Just thinking out loud

1) If we were meant to talk on cell phones, send text messages and otherwise not talk face to face as our primary means of communication, then why do we all use facial expressions and hand gestures when we speak?  I REALLY get a kick out of watching people talk on their cell phones while driving!  Hands waving and stern expressions flying everywhere.  Come on, at least bang the phone on the dashboard or something….!

2) Adding to 1), to further strengthen the faulty nature of not speaking face to face, we have created emoticons in order to somehow make emails more personal.  That’s funny :) and disappointing :(   …gotcha! ;) …..sigh :I

Also, like the picture above, have you noticed more and more how groups of people hang out “together” but they really aren’t paying ANY attention to each other?  They stare at their phones and all you hears is clicking and the occasional emotional outburst.  Of course, the emotions aren’t directed at anyone that is in the group there…..WEIRD.  I remember hanging out with friends and actually TALKING.

3) If we were not made for manual labor, why does our health suffer if we work a desk job?  Use a riding lawnmower on a 1/4 acre lot?  Why do we have to “pay” a fee in order to exercise?  Last I checked there are plenty of kids outside to play with in order to get some good exercise.  Maybe I need to buy a field and farm some…. Now that would be good exercise that would pay for itself!  Run or walk the neighborhood, walk the stairs in your house (if you have them).  Lift everyday items to work your muscles, heck, who EVER lifts anything via bench-press?  For me, heavy lifting is carrying water softener salt bags and landscaping materials!  Carrying and replacing ladders, and of course, lugging the 45 lb kid around.  Mowing the yard is great too!  Get a push mower that doesn’t drive itself.  I’ve never owned one of those things.  Face it, we are lazy and have no one to blame but ourselves…. ):O

What thoughts do you have?

In Theory

Dad: “Okay everyone, up an at’em!  Church is at 10!”

Son: “But, Dad, I don’t wanna go!  I can’t stand sitting, and I don’t like the music!”

Dad: “Son, we go as a family, you know that.  Now please get dressed.”

Government: “EXCUSE ME.  I COULDN’T HELP OVERHEARING HOW YOU ARE FORCING YOUR SON TO GO TO CHURCH!”

Dad: “Huh, who are you?  Why are you in my house?  What are you talking about?”

Government: “SIR, YOUR CHILD HAS RIGHTS, AND I COULD PROSECUTE YOU IF YOU FORCE HIM TO GO TO CHURCH.”

Dad: “You’ve got to be kidding?  What right do YOU have telling me how to raise my family?”

Government: “I HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS I NEED.  YOUR OWN COUNTRY GAVE ME THE RIGHTS.”

Son: “Dad!  I like this guy!”

Dad: “Son, please go to your room!”

Government: “YOU CAN”T TELL HIM TO DO THAT,  I FEEL THAT IS ABUSE….”

Dad: “Lord, please help me right now….”

-Although this dialogue may not be entirely accurate, there IS a “UN Convention on the Rights of a Child” that could be ratified. This “treaty”, if ratified, would supersede state law as well as Constitutional directive that are contrary to the treaty.  It would in effect make topics such as this very real:

Christian schools that refuse to teach “alternative worldviews” and teach that Christianity is the only true religion “fly in the face of article 29″ of the treaty.(1)

The best interest of the child principle would give the government the ability to override every decision made by every parent if a government worker disagreed with the parent’s decision.(2)

If you have any concern at all for the rights of the Family, please get informed.  As I understand it, this UN Convention has already been used to scuttle Christian homeschooling efforts in Great Britain (let me know if you have details on that). For all of the details as well as opposing views and rebuttals, check out: www.ParentalRights.org

(1) American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law: Children’s Rights in America: UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Compared with United States Law, p. 182.

(2)United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3(1): “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.”

Geraldine Van Bueren, International Rights of the Child, Section D, University of London, 46 (2006):
“Best interests provides decision and policy makers with the authority to substitute their own decisions for either the child’s or the parents’, providing it is based on considerations of the best interests of the child.  Thus, the Convention challenges the concept that family life is always in the best interests of children and that parents are always capable of deciding what is best for children.”

“Universe”-al Thoughts

In reading a popular blog today I was reminded of some very basic thoughts that seem to cause a lot of problems.  In a world where we are able to believe what we want to believe, I wonder why certain ideas get more readily dismissed than others, and why certain ideas that a majority holds dear are so readily belittled.

One of these ideas is presented in the Bible in the book of Genesis.  For the sake of brevity, I’ll look at one idea that comes up fairly often.

If God created the universe in six 24 hour days, then how did the light from distant stars get to earth in that time period?

It’s a valid question, but I feel there are far better ones to tackle.  Why?

Well, let’s think through the question.  It deals with LIGHT, TIME and the BIBLE.  What do we know of each?

LIGHT: It has mass, it travels at a known speed.

