The Writing Dutchman

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2011-12-07T20:41:00.001-06:00

So I am gone all day. I am worn out. I am tired. I am hungry. I am thirsty. I get back to the apartment after driving for several hours and ...

The Balance of Authority and Responsibility

2011-11-30T10:08:00.001-06:00

The title of this post may perhaps seem more fitting for an article (a fancy word for ramblings from a damaged brain) about the military or government instead of coming from someone in the private sector. I suppose I could try to come up with something from my days in the Air Force Auxiliary or try to sign this post "C/Captain," but that really isn't the point. Authority and responsibility present themselves in all circles of life; not always appropriately or sufficiently, but they are there. The church, the family, in an educational system, the workplace... the list goes on. I am kind of getting to the culmination of my point, so let me start over.

If you know me, you know that at some level, I analyze pretty much everything. Sometimes "over-analyze" would be more appropriate. There are people in this world that I respect and people that I do not respect. Both are earned, one positively and one negatively. (Stay with me, the two thoughts are connected.)

In a certain aspect of one of my jobs, when people ask what my part in it is, I tell them that I have all the responsibility, but none of the authority. It is just an easy way to me to say that I am the go-to guy for it and am heavily involved, hide my frustration, and laugh it off all in the same breath. And it works. So there is someone who hordes authority, but avoids responsibility like the plague.

So here I am stuck in my narrow little box of thinking that if the authority/responsibility relationship is dysfunctional, this is how it presents itself. It is the most common dysfunction, but by no means it is the only one.

Along came a day in recent weeks where I found myself saying, "well, I'm glad he/she is in charge!" No sooner had those words come out of my mouth than I stopped dead in my tracks and in my thought process and realized that I was committing the exact reciprocal offense that I had been begrudging for who knows how long. I was putting a superior on an equal level with myself and then trying to shove responsibility on him/her without also treating him/her with the respect due to someone in authority.

I must have been standing there dead in my tracks for quite a while, because these two realizations came together to form a concept. Authority and responsibility are opposite sides of the same coin. You can commit equal offenses by giving responsibility without an equal measure of authority as you can by taking authority without an equal measure of responsibility. If we give someone the responsibility of accomplishing a task, whatever it is or whatever circle of life it finds itself in, we must also give them equal authority to see it through, even if that means they have authority over us. If we don't give someone the tools to do the job assigned, there is no more fertile ground for frustration. If we take authority over something or someone, we need to assume just as much, if not more responsibility for that something or someone. If we do not, we will be viewed (and deservingly so) as arrogant and incapable.

Respect factors into this equation in multiple ways. Respect is earned by living up to the responsibility of our authority. The lack of respect is earned by failing to do so. Also, if we try to push responsibility on someone without either honoring the authority they already posses or giving them adequate authority, we will lose their respect, if ever we had it.

Going back to my different sides of the same coin analogy: On our coinage in this country, there is a surplus of imagery and symbolism. On one side of each coin is a profile view of a past president that is respected, mostly because they had a solid grasp on the responsibility that accompanied the authority of that office. On the other side of that coin is some kind of image that symbolizes a concept such as freedom or justice. The president on the one side knew that he had been given the authority to carry out his responsibility - to protect the concept on the other side. Next time you reach into your pocket and find some loose change, remind yourself to keep both the authority and responsibility in your life in equal measure.

Assumptions

2011-10-24T00:53:00.000-05:00

I am sure you have heard the axiom: "What you don't know can't hurt you." I have to tell you that this is utterly and completely false. In the past, I rode the fence about the truth of the saying, waiting for experience to prove to me either its worth or its deception. Unfortunately the experience had much more destructive potential than I gave it credit for.

The danger of what we don't know doesn't take the form of another's plans or opinions. It doesn't show its colors in the academic realm of acquired knowledge (or lack thereof). It doesn't rear its head in the ignorance of rules, laws, or cultural peculiarities. The silent killer is assumptions. Even more frightening, I am not referring to assumptions that others make. I am talking about assumptions that I make... and don't know that I am making them.

Recently I assumed that God was placing the same call on another as He was on me. I didn't come to a cognitive conclusion that this was happening, it was an unconscious assumption. It had always been the case before. My unwitting arrogance that I knew God's plan for someone else nearly tore apart one of the most precious relationships I have left on this earth.

Unfortunately, I don't have a quick fix for detecting something you don't even know exists. However, I can say (mostly to myself) to never be afraid to step back and perform some core self-examination. The alternative can be terrifically painful… especially when we don't understand where the hurt is coming from, except that it is coming from inside.

Now I Think I Know...

2011-09-29T22:04:00.006-05:00

Genesis 32:

24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

THIS IS WHY I WALK WITH A LIMP.

Anticipation

2011-08-23T01:24:00.000-05:00

Can you think back to certain times in your life when anticipation was a demon in and of itself? The thoughts before can be just as horrible as the thoughts during. Perhaps some of the moments that come to mind were of small importance in the grand scheme of things, but others perhaps had an overwhelming gravity. Although each example is different, there is a hint of the same feeling in one degree or another. You could do nothing to avoid it, but still the consequences of whatever you were anticipating would be disatrous.

Counting down the minutes when you were little and waiting until mom or dad got home and found the broken cookie jar.

Just before the flashing reds and blues came on when you rolled through a stop sign seconds before you saw the cop car.

The moments as you walk down the hallway right after you got the message that you were wanted in your boss's office... alone.

Waiting for the surgeoun in the waiting room knowing that the news can't be good.

I had several of those days last week...

... I buried my wife today.

The Importance of Importance

2011-08-05T16:16:00.002-05:00

If I would say the word important, a feeling of excitement or anticipation would almost certainly arise within you. In most instances when we use the word important and instances when we say the word important, it comes with a good conotation. For example, if we were talking about an important person, perhaps they are someone famous or someone who has done something of note for our community. If we were talking about an important date, perhaps it is our birthday, anniversary, or graduation.

In life, important events and things come in two flavors: good and bad. The bare bones definition of the word is neutral, able to be interpreted in a good context or in a bad context. Dictionary.com describes the meaning of important as, "of much or great significance or consequence."

With that in mind, let's look at a few examples from American History. All are important, yet with different connotations of the word. Dates: 4 July 1776 vs. 11 September 2001. People: George Washington vs. Adolf Hitler. Places: Appomattox Courthouse vs. Pearl Harbor.

My mind goes to similar things from my own history.
22 May 2010 vs. 22 April 2011. A wedding vs. a funeral.

Take time to think of the important things in your history that come with a good connotation. Be thankful for them. Never take them for granted. Ever.

No Immunity

2011-07-29T01:18:00.001-05:00

I have been in public while wearing a paramedic t-shirt several times over the last few weeks due to the fact that I was doing something EMS or work related at the time. I could not count the occurrences on my fingers and toes (because I would run out of appendages)that people have stated quizzically "a paramedic in a neck collar?" They ask as if it were a well known fact that plumbers never have water or sewer problems, electricians have permanently perfect wiring in their homes, secretaries never have to use the back space key, mechanics' cars are always trouble free, lawyers never find themselves at the receiving end of a lawsuit, cooks do not feel hunger, janitors banish the possibility of dirtiness, and people in the medical profession never get ill or injured. My response is typically, "Being a paramedic does not make you immune." Just because we know some of the potential causes of traumatic incidents does not always give us the ability to predict or avoid them. Life is not intimidated by a job title. It is not a board game where certain playing pieces have certain powers and abilities. Although our education and training gives us the ability to occasionally help others in need in varying degrees, ironically, unfortunately, and depressingly it does not give us the guaranteed ability to aid those we love.

It Even Changes Your Perspective on Something as Simple as a Word

2011-07-29T00:49:00.001-05:00

My reason/excuse for not posting this sooner is that being back to work has has changed my available time from "all" to "some."

As I have mentioned before, my perspectives on much of life have been either changed or deeply enhanced. That fact even goes to the level of simple words. Here is what I mean:

THE: The most common word in the English language suddenly has more meaning. I know it sounds strange, but it does. When someone uses the word "the" instead of "a," suddenly there is more meaning. The examples in my case would be "a" accident versus "the" accident. See what I mean? "A" funeral versus "the" funeral. "The" encapsulates an event or an incident that has become a pivot point in someone's life. It is like a brick wall in the fact that everything comes to a hault at that point.

ACCIDENT: The word "accident" holds more seriousness, meaning, and gravity than the word "wreck." When it is in general or something we hear on the news, we will tend to use "wreck." But when it is a matter that has personal consequences, we will tend to use "accident."

KNOW: The difference between what I meant when I used to say that I "knew" something before and when I say that I "know" something know is extraordinary. It makes what I thought I knew before look like ignorance. The example that I use to try to communicate what I mean is that I thought that I knew how importance family was. Compared to how much more I know that fact now, I didn't have a clue.

I know there are a few words that I was going to write about in addition to these, but my mind will not recall them at the moment.

My Pictures on Capture Dakota

2011-07-09T01:52:00.001-05:00

Home

2011-06-24T00:02:00.000-05:00

Being back at our old apartment has made me think about my personal definition of "home." Where I live now has started to feel more like the apartment I lived in while I attended college in the fact that it is just where I eat, sleep, bathe, and usually start and end my day. My parent's house has reverted back to being called "home." Home is a lot more than just some walls, a roof, and furniture. Home is where life happens; it is where you can't wait to go to as soon as you get off work. Thinking about these things brought to my mind the saying, "home is where the heart is." It make me realize that, especially now, I don't have a home here, the only real home I have is in heaven. My heart has discovered a longing for heaven that it never knew. Praise God for providing that hope.

