My mind is all over the map tonight, and as a result I am having a difficult time making headway on any sort of coherent entry tonight. Nevertheless, I'd like to get something on the books. As such, I just want to toss out a few short items that are on my heart and mind.
- I am continually saddened and disappointed by the continued slow march of our country into depravity and heartlessness. I heard from a close friend over the weekend that the hosts of a sports radio program here in SA took a perverse pleasure in the death of Michael Jackson. Regardless of your feelings toward the man, or his past dealings, to rejoice in his passing and to take comfort that he is "burning in Hell" indicates a malice toward humanity that is to be reviled and repudiated at every opportunity.
- I hope that as the media focus on Jackson's passing wanes, they remember to return their attention to the still-ongoing issues in Iran. The potential for a democratic and religious awakening in that country invigorates me. I pray for a positive outcome from the strife currently ongoing.
- I'd prefer to avoid issues of politics as much as possible on this blog, but when the President openly prevaricates with such callous disregard to reality, I feel compelled to bring light to it. In a press conference today, discussing the passage of Cap & Trade legislation in the House, President Obama pointed to California as proof of the positive benefits of this legislation. He directly praised their energy consumption, job creation, and economic growth.
In reality, California's energy infrastructure is terribly lacking - their onerous state restrictions on power production have resulted in the majority of their energy needs being produced by neighboring states, then sold to Californians at a much higher cost than is seen in much of the rest of America. The regulations have even hampered their power distribution networks, as evidenced by the rolling blackouts they endure every summer. Their current unemployment is 11.5% (2% above the national average) and continuing to rise faster than the national rate. And their budget problems have been national news for months now, and have reached the point where their credit rating is in danger of being reduced to 'junk' status. I believe that they would be the only state in the union with that particular designation.
press conference notes here - http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Energy/
And don't even get me started on the Cap and Trade legislation itself. Part of me wants to download it, review it and post the most egregious sections for the world to see, but I don't have the stamina to crush my own will in that way. Besides, at 1200 pages, I'd be one of about 7 people in the country who have actually read it, including those who just voted on it.
/end political section, hopefully not to return for quite a while
- I love my wife. She is unable to avoid my political rantings, my philisophical ramblings, or my various other foibles and vagaries, yet she puts up with me anyways. She seemingly has infinite patience for my mental acrobatics, and I am always grateful.
- Go out and talk to somebody new. We could all use a little pick me up every now and then, and unexpected, random human interaction often seems to pack a little extra wallop. Especially when the person you talk to feels a genuine interest in their well-being and life.
I hope that I haven't alienated too many of you tonight. If you have an issue with my political views, let me know, and I'll make more of an effort to avoid them in the future. If you want to engage in debate, I'd be happy to seek an alternative forum.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Mike Rowe is an awesome individual
If you've got 20 minutes or so, I HIGHLY recommend you watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
For those who don't know the name, Mike Rowe is the guy who hosts Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. That's the show where he works alongside various people, doing some unquestionably difficult and, in some cases, awful jobs all over America. I love his show when I get to watch it. He is clearly in over his head on about 50% of the jobs he does, but he gives it his all, keeps his excellent sense of humor about him, and in so doing gives great respect to those men and women who actually do these jobs for a living.
Mike turns an anecdote about goat castration - be forewarned, you might have to survive a few minutes of mental discomfort to hear the broader message - into an awesome message on the value of the American blue collar worker, and their steady decline in our society.
The moral of the story is this - there is a great deal to be admired and lauded regarding manual labor as a profession. These people are the backbone of our country, and literally work to keep that backbone intact. Not every child can - or should - go to college. Trade schools offer excellent jobs, professions, and lives for those who follow that path. I cannot understand the logic behind pushing these professions into a "lesser" category. Mike is right when he states that people who do this kind of work, or "real" jobs, if you will, are happier with their lives. Speaking as a desk drone/engineer, and speaking as a friend of some wonderful people who do real work for a living, I have no doubt that they live healthy, fulfilling lives, probably moreso than me.
