What do We do When it All Falls Apart?

Our lives are filled with so much frustration and difficulty sometimes. Most of the time it is of our making, but not always. The question becomes, what do we do with them? When our world starts to fall apart, what do we do? How do we handle it?

The job that i currently have to pay the bills is one dealing with people. It is a job in which i talk to random people, help them with their problems, and bring them to a solution that hopefully involves the inclusion of some of our products. I talked to a gentleman yesterday who wanted one of our products to help him remain in touch with a family member in a correctional facility. When he was brought over to me he was in high spirits. He was ready to tell the world that i and the last person that he talked to were the best things since baked cake. I spent a little bit of time talking to him about his situation in order to find the best solution. I got things cleared up as much as i could on our end and began to tell him what he needed to do from the other end of the problem to get it fully resolved. As soon as he found out that i wasn't going to be able to just solve his problems for him right then and there, he fell apart. Suddenly i was the enemy and how dare i say what i say. The conversation went from a pleasant conversation on philosophy and relationship to anger, yelling, and threatening in a matter of moments. I could not have found a better example of severe bipolar or manic depressive behaviors if i had made it up. Now, that's not to say that this guy was severely bipolar or manic depressive, but that was certainly how he was acting. Either way, it took a while but i was able to, through the yelling and threatening, help him understand step-by-step what he needed to do next to get the problem solved.

The whole situation got me thinking about how we react to our problems. When our difficulties become more than we can handle, what do we do? Do we bear up the burden; strapping it to our backs like another bag on a camel? Do we spread it around to everyone around us like a capsized bowl of soup? Do we shrug it off as one would a well meaning remark from an in-law who has no idea what they're talking about? One of the nice things about God is that we can give it to Him. When our lives seem like they are falling apart, we're not in it alone. He can take those troubles and frustrations and in their place, put a peace that is beyond understanding. He puts a strength that is beyond comprehension, and a hope that goes beyond any circumstance. We certainly can't do it alone. Thankfully, we don't have to.

Image from anticline used under cc license.

Woman: Time to Relax & Enjoy the Beauty

I think that the fall has hit women harder than it has hit man. While man was created out in the wilderness and before the garden; woman was formed from man when man was in the garden. When woman was created, her very first experiences were in this perfect luxury. It was the best of every part of creation all come together. What she saw and what she knew was the beauty, the scents, the sounds, the comfort of the garden. As a result, this is one of woman's Base Experiences. This is what she was born into. This is what she knows. This is one of the main experiences that helps to define Eve as well as the entire female sex that succeeds her.

The more i look at the fall, what occurred, the more i realize how much it has affected us. Adam & Eve were driven out of the garden and into the wilderness. For the man the wilderness is where he had come from. The garden had been extra. It had been the icing on the cake. It had been the Sunday night football game relaxing in the recliner with some snacks and a drink rooting on his favorite team on a big screen HDtv. It was nice but not necessary. For woman, on the other hand, the loss of the garden was devastating. Everything that she knew was lost. It was going from the comforts and luxury of a new home, to being kicked out on the street.

Thus when woman needs a break. When she is looking for something to help ease the stresses and problems of life, she tends to look to what we would now consider luxury. The garden. The scents. The sounds. The comforts. For most woman, the ultimate getaway is a luxury spa. It is the attempt to regain that lost Garden Experience. Something that she will never have again in this world.

Image from victornuno used under cc license.

So What?

I guess that i just don't get it sometimes. It amazes me how important it is to people, how important it is to me at times, to win. As time has gone by i'm starting to recognize more and more how driven we are, not only to do well and succeed, but to be number 1. Not that being number one is necessarily bad, but too often being number one comes at the cost of everything / everyone else.

I like to watch movies sometimes. They can be very entertaining. Every movie has a lesson. Every movie has a purpose. Every movie attempts to teach you something. At least every good movie does. Time and time again what i see in movies is the attempt to succeed. It is the attempt to overcome. It is the attempt to defeat everyone else and come out on top against all odds. It's about showing / proving to someone or something that you are better than them. There have been a couple of movies that i have seen lately that have had this common pattern, this common theme, and when i see them i walk away wondering, "So what?"

So the main character won, so what! He beat his opponent. He beat him soundly, so what! All he succeeded in doing is proving that he could win. The character won the battle, but in the end he lost the war. He overcame all of the obstacles. He defeated all the challenges. He succeeded! He won! So what? I saw a movie recently, i don't remember what it was, but i do remember walking away thinking. He won, who cares. I think that the statement would have been stronger and the movie better if he had in showing that he could win, instead of destroying and humiliating his opponent, rather let go and let his opponent win. I think it would have turned the movie from a mediocre one to a blockbuster. Instead, it was all about winning at the cost of everyone / everything else. Maybe the opponent deserved it? So what? Is the success worth the price? It's funny what people are capable of, what i am capable of, when it's all about Me, the big "I".