Lord Please Grant Me Peace of Mind

2011-06-15T23:43:00.001-05:00

Two months ago today was the worst day of my life. What do you do for the anniversary of something like that? I don't know. Right or wrong, I just tried to do what I had to do just like any other day. It makes you wonder when you realize that the best day of your life (22 May 2010) was just shy of 11 months before the worst day of your life (15 April 2011). Such a short glimpse of how good life can be followed by everything crashing in around me and making me realize that there really is no such thing as the "good life." I am just very thankful that even though life is not good, that God is good and there are friends and family that are good to add a bit of hope.

There are a lot of conflicts within my mind. Part of me knows that I need to try to continue on as close as I can get to normal. Right now the only part of normal that still exists is work. But part of my feels guilty about trying to get back to some form of normal.
Occasionally there will be a chuckle that sneaks out at a humorous comment. But on the other side of it, such a reaction feels so wrong because it is so opposite of the ache inside me.
I know I need to drive my vehicle and be able to do it well. But there is still this gnawing fear that my driving will end in another tragedy.

Dear Lord, please grant my mind peace and the assurance that you hold my future. Thank you for your grace.

A Living Hope

2011-06-10T00:17:00.002-05:00

Over the last couple of days one of my cousins, his wife, and their young son visited us. It was good to get to see them and just sit and visit. They are excellent, very supportive people. In our visiting, one of the topics of conversation was the energetic, bright-eyed little boy playing on the floor. He recently celebrated his first birthday. His parents told me of some of his "firsts," and all of the stories were good ones. In a different conversation with someone else, some of my firsts came up. Not the first time that I walked or said "mama," but my first anniversary and my first time to the cemetary. This person reminded me that each of these firsts are a form of a victory. Not a victory in their joy and earthly triumph by any means, but God's victory in that He has provided ample grace to see me through every day and every moment. Although thinking about the firsts that I have recently experienced and the ones that I will experience in the future is not necessarily uplifting to my spirit, hearing about this young child's firsts and the joy they bring was a welcome encouragement.

My father-in-law recently suffered from a life-threatening health condition of sudden onset. I remember being at the hospital with by brother- and sisters-in-law. I remember the complete uncertainty of what would happen. I remember what that complete uncertainty looked like on their faces. That uncertainty continued for a number of days. Eventually, there were several small improvements over several days. And in the last few days, there have been some major improvements. I remember the hope that those improvements brought. I remember what that hope looked like on my siblings-in-law's faces and what an amazing difference it was. This made me think of how incredibly powerful hope is. I knew the Bible often spoke of hope, but I wanted to be reminded of the context and what that hope was directed towards. (My Bible is NASB, so that is the version I will quote from.) One particular passage that caught my attention was the first chapter of 1st Peter. Even the introduction had some powerful words. Peter said in verse 2, "May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure." Grace and peace have been the most sustaining gifts from God in recent weeks. Peter goes on to say in verses 3 through 9, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." To me, that is a very thorough description of where our hope should truly lie. First of all, the fact that He gives us such a hope is the definition of mercy itself. We are used to comparing things of worth to what their monetary value would be. But think about how even the value of money decreases rapidly with time due to inflation. This hope we have been given ensures us an inheritace as God's children that will never fade or decrease in value. Such value cannot be measured. The passage goes on to acknowledge that this earthly life will have things that cause us sorrow and distress. Even just this acknowledgement offers a bit of comfort to me by showing me that the Bible is real, it is true, and God knows what we are going through. But the passage takes it to the next level of comfort by saying that such trials can strengthen our faith. It doesn't not say that this will make the trials easier or more endurable, but it says that God will continue to work for our own spiritual good and His glory through even the most distressing of times. The passage I quoted in the sentences above wraps up by reminding us that the outcome of that faith which God makes strong is that inheritance of God's gift to our souls: salvation. Salvation is the most important gift, and our souls make up the core of who someone really is and are the only part of who we are that will last for eternity.

It Is Well with My Soul

2011-05-31T13:06:00.001-05:00

This Sunday in church, one of the congregational hymns was "It Is Well with My Soul." It made me think of a couple of things.

The first thing it made me think of was how amazing it was that the song writer was able to pen those words. He wrote the hymn right after finding out that a big part of his family had died in an accident. If you don't know the story, I would strongly encourage you to look it up.

The second thing that came into my mind was a question, "Can I really sing this song and honestly mean it? Is it really well with my soul." I had to think about it for a little while, as I certainly don't feel well (and I am not talking about physically). After some thought, I came to the following conclusion: It is not well with my heart. The pain is and will probably always be there. My heart mourns constantly. It is not well with my mind. I am bothered and kept up at night over what happened. Memories, even though every memory I have about Miranda is good, still remind me that I will never be able to make another one with her. But I know that Miranda was a strong follower of Jesus Christ and is therefore safe in His arms for eternity. Because of that knowledge, regardless of my heart and mind, I am honestly able to say that it is well with my soul.

On a similar note, I was thinking about scripture the other night. I remembered a passage that said something about "oh death, where is thy sting?" I know that God's Word is completely inerrant, but I also knew that death had certainly stung me very deeply. So I knew that I had to look up the scripture to get the context. Upon finding and reading the entire passage, it reconfirmed that God's Word is without error. The passage is talking about being free from fear of eternity. It doesn't say that the death of a loved one will not hurt. It says that we need not fear our own death because God, through Jesus Christ, has conquered the grave and is able to save our souls from eternal death.

Questions: With or Without Answers

2011-05-27T12:21:00.001-05:00

This is not the first time I have tried to find the inspiration to write this post. I certainly do not feel inspired, but I will try to put a very little bit of what is going through my mind into some kind of legible format.

A question that many people ask in a situation like this is "WHY?" There may often be more specific questions that follow the general question of "WHY." I have found that I do not want to ask God "WHY" for the simple reason that I don't think I want Him to give me an answer. I do not think that I have the emotional and intellectual capability to handle and understand His reason(s). That is why He is God and I am the furtherest thing from it. He is always in control and always has His children's best interest in mind. His ways are higher than my ways, and I do not want to be at His level of understanding because I would be unable to comprehend it.

Another "WHY" question that I do not know the answer to has to do with why God kept me alive. Everything I have been taught and learned and the little bit of experience that I have in the medical field tells me that I should have died from the injuries I sustained. The fact that I am conscious and that I can walk and talk is nothing short of a miracle. When I regained consciousness, it was very tempting to wish that I had died in the accident. It would have been easier to not go through what I am going through now. However, wishing such a thing would be extremely selfish. Not that anyone is overly attached to me, but I would have only been trading my suffering for that of many others. In addition, wishes have no hold on reality. No matter how much I wish, it does not change anything. Believe me, if wishes came true, there are many things that I would wish for, but they don't. As part of some bigger picture, God chose to leave me on this earth. For how long, I don't know. For what purpose, I don't know. But I do know that He has a purpose and that my only thing left is to try to serve others and obey Him as best as I can.

I had hopes and dreams for my life and the life we were building together. I have wondered lately, where do you go when those hopes and dreams are no longer even possible? Like I said in the proceeding paragraph: try to serve others and obey God as best as I can. Let Him decide where I should go.

The Person I Am Now Doesn't Feel Like The Same Person I Was Before

2011-05-20T19:52:00.000-05:00

Because I have lost about three weeks of my memory due to brain trauma, over the last few days I have been looking at what was written on Caring Bridge about me to try to piece things together. There are things on there that talk about me regaining consciousness, becoming more awake, and even talking with people. I don't remember anything during the time I was in the hospital except the funeral until the last few days before I was discharged. I am not sorry that I can't remember the medical things, especially what had to happen in the ER and ICU. I do wish that I remembered talking to friends and family who came to the hospital, and most of all, I wish I remembered the last week I had with my wife.

Regaining consciousness, for me, wasn't a sudden thing, at least the gaining awareness and memory part of it. The thing that I don't understand and can't explain is that since I have been conscious again, it doesn't seem like the worst of things (medically speaking) only took about a week. I feel like I was unconscious for a couple years, and that there was more than a couple years of age (physical age, not maturity or experience)added to my life during it.

I found a few news articles online today about what happened. I hadn't thought of it before, but when you read things like that about other people, there is nothing wrong with it because the facts are the facts. But when you read them about yourself and the ones you love, they seem harsh, overly pointed, and without an ounce of kindness.

In our newly aquired home town last night, there was a benefit supper to help me. I am still trying to wrap my mind around how many good people came out of the woodwork to help the new kid in town who hadn't even figured things out yet. As inadequate as it is, I want to say "thank you."

Due to the face that this Sunday (May 22nd) would have been our one year anniversary, I would like to share this picture with you, since I have been staring at it all day.

Figuring Out What Normal Will Look Like

2011-05-17T12:44:00.001-05:00

My dad always used to say that "normal is nothing except a setting on the washing machine." I think that has quite a bit of truth in it. Pushing the term "normal" aside, there was a routine that used to take place.