TIME: It’s the basis of gaging the perception of what we see as “happening”.  “Speed” is based on TIME.

The BIBLE: Written by many individual authors.  Purported to be the Word of God.  If this is the case, then what it says should be true.  This premise is assumed.

So, how could LIGHT appear on the earth if the source of the LIGHT was created billions of light years away?  Wouldn’t it take a lot of TIME for the LIGHT to reach the earth?  If you are not aware, a light year is the distance light travels in a year.

I will answer the question with a question.  If LIGHT has mass, why wouldn’t God have created the LIGHT between the source and the earth at the same time?  Air has mass and it was created, is there a difference?  I would love to hear opinions on that one.

Further, per the BIBLE, it’s recorded many times how natural laws were circumvented.  The axe head floated in the river instantly, no time for it to naturally change into something buoyant.  Water was turned into excellent wine instantly, no time for it to ferment and age.  People were healed instantly without a need for recovery time.  Dead people were raised from the dead instantly after several days in both the Old and New Testament.  Vegetation was created with fruit and seeds already there without the time needed to grow etc.

It seems that certain aspects of creation are ignored or dismissed by the Christian “family” in order to embrace the ideas of man, namely creation aspects of evolution, naturalism and creation aspects of astronomy and geology.

I ask the secular Christian, if God could create LIGHT instantly, trees that appear mature instantly, and geological formations that could appear old instantly, why don’t we stand on the ROCK of His Word?

I’m curious what a “young” rock would look like, and whether it would be as beautiful of a garden if everything looked like it was just created and had no age… After all, surely if LIGHT can be created to appear billions upon billions of years old based upon natural laws, then a rock could appear to be a million years old…agreed?  This “dilemma” makes me understand why the BIBLE portrays all the historical acts circumventing natural law.

Are you one that has just believed what “science” told you, and never thought about these simple ideas presented here?  Just something to consider.  After all, the majority of the world (around 4 billion people) supposedly believes in a Genesis type creation.

The Marriage Trap and How to Defeat it!

Have I ever mentioned how the Bible is full of great insight and wisdom?  Of course I have, but here’s a new one that came to my attention.  Not every theologian agrees with all the particulars, but this can be said of many other interpretations as well.  So, here we go!

Genesis 3:16b notes some particular details regarding how Adam and Eve are punished for disobeying God.  Here’s what is said…

Your desire will be for your husband,
       and he will rule over you. (Gen 3:16b NIV)

 Now, in context, God is talking to Eve and has just explained how child birth will be painful.  Then, God says the quote above.  What is interesting, it that every version of the Bible I reviewed uses “desire” and “rule over”.  If we look at the Greek definitions of the Greek words that have been translated, many theologians agree that “desire” and “rule over” are defined as follows from a fine explanation I found on the web…

When it says, “Your desire shall be for your husband,” it means that when sin has the upper hand in woman she will desire to overpower or subdue or exploit man. And when sin has the upper hand in man he will respond in like manner and with his strength subdue her, or rule over her.^(a)

 Doesn’t this sound like many marriage relationships today?  The woman seems to run the house because she has succeeded at overpowering the man, or in harsher terms, exploited the man’s apparent passiveness.  In defense of this outcome, we could argue that “someone” has to take the reins!  And the ladies did… 

Men, we cannot be passive!  Guess what?  A certain man was passive in the Garden of Eden and didn’t step in to stop the serpent from tempting Eve with the fruit of the forbidden tree!  You know, in Genesis 3 it reads, “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”  Adam, was there the whole time and just “let” Satan tempt Eve and break the one law God had put in place!  Adam was passive!  If Adam was to love his wife as Christ loved the Church, then Christ was surly NOT passive!

In the other scenario, often times the man becomes abusive.  The man overpowers and subdues the woman.  This action often happens emotionally and physically.  Someone took charge, and the man did here…

What’s the problem?  They are both unbiblical scenarios.  We can try to justify one spouse “subduing and exploiting” another in a number of ways, but in the end, we are to be married and live as “one”. 

Recall, in it’s entirety, that Paul writes in the New Testament that “women should submit (respect) their husbands, and husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the Church!”  This scenario is peaceful and complementary to each spouse if applied in a biblical manner!

So, has your household fallen into the battle presented by God in Gen 3:16?  Do you live as “one” or is the household being “ruled over” by one spouse?

Recognize the problem and seek to resolve it!  One way is to submit your marriage to the authority of God.  The next is to seek ways to enrich your marriage!  Go to a Weekend to Remember conference or get away for a few days and talk about your marriage!  Remember, the marriage you model will be the mold your children attempt to live.

God bless you!

(a) http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper89/5-21-89.htm

A Weekend to Remember…

Literally, my wife and I just got back from our second Weekend to Remember conference put on by FamilyLife.

