Chuck Norris Approved

"I'm sooo sad," she said with a smile on her face

Today we had our cable TV turned off. It is a long story but I am going to share it with you anyway.

About a year and a half back we called the cable company and asked them to turn our TV off. We had decided that we did not need to spend so much time sitting in front of the big black box. We also wanted to save a little bit on our monthly expenses. They told us it would be turned off in a few days. We kept waiting for that day but it never came. They did take the charges off our bill but the TV shows continued.

A couple of months later we called them up and let them know that it was still on. They again told us that it would be turned off in a few days. Well... a year and a half later we have been enjoying our free cable TV.

For the last several months our cable Internet has been less and less reliable. It works most of the time but then for thirty seconds to a minute it would flake out. We would wait, impatiently tapping our fingers on the desk, for it to come back. It was becoming more and more annoying!

I work from home a couple of days a week and I use a remote connection to my office. The flaky connection was really causing an issue with this. Recently I received a "Soft-Phone." It is allows me to make phone calls with my PC so I do not have to use my home or cell phone. Anyway, when the connection would flake out the phone would lose a call. This was un-acceptable!

So, I finally arranged for the cable-guy to come out and take a look. They replaced our 5-year-old modem and several of the connectors from the house to the pole. Now the connection works great! But... ... ... while fixing our Internet, they finally got around to turning our TV off. (sniff, sniff)

ShaggaBear was sad because she thought she would not get to see the last two episodes of her favorite show, "The Biggest Loser." She made arrangements with her sister to watch them at her house.

When we told Abby we said, "You wont be able to watch PBS anymore" because Daddy got the cable "fixed." She thought about it for a bit and then said, "Awww!" Mommy and I both said "Awww" after her, feeling her sadness. Then with a great big smile on her face she said, "I'm sooo sad!"

If there is anything Abby is, it is DRAMATIC! Often times I think she really enjoys emotion, even if it is sad or mad emotion. She may be truly sad that she will not be able to watch Clifford or Curious George but she enjoys the feelings of emotion so much that she can't help but have a big smile on her face as she expresses her deep sadness.

Thanks for reading my little story.

The proper role of government in a Christian society

Today I read my brother Michael's Thoughts. He wrote about Faith and Politics and I enjoyed reading this so much that I wrote a comment that was probably much too long. Anyway, because I find it hard to find time to post I thought I would reuse my comment as a post here.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the role of government in education, healthcare and welfare. I do not have a solid conviction on them yet but I want to share some of my thoughts.

I have heard some discussion on the use of government to coerce people into doing good. Basically by taxing for welfare the government is using the point of a gun to make me give to the poor. Now, giving to the poor is a good thing and nearly commanded in the New Testament, but if it is coerced is it still good? If my giving is not from a heart of love then it is not a following of Gods direction but an attempt to stay out of jail.

Again on education, the government uses the point of a gun (laws with penalties) to force me to pay taxes for government schooling. My biggest issue with this is the teaching of evolution as the only origin of man. This is directly contrary to my religious and intellectual beliefs! And the atheistic assumptions behind evolution are just as religious as the 6-day creation assumptions that I believe the Bible teach.

On the other hand, there are no easy solutions to these issues. I believe that government comes in where we fail to govern ourselves. If the church were taking care of the poor and educating children the way we should government would not need to. I think we need to educate ourselves on the proper role of government in a Christian society.

Revolt Against Debt

In my last post I told about the Total Money Makeover that Shagga and I are going through. In this process we have decided to STOP USING CREDIT CARDS!

Credit cards and credit in general is deceptive. It gives us the illusion that we will be able to keep the money we have now and get what we want now. The truth is that the credit puts us in bondage. Over time it sucks the life right out of us. Proverbs 22:7 says, "the borrower is servant to the lender."

Also, with credit we spend more. If we spend cash we spend less. This is a simple concept -- not easy, but simple!

Here is a list of some of the Myths and Truths from Dave Ramsey's web site:

The Truth About Debt
Myth: Debt is a tool and should be used to help create prosperity.
Truth: Debt isn't used by wealthy people nearly as much as we are led to believe.

The Truth About Credit Card Debt
Myth: Aren't there positive uses of a credit card? Like rebates and airline miles?
Truth: Responsible use of a credit card does not exist. Credit card debt is a major problem in America.

The Truth About Teens and Credit Cards
Myth: Make sure your teenager gets a credit card so he or she will learn to be responsible with money.
Truth: Getting a credit card for your teenager is an excellent way to teach him or her to be financially irresponsible. That's why teens are now the #1 target of credit card companies.