If I have a point, I guess that it is this. We need to break the mindset that every child needs to be prepped for college, and that college is the only way to "success". We need to de-stigmatize blue collar work, and promote its virtues, necessities, and value to our country and our future. The revitalization of our trades is about to become a big deal. I'm going from hearsay, but my understanding is that our workforces of plumbers, electricians, welders, carpenters, and other skilled laborers are steadily aging as a profession, with the veterans getting up in years and fewer and fewer apprentices coming up behind them. We're getting close to a point (maybe 10-20 years) where these guys will be retiring in large numbers, with inadequate numbers to take their places. Things are going to get rough if this trend doesn't get reversed soon.
I don't know of a broader solution to this, but we need to start pushing back against the forces that are subhumanizing the value of manual work. These people are the true lifeblood of America, and we're sucking ourselves dry in the name of "progress."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
For those who don't know the name, Mike Rowe is the guy who hosts Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. That's the show where he works alongside various people, doing some unquestionably difficult and, in some cases, awful jobs all over America. I love his show when I get to watch it. He is clearly in over his head on about 50% of the jobs he does, but he gives it his all, keeps his excellent sense of humor about him, and in so doing gives great respect to those men and women who actually do these jobs for a living.
Mike turns an anecdote about goat castration - be forewarned, you might have to survive a few minutes of mental discomfort to hear the broader message - into an awesome message on the value of the American blue collar worker, and their steady decline in our society.
The moral of the story is this - there is a great deal to be admired and lauded regarding manual labor as a profession. These people are the backbone of our country, and literally work to keep that backbone intact. Not every child can - or should - go to college. Trade schools offer excellent jobs, professions, and lives for those who follow that path. I cannot understand the logic behind pushing these professions into a "lesser" category. Mike is right when he states that people who do this kind of work, or "real" jobs, if you will, are happier with their lives. Speaking as a desk drone/engineer, and speaking as a friend of some wonderful people who do real work for a living, I have no doubt that they live healthy, fulfilling lives, probably moreso than me.
If I have a point, I guess that it is this. We need to break the mindset that every child needs to be prepped for college, and that college is the only way to "success". We need to de-stigmatize blue collar work, and promote its virtues, necessities, and value to our country and our future. The revitalization of our trades is about to become a big deal. I'm going from hearsay, but my understanding is that our workforces of plumbers, electricians, welders, carpenters, and other skilled laborers are steadily aging as a profession, with the veterans getting up in years and fewer and fewer apprentices coming up behind them. We're getting close to a point (maybe 10-20 years) where these guys will be retiring in large numbers, with inadequate numbers to take their places. Things are going to get rough if this trend doesn't get reversed soon.
I don't know of a broader solution to this, but we need to start pushing back against the forces that are subhumanizing the value of manual work. These people are the true lifeblood of America, and we're sucking ourselves dry in the name of "progress."
Monday, June 22, 2009
Romans 13:1-7
"1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
(Copied from http://www.tniv.info/bible/passagesearch.php?passage_request=Romans%2013&tniv=yes - TNIV online.)
This morning, I was presented with part of this passage from Paul, as justification for accepting the size, scope, and graft that have come to represent the American government. To be clear, I don't intend this to be construed as an attack on the current administration per se. Rather, I worry that an accumulation of years of poor stewardship, corruption, and partisanship have left the American experiment on the precipice - if not already over the edge - of irreparable harm. In addition, looking outside our borders, human history has shown numerous examples of governments and rulers who I am unable to comprehend a way in which they could possibly be described as "God's servant for your good". As a result, I am struggling greatly with how to understand and live this passage.
Part of me questions whether the "authority" and "rulers" in question are our government entities at all, but rather the real Authority who has the true power in our lives. This seems a stretch to me, with the interspersal of singular and plural references; also from v6, with its reference to taxes supporting the authorities who "give their full time to governing."
