. She started sucking on a half orange held by her mom and every time her mom would pull it away, the little girl who could hardly stand on two legs would scream, “Aaah!” And momma would hold that sour orange back up to her mouth and, “Suck, suck, suck.” We kind of laughed for a little while because the oranges were so ridiculously sour and because of this little girl, but then, we went back to grief and for a few more minutes we sad there depressed, tears streaming down the ten-year-old’s face. I thought, “Well, the oranges didn’t really count for bringing something to encourage them. What else can I give them?” And that’s when I thought of this story in 1 Kings 17 where God does something remarkable. It began to make sense of my life and what I was experiencing.

1 Kings 17:2-16
Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Leave here, turn east, and hide beside the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. You can drink from the stream, and I’ve commanded ravens to feed you there.”

Elijah left and did what the word of the Lord had told him. He went to live by the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River. Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the stream.

But after some time the stream dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.

Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”

He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.” As she was going to get it, he called to her again, “Please bring me a piece of bread, too.”

She said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord your God lives, I didn’t bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I’m gathering wood. I’m going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die.”

Then Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home, and do as you’ve said. But first make a small loaf and bring it to me. Then prepare something for yourself and your son. This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Until the Lord sends rain on the land, the jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always contain oil.”

She did what Elijah had told her. So she, Elijah, and her family had food for a long time. The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

So I thought about that story and thought, “God must have commanded this widow to give me something! That’s it! What is it?” She had all these kids around and I thought, “Well, they don’t have a bunch of CDs like I have. They probably know how to sing.” So while everybody was silent and sad-faced and exhausted looking, I said, “Could you all sing me a song?” They looked at me with a little surprised, but not too surprised and Luisa said, “Well, can you sing us a song?” So I tried to think of an appropriate song to sing. I had just made up one a couple weeks previous and it was short and sombre so I sang it:

Make me humble,
Make me grateful.
Make me laugh and make me cry;
Bring me to my knees.
You’re so merciful and I’m so in need—
To be what you created me to be.

Well, it took about 15 seconds for the family to come up with the first of several songs to sing. The kids began leading praise songs around God and Jesus. We had church right there in the middle of that. I realized, with surprise, that God brought joy to me through a widow and her family who seemed on the surface not to have anything to share with me. But they did. How did they have something I needed?

And who is the Lord of creation? Who is the Ruler of rulers and CEO of the universe, but Jesus, son of Joseph of hometown Nazareth, the Lamb of God who looks like it’s been slaughtered? Would we ever have thought that he had something we needed? I don’t know that I would even have noticed him walk by.

Isaiah 53:2,
. . . He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him.
He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him.

And yet, he is the King of all ages. The indescribable and ultimate gift to humanity and the only hope for all creation. All wisdom, power, honor, and strength belong to him! The Lamb—surprise!—has everything we need! As the song goes, “Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men?”

And what are his people like? Who follows this Lamb?

Matthew 4:24,
. . . People brought him everyone who was sick, those who suffered from any kind of disease or pain. They also brought epileptics, those who were paralyzed, and people possessed by demons, and he cured them all.

Are you one who is being brought to Jesus?
Or, are you one who is bringing others to Jesus?
I think we take turns, don’t we? Sometimes bringing, sometimes being brought. Sometimes we’re ravens, naturally obedient to God and not even surprised by our own dependence on him. Sometimes we’re Elijah, trusting God confidently enough to ask the first widow or street kid we come across for something we need. Sometimes we’re the widow or her son, good-hearted enough to let faith grow and all we really need is a friend whom we can serve with our last handful of flour and last drip of olive oil. We take turns at these different characters, but let’s never take God’s turn. Never get tired of expecting God to surprise us—taking care of us and letting us take care of others in the most unfamiliar circumstances.

One time there was a house with a woman standing on its front porch with a cigarette and a scowl. She cussed at people who walked by. She would go inside and slam the door if you tried to say, “G’day,” to her. But if we hadn’t gone inside, we wouldn’t have realized that her husband (I can’t remember his name) was taking the best care of her that he could. And inside that house he had a small gathering of whoever would come. And he was preaching the Good News to them and leading them in praise songs. That’s where we got to hear the Good News. That’s where the Kingdom came—in the least expected place.

Good Father, please give me the ‘get up and go’ to seek your providence in the people and places I least expect. In the name of the One who is much greater than what we expected, Amen.

Human Microbiome

2008-06-14T09:20:00.002-05:00

Six Tribes of Bacteria Live in Your Inner Elbow

The crook of your elbow is a special ecosystem that provides a bountiful home to six tribes of bacteria. Even after you wash, there are still 1 million bacteria living on every square centimeter.

These bacteria are what biologists call commensals, helpful rather than harmful organisms. They moisturize your skin by processing the raw fats that it produces.

The bacteria were discovered as part of the human microbiome project, a study researching all of the various microbes that live in people. The project is in its early stages, but has already established that the bacteria in the human microbiome collectively possess at least 100 times as many genes as the 20,000 or so in the human genome.

The bacterial cells also outnumber human cells by 10 to 1.

Humans depend on their microbiome for essential functions, including digestion, leading microbiologists to conclude that a person should really be considered a superorganism.
Sources:
New York Times May 23, 2008
Genome Research May 23, 2008
Science May 22, 2008

(Were You Aware… 80% of Your Immune System is Located in Your Digestive System?
So, to effectively promote your immune system health, you need to look no further than your intestinal tract. Probiotics (Greek “for life’) can be a great way to start promoting your digestive health and overall health as well.)

Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Isn’t it wonderful that your body is its own living ecosystem, teeming with beneficial bacteria?

Well, for some it may prompt you to grab a bar of antibacterial soap and run for the shower, but you couldn’t wash all the bacteria off your body if you tried -- nor would you want to. Unfortunately, modern society is unhealthily obsessed with being “clean,” despite the fact that “commensal,” or beneficial, bacteria play a large role in keeping you alive.

You and Your Bacteria: A Symbiotic Relationship

There are 70 known tribes of commensal bacteria that could be living on your body right now. The word commensal comes from the Latin term “com mensa,” which means “sharing a table.”

Take, for instance, the Nile crocodile and the tiny Egyptian plover bird. The bird flies into the crocodile’s mouth, makes a meal out of the leeches and other debris on its gums, and in turn the croc gets its teeth cleaned. This is a symbiotic relationship at its finest.

Similarly, the bacteria that inhabit your body are serving a great purpose.

Those in your gut, for instance, feed on sugars you eat and convert the hydrogen they produce into methane. The bacteria on your inner elbow, meanwhile, process the raw fats it produces and in turn moisturize your skin.

Amazing!

The Price You Pay for Killing Your Bacteria

There are about 100 trillion microorganisms -- bacteria, fungi and more -- living on and in your body. Despite this magnitude, science is only beginning to unravel their impact on your health.

Most obviously, it’s known that altering the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract can weaken your immune system and cause trouble to your digestive functions. But bacteria have an impact well beyond that. Even the National Institutes of Health cites research showing that “variations in the composition of microbial communities may contribute to chronic health conditions, including diabetes, asthma, obesity and digestive disorders.”

For instance:
The types of bacteria in a baby’s gut may determine their risk of being overweight or obese later in life.
Gut bacteria play a role in fighting colon cancer.
The disappearance of H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers, may contribute to the obesity epidemic, as it regulates the production of leptin and ghrelin.
A daily dose of friendly bacteria known as probiotics might help treat autism, irritable bowel disease, acne and premenstrual syndrome.
How to Nourish Your Body’s Friendly Bacteria

The healthy bacteria that reside on your body are constantly under attack. The biggest offenders?