The Truth About Debt Consolidation
Myth: Debt consolidation saves interest, and you have one smaller payment.
Truth: Debt consolidation is dangerous because you treat only the symptom.

You can find several of the other myths and truths at the end of The Truth About Debt.

The Truth About Debt

Recently Linda talked on the phone with a dear friend who we had not talked with for some time. During the conversation she found out that our friends had recently got out of debt. Let me say that again... they got OUT OF DEBT! Needles to say, Linda was excited for them. She learned that they had come to a place where they had over 19K of debt and were really struggling. Then she found out that they knocked out that 19K in only 18 months. WOW!

After getting off the phone she told me about her conversation. I was duly impressed as well.

Linda and I desperately want to be where our friends are now... debt free! Linda and I have been fairly successful with keeping out of credit card debt and we have always been what most people call frugal. We have even lead Crown Financial small group studies and done financial counseling at our church. But recently we have felt the struggle of making ends meet.

Linda wanted to know more so she sent our friends an e-mail asking for more details of how they did it. That is when we got introduced to Dave Ramsey and his book The Total Money Makeover. Since I do not really like to read, Linda has been reading it to me. I feel like I am having a little bit of a revival! I have known the concepts he covers but they were not being lived out in day-to-day living.

We finished the third and fourth chapter today. The third chapter deals with Debt Myths and Truths. These Myths about debt and evangelistic debt culture have crept into our lives. Linda and I are going to finish the book and get back on track!!!

Here is one of the Myths and Truths from Dave Ramsey's web site:

The Truth About Debt
Myth: Debt is a tool and should be used to help create prosperity.
Truth: Debt isn't used by wealthy people nearly as much as we are led to believe.

You can find several of the other myths and truths at the end of The Truth About Debt.

Is atheism good for America?

The commercial below is an effort by American Vision to show the impact atheism has had on the world. I found it interesting. Let me know what you think.

Fishing Friday

On the first day of summer, June 21, I had one of the most fun experiences I have had in a long time. We were visiting Shagga's brother and his family in Maryland for the week. On Thursday he took me out on his boat and we went Crabbing! It was extremely enjoyable!

Here is Mountain Man himself backing us away from the dock in his very own wooden boat.

The first couple of hours were not very eventful but I did learn the crabbing process. We took out 18 little wire cages. The walls on each side fall down when the cage is set upright which allows the crab to walk in and take the bait. The bait was a chicken neck tied to the bottom of the cage. A string is attached to each wall and then attached to a single long cord that is attached to a float. We dropped the cages off the boat about 20 or 30 feet apart and then we waited a little while. Then we maneuvered the boat back to each float and pulled the float and cord quickly up out of the water. This causes the walls of the cage to close and traps the crab inside.

The first time we went through this I realized why Mountain Man brought me along. He needed some one to do all the hard work while he drove the boat! Here is another shot after we checked the line the first time.


Just kidding! We each did plenty of the work and we had a great time!

The second time pulling the traps up we caught a turtle but still no crabs. After the third time we decided to try the other side of the river. We found a spot that was not quite as deep and we set the traps out again. Then we sat back and enjoyed nature for a while.

We got to admire an Osprey nest up close. It had two young birds and two parents that were not happy we were so close. From where we were waiting we could see a few swan swimming and we saw several Rays swimming in the river also. They were really fun to watch!

Then we figured it was time to check the traps again. The first five or six had nothing and I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to catch any crabs. Then, the next trap felt heaver while I was pulling it in. When I got it all the way up there in the trap was a beautiful blue crab! We dumped it in the basket and set the trap back. We went threw out the rest of the traps in the line and pulled in seven crab that run. Here are some pictures right after that run.

You can see why they are called blue crab. My guide taught me that if you hold them right behind their back legs they can't reach you with their pinchers. This is a good thing!

We ran that line three or four more times and ended up with 17 good size crabs for the day.

Some pictures need no explanation...




Mountain Man let me drive the boat back to the dock when we were done. Here I am at the helm.



That night we had a great feast with the crabs that we brought home. Mountain Man steamed them up and Bob the master chef prepared corn on the cob and an onion casserole.



For more Fishing Fridays go to Mountain Musings

Wordless Wednesday

A "Little" Fire

This evening we went over to Mama Lily's house for a cookout in the back yard. After we had roasted a few marshmallows and some hot dogs the youngsters decided they wanted a bigger fire. Actually they had been waiting for it to get a little darker so they could give us a "surprise." Earlier in the day they found several old wooden pallets beside the road and thought, "those would burn." Here are the results:

The flames were probably 15 to 20 feet high at one point. We all had to move our seats back because the heat was too much!

