are you desperate?

have you ever been desperate? what were you desperate for? was it ever for your health? more specifically, was it a life or death thing?

last night my wife and i visited a small group meeting with our friends paul and pam. i didn't have any preconceived notion other than having a great time of sharing and fellowshipping. i got more than that.

the discussion centered on these verses:

When Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, came and fell down before him, pleading with him to heal his little daughter. "She is about to die," he said in desperation. "Please come and place your hands on her; heal her so she can live."

Jesus went with him, and the crowd thronged behind. And there was a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years and had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe. For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed." Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel that she had been healed!

Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

His disciples said to him, "All this crowd is pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'"

But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. You have been healed."

jairus is desperate as we begin reading the verses, and he gets to talk to Jesus! he shares the story about his daughter, and Jesus is going with him to heal her. imagine ... imagine Jesus is coming to your house to heal your child who is sick, and you're sick with grief over you child. jairus must be excited!

then Jesus stops. i can only imagine what is going through jairus' mind. maybe something like this, "hey! Jesus, we're not there yet! why are you stopping?" however, Jesus stops and asks, "who touched Me?"

remember Jesus is gaining popularity, and He has crowds where ever He goes, and He asks, "who touched Me?" imagine what the disciples are thinking, "well, everybody. anybody could've touched you Jesus."

now to backtrack a little here, there is a lady (and remember how high in society women were) who has been hemorrhaging for 12 years ... 12 ... years. that's a long time, y'all. not to mention how women were treated while they dealt with something like this thing on a monthly basis. remember women were not able to socialize during that week, if i'm not mistaken, and then there was a time that they had to go through before they could come back into society. so this lady has been out of society for 12 years. she's out of "touch". she was an outcast. do you think she was desperate. darn tootin'!!

think of this too, have you ever given blood before? can you go out and play basketball, or softball, or whatever after you give blood? well, you're not supposed to, because you may pass out, and cause yourself harm. this lady has been "giving blood" for 12 years!! you think she might be sapped? even with her condition, she braves the crowds, and pushes through, and thinks, "if i can only touch the hem of His robe ... i can be healed." WHAT FAITH!! WHAT PERSEVERANCE!!

now back to the story, this lady has touched Jesus. how many other healings do remember the person being so bold as to touch Jesus? she is desperate, y'all. she thinks He wouldn't do it, or the crowd would shew her off. i think she does it on her own, because she feels she has to.

now jairus is thinking, "who does she think she is stopping Him from going to heal my daughter, and Jesus even calls this lady his daughter?!" come on, do you really think jairus is just standing there patiently? i think not. the group last night didn't read the other verses that followed where jairus learns that his daughter is already dead. its too late. now how do you think he feels? i don't know, but i am pretty sure he is not happy, but Jesus takes care of that.

this story makes me think of the leper. who says to Jesus, "if you want to heal me ..." what was Jesus' reply, remember the answer is the same in all three of the synoptic gospels that have this story of the leper, at least its the same verbatim in the version of the bible i use. it reads, "I want to."

that is Jesus' answer to all of us. we have to want it. we have to ask. He wants to. what did He say to the woman He healed? it was her faith that healed her. why didn't the others that were crushing around Him get healed? they didn't have faith. they probably wanted to have the feather to put in their hat, so to speak, of having been with Jesus. He tells her that her faith has healed her. what a great faith. don't you want that kind of faith? i do.

oh by the way, the scripture was mark 5:21-34 nlt.

i miss my friends!

i'm sitting here in the church office after preparing the media shout presentation, and while my wife and daughter, and some of the other ladies prepare for 2nd annual "Sale To Save" yard sale, i am thinking about all my friends we left in texas.

its been going on two years since i moved my family to l.a. the move had so many good things going for it, though: i got a raise, kristin got a new chance to meet new friends at a new high school, we got to live closer to family relatives. i can't think of anything else right now, but i'm sure there are some other good things about this move.

