Willie Pollard - The 9th Inning

Interesting little story which compares Christianity to a baseball game...definitely worth the time and these guys are doing a good work! They are on youtube under sdmemorylane and do old-time Gospel music.

Working behind the Scenes

There once was an elderly gentleman who was a very good shoemaker. He had wanted to become a minister but the way had never opened up. He was the friend of a young divinity student; and when one day the young man was called to his first charge the old man asked of the young preacher a special favor...In a nutshell his request was to always make the young mans shoes when he went into the pulpit. The young minister agreed and the old cobbler spent the rest of his days making shoes for the young man. The moral to this story? Sometimes the greatest work done for Gods kingdom is done behind the scenes.

Monastery on a cliff (joke)

There was a monastery perched high on a cliff. The only way to reach it was by riding in a basket, which several monks hauled up to the top.

The ride was steep, and to those who visited, it was terrifying.

One visitor was extremely nervous. Halfway up the ascent, he saw that the rope holding the basket was a bit frayed. He frantically asked the monk next to him how frequently the rope was changed.

After a brief silence, the monk replied, “Whenever it breaks.”

God Story #9 (Prayer Foils a Bank Robbery!!!)

A woman at a check-cashing store in Indianapolis had a rather unorthodox way of foiling a potentially dangerous (and fatal) situation. She used prayer. When Gregory Smith, a 23 year-old male, attempted to rob the store and pulled a gun on clerk Angela Montez, Ms. Montez's first reaction was to start praying. At first taken aback, then the robber began crying. He explained to Ms. Montez that he was an ex-servicemen with a young baby and could not find work. "We're going to be homeless," he said. "I've tried everything." Eventually, he reached into his pocket and the clerk became frightned beause he thought she was going to be shot. However, he said "It's okay" and emptied the chamber and gave her all the bullets. After talking and praying together for about 40 minutes without any disturbances, Smith allegedly left after taking $20 and Montez’s cellphone. The next day Smith turned himself in after his mother had seen him on T.V. and urged him to do it. An awesome story indeed, and we should pray for that criminal to become a Christian and to get on the straight and narrow.

Two wrongs don't make a right but two Wrights made an airplane! (Quote of the Week)

I heard that quote of the other day and just thought it was really neat. When you do the right things then the right things will happen for you. Too often in my life I had to learn this the hard way. Reliance on God, Dedication, determination, perseverance, and the like will help you to become the person you need to be and to find what you are looking for in life.

Letting inmates keep cats as pets

Although this story isn't necessarily Christian in nature, it is still a good story regardless. Indiana State Prison has been, for some time now, letting inmates keep cats as pets and the officials there are quite surprised by the results. In many cases, the inmates morale is much better and fights, assaults, and other general acts of misbehavior are very starkly down. Kudos to Indiana State Prison for their out-of-the-box thinking. Perhaps this is something that other prisons should adopt as well.

God Story #8

When one reads about the Apostle Paul in Acts and how he was converted, one truly does believe in the miraculous. An important thing to remember is that there are conversion stories in this day and age that are just as powerful. Michael "Bull" Roberts is a former Canadian drug lord with one such testimony. Christian Week recounts his story:

BRAMPTON, ON—The extravagant wealth and power former gang member Michael "Bull" Roberts had as one of Canada's wealthiest drug lords reads likes a fantasy. But the road which led him there is the stuff of nightmares.

"I grew up in a very abusive home," says Roberts, who cuts an imposing six-foot, four-inch, 450 pound figure. "My father was a very strict man, very hard. I was bullied at school, and then at home I was physically and sexually abused."

Roberts ended up in foster care. After witnessing his foster father's murder, Roberts hit the streets. Within months he was a "full blown drug and alcohol addict" with a long list of trafficking and assault charges.

When some acquaintances overdosed, police charged Roberts with three counts of first degree murder. At 16 Roberts was tried as an adult and found "criminally insane." He's lost count of how much time he has spent in prisons and mental institutions since then.

When he joined a gang, Roberts says he finally found a "family." A meteoric rise through the gang's ranks followed.

"I became one of the wealthiest drug lords in Canada," he says. "I had stables, boats and every kind of ride you could think of. I was distributing cocaine and crack all over Alberta. I was turning over millions of dollars a week."

But last summer, a partner sent 30 men to kill him. After a cruel beating, Roberts was left for dead, his knees, legs, arms, hands and skull broken. Permanent spinal cord damage means he still walks with a cane.

After his gang ties prompted a release from hospital, Roberts found himself alone in a hotel room facing the news his home had been burned to the ground.

"All I wanted was revenge," Roberts says. "But I was so broken I couldn't even get myself to the bathroom. I fell on the floor and [wet] myself. I spent hours there. I was in extreme physical pain and emotionally spent.

"That was my breaking point. I just snapped. I just couldn't fight no more. I looked up at God and said, 'Fine! You win! I'm done!'

"I just kept praying to Him out of anger, and the next thing I knew I was asking for forgiveness. I said, 'Please, God I just want to feel love!' I just burst into tears. I cried for hours on that floor.

"I really feel like God came into the room that day. I really felt like I was forgiven. I told Him I'd give my life to Him. I'd let Him run it His way."

Through the yellow pages, Roberts found the name of a local pastor who then put him in touch with pastor Ted Brown of Kennedy Road Tabernacle in Brampton. Roberts arrived in Ontario a few weeks later with "nothing but a pair of pyjama pants and a t-shirt.

"My first meeting with Mike was pretty intimidating," says Brown, referring to both Robert's size and the tattoos covering him from head to foot. "Mike is still rough around the edges but…I've seen a man who struggles with unforgiveness—toward the people who hurt him and who he's hurt—learning to forgive."

Roberts now writes the church's "Behind the Walls" prison newsletter. He also talks to school and church groups.

"I've taken Mike with me to meet with some young men who are close to being in trouble with the law or have already been charged," says Brown. "Mike speaks clearly and patiently to them hoping to direct them on the right path.

"I believe Mike has impacted lives for the kingdom, and in the days and years ahead, he'll impact many more."

Roberts says, "I could go back tomorrow and be that drug lord again, but I've given up all those riches because I want to be with God.

"I know where 'the beast' in me was created—and now I have my heart back. God gave me back the heart of a child and the dreams I had as a kid."

We Could Learn a Lot From...

The Children's Miracle Network
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One of our local convenience stores recently started selling Children's Miracle Network stickers for donations of $1, $5, or $25. After reading up on the Children's Miracle Network and some of the things that they are doing, I was glad to see the walls of this store being filled up with these stickers of people's donations.

Some info:

*founded in 1983 by the Osmond family and John Schneider (played Bo Duke on the Dukes of Hazzard)

*raises more than $250 Million dollars each year. The funds are then provided to a network of 170 hospitals to help provide for the needs of the children who are patients there.

*Funds are raised mostly through the use of corporate partners, such as Walmart, Dairy Queen, Domino Sugar, Phi Mu, Church's Chicken, Zeta Beta Tau, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi and Marriott Hotels to name a few.

This excellent organization exemplifies the biblical concept of "when you give you do it unto me" (Matthew 25:40)

Remembering 9/11

Ministering to the unemployed

Because of the state of this economy, there are a lot of people who are unemployed. These tips won't necessarily help you find a new job, but they will help you keep a positive attitude along the way to finding a new job.

Affirmation 1: Put yourself in a state of gratitude. Thank God for everything, even if it's just for a beautiful day.

Affirmation 2: If you are a Christian or other religious person, always be reminded that God is with you.

Affirmation 3: Remember that God wants you to find a job and will help you to find it. Pray for your job situation.

Affirmation 4: Be on the lookout for Messengers. These are people or events that come your way to help you in your process of becoming employed once more. Have a clear picture of the next job you want and get it in writing for yourself.

Affirmation 5: Remember to bless and love others. It does say in scripture to love your neighbor as yourself, so put that into practice. It will also help you keep a positive attitude.

Affirmation 6: Use your talents.

Affirmation 7: Have people pray for you. One can never have too much prayer in their lives including you.

NOTE: this is only a very abbreviated list. For the full article, go to http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Prayer/2009/05/Seven-Great-Affirmations-for-the-Unemployed.aspx?nlsource=10&ppc=73871&source=NEWSLETTER&utm_campaign=Inspiration&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=NL

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologian, Man of God

As we approach the 70th anniversary of what would become World War II when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 we would do well to remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was indeed a great theologian and even more importantly a great and principled Man of God.

Indeed, from a very young age, Mr. Bonhoeffer had a strong desire to enter the ministry. Expected to follow his father into psychiatry, Bonhoeffer surprised and dismayed his parents when he decided by age of fourteen to become a theologian and later a pastor. When his older brother told him not to waste his life in such a "poor, feeble, boring, petty, bourgeois institution as the Church", 14-year-old Dietrich replied: "If what you say is true, I shall reform it!"

Bonhoeffer did indeed go into ministry and become a theologian. He held several teaching posts in America; one was in the Harlem area as well. He held a teaching post at Union Theological Seminary in New York and several teaching posts in his native Germany as well.

Most importantly, however, was the stands he took against the evils of Nazism. He was one of the founding members of a covenant with other pastors called the Pastors Emergency League, which was to resist the Nazi-sponsored state church. They later would establish the Confessing Church, which did basically the same thing as well. After a brief stint in London, Bonhoeffer would establish an underground theological seminary for those wishing to enter the Confessing Church. Unfortunately, his teaching credential with the University of Berlin was revoked in 1936 as he was deemed an "enemy of the state". Bonhoeffer's efforts for the underground seminaries also included securing the needed funds, and he found a great benefactor in Ruth von Kleist-Retzow. In the dire times that he found himself in, his former students and their wives would take refuge in her Pomeranian estate and Bonhoeffer himself was a frequent guest. By August 1937, Himmler outlawed the education of Confessing church pastoral candidates and In September 1937, the Gestapo closed the seminary at Finkenwalde and by November arrested 27 pastors and former students. It was around this time that Bonhoeffer published his best-known book, The Cost of Discipleship, a study on the Sermon on the Mount in which he attacked "cheap grace" as a cover for ethical laxity and preached "costly grace".