The picture above and the video below were both taken with my phone. Pretty cool eh? The quality is not that great but not bad for a phone.

The best Father's Day gift!

I know it is a little late for a Father's Day post but I wanted to share something Abby said.

We were in Easton, Maryland visiting Shagga's brother and his family last Sunday for Father's day. After church we were all sitting around talking and I commented that I did not have to go to work the next day since we were on vacation. Then Abby piped in, very excited and happy, and said, "And we wont have to miss our Daddies tomorrow!"

My heart just melted right there on the spot. She is a very loving little girl and I am so happy that she is my daughter. What better Father's Day gift could I ever get? (I know a new cordless drill would be nice but it really doesn't compare.) ;-)

Memorial Day and the Bicker Ball Game

I had off from my day job on Monday for Memorial Day. I slept in till about 8:30 then Abby decided it was time for me to make breakfast. At 9:30 Abby and Mommy were running down the street to catch the Memorial Day parade. I went to the back yard to get out my new mower and start getting the yard ready for the picnic planned for later in the day. By about noon the yard was mowed. I had a lunch break and then finished trimming after getting Abby down for her nap. Before 2:00 PM I was shopping for the last minute details... charcoal, water, plastic ware, etc.

At 3:00 PM the two grills were lit and the first of our thirty guests arrived. For dinner we had grilled lemon-garlic chicken (yummy!) for the adults and hot-dogs for the kiddos. Everyone brought their favorite side dishes to share. The food and the fun was EXCELLENT!!!

Around 7:00 PMish we rounded up every one for a nice game of Wiffle-Ball. We had a good amount of players and thought it would be fun to break up boys against girls. Here are some pictures of the action.

The field of action

Girls on deck!

I know the hitting is good... but keep your pants on!

This one might be out of here!

So we thought it would be great to split it up girls and boys and for the most part is was a lot of fun. The big problem is that we have some fairly extremely competitive individuals among our friends and family! The rules were kinda made up as we went along. Needless to say there were a few disagreements about how things should be handled.

One of our dear friends, affectionately know as Gramma Sue, was our score keeper and umpire. She wasn't calling strikes because in Wiffle ball there really is no need for strikes. She was just the final say in the major decisions. At one point, one of the players on the Girls team said we need to quit the bickering and just play. That is when Gramma Sue named the game "Bicker Ball." Man! Did we all get a good laugh out of that. From now on we will no longer play Wiffle ball. It will forever be Bicker Ball.

My lovely wife, Shagga, who happens to be one of the more competitive in the group, piped up and said that JD was number one at Bicker Ball. Immediately after she said that, on impulse, and in the heat of the moment, I piped up and said, "And Shagga is..." (then I caught myself in mid sentence and thought... "this is NOT going to be good! I regained my composure and gracefully completed my statement.) "... AWESOME!" Phew! That was close! ;-)

And you know everyone in the game was holding their breath with me for that second or two. They were all wondering what was going to come out of my mouth. I have a little bit of a reputation of letting my tongue go faster than my brain. They all got a big laugh out of my come-back. Even Shagga laughed and thought I did a right-fine job of diggin' myself out of a pit.

So in all the Memorial Day get-together was a great success and we all ended up having a really good time playing Bicker Ball. Of course our local security guard did show up. As you can see below, he did not have to cuff anyone and spent most of his time feeding his grand-baby.

After the Bicker Ball game we started cleaning up and all of our guests started going home for the evening. Gramma Sue, as usual, did way more than her fair share of the cleaning up. Thanks Gramma Sue! After everyone one was gone Shagga and I got all the final cleaning up done by about 9:30 PM. We had been running for 12 hours straight at that point and it was not long after that we were in the bed.

If you were at the picnic or the Bicker Ball game, leave a comment let me know what your favorite part was about the day.

Saturday Morning... ahhh

I like Saturday mornings. I get to sleep in a little. Abby usually comes in and demands breakfast about 7:00 AM but that is at least two extra hours of sleep for me. I get up and make breakfast for the fam and then if there is nothing pressing we kinda take it slow the rest of the day.

Today we are going to the zoo. Abby is SOOOOO excited! She was in bed with us asking when we were going... are there going to be giraffes... is it time to get up yet? It looks like it will be a good day for the zoo. Low to mid 70's with a little cloud cover.

Happy Saturday!

She got to dance at the wedding

Abby recently got the chance to be a flower girl at a friends wedding. Take a look at Shagga Bears blog and you will get the full story. Here is a video of her dancing with her little cousin. She was the most beautiful of all, if I do say so myself!

