Morning from Spurgeon

"We live unto the Lord."

-- Romans 14:8

If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, he might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are his children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from his lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is-they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know his love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life.

We are here as workers for him, and as "workers together with him." Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of his grace." Meanwhile we long to be with him, and daily sing-

"My heart is with him on his throne,

And ill can brook delay;

Each moment listening for the voice,

'Rise up, and come away.'"

More Funny Stuff

Steven Curtis Chapman

For those who don't know his 5-year old daughter was killed yesterday when his teenage son accidentally hit her while driving. I cannot imagine the pain the son must be feeling right now. Be sure to pray for this family.

Today my daily devotional from Spurgeon was so fitting:

"He led them forth by the right way."

-- Psalms 107:7

Changeful experience often leads the anxious believer to enquire "Why is it thus with me?" I looked for light, but lo, darkness came; for peace, but behold trouble. I said in my heart, my mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved. Lord, thou dost hide thy face, and I am troubled. It was but yesterday that I could read my title clear; to-day my evidences are bedimmed, and my hopes are clouded. Yesterday I could climb to Pisgah's top, and view the landscape o'er, and rejoice with confidence in my future inheritance; to-day, my spirit has no hopes, but many fears; no joys, but much distress. Is this part of God's plan with me? Can this be the way in which God would bring me to heaven?

Yes, it is even so. The eclipse of your faith, the darkness of your mind, the fainting of your hope, all these things are but parts of God's method of making you ripe for the great inheritance upon which you shall soon enter. These trials are for the testing and strengthening of your faith-they are waves that wash you further upon the rock-they are winds which waft your ship the more swiftly towards the desired haven. According to David's words, so it might be said of you, "so he bringeth them to their desired haven." By honour and dishonour, by evil report and by good report, by plenty and by poverty, by joy and by distress, by persecution and by peace, by all these things is the life of your souls maintained, and by each of these are you helped on your way. Oh, think not, believer, that your sorrows are out of God's plan; they are necessary parts of it. "We must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom." Learn, then, even to "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."

"O let my trembling soul be still,
And wait thy wise, thy holy will!
I cannot, Lord, thy purpose see,
Yet all is well since ruled by thee."

Here is a link to the Chapman blog with a video about Maria on it.

What is the thought this story leaves you with?

My thought is tax dollars being wasted.

Remembrances

July 19^th will mark the 5^th year anniversary of my mother dying.

In Christian circles we call it “going home” or other such terms, and they are true, but it doesn’t change the fact that my mother is no longer here with me. While we don’t mourn with no hope we still do mourn.

Merlin died a few months ago and I run into the same issues when I think about him that I do when I think about my Mom. Some of the clearest memories are the ones of them dying. The memories that stand out are them in the hospital never to leave. Their lifeless bodies lying there with tubes, eyes closed like they are sleeping, and me knowing that they will never be waking up again this side of paradise.

And that is not how I want to remember them.

I force myself to remember happier times when I think of them.

I think of Merlin sitting next to me on the arm of the chair watching sports with me. Merlin running along beside me as I carry some yummy canned cat food into the bedroom so I can close the door so the other cats can’t chase Merlin away from his treat.

Merlin with his meows that sound more like barks, the way his eyes get so wide when he would be playing with a toy. How we had to take some of his teeth out, due to improper blood flow we know now, and sometimes when he was playing with me he would try to bite me. I would be more worried that he was injuring himself by gumming my arm than I would be in pain.

I remember how gentle he was, how he would curl up by my pillow at night and sleep next to me. He had a specific spot he would sleep in, I could put him anywhere on the bed and he would go to that spot and lie down.

And for my mother, I think of corn on the cob fights. And indoor water fights. I think of her spraying us with the sink hose when we thought we had the upper hand. When I think of my mother I think of her reading the Prydain Cycle to my brother and me at night before bedtime, reading the Chronicles of Narnia. Knowing it was past our bedtime but all three of us wanted to see what happens next so we would continue on.

I think of the movie Alien. My brother and I were trying to watch this suspense filled movie in the living room and over in the dining room Mom was sewing using her sewing machine. We would be at a super scary part, leaned forward in the chairs, then suddenly, chug-chug-chug, the sewing machine would start up, causing weird lines to cross the TV screen. Even then it was funny.

Going for walks so we could talk to each other. I have such a clear recollection of the conversation when we started a new school and I didn’t like the people as much as I did at the old school. I remember camping, the three legged bear, campsite 74 that we always got, wasn’t super close to the road like 73 was, but still closer to the bathrooms than 75. Going to the beach for picnics, that is something I really miss now that I live somewhere with no beach nearby.

One memory that I can laugh about now was when Mom wanted some concrete sidewalk slabs for her garden path. Some people were tearing up their yard and they offered them to us if we dug them out and took them. We were using pitchforks to pry the slab up and I caught a pitchfork through the foot….well through the shoe actually. If went straight through so it was only in the sole. That was nice not having to go to the hospital, but my shoe made squishing noises when it rained from then on.

The time Mom got a metal stake stuck in her foot. I remember the circles that the doctor drew on her foot showing how far the infection had spread in her foot. I remember the joy I felt when the circles started to get smaller.

I remember when Dad wouldn’t participate in apple bobbing and so she splashed him. He got mad, at the time it wasn’t funny, but now I can’t help but grin since it showed how entirely different those two people are, but also how perfect they are for each other.

When I think of Dad when I was younger and Dad now after Mom had years to soften him up he is such a different person. Different in a good way.

The liquor story memory is one of my favorites. I had just got my license and I wanted to drive everywhere. So I drove Mom to the liquor store to pick up some wine. We were at the cash register and she had a memory lapse and couldn’t remember where the $20.00 bill was that she had brought to pay for the wine. She was digging through her purse looking in pocket after pocket trying to find it. The cashier had that look in his eyes like he wasn’t sure if he should be selling alcohol to some lady who was acting like she had one or two too many already.

When I sit and force myself to think of the happy times there are so many, too many to remember them all.

But mostly I think about corn on the cob fights.

I think I like this band

I know I like this song



Coheed And Cambria -In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth 3

Music to work to

Project 86 - The Spy Hunter

Letters to the President

I like this song, so I am posting it so that other people can like it too! Yay!!