Bonhoeffer spent the next two years secretly travelling from one eastern German village to another to conduct "seminary on the run" supervising of his students, most of whom were working illegally in small parishes. He was banned from Berlin by the gestapo in 1938. It was at this time that Union Theological Seminary in New York extended for him to come back to the states, which he did for a brief time. However, Bonhoeffer felt that he had made the wrong decision. He wrote to fellow pastor Reinhold Niebuhr: "I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the recon­struction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people...Christians in Germany will have to face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying civilization. I know which of these alternatives I must choose but I cannot make that choice from security."

After arriving on the last scheduled steamer to Germany, he continued making brave stands for his underground seminary and churches. He would eventually pay the ultimate price and be executed on April 9, 1945.

I believe that this man was greatly used of God. There was one account from one of the camp doctors on the date of Dr. Bonhoeffer's execution that is particularly telling: “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer ... kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”

The Painting of Georges Rouault (3 of 3)

Here is the third and final installment of Georges Rouault's paintings of the Christ figure.

The Painting of Georges Rouault (2 of 3)

This is the second installment of Georges Rouault's paintings of the Christ figure. Enjoy!

The Painting of Georges Rouault (1 of 3)

I'm going to devote the next few posts to some of the works of French painter Georges Rouault, who lived from 1871-1958 in Paris. He is noted for his unique portrayals of Christ.

We Could Learn a Lot From....

Charles Stanley
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For those of you who may not have heard of Charles Stanley, he is has been a long-time pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta and is the founder of In Touch Ministries. He is not a perfect man, as no one is, but his insights into the Christian faith have helped countless people in their growth and maturity. Several of his quotes include the following:

Only God knows fully what is required for wholeness because only God knows fully what it means to be whole, perfect, and complete. Only God knows what is missing in our lives because only God sees the total picture.

All of our needs are secondary to our need to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, to be born again spiritually, and to live in right relationship with God our Father.

True contentment lies not in having, but in knowing---of knowing that you are accepted, loved, forgiven, and valued in spite of what you may or may not have in your hands or surrounding you.

God wants a walking-and-talking relationship with you. Your appearance, your status before others, and your performance matter little to God. He is concerned about the state of your heart and your innermost desires for eternal things.

Shirley Goodnest and her daughter Marcy...

I read a really interesting article written by Max Lucado recently. He was discussing the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and the ministry it performs to Christian believers every day.

When you place your faith in Christ, Christ places his Spirit before, behind, and within you. Not a strange spirit, but the same Spirit: the parakletos. Everything Jesus did for his followers, his Spirit does for you. Jesus taught; the Spirit teaches. Jesus healed; the Spirit heals. Jesus comforted; his Spirit comforts. As Jesus sends you into new seasons, he sends his counselor to go with you.

God treats you the way one mother treated her young son, Timmy. She didn't like the thought of Timmy walking to his first-grade classroom unaccompanied. But he was too grown-up to be seen with his mother. "Besides," he explained, "I can walk with a friend." So she did her best to stay calm, quoting the Twenty-third Psalm to him every morning: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..."

One school day she came up with an idea. She asked a neighbor to follow Timmy to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, lest he notice her. The neighbor was happy to oblige. She took her toddler on morning walks anyway.

After several days Timmy's friend noticed the lady and the child.

"Do you know who that woman is who follows us to school?"

"Sure," Timmy answered. "That's Shirley Goodnest and her daughter Marcy."

"Who?"

"My mom reads about them every day in the Twenty-third Psalm. She says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life.' Guess I'll have to get used to them."
You will too. God never sends you out alone. Are you on the eve of change? Do you find yourself looking into a new chapter? Is the foliage of your world showing signs of a new season? Heaven's message for you is clear: when everything else changes, God presence never does. You journey in the company of the Holy Spirit, who "will teach you and will remind you of everything I have told you" (John 14:26 NLT).



You see, the Holy Spirit has a very, very important ministry. The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of their need to become Christians, convicts believers of sin in their lives, and intercedes for the Christian when he or she prays. Thanks be to God for sending His counselor the Holy Spirit!

Omarosa headed to Seminary!

Wow...I just read that Omarosa is now heading to study at a United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH to become a Pastor. Known for her villianous ways and antics on reality T.V. shows, she has more recently been a goodwill ambassador and has done work for the homeless and poor in Haiti. According to Ivan Hicks, the school's associate dean for African-American studies, this reputation she has for both good and bad will help her as a minister because people will be able to relate to her. It's interesting that she has chosen this route as I myself did not even know that she was a Christian. However, we must remember that God has used many imperfect people before and can use the "foolish things of this world to confound the wise." (1Corinthians 1:27) I wish her all the best and my thoughts and prayers go out to her.

Unwanted Children in the World

Our earth has well over six billion inhabitants. When you consider the magnitude of such a large population, it could be easy to doubt whether one baby is as valuable as the other. While I don't usually post on such hot button issues, we as human beings need to consider that the attitude that not everyone is equally important is the WRONG attitude, and I believe that we need more programs encouraging adoption instead of abortion. Consider the following scenarios:



1. A minister and his wife, who live in extremely modest conditions, discover they are expecting their fifteenth child. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, is this baby needed?

2. A young man is victim to a number of terrible health problems, and his wife has tuberculosis. Of their four children, one is blind, one has died, one is deaf, and one, like his mother, also has tuberculosis. Now the woman finds out that she is pregnant again. Surely this is an unneeded baby, is it not?

3. As the result of an awful rape by a white man, a thirteen year-old black girl is pregnant. If you were her parents, would you recommend that she endure the risky and emotionally traumatic pregnancy to bring the child of a rapist into the world?

4. In the midst of a society where sexual propiety is regarded as essential, a teenage girl is pregnant. Her betrothed knows that he is not the father of the baby, and he will share in her condemnation if he does not reject her. Does the world need this baby?


Now, all of these situations are very, very difficult and heart-wrenching situations. Can you imagine what each of these individuals must have went through and how much sleep they lost at night? My heart truly would go out to these people, and abortion definitely could be one of the options in each of these situations, but is it the BEST OPTION? If we take a closer look at each of these situations, we would realize that abortion is not always the best option. In scenario #1, if abortion is used, we have just terminated the baby who would become John Wesley, one of the greatest evangelists of the eighteenth century. In the second scenario, we have just deprived the world of composer Ludwig von Beethoven. In scenario #3 we have just lost Ethel Waters, who will inspire millions as a truly great gospel musician. And what of the fourth scenario? Well, in scenario #4 we have just deprived the world of our Lord and Savior Himself, Jesus Christ.

I believe that there is a place for abortion, and I do not believe that violence such as what happened to George Tiller is the option either. However, I do believe that abortion should be a last resort and adoption should be encouraged in every circumstance possible. God bless all of you, and good night.

Looking Heavenward (Joke)

The temporary Sunday School teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cabinet. She had been told the combination, but couldn't quite remember it.

She went to the pastor's study and asked for help. The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial.

After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment.Finally he looked serenely heavenward and his lips moved silently.

Then he looked back at the lock, and quickly turned to the final number, and opened the lock.

The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, pastor," she said.

"It's really nothing," he answered. "The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling."

Thanks for the ice!

The other day I was shopping at Alco, which is a chain of lesser-known discount stores. A woman that I have known only casually came up to me and proceeded to hand me ten dollars. After seeing the look of confusion on my face, she said "Ice, Vaden. You got me some ice last week, and I appreciated it and I am paying you back." I was surprised because I just barely recalled the incident but it brought home for me something very interesting. Once again, I feel validation for living a way of life where you do good for others. It's very cathartic, It's very Christian, it's good karma, or it's just a good thing to do...whatever you call it, your life is a lot more fulfilled if you look out for the other person and their needs as well!

Yes, we had a drug problem....

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, “Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”

I replied I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to the altar to repent of my sin before Jesus Christ and God almighty when I did wrong. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of a teacher or preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad’s fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drugged us.

Quote of the Week #10

"Yes, God can use cracked vessels!" ---Joyce Meyer

Although many times I don't watch the big time T.V. evangelists such as Joel Osteen or Joyce Meyer, sometimes they have some good little tidbits of knowledge to say. Ms. Meyer relates the following story:

A water bearer in India had two large pots hanging at the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The other pot had a crack in it, and by the time it reached its destination, it was only half full. Every day for two years the water bearer delivered only one and one-half pots of water to the master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments—perfect to the end for which it was made. The poor little cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfections and miserable that it could accomplish only half of what it had been designed to do. After two years of what the imperfect pot perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer and said, "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"

"Well, for these past two years, I have been able to deliver only half a load of water each day because this crack in my side allows water to leak out all the way back to the master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work without getting the full value of your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot noticed the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because half of its load had leaked out once again.

Then the bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and not on the other pot's side? That's because I've always known about your flaw and took advantage of it by planting flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day as we walked back from the stream, you watered those seeds, and for two years I have picked these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just what you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house." So you see, even with warts and all, we need to stay positive and keep praying for opportunities for God to use us!

Some Funny Church signs...

"Take what you need as the offering is passed."

A church in Argyle, Texas came up with a very unique way to increase their tithes and help people out in the process. They adopted a rule that anyone who was struggling financially could take what they need from the offering plate. The church has since seen their titheing triple, and they have been able to give according to some estimates over a half-million dollars to charities and help people with basic expenses and the like. Kudos to Pastor Toby Slough of Cross Timbers Community Church for his out-of-box (and biblical!) idea of giving!

"Mr. Vandal, Jesus loves you too."