It's a small world

Today I had the opportunity to join a conference call with several other believers from across the country. The network our local church is affiliated with has started prayer conference calls to help bring believers together and establish national prayer coverage for what God is doing. Today there were intercessors from New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and maybe others.

I have been using conference calls at work for a long time. At least once a week I am on the phone with coworkers from the UK, India, and all over the USA. It is great to see that the Church is starting to use technology like this to expand relationships and help bring connections.

It's been a while...

Well, it's been a while since I last posted. Back in mid April we went to the FMCI conference. Since then I have barely had time to breath much less post. So I guess I will do a brief recap of what has been going on.

Shagga Bear and I have been doing the South Beach Diet for a few weeks now. It is low carb like Atkins but it is lower fat also. At first I was actually quite grumpy about having to give up my sugar and breads. After all, this diet thing was Shagga's idea, not mine! But now that I have made it past the card withdraws I am really feeling better and I have lost about 8 pounds. Most of my pants are comfortable to wear again! (Mama Lilly pointed out that I am not the only one going through carb detox.)

Abby has started using the potty on a regular basis! I am so proud of my big girl! You will probably hear more about this from Shagga Bear in a little bit. This has been a struggle for Shagga and me. And every one and their cousin was giving us advise on how to make it work! Uggg! Well, Abby finally decided she was ready.

Spring has finally arrived in the frozen north! I wanted to take the mower into the shop to get a tune-up for the new season. It also had a single lever that controlled the height of the mower that was no longer holding in place. As my mower guy was working on it the lever complete broke off. It turns out that the lever is a one piece assembly with much of the back end and it was going to end up costing us about half the price of new mower to get this one fixed. So we just went ahead and got a new one. Here is a pic of my new piece of power equipment.

As you can see, by the time we got the mower we were in desperate need. The first time I used it was probably the only time I will actually be excited about mowing! It really does work nicely.

The week before I went to beg my next-door neighbor for his mower but he was not home. So I went to the next neighbor down and asked if I could use his little push mower. He insisted that I use his riding mower. I acted like the push mower would be fine but when he offered the riding mower a second time I did not let it go. I think that was the fastest our yard has ever been done. :-)

This Wednesday I started tilling up our garden. We bought a used tiller at a garage sale last year and it worked well for us. I took it out of our garage this year and at first it would not start. I was about to give up when on my last pull of the rip cord it started! The only problem now was that the rip cord detached from the tiller and flew out in my hand. But it was running! I started heading for the garden thinking I would till as long as it would run. I got about ten steps when it died. :-( So, I went and got my tool box and re-attached the rip cord so I could start it again. So after about 45 minutes getting it started I actually started tilling the garden. I got about a third of it tilled. I hope the get the rest done in the next few days.

Well, I think that is probably enough for my update on life. Hopefully it will not be so long till my next post!

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal. A good listener, you excell at helping others in practical ways. In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music. You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for. You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist.

What's Your Personality Type?

The City Church

This week I and twenty, that's right twenty, others from my church are at the FMCI East Coast conference. Last night was awesome!!! Ken Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary Of State, was the speaker. His word was engaging and challenging. I would love to be able to hang out with that man for a while. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak TAKE IT!

This morning the first session was a panel discussion. They had three twenty-something speakers who were given the question, "What would the church look like if your generation was in charge?" I filled up a page with just bullet point notes that I am going to take home and chew on. It was excellent!!!

One of the ideas that really spoke to me what the idea of the church without a building. That can rock your world! I have had the idea for a while now that we should consider the city we are in to be our "church". Not just the meeting place we meet in on Sundays. I want to expand this idea a little more in me...

Well, gotta run to the next meeting.

He is risen!

2 Corinthians 13:4

For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

Saying good bye to an old friend

Check out my post "Saying good bye to an old friend" on My Coding Blog. I know most of the time it is dull, techie stuff but you may find this post meaningful.

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays go to

http://www.5minutesformom.com

Spring = 72 Springs!

Spring is finally here! The weather is nice and starting to get warm. My two ladies and I went for a walk yesterday after noon since it was so nice out. On the way back home Abby said it's time to put the trampoline up. It wasn't too late so that is what we did when we got home. Abby loves to jump, and jump, and jump on the trampoline!

This particular trampoline was given to us by some friends at church. Thank YOU!!! If you haven't guessed by now it has 72 springs around it. Here are some pics taken shortly after getting it up.