however, the move ripped the close relationships that dorothy and i had created, with the grace of God, apart. i can't drive down the road 5 minutes to see greg, or ryan. i don't get to play basketball on monday nights with earl, chris, and my great hawaiian friend (some friend if i can't even remember his name, huh?). dorothy doesn't get to see her best friend deedee anymore.

i miss giving them big hugs, and worshipping with them, and studying with them.

i traded a 45 minute drive to work, and a five minute drive to church for just the opposite. please pray that i will be comforted. i'm sure that i will be alright later.

pray that i can build similar relationships here at port city, but i need some of those relationships to be right down the road. e-mails and blogs are just not the same.

i can't think of an appropriate title

this post is of no real concept, or idea. it will be about things that are bouncing around in my noggin, and why i do some of the things i do (not all of them).

can i first make a blanket statement (let me know if this doesn't really apply to what a blanket statement should be). i am so, so selfish. just ask my family. i do things, and most of the time, i don't even consider what the affects may have on my family. any of you like that? i wake up, and i sure hope there is hot water for my shower, or you are going to hear about it if you are in earshot. i sure hope that my clothes are clean, and preferrably in the closet or the dresser, too. now don't get me wrong. i'm not a tyrant, and i don't take it out on people, and i don't carry a whip or beat anybody up or anything. now i am not going to leave, and go off and live by myself, and i'm not going to divorce my family. i'm sure i'm not the only one that has things like this happen in their lives. i'm really not that bad, but i do need to soften my feelings and actions and words and thoughts to what the new name of this blog is all about.

what do you use the internet for? i use it to check on communication with friends and family with e-mail. i also like to read what others are doing through their blogs. i linked to another blog after reading about it in another blog that i read while using my subscriptions on google reader. this blog that i linked to made me think of why i blog, and why i read blogs. one of the interesting points he makes is about community. can you think of the first community that is written about in the bible? its not adam and eve, or the animals. can you guess? i also use it to get directions to places and find out where things are located. i have started using google local more and more. have you noticed a theme on what services i use, and who provides it?

community was spoken of in the sermon i heard this weekend while visiting with my good friends in birmingham, while on our way home after attending the funeral of my last living uncle over the weekend. dub recently joined the ministry at cross bridge after a seperation from the congregation he was with. i will not talk bad about the congregation from where he left, because they are still my brothers and sisters, and dub still loves them, too. community was first written of in the trinity when God said "let us ..." i don't know about you, but i have a hard time being by myself. i don't work very well by myself. i much rather work with someone as part of a team. don't you?

can you remember when was the first time that God said something wasn't good about his creation? it goes to the point of what God thinks, in my opinion, about community. remember when He said that it was not good for man to be alone? see what i'm talking about?

see what i mean when i said "i can't think of an appropriate title"?

my daughter has gotten me thinking of doing sudoku puzzles. do any of you out there do those, too? they are pretty hard, and frustrating, but addictive, too. the 6 number ones are much easier than the 9 numbered ones.

this past week has been a pretty hard one for my father's side of the family. his last living brother went to live with their parents and the rest of his siblings, except for a sister that is still living, in heaven. i made a comment on one of the blogs that i read, that her family has gained 3 precious ones, as my family has let one go back to live with God and the rest of the family. congratulations donna!

a great thing was witnessed by me and the rest of the ones at the funeral on saturday. my cousins asked all of milford's grandkids if they would be the pall bearers of their father. this may not sound very significant to you, but it was to carla, and fran! they are the two granddaughters of milford. when they were asked they both just broke down in tears for the honor. see ... in the mountains of alabama a lot of things have not changed, and to see that two young ladies were asked to do what is normally reserved for men ... well that is significant to me. they were so honored and excited and humbled to be asked. it is something they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

also, a great comment that really meant a lot to one of the grandkids was when ronald, the oldest son, told jacob, "thanks for carrying my daddy." (tears are forming as i type this) that was just so cool.

abide in me

John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.

