This study looks at how Christians should resolve conflict, and their appropriate use of judicial systems. We focus on 1 Corinthians 6:1-8.
"The best way to keep children home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant--and let the air out of the tires."
- Dorothy Parker
Brandy had one of those "Mommy, why are you crying?" moments this evening, when we took the training wheels off the bike. Megan did really good, and after a couple of tries, dad let go of the back of the bike seat, and the girl took off.
The image above is actually a video. Just use the play button (>) to watch Megan without the training wheels.
Brandy said she didn't notice our "little friend" until she rounded the back of the car to get Madelyn out of her seat. It startled her, but then she noticed it was already dead-- its head crushed. Brandy and I figure the snake was trying to get into the garage, and Brandy closed the door on him when she left to pick up Megan from Pre-K.
Call it a small case of "sympathy for the devil." When I got home and saw, I almost felt sorry for the thing...Almost...
My sympathy for things that could hurt my family doesn't run very deep.
This is the second rattlesnake we have killed since living here. They are on the move with the weather changing, and the changing of the season. This was a little one. The previous one we killed during fall was much larger. We took the "teachable moment" --again -- to tell the girls to tell Mommy and Daddy if they see a snake in the yard, and never to get close to one.
I believe in learning from the world around us. Sometimes it a been a bad day, cause we find ourselves dealing with difficult issues as the consequences of our actions (sometimes not). We all get stuck in situations its hard to get out of, but... I guess we could say the lesson for the day is:
"One way to keep from getting crushed by the things of this world, and to keep from getting stuck in situations you can't get out of, is to never stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
This lesson looks at withdrawal of fellowship, its reason, and appropriate use. Our passage of study is 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
Winter is turning the corner toward spring, and with it, time to go outside, put off yardwork and my wife's "Honey-Do List", for a round of frustration and humiliation -- that's right, "golf." For many months now, the weather has kept us away from the links, and we had resorted to practicing the time honored tradition of "living room putt-putt."
The carpet in the house has a natural "break," probably due to parts of the pad breaking down under high traffic spots. So upon learning to read it, I have become accomplished at making putts from within 8-10 feet, between the legs of a toddler, and around baby dolls. I occasionally though have to pull out the wedge, in order to chip over larger items like riding toys, or piles of Lego blocks. I've decided that one way I could fund a golf habit might be to loan out my eager, albeit very young, "livingroom caddies" to other "livingroom golfers." One (Madelyn) is even adept at returning your ball to you before it comes to a complete stop. Also, she places said ball right in front of your putter. If you move the putter, she moves the ball, which makes for a very humorous scene while trying to line up your shot.
This is the audio from Part 6. The lesson looks at the negative effects of self-interests in God's Church. The powerpoint for the lesson is available.
This month, from March 8-21, your children can participate in helping a group of scientists collect data on the affects of lights, and our ability to see the night sky. Megan and I started it tonight, and she really enjoyed it. I started by showing her an image from the website of the constellation Orion, and then they had a link where she could practice finding it. We drew it a couple of times, and she had no problem finding it in the sky. After we came in from spotting, I asked her to look at some of the Magnitude charts, and we talked about which one looked most like our sky in the backyard. It was very easy to do. The website details these steps:
Five Easy Star-Hunting Steps:
In light of our "Grand State" being upon the eve of the biggest payout for Mega Millions, I would like to tell you why teachers have trouble with the state funding education with the lottery. It has to do with the fact that we teachers like to teach think we teach logic, reasoning, and sound thinking... all of which would tell people that playing the lottery is a waste of money.
First, let me put into perspective the "9-billion dollars" the Texas Lottery has "given" to public education in over the last 10 years. According to a legislative document, during the 2002-2003 Bienium, the budget for education was $56.9 Billion (28.5 Billion annual). Other sources place the annual budget to as much as 33 Billion. I will use a conservative figure of 28 billion per year, and over 10 years, that would mean a total of at least 280 Billion dollars was spent on public education -- making the $9B "kicked in via quick-pick" at the very best only 3.2% of total revenue keeping the system running. Gee... they didn't mention that anywhere in that commercial did they?
But that's not really that important to the players... they want to win!!! So Let me share with you the chances of "winning" some things here in life:
1. Chance of winning Mega-Millions: 1 in 175,711,536.
2. Chance of dieing in a workplace accident: 1 in 2,000,000.
3. Chance of dieing in a fatal streetcar accident: 1 in 1,874,034.
4. Chance of dieing by the ignition or melting of nightwear: 1 in 1,249,356.
5. Chance of being struck by lightning: 1 in 700,000.
6. Chance of having breast cancer-- if you are male: 1 in 100,000.
7. Chance of dating a supermodel: 1 in 88,000.
8. Chance of dieing by drowning in your bathtub: 1 in 11,289.
9. Chance of finding a four-leaf clover on your first try: 1 in 10,000.
10. Chance of dieing through legal execution: 1 in 6,248.
11. Chance of finding out your child is a genius: 1 in 250.
12. Chance of getting hemorrhoids: 1 in 25.
Well, one last thing... the average Texas Lottery player spends 20-30 dollars a month playing the games of the Texas Lottery. So lets say you invest that $30 a month in a mutual fund earning an average of 12% annual return, between the ages of 20 and 65. At the end of the 45 years, you would have a little over $600,000.
