Stunner: U2 Live, 2001, Boston

This is what I'm talkin' about. This band is the one to see live before you pass from the Earth.

John Mark & Bekah, it's on your list. You betta.

Here is just a reminder of why they're still the best around. The song is somewhat of an intercession/prayer for a friend they knew growing up in Ireland, who was addicted to heroin. A beautiful song. It gives me chills. Note: this song came out 23 years ago!

Just Do It.

I don't know if this will be a total disaster or not, but I've signed on.  You see, I started writing a screenplay back in 1997.  I had about 1/3 of it finished, but it just fizzled.  Dialogue was problematic.  I recently (honestly, about 2 years ago) decided to give this story a "go!" in the form of a novel, instead.  I have 2 (that's right: TWO) paragraphs of a rough draft done.  Yikes.  I know, I could pass blame on the fact that I have a pretty busy, demanding job, an amazing wife, and 2 great kids.  Who has time to write?  Well, I just don't want to go the excuse route.  This little venture seems a great Focus/Motivation technique.  We shall see.  

It's right at the beginning of Holiday season at work (read: I work in a retail environment), which can be creeping insanity.  However, I've survived this time period 4 previous years, including 1 as a manager.  

To say it might be a challenge is an understatement.  Let the games begin!  

"Once upon a time....."

Real-Life Far Side Comic

Time: 10:50pm, 10.20.07

I was driving back from work last night.  Not quite into my neighborhood, I was weaving through the streets toward Lee's Crossing.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see something quickly moving in the dimness.  I put on slight brakes.  Then I notice it's a bunch of deer.  Pretty cool.  I slow down and 3 of them dart across the road. 

I was about to go forward when I noticed there was 1 deer left.  He was hesitant of the car, I'm sure.  Without fully thinking my actions through (and probably because I had just been at work for 9 hours), I gave this animal a quick flash of my bright headlights.  You know, like a signal you give to some other driver that it's OK to go?  Problem is, I was dealing with a deer.  It's like I was saying, "Hey, you go ahead, buddy.  Catch up with your four-legged hoofed brethren."  He waited a second, then trotted across the road.  I put my foot on the gas.  I then realized I had given a deer my brights.  Sad thing is:  I used a modern method of automobile communication with an animal.  Cool thing is:  The deer understood it.  

'Stache

Ladies, I'm sorry for being a bit biased, but I have to say to all the men:

"Begin the lip rugs now - let the revolution begin!"

Get those things growing.  Who's with me? 

 The Institute

Relevant Gentlemen's Society

Thoughts on Apologetics

I was thinking today about a conversation I was having with a somewhat new friend.  Granted, it was a "cyber conversation" (blogmies, you'll understand..... we don't talk in "real life," we're just shy hermits who shimmy 'round the 'Net too much.  please no) but it's a topic that led me into further thought on my own.  I always tend to come back to the subject of free will (see archived posts for several more on that one).  It's fascinating and the root cause of so much of who we are in relation to God.  It's central to our identity.  

I was saying in the conversation that I was glad God looked at the inside of our hearts instead of how we physically appear.  Particularly, I was speaking in reference to how we have a "casual" look at Riverstone, for the most part.  We don't have to put on a suit on Sundays to look "approved" for church.  Or smile a white smile to everyone to assure them that "we're ok!"  God doesn't judge by those standards and essentially looks right through the facade.  

However, I was thinking that I don't like leaving the impression that God just looks at our hearts and that's the end-all.  If we just have "good" hearts and we're not particularly "bad" people (I really do love using those quotation marks.  Sorry, I like 'em) that's what really matters. We just need to have that human goodness and we'll get by. Right?

It struck me then that the main thing God is looking for is the spirit of Jesus in our hearts. Without Jesus, God cannot look at us and have relationship. Our sin makes it impossible for Him. Impossible for God? Ridiculous, you think. Nothing is impossible with God, I thought. It's that holiness factor, though. This is something that can be difficult to explain when having conversation with people. God, in His holiness, cannot abide by sin. Therefore, we are out of relationship from the get-go. Does this mean that His heart isn't for us or that He doesn't yearn for us? NO. God most certainly, and with a deeper love that I can fathom, does desire for us to come to Him and be made one.  That's the whole reason God sent Jesus to die in our place so salvation could be available to us.  Jesus is the bridge of holiness for us;  He satisfies our debt by death and He satisfies the "holiness" factor that we can never attain.  Therefore, God sees Jesus (who He is head over heels about) in our place when He looks at us.  

The usual next step in a conversation would be about God allowing sin in the first place. Why would He even let it get to this point that we would be separated? And there we travel back in a circle to the first thing I mentioned about free will. God has to give us free will or we would be automatons. Does a man who keeps a woman locked in his basement, handcuffed, and still calls her his "wife" really love her? Obvious no. Yet that is what we would be if we had no free will. Would we really love God if we had to? That would be unfair to us and God would be fooling Himself. So, no, free will has to be the standard. God risks enough for us to be capable of the highest good or the lowest, most despicable evil. That's the gamble. He respects us enough to let that be an option so we can choose.

I know much of this will be stuff you might already know or agree with. Maybe so. But, if not, maybe it will stir some new questions or thoughts in your heart. I know it was reinvigorating for me to connect these dots once again. It makes it fresh.