Favorite Song of the Moment

I've really started to like this band, I heard one of their songs a few years ago and bought it from iTunes, then kinda forgot about them until recently when I picked up their album Letters to the President which had this song "From Underneath" on it.

This song is about the singer's father leaving when he was a child and him needing to forgive his father.

Hawk Nelson

"From Underneath"

From Underneath I wanted you
To see the first thing I ever poured my heart into
You'll never know the pain that I've been through
I'm not so sure you'll ever know
And so I'll make you understand the words that built my life
Were not from you, but from my father's hand

Do you remember that cold day in December
Leaving everything you knew behind
I may never know how it feels to stand beside you
Or take your hand when I need some direction
And I may never know what it's like to see you smile back at me
Or know you'd be proud of me

From underneath I promise to erase the past
And let my heart forgive the former you
Replace the dark of old and start brand new
I never thought I'd see the day
I walk toward the end of life and turn the other way
I'm reaching out to take my Father's hand

Spurgeon

Once everyone has subscribed at heartlight.org I will stop posting these....maybe not, this one is truly awesome

MORNING:

"And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him."

-- Luke 23:27

Amid the rabble rout which hounded the Redeemer to his doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish sought vent in wailing and lamentations-fit music to accompany that march of woe. When my soul can, in imagination, see the Saviour bearing his cross to Calvary, she joins the godly women and weeps with them; for, indeed, there is true cause for grief-cause lying deeper than those mourning women thought.

They bewailed innocence maltreated, goodness persecuted, love bleeding, meekness about to die; but my heart has a deeper and more bitter cause to mourn. My sins were the scourges which lacerated those blessed shoulders, and crowned with thorn those bleeding brows: my sins cried "Crucify him! crucify him!" and laid the cross upon his gracious shoulders. His being led forth to die is sorrow enough for one eternity: but my having been his murderer, is more, infinitely more, grief than one poor fountain of tears can express.

Why those women loved and wept it were not hard to guess: but they could not have had greater reasons for love and grief than my heart has. Nain's widow saw her son restored-but I myself have been raised to newness of life. Peter's wife's mother was cured of the fever-but I of the greater plague of sin. Out of Magdalene seven devils were cast-but a whole legion out of me. Mary and Martha were favoured with visits-but he dwells with me. His mother bare his body-but he is formed in me the hope of glory. In nothing behind the holy women in debt, let me not be behind them in gratitude or sorrow.

"Love and grief my heart dividing,
With my tears his feet I'll lave-
Constant still in heart abiding,
Weep for him who died to save."

Haiku for 2008

I know quite a few people who enjoy the "art" of haikuing so thought I would try one out. This will be my only haiku for 2008 so enjoy it people!

Writing good haikus
Is superbly hard to do
Refrigerator

---Fritz

Pancakes and Syrup....the silent killers

As some of you know I have been having some heart issues/worries. My heart will pound or race for what seemed like no reason at all. Recently I discovered a webpage talking about this issue. The most salient point to me was that if you eat a big meal on an empty stomach when your blood sugar is low it is like a shot of adrenaline to your heart. Since I don't like the feeling of my heart trying to escape my chest I tried to avoid eating large meals on an empty stomach.

However, it still continued to happen. A few nights ago I made pancakes for dinner and my heart raced all night. It was so bad it was keeping me awake, I barely slept.

So now I am on a new diet, no white. No more refined sugar, no more empty carbs, no more good food basically.

My rice and pasta are now brown, my soup is low sodium, and I drink decaff coffee.



Wheeeeee....

Stud Finder? Stud Found!

My sister scanned in some older pictures and sent them around via the wonder that is known as the internet.

I am 95% sure this is me, if it is my brother (or sister, babies are hard to tell sometimes) just ignore the title and be glad I didn't post this picture.*

I'm going to make this picture my wallpaper and stare at it anytime I think about gorging myself or when I don't feel like exercising or think about taking a picture of someone else when they are yawning.

Now, if you will excuse me, my Fiber One is calling.







*Yes, I do realize that I posted this picture after saying I wouldn't

Morning and Evening

MORNING

"Then all the disciples forsook him and fled."

-- Matthew 26:56

He never deserted them, but they in cowardly fear of their lives, fled from him in the very beginning of his sufferings. This is but one instructive instance of the frailty of all believers if left to themselves; they are but sheep at the best, and they flee when the wolf cometh. They had all been warned of the danger, and had promised to die rather than leave their Master; and yet they were seized with sudden panic, and took to their heels. It may be, that I, at the opening of this day, have braced up my mind to bear a trial for the Lord's sake, and I imagine myself to be certain to exhibit perfect fidelity; but let me be very jealous of myself, lest having the same evil heart of unbelief, I should depart from my Lord as the apostles did. It is one thing to promise, and quite another to perform. It would have been to their eternal honour to have stood at Jesus' side right manfully; they fled from honour; may I be kept from imitating them! Where else could they have been so safe as near their Master, who could presently call for twelve legions of angels? They fled from their true safety. O God, let me not play the fool also. Divine grace can make the coward brave.

The smoking flax can flame forth like fire on the altar when the Lord wills it. These very apostles who were timid as hares, grew to be bold as lions after the Spirit had descended upon them, and even so the Holy Spirit can make my recreant spirit brave to confess my Lord and witness for his truth.

What anguish must have filled the Saviour as he saw his friends so faithless! This was one bitter ingredient in his cup; but that cup is drained dry; let me not put another drop in it. If I forsake my Lord, I shall crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame. Keep me, O blessed Spirit, from an end so shameful.

EVENING:

"And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs

which fall from their master's table."

-- Matthew 15:27

This woman gained comfort in her misery by thinking GREAT THOUGHTS OF CHRIST. The Master had talked about the children's bread: "Now," argued she, "since thou art the Master of the table of grace, I know that thou art a generous housekeeper, and there is sure to be abundance of bread on thy table; there will be such an abundance for the children that there will be crumbs to throw on the floor for the dogs, and the children will fare none the worse because the dogs are fed." She thought him one who kept so good a table that all that she needed would only be a crumb in comparison; yet remember, what she wanted was to have the devil cast out of her daughter. It was a very great thing to her, but she had such a high esteem of Christ, that she said, "It is nothing to him, it is but a crumb for Christ to give." This is the royal road to comfort. Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace. "My sins are many, but oh! it is nothing to Jesus to take them all away. The weight of my guilt presses me down as a giant's foot would crush a worm, but it is no more than a grain of dust to him, because he has already borne its curse in his own body on the tree. It will be but a small thing for him to give me full remission, although it will be an infinite blessing for me to receive it." The woman opens her soul's mouth very wide, expecting great things of Jesus, and he fills it with his love. Dear reader, do the same. She confessed what Christ laid at her door, but she laid fast hold upon him, and drew arguments even out of his hard words; she believed great things of him, and she thus overcame him. SHE WON THE VICTORY BY BELIEVING IN HIM. Her case is an instance of prevailing faith; and if we would conquer like her, we must imitate her tactics.