So much good information for marriages, parenting and the spiritual aspects of both!  We last went on one the year Camden was born.  Also, the Fatherhood sessions meant a whole lot more this time around.  I think I laughed more than I have in a long time!

I would recommend this weekend to every couple out there, whether you’re a strong Christian or not.  I think there were at least 10 couples there that had been married over 35 years.  That means I think my parents and in-laws would have a blast too!!!!

Is your marriage worth it?  I sure hope so!

Coincidences 4

I enjoy yard sales.  Camden doesn’t, or maybe he just prefers to respond negatively to anything I ask, ah yes, he’s five.  Anyway, I proceed to take us into a subdivision near our home to check out the Friday sales.  At the second stop I find the exact tee ball (with spring that tosses the balls into the air) that’s he’s used at the Grandparents house.  You must understand that he already has one tee-ball set-up, and the kids fight over using it all the time.  So, to get this one for $2 was nice.  Recall, I’m a “Fun Dad”, Facebook said so.

So, the real coincidence is about to occur.  The next house we stopped at, I walked up and started looking at some blue jeans.  You have to understand that on Friday’s at 12 noon there aren’t any partons except me and maybe a couple eager mom’s hitting the garage sales.  They all come at 8am or wait till Saturday when more sales are going on.  So, to continue, a little girl approaches me and asks if I could help her Grandpa.  It took me a second to realize she needed help, since I was engrossed in trying to find the size of the blue jeans.  Of course, I was eager to help, so I walked with her to the garage and she proceeds to tell me her Grandpa fell down and couldn’t get up.  Like anyone would do, I helped the man get up.  Not a real big deal, but he was appreciative and obviously was not 100%.  I could see the look in the little girls eyes of helplessness and I felt for her.

I give all the glory to God that He would put me into a position to help this man out.  It’s not often that I hit the yard sales, and even more odd that I would do it on a Friday late in the “sale” day.

In the end, the timing was perfect, Camden and the neighbor kids now have another tee-ball set-up and a little girl is happy that her grandpa is doing better.

One other note, it would have taken two ladies to try and pick this man up and so far, I hadn’t seen more than one person come up a drive at a time.  A house down the road told me that after the morning rush, hardly anyone had come through that day.  I think I saved 911 a call.  Amen!

A Hard Days Work?

Something for every Christian (and non Christian) to think about.

A simple teaching from Matthew 20:1-16 that carries a deep challenge.

In this parable, an employer is hiring workers throughout the day.  At the end of the day, whether you worked 1 hour or 8 hours everyone got paid the same.  Those that had worked more “grumbled” about those getting paid the same for less work.  The employer reminds them that they agreed to work for the set amount of pay.

The employer then proclaims what I contend is the key to this parable.

Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?

The idea of being “generous” is often replaced with the self-centered idea that what is seen is “unfair”.  Isn’t that sad?  I’m confident we’ve all had these feelings at some time in our lives.  Let’s see, you’ve been playing a game all day and losing,  and a new guy comes in and wins right away.  Someone at work gets a promotion that you feel you deserved.  A family member you dislike becomes a Christian after living a life of molesting other family members.

If you happen to be in the “unfair” crowd, I challenge you to really think about where you stand with God.  Think where God sits in your life.  Under you? Or on the throne of your life?  If you are a non-believer, think why you have such a problem with generosity.  In the end, generosity from God is what is always available once you accept and understand the concept of the free gift of salvation…

Back to the parable, this parable is ALL about salvation.  Many people don’t think it would be fair for Osama Bin Laden or some other “evil” person to be allowed to be saved.   What these people fail to perceive is that God has made it clear the we are all evil and should not be allowed to be saved.  Disagree? Run down the list of the Ten Commandments and see if you’ve kept them all.  We don’t deserve God’s grace and generosity, yet, we are all offered the same “reward” no matter when we proclaim our faith.  Best of all, it’s free.

Think hard.  If you feel it’s unfair that a party animal who has lived the life of a “heathen” can become a Christian late in life and get the same reward, are you jealous because you “wish” you could have lived the life of a heathen and gotten away with it?  Are you self righteous and feel only people like you deserve salvation?

We should have the attitude of Christ and the angels in heaven who rejoice when anyone is saved!  And, for the non-believer, view things in a more positive, less self-centered point of view instead of, “It’s not fair!”.  Remember, whether you see it from God or from your boss, they have the right to say, “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

Bob Kravitz: LeBron can’t just walk away | The Indianapolis Star

I couldn’t write this any better….I just keep thinking about how poor of an example this sets for all the young kids out there that idolize and follow LeBron’s every move.  Mr. James has always been such a class act, and it’s unfortunate to learn that he’s human like the rest of us… Click the link to read a very good article on LeBron’s attitude after losing.

Bob Kravitz: LeBron can’t just walk away | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star