1. Antibiotics
2. Antibacterial soaps
3. A poor diet, specifically one high in sugar, grains and processed foods

While antibiotics and antibacterial soaps simply kill all the bacteria in and on your body -- both good and bad -- a poor diet actually feeds bad bacteria. Eventually, the disease-causing bacteria will be able to overtake the good bacteria, and this is when disease results.

So, what can you do to keep your body’s ecosystem thriving and, most importantly, in balance?

1. Avoid antibiotics if at all possible. Only take them as a last resort, and when absolutely necessary. If you do take antibiotics, be sure to take a high-quality probiotic supplement upon finishing the treatment to replenish your body’s good bacteria.

2. Avoid antibacterial soaps. They will cause the production of resistant bacterial strains and are toxic. Plain soap and water is all you need.

3. Eat a diet tailored to your nutritional type. This will give you the foods your body (and its bacteria) will thrive on.

4. Avoid sugar and grains, which feed bad bacteria.

5. Eat organic meat and dairy products, as conventional varieties can contain high levels of antibiotic residues.

6. Eat fermented foods like kefir, unpasteurized sauerkraut, or, my favorite, natto. These foods are naturally rich in good bacteria that will help to keep your gut bacteria in balance.

7. Take a high-quality probiotic supplement, particularly while you get your diet on the right track.

My Friend's in Australia

2008-06-03T13:38:00.003-05:00

My friend and teammate, Shawn, is in Australia at the moment. He's been bloggin' and I wanted to share his blog with . . . you guys. I'm living in Austin, TX now where "you guys" is not a gender-specific call. Nicole and I are experiencing a bit of culture shock of our own here, but it's mostly good.

We're especially excited about getting to know the people in the Round Rock congregation.

Well, here's Shawn's blog: http://everythingshawn.blogspot.com/

Hosea 4 :1-3; Romans 8:19

2008-05-29T18:51:00.003-05:00

The LORD has brought these charges against those who live in the land:

• There is no faith, no love, and no knowledge of God in the land.

• There is cursing, lying, murdering, stealing, and adultery.
People break {my laws}, and there is one murder after another.

• That is why the land is drying up,
and everyone who lives in it is passing away.
Wild animals, birds, and fish are dying.

. . . All creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal who his children are . . .

What's Fat Got to Do With It?

2008-05-24T07:36:00.003-05:00

Here's an excerpt from an article from www.mercola.com, written by Dr. Mercola. I share his desire to encourage people to take control of their health. For me, personally--not that health is a measure of faith--but, I want to "toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others (1 Corinthians 9:27)." I don't want God to say, "Jason, you sure could have done a lot more good if you hadn't been so out-of-shape, out-of-energy, and out-to-lunch." Instead of focusing on looking or feeling better, though, I think it is about letting God work on us. I suppose this is an unpopular dream these days, to connect faith with matter . . . alas, here it is:

What’s Fat Got to Do With It?

Contrary to the popular belief that fat cells should be banished, they are an active and intelligent part of your body, producing hormones that impact your brain, liver, immune system and even your ability to reproduce.

What’s more, the hormones your fat cells produce impact how much you eat and how much fat you burn.

One of these hormones is leptin, which sends signals that reduce hunger, increase fat burning and reduce fat storage.

That is, if your cells are communicating properly and can “hear” this message.

If you eat a diet that is high in sugar and grains, the sugar gets metabolized to fat (and is stored as fat in your fat cells), which in turn releases surges in leptin. Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to it (just as your body can become resistant to insulin).

And when you become leptin-resistant, your body can no longer hear the messages telling it to stop eating and burn fat -- so it remains hungry and stores more fat.

Leptin-resistance also causes an increase in visceral fat, sending you on a vicious cycle of hunger, fat storage and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and more.

As Sadaf Shadan states in Nature, there are two contributing factors to an increase in fat mass: the number of fat cells, and how much fat each of them stores (their volume).

So essentially, you can have fewer fat cells and still be overweight because each cell is “maxed out,” if you will, or alternatively, you can have more fat cells overall and be at an ideal weight simply because your fat cells are functioning properly and not storing excess fat.

Either way, you’re in control here.

What do you think?

The Foot, Her Father's Music Gig, and Friends

2008-05-17T16:08:00.014-05:00

Here is our daughter's foot--how flexible is that!

And this is how she likes to stick her foot in her mouth, but believe me--she doesn't get it from me!

Wailin' with Daddy . . . at Starbucks thanks to Rusty and his boss, Priscilla . . .

We had some out-of-control guests . . .

. . . but, they were soothed by the music, I guess . . .

These are my number-one fans--I couldn't have better supporters! We made $38 in "Whaley Homemade" CD sales.

Several weeks after Daddy's gig, we had some Aussie visitors . . . Their daughter went through high school with Nicole. John and Sandy have been driving across America, especially trying to stay on Route 66, which is easier said than done.

The Pattern of Salvation

2008-05-10T08:29:00.002-05:00

What will help you see the faith-feelings that the Spirit produces?

What I mean by faith-feelings are things like:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Really, though, these are not only feelings, but activities. Galatians 5:22 says these are the character traits that the holy spirit produces. So how can we grow a garden of these feelings? Raise a harvest of those activities?

I would say,
1. Open your eyes. Every resource in the universe is at God's fingertips and He's generous beyond measure. The earth produces more than enough food for all its inhabitants. The problem of starvation and extinction is a symptom of our broken relationship with God (Hosea 4:1-3). If you can't see God's ability and willingness to pour out more than enough love for the taking, chances are you are squinting untrustingly at the world around you. Open your eyes to God's matchless gift-giving. (Matthew 5:45; 6:22)

2. Suffer. Perhaps your brothers sold you to slave traders. Perhaps your coworkers belittle you in front of clients. Perhaps you've been emotionally abused by your closest friend. Be willing to be persecuted for crimes you did not commit and of course for ones that you did commit. Perhaps you would be willing to die for a good person. Be willing to die for people who are not good. Pray for their forgiveness and your own while they mock you. (Romans 5:1-11)

3. Endure. Suffering usually lasts longer than it's ever lasted before. Just like high school is harder than elementary school. You don't have to do 12th grade all in your first year of school. You just have to last about 12 years. In my first half-marathon race, I had never run more than nine or ten miles on one day before, but that day I ran past the tenth mile marker and kept going--even sped up until the end of the race at 13.1 miles. Run the race marked out for you with perseverance. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

4. Become the character God created you to be. You don't choose your overall character. You receive little prompts along the way--usually from off stage. When you've forgotten your lines, remember, you can use the Bible. It has lots of examples of improvisation guided by Christ's love and spiritual conviction. Like gravity bringing rain to the earth and the sun calling the garden upward, you receive God's character patiently, yet with vibrance. Our part in God's story cannot be proof-texted, only life-tested. (Luke 4:1-13)

5. Confidently hope. You know that after Jesus died, he was raised. He suffered and endured to the point of death. He became the Character God intended for all of us to become. He is our second chance to become that character or at least to become of that Character. After he had learned obedience through outwardly dying and wasting away, God resurrected him outwardly just like he had been doing inwardly day by day. We don't dwell on dying and this "cruel, cruel world" that seems to hate us. We eventually get to the point that we trust God to bring new eternal life from something destroyed by death--even a new city from the ashes of the one we destroyed! (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Revelation 21)

I think this is sort of an order of salvation. I pray our thoughts, feelings, and bodies will be renewed by this kind of pattern. :-)

Ben Seriously Folds Five

2008-05-04T21:31:00.002-05:00

I went to Memphis in May Friday night with good friends, Justin Lewis, Jacob and Lisa Parnell. We were most looking forward to seeing Ben Folds perform, but it rained on and on so they had to keep Ben's piano under plastic tarps (as well as the rest of the stage). It was disappointing not to see Ben. We did catch the last song performance of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts playing the Sly & Family Stone classic, "I Am Everyday People". It was really good. I was impressed with how youthful and energetic Joan was, and of course her lead guitarist who seemed to be in his twenties. After standing in the rain and mud puddles waiting for Ben to play between 9 and 10:30, they packed his piano up in a big box and we headed over to another stage for Sheryl Crow's performance. We caught Johnny Lang's last song there. He was playing guitar like crazy, but you could hardly hear it over the--BASS! I just almost hate whoever was responsible for the sound. Good grief! I realize God created that person, but who on earth are they trying to appeal to? The people who drive around in the bass-mobiles? All you can hear is low vibrations pounding into your chest. As far as I know, most people don't have those kinds of stereos. I have no intention of marginalizing those people from society, but . . . Okay, enough of a rant . . .