Communion with Christ is a certain cure for every ill. Whether it be the woodworm of sadness or the smothering impact of earthly treasure, close fellowship with the Lord Jesus will take bitterness from the one and excess from the other. Live near to Jesus, Christian, and it is a matter of secondary importance whether you live on the mountain of honor or in the valley of humiliation. Living near to Jesus, you are covered with the wings of God, and underneath you are the everlasting arms. Let nothing keep you from that hallowed communion that is the unique privilege of a life hidden in Christ. Do not be content with the occasional meeting, but always seek to retain His company, for only in His presence will you find either comfort or safety. Jesus should not be for us a friend who calls us now and then, but one with whom we are in constant touch. You have a difficult road before you: Make sure, pilgrim, that you do not go without your guide. You have to pass through the fiery furnace; do not enter unless, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you have the Son of God to be your companion. You have to storm the walls of your corrupt heart: Do not attempt it until, like Joshua, you have seen the Captain of the Lord's host, with His sword drawn in His hand. When you meet with many temptations, do not rest upon the arm of flesh. In every case, in every condition, you will need Jesus, but most of all when the iron gates of death shall open to you. Keep close to the Captain of your salvation, lean upon His strength, ask Him to refresh you by His Spirit, and you will stand before Him at the end, without spot or blemish and at peace. Seeing you have lived with Him, and lived in Him here, you will abide with Him forever.

taken from "“Morning and Evening,"
” written by C.H. Spurgeon,
revised and updated by Alistair Begg

i think this was my favorite line of the devotional:

Living near to Jesus, you are covered with the wings of God, and underneath you are the everlasting arms.

it makes me think of how much care and love God has for Jesus, His son, and if we have become adoptive sons and daughters of God, then we will be afforded the same care and love that God gives to Jesus. just like how Jesus mourned for jerusalem:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.

that's the kind of protection God wants to give us!

Darwin Award Winners for 2005

Yes, it's that magical time of the year again when the Darwin Awards are
bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here then, are the glorious Darwin Award Winners for 2005:

1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim
during a holdup in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot
did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel
and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting
machine and, after a little hopping around, submitted a claim to his
insurance company. The company expecting negligence, sent out one of its
men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and lost a finger.
The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car
during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his Vehicle to find a woman
had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver
found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting
from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his
incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone
waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental
hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and
prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious
head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received
the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how
close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the
counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer,
the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which
the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and
fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he
got from the drawer...$15. (If someone points a gun at you and gives you
money, is a crime committed?)

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that
he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some
booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his
head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be
thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was
made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, man grabbed
her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was
able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within
minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car
and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and
told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes,
officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a
Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun, and
demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't
open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion
rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man,
frustrated, walked away.

A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER!

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on
a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived
at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near
spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying
to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's
sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press
charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

In the interest of bettering human kind please share these with your
friends and family ... unless of course one of these 10 individuals by
chance is a distant relative or long lost friend. In that case be glad
they are distant.

i've been away for awhile

i've been busy lately doing a lot of other stuff, other than blogging. so if you have been missing my weird, crazy take on life, and stuff like that, thanks.

i've been busy taking my daughter to soccer tournaments for her varisty soccer team, and studying, and reading.

i've also been fighting some unwanted stuff on the e-mail side of the house, too. i've been getting something that was meant to be a luncheon meat, not unwanted e-mails. have any of you ever gotten e-mails that were unsolicited? have you ever gotten more spam than messages from friends, and legitimate places you wanted to receive stuff from? well, i have, and it was just getting me down, and i didn't want to get back on the computer.

i'm trying to fight it by changing my e-mail address, and just trying to make a clean break. how have y'all been doing? i've missed hearing from you all.

possible name change

many of you may be readers of different blogs. i, too, am a blog reader. a list of blogs that i follow with the assistance of google reader is to the right in the sidebar of this blog.

fajita has recently changed the name of his blog, but kept the same address. i had been thinking of changing the name of my blog, too. here is the leading contender:

love wins!

with the description of the blog changing, as well. i am thinking of using a quote of a writer from years past. i am currently reading two of his works, one being a compilation. the quote is as follows:

Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.