So, I leave you to "figure" it out.... but not without saying.....
"Good Luck from The Texas Lottery."
If you missed the Discovery Channel airing of the documentary that stated Jesus had been buried with his wife Mary Magdalene and they had remains to prove it....well so did I. I had watched a lot of politicians on CNN earlier that day, and had listened to my quota of liars for one day.
After some internet research, I figured out the documentary was produced by James Cameron (the same guy responsible for bringing us "Titanic" with that Leonardo DeCrapio guy). The Discovery Channel article detailing the documentary claims that a specific tomb was that of Jesus of Nazareth, and his wife Mary Magdalene (insert Da Vinci Code flashback here.) Although you can imagine the response from Christian websites, I found it rather interesting that science periodicals and websites, that normally look at Christian beliefs as the product of neuroses, even dispute the "facts" and "evidences" purported within this piece. Scientific American had a number of articles on their website including one where detailing several researchers who were upset at the way their research was used. One went as far to say she was angered. Another stated that his figures on the probability of a tomb containing ossuaries with the names of Jesus and Mary(used as a key piece of evidence) was misrepresented. In one of the articles Scientific American states:
"Even if scholars conclude the whole thing is bunk, I have a feeling this will become a permanent part of the our culture's conspiracy lore, like the JFK conspiracy, the staging of the moon landing, the Turin Shroud, and all the rest before it."
As believers, we don't need "evidences" for those things we accept on faith. The Gospel is evidence enough.
Isaiah 53:8-9
"By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth."
'nuff said.
This lesson looks at Corinthians 3:1-7, in light of how spiritual growth will help to achieve unity. The powerpoint is available here
One of the things I have been working on is audio recordings of several of my lessons from church. Right now I am about 3 lessons into a study of First Corinthians, and should be able to post the audio from upcoming lessons.
Right now, I'm still "experimenting" with it, and so here is a previous lesson from a study in Galatians. Powerpoints for many of my lessons are posted on the Addendum to The Last Page. It is my aim one day to start placing these into a feed, that those willing (i.e. the terminally bored and mentally unbalanced) to subscribe to can have them downloaded to their portable music players automatically. But I'm not there ...yet.
Ok so maybe its not exactly a post, but I thought I would give you a little humor, given the last "edu-rant." We are in the throes of TAKS season, and I'm looking for anything to take my mind of that test...
This from an email sent by the Texas Federation of Teachers
“Gov. Rick Perry's proposal yesterday to sell off the state lottery to a private operator met with a cool reception at the state capitol, as lawmakers figured out the plan would cut funding for education.
Texans voted some years back to require that all proceeds from the lottery must go to public education. Right now public schools receive about $1.1 billion a year from the lottery (about 3 percent of the education budget).
Perry yesterday said schools still would receive money from a trust fund he would create with a portion of the proceeds of the lottery sale. (He wants to use the rest for other priorities.) But Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and others have pointed out that the substitute school revenue would not come close to equaling current lottery income. At best, it seems Perry's plan would leave the already-inadequate state education budget with a new $500 million hole to fill for the biennium; at worst, the shortfall caused by his plan to privatize the lottery could exceed $1 billion.”
This is your government in action. This is the stuff teachers put up with everyday from our elected leadership. The tax relief given to homeowners across the state will be at the expense of education. By the way, if you check, the “thousands” of dollars of tax relief, probably ended up around “60” dollars for the average Texan (so go fill up your truck’s gas tank on the governor). The funds used to offset this were surplus and temporary, and the spending plan designed only to provide funds for Texas schools for one (maybe two) years before it will no longer provide even minimum funding to schools. The state and federal government has yet to fully fund all the mandated programs, rules and administrative burdens they place on public schools. Meanwhile the Tax laws passed will prevent future tax increases, since an uninformed populace will not vote for tax increases for the public schools in their area on the scale necessary to provide adequate funding.
Folks…. You will get what you pay for. The State will get what it pays for out of Public Education.
As we approach the afternoon/evening where we all sit down to watch commercials, and they put this annoying football game between them, one thought becomes crystallized in my mind -- the joy of a mute button on the remote and a book by my easy chair. "Blink," the next book in the que (after "7 Deadly Wonders") I can thank Scott for. I got it in the mail last week, and I must say it is in top condition. Not a mark on it. Scott - you can give the guy off amazon great feedback if you like; moreover, thank you so much for the book.