The same sound person was in charge of the music playing between the artists' live performance unfortunately. But, suddenly, the rain stopped/slowed long enough for Sheryl Crow and her band to come out and perform. We noticed her friends/family getting back/side stage to enjoy the show from beneath the shelter of plastic tarp. There just wasn't enough tarp to go around, but I'm not complaining about that, just the ridiculously loud level of the bass. Anyway, Sheryl did great. She started with "Shine Over Babylon", which I really like. All the other songs were great, too, but I don't particularly care for the song, "The First Cut is the Deepest," by Cat Stevens, which she covered. Anyway, I felt like I had to watch a couple of Ben Folds performances to make up for missing him Friday night. So I embedded youtubes of Ben playing probably my favorite one of his that I've heard, "Underground". As a side note, an acapella choir from York University performed a version of this song.

Here's another video of the song "Philosophy":

Time: What the World Eats

2008-05-01T10:13:00.006-05:00

Click on the title of this blog for a compelling photo gallery of "What the world Eats". See how much processed food some families have compared to others? Consider cost difference between those who buy unprocessed and boxes packages.

I've been saying it for about a year now. We need to convert our food industry paradigm to one that recognizes the inherent ability of the earth to produce food. Of course it would be a challenging and long-term shift, but presently, multi-national biotech companies are determined to genetically modify and patent every seed so that we get more (supposedly) of less variety (certainly), taking millions of food varieties that the earth produces naturally and abundantly. They are winnowing the myriad of plant varieties down to a single line of corn, a single line of soybean, etc., patenting them.

This leads grocery buyers to eating less variety. We it processed corn products. We sweeten our other foods with corn syrup. We feed the meat and eggs we eat with corn. But, can humans live well solely based on between one and four actual foods?

People like me have a choice with regard to food. We can seek knowledge and mostly reliable information. But what about people from lower and middle classes in america and other western countries? They're mostly eating out of plastic bags and packages. Everything they eat seems cheap because it has so little actual food leftover from the processing. And can it even be considered cheap when so many health problems are unavoidable?

Can anything be done, though?

1. Eat a wide variety of fresh foods. Enjoy the earth's abundant biodiversity in your body, mind, and soul. Be nourished!

2. Avoid processed foods. They will only make you hungry, sleepy, and depressed.

3. Plant as many unadulterated seeds as you can. Grow gardens amazingly!

Look at my friend, Corey's, okra from last summer!

Corey planted this okra in--believe me--not the best soil. There were bicycle parts in it, pieces of rubber, etc. He basically took about a wheelbarrow-full of dirt out so it wasn't so packed in. The soil swell out to fill the rest of the space on its own. Then, he broadcast seed over it--no rows. Then, he scattered a bag of organic top soil over the top of the seeds. He planted marigolds on each corner around the okra and other crops--insect predators are marigold-averse. Corey never fertilized. He merely watered and picked off a few bugs in the evenings. And I've never seen more productive and strong okra plants. It got even taller than what you see--he had to stand on a chair and reach way above his head to pick it. GENETICALLY MODIFY THAT!

But, you're wondering, "How can we do this bio-intensive farming on a grand scale? For those who don't want to grow their own?" If agricultural companies own the seed, they can afford to transport food from the money they make on seed sales and sprays and fertilizers. They can maintain low prices, right?

My answer: I don't know how to make the shift from industrialized food monocultures to all human beings having local access to exuberant varieties. But there are those who have been thinking about this and researching and experimenting for many years.

4. Search "biointensive", "John Jeavons", "Ecology Action", "Southside Community Land Trust". Also, here is a good article on What a fossil-fuel free agriculture might look like: http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/5/184641/855. And definitely read about the Land Institute: http://www.landinstitute.org/. Finally, give some money to Healing Hands International, http://www.hhi.org/.

Ticker

2008-04-29T09:19:00.002-05:00

This is where we're at in fundraising. Many people have expressed a desire to give to the Aussie Mission. One of the ways they can give is to make a monthly commitment to provide for living expenses. This makes sure we stay in Australia to share the story of God and our lives. If you want to give, here is the address of our commissioning church whose elders and members oversee us spiritually. We've asked them to keep us accountable, not just for our finances, but that's definitely key.

Any financial gifts can now be sent to our new account that has been set up at the Round Rock church of Christ. Below are the church contact details. Please contact Gail if you would like to make direct deposits. All financial contributions are tax-deductible so make checks out to the Round Rock church of Christ. Please include “Aussie Mission” in the memo field.

Round Rock church of Christ
1200 N Georgetown Street
Round Rock, TX 78664
Phone (512) 255-5331
Contact: Tim Hunter (Elder of missions) or Gail (church secretary)

By June 1st 2008, we will relocate to the Austin area to better invest ourselves with the brothers and sisters at Round Rock. We anticipate spending four months serving together, serving God in their community and getting to know the family there, before heading Down Under. If you want to keep in touch with us, check out www.aussiemission.com. We have monthly newsletters you can download from August 2007 on, only skipping the month of January so far.

Victim Treats His Mugger Right

2008-04-09T22:33:00.002-05:00

Click on the title link above to listen (about 3 minutes) or read the article below:

Morning Edition, March 28, 2008 · Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.

New Diet and Exercise Guidelines

2008-04-09T14:02:00.004-05:00

I got an article I wanted to share that may have helped inspire me to start exercising again, not to lose weight, but just to be in Christian fighting condition. You know, train my body to be in service to the Lord instead of whims and so on. I have only run two or three times since Thanksgiving. Thankfully, my construction job has got me fairly active, but it's usually a low intensity and no cardio/aerobic really. But even that job will end soon as we transition into life down in Texas. We're set to move at the end of May.

New Diet and Exercise Guidelines
Gary Peters, D.C.

The federal government issued new dietary guidelines for Americans in January. Finally, the conventional medical paradigm may be indeed GETTING IT in terms of the amount of daily exercise one needs to lose weight, according to the revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans along with a new Food Pyramid unveiled yesterday. Now, they recommend allotting 60-90 minutes EACH DAY to exercise.

That's a smart move, considering the key factor in building optimal health in people who have insulin resistance and need to lose weight is a 90-minute "dose" of exercise daily!

Most of the two-thirds of the country who are overweight and tens of millions of others with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, desperately need more exercise to revitalize their health. In fact, unlike typical commercial drugs, exercise can actually cause one to go into permanent remission for diabetes.

Other highlights of the new standards:

Lowering your intake of trans fats as much as possible.
Cutting back on sugar.
Increasing your daily intake of fruits and vegetables to 5-13 servings.
Eat fiber-rich whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
Exercise 30-90 minutes every day.