***Jesus and the woman at the well***


A Church in Keene, New Hampshire was recently very badly vandalized with several anarchist and atheist statements spray painted all over the building. Needless to say, the building was very badly defaced. The intial reaction of the pastor of the church and the parishioners was one of anger, however, they have now displayed Christ-like character in that they responded to this terrible act of vandalism by posted a message on their billboard to the passing motorists. The message simply reads: "Mr. Vandal, Jesus loves you too."

Quote of the week #9

"Don't dwell on what you can't do, dwell on what you can do!" ---Author Unknown.

A very wise individual once told me that in any situation, we can always dwell on one of two things: we can dwell on what we cannot do, or we can dwell on what we can do. The ball is in my court; it is my choice. Personally, I now choose to dwell on what can be done instead of what cannot be done. Now, on to the question that many of you reading most likely have: what does the picture I have chosen above have to do with the quote I have? Well, instead of dwelling on the bad things of the world, you can love people, you can accept people, you can treat people as God treats them, as one of His creation that He loves and sent His Son for. Can't go on a missions trip? Pray for those that do go. Can't be the next Martin Luther King or Gandhi? Be the next Martin Luther King or Gandhi in your neighborhood. Can't be a deacon in your church? Be something smaller, such as volunteering to handle the janitorial work, and then move up. Focus on what you can do, instead of what can't.

"My Bible Tells Me So!"

*Mount of Olives in Jerusalem*


NOTE: I originally read a version of this story in the book Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay.

If you had met Nate, you would swear that he was one of the most cynical, bitter, and atheistic individuals to ever walk the face of the earth. He had absolutely no interest in the subject of religion. Nate even bashed people of faith for fun. He regularly mocked Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, and even Christians. Yes, Nate was indeed a hard case. He was also highly intelligent. He had scored in the upper percentile of all of the intelligence tests, could read 1,250 a minute with total recall, and even scored one of the highest scores on the Mensa test, a test for geniuses.

Now, Nate was in the armed services and was riding a bus with another man named John, who was a Blackfoot Indian with only a 12th grade education. The other soldiers kept on throwing John's Bible out of the bus to tease him. Each time, John would patiently get out of the bus and retrieve it without saying a word. Finally, Nate could stand it no longer and he said to John, "Why do you let those clowns do that stuff to you?"

John replied, "Sir, I am a Christian."

Nate decided to challenge this simple man of faith and so he asked him almost laughingly, "Do you mean to tell me that you actually believe that a man was vomited out of a whale?"

John replied, "Yes, sir, I do."

"Why?" Nate asked.

"My Bible tells me so," John replied. The conversation went on for a long time, and every challenge that Nate gave John was answered in the same way: "My Bible tells me so." As hard as Nate's higly intelligent mind tried, he could not shake John's faith, and this bothered very deeply.

That night he decided to borrow a Bible from a neighbor. The verse Job 5:9: "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, and miracles that cannot be owned" was stuck in his mind. "Nate could not ignore this truth," William Fay writes, "and it tranformed his life. Now he is one of the strongest defenders of the Christian faith that I know. And it was all because John, a simple man of faith with only a 12th grade education, believed the verse 'Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord (Zechariah 4:6)'''

Imagine how great our God is when He can use a Blackfoot Native American with only a 12th grade education to help convert a man who scored so high on the Mensa test that he even found an error on the test itself!

Chaplain Testimony

Perhaps one of the biggest unsung heroes in the midst of our American troops on this 4th of July is the Army Chaplain. Many of these men and women not only provide spiritual support, but are also on the front lines as often as others. On this 4th of July, I will share the testimony of one such Army Chaplain.

Christian quotes from early politicians, including Founding Fathers

There's been a lot of debate over the last several years about whether the Founding Fathers and other early politicians were really Christians or not. There are many who say that they were atheists, many that say they were deists, and many who say that indeed, yes, they were Christians. Well, the answer to this question is that we don't really know. Only God knows the heart of these great men and (yes) the women that also helped them behind the scenes. What we do know from their writings is that most of these men did have a strong belief in God or some higher power of that nature. As promised, here are some quotes from them on this 233rd 4th of July:

George Washington
1st U.S. President

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."

John Adams
2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
--Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever."
--Adams wrote this in a letter to his wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776.

Thomas Jefferson
3rd U.S. President, Drafter and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ."

Benjamin Franklin
Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Unites States Constitution
"Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.

That the most acceptable service we render to him is in doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever sect I meet with them.

As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see;

But I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trouble. I see no harm, however, in its being believed, if that belief has the good consequence, as probably it has, of making his doctrines more respected and more observed; especially as I do not perceive, that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the unbelievers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure."
--Benjamin Franklin wrote this in a letter to Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University on March 9, 1790.

James Madison
4th U.S. President

"Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ."

There are a lot more quotes and they can be found at http://christianity.about.com/od/independenceday/a/foundingfathers.htm

Happy 4th of July weekend everybody!

Here's a goofy picture of my wife I took this afternoon that has absolutely nothing to do with the 4th of July ;-) but seriously, folks, have a safe 4th of July weekend. I'll probably post some founding fathers quotes in a couple of days so stay posted!

We Could Learn a Lot From....

Albert Pujols
---------------



Perhaps you have heard of the man in this picture. His name is Albert Pujols, and he plays first base for the St. Louis Cardinals Major League baseball team. He is a very prolific hitter, having become the fifth youngest player to reach the 300 home run milestone at the ripe old age of 28 years, 170 days. He has achieved a lot already in his brief career. However, the most important thing is not how large (and it is!) his trophy case is; the most important thing is that Mr. Pujols is also a committed Christian believer. Pujols shares how his then-girlfriend, Diedre, helped him to become a believer: "Growing up in the Dominican Republic, I lived to play baseball. My wife Diedre, who was my girlfriend at the time, shared with me how much I needed Jesus. I realized I needed more than just religion. I needed a Savior. I needed Jesus to save me." On November 13, 1998 Albert Pujols became a believer in Jesus Christ. Now, Pujols' life goal is not just to hit 700 home runs, although he just might (God willing, of course). His goal is to glorify Jesus! You can read more about his testimony and the good works that he is doing in the name of Christ at http://www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org/faith.htm!

God Story #7

Sometimes people, including myself in the past, fall away from God. They do so for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they feel they don't need God, perhaps they are bitter from a bad church experience, or perhaps they are caught up in their career or another area in their life. This next God story is more of the divine intervention variety once again and, if you pay close attention to the ending of the story, will illustrate the lengths that God can and will go to at times to bring you back into a relationship with Him.

Mrs. Kathy Shields
Innkeeper

“I have always believed in God but had reached a point in my life where I didn’t feel I needed to go to church anymore, didn’t need God’s guidance to be a good wife and mother.”


“One day, my son asked, “Mom, can Mark come over to play after school today?” Without hesitation, I responded: “You know Alex, having someone come over to play really is a big responsibility.” I could not believe my own ears. Why would I say such a thing? I loved to have my son’s friends over to play. Again, my son asked, “Mom, can Mark come over to play? This time I said: “Yes my darling of course you can have Mark come over to play this afternoon.” And then he asked: “Mom, can you bring Mark home today after we play? I, without hesitation, responded. “You know Alex, bringing children home after school is a tremendous responsibility.” I was temporarily aghast at my response. Frustrated by my own words, I came to my senses and said, “Yes my darling of course I will.”

Mark and Alex had a wonderful afternoon playing together but when it was time for Mark to go home, I hesitated and questioned whether I might leave my children alone while I took Mark home. It was an absurd thought and one I had never entertained before, leaving my children alone. And so I packed them all into the car.

As I turned on to the main road, a voice – the same voice that had been talking to me all day, yelled at me, “Slow down now!” I immediately took my foot off the accelerator and looked up. Two cars were drag racing and were headed straight for us. If I turned left, the four of us would die instantly. So instead I swerved right and, I don’t know how, but we landed between a telephone pole and a road sign and narrowly escaped a collision with the racing cars.

For many months after the near-accident I was baffled. Over and over again, I went to the scene and re-enacted what happened from the point I saw the cars coming. How did I know I was in danger? How did my car get to the side of the road without a collision? And then there was the most baffling question: How did I see the cars coming in enough time to save us? It actually wasn’t possible because the cars had been coming around a double curve. If I hadn’t had an advance warning, we would have collided, head-on, with both of them.

I feel God saved me that day. It was his way of saying I need you back and I want you to have faith that I will be with you always.”

Freezing birds outside of the Barn

This very interesting story, origins unknown, appears in The Art of Personal Evangelism by Will McRaney Jr.

This is about a modern man, one of us. He was not a Scrooge. He was a kind, decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family, upright in his dealings; but unfortunately he did not believe in all of that Jesus incarnation stuff that churches proclaim at Christmas time. It just didn't make sense, and he was too honest to pretend otherwise.He just could not swallow the Jesus story and God coming to Earth as a man. "I am truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I am not going with you to church with you this Christmas eve." He said he would feel like a hypocrite, so he stayed, and they went. Shortly after the family drove away, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier as time went on. After going back to his fireside chair to read the newspaper he heard a thudding sound, then another, then another still. When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the snow and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his large living room window. He had compassion for them and he couldn't just let the birds lie there and freeze to death.

He remembered the barn where his children always stabled their pony that could provide a warm shelter if he could just direct the birds into it. He quickly put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the snow to where the birds were. He opened the doors to his barn wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. Heading back to the house, he decided to fetch some bread crumbs figuring that the yellow trail would entice them in. Unfortunately, that still didn't work either. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by waving his arms. He tried everything he could think of, but instead of going into the barn they just scattered in every direction. Then, he realized something: They were scared of him. "To them," he reasoned, "I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know they can trust me, that I'm not trying to hurt them, I'm trying to help them." How? Any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feaed him. If I could mingle with them, he thought, and speak their language and tell them not to be afraid and show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I'd have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand. If only I could be a bird myself. Just then, the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. He stood there listening to the bells playing "Adeste Fidelis," pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow. At last, he understood God's heart towards mankind, and he fell on his knees in the snow. He had come to know the One who became one of us just to save us.