I put this to you, dear reader. What is your view on this? Do you have a particular insight that may shed light? Can you point to related biblical text that adds clarity to the situation? Do you know of historical context that may answer my concerns? Your input is desired and sought.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
(Copied from http://www.tniv.info/bible/passagesearch.php?passage_request=Romans%2013&tniv=yes - TNIV online.)
This morning, I was presented with part of this passage from Paul, as justification for accepting the size, scope, and graft that have come to represent the American government. To be clear, I don't intend this to be construed as an attack on the current administration per se. Rather, I worry that an accumulation of years of poor stewardship, corruption, and partisanship have left the American experiment on the precipice - if not already over the edge - of irreparable harm. In addition, looking outside our borders, human history has shown numerous examples of governments and rulers who I am unable to comprehend a way in which they could possibly be described as "God's servant for your good". As a result, I am struggling greatly with how to understand and live this passage.
Part of me questions whether the "authority" and "rulers" in question are our government entities at all, but rather the real Authority who has the true power in our lives. This seems a stretch to me, with the interspersal of singular and plural references; also from v6, with its reference to taxes supporting the authorities who "give their full time to governing."
I put this to you, dear reader. What is your view on this? Do you have a particular insight that may shed light? Can you point to related biblical text that adds clarity to the situation? Do you know of historical context that may answer my concerns? Your input is desired and sought.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Chased by the wind
A good friend of mine just completed the IronMan Triathalon at Coeur 'D Alene. A quick 2.4 mile swim, followed by a brisk 112 mile bike ride, capped off with a short 26.2 mile run. It took him a bit over 12 hours to complete the trifecta, which is about 12 days less than I would need.
A heartfelt congratulations to you for an impressive accomplishment. Though I'll openly admit that aspiring to that level of physical accomplishment is beyond my mental grasp, I can certainly appreciate the level of training, sacrifice, and dedication that it took for you to reach your goal.
A heartfelt congratulations to you for an impressive accomplishment. Though I'll openly admit that aspiring to that level of physical accomplishment is beyond my mental grasp, I can certainly appreciate the level of training, sacrifice, and dedication that it took for you to reach your goal.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Weighing my unworthiness
I want to try to enunciate the Reason for my ever-growing, overflowing Faith in Christ.
I am bathed in sin. I am constantly awash in it. Compared to the perfection of Jesus Christ, I am utterly deplorable. I'm lazy. I think ill of others. I cuss those who slight me (real and perceived alike). I judge those who I view to be more wrong than I am. I am prideful. I harbor animosities, grievances, and grudges too numerous to account for. In these regards, I am like every other man (save One) who has ever walked on this planet.
By some accountings, there are many worse than I in their sins, but I no longer look at it this way. The distance in sin between me and every other human, from the most pious to the most deplorable, is nothing when compared with the distance from any of us to God. That is a seemingly impassable chasm. How can anybody have even the vaguest comprehension of God, given the vastness of the spiritual distance that separates us?
Since we are utterly incapable of bridging that chasm by ourselves, the Lord has provided for us. We are, at least in my mind, completely unworthy of His love, yet he provided it anyways. He sent his Son to be our sacrifice. In strictly human terms, the crucifixion of Christ was the greatest atrocity in history, without anything remotely comparable. One perfect, blameless being died, that all of humanity may be saved. To paraphrase Alistair Begg, it was as if a good lawyer (oxymoron, I know) came to represent a defendant at trial, and once the defendant was found guilty of his crime, the lawyer was put to death. Only instead of one defendant, it is every human who has ever lived.
I don't think it can truly be stated how tremendous, how overwhelming, or how incomprehensible that sacrifice truly is. Once I came to realize the Truth of his sacrifice, I've really began to look at my life more critically, and every day I see more that is false or sinful in my life. For Jesus to take only my own sin is astounding to me, but to view the sin of all of human history? I can't begin to wrap my mind around that.
Who are we to benefit from such profound love? I won't speak for the rest of the world, but in my view, I'm completely unworthy of such a monumental act. But it has been granted to me regardless of my self views. And that being said, I'll gladly accept. I have no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest gife that humanity could ever receive. I would that more people truly knew and recognized it as such.