New song and update

Update:

Carrie is still in pain all the time, it isn't as bad as it has been, but she still hasn't been able to leave the house in over a month. We received a call from a surgeon's office who asked us some questions about stuff and we had the MRIs sent over to them so we are waiting for them to call us back. Hopefully he will deign to help us.

- - - - - -


We sang this at church yesterday and I thought it was pretty awesome.

I couldn't find a good version on youtube so you will just have to click the link.

"I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)"

by Chris Tomlin



I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Chorus:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

I Am Legend Alternative Ending

Someone at work sent this to me today and I am trying to figure out which ending I like more, the theatrical ending or the original ending. So I thought I would post the original ending and see if my esteemed readers had an opinion.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/03/05/must-watch-i-am-legends-original-ending-this-is-amazing/

Click the link, also read what the author has to say regarding this ending, I find his thoughts interesting.

Perfect Timing

"My grace is sufficient for thee."

-- 2 Corinthians 12:9

If none of God's saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, "Still will I trust in the Lord;" when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh! what honour it reflects on the gospel. God's grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring-that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as he is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night-I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm; the tempest must rage about it, and then I shall know whether it will stand. So with the Spirit's work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, stedfast,

unmoveable,-

"Calm mid the bewildering cry,

Confident of victory."

He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God.

As for his failing you, never dream of it-hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.

Trip to the Doctor

Went to the pain specialist today, they weren't able to help us much, which was mostly expected. We will be going to a surgeon at some point in the future, hopefully soon. It appears Carrie might be stuck in the middle, it is too bad that the epidural injections and physical therapy don't seem to help, but not bad enough that a surgeon really wants to get involved.

If the surgeon doesn't want to do anything we will be back to square one, left wondering where God's plan is leading us.

Since I love music so much, I'll add this song to the post.




Lord (I Don't Know)

You are the author of knowledge
You can redeem what's been done
You hold the present and all that's to come
Until your everlasting kingdom

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

You are the God of tomorrow
Turning the darkness to dawn
Lifting the hopeless with hope to go on
You are the rock of all salvation

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

Oh, Lord, you are the author
Redeeming what's been done
You hold us in the present
And all that is to come

Lord, we don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead us to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

Update

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who sent us cards and emails regarding Merlin. They were all appreciated greatly.



Here is the Carrie update:


She is still in constant pain, of course, but it isn't as bad as it was on Friday. The doctor relented and prescribed a narcotic pain reliever again and it has really helped Carrie. We were also able to pick up another medicine on Sunday that really helps her as well. So Carrie has been able to sleep again, which is good.

We still need to find a pain doctor or neurosurgeon who will be willing to listen to us and not dismiss us like all the others did so we can find a permanent solution for this problem.

Thank you all for your prayers. Don't stop now.

Though There's Pain in the Offering

The elders came over last night and prayed over us. While nothing miraculously was healed last night we were encouraged. I suppose feeling up and down is part of life.

We could really use something good to happen in this situation soon. I don't understand why God has planned this route for us, but I promised that I would trust Him, even though I need His help to do so. There is so much proof that He loves us and has sacrificed so much for us that I refuse to believe that He has abandoned us.

Nothing Ever Happens

This song keeps running through my head.


For those who I haven't told yet this past week has been absolutely awful. Carrie's doctor has taken her off most of her pain medicine and we were worried at one point that she was going to no longer prescribe pain medication. Starting last Thursday, life started getting bad and it just kept going downhill from there. As I look back over the past week at the string of horrible events that just keep piling on top of each other I am amazed and astonished and I cling to the story of Job.

Carrie is now in constant agony, neither of us are getting any sleep, and there is nothing I can do to make her better.

I repeat to Carrie and myself that God is good, this is going according to His plan and that His plan is good and that we have to continue to have faith and trust and love Him. Somedays I believe it, other days it is harder. I pray the prayer of the father in the Gospels to "help my unbelief".

The elders are coming over tonight to anoint Carrie and pray over her for healing. I keep struggling with the fact that while I know that God can heal her, I just don't believe that He will, and that is why this song keeps running through my head.

Artist: Sufjan Stevens

Title: Casimir Pulaski Day

Album: Illinois

Golden rod and the 4-H stone
The things I brought you
When I found out you had cancer of the bone

Your father cried on the telephone
And he drove his car to the Navy yard
Just to prove that he was sorry

In the morning through the window shade
When the light pressed up against your shoulder blade
I could see what you were reading

Oh the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications you could do without
When I kissed you on the mouth

Tuesday night at the Bible study
We lift our hands and pray over your body
But nothing ever happens

I remember at Michael's house
In the living room when you kissed my neck
And I almost touched your blouse

In the morning at the top of the stairs
When your father found out what we did that night
And you told me you were scared

Oh the glory when you ran outside
With your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied
And you told me not to follow you

Sunday night when I cleaned the house
I find the card where you wrote it out
With the pictures of your mother

On the floor at the great divide
With my shirt tucked in and my shoes untied
I am crying in the bathroom

In the morning when you finally go
And the nurse runs in with her head hung low
And the cardinal hits the window

In the morning in the winter shade
On the first of March on the holiday
I thought I saw you breathing

Oh the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications when I see His face
In the morning in the window

Oh the glory when He took our place
But He took my shoulders and He shook my face
And He takes and He takes and He takes

Merlin

We just got back from having to put Merlin to sleep tonight.

Best Super Bowl Commercials

These two are my favorites with the squirrel one being my favorite that I actually laughed out loud when i saw it. But the baby and the clown is pretty awesome too. Anyway, here they are:





And the squirrel:



Still makes me chuckle.