That is what Christ did for us, my friends. Just like if this man would have been allowed to become a bird, Jesus bore the sorrows, suffering, and griefs of the human condition as he walked on this earth. But God understood our need and took action. He did it for you and for me. He became one of us on this earth!

Rules for Home, but also Rules for Life

This interesting sign has hung on my mother's refrigerator for almost a year now and most of the time we just open it up without even looking at it. However, most of these little sayings on here are not just rules for home but rules for life as well. These are the qualities that I want to embody not just as a future pastor but also as a person period. Unfortunately, like everyone else I blow it every day. But we have many good role models in the Bible, including Christ Jesus himself.

The Atheist and the Chief from Fiji

K.P. Yohannan, in his book Revolution in World Missions, relates an interesting story about the Island of Fiji when it was just opened up for trade with the local tribespeople some time ago. A merchant who was a hardened atheist and skeptic came through one day and was talking to one of the local tribal chiefs and was in his hut. Noticing that the chief had a bible and some other religious materials around his house he commented that "it's a shame that these missionaries are over here preaching all of this nonsense. I feel bad for you." The chief looked at him and pointed to a large rock outside. "Do you see that rock?" he said. "We used to use that rock to smash people's heads in to get at their brains." Gesturing to the stove, he said, "We used to use that stove to bake the bodies of people and then feast on them...so, if it weren't for the 'nonsense' of these missionaries as you call it, I can assure you that right about now your head would be smashed in and you would be baking in that stove for our feast." Such is the wonder of God that even a hardened Fijan tribal chief can go from being a murderer and cannibal to a man of peace!

Quote of the Week #9

If you could summarize your life goal in one sentence, what would it be? -K.P Yohannan

During the last couple of months that I have been maintaining this blog, I have literally looked at thousands of other blogs. There literally are blog started by people for everything under the sun, from blogs about sports teams to blogs about popular culture to countless blogs about people's families. Each blog that I come across appears to have a specific purpose in mind: some are to entertain, some, to show off the art work that people do, and still some are simply showing off what people are proud of---their families. Just like blogs have a specific purpose, your life should have a specific purpose. The originator of the above quote, K.P. Yohannan, has had a very interesting life. Beginning with very humble beginnings in a remote village in India, he has literally went all over the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people. He has been very successful at it in part because he summed up in one sentence what he wanted his life mission to be: to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, your life mission may not be that noble, and that's okay. But I have some followers who are doing very interesting things that could be summed up in their life missions. Ivan, who is one of my followers, likes to help people through giving them advice on the stock market. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it helps people, provides a community service, or is useful in some fashion!

God Story #6

Although I don't normally post about the Catholic believers in our Christian religion, St. Isaac Jogues was truly an individual who was dedicated to serving and helping others for the cause of Christianity. Trained as a Jesuit Priest in the early 1600's, St. Isaac was sent to New France in 1636 in what is now Michigan and Minnesota in the United States to minister to the Native Americans there. Unfortunately, Jogues faced many setbacks, trials, and tribulations in his brief ministry to these Indians. In 1642, while on his way by canoe to the country of the Hurons, Jogues was captured by a war party of Mohawk Iroquois, in the company of Guillaume Couture, René Goupil, and several Huron Christians. They were taken back to the Mohawk village where they were gruesomely tortured. It was during this torture that several of Jogues' fingers were cut off by this captors. Jogues survived this torment and went on to live as a slave among the Mohawks for some time, and what is even more admirable about him is that he even attempted to teach his captors the basics of Christianity. Eventually, with the help of some Dutch merchants passing through, he was able to make it to Manhattan and then back to France in 1644. As a "living martyr," Jogues was given a special permission by Pope Urban VIII to say Holy Mass with his mutilated hands, as the Eucharist could not be touched with any fingers but the thumb and forefinger. Yet the missionary of this great man was not dimmed by the unfortunate treatment he received from the Mohawks. Within a few months, he was on his way back to Canada in 1645 to resume ministering to them. After arriving there, a tentative peace was reached, and his ministry continued even he was finally martyred a year later in late 1646. Would to God that there would be more dedicated men and women that even after having their fingers cut off would still have a heart for helping foreign people in a foreign land! There is a statue in Auriesville, NY showing this man teaching two young children, shown here:

Rare Book (joke)

I came across this joke and I thought it was priceless! So I'll share with you all on here!



A collector of rare books ran into an acquaintance who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible that he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten-somebody-or-other had printed it.

"Not Gutenberg?" Gasped the collector.

"Yes, that was it!""You idiot! You've thrown away one of the first books ever printed. A copy recently sold at an auction for half a million dollars!"

"Oh, I don't think this book would have been worth anything close to that much," replied the man. "It was scribbled all over in the margins by some guy named Martin Luther."

A selective mute child at the Orlando Magic game...

Sometimes miracles can happen in the most unusual places. An NBA basketball game in April is not the first place a person would think of for something really important and significant to happen, but in this case it did. By all accounts Ryan Rodriguez is now your average 4 year-old child, chattering away and playing, but that wasn't always the case. You see, young Ryan was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism, and for the great majority of his first four years of life he would only say maybe one or two words at a time, even while all of the other preschoolers would chat away. Thankfully, that all changed one day while he and his father Izzy were watching an Orlando Magic game. "He sat there and kept going, 'Me, me, play, play," Izzy Rodriguez told "Good Morning America. "So I turn around and I do crazy things." Those crazy things were spending the 641.00 for two tickets to the next Orlando Magic game. Although it was either that or pay the mortgage, he knew that his son was more important and they usually "don't yell at you until after 30 days anyway." So this man, who with his meager auto mechanic salary has supported expensive speech therapy for his son, decided to go the next Orlando Magic game. When they got there and began getting settled in, something remarkable happened. "When we get there, he says, 'Me, play basketball, here?'" Rodriguez said. "So I look down and dropped to my knees and said 'What did you say?' He said, 'Me play basketball here?' I said, Yeah." After that little exchange between father and son that many take for so granted, the floodgates were opened and the little boy who before would only say one word at a time and NEVER say anything to his peers was talking almost non-stop through the whole game. "I'm thinking, OK, I'm dreaming. Or something happened, or maybe this is what he needed. [He] talked to me all the way home," Rodriguez said. "I talked to Karen on the cell phone crying all the way home." After the game, Izzy sent an email to the Orlando Magic staff telling them about his son. They were so impressed that they decided to buy him and his family tickets for the rest of the season and the one after that. Thanks be to God, The Orlando Magic, and this wonderful parent for helping this young boy come out of his shell and start communicating!

Interview with an Ex-Satanist

This is a pretty interesting youtube video...this man was a former satanist who is now discussing what it was like for him to live in that worldview. He is now a born-again Christian.

I'm 29 today...

Happy birthday to me!

Gospel Music - The Rising Of The Son

This is some excellent Gospel music!

Atheism Cartoon

We Could Learn a Lot From......

Ted Britain
------------------------

Ted Britain is not a world-renowned speaker or pastor, but he is a pastor with a very important message to share: that of the power of forgiveness. He is the head of Ted Britain ministries, and he has written several books that everyone, Christian or non-Christian, should read. In one of his books, entitled "Healing the Wounds of Life" He discusses the importance of forgiveness on our health, spiritual walk, and other areas of our lives. He often uses the example of Jesus in his teachings as well. When Christ was asked how often one should forgive another, He said "not just 7times, but seventy times seven." Now He didn't mean that we should just stop at 490 times, he meant we must continually forgive others, just like we must "love our enemies, and bless those that persecute you." This is the message of hope that Pastor Ted gives to those churches that he visits. For more information on this exceptional Christian leader and his ministry, you can visit http://www.tedbritainministries.com/Ted_Britain_Ministries.html

Quote of the Week #8

He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.

---Martin Luther King

This next QotW touches on something that is very hard for a lot of people to be able to do. However, the act of forgiveness, in many aspects, is one of the most important things that you can do for not only other people but for yourself. Forgiveness is not only important, but it is also much healthier than unforgiveness, and it is scientifically proven fact that holding unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart is not healthy for you and can possibly lead to any number of ailments. It is also dangerous. Unforgiveness can lead to bitterness; bitterness to contempt; and contempt to hate; and hate can lead someone to take another's life. So, even though it is hard for someone to do, and it is even hard for myself to do at times, we must forgive others for us to be completely whole individuals.

I was accepted into Liberty!

I am now a non-degree seeking Master of Divinity student with Liberty University Online in Virginia. I don't usually mention things about myself like this on this blog but I am very excited about the doors that God has opened for me so far!

I am Napoleon! (joke)

Late one night at the insane asylum, one inmate shouted, "I am Napoleon!"

Another patient asked, "How do you know?"

The first inmate said, "Because God told me!"

Just then, a voice from another room shouted, "I did NOT!"

The Woman at the Denver Bus Terminal

I met an interesting woman when I was at the Denver Bus Terminal taking a bus back to my hometown last April. She was a very excitable elderly woman, namely because she couldn't figure out why her boyfriend hadn't made it to pick her up. She wanted to borrow my cell phone, which I let her do several times. While I was doing this, I couldn't help but look at some of the other customers in the bus terminal. They were looking at her like some would look at someone in a mental health hospital, but I wasn't there to pass judgment on her, I was there to help since I had a five-hour layover anyway. She was there for almost the whole entire time that I was there. Finally, at about 11:00, 3 hours after I had first encountered her, her boyfriend finally came to pick her up. After I helped her with her luggage, I thought she wouldn't even tell me so much as a thank you, but she said in her thick Boston accent, "God bless you, sir! God bless you! I should get you some coffee or something!" I tell you, the feeling I had was like a million dollars! And that, my friends, would be part of the reason why I would go into the ministry. Other than the most important reason, which is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to help people in their spiritual walk, I also want to model for others how we are to treat other people. For it was Jesus who said, "even if you do unto the least of them, you have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)

MC Hammer - Pray

This has always been one of my favorite MC Hammer songs...a good message to about how necessary prayer is as well!