My recognition has caused a profound shift in my outlook on life. If Jesus has taken the whole of my sin burden on Himself, then who am I to continue to haphazardly pile it on without regard for that sacrifice? I seek fervently for God's help in living a purer, more pious life, so as to lessen my constant addition to that already immeasurable burden, and hopefully to bring others to that same understanding.
I ask the Lord to give me the strength and wisdom to face and recognize the sin in my life, and to give me guidance in cleansing it, so as to show even a little of my gratitude for your Son's sacrifice in my name.
I am bathed in sin. I am constantly awash in it. Compared to the perfection of Jesus Christ, I am utterly deplorable. I'm lazy. I think ill of others. I cuss those who slight me (real and perceived alike). I judge those who I view to be more wrong than I am. I am prideful. I harbor animosities, grievances, and grudges too numerous to account for. In these regards, I am like every other man (save One) who has ever walked on this planet.
By some accountings, there are many worse than I in their sins, but I no longer look at it this way. The distance in sin between me and every other human, from the most pious to the most deplorable, is nothing when compared with the distance from any of us to God. That is a seemingly impassable chasm. How can anybody have even the vaguest comprehension of God, given the vastness of the spiritual distance that separates us?
Since we are utterly incapable of bridging that chasm by ourselves, the Lord has provided for us. We are, at least in my mind, completely unworthy of His love, yet he provided it anyways. He sent his Son to be our sacrifice. In strictly human terms, the crucifixion of Christ was the greatest atrocity in history, without anything remotely comparable. One perfect, blameless being died, that all of humanity may be saved. To paraphrase Alistair Begg, it was as if a good lawyer (oxymoron, I know) came to represent a defendant at trial, and once the defendant was found guilty of his crime, the lawyer was put to death. Only instead of one defendant, it is every human who has ever lived.
I don't think it can truly be stated how tremendous, how overwhelming, or how incomprehensible that sacrifice truly is. Once I came to realize the Truth of his sacrifice, I've really began to look at my life more critically, and every day I see more that is false or sinful in my life. For Jesus to take only my own sin is astounding to me, but to view the sin of all of human history? I can't begin to wrap my mind around that.
Who are we to benefit from such profound love? I won't speak for the rest of the world, but in my view, I'm completely unworthy of such a monumental act. But it has been granted to me regardless of my self views. And that being said, I'll gladly accept. I have no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest gife that humanity could ever receive. I would that more people truly knew and recognized it as such.
My recognition has caused a profound shift in my outlook on life. If Jesus has taken the whole of my sin burden on Himself, then who am I to continue to haphazardly pile it on without regard for that sacrifice? I seek fervently for God's help in living a purer, more pious life, so as to lessen my constant addition to that already immeasurable burden, and hopefully to bring others to that same understanding.
I ask the Lord to give me the strength and wisdom to face and recognize the sin in my life, and to give me guidance in cleansing it, so as to show even a little of my gratitude for your Son's sacrifice in my name.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Stand for Yourself
I don't understand people today.
How have we devolved so fully into the realm of blaming others for our problems? When did it become standard for us to point fingers ever outward, never inward? How has it become a given that the other guy is the problem? and why do we let these externalized fallacies drive our thoughts and actions?
First, an open admission. I do it too. I blame the driver in front of me for going too slow when I'm driving 45 in a 35. I complain that my boss has unrealistic expectations for workloads, and mistreats his employees, when I could be buckling down and addressing the problems with the project, or treating him with a higher level of respect. I complain that the government is stealing my hard earned money to pay for policies that I think are doomed to fail, yet I sit back and allow other people to do the heavy lifting of developing, proposing, and spreading alternatives.
Even in faith, I externalize. I bemoan what I consider the slow fading of true Christianity as so many pastors spread the apostasies of 'your best life now', and 'Christ will solve your problems,' and yet I sit silently by while friends and family members fall victim to these misrepresentations. Worst of all, I pity or question the direction of those who do not have Christ in their lives, yet every day I let countless opportunities pass by to share the Truth with those who do not know or believe it.