Wow, I forgot one that was awesome too:



Build a better mousetrap.

Neat video

This is the band called Mute Math, their video for this song "Typical" was shot in reverse. They then went on the Jimmy Kimmel show and did this performance.




After you watch that, check this out, it is their performance not in reverse, they must have practiced a ton.




Forgive my 4th grade English, I have not been in this country long this year.

Mostly for my father

Of course I'm sure there are others out there who like these simple free games. But anyway, here is this year's list of 101 Free Games.

Today's "Morning" from Charles Spurgeon

"I will help thee, saith the Lord."

-- Isaiah 41:14

This morning let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: "I will help thee." "It is but a small thing for me, thy God, to help thee. Consider what I have done already. What! not help thee? Why, I bought thee with my blood. What! not help thee? I have died for thee; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less? Help thee! It is the least thing I will ever do for thee; I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose thee. I made the covenant for thee. I laid aside my glory and became a man for thee; I gave up my life for thee; and if I did all this, I will surely help thee now. In helping thee, I am giving thee what I have bought for thee already. If thou hadst need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it thee; thou requirest little compared with what I am ready to give. 'Tis much for thee to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. 'Help thee?' Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of thy granary asking for help, it would not ruin thee to give him a handful of thy wheat; and thou art nothing but a tiny insect at the door of my all-sufficiency. 'I will help thee.'"

O my soul, is not this enough? Dost thou need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity? Dost thou want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit? Bring hither thine empty pitcher! Surely this well will fill it. Haste, gather up thy wants, and bring them here-thine emptiness, thy woes, thy needs. Behold, this river of God is full for thy supply; what canst thou desire beside? Go forth, my soul, in this thy might. The Eternal God is thine helper!

"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismay'd!

I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid."

Giving it the Green Light

Firstly, everyone check out this website and watch at least the first video. There is no way you will look at stuff "Made in China" again. I also suspect you might just be a little more thankful for all the good things God has done for you.

Now on to personal things, I took Merlin to the vet on Friday and discovered that he has heart disease, he is only 6 so that was not the most welcome news. I have medicine that I give him everyday to keep him comfortable for however long he has left, but at least he is back home and not stuck in some strange vet's office.

I also am heading to the hospital in about 15 minutes to have a heart monitor put on me to see if I have a rapid heartbeat. Logically, I know that I am mostly ok, but when your heart is doing weird stuff it is hard to think logically. I'll keep you all posted on this situation.

Hail to the Geek

This is for all those who embrace their inner geekdom and for those who try to pretend they aren't.

There are a couple crudities in the song so I am refraining from posting the lyrics on my blog here since I have some standards, but I will link to the lyrics if you don't mind one or two bad words.

Merry Christmas!!

A co-worker gave this to me the other day, it is now displayed proudly on my desk. If you haven't seen The Nightmare Before Christmas you definitely should.....by the end of the day, one of my favorite movies ever.

Shadow of the Day

The actual video can't be embedded so here is the song itself:




If you want to watch the video click here.

The song is rather moody I think and I kind of like it. However it is incredibly sad when you watch the video and see the message of the song, a message that would be completely different if God wasn't taken out of the equation.

Looking at the never ending evil in the world can only bring one of two responses, and Linkin Park obviously went for the wrong one.

Song of the Moment

Leeland - Yes, You Have

I want one!!

From Half-Life 2

It's for the kids!

This is pretty doggone funny.

Party of Parties

This was yesterday's sermon at my church. I found it to be brilliant, many people found it joyously moving.

Check it out.

New Life Sermons


I'm curious if others like it as much as I did.

Seeker - Sensitive Dreck

Let me but upfront about this, I despise seeker sensitive churches, using the common usage of this term. These churches, just to paint with a broad stroke, wastes their Sunday mornings preaching sermons to the 4 people who were dragged there by their family members in the hopes that one of them will "Convert" to being another person sitting in the pew who isn't being taught anything since that person is now "saved" and can now be ignored.

The incredibly sad part about all this is that there is a church in my area that proclaims itself seeker-friendly, then this very same church closed its doors on Christmas since being there for the seekers was just too doggone hard that day!

Anyway, just as I saw a study that suggests that people are more irritable when they don't get enough sleep comes this report that not teaching what Christ demands we do is failing to bring people to true salvation.

Yes, I am stunned as well.

Here is a quote from the story:

"Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn’t helping people that much. Other things that we didn’t put that much money into and didn’t put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."

This is what happens when foolish man decides that he is wiser than an all-powerful and all-knowing God. This is the idiocy that occurs when we turn our backs on God and instead use poll data to decide how we are to run our churches. Hopefully truth will be learned from this pile of horsepoopie that "seeker-friendly" churches have created.

Read the rest of the article here.

David Crowder Band - Remedy

Here we are
Here we are
The broken and used
Mistreated, abused
Here we are

Here You are
Here You are
The beautiful one
Who came like a Son
Here You are

So we lift up our voices
We open our hands
To cling to the love
That we can’t comprehend

Oh, lift up your voices
And lift up your heads
To sing of the love
That has freed us from sin

He is the one
Who has saved us
He is the one
Who embraced us
He is the one who has come
And is coming again
He’s the remedy

Here we are
Here we are
Bandaged and bruised
Awaiting a cure
Here we are

Here You are
Here You are
Our beautiful King
Bringing relief
Here You are with us

So we lift up our voices
And open our hands
Let go of the things
That have kept us from Him

He is the one
Who has saved us
He is the one
Who forgave us
He is the one who has come
And is coming again
He’s the remedy


Oh, I can’t comprehend
I can’t take it all in
Never understand
Such perfect love come
For the broken and beat
For the wounded and weak
Oh, come fall at His feet
He’s the remedy
He’s the remedy

So sing, sing

You are the one
Who has saved us
You are the one
Who forgave us
You are the one who has come
And is coming again
To make it alright
Oh, to make it alright
You’re the remedy
Oh, in us
You’re the remedy

Let us be the remedy
Let us bring the remedy

When it Doesn't Feel Like We are Winning

There is a David Crowder song called "We Win!" It is a very upbeat song reminding us that the outcome is assured, that this great war that we are a part of has already been won, not by our weak means but by the strength of our Savior.