Christian Appalachian Project

The Christian Appalachian Project is another excellent organization that exists to serve the needs of others. This organization, located deep in the Appalachian area of the United States, they are "committed to serving people in need in Appalachia by providing physical, spiritual and emotional support through a wide variety of programs and services." Among the wonderful good works they provide for people include providing low income parents with clothes, food, and/or school supplies; hosting summer camps; offering transportation, companionship, and socialization to the elderly; and providing respite services for caregivers of elderly and disabled people. For more information on this excellent organization, go to http://www.christianapp.org/index.shtml!

If There is no God...

If there is no God then it makes every child born retarded, every person who dies before their time, everyone murdered, and every miscarriage less important, because it is all just chance. It makes the Enron folks, Bernard Madoff, Charles Manson, The BTK Killer, Adolf Hitler, and others seem to be justified in their actions. It makes the humanitarian and dedicated actions of Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Nate Saint, Gandhi and many others seem pointless.

God Story #5

William J. Murray is the current leader of the Religious Freedom Coalition, a socially conservative organization in Washington D.C. Although he is also noted for being very supportive and helpful in his activism for aiding Christians in Islamic and Communist countries, he is perhaps most well-known for being the son of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, who was known as the "most hated woman in America" because of her controversial personality and atheism. In his book "My Life Without God", Mr. Murray mentions that his mother very much despised her father, and has propagated the theory that many atheists have a defective relationship with their own human fathers. Mr. Murray is definitely an example of the power of God to influence and convict!

We Could Learn a Lot From......

Edith Auello
----------------------------------
There was an interesting story which appeared in Today's Pentecostal Evangel about a woman named Edith Auello. Ms. Auello, who attends Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church in New Jersey, had a son who had a rare form of cancer in his chest. The cancer progressed rapidly, and unfortunately her son, who was named Michael, did not survive. Edith, like any other mother, was devastated. She gave away most of Michael's possessions except for a coat that she had gotten for him that past Christmas, which she just simply couldn't part with. Oh, how he had loved that coat! However, this is not the end of this story. Ms. Auello's church was planning a missions trip that fall to Belarus and one of her friends recounted a very interesting story to her. A relative of hers who lived in that country had been praying very intently for a coat, and God had even given this individual a dream as to what the coat looked like. This person drew a picture of the coat and gave to her friend who then showed it to Edith. The picture looked exactly look her son's coat! Ms. Auello knew what she needed to do. She gave her son's coat to her friend to give to her relative in Belarus. Later on, during the missions trip to that same country, she had the unlikely encounter of meeting the man that she gave her son's coat to. Although she had struggled with the loss of her son, seeing how someone was being blessed with her generosity and God's provision spoke to her heart and greatly aided her in the healing process!

Quote of the Week #7

"The preaching that this world needs most is sermons in shoes that are walking with the Lord Jesus Christ." -D.L. Moody

Last weekend we had a very interesting speaker at a church service that I attended. His name was Shawn Harper, an ex-NFL player for the Indianapolis Colts. He drove home a point very similar to the quote above. He said that "the world is tired of hearing about Jesus. We have books, we have Christian radio, we even have Christian television...what the world wants is to see Jesus." You see, the best way to sum it up in the book of James: "faith without action is dead." Whether we are Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, Lutheran, or Catholic we need to demonstrate Christ by serving others. Delivering meals to shut-ins, helping out where needed, volunteering at your Salvation Army or soup kitchen, and any other number of things that provide for the common good is all a good place to start. Like I said many posts prior, even giving an ear to listen can be beneficial.

Another oldie but a goodie (Joke)

Three pastors were having lunch in a diner.

One said, "You know, since summer started I've been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church. I’ve tried everything--noise, spray, cats--nothing seems to scare them away."Another said, "Me too. I've got hundreds living in my belfry and in the attic. I've even had the place fumigated, and they won't go away."

The third said, "I baptized all mine, and made them members of the church. Haven't seen one back since!"

Minstering to people with AIDS

Joseph "Jody" Grieb is the director of a rich ministry to those who are afflicted with HIV and the AIDS virus. He coordinates this ministry through the Disciples Home Missions, which is in itself a ministry of the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Terre Haute, IN and Indianapolis areas. This very useful ministry is very creative, providing AIDS testing and other support from an unassuming ordinary-looking van, called the DEBI van, pictured here:



This ministry often travels to provide their free HIV testing services as well. You can read more about Mr. Grieb's ministry on his blog at http://amndhm.blogspot.com/

A lot of mixed emotions right now...

Well, I got what I needed from my pastor. He signed his name to a recommendation form so that I could be a non-degree seeking M.Div student at Liberty University in their online format. I could tell he was a little ambivalent about the format of the form (he thought it was a little vague) but he went ahead and checked the "I can fully recommend..." and signed his name. I'm very happy that I can at least explore this to see where it leads (becoming a pastor is not a decision that should be made overnight) but at the same time there is a part of me that has a sense of wistfulness and yes, sadness, for the fact of what I more than likely must do: leaving the way that I was, my old dreams, even my old fears, as well as the fact that I identified myself as a person who taught school. I will miss my teaching career. Does that make me selfish? I'm not sure, but I have to also explore that it may not be God's will for me to be a teacher in the sole sense of the word. I did believe at one time that I was called to be a pastor, and if it's God's will (which I am exploring right now) then I believe that He doesn't change his mind. I need to lean on Him and do the best I can for Him in the pastorate when the time comes.

We Could Learn a Lot From......

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER
-------------------------------------------

Although Mr. Carver was a very successful inventor and pioneer in the uses of the peanut, he was also very much a class act. The man had to overcome many great and personal obstacles to reach success. Growing up in a one-room at the close of the American Civil War, he along with his mother was originally a slave owned by a man named Moses Carver. Unfortunately, he and his mother were later abducted by the Ku Klux Klan. Although he would eventually be returned to his original owner, his mother was never seen from again. But Mr. Carver was also a man of great prayer, always asking God how he could be used of Him for the greatest good and success. He began work on the uses of the peanut and sweet potato and recommended that farmers plant that instead of cotton. This would also lead to another great trial in his life in that farmers lost a lot of money due to his recommendation that they plant peanuts and sweet potatoes instead of cotton. Did George Washington Carver get bitter? No he didn't...instead he cried out to God to show Him the proper direction and God led him back to his lab and he would go on to discover hundreds of practical uses for the peanut and sweet potato. So, he is a good example of not giving up and staying the course!

A Funny Joke for all you college professors out there...

Why God Never Received Tenure at Any University
1. He only had one major publication.
2. It was in Hebrew.
3. It had no references.
4. It wasn't published in a referred journal.
5. Some even doubt He wrote it Himself.
6. It may be true that He created the world, but what has He done since then?
7. His cooperative efforts have been quite limited.
8. The scientific community has had a hard time replicating His results.9. He never applied to the Ethics Board for permission to use human subjects.
10. When one experiment went awry, He tried to cover it up by drowning the subjects.
11. When subjects didn't behave as predicted, He deleted them from the sample.
12. He rarely came to class, just told students to read the book.
13. Some say He had His son teach the class.
14. He expelled His first two students for learning.
15. Although there were only ten requirements, most students failed His tests.
16. His office hours were infrequent and usually held on a mountaintop.

Quote of the Week #6

Perseverance!



"I have fought the good fight, I have stayed the course." ---The Apostle Paul

Just like the persistent and stubborn flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk, we all need to persist in what our dreams might be. Whatever your goal might be, perseverance is the goal. If on the road of life you come across a roadblock such as I have faced many times in my life, simply go a different route. But whatever you do, if you want something bad enough, stay the course and fight until the bitter end.

Interesting Quote from President Obama

April and I don't always agree with this man's politics, but President Obama gave a very interesting quote during the newly-delivered commencement address at Arizona State tonight that I will share with you all.

"You may have set-backs, and you may have failures, but you're not done - not by a longshot.


Just look to history. Thomas Paine was a failed corset maker, a failed teacher, and a failed tax collector before he made his mark on history with a little book called Common Sense that helped ignite a revolution. Julia Child didn't publish her first cookbook until she was almost fifty, and Colonel Sanders didn't open up his first Kentucky Fried Chicken until he was in his sixties. Winston Churchill was dismissed as little more than a has-been, who enjoyed scotch just a bit too much, before he took over as Prime Minister and saw Great Britain through its finest hour. And no one thought a former football player stocking shelves at the local supermarket would return to the game he loved, become a Super Bowl MVP, and then come here to Arizona and lead your Cardinals to their first Super Bowl.


Each of them, at one point in their life, didn't have any title or much status to speak of. But they had a passion, a commitment to following that passion wherever it would lead, and to working hard every step along the way."



This really spoke to me because just like the jury was still out on those individuals the jury is still out on others, including myself, and if I do become a minister that will be my belief, which is not to ever give up on people. As long as you are breathing, you have a chance! Never give up on people.

God Story #4

The power of prayer to our God is so powerful that people can even be raised from the dead. What? What did I just say? Yes, I said that people can be raised from the dead! A man by the name of Randy, who is a brother to the missionary in the lepers post, had the unfortunate incident where he drowned in a camp swimming pool. He had already been pronounced dead and was prayed for one last time by his Pastor. Here's the story:

His second oldest brother, Randy, had drowned at a church youth camp swimming pool and was pronounced dead by the medical doctor who was there. The doctor had already called to secure a place for Randy at the morgue of the local hospital so his parents could come and identify their son’s body. The pastor of their church was there that day and felt the Lord was directing him to pray for Randy one last time before they took his body away. Pastor Floyd Lawhon stopped the doctor and paramedics from moving the stretcher, and asked everyone to help him pray again.