Image from Robby Garbett used under cc license.

Man: "You Can Take the Man Out of the Wilderness, but You Can't Take the Wilderness Out of the Man"

Everybody knows that there are differences between men and women. Some try to deny them and state that the only difference are those created by our societies in order to push women down, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize the obvious problems with that argument. Either way we're not here to argue that debate at this point. I did want to help us understand better how and why some of those diffences came to be.

As a stereotype (thus not 100% the case) women tend to seek comfort and luxury while men tend to seek mastery and experience. Believe it or not, the reason for this can be easily seen in the first two chapers of Genesis. When God created man on day 7 of creation, he was the last thing that God created. He was formed in the midst of God's other creations. As has been noted before, everything that God created on each of those 7 days relied upon what had been created before. In order for the seas and oceans to be sustained, they need heat & light or they would turn to ice. Land without water, heat, & light is just rock & dust. So on and so forth. The same thing with man. In order to survive man needs everything created before him.

What is interesting to note is that man was created in the wilderness. He was created on the 7th day after all of the water, land, plants, and animals had been created, but notice this...
Genesis 2:7-8 "And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And (after this) Jehovah God planted a garden eastward in Eden. And there He put the man whom He had formed."

Man existed in the wilderness before the Garden of Eden was ever planted. As a result, when man looks for relaxation and a break from the daily grind, oftentimes he wants to go fishing, or camping, or hunting, or he wants to be out playing sports, etc. He seeks and enjoys the challenge of the outdoors... of the wilderness. Golf for instance is all about mastery over the environment. It is man seeking to have mastery over both the land and the little ball. It is man and his simple tool (his club) proving mastery over a miles of land and a little white ball.

The comfort and luxury of the garden was created after man. It's nice, and good, and all, but it just doesn't compare to the wilderness and our need and desire to gain mastery over it. Thus deep down inside that desire and craving exists in all men. You can take the man out of the wilderness, but you can never truly take the wilderness out of the man.

... more next week!


Image from thatjonesboy used under cc license.

Men or Mice?

I've been getting a little distracted lately. I started getting back into this in order to write about marriage and marriage issues, and instead i have ended up doing a commentary on Genesis. I apologize. There are a couple of more things i want to touch on here then i need to get out of Genesis. It's turning into a crutch.

God drew Adam & Eve out of hiding after their eating of the fruit. He confronted them about their actions. So who does God confront first? He confronts Adam of course. Adam was the last one involved in the scheme, but he is the first one on whom responsibility is placed. It's interesting here because God asked Adam where he was and Adam's response was an honest response. "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself." Oh that we would give honest responses to the people who asked us questions. That has to be one of the most difficult things to do. Honesty is so important in our lives, and yet so few people are. What's even more interesting to me is how few people can handle it when other people are truly honest with them. Anyways, back on task...

So God confronted Adam on the sin. Adam's reaction, like most men it seems, was to blame Eve (keep in mind, the blame game is a 2 way street). It was not unjustifiable. Eve did bring the fruit to Adam to eat, but the point is that instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Adam passed the blame to his wife. Eve in turn passed the blame to the serpent. So neither really took responsibility for their own actions. He blamed her, she blamed it, no one took responsibility.

On the flip-side, one of the least noticed / most ignored facets of this situation is that when God called out in the Garden Adam was the one to answer. He is the one who responded to the confrontation by God. In part, he did take the responsibility. That must have been one of the most difficult things to do. When a child is confronted by their parents many times it is extremely difficult to get a straight answer. How much more difficult to face the confrontation of the creator and God of the universe. Yet there he is taking the responsibility and dealing with the issue. When everything was falling apart, Adam passed the blame, but in the process he also told the truth and stood in the gap. He faced the issue and dealt with it.
So tell me. How does this reflect in your / my life. Are we being honest about our problems, or are we passing the buck? Are we, as men, taking responsibility or passing the blame? Are we standing or cowering? Are we being who we are called to be, or passing off our responsibilities and role to the one who was created to be a helpmate. Are we being men, or hiding away like mice?

Image from Mathieu Struck used under cc license.

"You Can't See Me!"

What is it about us and our lives that makes us think that we can hide from God. We as humans have created so many ways to attempt to hide from God that it would be impossible to list them all. There is the "attempt to recreate God in my own image so that i don't have to acknowledge who He really is" method. There is the "try to convince myself and everyone else that God doesn't exist thereby unsuccessfully avoiding God" method. There is also the classic "worship other gods (such as money, tolerance, education, science, marriage, happiness, self, etc) instead of God" method. There is even the "drown myself in activity and or music so i don't have to think about or hear God's voice" method. That one seems to be one of the preferred methods by us, the masses, in today's society.