As a paramedic, I had scheduled hours to be at work, but for some reason or another, something would always come up to change those hours last minute. You would just learn to adapt. Miranda would always text me about 15-30 minutes before I was "scheduled" to come home and ask me if I would be coming home when I was supposed to or if she should wait to put supper on until later. If my answer would be that I would have to be late, I would hurry with whatever I had to get done and rush home to be with her. Now, I don't even know what to call that apartment. Is it home, or just a place with a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bed? Either way, there is certainly no draw to rush back to it anymore. I didn't know if I could handle being surrounded by so many memories. But now I do know that it will be incredibly hard, but I want as many memories as I can get of her, because every single one of them is good.

I used to like my job. After I started to become more conscious days after the accident, I wondered if I could ever do a paramedic's job again, physically, mentally, and emotionally speaking. Could I even go back to the town where we used to live and back to the same apartment that held so many of my best memories, or would it hurt too much? Through the last couple weeks my co-workers at the hospital and ambulance and the people at the church we attended have been so supportive and encouraging, that I know that is the only place I can go. I know that I can always go to my parent's place, but when it came to the decision of going back to the vocation that I used to do or pushing broom for a living somewhere random, that decision was made for me by the kindness of those around me where I used to call home just a few weeks ago. So even though it is nothing more than hoping that I will be physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of being a paramedic with the same crew again, I know that I want to try.

I was never a person that was any good at hobbies, so I had very few. One of the few that I had, is certainly not important, especially with my recent reassessment of priorities. It doesn't make a long term difference, but it was something that my best friend and I could do together and have done together for a long time. Before she met me, Miranda had a different career plan and dreams, so this hobby may not have been her first choice. But she dedicated every ounce of energy, time, and ability into making it successful. Not because it was for her, but because she knew it was important to me. She was that dedicated. I didn't know how much it would honor or dishonor her if I tried to continue with a few things the same way we used to do them. Like I said, this hobby isn't important in the long run, but I think we will still try to do it, just to honor the work and effort she put into it.

Physically, I really don't care. If my arm works or not is not important. Physical things are easy to deal with.

I still haven't figured out what the new "normal" or routine will look like. I will most likely not figure it out for a very long time. How do you adjust when the kindest, most thoughtful, most beautiful, most caring, most amazing individual who has ever been a part of your life is gone? I don't know why God decides things the way He does. But somehow He will make a way.

Missed

2011-05-16T00:03:00.000-05:00

There was and is a lot that I don't know...

I didn't know that physical pain could be such a good and welcomed thing, as it gives a brief distraction for the pain that really matters.

I didn't know how incredibly much you could miss someone.

I didn't know how blessed I was for the time I got.

I didn't know how much happiness one person could bring.

I don't know why God did a miracle and didn't let me die. But somehow I trust Him.

Support

2011-05-11T11:19:00.000-05:00

I must have been oblivious to the goodness of my undeserved friends.

The support of my friends and family has been overwhelming. There have been many, many people that have contacted me or my family just to see how things are going and to remind us that they are praying. Just one example of many is my co-workers and ambulance crew at home. They have been there for me through everything, even when I have, in a way, abandon them during recovery. They make it possible to be able to go back to what was previously home. Without everything they have done for me, I wouldn't be able to go back to our old apartment because it would hurt too much. And there are many others like them. People's prayers and encouragement (including my immediate family) has been the only thing that has kept me going. When something like this happens, I suppose it is easy to ask God why. However, in this case, God has been there with me and has bestowed His grace in abundant amounts. There are still very tough times, but I know that God is taking good care of Miranda (better than I could) and there must be a reason that He left me here for a little while. Sometimes I wish there wasn't a reason so I could still be with Miranda, but God's wisdom and authority is greater than my own, so all that is left is to be an obedient servant.

Starting Again

2011-05-07T14:50:00.003-05:00

Recently in my life, there have been some changes. Under my view they have all been devastating, almost to the point of there being no reason to go on. But somehow in His goodness and greatness, God has allowed the sun rays of family, friendship, support, and prayer to poke through and remind me that He is still there through it all. I don't know if it is a good idea, or even if anyone will know this forum exists, but I think I will jot something down here and remodel the blog from time to time.

THAT'S MY KING!

2009-07-29T18:36:00.000-05:00

Honda Commercial

2009-06-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

I think I'll get me one of these.

How Many Cookies?

2009-06-02T10:00:00.002-05:00

I am in the Emergency Room at the local hospital. I am doing clinical time for my paramedic training. I started at 8:00 AM and will be here until at least 8:00 PM. There have not been any patients, so it is kind of slow. Therefore, I have decided to rear by ugly head in the blogosphere for a moment.

I had a good chat with a godly friend from the East Coast last night and although we talked about many things, the real thought of the evening revolved around girl scout cookies. I have a very weak spot for cookies. More for those made by my mother and grandmother, but in a pinch (basically any time when the first two options are exhausted), I will go for a girl scout cookie or six.

Now, outrage of all outrages, it is being rumored that the girl scouts are decreasing the cookie count in their boxes and continue to charge full price! But I suppose it will be like gas prices, everyone screams about it, but then it becomes the new normal and no one even blinks an eye anymore.

You see (forgive me for sounding cliche, but hang with me), life is like a box of girl scout cookies. We have always bought boxes with three cookies in it, so we come to expect every box to contain three cookies. In fact, we are quite pleased with our three cookies when we purchase the box. We enjoy every bite of the cookies, especially when we are hungry. They are OK, just like the last box we bought and ingested. We get into a routine, always expecting the same old thing, and always receiving the same old thing. We wouldn't know what to do with a fourth cookie.

What if I were to tell you that there are really supposed to be 5 cookies in the box, or even better, an enitre 12 cookies!!! What if I could tell you that when you bought a box of cookies, it was actually an all you can eat cookie buffet?

Most times we come to church and 'put in our time' expecting the same blessing and the same conviction and the same encouragement and the same challenge. We fullfill out Christianity obligation and check it off our list for the week. We enjoy it and it satisfies us, but no one realizes that there can be more. God didn't create and save mankind only to have us treat Him as a ritualistic, non-realistic deity. He gave us form, gave us breath, and gave us a way of salvation. Remember the verse that says "if even the pagans know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him." Christianity is a life altering thing. Everything you do will refer back to Christ and it will effect each and every part of your day, week, and year. God can do more than all we can ask or imagine. Don't be satisfied with three cookies.

I have been in the attitude that it is just another busy day after another busy day. Nothing special, just waiting for the next season of my life to arrive. God, and those around me (maybe one person in particular), have shown me to find the joy in the everyday, joy in the little things. Joy in Jesus, others, and myself. Now I wake up and challenge myself how to make that day extraordinary.

Have a cookie.

Forgiveness

2009-04-24T19:18:00.001-05:00

In studying for Campus Crusade Bible study and teaching youth group recently, I have looked into what the Bible says about forgiveness. It took me somewhere I didn’t expect. It took me to the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians. Let me show you what God showed me in His Word.

First of all, I wanted to know where forgiveness comes from. My youth said at first that it comes from your heart, but then I had to say that I wasn’t speaking anatomically. The most famous book of the Bible sheds some light on the topic. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” The only way we can have eternal life is if we are forgiven by God through Jesus Christ. The reason God desired to be able to forgive us is because of His love for us. So forgiveness stems from love. No love, no forgiveness. Hence, I arrived in 1st Corinthians 13.

Click to read passage in your preferred version: NIV, KJV, NASB, The Message.

Starting in verse 4, I took the passage line by line to see what it had to say about forgiveness. Every time the verse says “love,” insert the word “forgiveness.”

“Love is patient.” When you forgive someone, you can’t always expect an immediate positive response. You have to give God time to work on them… sometimes for years.

“Love is kind and is not jealous.” Although God blesses you through forgiveness, it is not something that is done selfishly. It has the best interest of the other person in mind. Most of the time, I takes real love to be able to do that.

“Love does not brag and is not arrogant.” Imagine if you forgave someone and then went around to all your friends telling them what a great person you were for doing it. They would probably doubt your sincerity. It takes humility to truly forgive and be forgiven.

“Love does not act unbecomingly.” Some translations use the word “rude.” This is similar to the kindness verse. Forgiveness must be genuine or else it does not exist.

“Love does not seek its own.” Again, to forgive requires a genuine desire to benefit the receiving party. When that person has hurt you, it is very, very difficult, yet, God is good.

“Love is not provoked.” If the offense is repeated, so is forgiveness. When you get to the point (by God’s patience, instruction, and grace) where you actually love your enemies, what they do to you does not effect how you think, speak, or act towards them.

“Love does not take into account a wrong suffered.” Some translations say, “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” This one was especially powerful to me. Since I was recently pulled over for a burned out tail light, it made me think of someone’s police record. Whenever you do something wrong, it goes on your record. Well, sometimes people do this too. When you forgive, however, it gives the person you are forgiving a clean record. It’s like there is nothing on it! God does this for us. He never brings up past sins, and neither should we.

“Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” Because you care for that person, you do not count it a good thing when they sin. It does not remind you that you are so much better… for in reality, you aren’t. We have ALL sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Our sins grieve God. As He is making us more like His Son, it will grieve us as well.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Forgiveness never gives up. It believes and hopes that God can and will work in the person’s life.

Something to think about. Next time you know you should forgive, but it is hard, read this passage of Scripture.