Early Morning, April 4

2008-04-04T21:01:00.003-05:00

Martin Luther King was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee, April 4th, 1968. Did we kill him because of his non-violent attempt to lift up the poor? Or did we kill him because he pronounced judgment on the abuses of the powerful?

There are a number of U2 "Pride: In the Name of Love" videos available on the internet. One of my favorites is this sweaty mullet version so I've embedded it here:

There's also a version I like from the PopMart tour, which I saw with great friends in Dallas:

Prang!

2008-04-04T19:45:00.004-05:00

I was in a fender bender today, or "prang", as they say in Australia. I rear-ended an '89 Buick with my '92 Camry and then a Maxima slid into my rear. James Brown was in the car with me. We had been following some coworkers in the rain to another job site. James said, "Don't follow Lomberto," who was driving a truck, minimizing visibility of the road ahead. I followed the truck instead of the other cars in the caravan anyway although I general respect James' ideas. Well, on a busy four-lane road with a "chicken" lane Lomberto changed lanes quickly without a blinker. Suddenly I saw the Buick stopped dead and trying to stop while wishing the next lane was clear for me to swerve. I skidded for a fair distance before contact. The older gentleman, Oliver, was thankfully on the sidewalk rather than jacking up his car, which had blown a tire.

Well, the rest of the story consists of standing in the cold rain and going well over our cell phone free minutes. I was the only white person in the story except, I assume, for some of the people I spoke with on the phone making claims and reports on the accident and communicating with coworkers and our superintendent. The man who rear-ended me had said, "I got a Dentist appointment," and pointed to his swollen jaw. He left. James and I drove Oliver around to find an affordable tire replacement. He got a tire for $30!

What I learned:
I want to slow down and not worry about being lost from my caravan. They stopped to wait on us anyway. Next time, I will attend to all general road conditions than on sticking to the car just ahead of me.
I want to lead people, especially in slick road conditions on Friday afternoon, with great care and patience. I'm sure Sammy, Marcus, and Lomberto had this patience, but I suddenly realized that I usually do not. Unfortunately, I usually think to myself, "I'm such a good driver; I'm glad I'm not like other drivers." This might begin to change.

What I was reminded of:
I spent around $60 for my spare tire last November at Wal-Mart.
Nicole had an accident a couple years ago. She was mostly okay except for nerves and a head bump.
I heard from Australia that my brother had been in a car accident. My heart sank. He was all right except for shock and a dinner plate-size bruise.
I was rear-ended by a young Iraqi immigrant to Australia.
When I was young and playing football with my Dad, my Uncle, and my cousin, I juked my, at the time, little cousin after an interception. I had baited his Dad into throwing it gently to Brian so he would be sure to make the catch. Then, I intercepted the pass and ran casually toward a 10-inch diameter tree, finally dodging the tree at the last second, into the left lane, if you will. Brian, with arms stretched forward 11 inches apart closed his eyes just in time to violently kiss the tree. I, in a very un-Christ-like moment, was already turned around to enjoy inwardly my shameful juke. I can't believe I did it on purpose. I am ashamed that I was proud of my abilities to juke my little cousin into the tree.
Luke 18:9-14, " . . . Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored."

God have mercy on me, a sinner and proud driver! Please drive safely and listen to God's Word.

Back from Belize!

2008-04-01T22:47:00.004-05:00

Back from Belize! The only great drawback of the trip was that Nicole and I were apart. I was so glad to see and hug her again!

Here is the first of many Belize trip pictures I intend to post and comment on:

Mariano works at the Punta Gorda hospital. Early on during my conversations in Belize, Mariano tells me he is on the hospital staff. I think he said "meal" attendant. I say, "So you do the cooking for the patients?" He says, "Uh, no sir Jason." Eventually, I realize that he is saying "male" attendant. He mainly runs around on account of male patients who just so happen to stay in the "male ward", a single room. Mariano and I got along very well and had some good laughs as well as attended patients together. He asked for a Bible, so I got him one for free and wrote in it. Another staff member took this picture just outside the hospital the night before our surgical mission team returned to the States.

The Monday before leaving for Belize, Nicole and I discovered that a) we are having a girl!!! and b) the afterbirth/placenta is covering the baby's "way out". So we had (and still have) anxiety over discovery "b".

On the plane I discovered Psalm 131. So I read and meditated on it throughout my time in Belize and even since I came back.

O Lord, my heart is not conceited.
My eyes do not look down on others.
I am not involved in things too big or too difficult for me.
Instead, I have kept my soul calm and quiet.
My soul is content as a weaned child is content in its mother's arms.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord now and forever.

God's People Sing

2008-03-09T22:41:00.003-05:00

I've been reading devotionals and Scripture each morning from Living the Message: Daily Help for Living the God-centered Life by Eugene H. Peterson. I've had several favorites I've wanted to post on my blog. I read this one last Friday morning.

"There are songs everywhere in scripture. The people of God sing. They express exuberance in realizing the majesty of God and the mercy of Christ, the wholeness of reality and their new-found ability to participate in it. Songs proliferate. Hymns gather the voices of men, women, and children into century-tiered choirs. Moses sings. Miriam sings. Deborah sings. David sings. Mary sings. Angels sing. Jesus and his disciples sing. Paul and Silas sing. When persons of faith become aware of who God is and what he does, they sing. The songs are irrepressible."

Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing:

To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb!
The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength,
For age after age after age.

REVELATION 5:13

Noel Green Videos

2008-03-08T08:52:00.002-06:00

Noel Green and I have been friends ever since my freshman year in college/University, 1993. I'm posting my favorite "Noel Green and Friends" videos. Click on the title to be linked to the whole smorgasbord of videos. But here on my blog you can watch my favorites.

The first one, a music video, is fairly well known on YouTube. I just absolutely love it. It's a great song and an excellent interpretation.

This next video makes me laugh to tears every time I watch it.

The Ziploc Fingerman Special is a classic I still love to watch and it was made pre-digital.

Noel made the next two videos for assignments in college.

Okay, here are the Star Wars overdubs that take the cake . . . the spice cake that is . . .

Wiggler

2008-03-04T23:08:00.001-06:00

I felt our baby wiggle yesterday during our Austin-Memphis flight.

Humble, Grateful

2008-02-27T23:17:00.002-06:00

I wrote a song last Wednesday while driving home from work.

make me humble
make me grateful
make me laugh
and make me cry
bring me to my knees.

You're so merciful and
i am so in need
to be what you created me to be.

(I wish I could put the tune up on here. I'm working to put songs up on another site. I'll advertise once I get it going.)

Th funny thing about writing this song is that it was an honest prayer. I felt the need to be changed by God. I felt spiritual "old" and was thirsting for new creation, especially in humility and gratitude. You know the verse in Philippians, "Do everything without complaining" and presenting requests to God with "thanksgiving".

Well, not only was it an honest prayer, but something happened about 15 to 20 minutes later that answered all but the "make me cry" part. An elder from a church in Texas rang me up and explained the goings on for this weekend--their having us in for a congregational introduction/blessing. The elder told us how much money they have already set aside and I got the overall impression that God has had his hand in all of this.

I felt what I already thought to be true--our mission is actually much bigger than us. I felt like God was saying, "Jason and Nicole, you're not going to create the opportunities to ensure this mission moves, but I am." I also felt gratitude instantly. I started, with joy, just wanting to share everything--food, money, clothes, anything. It's hard to express what happened to me exactly, but I was brought to my knees sincerely with regard to humility and gratitude.

Psalm 9:1ff

2008-02-25T21:24:00.002-06:00

i'm thanking you, GOD, from a full heart,
i'm writing the book on your wonders.
i'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
i'm singing your song, High God.

the day my enemies turned tail and ran,
they stumbled on you and fell on their faces.
You took over and set everything right;
when i needed you, you were there, taking charge.