However, nothing can beat the original Adam and Eve method. "Let's hide in the bushes and hope he doesn't see us!" It's amusing to me because it makes me think of a little child running and hiding their face in the couch cushion thinking that if they can't see daddy, he must not be able to see them. I mean "Hello! McFly!". God created Adam & Eve. He created the garden Adam & Eve were attempting to hide in. He created the universe that allows for their life to exist. Yet somehow Adam and Eve seem to think that if they hide under some leaves and branches, God won't be able to find them!

When i read about Adam & Eve's attempts at hiding i wonder how anyone can even imagine that that would work. I just shake my head and think that it's just plain silly. What made Adam & Eve think that that would work in any way, shape, or form? Yet when i look at the ways that we, that I, attempt to do exactly the same thing it appears just as silly. We imagine that by denying God's existence, recreating him in our own image, or attempting to hide our thoughts, we can go on living as if what He says doesn't matter. Instead of hiding behind leaves, trees, and branches, we are hiding behind entertainment, busyness, and our own intellect. It's the same thing with a new face! It just seems like we never really learn.

Image from Allogist used under cc license.

Naked and Ashamed?

I think it's interesting that after eating the forbidden fruit, and their eyes being open to the knowledge of the good and evil, the very first thing that Adam and Eve notice, outside of the decision and direct consequences, is that they are naked. And, that they were ashamed of it. They had been naked the entire time previously. They had seen each other naked day after day hour after hour, time after time. They talked that way. They walked that way. They slept that way. They made love that way. They lived that way. Adam, Eve, and even God had seen nothing wrong with their being naked before they ate of the fruit. There was no shame and no judgment in any way, shape, or form. They could have gone on being naked for forever and it wouldn't have been an issue. Apparently they hadn't even considered needing clothing for warmth or protection from the elements because they didn't have anything made already. They had to fashion for themselves covering and clothing from the leaves around them.

I'm wondering, who are they ashamed of being seen naked by? They had seen each other naked day in and day out. Theirs was the first marriage. There was no reason for them to be ashamed of being naked in each others presence. God Himself had made them. He knew them in and out, piece by piece. Yet the very first thing that occurs in recognizing the knowledge of good and evil is that they are naked and have need of covering.

There are a great many things that i think i understand about the Bible, God, etc. Just look at everything i've written about the first 3 chapters of Genesis alone. Yet this is something that i have a hard time wrapping my puny brain around. Why is being naked such a shameful thing after Adam and Eve ate the fruit, but not before? Why is it considered shameful now? Why wasn't it then? Obviously it is an important concept since it is set as "the" major issue after eating the forbidden fruit. I could think of a hundred different reasons, explanations, and concepts for this change. Everything from looking at how young children are not ashamed of being naked and as they grow older they build that need for modesty to how the need for covering builds and enhances the desires of and for intimacy within the relationship. It doesn't matter. I still don't fully grasp it, and i may never. For now, that's alright.

Image from northdevonfarmer used under cc license.

One Little Thing... continued

Please be aware that this post is a continuation of the previous week's post.

In my mind there is no doubt that Adam recognized a difference in his wife when she offered him the fruit. One cannot go from a perfectly made human being to much, much less than that without it being clear as day. Sin creates a separation, a gap, a chasm between that which is holy and that which is not. As a result, Adam's choice to take the fruit was exactly that, a choice. He recognized that as a result of taking and eating the fruit there was something different about his wife. She had changed and not for the better. A major gap/chasm had formed between them, and he knew the source.
So i'm convinced that Adam went into eating this forbidden fruit well aware, much more aware than his wife, of the command as well as the consequences of his actions. He was not deceived into considering that the fruit was good for food. He could have cared less if it was pleasing to the eye. The desire to make one wise may have had some pull, but ultimately i believe that even that desire was overwhelmed by seeing the consequences of Eve's actions. So when Adam made the choice to take of the fruit he knowingly made the choice to turn away from God for the sake of his wife.
As a result, Eve's sin was a blind sin resulting in part from deception. Adam's sin, however, was a sin with open eyes. There was no deception. He recognized and made the choice to turn his back on God. He loved God dearly. God created him. God gave him everything he had and wanted, but he desired his wife and unity with his wife even more. So he placed his wife before God. He chose his spouse over his source. That which was created from him over He whom created him. The rest, as they say, is history.

Wow, i just realized what a comparison and contrast this incident and choice are to what happened to Abraham and Isaac when God tested Abraham; asking him to sacrifice his only son whom he loved.

Image from assbach used under cc license.