Back to the topic, the commercials we will gladly watch and enjoy during the Superbowl, maybe even talk about on Monday, represent the 1% of TV ads that are truly creative (btw many of which are made by real people this year, not marketing majors). However the new will wear off these by the 5-millionth time they grace the screen. And then there are the 99% that are truly a waste of time, and border on mind-numbing and/or some Hitchcock form of mind-control/torture.
So in honor of the upcoming commercials probably worth watching, here are those that always help me to hit the mute button and read a couple more pages in my latest book.
1. Head-On. - "nuff said. I would like to "apply" something to the someone's forehead who came up with these.
2. Male Enhancement - the only reason that guy is smiling is because he's rich off all the idiots who bought that snake oil.
3. E.D. - I used to remember when this was just short for "education." I guess it still has has some value since these commercials are "educating my children" about the perceived medical and social imperatives of "great sex". If civilization ends, and the archaeologists of the future dig this stuff up, they are going to think that something must have happened to all the male humans and that's why we died out.
4. 6-9-5-1-1-8-1. This is a local commercial for one of those dish installers. Some wanna-be barbershop quartet sings the phone number( number by number). Now I have a 4 year old that can sing it... and sing it... and sing it.... (thanks guys.)
5. Are you ____________, then you deserve compensation. If you laid all of the lawyers in the world, end to end, on the equator ---- It would be a good idea to just leave them there.
Note: on item #3, I put a disclaimer: No pharmacists (those dispensing the "educational" drugs) were intentionally maligned during the making of this blog (especially those nice people who buy me reading material...)
- Nothing is more admirable than the fortitude with which millionaires tolerate the disadvantages of their wealth.
Brandy and I have started a program that, so far, seems to be very good toward more effectively managing our money. It's the "Financial Peace University" from Dave Ramsey. We have a class that meets once a week with about a 7 other couples who are all working through the program. The program pushes for debt-free living, and financial accountability. You might want to check it out. You could also check out his book, which Brandy and I read over a recent snowy day. He has a scriptural response to managing your money, and its not a "wealth and prosperity" gospel but a common sense approach to your money.
Genesis 23:17-20
The congregation meeting in Haskell has decided to read through the Bible in one year, using the Daily Bible, a chronological bible. This will be Brandy's second time completely through God's word, and it would be my second time if I had done a better job of staying up with my reading the last time.
So today, we buried Sarah. Actually we didn't, Abraham did.
With my penchant for history, I did some research on the location where Sarah was buried, now known as the Tomb (or Cave) of the Patriarchs (Abraham and Sarah, Issac and Rebekka, and Jacob and Leah are supposedly lain to rest in caves below the structure). Come to find out, the area has been a hotly disputed "Holy location" for both Jews and Muslims. Abraham had buried Sarah there only for latter generations to move away into Egypt. The land would then be given back to the Israelites through conquest, only for their immorality to place them in bondage. Herod the Great had built walls around the location. The Muslims seized the location within a decade of their religion's upstart in Mecca. It was even a Catholic church at one time during the crusades.
I guess what struck me the most, was how the conflict that has the world in a turmoil today, is the same turmoil that has driven the world for thousands of years. People who believe in God, whether they call him Jehovah or Allah, who fight over a location of bones that remain in a tomb. They fight for their traditions. Each group sees themselves doing what is right in their God's eyes. They are willing to die believing their strife is for God's glory. They will continue to fight until one side or the other relents, and this is why the struggle continues to this day.
But we Christians are above that...right?
Although the most important of tombs for Christians is empty, we fight for our traditions. When we fight we see ourselves doing what is right in God's eyes. We believe our strife will be for God's glory. The only difference is that most of the times we are fighting each other! This too has gone on for ages and is why Paul would remind Christians in Ephesians 4.
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8T his is why it[a] says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."[b]
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Really to get the full meaning in context, I would suggest reading the entire chapter.
Well, I would like to say its not my fault, since my wife gave me the latest chapter to "Guild Wars." However when you have been on the computer as much as I have been the last couple of days... yet with the lack of a meaningful, insightful, or even remotely humorous post to the blog can only mean one thing -- Shawn's been gaming.
Scott (who happened to get Neverwinter Nights 2 at Loop) would like this game. Some more of you out there as well maybe. Nightfall is the third chapter to the game which came out almost 2 years ago. It is a MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game), which basically means there are probably over 15,000 players playing it online at any one time. The game is also global, as parts of the game are controlled whether teams from America, Europe, or Korea are winning or losing in the player versus player contests within the game. The scenery spans everything from estuaries, swamps, snow-covered forests, mountains, and deserts. So its like exploring outdoors when you log on.