As I look around, I am constantly bombarded with terrible exernalizations. Infidelity by a man who feels that his wife mistreats or ignores him. Drunkenness to escape the pain of an unfulfilling life. Suicide attempts by a woman because she feels she has no friends. Spousal abuse. Rape. Theft. Murder. So many detestable acts that, in the mind, are some how the other guy's fault.
Looking at that list compared to my own personal admission, one could be tempted to say, "Well, yours really aren't that bad." In my view, my list really isn't all the different. It's just a question of scale. It's essentially one step beyond from cussing a guy for driving too slow, to letting road rage take control. It's a fairly short step from blaming the boss for mistreating you to pocketing a little cash from the till because "They owe it to you."
So the next time you get angry at the other guy for what he's screwed up for you, turn the camera on your self. What role did you play? What is your appropriate share of the blame? What can you do going forward to improve the situation? My hope is that if even a few of us begin to put more of the blame where it truly belongs, and take appropriate, Godly actions in response, the world will be just that little bit better of a place.
I ask the Lord for the strength and humility to follow my own advice in this.
How have we devolved so fully into the realm of blaming others for our problems? When did it become standard for us to point fingers ever outward, never inward? How has it become a given that the other guy is the problem? and why do we let these externalized fallacies drive our thoughts and actions?
First, an open admission. I do it too. I blame the driver in front of me for going too slow when I'm driving 45 in a 35. I complain that my boss has unrealistic expectations for workloads, and mistreats his employees, when I could be buckling down and addressing the problems with the project, or treating him with a higher level of respect. I complain that the government is stealing my hard earned money to pay for policies that I think are doomed to fail, yet I sit back and allow other people to do the heavy lifting of developing, proposing, and spreading alternatives.
Even in faith, I externalize. I bemoan what I consider the slow fading of true Christianity as so many pastors spread the apostasies of 'your best life now', and 'Christ will solve your problems,' and yet I sit silently by while friends and family members fall victim to these misrepresentations. Worst of all, I pity or question the direction of those who do not have Christ in their lives, yet every day I let countless opportunities pass by to share the Truth with those who do not know or believe it.
As I look around, I am constantly bombarded with terrible exernalizations. Infidelity by a man who feels that his wife mistreats or ignores him. Drunkenness to escape the pain of an unfulfilling life. Suicide attempts by a woman because she feels she has no friends. Spousal abuse. Rape. Theft. Murder. So many detestable acts that, in the mind, are some how the other guy's fault.
Looking at that list compared to my own personal admission, one could be tempted to say, "Well, yours really aren't that bad." In my view, my list really isn't all the different. It's just a question of scale. It's essentially one step beyond from cussing a guy for driving too slow, to letting road rage take control. It's a fairly short step from blaming the boss for mistreating you to pocketing a little cash from the till because "They owe it to you."
So the next time you get angry at the other guy for what he's screwed up for you, turn the camera on your self. What role did you play? What is your appropriate share of the blame? What can you do going forward to improve the situation? My hope is that if even a few of us begin to put more of the blame where it truly belongs, and take appropriate, Godly actions in response, the world will be just that little bit better of a place.
I ask the Lord for the strength and humility to follow my own advice in this.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Chasing after a Blog
After much consternation and disavowal of the idea, I've finally accepted the inevitable and started my own blog. As a fervent follower of Christ, I'm seeking new means of reaching out to new discussions and ideas of His word and works. Hopefully this will be a place of growth and development for me and for those who share in my thoughts.
In my church, we are two weeks into a study in Ecclesiastes. "Everything [is] meaningless, a chasing after the wind." My goal with this blog is to bring more to understand the truth and liberation of that statement, and the good news that is often forgotten underneath.
In my church, we are two weeks into a study in Ecclesiastes. "Everything [is] meaningless, a chasing after the wind." My goal with this blog is to bring more to understand the truth and liberation of that statement, and the good news that is often forgotten underneath.
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