One Little Thing Can Make All the Difference in the World

"She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."
Genesis 3:6

I really have to wonder what was going on in Adam's head when his wife Eve gave him the forbidden fruit. I have already commented about what the text states here; that Adam was with Eve at the time. When researching this word it appears that by Adam being "with" Eve he was in the very near vicinity if not right next to her at the time. Chances are pretty good that he knew what had happened long before she ever gave him the fruit, but then again he may not have. He may have been nearby and not privy to the conversation. Either way, when the fruit was given to Adam there is no doubt in my mind that he knew what that fruit was. It was the one thing that he had been forbidden from partaking in. It was the only thing that he knew and understood, beyond the shadow of a doubt, was wrong. So the decision that he made had to be a conscious decision.

One of my professors, Dr. Fount Schultz, at one point brought together some thoughts in relation to this topic. When God created man, did He create an incomplete person? Did he design man to only use a part of facilities? I don't believe that He did or would have. If He didn't create man to fully utilize His body and mind why would He have created them as He did? Currently as human beings we only actively use around 10% of our brain. I have heard that if our brains were utilized to their full potential, what we would be able to do is unimaginable. I know that for me there are days where i can't think or focus to stay on task and read and understand even light reading. Other times my mind is so clear and undistracted that i can get most anything done. On those kinds of days, reading a scientific paper and seeing problems and flaws as well as the potential and possibilities is in easy grasp. I can easily understand theories and concepts that the day before had my mind spinning before i even got past the first couple of sentences.

That change in our mental capabilities would have occurred at the fall of man, at the eating of the fruit. If/when that was the case, Eve taking the fruit and eating it would have changed everything. Adam would have been able to see immediately the difference in his bride. It's like working with the moderate to severely developmentally disabled. You don't need to be a genius to recognize the difference immediately. So when Eve took the fruit there is no doubt in my mind that Adam knew what had happened. So for him to make the decision to eat the fruit would have had to have been a conscious choice. So seeing the consequences why would he have done it?

More on this next week...

Image from harryalverson used under cc license.

All Things Done...Together?

"Eve gave the fruit to her husband who was with her, and he ate it." I remember when i was in college and one of the guys i was rooming with at the time and i were talking about this. We were assigned to read a theology book by one of the major denominations as part of a class. The chapter was on sin and the fall of man. I don't remember exactly how it was stated but i remember the basic gist of the argument. It talked about how Eve had stepped out of the cover of her husband's instruction, and had fallen into temptation and sin. She was alone with the serpent, allowed the temptation to gain her attention and focus, and succumbed to it. It also mentioned that Adam had been in another part of the garden when the fall occurred and was not privy to the situation. It was a decision Eve made on her own. The theology book quoted the text of Genesis 3 vs 1-6 and ended with "She also gave to her husband". I remember my roommate and i at the time looking at that, shaking our heads in confusion. The chapter had just finished saying that Eve had been alone, but what was quoted conveniently stopped right smack dab before the words "who was with her".

She was not alone. Her husband was not far away. If he wasn't right next to her, he was certainly nearby. Why does this matter? It matters a great deal because if he was nearby, he may have had every chance of keeping the fall from occurring. There is a distinct possibility that he could have been there when all of this occurred, and instead of stepping in to stop the situation he allowed it to play out. In which case he failed as the leader and the head. He was the one who had received the direct instruction and it was his responsibility to pass on that instruction and ensure that it was followed. So the initial failure and fall was possibly as much his fault as hers.

So what's the point? Why is this important? What does this have to do with us?

Image from drewjcheney used under cc license.

Seeking What is Not Ours to Have

Genesis 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of its fruit, and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

It's interesting to see here how this all plays out. Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was 1) good for food, 2) pleasing to the eyes, & 3) desirable to make one wise. Why did the first of those two matter? She had all the food she could want in the garden. There were all kinds of trees that bear fruit. There were apples, oranges, pears, plums, kiwi, etc., etc., etc. You name it, it was there. There was no lack of food. Fruit was freely available. There were also plenty of trees, bushes, flowers, & shrubberies that were pleasing to the eyes. The garden was just that. It was a haven of cultivated textures, sounds, smells, and beautiful sights. The woman could have found fruit & beauty anywhere she wanted to.

I don't think that the issue so much is that Eve was looking for beauty and food. I believe that the issue is that she hadn't looked at this tree in that way before. We can go by the same tree, the same house, the same person each and every day and never really see them. Then suddenly something is pointed out to us, or we begin to notice something and nonchalance becomes notice, and notice becomes obsession. I firmly believe that previously Eve had seen this tree as off limits. It was not an issues because she knew she couldn't have it, so she put it out of her mind. Now all of a sudden she begins to notice what previously had not been an issue. More than that she began to dwell and her focus became this tree and its fruit. This ultimately led to her and their fall.