Right now there is a funeral at my church for a 25 year old woman who was murdered in her home last week. She is the daughter of one of the elders of the church. At this moment I'm feeling a bit down, not really down, just sad for the family. I haven't been going to the church long enough to have known her, she moved to Nashville with her husband a few years back, or to really know the elder or his family, yet I feel their pain.

To some extent, all of us who have lost someone very close to us can commiserate, but on the other hand we can't. What can you say to the grieving mother who has to come to grips with the fact that her daughter is dead all because someone decided that his or her life would be better if she were dead.

Or how do you console the father who was unable to protect his child, even though that is what we men do, we protect our families, but at this point he was unable to since she lived several states away.

Or what to say to explain to her siblings who won't be able to grow old with their sister? Or her friends?

Our pastor read from Isaiah 57:15 last week and it was very fitting.

" 15 For this is what the high and lofty One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite."

Our God who ordains all things has caused this tragedy to come to pass. He promises us that all things work for good for His children, but He also knows that things will be hard.

A thing of great comfort to me is that we do not serve a lofty God who commands from the rear and is distant. Our God isn't the king who has become great on the backs of his slaves, rather He became lowly to make us great. There is not a tragedy or pain that He has not already felt for us. There is not a sorrow or test that He has not overcome. But even our great Savior understands the feeling of sorrow and loss.

He wept over Lazarus and cried out His anguish over the path He was to take to the cross.

Even now as the funeral is going on and there is so much pain He is there for His children, comforting us and promising us that even this will be good and is a vital part of the victory, even though it doesn't feel like it.

Speaking My Language

From the same website that taught us how to be Christian Gentlemen without reading the Bible comes a fantastic article on money and riches from a pseudo-Joel Olsteen perspective.

How to Use God to Get What You Want

The article is filled with sarcasm and mockery, ergo, I love it.

Lo Pro

Song called "Sunday"

Trying to Stay Humble

So I saw the doctor today for a check-up. He wanted to see how well I was healing from the surgery.

So I got to drop my pants and kneel on the table that rose into the air so the "spreader" could do her job and allow the doctor to see my rectum well. The use of the nearby butt light was put to good use as well.

"Hmm, very nice, looking good," the doctor says while staring at my exposed sphincter.

I felt a burst of pride, I had a good looking sphincter! Very tough to stay humble after a compliment like that one I can assure you!

Assure....maybe not the best word choice there....

New Blog

So I added a new blog to my list of links. If the author, Germy as I will call him, fails as a blog writer I have no issues with yanking him and putting in a relief blogger, maybe someone like Curt Schilling.

Check him out, his first post mocking the Pirates is pretty good.........amazingly.

I'm not saying, just saying....

Apparently my hemorrhoid was the source of strength for the two football teams I follow.

Record of the Penn State Nittany Lions and the San Fransisco 49ers before removal of hemorrhoid:

5 wins and 0 losses

Record of both teams after removal:

o wins and 4 losses.

Odd....very odd.....

What I Said at My Granddaughter's Funeral

By John Piper

Link to Website

I had the privilege of sitting with my family while Tom Steller and Sam Crabtree ministered to us at the funeral of Felicity Margaret Piper who was stillborn at full term on September 22, 2007. Her father Abraham asked me to speak for five minutes on “A Granddaddy’s Thoughts.” Here is what I said.

I didn’t know Felicity Margaret. My experience of her life was entirely through other people for nine months. And my experience of her death, even though it was physically immediate and touchable, has been emotionally experienced almost entirely through other people.

So at this moment, what it means for me to be Felicity’s grandfather is that I am living this loss almost entirely through other people’s experience of this loss. And because of my love for all these people, there is a powerful sweetness in this pain.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have tasted her loss through my daughters-in-law, her aunts Shelly, Melissa, and Lesley. The measure of her worth and the greatness of her loss have been written on your faces, and they are the more beautiful for it.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt her loss in the shattered expectation of her aunt Talitha, my daughter. It was not easy to go to school on Monday. But you and Mommy made a good plan with the school counselor to inform the teachers and students. And now, in a way you never expected, your heart is knit together with Dasia whose little brother Zach was killed by the dog a month ago.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt her loss through her uncles and my sons Karsten, Benjamin, and Barnabas. I broke the news to each of you and watched all your plans change. You are good brothers to each other. And I cannot tell you how much I love the tears and embraces of strong men.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt her loss through her grandmother, my wife Noël. Strange and wonderful. Your tears came slowly and have increased. Mine came quickly and have decreased. Almost the story of our lives. Thank you for knitting Felicity’s blanket, and weeping as you decided to give it to her anyway.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt the loss through her mother, my daughter-in-law Molly. For her entire life she depended on you more than anyone. You fed her, you cleansed her, you supported her, you protected her, you knew her better than anyone. The grace that God has given you to love her greatly and let her go is amazing. Christ is on display in your life.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt the loss through her father, my son Abraham. The words from Saturday morning’s phone call are cut into my heart, “Daddy, we lost the baby.” Nothing, Abraham, has gone deeper inside of me than your loss.

Being Felicity’s grandfather means that I have felt the loss through her great grandfather, my father Bill Piper. And this experience is totally different from all the others. In this case, the loss is all gain. My father died six months and sixteen days before Felicity did. I believe the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ covers the sins of all who trust him and all who are not old enough to trust him here but will trust him later.

Therefore, I believe Felicity and her great grandfather met each other early Sunday morning in the presence of Christ. And my father said, perhaps, “Hello, Felicity. I’m your great grandfather Piper. Come, there is somebody I want you to meet. His name is Jesus. He’s the reason you’re here. You don’t need to be afraid. Your Savior has led you all the way. And Jesus does all things well.”

Pretty Funny

Wanted: Midfielder


Check it out.

Funny Stuff

Fantastic Rant

Just a bit of background here. The Quarterback for the Oklahoma State football team was demoted to backup since things were not working well. A member of the media wrote some not nice things about the quarterback in an article about the team. The coach got mad since since his players are amateur players and called a press conference.

I think what the coach does is fantastic. Many of these guys look to the coach as a father figure since, sadly, they didn't have one growing up and this guy is defending his guy. He even talks about his players as if they are his children. Anyway, I applaud this guy for doing what he did, maybe he could have done it differently, but it will hopefully remind the next writer about to write mean things about a college player that they are indeed amateurs and they do need to be treated differently.