Praise God for His perfect Word.

One Man Stonehenge

2009-04-23T13:18:00.001-05:00

Maybe you are tired of videos, maybe not. But either way, here is a fascinating video about the historic and practical application of physics.

Extreme Witnessing

2009-04-22T10:30:00.002-05:00

This is video we watched at campus crusade last night.

The Good Guy

2009-04-13T10:37:00.003-05:00

Hey, y'all. Sorry I haven't been posting very much recently. I hope to start up again soon. I've been doing cardiology and IVs in class and working a few part time jobs.

Here is a film that our team did over the weekend. I really wish I could have been there. Good job guys!

Free To Be Me

2009-03-18T14:54:00.001-05:00

I like this song.

something amazing

2009-03-14T12:03:00.001-05:00

The Body of Christ

2009-03-10T14:05:00.001-05:00

BeHeardProject.com

2009-03-09T16:02:00.002-05:00

If you love freedom, life, or conscience, please take a look at this.

Be Heard Project -Protect Pro-Life Doctors from beheard on Vimeo.

Next Step

2009-03-05T09:43:00.002-06:00

Levi had surgery on Tuesday for his hand. He need a skin graft off of his leg to replace dying tissue on his hand. It went well, with the only concern being the center of the wound. That will take quite a while to heal. He is doing better now, it didn't seem to knock him down too hard.

And now if you need something to make you smile, here is a video I stole off of Jonathan's blog.