The same thing happens to us in our relationships and marriages. We tend to get focused and stuck on something we want and don't have or something we don't want and are stuck with. We see in other things and people what we desire for ourselves and we allow that to become a focus and obsession. How many men see a good looking girl or watch something unfold and it brings a desire for that in their own life? How many women see what looks like a great marriage or relationship on tv or that a friend has, takes the positive aspects of that relationship, and wishes that their relationship or marriage was like that? Don't get me wrong. The desire for a better relationship or marriage is not necessarily a bad or wrong desire. It is when that desire becomes a driving force in our lives and instead of building us up, tears us apart and draws us to destroy what we have.

The fruit had been forbidden for Eve, so she ignored it. She knew it wasn't allowed, so in her mind she didn't even acknowledge it. However, when it was brought to her attention, instead of turning away from the desire, she embraced it. Instead of accepting that it wasn't hers to take, she allowed it to take her. That in turn brought the fall and her own destruction.

Image from Nanon used under cc license.

The Seed Come to Fruition

With that seed of doubt firmly planted in the woman's mind, the serpent than fertilizes and waters that seeds with partial truth. This develops a lie that ultimately brings Eve and all of mankind to destruction. The enemy simply tells Eve "You will not die. For the Lord knows that in the day that you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good from evil"

1) "You will not die". Death does not come when you eat of the fruit. This is the half-truth. Death did not come immediately when she ate of the fruit. In fact Eve's death did not come for a long time. However, in that day death occurred. Eve brought death on herself and her husband. Many times the consequences to our actions are not immediately evident. We may never see the ultimate results of our actions in this lifetime at all. That doesn't mean that they don't exist. Every sin has consequences. It amuses me when i hear people with the mentality that as long as what i do doesn't hurt someone else, it doesn't matter. Nothing that we do doesn't affect the people we are closest to one way or another. Everything we do has consequences and affects others. When we attempt to justify our sins we hurt ourselves and everyone else around us. The enemy knew that what God said was the truth but purposefully led Eve to believe that it wasn't. Eve took that seed of doubt and allowed it to grow until it ultimately destroyed her and her life. Instead of trusting her God and her husband, she sought her own way. She sought to have more.

2) "For the Lord knows that in the day that you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good from evil" This is another half-truth. Yes, God knew that when Adam & Eve ate of the fruit their eyes would be open and they would know good & evil. The implication / statement here is that by doing so Eve would become like God. That God was threatened by this idea, and was purposefully holding her / them back. Logically, if God had truly been threatened by Adam & Eve eating of the fruit of this tree, he could have removed the tree as easily as he created it. No God was not threatened by man and when you take a step back to look the very idea and principle it is just silly. However, this had stopped being an issue of logic a long time before. The seed of doubt had taken it's hold, and the issue was no longer about what was right. It was about desire. It was about wanting what was not hers to take. It was about not being satisfied with who she was and where she was. It had become about one-upping her husband and God. Thus the seed of doubt watered and fertilized was creating the tree of destruction and the fruit of death.

This is the way it occurs even today. Every thought we don't control. Every rash decision we make has the potential to produce fruit unto destruction. Nothing we do is without consequences.

Image from jvumn used under cc license.

The Fall: Step 1 - Doubt!

So how does it all begin? What leads up to sin entering the world? There are numerous small steps that occur that bring this destruction and end.

Step 1) Doubt. The serpent, who is more cunning than the beasts of the field, comes to Eve and plants a simple seed in her mind. It is a seed of doubt. "Did God really say not to eat of the tree?"

It's interesting, something as tiny as a seed can have so much power. An oak seed (acorn) is so small that you can hold fifty of them piled up in your hands. Yet any one of those seeds can produce a tree so large that it takes multiple men and heavy machinery to bring it down. By itself, its roots can degrade and compromise the foundation of a home, ultimately causing that home to collapse.

That is what you see here. The enemy simply plants one seed. A seed of doubt! That one seed in turn brings down the entire human race. What makes this seed, this simple thought so powerful? It's what it brings with it.

The enemy asks, "Has God really said, 'you shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" It's a simple question with a simple answer, and Eve gives the simple, correct response. However, that seed begins to dig into the very foundation of her relationship with her husband and her God. With that question comes doubt. Did God really say that? My husband, Adam, told me that God said this. Why would it not be true? What if he got it wrong? What if it's not true? What if he lied to me? Maybe he's trying to hold me back? It's a question that at it's very core is the design to bring doubt and corrode the very stability and foundation of those relationships. It's a question that once asked, if not properly dealt with at the start, brings irreparable damage, and in turn cannot be undone. The seed begins to dig in. It gains a hold of that foundation of those relationships and does not let go.
Thus the end begins!