You blow the whistle on godless nations;
You throw dirty players out of the game,
wipe their names right off the roster.
enemies disappear from the sidelines,
their reputation trashed,
their names erased from the halls of fame.

GOD holds the high center,
he sees and sets the world's mess right.
He decides what is right for us earthlings,
gives people their just deserts.

GOD's a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
the moment you arrive, you relax;
you're never sorry you knocked.

Blowback: Laura Ingraham and Ron Paul

2008-01-31T16:53:00.000-06:00

I got this video/radio things thru www.mercola.com. Dr. Mercola is a doctor who believes people ought to take control of their health. He absolutely loves Dr. Ron Paul. Below I pasted some of Dr. Mercola's comments from his post:

"In this interview with political commentator and talk show host Laura Ingraham, Ron Paul explains why the Constitution should be followed -- and how unintended consequences are the inevitable effects of current U.S. foreign policy.

In the middle of it, he lets Ingraham know that she is actually unintentionally arguing his own points for him. If you want to hear a man speak with passion and principle, this is the interview you should hear.

Aside from his dedication to principle, there are many reasons why I support Ron Paul, and a major one has to do with his devotion to your health freedom. He believes in:

Expanding the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments.
Opposing legislation that increases the FDA‘s legal powers. [Did you know that the FDA has approved of genetically modified foods without labelling? Vegemite, on the other hand,--even though we've had it on our store shelves for years--has been banned by the FDA!!! It is absurd that new government branches like the Federal Bank and the Federal Food & Drug Administration get formed (in America!) without checks or balances!]
The notion that the government should never have the power to require immunizations or vaccinations."

My Random Album (and economic revitalization)

2008-01-29T09:27:00.000-06:00

Band Name: THE BOMB

Album Title: ACCORDING TO OUR BELIEF

Album Cover:

First five tracks:
I Believe
Liberties That Are
Standing, Banking
Dangerous Institutions
More Than Armies

Isn't that cool for coming up random? I used the guidelines I found on my friend, Dan's, blog (click on title to link there). Apparently, it's a "meme".

The full Heidi Wills quote from which the album title came is, "We do not believe if we do not live and work according to our belief."

While I was reading some of the quotes, another one caught my eye, one by Thomas Jefferson, who mostly wrote our constitution before John Adams helped by editing it. Here it is: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

That prophetic is worth considering now. Today the federal reserve bank exists in spite of being anathema to at least one of the founding fathers. The federal reserve doesn't have to report what it's doing to the American people. Many people don't even know that it prints money at will without reporting it. Wouldn't it be better if they televised their meetings? People who are hurting severely due to inflation might realize the real culprit. That could be the beginning of a solution.

Here is an abbreviated form of Ron Paul's economic plan and is, I think, in the tradition of President Jefferson:

“Real economic reform must address the underlying reasons for the current economic malaise,” said Ron Paul. “This plan is more than just a band-aid for our economy; it fundamentally reforms four areas where government policies are damaging our national economy. When enacted, my plan will provide both short-term stimulus, and lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity.”

The comprehensive economic revitalization plan is available online at: http://www.RonPaul2008.com/Prosperity.

The four areas that the plan covers are:

1. Tax Reform: Reduce the tax burden and eliminate taxes that punish investment and savings, including job-killing corporate taxes.

2. Spending Reform: Eliminate wasteful spending. Reduce overseas commitments. Freeze all non-defense, non-entitlement spending at current levels.

3. Monetary Policy Reform: Expand openness with the Federal Reserve and require the Fed to televise its meetings. Return value to our money.

4. Regulatory Reform: Repeal Sarbanes/Oxley regulations that push companies to seek capital outside of US markets. Stop restricting community banks from fostering local economic growth.

Congressman Paul has written or co-sponsored numerous bills to enact the policies in his plan. In Congress, he has been a champion of lower taxes and limited government.

Congressman Paul is the ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. In Congress, Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase or for an unbalanced budget.

Resonating with Christ's Campaign

2008-01-28T20:17:00.000-06:00

Hello my wise friends and family,

There's just something about the campaign that excites me.

The character of "Ron Paul's campaign" resonates so much more with Christian boldness, enthusiasm, and humility than the back-biting and power-mongering of virtually all the other politicians. I know that America is a kingdom of this world just like any other worldly kingdom--as do you. Our government lords it over us just like all the others. I know that none of us can be trusted to govern just as Christ would. But the way of Ron Paul's campaign just seems so much more like something that Jesus would smile at. Perhaps I'm a fool.

I know Ron's not the second coming at all, but I enjoy knowing his truthful message is getting out there much like John the Baptist's message made its way to King Herod (and got him beheaded). I'm glad to see a threatening message enter the powers of our own corrupt government.

I know the idea of anyone without perfect knowledge and motives becoming President doesn't compare to the day when Jesus returns and hands over to God the true kingdom--that will truly be an election Day! But until then, it seems like it would be more honorable to think a good person with a message full of truth and meaning could become President than than to think one of the dodgy candidates that promote themselves more than the truth could take the next seat of power.

Here is a quote from 1 Cor 15 that promotes the eternal message that is far superior to any great government's message whether it be Babylon, Rome, or America:

"Then the end will come. Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father as he destroys every ruler, authority, and power. Christ must rule until God has put every enemy under his control. The last enemy he will destroy is death. [ . . . ] Then God will be in control of everything."

God is not yet in control of everything (e.g., the White House and sometimes my own house), but I rejoice as he rebukes and mocks the rulers and powers of this dark world using humble people who speak the truth.

By the peace that truly brings freedom,
Jason

Pre-occupations

2008-01-22T12:50:00.000-06:00

Here I am at home with the day off from work because of weather conditions. It was rainy and now extremely wet, too muddy to get the cement truck to where we need to pour concrete. So I'm at home with the internet.

I've been thinking about one thing deeply at a time. I'll focus my thoughts and conversation agendas on, for example, biodiversity for a couple of months, then on the book of Acts for a while, and now on Ron Paul. Meanwhile I'm also thinking of other things, at the present time our growing child in Nicole's womb. This doesn't change. It is a deeper thread of thought that affects and responds to almost everything that comes my way each day. Also, always below the perceived surface are my thoughts about God and Christian discipleship. The thought that Jesus is in a real way my redeemer, master, and king affects and transforms every other thought. All my thoughts must adapt to this higher, deeper, spiritual thought. It is certainly more than a thought.

Still, as if I am working on another research paper in a grad school assignment, I can't bring myself to merely read a headline article about an intriguing and intellectual candidate such as Ron Paul. I must consume and digest and post portions of the best and most accurate information. Certainly graduate school has affected me. I have developed a pattern/compulsion of wanting to intellectually download broad and deep research, process it theologically, and . . . turn it in?

That's where I think I run into the most trouble. It seems like the process is more profitable than the product. (It's kind of like genetically modifying foods and other technologies. Isn't it cool we can do it? But is it better?) I'm forced to ask myself if what I am doing is worthy of the gift of life that God has given me. I'm forced to think about God when I get frustrated, when I feel I am living with integrity and taking actions I think are right and yet am dissatisfied. I can't see the benefit of my hard work.

So I read Ecclesiastes and Proverbs. I meditate on the Holy One and the teachings that are good whether I can produce any effective change in the world or not. By mercy I'll live wisely and faithfully even if I am ignored, punished, or beheaded.

Ron Paul on King's Day

2008-01-21T23:34:00.000-06:00

January 21, 2008 7:09 am EST

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul today issued the following statement reflecting on the struggle for civil rights and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. :

“It is especially fitting that we take the time to reflect on one man’s struggles to defend our Constitutional freedoms during this primary election season. January 15 was the birthday of the great freedom fighter, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and on Monday, we honor him nationwide for his sacrifice and love of liberty for all people.