It's the little things

Well, my company is remodeling our office. Another office relocated so we are getting their "more stylish" furniture -- not necessarily more functional, but definitely more stylish. They are putting in new carpet and painting all the walls. Yellow, green, purple and orange. You would have to see it to believe it but it is really going to look nice. A lot better than the off-white that we have been used to!

Since they were getting new furniture they had a lottery and let us employees take some of the old furniture. So, with about fifty bucks in gas, two vans, and two strapping young men from our youth group, I got about 1.5K+ worth of nice office furniture. One desk for my home office and the rest for the pastor's office at church. Our God can sure find unique ways to provide!

During the remodel the the kitchen has been off-limits for about a week. This is hard on me because I normally brown-bag left-overs from the night before and heat them up in the microwave. It is one of those built in models that can't be moved. The first day of last week I did not take a lunch and just planned to buy my lunch (insert gasp here). I had a meeting with the other IT guys at about 11:30. Another lady walked in to get the lunch order for the group that was meeting over lunch-time. I was not in the lunch meeting but since I was sitting there she offered to pick up my lunch also. Isn't God just Awsome!!! I packed a sandwitch the rest of the week so I would not have to use the microwave or the debit card.

It is the little things like this that really speak God's love to me. You know the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach?" I think God knows this is absolutely true with me. :-)

Our Schools? - Part 2

In a comment to my last post my good friend Dale asked, "do you oppose the mandatory drug testing for teachers who apply for the job to teach our children? I don't see where that is different..." This is an excellent question and deserves consideration. Take a look at his comment. He makes some very good points.

I think drug testing for school teachers is a good idea. I actually think it is a good idea for day-care workers and anyone else who will be working closely with young people. The key is that when they apply for the job it is their choice. There is no government law forcing them to take that job. If the job requires anything they do not like they do not have to apply for the job.

Children are required by law to attend school. This law is enforceable by the police at gun-point if necessary (I am being extreme to make the point). Sure they can home-school or go to a private school but the vast majority of our children go to public school. For many families public school is the only practical option.

The reason the fourth amendment was added was to guarantee the government will not violate our rights as individuals. I am concerned about the precedent that is being set here. If the government is allowed to drug test children without probable cause what is to stop them from changing the test to something we do not agree with? What if they decide to psychologically test our children to make sure they are appropriately tolerant of the h*mos*xual lifestyle?

"That would never happen!" you say? Check out this excerpt from the Family Research Council:

[Isaiah Washington] checked into an inpatient treatment facility to "undergo intensive counseling about his anti-g[*]y feelings." In America, this liberal brainwashing could easily become a norm should the first step of passing radical "hate crimes" legislation be approved by Congress.

Now this is liberal Hollywood but there is a strong national agenda for this type of action. They would love for there to be tolerance education and random testing of our children. If they fail the test they can continue in their extracurricular activities if they agree to go to intensive counseling.

Shouldn't the fourth amendment protect us from this type of action? While drugs are a huge problem and random testing could help curb this problem, I feel it opens a door for government intrusion into our lives.

Well this should be my last rant on this soap-box. While I do feel strongly about this as a constitutional issue, the constitution is not Scripture. Psalm 115:3 says, "Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes." There are many times God uses nations (governments) to bring correction to His people. Our duty is to pray that God will grant His wisdom to the School Board and those around them. Amen!

Our Schools?

Today was the School Board meeting where they allowed the public to express ideas on two issues: random drug testing and abstinence based health education.

First off, I am 100% in support of teaching abstinence in our schools. In fact there were no individuals that spoke in opposition of it. And there was some very lively argument. This, of course, does not mean that the school board will implement it but hopefully it is a step in the right direction.

As for random drug testing, I do not think it is the right thing to do in our public schools. There is no denying that drugs are a major problem but having this problem does not make this "solution" right. I am not going to write all day on this but I want to give a brief defense of my position. -- BTW I spoke out against it at the meeting and was very inarticulate :-(. Most of my points were well presented by another gentleman, so I felt okay after feeling like I had bombed.

Basically I oppose random drug testing because I feel it violates the rights we are guaranteed by this:

The Fourth Amendment to the United Stated Constitution

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and
no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be seized.

If the school can produce "probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized" and a Warrant issued by a judge, then I think they can drug test. If not, then they may not.

Think about it this way, would you want random drug tests to extend to anyone in the city? How about random searches of the closets in anyone's house to check for drug paraphernalia? I think that most would say those infringe on our rights "to be secure in [our] persons, houses, papers, and effects". How then can we say that drug testing, without "probable cause" is okay?