Listen at the end for the applause from the people as he leaves. I'm not the only one who agrees with the coach.

Of Hemorrhoids and Heart Palpitations

I went poo! I went poo! The Lord does answer prayer!



.........uhhhhh........



Maybe I should start at the beginning......

I hadn't been to the doctor in years as of mid August 2007. My wife had wanted me to go get a family doctor all set up in case something happened, which is a good idea, it just wasn't working out for me.

Then, one day, I had a literal pain in the butt. We were a little nervous until we found out it was merely an extremely painful external hemorrhoid. Looks like it is definitely time to go to the doctor now. And I say "merely" since the first thought that jumps into everyone's head when there is a lump is cancer. Those who suffer from these awful afflictions know there is nothing "mere" about them.

So I go to the doctor and get some medicine prescribed. Some really fun medicine that you have to shove into your rear and make you feel like crap. They turn all gooey and, just to be perfectly honest about this, if you have to release gas you feel like you might have just crapped your pants.

Anyway, the medicine wasn't working and it made me feel lousy. But at least I could still go to the gym and exercise. I like to play racquetball, its a good workout and fun which is really quite amazing since most things that are good for you are rather boring.

Last Monday when I left the gym my heart started racing and beating VERY hard. I could see my shirt moving from the force of my heart pounding. I was sure that it would just explode at any moment. I sat in my car and waited for it to slow down but it didn't. I remember praying, "Lord, I don't really want to die in this parking lot."

I figured I should call 911 and I got my phone out, but then the accounting side of me took over and I figured I would just drive. If it didn't stop by the time I reached the hospital I would go in.

It didn't.

As soon as I told the nurse what was going on they grabbed me a wheelchair and wheeled me into the back. They asked me the heart attack questions which I must have answered correctly since they then decided to ignore me.

The pounding stopped.

It was so sudden that I was worried my heart had just stopped working. After having it pound that hard for 20 minutes I wasn't used to it not being so noticeable. I started thinking that since I hadn't been checked in yet they couldn't bill me. So I got up and told them I was leaving. I figured if it was something serious they would have had a doctor over to see me by now...and really, it was the Pekin hospital, chances were that they would kill me trying to treat me anyway.

So I went back to the doctor and had an EKG done, of course everything was normal. We also scheduled a time to see a surgeon about my other issue, one that wasn't so life threatening but still rather painful.

I went to the butt surgeon on Thursday and he decided just to remove it in his office that day. Nothing is quite as humbling as kneeling on a table with three people looking at your rear. I need to start sun tanning nude.

He walked up in front and said to me, "I'm not going to lie, the shot is going to hurt."

It did.

He showed me the removed hemorrhoid, if was nasty looking. But I felt great....until the anesthetic wore off. Fortunately my boss and my wife had convinced me to go home since they figured I would start hurting badly soon.

It is almost comical now. I was whimpering in pain on Thursday night each time I had to pass gas. I was doped up on pain medicine, drinking Metamucil and taking stool softeners.

In the midst of this week of facing death in a parking lot and having a large pain in the rear, just to prove that God does indeed have a sense of humor I had a filling crack and had to have it replaced.

This was done Thursday morning so by the time my face un-numbed I was getting my butt numbed. Growing older is fun!

On Friday I used the Sitz Bath I had been told to get by the doctors. Anytime you have to add an attachment to your toilet you know that you are definitely not ever going to be on 90210, your coolness days are over.

The pain had made me constipated too. even with the Metamucil and stool softeners. I was getting worried and not feeling all that great.

This morning I woke up prayed:

"Lord, you are so powerful and can do anything, I would really like to be able to go to the bathroom, could you let that happen?"

Really now, what a great God we have that we can ask for anything. I doubt that a Muslim ever prayed that prayer, he is probably worried he will have one of his 70 raisins taken away.

So, about an hour ago I went to the bathroom, causing me much joy, so much so that I had to come here and type this whole story out...while sitting gingerly on a donut.

Was There a Second Matrix Movie?

I know only one person will care that I put this back up, but here it is:

The only good part of the Matrix Reloaded

Yeah, this was taken on my phone so sorry for the quality.

In Christ Alone

We sing this song at church sometimes, not often enough for my tastes though. I meant to post this at Easter when we first sang it but I couldn't remember enough of it to Google the lyrics. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it is a Newsboys song. Anyway, here is the song with the lyrics below. It sums up the wonderful Gospel better than I imagined possible in a song.




Newsboys - In Christ Alone Lyrics


In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

More to come....

Geico has a new ad campaign going. As more of them get posted to youtube.com I'll post them here.

Sports Weekend

Penn State throttled Notre Dame, Michigan got embarrassed at home for the second week in a row and Chicago lost. All that is need is a 49er victory to make this a perfect sports weekend.

It amuses me, and really fits my personality, that there are fewer teams that I root for to do well than there are teams that I hope fail miserably.

It makes sense since there are also more people I root for to fail than people I hope succeed. Crazy how that works.

10 Qualities of a Christian Gentleman

It was with great excitement that I clicked this link I found at another blog. I couldn't wait to see what issues the author was going to tackle. Instead I found one of the most moronic lists ever created since the Top 10 Bowel Movements of All Time list.

Here it is. Out of the 10 points the author states only a few didn't make me want to puke in a bucket due to the idiocy displayed therein...as such.

At least he got Punctual and Chivalrous correct. I like how in his list he appears to use the least amount of Scripture as possible to make his case for each point. Out of 10 points he has 3 verses....and this is meant to be a Christian guide to life.

Maybe I should be gentler, his heart is in the right place. And there are issues that need to be addressed.

People "wearing khaki cargo shorts, a t-shirt, flip-flops and some kind of surfer necklace to every occasion in life" is definitely an issue. And people who are not on time make me want to beat my (or their) head into a wall. And really, we spend far too much time absorbed in ourselves and not thinking about others (the opposite of chivalry).....maybe i agree with this guy more than I think....

Eh...the list is still dumb overall.

Let me just explain my biggest issue with the list. His assumption that in order to be a gentleman you have to:

1) Be well educated
2) Be able to converse intelligently on many subjects
3) Dress nicely

Pretty much this means that in the country of Darfur right now there are no gentlemen. This is such a Western assumption that stupid hick Southerners are not real gentlemen since they dropped out of school in 10th grade. The list seems more like the author:

A) Preaching to some sort of choir
B) Being a preening shmoe looking in a mirror wanting to make his Master's Degree in Geography worth something and the fact that he can converse on the ins and outs of banana exports in Ghandi.