“To me, the timing is more than a coincidence. The American people, regardless of color or creed, have the opportunity to choose a candidate who will uplift the ideals for which Dr. King fought—and died.

“The fight for freedom—the preservation of our civil rights—is the fight of our lives. Sadly, after Dr. King’s passing we are faced with a violation of our civil rights in the same vein as Jim Crow: The Patriot Act. I have stood against this and all unconstitutional violations of American’s civil rights, and will continue Dr. King’s charge as President.

“Dr. King would be disappointed in our current administration for more than its continued disregard for civil rights, as he stated ‘a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.’ We need to change our interventionist foreign policy, and take care of our brothers and sisters at home. Our nation is in a crisis: we are spending billions on war overseas while those around us are suffering and losing jobs, homes, and hope. It is inexcusable; we must solve the economic crisis at home and bring hope to America.

“Dr. King’s heroic actions should resonate with us today, as we recognize that our votes strengthen the fight for our civil rights. Liberty is the true antidote to racism, and freedom-- limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights—can uplift us all.”

Dr. Ron Paul is a ten-term Texas congressman seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

My Political Fervor

2008-01-17T21:51:00.000-06:00

I've never been public about who or what I voted for. I usually went by the philosophy, "vote for the lesser of two evils". Honestly, I'll tell you now, that I voted for "W" twice. Gladly the first time. The second time, I didn't make the final decision until I was filling in the ballot. I don't remember anything in particular about his stance on the issues. However, now I recall that in the debates vs. Gore, Bush swore never to contribute to nation-building and/or policing the world.

Why share my political fervor now? I'll try to tell you briefly . . .

Ordinarily, I wouldn't care about presidential candidates, especially now. I am more confident than ever that Jesus is the rightful King of the Universe, not just the U.S.A., God bless it. So I don't believe that our wonderful empire/country will write history even though I've heard our President and his cabinet make that claim. I believe that ultimately Jesus will come back and all the world powers will be like flies on manure. The poor will be lifted up. The innocent. The peacemakers. The meek. The persecuted. The taxpayers. The tax collectors. The prostitutes. The drug addicts. Everyone who was in real trouble and ran to the candidate who truly meant his promises . . . will be saved. That's what I believe. So, I don't expect much out of even our nation/empire.

But, Ron Paul has brought something to my attention. We have a law to rule our land, not a ruleR. Our nation's forefathers knew that no one has perfect knowledge so, "Let's design a government that let's people live according to their conscience. The government should protect their liberty instead of telling them what to believe, be afraid of, and what to pay for." This desire for the rule of law until Jesus returns makes a lot of sense to me. 1 Timothy 2:2, "Pray for these [rulers] so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way." Ron Paul seems to value this prayer much more than other candidates some of whom exploit the Christian faith for their own popularity.

Ron Paul believes and applies something Jesus said: "When you pray, don't be like hypocrites [two-faced people]. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you." Ron Paul lives his faith instead of wearing it on his sleeve or exploiting it for votes and popularity.

Mark 6:14-29. John got beheaded for speaking truth to power. Jesus respected John. He spoke the truth about Herod publicly. Ron Paul, too, speaks truth to power. I recall the many times he has challenged the federal reserve bank. He says, "When you print money to cover government spending, it causes the devaluation of the American dollar, inflation. How do you justify essentially stealing from the American people? The constitution does not permit this activity!"

Ephesians 6:10f. " . . . This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world . . ." I believe that many of the powers of our dark world reside in the U.S. government. Don't get me wrong, I love this country! But it's just another kingdom of this world and it's wrong, too!

I'm suddenly politically excited because Ron Paul isn't using Jesus to get votes, but he leads in the way of Jesus. I'm public about my vote and support this time because it is an opportunity to speak truth to power, like John the Baptist. It's a time to challenge the status quo and recognize the weakness rather than the glory of our nation. It's a chance to reason together because Ron Paul's ideas are intellectual and inspiring. He's running for an office that he believes should be very, very small. Perhaps he knows what I know, that only Jesus rightfully sits in Office. We'll see Him ruling with justice when he returns. He will vindicate all those put down and oppressed by the powers of this dark world. Until then, I hope I have the courage to speak truth to power like Ron Paul in the tradition of John the Baptist and Jesus, the eternal King.

Tell that FOX why I'm electable

2008-01-17T19:24:00.000-06:00

I found this deleted portion of the Fox News debates on Pat Buchanan's blog, THANKFULLY! I watched the re-cast of their debates in which they kept saying Fred Thompson won hands down. They replayed where Huckabee expected U.S. aircraft carriers to answer Iranian motor boat threats (who have threatened our big warship in their waters!) with the gates of hell. They also replayed where Thompson had to "one-up" the insanity by saying sarcastically that we would be glad to introduce "them" to those virgins they're so eager to meet. Good grief. I was really feeling depressed that Fox viewers put up with such malevolence.

And then, when Ron Paul addressed the rush to kill expressed by Huckabee and Thompson, Brit Hume acted like Ron Paul was an idiot. He said something like, "Um, all of the other candidates said they would leave the decision to the captain of the warship. Why didn't you answer the question?" I was so frustrated! What insanity! That people listen to the hubris of FOX News! (No offense to you.)

I now rejoice to find the highlight of the night's debate, which Fox news(?) deleted from the program when it was recast. If we were living in the first century, I think Fox News would have beheaded Ron Paul instead of merely cutting off his defense for his character. Watch this:

This reminds me of what another unelectable candidate said to intimidation? (See in the Gospel of Luke, ch. 13)

At that time some Pharisees told Jesus, “Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you.”

Jesus said to them, “Tell that FOX that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day. But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It’s not possible for a prophet to die outside Washington."

Ron Paul Intro

2008-01-13T17:03:00.000-06:00

I've found the best intro to Ron Paul yet. Just click on the title above and you'll find the site for you. See whether you should register Republican and vote in the primary for the most experienced and consistent and Christ-like candidate. :-)

As Little as I Am

2008-01-10T09:42:00.000-06:00

On December 5th I found out that we're pregnant! Here's the story of how I found out . . .

I called Nicole at about 9:30 that morning to try and work out a solution to my situation of locking my keys in my car in a rough neighborhood at the opposite end of town from her workplace. I did not want to pay $100 for a locksmith. I was having a bad day as it was. Fortunately, Nicole didn't answer her phone when I called. She had just taken a pregnancy test that looked positive and even if it was right, she didn't want to tell me over the phone.

Nicole proceeded to take other pregnancy tests and even do a blood test to confirm her wonderful findings. My day got a lot better when one of my Mexican coworkers, Lomberto, helped me retrieve my car keys. After work I came home, worked out, took a shower, and when I came out . . . Well, I need to back up a little bit. While I was working out, Nicole called me to tell me she would be a little late coming home from work because she needed to pick something up at the store for someone and then grab some Costa Vida burritos to go. So, when I came out of the shower, Nic was standing in the kitchen with the food and said, "Would you mind setting the table?" I said, "Sure," and set to it.

On the table I saw a curious display. I thought, "Neat onesie." It said, 'Don't wake me, I'll wake you.' "Really clever. Who's just had a baby?" I thought. I strained my mind thinking, "Surely I must know a friend who was due about now."

Then my eyes moved down from the clever onesie to an envelope, obviously a card--'For the Dad to be' it said. Almost troubled, I thought, "Why would Nic give a card to a Dad?" Then, my heart began racing especially as I saw the two pregnancy tests. I turned toward Nicole (who was watching me intently) and said, "WHO'S HAVING A BABY?" Nic said, "WHO DO YOU THINK?" Oh! I was so excited, and still am.