According to the Supreme Court random drug testing is permissible for any student involved in any extracurricular activity or who has a personal parking permit. To this I would say that the Supreme Court is wrong. They have made other decisions that I also think are flat out wrong (you can probably guess what I am referring to). If our Legislature or Executive would rise up and challenge the Court this decision could be reversed. Also, why then is it not permissible for all students? Do you have more rights if you do not participate in anything?

I know we need to find a way to restrain drug use in our schools but I do not think that trampling on constitutional rights is the way to go.

SNOW

Well, this morning we have about a foot of snow and drifts of three to four feet all around the house. I will be working from home today. :-)

It is even colder!

In an earlier post I showed you a picture of the ice stalagmite that had formed under the exaust drain from our furnace. Here is that pic and a few more I have taken over the last few days.

Sunday, February 4th



Thursday night, February 8th



Today, Tuesday, February 13th

Havin' fun at work

Yesterday I had a big meeting to present my proposals for a complete revamping of our main software application. I have been supporting the legacy app for the last three years and now I have the opportunity to implement some major overhauls. I was somewhat nervous because I halfway expected to be told to not take such a large bite. But the presentation went well and my boss and the rest of the team agreed with my design and I have been given approval to move forward. Now I am really excited about my job for the next six months or so. I admit I am a geek! :-)

Thank You God for Your favor!!!

My... how things change

I grew up in a nice sized AG church in Santa Fe, NM. I heard some really good teaching on prophecy and the end times and I loved it all. I have always been fascinated with all the weirdness in the book of Revelation and Daniel. But I was given and accepted the idea that these prophecies were all for the distant future.

Over the last 15 years or so I have been introduced to some different thinking on these matters. For Christmas this year I got a 21 CD teaching set from Gary Demar and American Vision. I finished listening to those a couple of weeks back. Over the last few days I have gone through Revelation and Daniel again. In fact on my drive to and from work this week I listened to Revelation once, Malachi once and Daniel four times.

I really focused on Daniel because all the strange imagery intrigued me and I think I see a pattern in the prophetic visions that Daniel has. It seems to me that the four visions in Daniel all speak of the same events in history and they all point to Christ's first coming and the destruction of Jerusalem.

The four visions are as follows:

1. Nebuchadnezzar's dream about the statue (Daniel 2)
2. Daniel's vision of four beasts (Daniel 7)
3. Daniel's vision of a ram and a goat (Daniel 8)
4. Daniel's vision of a man (Daniel 10-12)

I see in chapter 2 where Nebuchadnezzar has the dream of the statue, the statue has five parts that represent four kingdoms, a gold head, silver chest and arms, belly and thighs of bronze, and its legs were iron. There were also feet and toes made of a mixture of iron and clay. At the end of verse 38 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar, "You are the head of gold," so we know the first of these kingdoms is Babylon. So then the silver represents the Medes and Persians. The bronze represents the Greek empire, and the iron represents the Roman empire. The feet of clay and iron represent the mixture of Greek and Roman empires. It specifically mentions the toes which may be this fourth kingdom splitting under ten kings.

In chapter 7 it explains that the four beasts represent, again, four kingdoms and then ten kingdoms come from the fourth kingdom.

In chapter 8 it explains that the the two-horned ram is the kingdom of Media and Persia. The one horned goat is the kingdom of Greece.

In chapter 11 it again talks of the kings of Persia and Greece.

Can you see how I think there is a pattern in these? Much of the language and situations between the different visions is similar and it almost seems like he is getting a little more detail for the same events with each vision.

The other idea that helps me think in this direction is that the phrases that deal with "the end" or "the end of time" are speaking of the end of the old covenant and not the end of history. The visions were prophetic for Daniel and spoke of future events from his time but they are historical events from my time.

I do not understand it all yet and I can surely be wrong on some of it but this view of Daniel sure makes a lot more sense to me than what I grew up with. Let me know your thoughts and if you can recommend any resources (especially audio) :-).

It is cold!

Yesterday and today it has been in the single digits here. This morning when I got up it was -1. Brrrr! When we left for church we noticied that a stalagmite had formed beside our house. I took this picture when we got home. The pipe in the wall is the exaust vent from our new furnace. It has been running quite a bit the last few days.

HEY!!! (from downstairs)

OK, so I am upstairs, blogging of course, when from downstairs I hear HEY!!! Abby is tucked into a blanket on the couch watching the Velveteen Rabbit. She hates to get up from this spot so if she needs anything she yells for mommy or me.

I go downstairs to see what her-majesty needs, and what do I find? A tiny, three-year-old finger pointing up at me with a great big booger on the end of it. I guess she found it in her nose while watching her video. I got a tissue for her and all was right again in Abby's kingdom.