The avatar above is of the oldest character I play. Currently we are exploring an island chain known as Istani in the game. It's very similar to an African coastal area. I will not bore you with the plot...
The game downloads from the net, or can be purchased from disc although the game updates almost every week. And unlike World of Warcraft, there is no monthly subscription fee to play. You pay for the game up front, and then do not pay anything else to play it. The only time you pay is to add a new world (chapter) to it when the come out with one (and only then if you want to play in the new world, the original continent of Tyria (Chapter One) is still open for people to play in).
Or rather “up the escarpment and through the dust… to Grandmother's house we went!”
The official start of the Holiday season -- our first Christmas get-together of the season, came and went this weekend with a short trip to Brandy’s Grandparents (Brandy drove), and a long trip back home (I drove). Since the majority of the readers of this “esteemed piece of cyberspace literature” (hah!) were in attendance, my recap of the weekend’s events would be redundant. So instead, I offer…
Top ten things not to get caught doing at Grandmother’s House.
10. Taking a picture without a grandkid (anyone’s grandkid) smiling in your lap.
9. Jumping on cotton modules behind the house (“cityboy” excuses or not!).
8. Listening for the gin to stop running where your nose will as well.
7. Saying “Puuuupieeeee!”
6. Buying back the gift you wanted from Chinese Christmas.
5. Needing to use the front bathroom during a “woman conference.”
4. Using up all the hot water taking a shower Sunday morning.
3. Slipping cherries in food items (fruit salad, ice cream, etc.)
2. Weighing yourself before and after a trip to the desserts in the backroom.
1. Making the trundle beds squeak in the office – with your spouse.
When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.
- Bernard Bailey
Here it is "Friday Night!." I think we used to call it "date night."
Brandy and I still talk a lot about dates, like the date of open house at the elementary, the date we travel out of town to see family, or the date for Madelyn's next doctors appointment, etc. etc. Somewhere within parenthood the meaning of "having a date" has slipped away, replacing the question of what "we" will do, with what "we all" will do, or "what will we do with ______?" (insert names of children here).
So we don't ask the questions much anymore, and just sit at home unless the date is "planned." This involves much preparation, and I'm beginning to think that there might be a business in planning dates for parents, like a wedding planner plans your wedding. You just call up the person, tell them some shared interests between you and your wife, and they take care of the following:
1. Determining an evening where there is no soccer, basketball, ballet, recital, church, school program, meeting, conference, illness, or national disaster in the children's schedule.
2. Arranging child care.
3. Arranging emergency medical care for children during child care.
4. Arranging counseling and medical care for the child care provider after child care.
5. UPS shipped, clear plastic coveralls designed to allow the parents to leave the house without the tell-tale marks of cracker crumbs, milk, kool-aide, or spit-up stains.
5. Sending text messages to the mom's cell phone every 30-minutes during the date saying "Your kids are fine. You are not a bad mother for leaving them".
6. Making reservations at a quiet, secluded locale whose meals do not come with a toy.
7. Providing a list of adult topics to discuss during the evening (since the parents will be a little out of practice). These should be pre-screened not include any references to stickers, stars, dolls, diapers, formula, etc.
8. A grocery delivery made to the house where the date does not end with buying milk, bread, and diapers at Wal-Mart.
9. An after dinner activity that does not involve clowns (or other costumed things), arcade games, or getting a balloon or sucker.
10. A kiss or hug to end the evening, without hearing "EWWW!!!! Mommy, Daddy... STOP DOING THAT!"
But you know, in all honesty at least we as parents have had our time for "romance." Some people out there are still looking for it. I listen to National Public Radio, and one of the latest books they mentioned on-air was Naughty Lola, a compilation of personal adds from the London Review of Books. Below are some excerpts (story):
Romance is dead. So is my mother. Man, 42, inherited wealth.
You're a brunette, 6', long legs, 25-30, intelligent, articulate and drop-dead gorgeous. I, on the other hand, am 4'10", have the looks of Herve Villechaize and carry an odor of wheat. No returns and no refunds at box no. 3321.
My finger on the pulse of culture, my ear to the ground of philosophy, my hip in the medical waste bin of Glasgow Royal Infirmary. 14% plastic and counting -- geriatric brainiac and compulsive NHS malingering fool (M, 81), looking for richer, older sex-starved woman on the brink of death to exploit and ruin every replacement operation I've had since 1974. Box no. 7648 (quickly, the clock's ticking, and so is this pacemaker).
Your stars for today: A pretty Cancerian, 35, will cook you a lovely meal, caress your hair softly, then squeeze every damn penny from your adulterous bank account before slashing the tires of your Beamer. Let that serve as a warning. Now then, risotto?
Man... makes me glad I'm not single and looking anymore. I'll take watching Brandy change Madelyn's diaper in the middle of the living room floor on a Friday night over that any day....
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Do your best to get here before winter.