Image from Roger Smith used under cc license.

Roles & Responsibilities

I think that there are some important things to consider when looking at the creation of man and the roles and responsibilities of man and woman as they were created. God created man. God instructed / blessed man saying "(1) be fruitful and multiply, (2) fill the earth and subdue it, (3)have dominion over..." These were the instructions that defined man, gave him a purpose, and gave him direction in his life. Later God created the garden, placed man in it, and instructed him that he could eat of every tree but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This instruction was simply that; an order, instruction.

In time God took sections / key parts of man from himself and formed woman from them. He than brought the woman to man and presented her to him. Notice that God did not instruct the woman as He had man. I believe that he did not instruct her to be fruitful and multiply, etc. because these were ingrained in her. They were a core of her purpose. However, the instructions not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not as ingrained in her. It was a later instruction not a purpose. He simply presented her to Adam. It became Adam's role to teach, instruct, and lead her above and beyond their ingrained purpose. Which he succeeded at in part, but only in part.

It's interesting to me, not surprising, just interesting, that marriages tend to work better when one spouse has the final say. If in the marriage both partners have completely equal footing, it creates problems. When a disagreement occurs and a decision has to be made, democracy doesn't work. One spouse has to give-in, which in turn tends to create anger, bitterness, and resentment. When the couple decides ahead of time that one spouse will have the final say and make the final decision, that anger and bitterness may still occur, but it does not as easily spiral out of control and destroy the marriage. As a result the person who has the final say also has the responsibilty for the ultimate consequences of the decisions as well. So the responsibility of final-say is a two edged sword. It carries with it the decision and the responsibility.



Images from sven and o25billege used under cc license.

"Let's Talk about Sex Baby"

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife and they were not ashamed"

I really don't understand it. Why the stigma about sex? It seems like it is such a fired up topic. It's like there is a shame stigma that everyone has attached to sex, and fighting that stigma is a way to rebel and express your individuality (just like most everyone else). The media uses sex and sexual issues to draw in consumers. Many times people who view themselves or want to be be seen as "counter cultural", "bucking the system", "being their own (wo)man", "fighting social acceptabilities", etc. attempt to do so with sexual issues. There seems to be this issue of shame when looking at sex that shouldn't or doesn't need to be there.
One of the things i find especially amusing when i talk to someone who has outspoken liberal views or listen to the liberal media and they attack Christians or the Bible by making it appear that Christianity & the Bible believe & teach that sex = sin. But that is far from the truth.

There is a world of information in these last three verses of Genesis 2. What happens when Adam and Eve meet for the first time? What is the reaction and response? How does this all play out? I am convinced that when God brought this yet unnamed creature to him, Adam was in awe and amazement . So here's how it plays out...
"He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh'" (1) He recognizes that she comes from and is wholly a part of him)
"She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man." (2) He also recognizes that she is very distinct and different from him as well)
At this point we have a recognition / command "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall be one flesh" Thus sex becomes not just acceptable, but instruction and a command. "And they were both naked, the man and his wife and they were not ashamed." Sex is not a sin. The fact is that we have been designed and formed with sex as a part of our very core. Sex, in and of itself, is not a sin. In the proper context it has no need of shame. Of the stigma most people place on it.

Image from assbach used under cc license.

What do Our Actions Say About Us?, or Out of the Mouth of Babes

On more of a personal side note, i had an interesting incident with my younger daughter on my way to work yesterday. I currently have 2 jobs. My (temporary) primary job is with the phone company, and my second one is currently only on Saturdays with a video game store. When i go to work at the phone company i always bring my Bible. I have an hour long lunch break and rather than waste 45 minutes i figure i may as well be productive. I don't do that at my video game store job because breaks are not regular and not long enough for me to be productive.

So yesterday as i was heading out the door to my second job my younger daughter, who is almost 2, cries out, "Da dy wait! Da dy wait!" I figured she was wanting to give me another hug goodbye so i told her, "You already gave me a hug. I have to go." So here she comes around the corner out of the great room, with tears just about to burst forth, trying very, very hard to lug my Bible to me. She did not want me to go to work and forget it. So i told her, "It's all right i'm not bringing it to this work today". With that her frown got even lower and the tears started to form. So after a second of contemplation and decision i scooped her and my Bible up, said "Thank you very much", and gave her another big hug. With that she got down, said "You're wel come da dy", and ran off to play with sister.

It's amazing what kind of impressions our littlest habits can have on our family and children. When daddy going to work without his Bible is reason for great concern and angst. We know we must be doing something right.

What's the Difference?