Fancy

My wife (shaggabear) and Abby have spent the last several days making Abby's room Fancy! It has a lot to do with beads and feathers and flowers and ribbons. Not my cup of tea. I got to help out with installing curtain harware and hooks to hang things on. I also replaced the door nob with a more fancy glass one that shaggabear picked up at a garage sale.

Anyway, after they got it all done today I must say it is really pretty. Abby has brought a lot of fun into our house. I am sure shaggabear will have all the fancy pictures on here blog soon for you to check out.

What is the kingdom of God to you?

In Matthew 13 Jesus gives several example stories of what the Kingdom of God is like. Verses 44-46 say,

44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The reality of the kingdom of Good is often hidden from us. I know it has great value but I am just not exactly sure how to bring the Kingdom near. These verses talk of selling all I have to buy It. Am I willing to do that? What does that mean?

But it is also more than just an individual thing. It has to do with the whole of creation. Christ is sitting at the right hand of God waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. (PS 110:1, Luke 20:43, Acts 2:35, Heb. 10:13) Matt. 11:12 says "the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." That definitely speaks of more than just the individual submitting to the kingdom.

Back to Matthew 13. Jesus gives another picture of the kingdom right after the treasure in a field and the pearl of great value. Verses 47-50 say,

47"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The picture given here is not a personal one but one of all humanity being separated between wicked and righteous. I have been meditating on the kingdom of God for a week or so. So many thoughts and not enough time to blog!!!

Will anyone read our Church Brochure?

We had our first meeting in our new building today. We had a brunch. About once a quarter we host a community worship and intercession night, called "Refresh," at a local auditorium. On the Sunday after Refresh we meet at 11:00 AM to allow extra rest, and we have a brunch.

One day as we were talking about the new location I mentioned that I would like us write up a brochure. Now I have the task of doing exactly that! :-) So I started doing some research... you know... I typed "church brochure" in my Google toolbar. I was immediately attracted to an entry with the title: "No One Reads Your Church Brochure." It is on a blog site called "Church Marketing Sucks." Wow! What a title for a site. I guess it gets the point across, doesn't it?

So, I read through that post and a few others that I found. Now I am struggling to write something that will be worth the paper it is on. I think this first version will be more evangelistic in nature. I want to raise awareness in the neighborhood and stir some interest in our church. There are so many thoughts and ideas. What to leave in? What to leave out? I know it will come together, eventually. :-)

Taxes have begun

We started working on our taxes today. We think we will be getting a return so we want to get it done soon! If we were going to pay we would file on April 15th. :-)

Last year we used TurboTax Online and it worked really well. This year we are using it again and we even get a discount through my work.

At one point ShaggaBear had to stand behind me and rub my neck and tell me, "it's okay to breath." I guess I get a little frustrated with the process. It does not always work how I expect it to. TurboTax was also showing a nasty red number at that point that we were going to have to pay. Now it is looking much better and the number is back in the black. We should get the rest of our documents in the next week and then we can finish it up.

Morning in Chicago

I woke up about 5:30 AM today. About half an hour before I intended to. I slept pretty good and I feel good and I'm ready to go.

I went downstairs to have breakfast. They had a pretty good spread. I got scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast, one of my normal breakfasts. I am wearing my new, favorite, blue, dress shirt (is that enough adjectives?). Now I bet you can guess what happened next! I cut into the sausage patty with my lovely, plastic fork and it squirted on me! Yuk!!!! Now I have four little, round spots on my blue shirt. They look like water spots but they are not water so they will not go away. What is a guy to do??? Oh well, it is not the end of the world and I am sure no one will really care. :-)

I will be working this morning and then we have meetings from noon to 4:00 PM. Then I get on the plane at 7:00 PM and get to go home. Yea!!!

Chicago

Well, today I am in Chicago. One of my companies largest clients is headquartered here. We have meetings today and tomorrow so I have to spend the night at a hotel. :-( The only thing I really enjoy about traveling for business is getting to eat out. I love to eat out!

The meeting went well today and I am now at the hotel (free high-speed internet provided). As I was checking in I noticed there was a workout room with an elliptical machine. My brother-in-law told me that he really likes using an elliptical machine and ever since then I have been wanting to try one out. So I went down in my white shirt and dress pants and tried it out for a few minutes. It was a little more difficult than I expected it to be but I think that I could really enjoy using one. They sell them now at ALDI you know. :-)

My wife (ShaggaBear) has been "walking-away-the-pounds" with her new exercise video. It is the new year and like a lot of others we are trying to exercise more. I just pray that we will find a way to make it consistent.