Update on Levi

2009-02-25T15:40:00.003-06:00

A huge thank you to all that prayed for Levi and all glory and honor to God for all that He does. Levi had an appointment with the surgeon yesterday. Although the skin on his hand doesn't look very good on the outside, there might be living tissue underneath. He is supposed to go in next week again. He is off most of his pain medications, so that is a good thing.

~~~ ~~~

This week we are doing IV in class. I love it, it is good stuff. Next week is mid terms, so that should be fun.

Dear Lord...

2009-02-19T16:16:00.002-06:00

After a full weekend, Monday morning my little brother seriously injured his hand when his pistol accidentally went off. It was quite a traumatic incident, mentally for everyone and physically for him. God works for our best interest even when horrible things happen. Thank you for your prayers.

My Little Brother & Me

Full Week

2009-02-11T10:05:00.002-06:00

This week is super full, but fixing to be super fun. From church to shooting pistol to hanging out with an awesome Campus Crusade group to playing soccer to teaching youth group, not to mention lots of homework and study and class time and work and trying to get more work. For those of you who are a little more English savvy, yes I know that wasn't a very proper sentence. Don't worry, it's OK.

A quick heads up, our film team is competing in the Fischgaard Short Film Project this weekend. We have an awesome team (Chase, Zach, Miranda, Abbie, Dav, Naomi, Amanda, Levi, Mark, Amy, Lil' Mike, Big Mike, Gary, me, and anyone else we snag to help us (probably a Johnson)). Check out the Silver Cut blog periodically over the weekend for updates from me.

Hang in there, I am!

Change?? Huh?

2009-02-04T16:15:00.003-06:00

The Lamp Post

2009-01-27T11:38:00.002-06:00

photo by me!

Seasons

2009-01-23T17:06:00.002-06:00

There are several ways to look at life. You can look at it as a steady uphill climb of improvement and increasing experience. You can look at it like a roller coaster, sometimes you are waiting in line, sometimes you are alternating between highs and lows at incredible rates of speed. Right now I am look at life in seasons. This season of my life is kind of dedicated to different responsibilities. Work, school, church. In about a year and a half, I will most likely go into a different season. If I'm not actively working for God in ministry or something else now, I should be preparing for the next season. Paul had it figured out when he said that he was content in all situations. I'm working on that one.

Listen Up

2009-01-19T14:17:00.001-06:00

ANNOUNCING...

2009-01-16T12:11:00.002-06:00

a new blog by Cole Adema and Zach Engelhart dedicated to political and social commentary in this new era of change.

ACROSS THE FRUITED PLAIN

Please check it out and feel free to leave your comments, thoughts, and ideas.

Outlook

2009-01-15T18:54:00.002-06:00

Looking at this year politically, it might seem frightening. In just a few days, things will change. Looking at our lives, it might look like a new start, more of the same old, or even an uphill battle. But whatever the outlook at this moment, God will be even more gracious and just as good as He has been for eternity. He will grow you, mold you, and place opportunities in your way. Where you are right now is preparing you for those opportunities. They might be camouflaged, so be observant!

Ice Water Anyone?

2009-01-12T16:49:00.002-06:00

For those of you stuck at home because of the prohibitively-blizzardous conditions, here is an interesting video that might even teach you a little bit about winter safety.

Water + Freeze + Friends = Fun

2009-01-03T22:42:00.001-06:00

Not Enough

2009-01-01T00:50:00.004-06:00

Here we are. Hmm. I don't feel any different. But none the less it is here. 2009. It's like a birthday, it is exciting when you are younger, but when you get a little older, it's not that big of a deal, just a good excuse to hang out with good friends and eat some good food. Hey, I'll take it.

I'm really not one to analyze the past year. I over analyze other things, but what's done is done. I look back, yes, and remember the good and that bad. People are what come to mind before events. What I did with people, who I spent time with, who I got to know, those who passed on, all of it.

I guess the one thing that sticks out to me about 2008 is dissatisfaction. I know, that's not the cheery thing I should be saying on New Year's very, very early day. But none the less, it's true. I'm not satisfied. Over the last few years God has really gotten a hold of me and showed me and taught me so much. I have an infinitely long way to go yet, and it is easy to get discouraged because of my... let's say it... stupidity at times. But I owe God a debt that is so huge, any attempt to repay it is nothing more than ignorant, arrogant mockery. Filthy rags, the Bible calls it. So that leaves me with the only thing I can do is to bow in humble gratitude with no excuses and somehow accept this amazing grace handed willfully down to me from the highest of heavens -- from the Most High God Himself. Just that thought itself, the thought of God's name is humbling and brings a measure of fear and awe. How can I be dissatisfied with this you ask? Well, it is because my dissatisfaction is not directed to our perfect Savior, but towards myself. I find my level of Christian maturity to be unacceptable. I find my growth in the last year to be inadequate. I find myself to be an unworthy vessel. So I must allow the Potter to shape me more fully this year. I must be more determined than temptation is strong. I must be a more diligent seeker. I must love God more. I must grit my teeth, put my shoulder into it, and advance the banner of Christ into a world that has trampled and spit upon it. So here's to 2009. Here's to a year of growth. Because it is possible.

Merry Christmas from MN

2008-12-25T20:17:00.002-06:00

No, I don't live there (I'm not sure I would admit it if I did), but my aunt and uncle do (and a grandma, another uncle, and some cousins). We decided kind of last minute to come up for a trip. Seeing family, shooting marshmallows at each other, snowmobiling, eating lots of food... it's all good. My little cousin Jon is playing with his new monster truck toy right now, and his older sister Kayla is getting ready to go outside and help light a bonfire.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas that is full of friends and family and accompanied by all the fruit of the Spirit. To me, Christmas is a time that looks ahead to Easter. Strange, maybe, but I think it is true.

On a closing note, my uncle (the one whose house I am staying at) does some amazing rock murals. His website is pretty cool, check it out here.

Merry Christmas all. God bless you, every one!

Geseënde Kersfees!

2008-12-25T01:15:00.002-06:00

May your day be full of joy and peace and may the grace of God keep you until He returns for His own.

The Story Behind Narnia

2008-12-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

The Narnia Story . com

Whew :-0

2008-12-17T21:55:00.003-06:00

I'm done. Whew. The last couple weeks have been crazy, but God is always more gracious. I just took my last final (anatomy - and it wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated) of the semester tonight. Two weeks Christmas vacation (no deadlines) will be nice. Now they are talking more blizzards, so that will be fun. I would rather do cold than hot weather.

I passed my practical exams in Sioux Falls, so I am now a State certified EMT. I feel like I know a lot, but at the same time it makes me feel like I know almost nothing compared to what is available to know. The human body is so well knit together and integrated that I cannot understand how someone can look at it and still believe in evolution.

Hopefully I will have a little more time to write here over the next few days, but this is all I can think of for now.

P.s. I have my Christmas shopping done!

Genius

2008-12-03T11:15:00.000-06:00

"Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid." - Albert Einstein

I Passed!!!

2008-12-03T09:08:00.002-06:00

Realize

2008-12-01T20:31:00.002-06:00

I was just reading a friend's blog, and I realized that I appreciate it when they post and I get to read about what has been going on in their life even though we live in different states. So, I'm not sure who all reads this blog (if anyone :-) ), but I figured I should write a little something.

I realized today that even though I have a very important test tomorrow (national registry certification test for EMTs), I'm not in freak out mode at all, not even close. I have been studying all semester and I'll give it my best. That's all there is to it.

I realize how good God has been to me over my life time and how much I don't deserve it. He allowed me to to be born in the greatest country on earth, gave me godly parents, surrounded me with cool and supportive people, gave me big dreams and then makes them happen in His own time, and an entire list of things that is bigger than my brain capacity (which really doesn't say much).

I realize that there is a world of people out there that need to repent and trust in Jesus Christ and that it is part of my duty as a Christian to bring the gospel to them.

I realize (especially this week after getting to go home during the holidays) God is the most important thing in my life, and all the glory for everything goes to Him. After God, it's people. My family and friends, and even those I really don't like at all (that's a tough one). Getting to hang out, eat a huge meal around the table, playing cards, deer hunting, riding in the combine, having conversations, getting slaughtered at Monopoly, carpooling together, and talking on the phone with friends and family are priceless things that don't happen enough.

I realize that God had protected me from many dangers and protects those around me, even when their tires blow up and put big holes in their trunk. He's got a plan.

I realize that blogs are goofy things with a weird name. But hey, who cares?

NEW BLOG

2008-11-29T23:27:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone. School has been very busy and lots of studying before my EMT national registry / boards test on Tuesday, so after that, hopefully I can get back on here a little bit. In the mean time, I would highly encourage y'all to go check out a new blog:

Life in the Present
by Miranda K. Bitz

Good stuff. See you there.

This is What I'm Thankful For

2008-11-26T16:58:00.001-06:00

Unsettling Reality

2008-11-05T08:38:00.002-06:00

After last night's election results, it is easy to be depressed and just wait for the impending doom, but the right attitude, the Christian attitude was stated by a friend of mine:

Now here's the real challenge. After the election yesterday, there is only one thing left to do. (Actually, I suppose you come up with a lot of things left to do, but just go with it.) We have to not only trust Jesus, but we have to praise Jesus.

Psalm 42:6-8
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

I had a feeling the outcome of the election would be this way and I'm struggling to see the importance of just one vote (even though I was six months off of being able to vote anyway), but God is in control. God is in control of my life, this country and all governments. God is in control and we should praise Him.

One Vote

2008-11-03T18:18:00.001-06:00

One vote, and it's yours. Please watch this amazing video, and please... go vote.

Unacceptable

2008-10-24T19:47:00.002-05:00

I am not a one issue voter. But this is a disqualifying issue. Mr. Obama, you just failed. If this issue is above your pay grade, so if the officer of President of the United States.

John McCain isn't the best candidate ever. HOWEVER, he is the best man for the job when it comes to beating Barack Hussein Obama. Period.

Last Night's Debate

2008-10-22T16:46:00.002-05:00

I was at the District 5 State Legislative Debate last night. There were two things I wanted to make note of that really caught my attention.

#1) There was a question about if the state government should implement and run a pre-kindergarten program. The Democratic candidate for Senate, Nancy Turbak Berry, answered that she absolutely thought they should do so. That is bad in itself, but the scary part of her answer was one of the reasons for supporting such a measure. She said that one of the pro's to a pre-kindergarten program was that it would free up the parents to enter the workforce and further economic development. Wow. Talk about ripping the family apart from the very beginning. Next she will be mandating that children become legal wards of the state.

#2) While I was speaking to Nancy's challenger, Al Koistinen, after the debate, this is what he told me. "If I said anything good tonight, it is because of the Lord. I have been praying for him to give me wisdom and if anything good came out of my mouth, it is because of Him." In the ten seconds it took for him to tell me that, my respect for that man was exponentially increased. If only we had more men like Al.

Chris Lien for Congress

2008-10-20T12:11:00.000-05:00

Lame Abortion Arguments

2008-10-11T23:11:00.001-05:00

Clean Sweep

2008-10-07T14:58:00.002-05:00

Sorry that I haven't been posting recently. I'll do what I can, but school is keeping me pretty busy.

I've been saying for a while now that I think all incumbents for the U.S. House and Senate should be voted out. Even the ones that are pretty good. It's time for a clean sweep, start over, new blood, and hopefully some common sense will come with it. Those who are currently in office act like they are all part of some 'good ol boys club' and are just doing whatever is best for themselves instead of representing the people who elected them. So let's kick them out and elect people who will fear God, implement righteous laws, abide by the Constitution, eliminate excess regulation and bureaucracy, lower taxes, protect our nation, and not even think about redistributing wealth through dishonest handouts and pork projects. And when we send this new wave of legislators to D.C., let them know that if they mess up, they will get fired just like the last bunch.