So God put man to sleep, removed a part of him, formed a new being from him, and brought her to him. Now it's interesting in comparing & contrasting men & women how this text explains some of the differences.
Man was created in the wild. He was created out in the wilderness of the world. That was his first experience and what he based his life on. He was not placed into the garden until later. Woman on the other hand was formed in the garden, and in the luxury and ease of the garden is where she began her existence. Everything that she could want or need was there already provided for her.
Man was given instruction. He had a purpose and direction prior to woman. God had instructed him and laid down the rules for him. Woman was formed and given to man. It was his job to lead and direct her as to what God's instructions were and what He had said previously. (This will be very significant later on)
When man was created he saw who he was in comparison to God and the rest of creation. His definition of himself was seen in relation to his creator and the world around him. When woman was created she was brought to man and saw herself in comparison to him. Her definition and direction came from her similarities to, differences from, and relationship to this man.
It's interesting looking at this and then in turn looking at the nature of man and women. Where we tend to focus and lean, our passions and desires, and how we live our lives. Looking at this text explains a great deal of who we are, what drives us, and what we want in our lives.

Image from pmppk used under cc license.

The Same Fire that Produces Destruction, Produces Life

So God formed woman from man. God recognized that nothing outside of man was going to be comparable. So He did something different. He took 1 body, 1 soul, 1 will, and created 2. So the question is, what happens when you put two wills together?

There is a great deal of potential for 1 person. One person can spend their life sitting around doing as little as possible and just barely getting by, or one person can unite and drive entire nations or the world. Our his history books are full of people who changed the world by their actions. However, the only way to really build anything is by cooperation with others. When you take one person and create 2 from them, the potential is for the wills to unite and bond, to grow together. A two cord rope is not easily broken. Two people working together have a much greater potential than does one person alone. By working together they can accomplish and be more than either one could accomplish and be alone.

However, at the same time the potential and reality is that those two wills will conflict with one another. That conflict is natural and to be expected. It is a part of life. Two separate and comparable wills will produce conflict. Arguments and fighting will occur, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Where two wills unite that spark and friction produce the heat, oxygen, and fuel necessary for combustion. Fire is produced, and that fire can heat a relationship, purify it, and destroy it depending on what is done with it and how. Conflict is not necessarily bad, and it is also not necessarily good, but it is necessary and inevitable. Thus the same fire that produces destruction, also produces life.

Image from ndanger used under cc license.

Incomplete Yet Whole

It's important to understand that it is not good for a man or a woman to be alone. Neither are they complete in and of themselves. She needs more than herself, he and God alone is not good. Man needs woman and woman needs man. We are each incomplete alone.

However, it must also be stated that an incomplete man and an incomplete woman together are not complete. To understand this i will use 2 analogies. First, what most people who are single think is that when they meet the right person it will be like 2 pieces of the same puzzle put together. They will connect together, and they will be complete. The puzzle will be done. It's a nice concept. It's fun. It's romantic. It's a concept that seems to pervade today's young marriages, and if kept will destroy those marriages.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the reality is that when God separated man and woman He did not just leave them wholly incomplete. He made them each whole. God took from man, sealed him back up, and make him a whole being in and of himself. God took the rib / side / beam / part of man and formed woman from that. God made her whole as well. So now one whole and complete being (that needed more than just himself & God) is two whole incomplete beings that need each other (& God).

I stated earlier that i had 2 analogies. Well the second analogy that i had i realized didn't work. However, i did find this picture which fills in another analogy that i was considering. When a piece of glass (or in this case a mirror) is broken there is no way to make it complete again. The broken pieces are whole in and of themselves and in theory if you put them back together would make a complete mirror, however the reality is that no matter how perfectly the pieces of a broken mirror are fit back together, they will never be complete again. It works the same way with a man and a woman. Neither are complete in and of themselves. They need each other to be complete, but even by putting them together it doesn't make them perfectly complete.
Well, the analogy is still not all that great, but i think it gets the point across. Hope this helps.

Image from J. C. Rojas used under cc license.

"Make Him an Helper - - as His Counterpart"

It's interesting that in the passage where God says that it is not good for man to be alone that He talks about a partner that is suitable to him. I like how Young's Living Translation puts it "make to him an helper--as his counterpart.' " So He brought Man all of the animals and man named them, but none was found suitable for him. No other creation could be considered man's counterpart. There was nothing comparable to him. So God took a rib / side / beam out of man and formed woman from it.

Notice this, what most translations use is the word rib here. It is the Hebrew word meaning rib, side, beam, chamber, etc. Its implication is more than just as a small bone of little importance and significance, but rather as a whole section or part of Adam. It is not just something that by taking it from Adam would be a mere inconvenience, but rather that by removing this rib / side / beam man is now missing an important part of himself, that without it he is not, nor could be whole. A large part of who man is has been removed, and there is no way to regain it in and of himself.

Image from bleam used under cc license.