The power of God gripped more than one hundred people as they all watched Randy’s lifeless body, his face already a dark blue, begin shaking and changing back to a normal color! He threw up quarts of pool water, and then started to cry and ask everyone to tell him what had happened. The doctor beside him could only say, “Son, all I know is that you were dead when I got here to the pool. You had already drowned. But that preacher just prayed for you and now you’re alive!”

Swallow Hill and Rap to Roots

*Michael Schenkelberg looks on as Jamaica Hines, 11, raps for an audience on an academic subject...


Although this is not what I normally post about there is a pilot program being attempted in the Denver Public Schools that is quite interesting. This program, which is called Rap to Roots, is an idea that is long, long overdue. Instead of the original version of rap music, which has difficulties in being degrading to women and promoting violence, in this program elementary students rap about certain school subjects in order to help them learn. For example, the young boy in this picture might be rapping about Shakespeare (think Shakespeare was a mellow fellow who wrote Othello!), Abraham Lincoln, or he might be memorizing his multiplication tables-all through the use of rap songs! This very useful program, of course, depends on funding and on whether a grant for next year can come through. You can voice your support by going onto Swallow Hill Records, which Mr. Schenkelberg is the director of, and sending them an email (http://www.swallowhillmusic.org) To read the article, go to http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12340733.

Interesting Want Ad, Circa 1796

View of the City and Harbour of New York, 1796, by Charles-Balthazar-Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin.

I came across this advertisement, circa 1796, in one of my old Christian books.

Wanted for a sober family,
a man of Light weight, who
fears the Lord and can drive
a pair of horses. He must
occassionally wait at table,
join in household prayer, look after
horses and read a chapter in the
Bible. He must, God willing, rise at
7 in the morning, and obey his
master and mistress in all lawful
commands; if he can dress hair, sing psalms
and play cribbage, the more agreeable.
N.B. he must not be familiar with the maid
servants, lest the flesh should rebel
against the spirit and he should be induced
to walk in the thorny paths of the wicked.
Wages 15 Guineas a month (about $7 a month)

It's interesting how times have changed since then, sometimes not for the better.

Ministering to lepers

*Kelvin McDaniel and his wife Anita are missionaries to those with Hansen's disease (leprosy) and other people groups around the world. This is going to be part of a larger segment in which we talk about missionaries and their work in ministering to certain people groups. Kelvin's brother, Randy, will be the subject of a God Story on this blog in the near future.


This individual to the right of Mr. McDaniel is definitely not very pleasing to the eyes. However, this individual suffers from an anomaly called Hansen's disease, better known as leprosy. This individual comes from a culture that is very deeply rooted in the Hindu religion. Lepers in Hindu communities, much like lepers in Christ's day, are sadly deemed as outcasts and are banished from their families. The reason is that it is thought in Hindu belief that there leprosy is evidence of a wicked and sinful previous life and thus they are then thrown out of their homes after the disease is discovered. But the fantastic thing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He will accept everyone, including those that society has forgot, like this man with leprosy. Once someone comes to Jesus and asks for his forgiveness, they will immediately realize that God is not a respecter of persons and does not discriminate. We are just as important to God as a leper or former child molester is to God and vice versa! If you are a committed Christian and come across this blog, please pray for the work that is being done to help those afflicted with Hansen's disease both spirtually and physically.

Happy Mothers' Day Mom!

Mom is at the far right in this photo (circa 2003 with Aunt Donna and Aunt Teresa) and.......



she is in the middle in this 1986 photo!

Quote of the Week #5

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

-Lewis B. Smedes

The fifth quote is very important because if a person fails to forgive a person, then it can lead to bitterness. Bitterness in turn can lead to hate, and hate can lead to the taking of someone else's life. As Christians, we are called to be people of peace, so forgiveness is one of the most important things we can do. It's not about getting even; it's about forgiving that person and then their power on you is taken away. Although I am definitely getting there, there is still much work to be done. I am still learning this.

God Story # 3

This next God Story is more along the lines of divine intervention once more. God is extremely powerful, and these stories are a testament to that fact. God and His angels protect people from becoming hurt or injured in many instances, and in many cases the methods that He uses are unexplainable in any other way!


Mother’s Prayer

Mrs. Goodyear looked at the clock for the twentieth time that evening. "Eleven-thirty, and such a stormy night, too! Where can the boy be? I hope he is not in trouble. He is getting so difficult and wayward."

Very worried, she knelt beside the kitchen table, and with her hands clasped on her Bible, prayed that God would protect her dear Tom, bring him home safely, and turn his heart to the Lord.

At last, well past midnight, there were sounds in the yard. Evidently Tom had returned and was putting his bicycle away.

A few minutes later the boy entered, looking very pale and weary.

“Hello, Mother," he said. “Still up? I think I'll go straight to bed. A bit tired tonight"

"You're very late," said Mother. "Has anything happened?"

"I'll tell you all about it in the morning," he said, and with that he went upstairs to bed.

Mother, worried and anxious, followed. "Tom,” she said, “what has happened?”

"Well," said Tom, "Will and I had a strange experience about an hour ago. We were cycling home through the storm, when we felt ourselves moving rapidly downhill. It was pitch dark, and since we had no lights on our bikes it was almost impossible to see where we were going.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back. I thought it must be Will, and called to him. He called back to me that he had just felt a hand on his shoulder, and thought it was mine.
So we both stopped and got off our bikes, wondering what it all meant. Will said that he thought he would walk to the bottom of the hill, and I agreed to go with him. When we got there, we found a rock slide right across the roadway. If we had run into it, we would most likely have been killed."

“Thank God," murmured Mother, stroking Tom's hair. "I am so thankful that He cared for you."

"But, Mother, how could God have had anything to do with it?"

"Tom, when was it you said you felt that hand on your shoulder?"

"I should say about an hour ago. I suppose it must have been about half past eleven."

"I was praying for you then," said Mother. "That's why I am sure God had something to do with it. He sent His angel to protect you tonight, Tom."

"Do you think so?" asked Tom.

"I'm sure He did," said Mother, "because He wants you to give your heart to Him. I hope you will someday."

So saying, Mother kissed him good night and tiptoed out of the room. When she had gone, Tom lay thinking for a little while. Somehow he still felt that hand on his shoulder. Was Mother right after all? If so, was he not a most ungrateful boy? At least, should he not say Thank You to God for looking after him? He thought he should. By and by he got out of bed and knelt in prayer-for the first time in many months.

Mother, listening, heard the movement, guessed what it meant, and felt so happy.

That was the turning point in Tom's life. Beside his bed he gave his heart to God. From that hour he was a different boy.

Time for another Joke

***the original Patch Adams***

This joke will also address the atheism/theism debate that I blogged about a few posts ago, and here it is:



One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. They picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."
God listened patiently to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well! How about this? Let's have a man-making contest."
The man replied, "Okay, great!"
But God added, "Now we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."
The scientist said, "Sure, no problem." He bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.
God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. Go get your own dirt!"

Still looking for discernment...

*****Read on and I will explain the Dr. Pepper bottle here in just a little bit*****

When I started this blog, I purposefully decided that I would not include too much about myself in here because I believe that the purpose of this blog beyond all the mishmash of jokes, stories, song lyrics, funny pictures, and other things was to glorify God and to help people. However, I would like to say that I am still looking for discernment on why I feel the need to eventually become a pastor. (see the calling or catharsis post much earlier for more on this) If you have come across this blog and come from an evangelical Christian perspective, and have went through this process or know someone who has went through this process, I would greatly appreciate your prayers for this time in my life. I had a very interesting conversation with my current pastor tonight. We discussed a lot of things, but we mostly discussed we were at right now and how close I could have came this year to having a failed marriage, destroying myself, and/or generally ruining my life. If you have read the earlier introductory post on this you would know that I have had a year so difficult that would peel paint off of the walls. Here is basically what is on my heart right now: I have had an EXTREMELY difficult past 2-3 years...I have been through depression, car accidents, panic attacks, alcoholism, bitterness, rejection from all kinds of people in my previous career, and many other potentially fatal and poisonous things to the spirit of serving the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, yes, I have been through the ringer. That being said, I still believe in my eventual call to be a pastor. This is a conviction I have that is not going to go away. I believe that I can, at some point, be of assistance to people that have had these struggles because of my life experiences. However, there was some very important things that my pastor told me that I think would be beneficial to me not just as a future pastor, but as a person and as a husband. I think that the best thing that I can do at this moment is to continue to serve Him and like the Dr. Pepper can at the top of this post, to "let it settle". In other words, this very painful year has shook my can up, and I need to not open it right away. I do think that I have a lot to be thankful for. April has been a wonderful, wonderful partner to me and has stuck with through a lot of things blowing up in my face. I think that I will focus on being a good husband and will play it by ear with all of the other things. I do know that as a part of my dicernment process I will be a non-degree seeking student at one of these online Bible Colleges, but the most important thing right now is taking care of the little things and remembering that "he who has began in good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Paraphrase of Phillippians 1:6) When and if the day comes that I will be a pastor leading a church somewhere, I can be confident that God will have molded me into an individual worthy of this awesome responsibility and calling. For now, however, the best thing to do is to look after the little things. If you come across this blog, I would appreciate your prayers for me in this area.

Quote of the Week #4

*****proof that God has a sense of humor!*****



My fourth quote will address the evolutionism/creationism debate. Yes, I am a Creationist, because when you take God out of the equation things can get rather rocky rather fast. The reason? Well, when you look at the societal ethics that we have that regulate our world and hold it into place, such as what is against the law and what is not, what is considered a felony (Murder) and what is considered a misdemeanor (DUI, etc.), and other areas of jurisprudence, the whole system of right and wrong would be difficult to explain and to justify if God did not exist. Who is to say that it is not acceptable practice for one to murder another if God did not exist. We all might as well live fast and die young if God was make-believe! The quote is this: All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of Evolution by American politician William Jennings Bryan

New joke for y'all....