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this way. World Net Daily just ran an article stating the 3 out of 5 Americans are with me on this. (Read the article here.) If it takes a third party, or whatever, let's get to it.

Missing Trailer

2008-09-24T07:06:00.001-05:00

Missing Trailer from Chase Johnson on Vimeo.

Today is Constitution Day

2008-09-17T15:58:00.001-05:00

Your assignment:

READ IT.

Setting the Record Straight

2008-09-16T18:13:00.002-05:00

I was talking to a lady the other day, and when she found out that I was homeschooled, she asked the oldest and most outdated question in the book... "Do you feel that you are socially competent?" (or something like that) So I'm setting the record straight, once and for all...

MY GRANDMA SAYS I'M SPECIAL!!!

What more do you want to know?!?!

(muffled laughter)

9-12

2008-09-12T07:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I woke up, I left my American apartment with my American cell phone and my American driver’s license. I went to the gym and did an American work out listening the American high school band play American songs. I studied and took a test at an American college that is training me for an American job. I worked for an American and talked to other Americans and wore an American t-shirt.

Sound patriotic? No. That really isn’t American. I’ll tell you what is American.

I woke up yesterday morning safe and alive and not worried about staying that way. I drove my car around town without fear of bombings or hijackings. I have the opportunity to go to college to be or do whatever I want to do with money I have earned from a good job where I worked hard. I’m not stopped and searched when I venture out in my car. As I sit here and type this, I don’t have to worry about if I will live to see tomorrow. I might die, but it isn’t anything like it used to be for the people in Iraq or how it is for the Christians in China or the citizens of North Korea or for those living in Sudan. And I can bow my head, open my Bible, and praise and thank God for letting me live in such a country.

That’s what it means to be an American.

Nine Eleven

2008-09-11T15:37:00.005-05:00

Those two universally recognized words bring back more memories than many sentences or even paragraphs. Everyone remembers right where they were, exactly what they were doing, how they found out, and a host of other obscure details surrounding that September morning in 2001. We all had different emotions and responses. Patriotism waxed high for a few weeks. If I had been old enough, I would have probably joined the Marine Corps.To all the firefighters, law enforcement personnel, emergency service workers... Thank you.
Today, seven years later, few people seem to remember that day or what it meant for America. Politics and government aren't about solutions, freedom, or protecting the nation and its citizens, but about money, votes, and parties.

I have friends who have served in Iraq, I've talked to veterans, a friend's brother is in Afghanistan right now. I know the sacrifices those soldiers have made, I know the sacrifices their families have made. You know, not one of them has come back and said that they thought we shouldn't be over there. Not one of them said that it was a mistake. Not one of them thinks that we should let those who wish (and when they are able, act) to destroy every last American life go free. Not one of them believes that in is wrong for the United States to have come up beside the Iraqi people to give them a taste of liberty and then give them the opportunity to take hold of it and make it their own. They all would have gone back again, and some of them have. The media and others try to convince the American public that we are losing and that it is a quagmire. They lie. They twist. They will answer for their untruths one day. Those who have been in that part of the world in the heat and the sand and the sweat while wearing the honorable uniform of the armed services of the United States of America have seen and heard the good taking place there and the vast improvements and the victories. Those who say that we can't win and should abandon all attempts and pull out dishonor and denigrate the sacrifice and service of those who have and continue to serve this nation in the armed services. They forget just why this country is free. They forget that the only reason they can say the things they say is because men and women like that have fought and died to give them that right. They forget that they speak English instead of Spanish, German, Japanese, or Arabic. They forget that they can go to their churches (or choose not to) every Sunday and worship the God who gave us to be born in this free country that was founded on Biblical principles. They forget.
To the American soldier, sailor, airman, marine, and guardsman... Thank you.

God Bless America.

Those Sacrifices Were Not Mistakes

2008-09-05T23:28:00.002-05:00

Thank you, sir. We owe our freedom to men like you.

There goes the three day weekend

2008-09-01T23:06:00.008-05:00

Well, I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. I know some of us celebrated the holiday in a literal sense of the word. My dad was on call and had to go find and fix a water leak. But now it is drawing to a close and I have to go back to school tomorrow since I have a CPR class in the afternoon.

I took this picture on the way home from school with Donovan (from Richard's Bay) in mind. I was thinking that it was a pretty typical South Dakota landscape.

Before I get started on the next part of the Africa story, I want to tell any of you that read this (if there is anyone) and live close enough that we are having our Africa service with music, stories, and pictures at the Ellendale Church of the Nazarene, September 7th at 6:00PM.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, we just got to the Living Waters Nazarene church and school in Manzini, Swaziland. No, we hadn't even left yet. OK, so we left very early in the morning from Richard's Bay and drove about four hours to Swaziland. We experienced the border crossing passport stamping and were on our way.

When we arrived and piled out of the four vehicle caravan, we were greeted by Pastor Erroll David and his wife Cynthia. Pastor David gave us a tour of the facility and told us about some of the local pagan customs that he has to deal with as a local pastor. Cynthia began feeding us almost immediately. She reminded me a lot of my Grandma Hilda. Between meals there are snacks and drinks and meals are big and you must always be hungry and she is always offering you food and you should never have an empty plate and she is a good cook and eat some more and I like that kind of an attitude toward food. (deep breath)

We stayed in a hotel, because there was not room enough for us at the school. They would be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Nazarene Church and the 25th anniversary of their church that weekend. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So after we got the hotel rooms sorted out (Pastor Brown and I had a room and we put a table in front of the window in Annie and Erika's room), we hit the streets and did the "I'm from America, I don't know where I'm going, and it is very obvious" thing. It was great. We went into a small clothing/department store just to look around and it was very interesting, the prices and values. The Rand is 1/7 th of a dollar. But a lot of the items were cheaper than in the States.

The next morning, we did a short service for the school children. When Pastor David tells them good morning, they all stand up and say, "Good morning Pastor David, we are fine, and how are you?" So cool. We did our human video and Annie and Jeremy preached. Mom, Renae, and the girls worked with the little kids during the sermon. We got done about recess time, so we got to hang out with some of the kids in the play ground.

After some more eating, Cynthia got a combe (African taxi van) and started showing us around. We went to a candle factory where they shape candles into animal shapes and create intricate designs in wax.

She also showed us a fancy hotel, took us to a couple market/souvenier vendor type places and generally gave us a whirlwind look at the area.

Stay tuned for more!

E-Yard

2008-08-28T16:20:00.002-05:00

Here is a short video tour of our yard and house for my friends in South Africa.

Back At You Bullhorn Guy

2008-08-25T17:25:00.001-05:00

This is dedicated to all you Rob Bell fans out there.

The Rest of the Story

2008-08-25T16:11:00.003-05:00

No, this isn't a Paul Harvey post, but I promised to continue with my Africa trip narrative, so I plan on doing so.

A new week here at LATI, and it will be the first week of normal classes and such. We had a computer class (which, I'm sorry, but so far it is terribly boring and displays a total absence of any kind of a challenge), a medical terminology class, which will be a challenge, but once I figure out the book, it should start to flow right along. And of course, we had our EMT class. Which is probably the most practical class on the schedule. We are working on human anatomy at the moment.

My computer kept kicking me off the wireless, but hopefully Tristan (IT dept.) and I have it fixed now.

*** *** *** *** ***

OK, now to the main attraction. Were did I leave off... Oh yes.

When we arrived at Richards Bay, we divided up and went to our host families' homes. My entire family went to stay with Roderick, Deshni, and their two boys. We only got to know one of the boys, little drummer boy Judah, because God and Deshni are still putting the finishing touches on his little brother.

After Judah warmed up to him, he and Dad had a grand ol' time.

As we talked with Roderick and Deshni, we began to discover that there were many similarities between their family and ours. My dad and Roderick had experienced some of the very same things with previous jobs, we enjoyed talking about the same things, and even had a lot of the same interests and opinions. We felt like we had known them our whole lives.

That night we got back together for supper and experienced our first real taste of South African hospitality. Molly and her brigade of cooks were very kind and served us dish upon dish of amazing culinary finery. The traditional Indian dishes were absolutely delicious. When someone's plate was empty, Aunt Molly (some of us called her "aunt", and some of us called her "Mom") would bring round seconds, thirds, or fourths. We also found out that KFC has a hold in that part of the world, especially because of the prominence of chicken as the main meat source.

We practiced a little bit at the church with their instruments and sound system, and then got ready to go to Swaziland early the next day.

So, just to keep you eagerly coming back for more, thus ends today's update. Another chunk on another day!

One more day

2008-08-20T11:22:00.003-05:00

Hey y'all. I was just over on my friend's blog (Adventures of a Turtle Mountain Hillbilly) and they have some cool videos of his family playing some good old time blue grass gospel music. Check it out.

I'm done with classes for today. I had a computer class at 0700, a medical terminology class at 0800 and a physiology class at 0900. All of them were pretty much orientation. Computer should be easy, med term will be tough for a while until I get into a routine, and we didn't get into much physiology this morning, instead we toured campus and went over to the rec center where we get extra credit for working out. Bonus!

This will be an intense two years, but when I'm done, I will have a lot of great training and be ready for a lot of different jobs. First semester gets you EMT (and a lot of other study, but it all points towards that), the second semester gets you Paramedic, summer is clinical observation, and second year is the firefighter stuff. My class has quite a range of people. There are us guys right out of highschool, some have been out for a while, some are in the Guard, some are on the local fire department.

*** *** *** *** ***

I'll start putting a little blurb about our Africa trip on here and there. Today's episode will be about our trip to Africa. We all met at the church early Sunday morning of the 20th and loaded up a Tahoe and a Suburban with luggage and people and drove to the Minneapolis airport. After getting everything checked in, we had an hour or two to wait until our short flight to Chicago.
It was Erika, Rebecca, and John's first flight, so that was exciting for them. We had a short wait in Chicago, which turned out exciting for Pastor Jeremy, who accidentally left his passport in his carry on with the rest of us while he and Pastor Tim went to check on luggage. They wouldn't let him back through a certain check point, so Pastor Tim came back and him and I brought Jeremy his passport. After getting padded down, we hurried back and got on our flight to London.

That was a decent flight of about 9 hours or so. But at Heathrow, we had an 8 hour layover and we couldn't leave the airport, so it was sleeping, talking, depositing tracts, starring blankly, walking around the terminal, sleeping, walking around the terminal, talking, sleeping, starring blankly, looking at your watch, etc. & repeat. Really, it wasn't too bad, but we were hoping to see some of the sites while we were there. The next flight was a South African Airlines flight, which I must say, if you ever have the option, pick them, they take care of you, nicer planes, more room, just all around more comfortable for an 11 hour flight. It was night, so we didn't see any of Africa from 30,000 feet. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the Water Nazi in the London airport. We got to this one place where this lady was yelling at everyone that there was no water past a certain point. A lot of us had those plastic carbonate water bottles and the options were to drink it all, or have them confiscate it. So several of us had to chug the whole thing. Some of the girls just poured all of theirs into Krista's, which had a leak anyway. Anyway, moving on.