- - - - -

A preview of the next few months:
So we are anticipating the arrival of a little Whaley due August 10th. If it comes two days earlier, the birthdate will read the same up, down, forward, or backward. Obviously we have more to think about than the birthdate, though.

We are seeking a church sponsorship (and feel extremely close to finding it) and we're also partner raising for our mission in Wollongong, Australia . . . during a year that promises to be a lite recession for the U.S. Prices may go down slightly, but inflation is surpassing the value of our dollar thanks to the federal reserve printing money for the politicians who want to see our U.S. military strung out across the globe. They don't have the money so they essentially steal it from us by printing more money and going into debt by borrowing money from social security and the Chinese government. . . . I digress . . .

Anyway, I'm not depressed about raising money. We're actually quite encouraged. We even received an unmarked envelope of $100 yesterday from an anonymous donor even though we haven't officially begun accepting checks and such. What a liberal God who gives even before we ask!

This month we are having a retreat over MLK, jr. weekend with our mission teammates and that is sure to be wonderful and edifying. This Saturday night we're having a focus group dinner at the Kohlbacher's (we babysit their boy, Joshua) to present our vision to a small network of future partners of ours in the Gospel. Tomorrow night, our Irish-American friend/neighbor, Pat, is coming over for dinner. She plans to immigrate to Sydney, Australia later this year, too!

In February, we're visiting two churches in Texas, giving presentations and doing Q & As about our vision, plans, and dreams. We're looking forward to both of these weekends. Later in the month, I'm going on a "Faith Walk" with men from various Christian groups for the purpose of drawing closer to God and meditating on personal discipleship. Nicole's coworker so graciously paid for me to do this. (I may post she and her husband's story someday.)

In March, Nic will do a "Faith Walk". We'll probably have another focus group dinner. And we are flying to Belize to join a medical mission team! They have a team of doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists, but need someone like me to talk to people in the waiting room and in neighborhoods about the message of Christ. We are so excited. Gordon, the anesthesiologist, has helped us organize for this.

Exciting Day

2008-01-09T22:05:00.000-06:00

I had quite an exciting day.

We were pouring concrete for a community college in Mississippi between their building's back doors and a pond/lake filled with water fowl. During break time, Sammy, one of my Mexican coworkers, fed a goose from his own mouth!

I burned the fingerprint off my right index finger while checking to see if my cigarette lighter was working/hot. It apparently was. Still we couldn't get my coworker's tire pumped up using a portable pump plugged into my cigarette lighter, which now smells like burnt flesh. Don't worry, it didn't hurt.

I got to drive the mini-excavator! thru MUD! To see one of these amazing machines in action (and with appropriate music), go to this web address: http://www.bobcat.com/excavators/choosing.

Also, today, I had a great time teaching/facilitating the teen class at church again. We finished reading Jesus' sermon on the Plain from Luke 6. Jesus, who we recognize as God's anointed king of his kingdom, delivers something like a campaign/inaugural address speech. It's probably one of the most life-changing speeches ever IF! one builds his life on the words, not just talks about them.

Ron Paul Fair and Balanced

2008-01-08T22:06:00.000-06:00

Ron Paul was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night and someone has put the interview on YouTube for us and I have put it on my blog to share with the people I love. :-) Part 1 is mainly about Fox News denying Ron Paul's participation in the GOP debates for New Hampshire (where 27% of Republicans haven't heard of him yet). Part 2 is an excellent discussion of Ron Paul's views, clear and simple. I love this man!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Ron Paul CNN Debate

2008-01-02T23:14:00.000-06:00

This video has been edited so that it streams together Ron Paul's responses to questions. There seems to be nothing distinctive about any candidate whether Dems or Republicans in spite of the fact that they attack each other's competence for the Presidency. Why not take a look to see whether Ron Paul knows what he believes and whether his ethos gives him a right to be heard?

You can also see something rare from the television media . . . a "watch out for Ron Paul in Iowa". It's only a few seconds long. "Keep your eye on #3 . . . I'll bet Ron Paul will beat two of the frontrunners . . . he belongs on the stage."

Are Antibiotics Useless for Sinus Infections?

2007-12-29T08:06:00.001-06:00

I used to have sinus infections all the time, especially in my college years. I took antibiotics every year. I remember asking a doctor one time to "Please give me something stronger this time." So he wrote me a prescription for a more expensive antibiotic. I remember thinking, "This is getting ridiculous. My Microbiology professor keeps telling us about the effects of overprescription of antibiotics." I quit taking them from 1995 to 2003 and actually felt better. I read an article you can link to from the title or read below. First, there is an excerpt from the Journal of the American Medical Association and then Dr. Mercola's commentary that follows. I believe in taking control of our health rather than relying on quick fixes--especially ones that are both harmful and expensive.

------------

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat sinus infections, but a new study found that they work no better than a placebo. Further, prescribing antibiotics to sinus patients may cause harm by increasing their resistance to the medications.

In the study, researchers followed about 200 patients with sinusitis. Of the 100 who received an antibiotic, 29 percent had symptoms that lasted 10 days or more. Another 107 received a placebo, and 34 percent had similarly lasting symptoms. The difference was statistically insignificant.

The effectiveness of a nasal steroid spray for sinus infections was also tested in the study, and found to work the same as the placebo (except among a group of patients with milder symptoms, when it was slightly beneficial).

The researchers suggested that the antibiotic did not help the sinus infections because it couldn’t penetrate the pus-filled sinus cavities.

Unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics has led to enormous problems with drug resistance. Antibiotics were recently found to be ineffective against ear infections and bronchitis as well.

The researchers say the results should encourage more patients to forgo antibiotics for sinus infections.

"With a little bit of patience, the body will usually heal itself," said Dr. Ian Williamson, the study’s lead author.

+Sources:
-Journal of the American Medical Association December 5, 2007;298(21):2487-2496
-Houston Chronicle December 5, 2007

Dr. Mercola's Comments:
It’s been known since the last century that antibiotics have been proven to not help you recover from a sinus infection (sinusitis) any faster than a placebo.

Still, Americans spend nearly $6 billion every year on health care costs related to sinusitis, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Imagine if you could put some of that money back into your pocket and address a sinus infection from a foundational level.

How Sinus Infections Occur

Sinus infections occur when the mucous membranes in your nose and sinuses become irritated by a cold, allergy, pollutants or exposure to dry or cold air. This leads your membranes to become inflamed while stimulating your mucous glands to secrete more mucus than usual. As mucus accumulates in your sinuses, it can easily become infected.

But this is all on the surface.

All infections, including sinusitis, appear when certain health principles, such as eating a healthy diet, dealing with stress, and taking time to relax, are not followed.

This dampens the strength of your immune system and allows bacteria and fungus (another primary cause of sinus infections) to take hold in your nose and sinuses. And when it does, you can be left battling fatigue, sinus pressure, post-nasal drip, and thick mucus making it difficult to breathe.

Top Ways to Avoid Getting a Sinus Infection

1. Avoid eating sugar or grains, as detailed in my nutrition plan.

2. Consume good quality krill or fish oil, high in omega-3 fats DHA and EPA.

3. Eat coconut oil. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. However, be careful with which oil you choose, as many coconut oils contain fungal toxins. This is because they are commonly made with copras, or dried coconuts, which are often contaminated with mycotoxins. So in order to fully enjoy the benefits of coconut oil, you will want to be sure that you find a company that uses only fresh coconuts to make their oil.

4. Avoid eating these top 10 mycotoxic foods.

5. Get proper sleep.

6. Get regular exercise

If you suffer from sinus infections and other sinus issues often, I highly recommend you also look into the emotional origins of this problem.