-- C. S. Lewis

what are your thoughts on the name change? what are some names that you might suggest for my blog?

may they be one

its all about unity.

here is an article from new wineskins about the subject. i just noticed how funny it might've sounded to here paul say what he said in 1 corinthians.

FOOTPRINTS...A New Version

Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.

But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.

For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently.

You and Jesus are walking as true friends!

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.

Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.

Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.

This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.

You are amazed and shocked.

Your dream ends. Now you pray:

"Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You."

"That is correct."

"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely."

"Very good.. You have understood everything so far."

When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way."

"Precisely."

"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first."

There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.

"You didn't know? It was then that we danced!"

You Might Be a Member of the Church of Christ

isn't it sad when you can't come up with something original for your blog posts?

YOU MIGHT BE A MEMBER IF ...

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy of “Redneck” joke fame, you might be a member of the church of Christ …

• If you know exactly what song I’m talking about when I ask you to turn to number 728b.
• If you could recite all the books of the Bible before you could even read them.
• If you know the first and third verse of nearly every song.
• If you actually know what a “ready recollection” is and have been thoroughly “guide-guard-and-directed” all your life. (If you’re really a member, you know that “guide-guard-and-directed” must be followed by “and-bring-us-back-at-the-next-appointed-time.”)
• If you think “progressive” refers to those in the church who want a sound system and PowerPoint.
• If you can actually read shape notes.
• If you recognize any of these ministers by first name alone: Landon, Reuel, Prentice, Rubel, Norvel, Flavil, Furman or Batsell.
• If you think your chosen pew is “sacred” and no one else should sit in your spot.
• If you think the Bible questions on Jeopardy are way too easy.
• If you decide which Bible translation to use based on how Acts 2:38 reads.
• If you immediately reach for your wallet when you hear the phrase, “Now, separate and apart from the Lord’s Supper … ”
• If “chosen frozen” refers to your early worship service that resembles a country church 50 years ago, and “happy clappy” describes your late service that the chosen frozen are deeply concerned about.
• If you know all the words to all the verses of Trust and Obey.
• If you’ve ever ridden a JOY bus. (And, of course, you know that JOY stands for “Jesus” first, “Others” second and “Yourself” last.)
• If, when you’re happy and you know it, you clap your hands, stomp your feet and say “Amen!”
• If you’ve ever carried your Bible in an empty casserole dish.
• If you brought that casserole dish to the last fellowship meal, and the main ingredient in it was cream of mushroom soup.
• If you’ve ever heard a rambunctious young child yell “Pray for me! Pray for me!” as his mother whisked him down the aisle to the foyer.
• If you’ve ever wondered who Ebon Pinion was.
• If you think the term “church of Christ humor” is an oxymoron.
• If you’ve ever heard an announcement from the pulpit about a missing puppet.
• If you think the Chronicle is way too liberal.
• If you’ve ever prayed for those “who are sick of this congregation.”
• If you’ve never been to a church that wasn’t named after the street it was on.
• If you think the Chronicle is way too conservative.
• If you’ve been to a wedding or a funeral where “the invitation” was offered.
• If you’ve stood for 13 verses of Just As I Am with the last stanza sung softly.

a favorite of mine

do you have a favorite thing? ... favorite bible? ... favorite pair of jeans? ... favorite album? (showing my age there) well, chris is not my favorite, but he is one of my favorites. i remember listening to klty on my way home from work one day when i lived in arlington, and telling my lovely wife that i heard a "cool song" on the radio. she said that she heard it too.

that's when it all started. do you remember the song? if you listen to contemporary christian music then i'm sure you have. the song is 'deep enough to dream' and it happens to be the title track of the album with the same name.