We landed at Joburg (short for Johannesburg), S.A., and got on another short hop to Durban. We flew over a lot of sugar cane fields in the hills. Their main crops there are sugar cane and gum trees (I did see some pineapples, too.). Our South African family (we didn't know them then, but we sure do now) picked us up at the airport and we squeezed in three vehicles and drove on the metric side of the road, enjoying the countryside, talking, taking pictures, and sleeping. Poor Roy, A.J. Jason, and Pastor Masey, they had to be wondering what they had gotten themselves into.

to be continued.

At College

2008-08-19T14:04:00.005-05:00

Here I am. I have now moved into an apartment and am getting ready for classes at Lake Area Tech. The Medical / Fire Rescue Services program will be very challenging, but fun. I'll try hard to keep this updated when things get on a roll.

Here is a sneak peek of the Africa trip.

I'm back, and I'm keeping busy.

2008-08-10T23:27:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone. If you have continued to check this blog seeing if I update after getting home safely from Africa, I really appreciate that. Just drop me a note in the comment box sometime.

God protected us and blessed us on the trip. I will be posting more about that soon.

Since getting back there has been catching up to do at Grandma's farm, working for a farmer cutting hay and all that goes with that, getting ready for college (I leave next Sunday), and getting to see friends and family.

This is just a quick post to let you know I'm alive and that I'll be posting as soon as I get a good chance.

Later.

Africa

2008-07-15T23:09:00.003-05:00

The date of our departure for Africa keeps getting closer. Early Sunday morning my family (and eight other people) will start driving towards the Minneapolis airport to begin out 23+ hour flight.

Strangely, I don't feel nervous, anxious, or worried. God must be heaping his grace on me in extra portion. I give glory to Him for teaching me and growing me in so many ways over the last year.

We will have to rely on God for strength (both physically and spiritually), for organization, for planning, for courage, for everything. That is what makes this trip so exciting. God will work, and we get to be there.

I have jokingly decided that if I die in Africa that I want to be buried beside David Livingstone, and if you can't find his grave, then beside Harmon Schmelzenbach.

Here is our awesome team.

When, sir? When?

2008-07-14T18:21:00.000-05:00

A Quick Breath

2008-07-10T21:57:00.004-05:00

We just got back from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, ID. It was the international quizzing finals. We had a great time and placed 14th in the District Experienced Division. It was also my last quiz as a quizzer. Josh, Kevin, Levi, and I are a good team -- if not for quizzing, for having fun. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

I'm looking for a place to live in Watertown while attending Lake Area Techinical Institute. Medical / Fire Rescue all the way!

I'm working all I can to earn money for college. My goal is to get through the two years with no debt.

Africa... less than two weeks. HERE WE GO!!!!!!

Summertime (non)Blogging

2008-06-16T21:25:00.001-05:00

I know that I haven't been posting much these days. So I'm just popping my head in to say that I am still alive. To catch up, I either need some long posts or just skip to the present. But summer is the time for tractors, work, and outdoors, and not so much computers and basements.

Later.

I suppose...

2008-05-30T12:33:00.004-05:00

I suppose I should talk a little bit about my upcoming graduation (as in tomorrow). I finished my last paper last week Monday. It's sure doesn't feel like a huge milestone event. Anyway, both of my Grandmas and my Mom are upstairs making potato salad, so I should spend a whole lot of time on the computer being unhelpful. It will be a good time tomorrow seeing friends and family.
I think I have got things down to two options. If option "A" (go to a tech school) falls through, I'll probably just enlist.

We went to a cousin's wedding last weekend, and it was good to see family in the southern part of the state. We got to do a little horseback riding at my Uncle's place (not hobby horses, but cattle-working, steer-roping, hard-working equestrian animals). My other Uncle has a couple teams, here's a picture.

Well, I just got a phone call with an offer to go diving, so I had better finish my chores. Later.

Getting Closer to the End of the Week

2008-05-22T20:58:00.005-05:00

I've been working all week for the conservation district on the weed barrier fabric crew, putting the fabric over newly planted rows of trees. So it has been a productive week, but it will be nice to have a weekend.

I'd like you all to click on the link under "Blogs" to the "Adventures of a Turtle Mountain Hillbilly." My friend Jonathan just put a really cool video of him playing his new banjo on his blog. Check it out.

Here is the sunrise this morning. Wow, God can do cool stuff with the sky. But I have a feeling that "we ain't seen nothin' yet."

In Him All Things Hold Together

2008-05-14T17:29:00.000-05:00

Water

2008-05-13T13:00:00.003-05:00

This last weekend (Thurs - Sun) the Brown County Dive Rescue Team (including Dad and me) went to Huron for a Dive Rescue International training/qualification session. The instructor was very good and very knowledgeable, the practical training was realistically tough, but good, and it was an overall good time. It is one of those things that you hope you never use, but we're ready in case something happens. We had classroom sessions, pool sessions, and lake sessions. Saturday it was raining and windy and cold, but we went out to the lake to do search patterns for clay pigeons. Sunday morning was a scenario. My dad got picked to be the Operations Section Chief, and when the call came in, we were out at the scene and running quickly. The witnesses (one only spoke Japanese) said that a couple people had gone under, and the wife/mother actress was crying and panicking like it was for real. Once we determined last scene points, we had divers in the water, and had both "victims" (mannequins) found and out of the water in 72 minutes from arrival. That seems like a long time to some, but when you think about that we came on scene not knowing anything (how many, where, etc.) to figuring it all out, getting divers in the water, and getting the victims out, it is an excellent time. So the moral of the story is... don't drown, or else I'll have to come and get ya.

Fire

2008-05-06T21:29:00.002-05:00

I responded to my first fire since joining the local rural fire department today. Someone was driving their pickup in the field and must have gotten some corn stalks caught up underneath or something, but the pickup burned up pretty quick. That would have been no problem, but that fire caught the whole CRP field and adjacent slough on fire. I got the page right before quitting for lunch, drove to the fire station, got the grass rig, and drove it out to the fire. Three hours later and after getting stuck in the soft dirt around the slough twice, we got the fire out. It was really good training for me. Thanks Kevin for teaching me and being patient! It is a lot harder than you would think it is. Turnouts are really hot, too.

It's coffee! No, it's coca-cola! No, it's...

2008-05-05T18:28:00.002-05:00

No way, this is even better than that, and it could also be why spring/summer (I really don't know which, we might have skipped spring altogether this year.) was so late in coming this flip of the calendar page. What am I talking about? I wish I could ramble about it for a couple more sentences just to keep you in suspense, but I don't want to take the time to waste wordage like that. I'm talking about...

ICED SUN TEA!!!

That's right. To be specific, Orange Pekoe and Pekoe Cut Black is what is says on the package. The Brits might think it is sinful to have tea cold and the sweet tea crowd might think it disgusting, but there's nothing like a tall glass of brain-freeze cold, thoroughly brewed, liquid thirst obliterator like iced sun tea after a long hard day outside in the hot sun. Or maybe not such a long day, or not such a hard day, or even not so hot of a sun, it's still good.

So if you too would like to partake of this delectable (that was a toughie to spell)... this delectable drink, just get one gallon of water, and put in five tea bags of the type specified above, and put it outside to brew until it is dark black (weak stuff is not so good). Then drink up. If you forget it outside overnight, that's no big deal, I've done it plenty of times, it just becomes moon tea. Same taste, different name. (Hey, I could market that and sell twice as much, right?)

So now I think the warm season can officially start, sorry it took so long folks.

I really am surprised that I could have a whole post about tea. Just don't start to get the idea that I am a health food freak. Although eating healthy and balanced is a good idea, you can still die jogging to the organic store.

Some Average Thoughts

2008-05-02T18:31:00.003-05:00

It is now May, and we once again got some snow in South Dakota -- not here where I live, but in other parts of the state. This sounds really tweaked, but I kind of like it. I doubt it has anything to do with being born in Alaska, but I like cool weather (50s & 60s) thousands of times more than hot weather (80s & 90s). With our unusually cool spring, I can't help but sit back and laugh at Al Gore. He is pushing his global warming agenda like he is some kind of omniscient environmental savior, which is absolutely ludicrous. I think it can be traced back to evolution. (Just like a lot of things in culture today such as abortion and racism.) They think that the earth is millions of years old, and they think that they know how warm or cold it should be on average for all those years. In reality, the earth is six to ten thousand years old, not all that long to get a good average. Personally, I'm thankful for global warming. If things hadn't settled down after the Flood like they eventually did, we would still be in the Ice Age. But I guess that's another talk for another time.

I'm getting extremely anxious to get outside and go back to work. Staying down in my cave doing school work when it is nice outside is getting a little old. Plus the fact that Advance Physics beats me up some days. I really enjoyed Physics last year, so I took Advance this year. Wow, it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Well, I think my family is going to watch a movie together, so I'm going to go without even proof-reading this post.

On Your Knees

2008-05-01T08:52:00.001-05:00

Today is the National Day of Prayer.

http://www.ndptf.org/home/home.html

An American Declaration

2008-04-26T15:58:00.002-05:00

The Declaration of Independence - one of the most beautifully written, legally compelling, and tide-turning documents in the history of human liberty.

Amen.

As Consistent and the South Dakota Snow

2008-04-26T08:07:00.002-05:00

I guess I never mentioned how the Kansas City trip went. The best part was getting to hang out and talk with friends and family. The worst part is that in the competition I did about as good as a one legged dog in a swimming race. (Do you have any idea how long it took me to come up with that analogy???)

It is blizzarding again in South Dakota. We didn't get anything here, but to the south and east they got dumped on. A friend of mine was coming home from college and got stranded half way home is a town when they closed the roads. Here is a link http://www.ksfy.com/news/18225759.html. If I had gotten the rest of the lesson on how to make a fancy little link thing, you could just click on a "here" or something, but I still don't know how to do that.

We had our premiere for the OffRoad Youth Ministries movie ministry last night. There were about 60 people there. It seemed to go over good. I had fun anyway. If you want to see Randy Travis in The Wager, we will be showing the film every week until the middle of July.

I'm going diving this morning. It should be fun. The weather station is reporting a temperature of 29 degrees Fahrenheit. We'll have a dry suit on, so it won't be that bad. The only thing that gets wet is your face, and that goes numb pretty quick. I'm looking forward to it.

Keep the greasy side down.

Almost Here!

2008-04-23T13:28:00.001-05:00

Have I ever mentioned that I am excited for this film to come out?

Shifting Seasons and Civil Idolatry

2008-04-15T18:56:00.003-05:00

Well, I do believe that spring is finally peaking it's head through. There were some buds on a couple of our trees that I noticed today. My brother and I are doing some work for a gentleman, helping him clean out his garage. It feels really good to get outside and do some work instead of sitting in the basement pushing a pencil. We will be leaving tomorrow for Kansas City for a few days, so we'll see how the weather is down there.

Last weekend I got to go to a Building 429 concert. Apart from the great music, the lead singer of the band spoke about a mission trip he went on to Africa. He quoted a verse that got me to thinking. It is James 1:27. Here it is in the NIV, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Now, if you would ask the average Joe on the street who takes care of orphans and widows in this country, what do you think he would answer you? I believe that 95% of the people would say the federal government, or at least some variation of that, such as Social [in]Security. What does that say about the U.S.? We have strayed from being a nation that operates on its founding Biblical principles, to one that throws the Bible out the window and tries to write its own play book. The church has dropped the ball, and the government caught the fumble and is running with it. Look at health care, the government is expected to take care of us. Look at education, the government is expected to teach us what we need to know. Look at taxes, we are taxed way more than we tithe. Do Americans worship a savior that lives not in heaven but in Washington D.C.?