Not sure how theologically correct this is, but it gave me a laugh so I'll post it anyway...

A dedicated Christian man, who had reached the age of 105, suddenly stopped going to church.
Alarmed by the old fellow's absence after so many years of faithful attendance, the Pastor went to see him. He found him in excellent health, so the Preacher asked, "How come after all these years we don't see you at services anymore?"
The old man lowered his voice. "I'll tell you, Pastor," he whispered. "When I got to be 90, I expected God to take me any day. But then I got to be 95, then 100, then 105. So, I figured that God is very busy and must've forgotten about me, and I don't want to remind Him!"

Religious people less anxious....

I recently read a really interesting article at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506004,00.html that touched on how people who are Christians or even otherwise religious have less anxiety in their lives. The study, which was conducted by Professor Michael Inzlicht of Toronto University, involved hooking people up to electrodes to measure their brain activity. The study indicated that these who even just professed a belief in God had different reactions to a potentially stressful activity than those who did not profess a belief in God. Pretty interesting study!

God Story #2

For the second God story I am going to focus on an what can happen when the power of God gets ahold of an individual who is not living life right. An individual named Richard Schlotter, who is now an Assembly of God pastor in Iowa, is an example of how powerful God is when an individual yields to Him. Although this man has been in the ministry for the past three years (2 as a youth pastor and 1 as a senior pastor) he lived a life of drug addiction and incarceration before becoming the Man of God he is today.

"I knew my life had to change."

When Schlotter was 23, he found himself in the county jail facing a drug manufacturing charge, facing the possibility of ten years in prison for the offense. To make matters worse, his wife was planning on divorcing him. The ministry team from the very church that he pastors today came to his cell and told him about the Gospel. Richard Schlotter cried out to God to forgive him of his sins. He became a new person that day and decided to change his lifestyle and become a better husband to his wife Kelly if given the chance.

"I didn't deserve my wife because of the bad choices I had made"

Mr. Schlotter began fervently praying that his wife's heart would be softened toward him. He knew that it would be a long, difficult road ahead of him because of how he had treated her. The guilt he felt was particularly strong for an incident where he was in a drug-induced state and threatened to kill his wife and two children and held them hostage. After three months however, his prayers were answered and his wife sent him a letter saying she wanted to visit. God helped to restore the relationship when she visited and later his wife and two boys became believers as well. After serving 18 months of his sentence, he began a Sunday School class for former inmates such as himself which eventually grew to 50 members. He would later become the youth pastor and then senior pastor at the very church that visited him when he was an unbeliever.

While this isn't necessarily an example like the last entry, this is still important because it demonstrates what God can do when a life is yielded to Him, as Mr. Schlotter did. There is a 4 Him song that touches on the issue a lot better than I can:

Lay it all on the Line

So don't go wastin' your time
Holding on to your life
There are treasures that I have possessed
Meant the world to me

But they never filled the emptiness
I needed something more than these
In the middle of my wilderness
God reached down to me
When I let go to His tenderness
I found this life was more than I ever dreamed

CHORUS

So don't go wastin' your time
Holding on to your life
Just lay it all on the line
Gotta make up your mind
There can be no more compromise
Just lay it all on the line

It's a matter of surrendering
Every hidden fear
And by letting go of everything
Jesus will meet you there

In the heart of every one of us
There's a call to faith
Even though we'll never measure up
That's why the Savior, that's why the Savior came

Gone are the days of holding on
This is the time to surrender
Now is the moment you've got to let it go
Just let it go (repeat)

Don't go wastin' your time
Gotta make up your mind
There can be no more compromise
Just lay it all on the line


You see, I am also a lot like Pastor Schlotter and this has a lot to do with my motivations for starting this blog. Just like him, God met me in my wilderness as well and when I finally did relinquish what I was holding on to, God did meet me there!

*For more information on Pastor Schlotter and his family go to: http://www.fpagoi.org/?TargetPage=541345FF-993D-4829-B134-C8FB1C9FB169

Quote of the Week #3

The third quote of the week is a paraphrase of a Bible verse and is also something that I am still learning how to do myself. I went to a church service not too long ago and the message was about being thankful, and was based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus that you do this." (KJV) The speaker mentioned a litany of things that we all take for granted, but that we are not thankful for. He said, "how about your nose? Are you thankful for your nose? Or your eyebrows? How about the belt that you have that holds up your pants? Or how about your pants? Anyhow, after about the 20th thing that he rattled off I began to get the idea...so this week's quote is simply Thank You God. Because if we think about it, whether we are Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Catholic or whatever we all have a lot of good things to be thankful for.

This Picture is just too funny.....

I just had to post this...it made me crack up. Enjoy!




I'm going to have to come out as a Duran Duran fan also I guess!

God Story #1

I'm thinking about adding another segment on here that I thought would be pretty neat. Even though I really only got one reader so far (I appreciate you, abstractscientist) it's my goal that anyone who comes across the blog will either be encouraged, get a little chuckle, or get some inspiration of some sort; at the same time I also desire to glorify God. So, that being said, these stories are just examples of people who have been affected in some positive way by this higher power we call God. Miracles or Divine Intervention by another term. Here's the first one:

God is raising up a new kind of workplace believer who is experiencing the power of God in their daily work life. My friend, Emeka Nywankpa, was a barrister (lawyer) in Nigeria. Emeka spoke at a conference a few years ago on the subject of how the spiritual impacts the physical.

Emeka shared a story about arguing an important Supreme Court case in his country. There were five points to argue in the case. The morning the trial began, he prayed with his wife and junior lawyers in his chambers. During his prayer time, he sensed that the Holy Spirit was telling him, "Do not argue points one through four. Only argue point five." Imagine making such a change just before you are to argue a case before the Supreme Court!

In the courtroom, Emeka announced that he wished to drop points one through four and only wished to argue point five. The judge was shocked, but gave him permission to proceed. He argued point five and sat down. The other attorney got up, and then for twelve minutes stumbled around trying to defend his position, unable to get a coherent word out.

Finally, he approached the bench and said, "Your Lordship, it is unfortunate that my learned friend has dropped the first four points. I wish to yield the case." The other attorney had only prepared for the first four points. Emeka won the case. God had given him a strategy to win his case supernaturally. It made no sense to him, but he obeyed and God gave him victory in a very unusual way.

Another funny Christian joke....

Jack was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands.

The preacher grabbed Jack by the hand and pulled him aside. The pastor said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"Jack replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor."

Pastor questioned, "How come I almost never see you except at Christmas and Easter?"

Jack whispered back, "I'm in the secret service."

Chargoggagoggmanchaugg- agoggchaubunagungamaugg

Jibberish you say? Not necessarily. This is the name of a lake in Massachusetts that according to some is misspelled (!) Apparently (or not so apparently, as it looks from the name of the lake), the name had an "o" at letter 20 where a "u" should have been, and an "h" at letter 38 where an "n" should go. Boy, I'm glad they cleared this up!


Here's the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30312971/?GT1=43001

She still said yes

As we have now passed the 10th anniversary of the terrible massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, we need to remember the story of Cassie Bernall. Even though there is now doubt whether she actually was questioned by the gunman as to her belief in the existence of God, she still said yes by her choices in life.* She is an example of how people can change when the power of God is behind it. Did she actually say yes verbally? Probably not. But the most important thing is that she very easily could have started down the path that those two young men started down had she not accepted Him.







*There is evidence to indicate that this exchange actually occurred between the gunman and a girl named Valeen Schnurr, who survived the massacre.

Quote of the Week #2

Yes, yes I know that a week has not went by yet but I will probably have more QotW's than weeks on this blog...here's my next one, and this lesson is one that I have had to learn the hard way: 90% of your life is how you react to the other 10%, or the events in your life. This means that you choose how to deal with different situations that are frustrating to you. No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you to abuse drugs or alcohol, be verbally abusive, be in a bad mood, or beat yourself up and have poor self esteem...yes, being positive is a learned behavior, but it is also a CHOICE. Stay positive, and don't do anything to harm yourself or others. Talk to someone about it and get it off your chest.


There is a new song out by Country Music Artist Darryl Worley that I really like and here are the lyrics:

Got a call last night from an old friends wife, said, I hate to bother you
But Johnny Ray fell off the wagon, hed been gone all afternoon
Well, I know my buddy, so I drove to Scullys and found him at the bar
Said, Hey Man, whats goin on, He said, I dont know where to start
Sarah's old car startin to fall apart and the washer quit last week
We had to put Mama in the nursing home and the baby's cuttin teeth

Sounds Like Life To Me
I didnt get much work this week and I got bills to pay
I said, I know this aint what you wanna hear but its what Im gonna say
Sounds like life to me, it aint no fantasy
It just a common case of everyday reality
Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk youre caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Well, his face turned red and he shook his head
He said, you dont understand, three kids and a wife depend on me
And Im just one man, top it off we just found out that Sarahs two months late
I said, Hey, bartender, set us up a round, we gotta celebrate
Sounds like life to me, aint no destiny
Yeah, the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight, just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability, sounds like life
Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk youre caught up in some tragedy
Sounds like life to me (sounds like life to me)
Sounds like life

Bad Bible Jokes

Some more levity would be good right now...

Q: What was the secret of Delilah getting into Samson’s house?
A: She picked his locks.

Q: Why didn’t Pharaoh let the Israelites go into the wilderness after the first six plagues?
A: He was in de Nile.

Q: Why did Samson try to avoid arguing with Delilah?
A: He didn’t want to split hairs.