i remember eating at wednesday fest before church one wednesday night and talking with my buddy ryan, who was just the youth minister at the time. ryan has since graduated to be the senior minister position at park row, and that is so cool to me. he such a great guy. anyway, i am getting off topic. what i meant to say is this, we were eating, and he said he went to see this guy in concert with his wife and her parents. he asks if i knew who this guy that used to be a youth minister, too, and is now an entertainer. (now that totally opens a can of worms. entertainer. i don't see chris as just an entertainer, but i can't think of another word to use.) ryan says, "his name is chris rice. do you know him?" we almost lost our friendship right there. no! just kidding! i was like, "who doesn't know him?" ryan just shot me this look like, "you know who chris rice is?"

anyway, i got chris' most recent album this christmas, and one of my family's favorite songs is "love like crazy." its not the title song, tho. the name of the album is "amusing." one of my favorite lines in the song is:

What the world needs now is for love to spread
As fast as the rumors do

wouldn't that be so awesome? read the words of the song, and see what you think. if you want, leave a comment about one of your favorite artists, or songs. thanks for visiting!

LOVE LIKE CRAZY
Chris Rice
I heard a rumor that love will make you crazy
Well is it true?
Well that’s no rumor, look at the crazy things that love made Jesus do
The friends he chose were thought to be outrageous
And you could even find him touching the contagious
And the craziest is how he chose to save us
He gave his life away
Then he had to go and say
“Gotta love the same way that I love you!”

Love like crazy
We gotta love like crazy
We gotta love like crazy
The way he loves you and me
‘Cause if the world’s ever gonna change
We gotta love like crazy

What the world needs now is for love to spread
As fast as the rumors do
But to make it, we gotta take this thing from another whole point of view
We can start by keeping our vows, and not brreakin’ promises
And bring hope to the women at the well, and the doubting Thomases
And you kids, you gotta cheerfully do what your pops and your mama sez
He gave his life away
Then he had to go and say
“Gotta love the same way that I love you!”

Love like crazy
We gotta love like crazy
We gotta love like crazy
The way he loves you and me
‘Cause if the world’s ever gonna change
We gotta love like crazy

Well I’m tellin’ you boy, you got a lot to learn
I think you’re crazy all right to love for nothin’ in return
You’ve lost your marbles, got a few loose screws
And if you count your cards I’ll bet you got less than fifty-two
But now you got me thinkin’, you sorta planted a seed
‘Cause you know this might be just the kind of love that I need
Naw, your train’s off the track, you’re from the loony bin
You know that brain that you ordered? Well it never came in
Or else you’ve fallen on your head and all your brains leaked out
‘Cause your lights are on, but ain’t nobody in your house
Your elevator doesn’t quite reach the top floor
I think you’re out in left field, and I could say a lot more
But you don’t care what I think, it doesn’t matter what I’m tellin’ you
You got the love of Jesus, and he’s the one compellin’ you to love
Like he does
You gotta love like he does
You gotta love like he does
‘Cause if the world’s ever gonna change
We gotta love like crazy

Copyright 2005 Clumsy Fly Music (ASCAP)

I is in college

this was taken from a greg's blog. read what he wrote about it:

This was taken directly outside my window. I work in the Administration Building (home to the President, numerous Vice-Presidents, and pretty much most of the academic staff) of your friendly Church of Christ-affiliated institution of higher education located in a West Texas town not named Lubbock!

I Like Churches of Christ

this post is a copy of the body of a blog. the blogger that i copied it from is a grad student at acu. his name is greg kendallball. i copied it because it is kinda the way i feel about the way churches of Christ are headed, have been, and are today. i second what the title of this blog says. i welcome your comments and thoughts.

I like our congregational autonomy. There is wisdom in not having a central governing authority to make decisions for each and every congregation. While the lack of a magisterium (official teaching office) can be a drawback, the freedom and agility our current structures give to each body of believers, in their context, is a good thing. What “works” for a church in Manhattan probably doesn’t “work” for the church in Brownwood, Texas. And vice versa. What it means to “be” the church differs from Miami to Seattle. Each of our congregations has a story that has shaped it, and it is a good thing to trust the work of the Holy Spirit in each of those places to continue that story. Unity, hopefully. Uniformity, no way.