You're All I Want

2008-04-12T06:07:00.000-05:00

This is a human video that our Africa team is learning.

Judgment Trailer

2008-04-10T17:53:00.002-05:00

This is a trailer for a film our team is working on.

April in South Dakota

2008-04-06T13:41:00.003-05:00

Abortion: A Deadly Symptom

2008-04-02T21:56:00.001-05:00

“These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.” Thus said Antony in Shakespeare’s famous Julius Caesar. We find it harsh and even unthinkable to kill off one’s political enemies in such a way. But even such calculated killing begins to appear cordial in contrast with another kind of murder. These new victims are not guilty, nor are they foe to anyone. They do not even have names that can be “pricked.” They are the unborn.
Abortion, the legal killing of a growing human being, has destroyed over 48 million lives since 1973. In 2003, 1,287,000 abortions took place, averaging 147 abortions per hour. Those numbers annually exceed the American casualties of the War of Independence, the Civil War, both World Wars, and the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars combined. These statistics are shocking, but what do they mean? Is America at war with the unborn? No, those in the womb are the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of a much bigger conflict. Abortion is only a deadly symptom of a deeper problem.
Where did this conflict start? It was certainly not at the birth of our own nation. The sanctity of life has been a bedrock principle in the United States since this country’s establishment. This principle comes directly from the Biblical Ten Commandments, which are the very fulcrum of the laws we have in America. America was settled by pilgrims seeking religious freedom—not freedom to do whatever they chose—but freedom to live as their God had commanded them. The Founding Fathers won their independence from Great Britain because the mother country was encroaching on the God-given rights of the colonies. The Bible served as a basis for the writing and establishment of our founding documents, which still rule the United States of America, as they did from the beginning. One of the very first and most important founding documents of the United States of America is the Declaration of Independence. In the Declaration it states,

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

So, we see that from the very beginning of this nation, life was to be the most important right of the person, followed by liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are dependent upon one another. One cannot pursue happiness without liberty, and one cannot have liberty without life. Therefore, by being deprived of life, these unborn Americans are also being deprived of liberty and the right to pursue happiness.
Abortion on demand essentially began in America in 1973 with the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade. This case ended with a Texas criminal abortion law being struck down on the basis that is violated the Constitutional right to privacy.
As said by Young Christians Fighting for America President Zachary Engelhart:

“Even though the Court did recognize that “the Constitution does not explicitly mention any right of privacy,” the Court still concluded that “this right of privacy, whether it be found in the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action, as we feel it is, or, as the District Court determined, in the Ninth Amendment’s reservation of rights to the people, is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” ”

The dreadful oversight made by the Court was that they ignored the life inside the womb. The Fourteenth Amendment states:

“nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” [emphasis added]

The Ninth Amendment, also cited by the Court declares:

“The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

Therefore, according to the Ninth Amendment, the “right of privacy” should not be construed to deny the “right to life.”
In this ruling, the Court ignored the two most important laws that govern its existence, procedures, and rulings: the Constitution of the United States and the Ten Commandments. The Constitution, in the Tenth Amendment, reserves all powers not given to the federal government (including the Supreme Court) to the states. The Bible, the holy law of God, explicitly declares:

“You shall not murder.”

“You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”

In Rector, Etc., of Holy Trinity Church v. U.S., the Supreme Court found that “[t]hese, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.”
With today’s medical technology, there is absolutely no way to honestly claim that an unborn child is not a human life. Life begins at conception; to end life after conception is murder and should be considered such by United States law. Maintaining the health of the mother is often cited as a legitimate reason for legal abortion. Studies published by the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund show disturbing evidence of the serious psychological, social, and physical repercussions that plague women who have abortions. These women’s reasons for their decision to abort vary from feeling unready for the responsibility to the financial strain of a child to the damage it might cause in an existing relationship, all of which are but masks that hide the fact that they are avoiding taking responsibility for their actions.
Today, Congress continues to do battle over this issue. There are many bills such as The Sanctity of Life Act and The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act that side with the innocent unborn, but the opposition to these bills is fierce. Those who call themselves “Pro-Choice” remain vehemently adamant about securing the “right” to kill those in the womb. They secure government funding for organizations like abortion-provider Planned Parenthood, which makes over 400 million dollars on abortions annually. Or they institute programs in public schools that promote condom and contraceptive use, which only worsens the problem by teaching students to live life irresponsibly instead of promoting conscientious choices.
This brings us back to the question of what is really behind this war. As has already been stated, abortion is only a deadly symptom of a larger battle. The people of America are attempting to make war on God. At some point in the early Twentieth Century, a great paradigm shift took place. Whatever the driving force behind the effort, whether it was Marxism, Darwinism, or one of many other ideological forces that endeavored to destroy Christianity, a significantly large number of Americans began to take hold of the philosophy of atheism. Very basically, people rebelled against the idea that a Sovereign God would hold them accountable for their actions. Whether from fear or hatred of this almighty, eternal Being, they began to look to man himself as the savior. Even the concept of God was forcibly removed from the public education system, and a new generation was taught that God had no place outside of the church building and that there was no absolute right or wrong. Evolution told them that there was no intrinsic value to life, that we are all just cosmic accidents. So abortion became evolution at work in Darwin’s theory of “the survival of the fittest.”
The only way to get to the very heart of this issue is to bring America back to obey and worship the God of the Bible and to serve Him only. God is the very definition of morality. Right and wrong is a reflection of God’s perfect, unchanging character. There can be no ethics without God. This nation was founded on Christian principles, and only by those principles can it continue to stand. We must reprioritize and put God and the Bible back at the center of every component of our lives: school, work, home, and government, not solely church. We must pass laws that hold individuals responsible for their choices, instead of allowing them to throw the consequences on the innocent. And we, the body of Christ, must reach out to those who are confused and searching and tell them of our just God who has provided a way of escape from eternal judgment. Only then will we have won the war by God’s power and rid this nation of the sin we call abortion.

[This essay won 5th Place in the Traditional Family Coalition Essay Contest, along with a $300 scholarship.]

Question Established "Science"?

2008-04-01T07:07:00.005-05:00

A new film coming out, Expelled, takes a look at the persecution of scientists and other professionals who dare to question Darwinism. They are being told to put a lid on it - even if they are just following the evidence where it leads. The film was done by Ben Stein, who is a Jew. You don't even have to be a Christian to see that this is happening. What are the Darwin groupies scared of? A just God? Hmm.

Whew

2008-03-30T17:38:00.003-05:00

This week was pretty busy. But next week looks busier. I used to think that "next month" will be better or not so crazy. But I've found out that it never is. Next month will be quite the same, there is nothing new under the sun. The cliches "Life is Hard" and "Life isn't Fair," seem true, but compared to what? Just something to think about.

This brings up a the topic of my spiritual walk. It is really easy for me to fall into the trap of "I'll pray later," or "I'll study that passage later." Later never gets here. Take the time and make the effort to converse with God, you talking in prayer, and Him talking in His Word. Tomorrow may not come, and we can only drift further away. As Ray Comfort says, "Read before feed; Bible before breakfast." Don't starve yourself spiritually.

The Power of the Cross

2008-03-21T20:29:00.004-05:00

Have a Blessed Easter. May it bring you closer to the Savior.

Church and State

2008-03-21T20:29:00.002-05:00

It is becoming more and more apparent to me as I look at our culture and our government that there must have been some great event that has brought the moral, social, financial, etc. decline we are now seeing. But a quick look through history reveals no one monumental, well-defined turning point.

The battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness.

For some reason, whether because of legalism or prosperity preaching (or some other non-Biblical extreme), I don't know, but for some reason the church gave up parts of its duty as stated in the Bible. When people could no longer look to the body of Christ, and consequently have that body point them to the Savior and then themselves become His hands and feet, they went to the government. The government was only too happy to accept these new "converts." So you have 2008 America. The solution is not a good candidate, but rather for the church to take back the authority Christ gave her. The civil government should not be taking control of areas that the church and family have been delegated to control: teaching the next generation (education), caring for the sick (health care), caring for the elderly and widows (social security), and many other things. So is it the civil government's fault? I do not say the government is innocent under the Constitution or its foundation, the Bible, but I believe the main responsibility lies with the church.

Stand up Church!

Christ gave you the keys and the civil government the sword. Learn the difference! Because the hands and feet of Christ have not loved, have not reached out, have not touched... people have fled to the arms of another. The change has been subtle. I pray the change back will not be.

Bagpipe Rock?

2008-03-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

I don't know much about this band, but I've gotta say, I kinda like it!

FIREPROOF

2008-03-11T06:55:00.001-05:00

This all new film from Sherwood Pictures and Provident Films: FIREPROOF. I'm really looking forward to the release of this one. Enjoy the teaser trailer.

evilution

2008-03-10T13:49:00.001-05:00

Although I'm still thinking about the last post, here's a good video that I found on www.wayofthemasterradio.com.

But A Mist

2008-03-09T15:00:00.006-05:00

My mom read us an article and an obituary from the newspaper on the way back from the church yesterday. It was about someone who had died from injuries sustained in a car accident. The ages of the other people on the obituary page: 89, 92, 60, 63, 90, 76, 98, 67, & 94. (Average age of 81.) This person was 18.

We went to the same church and youth group a few years ago. I really didn't know her extremely well, but I can remember her quiet laugh, usually at the antics of her younger sister. That life was quickly snuffed out by a hasty turn of the steering wheel and an unbuckled seat belt.

The page of the newspaper mentions the accident and then quickly moves on to news of various community breakfasts. But as a friend of mine (who has more experience and wisdom about grief than I ever hope to) said, "It’s just hard to think that nobody will ever see her again. I can’t image how hard it is for her family. Her family's lives will never be the same; I hope they pull together and grow from it instead of stop were they are now. I think it’s easier to stop and not want to continue with your life. You feel if you continue with your life you’re leaving that one person behind. It’s just so different. I knew her but it could have been somebody I was really close to. I don’t know, it just makes you think about today and if you’re making the best out of each day you live."

People often ask me why I make movies that have death in them. It is because death is real and like it or not, it is coming for every one of us. Some sooner than others. Most people on this planet aren't ready. That's why.

If you aren't 100% sure that you have the righteousness of Christ covering you, if you haven't put your trust in Him completely to save you and haven't turned from your way of life that displeases him, don't wait. You may not have a next week. You may not have a tomorrow. You aren't even guaranteed to get to the end of this article.