Awesome Podcast

For Penn State fans. And probably for those not Penn State fans too. I've meant to add this to my links but I keep forgetting too.

It is two ex-players chatting about last week's game and the upcoming schedule for the Nittany Lions. One of the podcasts I look forward to every wekk.

http://psupodcast.blogspot.com/

Blast from the Past - Chubb Chubb Style

Only good part about Men In Black II - aside from when it finally ended.

Be sure to watch until after the credits for a slightly amusing moment that was still funnier than The Wild Wild West.

Favorite Song of the Moment

Remember that if you like this song you can always purchase the CD!

What a Day

It is not yet 3:00 and my day is complete.

Penn State won and Michigan lost. I really don't see how it can get better than this.

This is for Matilda (A Michael Vick Wrap-Up)

Let me just clear a few things here, firstly to Anonymous who posted:

"Just shut up...People are tired of hearing you Michael Vick apologists. He did it, he is a cruel sadistic animal, face it, live with it, and watch him go to jail--"

The reason I called him a "complete and utter fool" was due to the fact that he obviously didn't actually read the article I linked to. I'm not defending Michael Vick, what I am saying is that the punishment he receives for this crime is ridiculous when compared to the punishments for other crimes committed.

I am going to agree with Ms. Barb though in that comparing the Ray Lewis case and the Michael Vick case might not work out the best due to the circumstances.

But let's take a closer look at what occurred.

Michael Vick killed 8 dogs and caused many others to be abused. In the same time frame that he killed 8 dogs starting in 2002, in that same time period it is estimate by the CDC that far more than 5,000,000 babies were murdered.

When Michael Vick stands before God, next to an abortion doctor who most definitely hindered the children from coming to Jesus, I suspect that the wrath of God will be much more kindled against a man who slaughtered thousands of helpless children rather than a guy who killed 8 dogs.

Mike Tyson roams the streets a free man, he is in some comedy skits and he even tried a boxing comeback after being in jail for seven years. His crime? He raped a young woman. He destroyed her life and for that got seven years in jail and now is regarded as a clownish figure. It is hard for me to compare the rape of a woman and the killing of a dog and say that it makes sense that Tyson got seven years and the max Michael Vick could get is six years.

How did our priorities get so screwed up that the head of Enron is the devil to some people, meanwhile since 1990 more children have been murdered in the U.S. than Stalin and Hitler killed combined during their reigns of terror.

We let rapists walk the streets, child molesters given third and fourth chances, murdering "doctors" are hailed as heroes by some, yet let's all pile on Michael Vick who killed a dog.

Our culture is so messed up, we mock the Egyptians for worshiping cats as gods, yet what are we doing here? Are we not placing a higher value on the life of a dog than the life of a human? How messed up is it that killing a dog inhumanely brings jail time while killing a baby brings a paycheck?

One thing of hope to leave on, in 2 Chronicles God speaks to Solomon and says this:

"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

We don't need the anti-life abortion Nazis to repent for our land to be healed, merely the Church does. We can sway the direction of this country by rooting out sin in our own lives and demanding righteousness from our leaders. If we all focused more on God and less on ourselves maybe some of these issues plaguing and destroying this nation will be healed.

Or we could just keep going the way we are going and hope that God's wrath won't fall on us in our lifetime, kinda sucks for the children though...at least the ones who make it to birth.

I Am Constance

I have added this to my links.

Constance is a real girl who was kidnapped and sold into prostitution slavery at the age of 13 in the Philippines.

Click here to view the site and the video which was done my Mr. J. Medeiros.

I really liked what I heard of him so I decided to support him and his cause and purchase his CD for $10.00. Ten bucks! Less than 71 cents per song and I am really liking it.

He is partnered with XXXchurch.com in fighting the pornography industry, in fact it was through the XXXchurch podcast Dirty Little Secrets (it is an explicit podcast since they talk about real issues without mincing words) that I discovered Mr. J.

Anyway, check out The Procussions myspace page for some more Mr. J. and also check out The Procussions as well.

It is rare to find good Christian hip-hop so even if you kinda like it or if you just want to help support his cause purchase a CD, through his website preferably, that way he gets all the money.

Be sure to read Constance's story and the stories of others who have been put through hell on earth so some people can make a few bucks.

I just re-read this post and it really sounds amateurish doesn't it? Like I'm a 14 year-old writing for the first time....I must just be tired, I meant to write something good today, apparently I failed at that, but at least the information got out.

Random Thought About the Bible

The first part of 1 Chronicles is for the most part rather boring. There is much listing of Officers and what not and very little stuff that is actually interesting to read.

One of the exceptions:

1 Chronicles 21

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

1 Chronicles 21:13

"13 And David said to God, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” "

Dog Murder or People Murder?

TMQ brings up an excellent point in comparing Ray Lewis and Michael Vick. Why are more people screaming for Vick to be made an example of for first time cruelty to animals while Ray Lewis got 15 days in prison for not stopping the murder of two people, and not reporting it either.

I love animals but this does seem a bit crazy.

Care for a Chuckle?

I wish I had a DS.

Happy Birthday Old People!

We all get older, creeping inexorably closer to that time when we will all wear diapers...again. One of my few joys in life is that my brother is older than I. In fact he has reached the decrepit stage on this very day! He has turned 30. 30 is a scary number for someone in their 20s. It seems old even when it is less than two years away.

30.

Some people who are in their 30s try to pretend that they are still young, what a sham. They aren't fooling anyone. What is more pathetic than a 38 year-old trying to be "hip"? Really. Embrace the fact that you are in your thirties.

These days it seems that people want to pretend they are young right up until the point that they keel over dancing the Macarena at their 97th birthday party...trying to pick up chicks.

There are so many great things about growing older. I don't know what they are, but I'm sure one of you ancient people out there can let me know what they are at some point.

Happy birthday old older brother!

And happy birthday to my sweet sister who is still young...i.e. 26...or is it 27? I'm pretty sure 26, I'll stick with that one.

Required Reading

Don't read this fast, savor it like a fine wine, sounding each word slowly in your mind, really get the feeling of what is going on. It is fabulous. Who do we really have to fear?