Emotions are directly tied to your physical health, and new advances in this field are allowing us to pinpoint very precisely which emotional challenges are spurring your physical ones.

For instance, Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer, the creator of German New Medicine, has shown that sinus problems are triggered by an emotional “stink conflict,” which could be a severe emotional reaction to an actual odor, or a symbolic feeling that “this situation stinks!”

The sinus infection occurs once you have resolved the emotional conflict, and is actually a part of your body’s healing process. So please do take the time to get to the bottom of any emotional problems that are ailing you.

Natural Treatments for Sinus Infections

If you’ve already come down with a sinus infection, you now know that antibiotics are probably not the answer. Taking them is unlikely to speed your recovery, and will definitely contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistance.

Fortunately, there is a full arsenal of tools available at your fingertips that will soothe your symptoms and get you on the road to recovery. My past article How to Flush Away Sinus Ills details seven of them, and here are the first three:

1. Drink hot liquids, such as tea or hot chicken soup. It will help moisturize your mucous membranes, speeding up the movement of your cilia and thus washing mucus out of your sinuses more quickly.

2. Apply warm compresses to your face, three times a day for five minutes. A small towel soaked in warm water, placed over your face below and between your eyes, will help increase the circulation in your sinuses, which will also help speed up the movement of your cilia.

3. Irrigate your sinuses. (If you’ve never done this before, see the Nasal Irrigation Guidelines source link in the past article above.) Make sure you use a saline solution that does not contain benzalkonium. Benzalkonium is a preservative that can impair nasal function and might sting and burn. To make your own preservative-free saline solution, add one teaspoon of table salt to one pint of distilled water. Nettie pots are readily available and can help facilitate nasal irrigation.

Letter from Ron Paul

2007-12-17T22:41:00.000-06:00

December 17, 2007

What a day! I am humbled and inspired, grateful and thrilled for this vast outpouring of support.

On just one day, in honor of the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the new American revolutionaries brought in $6.04 million, another one-day record. The average donation was $102; we had 58,407 individual contributors, of whom an astounding 24,915 were first-time donors. And it was an entirely voluntary, self-organized, decentralized, independent effort on the internet. Must be the "spammers" I keep hearing about!

The establishment is baffled and worried, and well they should be. They keep asking me who runs our internet fundraising and controls our volunteers. To these top-down central planners, a spontaneous order like our movement is science-fiction. But you and I know it's real: as real as the American people's yearning for freedom, peace, and prosperity, as real as all the men and women who have sacrificed for our ideals, in the past and today.

And how neat to see celebrations all across the world, with Tea Parties from France to New Zealand. This is how we can spread the ideals of our country, through voluntary emulation, not bombs and bribes. Of course, there were hundreds in America.

As I dropped in on a cheering, laughing crowd of about 600 near my home in Freeport, Texas, I noted that they call us "angry." Well, we are the happiest, most optimistic "angry" movement ever, and the most diverse. What unites us is a love of liberty, and a determination to fix what is wrong with our country, from the Fed to the IRS, from warfare to welfare. But otherwise we are a big tent.

Said the local newspaper (http://www.thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=36475b4d132fc0a1): "The elderly sat with teens barely old enough to vote. The faces were black, Hispanic, Asian and white. There was no fear in their voices as they spoke boldly with each other about the way the country should be. Held close like a deeply held secret, Paul has brought them out of the disconnect they feel between what they know to be true and where the country has been led."

Thanks also to the 500 or so who braved the blizzard in Boston to go to Faneuil Hall. My son Rand told me what a great time he had with you.

A few mornings ago on LewRockwell.com, I saw a YouTube of a 14-year-old boy that summed up our whole movement for me. This well-spoken young man, who could have passed in knowledge for a college graduate, told how he heard our ideas being denounced. So he decided to Google. He read some of my speeches, and thought, these make sense. Then he studied US foreign policy of recent years, and came to the conclusion that we are right. So he persuaded his father to drop Rudy Giuliani and join our movement.

All over America, all over the world, we are inspiring real change. With the wars and the spying, the spending and the taxing, the inflation and the credit crisis, our ideas have never been more needed. Please help me spread them http://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate in all 50 states. Victory for liberty! That is our goal, and nothing less.

Sincerely,

Ron

Ron Paul and Political Paradigms

2007-12-15T10:39:00.000-06:00

I read a short positive article on Ron Paul I wanted to share. Click on the title "Ron Paul and Political Paradigms" to be linked to the article.

I've been teaching/facilitating the teen class on Wednesday nights for several months now. We originally started going through the book of Acts. I believe the book of Acts is about the restoration of Israel. Israel was restored when, for starters, the risen Jesus became the eternal king/Messiah of the offspring of David (2 Samuel 7). However, though Israel was essentially restored at that point through the ascension and enthronement of Jesus the King/Messiah, the Apostles asked him, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" What did Jesus say? He had already taught them about the kingdom in a forty-day seminar, hadn't he? Most of the people he came across in the book of Acts already understood the kingdom before he had even come along.

However, I've often heard it taught that those foolish Apostles misunderstood the nature of God's Kingdom. "It's a spiritual, not a political, kingdom . . . (blah, blah, blah)."

But Jesus didn't ridicule the Apostles for a misunderstanding this time. They understood that there had been the effective anointment of the true king of Israel and the world. They only wondered when the regime change would begin to transform Israel and the world. Hence their question's emphasis on time. And hence Jesus' answer's emphasis on time and the Father's will. He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you'll be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

It is correct that God's Kingdom is spiritual, for the Holy Spirit initiates the regime change rather than some human-contrived political establishment. However, the Kingdom is a political realm. It is an eternal, political Kingdom already verified thru the King's resurrection. His power has already been demonstrated in the new Israel, in us, thru the Holy Spirit. Israel can now truly be a light to the ends of the world, not simply because they are scattered, but because God has appointed Jesus as Messiah by raising him from the dead. The Kingdom is being restored to this day, and until the King returns, each time we bow our allegiance to Jesus, the God-approved King.

In our teens class, we imagined that each of us was a national ruler. Some would be Presidents, others Prime Ministers, others Warlords, and still others Kings and Queens of Kingdoms. (I was Emperor of the Welsh Empire.) We imagined the first ten lines of our inaugural address in order to prepare for the inaugural address of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Then, we listened to Jesus' sermon on the plain where a congregation gathered around him both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him--so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: . . .

I would encourage you to read the first ten lines of Jesus' inaugural address starting in Luke 6:19.

Who Would the World Elect?

2007-12-08T07:11:00.000-06:00

Check this out! Click on the link--http://www.whowouldtheworldelect.com/--and vote for your candidate of choice. Then, notice who has the most votes internationally! Do more soldiers support Ron Paul than any other candidate? Do his messages attract people in other countries more than any other? Or is it all a scam?

If you have not done so already, I ask that you watch some Ron Paul videos, read his views on Wikipedia, or read his articles from his website. You won't see anything about him on the television media and when you do they tend to lie. (For example, I have heard them say a number of times that he isn't really a Republican candidate because he's the only one who thinks we shouldn't have invaded Iraq. But in our history we have usually elected Republican Presidents to get us out of wars. Ron Paul is of the original Republicans, not of the Imperialist neo-cons.)

It really makes me wonder why the television news sources almost ridicule him while there is a sense on the web of a real fervor for Ron Paul. Rather than letting the present powers decide who is the most qualified or eligible candidate, I would rather let the support come from a grassroots movement. Perhaps that's kind of scary since it would include both saints and sinners. Surely support would come from greater saints than the ones in power right now, but it may also come from worse sinners.