I like our a capella singing. Most often we hear arguments AGAINST musical accompaniment, but rarely do we hear an argument FOR a capella music. Or, if we do, it’s basically the “This is the way the early church did it, so we therefore have an example from Scripture. Also, Scripture tells us to worship this way, so we have the command. We also don’t read of pianos in the early church, so we can necessarily infer that we should only sing.” What about the arguments for the beauty of the human voice, lent to the beauty of the music and words written by great theologians and poets? What about the simplicity of it all? In an age where the world tells us bigger, faster and louder is better, how great is it to step into a church and have a period of rest, of simplicity, of quietude? To me, a capella singing is a sort of refuge from the world. I’ve been to high churches and the bells and organs can be beautiful, but it’s not simple by any means.

I like our emphasis on baptism. While our emphasis may sometimes be wrongly placed on the mechanics of it all (when, why, how, how old, by whom, etc.), I am so glad our heritage is one that stresses the importance of baptism. It is something that can be redeemed and built upon. We can do a better job of teaching the significance of it. But, at least we have it, and we don’t have to try to convince people of the importance of it. Some people may be embarassed by our preoccupation with this “event,” but I like it. How can making this sacrament, in which one dies to one’s self and puts on Christ, becomes a new creation, is cleansed and made white as snow, a central part of our faith be a bad thing? We just need to work on it a little.

I like our “Twice on Sundays, and Wendesday nights” mentality. Sometimes we may have thought of this in legalistic terms, as some sort of reference to not forsaking the assembly, but it shows that there is an underlying commitment to community. Couple this with our many potlucks and dinners and family nights and other community-focused events and you see that as a movement, we take community very seriously. While I don’t attend a church three times a week now, I still love my church. It feels good to be among people who are committed to the way of Christ, to building up and lovingly correcting and supporting and challenging each other. No matter how “right” another church may get things, I would not want to be a part of a church that did not emphasize community, or didn’t care if you came three times a week or three times a year.

I like our potlucks. I bet I have eaten more spaghetti casserole or fried chicken than a person has any right to.

I like our future. We cannot escape our past, nor hide from it, not disown it. We have come to where we are today because of things that have happened. Personalities have shaped our thinking on pretty much everything, and we stand on their shoulders. But, we are not limited by our past, either. We are not locked into certain legalistic tendencies. Just because we have been exclusivist doesn’t mean we are doomed to forever think this way. Our future is bright. We have a lot to offer the Christian world. I have met some very bright, very promising people who make me hopeful for where we’ll be in 20 or 30 years. I think we’ll be in a good place.

For all its warts and pimples and scars, I like Churches of Christ.

need a book to read?

this one that i recommend. it is a great book on the prayer of Jesus . we, the wife and i, met the author in a little bookstore in granbury, texas, not far from danny's place . ken signed our copy we bought and another of his books that i will blog about in the future.

(this is a recreated post. the original is lost in cyber space somewhere.)

some more history for ya'

He started his professional career as radio host in Iowa, served in the Army Air Corp during World War II, and became an actor, appearing in over 50 films. He was President of the Screen Actors Guild, switched from Democrat to Republican, and became Governor of California. At the age of seventy, he was the oldest person elected President of the United States. In 1981 he survived an assassination attempt.

Who was he? Ronald Reagan, born this day, February 6, 1911. President Ronald Reagan stated at Reunion Arena, Dallas, Texas, 1984:

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under."

a neat piece of history, and an example of unity

On the frigid night of February 3, 1943, the Allied ship Dorchester plowed through the waters near Greenland. At 1:00am, a Nazi submarine fired a torpedo into its flank, killing many in the explosion and trapping others below deck. It the ensuing chaos, four chaplains: a priest, a rabbi and two protestant ministers; distributed life jackets. When there were none left, the four chaplains ripped off their own jackets and put them on four young men. Standing embraced on the slanting deck, the chaplains bowed their heads in prayer as they sank to their icy deaths. Congress honored them by declaring this "Four Chaplains Day."

can you believe this?

can you believe this? especially since it just a few days since we lost the wife of fallen civil rights leader mlk jr. this just amazes me. i can't believe it!