Quote of the Week #1

I've been thinking about getting about a "quote of the week" section started on this blog. I'm not really sure about it, but just like everything else here goes nothing. The first quote of the week is people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That is precisely the reason why those in Christian ministry SHOULD, in my humble opinion, take care of the physical, material, and social needs of people first (when possible, of course) and then these people will be more likely to receptive to you tending to their spiritual needs.

"He must have been living in his own private hell for years."

William Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, when asked whether he thought Jim Adkisson would go to hell. Adkisson shot and killed two people during Sunday services at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 27, 2008. *Originally appeared in Signs magazine, November 2008.

The Name of the Game...

The Name of the Game right now (at least for me, after the year that I have had) is encouragement. Encouraging other people and being there for them can not only be a catharsis, but it is also biblical: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV): Therefore encourage one another and build one another up." So this week, this month, whatever, why don't we all go out of our way to help one another and encourage them? Even just giving someone an ear to listen can be helpful!

Interesting Yahoo Question

I thought that this Yahoo Answers question was quite interesting...my response is below. I've had friends kill themselves over things like this and really hope this woman can accept the situation in a good manner...here's the link: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090411141239AAoFxeL&cp=2



Son brought home a BOY from college . . . what should I do?




I'm assuming that your son is GAY. The best thing that you can do is accept the situation for what it is, even if it is not your cup of tea. I am thinking about studying to be a pastor and I am always hearing about it being unnatural, wrong, immoral, sinful, etc., but there are people who kill themselves over homosexuality every day. So, love him, accept him, care for him, and let him worry about the repercussions.
Source(s):
future pastor and counselor

NOTE: I realize that I might have just stepped into a minefield discussing homosexuality. Well, yes I do believe that homosexuality is wrong. It is "not God's best" as Joel Osteen so eloquently put it on Larry King. However, instead of stuffing it down his throat and preaching at him, I believe that a quiet life lived in front of him and private prayer is sufficient to help him realize the error in his ways.

Some Good Christian one-liners

I came across these yesterday and thought I would share them before I go to bed...they're really neat!

Xstian "one liners" < son0fyah > 03/23 22:24:26


Don't let your worries get the best of you;
Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited
Until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God,
But only as advisers.

It is easier to preach ten sermons
Than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, But mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit's end,
You'll find God lives there.

People are funny;
they want the front of the bus,
Middle of the road,
And back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once,
But temptation bangs on the front door forever.

Quit griping about your church;
If it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

If a church wants a better pastor,
It only needs to pray for the one it has.

We're called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

God Himself doesn't propose to judge a man until
he is dead. So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete
Thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches;
What difference does it make which one you stay home from?

A lot of church members singing
'Standing on the Promises'
Are just sitting on the premises.

Be ye fishers of men.
You catch 'em - He'll clean 'em.

Stop, Drop, and Roll won't work in Hell.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified,
He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross,
not the curve.

God loves everyone,
But probably prefers 'fruits of the spirit'
over 'religious nuts!'

God promises a safe landing,
not a calm passage.

He who angers you, controls you!

If God is your co-pilot, swap seats!

take time to minister...

I am reminded of the movie Patch Adams today, where the only thing that lifted him out of his depression was helping others. With that in mind, just like Jesus' washed his disciples feet (John 13), we also need to take the time to humble ourselves and minister to others. When you deliver a meal to a shut-in, empty a bedpan, give someone a lift to an appointment, etc., you are fulfilling your calling of ministering for the Lord. Here is an idea for you that I have adopted: keep a database or (if you are not computer savvy) a little notebook of all the good things that you have done for others. No, good works do not save you, but they are very cathartic and helpful to people who are weary and disheartened. If you help others, you help yourself.

Annoying Junk E-Mails

Don't those emails that you probably get that say that a diplomat has a million dollars to give you really annoy you? Well, I usually reply to them and say something to this affect:

Dear Mr. So and So,

I have never met you before and I am not sure why you are compelled to live the life of a con artist in this fashion but you need to have the power of God in your life. I will pray for you to receive Christ as your personal Savior and to leave this life of sin behind.

Regards,

Vaden Chandler

Of course, the less time-comsuming method is just to click the delete button...

God DOES care

The thoughts that are going through my head right now at the moment are that God DOES care about you, no matter what you are going through. We just learned that a good friend of ours has died in a terrible car accident, but God loves us. We are upset, we are grieving, but God DOES care. And you know what else? It's natural for us to doubt whether God really does care...Even Jesus on the cross asked, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" It's my hope and prayer that if you are reading this and have recently lost a loved one that this will give you some comfort.

Kudos for honesty!

I read a really interesting article about a woman who cashed in some gold coins at face value. Well, it turns out that the gold coins are worth a lot more than just face value and they are trying to find the woman. Kudos to all the honest people in the world!

http://www.abc4.com/mostpopular/story/Woman-tries-to-buy-groceries-with-gold-coins-then/xOmnvx-yFUSOG9KOFOlq4g.cspx

little bit more levity...

This picture reminds me of a supervisor I once had...

Picking up Hitchhikers......

When I was in Rifle yesterday I picked up a hitchiker. Wait, I know what you are thinking and you are right. It is, and can be, a potentially dangerous thing to do, and I would not always do that. However, when I took her to where she needed to be I had a great opportunity to minister to this person. She talked about how messed up everything was in her life and I told her that I knew what it was like to be in tough situations and I would pray for her. Would you ever do that, or do you think that the days of being a Good Samaritan are long gone for a fear of one's safety?

This is just a song I like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xslO6Qi_kGQ

On a lighter note....

My wife and I are parents again....to some brand new kittens! We are also trying to sell our mixed breed Chihuahua and Dachsund puppies and have been getting nibbles all the time.

Calling or Catharsis?

The one thing that I do struggle with from time to time is whether my desire to become a pastor is a calling or just simply catharsis. Catharsis is defined in the dictionary as "a purging of emotional tensions". I do know that I am going through a lot right now and it has pretty much been one thing after the other. But I do know that certain circumstances have occurred which have changed my whole entire perspective on a lot of things. I currently teach school, but I feel that I was eating, drinking and breathing that and did not leave any room for my faith, for God. I think the best thing to do right now to find the whirlwind of emotions is to look at examples in the Bible. Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and a lot of other people all got discouraged but they handled it in a godly manner, and that's what I need to do also.

signs that you blog too much

Okay, okay time for a little levity here....In grand David Letterman fashion, here are the top ten signs that you blog too much:

#10: You have to turn back on your way to the airport because you forgot to "tell" your blog you were going away.

#9: You think Nike should make a shirt that says "just blog it."

#8: You would buy that shirt.

#7: You keep a blog ideas notepad by your bed and got to bed early just to write in it.

#6: Your listening to the travel news and get excited by the phrase "heavy traffic".

#5: You've got more "blog friends" then real friends.

#4: You can't remember what you did last week without consulting your blog.

#3: Under the hobbies section of your online dating profile you put "googling myself."

#2: You think LSD is something to do with RSS or XML.

#1: You finish reading this and go make a post with your own additions ;-)

Purpose of this Blog

The purpose of this blog is, simply put, to minister to people. I understand now, after the year that I have had, what it is like to go through really stressful and upsetting situations.

I know now how the Psalmist felt when he said "have mercy on me Lord, I am weak." (Psalm 6) I'll also give my opinion on current events, keep up on sports stats from time to time, and all the other things that bloggers do, but the main purpose of this blog is to help people and have compassion for them. Whew! Now that I'm done with my little spiel I'm going to find some late lunch....

Brave Pastor (?)

Has anyone else been following the story about the Pro Life Pastor in Union City California? I definitely think the man is brave for standing to his convictions and even going to jail for them. It is good that someone is standing for the rights of the unborn. It's unfortunate that abortion even has to be necessary or an issue. I wish that President Obama would pass some laws to encourage adoption and make it easier for those who want to adopt but I don't expect it anytime soon. What is your take on it?

Song lyrics

In my earlier blogging days I used to use song lyrics to communicate and express how I was feeling...I see no reason to change that per se. This song by the Dave Matthews Band communicates how I'm feeling at the moment:

Where are you going?
With your long face Pulling down Don't hide away
Like an ocean That you can't see but you can smell
And the sound of the waves crash down
I am no Superman I have no reasons for you
I am no hero Oh, that's for sure
But I do know one thing Is where you are is where I belong
I do know where you go
Is where I want to be Where are you going? Where do you go? Are you looking for answers To questions under the stars?
Well, if along the way You are grown weary
You can rest with me until A brighter day and you're okay I am no Superman I have no answers for you
I am no hero Oh, that's for sure
But I do know one thing Is where you are is where I belong
I do know where you go Is where I want to be
Where are you going? Where do you go? Where do you go?
Where are you going? Where do you go?
I am no Superman I have no answers for you
I am no hero Oh, that's for sure
But I do know one thing Is here you are is where I belong
I do know where you go Is where I want to be
Where are you going?

I would appreciate a prayer or two so I know "where I'm going". Got a long drive ahead of me tomorrow so I had better get some rest....

Hmmm....where to start?

To make a long story short, I have seriously been through the ringer these past three years....but in order to make a fresh start I deleted most of the silly posts on here and will start again. In Early 2005, I decided to go into teaching, and through a variety of circumstances since then I have decided that teaching more than likely is not for me. In 2008 I finally found a teaching job in the ESL department of an elementary school in the Western Slope of Colorado. I really honestly thought that it would be a good fit for me, (and it sort of was) but there were a lot of external things going on and it was (and has been) a very tough year. Needless to say, I'm very disillusioned with teaching school.

I'll tell you what I do know now though.....I have a firm conviction in my heart and soul that God has used this year and these struggles that I have had to make me more willing to consider full time Christian service. I am now exploring the possibility of one day going to seminary to become either an Assembly of God or Non Denominational Pastor. I hope that you will join me on this journey! Also, before I totally forget my manners, this is a picture of me (Vaden) and my wife (April).