I really miss ShaggaBear and Abby when I am gone from home. Check out her blog to see some great pictures! I have been blessed to not travel much. Hopefully it will not be too often in the future.

Good night.

Brown-Baggin-It

It has been 12 years since I got married and 10 years since I finished college. For the majority of that time I have been taking my lunch with me to work. I estimate I have saved around $1,200 a year by brown-baggin-it. Over 12 years that is about $14,000! That's a good used car!

Anyway, this morning I was tired and I was not thinking well. I forgot to pack my lunch. It was not until I got to work that I realized it. As I was walking to the door of my office I said a quick prayer letting God know that I had forgot my lunch and I was going to need His provision. In the back of my mind I knew that it was not the end of the world. I got paid today so we have money in the bank. I might even have a coupon for McDonalds, Yippy!

By noon I had forgotten my prayer and was getting hungry. The two other IT guys I work with were going out for their lunch, like they do every day ($$$!), and I asked where they were going and if I could tag along. They were heading to one of the local grocery stores to hit the deli. That really did not thrill me so I sent an IM to my boss to see if he had any plans for lunch. He said he was going to Panera Bread with a couple of others from the office. He invited me and I thought that sounded better so I went with them. Is that tacky or what!

As we were getting into the car my boss said, "I'll get lunch, since I owe you anyway". I thought for a minute and then remembered what he was talking about. A few weeks back I mentioned to my boss that I was looking up the dealer of our office security system so that I could get some upgrades. He made a passing comment that if I found them he would buy me lunch. He and another IT Manager had searched for them in vain. I found them the next day and promptly told him that I like Mexican food :-).

Then I remembered my prayer. All I can say is that God is faithful and He can provide in very unusual ways. Over the last several months I have really come to believe that nothing happens outside of Gods plans for our lives.

New Building

Today is our last Sunday at the School building we have been meeting in. After Celebration today we will all be packing up our chairs and equipment and moving down the road to our new location. I am excited about this move. The new location has a little more room and I think it will be a really nice place to meet.

What is Truth?

Is that a tough question or what? I brought that up at our youth meeting Thursday night. It is a question that has probably been brought up in every civilization in history. I found the following passage in John 18:

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?”

Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

38a “What is truth?” Pilate asked. ...

This was over 2000 years ago and a civil government leader was asking. I am not sure how far I am going to get but from time to time I will be continuing this discussion.

Assumptions about Reality

We all make assumptions. These ideological assumptions are the basis upon which we each build our own world views. For example, the atheist assumes from the start that there is no God, whereas the theist starts with the assumption that God exists. These assumptions force us as individuals into a certain lines of thinking.

Most assumptions are not able to be scientifically proved or dis-proved. Assumptions require a level of subjective belief or faith in the idea proposed.

Here I will attempt to define the assumptions that I base my world view on.

God

God exists. This makes me a theist.

How do I know God exists

God reveals Himself to us. He does this generally through nature and specifically through the Bible and through Jesus Himself. This is the major sticking point in my assumptions. Some believe that there is a god but that he does not reveal himself to man. On the contrary, I believe the Bible to be the very words of God. This belief becomes the solid foundation my entire framework of reality.

Why do I believe the Bible is God's word? While there has been a great deal of documentation and evidences collected that support its historical accuracy, I have no objective "proof" to offer. I have read the bible through many times and I find it to be the most comprehensive and cohesive work upon which to base my life. Thomas Jefferson did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God but he did feel that Jesus was the greatest ethical teacher that ever lived. I believe that the great success of our nation can be attributed to its early foundations that are rooted in Biblical concepts. If you have not read the Bible, I challenge you to read it for yourself and not take what you hear others say about it.

The nature of God

God is knowable (I am not agnostic). The following are a list of "25 Cent Words" that help to describe the nature of God. God is self-existent, eternal, transcendent, immanent, personal, immutable, omnipotent.

Life and Matter

All that exists was created by God out of nothing. There are two major beliefs on this subject. Evolution and Creation. My other assumptions place me firmly in the Creation camp. There is also just as strong, maybe even better, scientific evidence for Creation (aka Intelligent Design) as there is for Evolution.

The nature of Man

Man was originally created perfect. When the first man and woman sinned their nature was corrupted. All men are now born in a corrupt state and are in need of a savior. Most men (humans, men and women) think that good deeds will be able to "save" them. God sent his Son to pay the penalty for our sin and take God's judgment for us. We cannot earn this gift but God offers it to us freely.