2 Kings 19:8-35

8 Then the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish. 9 And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “Look, he has come out to make war with you.” So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11 Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?’”
14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: “O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. 17 Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone.”

The Word of the LORD Concerning Sennacherib

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’ 21 This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him:

‘The virgin, the daughter of Zion,
Has despised you, laughed you to scorn;
The daughter of Jerusalem
Has shaken her head behind your back!

22 ‘ Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?
Against whom have you raised your voice,
And lifted up your eyes on high?
Against the Holy One of Israel.

23 By your messengers you have reproached the Lord,
And said: “By the multitude of my chariots
I have come up to the height of the mountains,
To the limits of Lebanon;
I will cut down its tall cedars
And its choice cypress trees;
I will enter the extremity of its borders,
To its fruitful forest.

24 I have dug and drunk strange water,
And with the soles of my feet I have dried up
All the brooks of defense.”

25 ‘Did you not hear long ago
How I made it,
From ancient times that I formed it?
Now I have brought it to pass,
That you should be
For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins.

26 Therefore their inhabitants had little power;
They were dismayed and confounded;
They were as the grass of the field
And the green herb,
As the grass on the housetops
And grain blighted before it is grown.

27 ‘But I know your dwelling place,
Your going out and your coming in,
And your rage against Me.

28 Because your rage against Me and your tumult
Have come up to My ears,
Therefore I will put My hook in your nose
And My bridle in your lips,
And I will turn you back
By the way which you came.
29 ‘This shall be a sign to you:
You shall eat this year such as grows of itself,
And in the second year what springs from the same;
Also in the third year sow and reap,
Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.

30 And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah
Shall again take root downward,
And bear fruit upward.

31 For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant,
And those who escape from Mount Zion.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts^[a] will do this.’
32 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:

‘He shall not come into this city,
Nor shoot an arrow there,
Nor come before it with shield,
Nor build a siege mound against it.

33 By the way that he came,
By the same shall he return;
And he shall not come into this city,’
Says the LORD.

34 ‘For I will defend this city, to save it
For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’”

Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death

35 And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel^[b] of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.

A Blog Post to Read

Between the pictures and wonderful use of the English language, this post about mornings and coffee is great to look at and read, at least I think so.

Invisible Rope

New Wallpaper

Yep, this is indeed a post about the new wallpaper on my laptop, really. Normally I just grab something purty and peaceful and let it go, but this picture from Interfacelift.com is just fantastic.

Matt Mosher took the picture and posted it, I feel like I have a window to a beautiful lake. I wish I could jump through the monitor and go canoing like I used to at Lake Mattawamkeag.

In case you are curious, we used to camp in the southern section, in the middle cove I believe.

Don't forget to click the Satellite link to actually see the tiny islands.

Relient-K

As they were driving in Pennsylvania their bus caught on fire. They were all asleep (except for the driver) who managed to rouse them all and get them out unscathed. Here is the tale and some musings about the event from the band's blog.

Dogfighting

NFL Quarterback wannabe Michael Vick was recently indicted on charges relating to dogfighting. I have seen videos of dogfights and they are repugnant and disgusting. The people cheering the dogs on as they attempt to kill each other for no reason other than bets placed should all be shot in my opinion.

When I worked at the Humane Society studies like these were taken seriously, we had posters hanging that stated the fact that most child abusers were animal abusers first. This only makes sense since they had to get their start somewhere. I have troubles believing that one day someone wakes up and says, "I think I want to molest children today."

There has to be a beginning for this and studies seem to show that there is a link.

ERGO:

Animal abusers, like people who force dogs to fight each other for no reason, should all be put down like their dogs have to be in order to prevent the possibility of further harm to society.

Here is a list of the ways that dogs on Michael Vick's property were dealt with when they either lost a fight or (gasp) were unwilling to fight.

From the San Fransisco Chronicle:

""Some of the grisly details in these filings shocked even me, and I'm a person who faces this stuff every day," he said. "I was surprised to see that they were killing dogs by hanging them and one dog was killed by slamming it to the ground. Those are extremely violent methods of execution — they're unnecessary and just sick.""

Also, from the same story:


"About eight young dogs were put to death at the Surry County home after they were found not ready to fight in April 2007, the indictment said. They were killed "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

The indictment also outlined a rough chronology:

_ In March 2003, after a pit bull from Bad Newz Kennels lost in a fight, it said Peace consulted with Vick about the losing dog's condition, then executed it by wetting it with water and electrocuting it;"

Just as rapists and murderers should be put down these people, if found guilty of this horrible crime, should not be allowed to continue on with a slap on the wrist. The maximum penalty for this is 6 years in prison and $350,00.00 in fines, seems incredibly light for people who cruelly and callously killed dogs by hanging since they refused to fight.

Reminder

Sometimes it is good to be reminded that we do serve a powerful, spiritual, mystical, and mysterious God. One Who is not held back by the laws of physics or what we weak humans can comprehend.

That is what the Flyleaf testimony did for me, God is great and strong, not weak, pathetic, and wringing His hands hoping we do what he had planned. He controls the universe, He did not set it in motion and sit back.

He is a hands-on type of God, His presence can be seen throughout Creation and felt powerfully on Sunday mornings.

Testimonial

I was going to be witty, but it just seemed wrong by the time I finished watching this.

Caveat

The "Breathe Today" video isn't the same version of the song I have on my CD of Flyleaf, so the version you hear isn't the Insanely Awesome (TM) version sadly.

Flyleaf Goodness

All Around Me



I'm So Sick (Live)



Cassie (Accoustic)



Breath Today - An insanely awesome song



I'm So Sick



Fully Alive

Standing On Line for a Movie

And the Best Trailer....(since it has Spider-Pig)

New Favorite Website

Will It Blend?



Ever wanted to see an iPhone put through a blender? Click Here!!

I Can Title This Now!!

Apparently I can't type titles to my posts at the moment...

Anyway, just a few things, firstly, I give you the Fallout 3 Trailer:



Secondly, I give you a quick review of Transformers.

If you liked Transformers (the toys and cartoon) go watch this movie, if you like giant robots beating the snot out of each other, go see this movie. This is one of the few movies I would recommend seeing in a theater since it is so big and loud and destruction filled.

Ok, time to get back to working on how to get a post title going..