NAACP chairman compares GOP to Nazis
Bond delivers blistering partisan speech in North Carolina
Posted: February 2, 2006
1:00 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Civil rights activist and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond delivered a blistering partisan speech at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina last night, equating the Republican Party with the Nazi Party and characterizing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her predecessor, Colin Powell, as "tokens."

"The Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side," he charged.

Calling President Bush a liar, Bond told the audience at the historically black institution that this White House's lies are more serious than the lies of his predecessor's because Clinton's lies didn't kill people.

"We now find ourselves refighting old battles we thought we had already won," he said. "We have to fight discrimination whenever it raises its ugly head."

He referred to former Attorney General John Ashcroft as J. Edgar Ashcroft. He compared Bush's judicial nominees to the Taliban.

The talk so infuriated at least one black family in attendance among the 900 in the auditorium that they got up and walked out in protest.

"He went on and on name calling," said Lee Wilson. "I walked out in the middle of his speech with my wife and three kids"

The harsh partisan rhetoric from Bond should not have surprised anyone who has followed him in recent years.

In July 2001, Bond said, "[Bush] has selected nominees from the Taliban wing of American politics, appeased the wretched appetites of the extreme right wing, and chosen Cabinet officials whose devotion to the Confederacy is nearly canine in its uncritical affection."

a prayer

i carry this in my wallet. i typed it up on a card and laminated it. does this sound familiar?

Our Father, Who dwells in infinite light, and above everything, we proclaim You as Holy, and we pray now that You will reign here in every human's heart even as You reign over the heavens.

We pray that You will give us what we need to survive today and we'll count on You to do that again tomorrow.

We pray that You will forgive us for all the ways we fail to be Your children, even as we compassionately forgive those around us.

We pray You will not lead us in over our head, but by Your power You will deliver us from the one in control of this world.

So that in the fullness of time You should crush him, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess You, who is now Lord, as Lord. In whose name we pray.

Amen.

fyi: i transcribed this from a "lecture." can you guess who the speaker was?

state of the union

did you watch the state of the union address tonight? i did. i don't normally watch them, but i did this year. i'm not sure why i did, but i did, and i am glad i did.

our president spoke firmly of how we can fix problems that our country has. he spoke of a social security change that the dems did not pass. the dems stood and applauded that they voted against it. then the president told them and the gop guys that this is a problem, and they both need to get together and fix it, and that was met with a standing ovation. this is what he said:

Congress did not act last year (dems stood and applauded) on my proposal to save Social Security, yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem that is not going away, and with every year we fail to act, the situation gets worse. So tonight, I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the full impact of baby boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. This commission should include members of Congress of both parties, and offer bipartisan answers. (standing ovation by both parties) We need to put aside partisan politics, work together and get this problem solved.

that was all done after the president spoke on the wars in iraq and afghanistan. he spoke of the members of our military and how they think it an honor to be fighting for the liberties of our country, and for the liberties of both iraq and afghanistan. he quoted from a letter that a marine staff sergeant had written. that marine's name is dan clay, and he was killed last month fighting the enemy in fallujah. his widow and parents were in attendance. here is what the president quoted:

Here is what Dan wrote: "I know what honor is. It has been an honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to. Never falter! Don't hesitate to honor and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is worth protecting."

i wish that there was peace and safety in the middle east. i would like to go there. i am proud of what our country's men and women are doing for you and me.

i know there are some out there that think i am crazy, but that is their choice. i know what i want, and i'm glad i served to protect their right to think that way.

i am proud to an american. how about you?

Why ARE Men Happier?

*** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
may not be suitable for young eyes. that is, younger than 15, or so.
(not really that bad of a post, just want to warn ya')

Men Are Just Happier People.

What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.