"It was good... It is not good"

I think the first step to really understand marriage is to look at the source. Why does marriage exist? Where did it come from?

For that we need to go to Genesis 1-3. First, God created the heavens and the earth.
1) On the first day God created light and separated it from the darkness.
2) Next He created a firmament & divided the waters from the waters.
3) On day 3 He created dry land
4 - 1a) After that He defined the lights and instructed them to rule over the day and night.
5 - 2a) On the next day He created the foul of the air and fish of the sea.
6 - 3a) Finally He created the beasts of the field and man. "Let Us make man in Our image"
So God created man in His image... and all of it was good!

Then in chapter 2 God makes an interesting statement; "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." I believe that this statement says reams about both man & God. God created man in His own image, yet it is not good for man to be alone. Man needs more than himself. Man needs more than himself & God! Not only that, but man NEEDS more than himself & God. It is not an issue of, it's probably not best for man to be alone. It's that it is simply not good for man to be alone. It is not good for him at all.

Well, the girls are awake now and i have to go. I was hoping to get a little further than this, but so be it. The note i want you to leave here with is this: Even though we have been created by the God and creator of all things (and in His image), we still NEED more than just relationship with Him. It is not good for man to be alone.

Image from Bluedharma used under cc license.

What is Marriage?

That seems like a silly question. Everyone knows what marriage is. . . don't they?

You would think that it is a simple question with a simple answer, but that's not so much anymore. With the divorce rate so high and so many broken marriages, the concept of what marriage is seems to be much different than it used to be.

One of the books i'm looking at writing deals with this issue of what marriage is, and i am planning on posting some of my thoughts and concepts here as i work through them.



Image from gregoconnell, used under cc license.

Changes

Changes in the way we do business! I have not been very good at updating my blog lately so i'm going to attempt to make changes to how i do it.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that i don't write. In fact i write in one form or another almost every day. I just don't usually do it on my computer. So i decided that since everything we do (or don't do) is about priorities and making time for what is important, i would go about this a different way. What i will be writing is going to have to do with the notes thoughts and comments that i had throughout the week and already wrote on paper. This way the transition will be easier and less time consuming. Also it should make it so that i'm not consuming so much time arguing and debating. So, hopefully this will stick.

Image from true2source used under cc license.

Our World Through Rose Colored Glasses

It's funny to me how we as people tend to look at our world and society and assume it is so great. The mentality is that we are the most "advanced" and the most "civilized" society. Our view (American/first world nations) of this comes not only from where we are, but who we are. We look at where we are compared to where we have come and assume that we are in a better situation now than in previous generations. It's an automatic assumption. It's a self-centered view. "This is my life, and my world, therefore it must be the best!"

Part of it is that our society has become so technologically advanced and we assume that that is a good thing. Our world is changing so fast that the previous generations get left behind. We change so fast that it creates division between one generation and the next. We are so isolated and separated from our past and where we have come from that all we tend to see is now and the future. As a result we blind ourselves to the problems of the present and our society.

I think that another key point to all of this is human nature. It is human nature that we focus on ourselves. We think that we are right and everyone else is wrong. Our world revolves around us, so our world must be the best. We were raised with our parents and society giving us what we want. The entertainment industry is focused on giving us what we want (or what they think we should want) and appealing to our selfish natures. So of course we tend to think that our world is the best.

How can we think otherwise when all we've been taught is self-focus and rejection of the past. I think it's time to start taking a look at life again; at our world again, not as the marketing department wants us to with the "consumer" world view, but with some real understanding.

Old Notes Make Way for New Ones...

I have just recently finished filling up an old devotional/sermon notes notebook and before really getting into a new one i wanted to go through and highlight some of what i thought were key notes. Due to wanting to limit my space, this is just a sampling of my notes. You can read all of the posted ones at my googlepages page.
Keep in mind, some of these things are not necessarily statements of complete truth so much as my thoughts at the time.

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord...

What does it mean to Love the Lord our God with all our heart, (soul, mind, and strength)?
OT Heart = center of a man = person = core of a man = seat of the will = the whole man
Broken (Crushed) Heart = Humility & Repentance
Fat & Uncircumcised Heart = Failure to recognize & respond to God = complacent (come from pride?)
Hardened Heart = Failure to accept God's will (turn away)


Men vs. Women

Men find the solutions to womens problems
Men are always looking to fix things for women when much of the time women just want men to find them

Women find the solutions to mens problems
Women are constantly trying to fix men for themselves, when much of the time men want women just to accept and respect them.

O, Lord my God...
when i in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hand has made.
I see the storms. I hear the rolling thunder. Your fire throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great thou art.


Job 23:6

Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me!

Job thinks that God isn't paying attention?
God already has noticed him. That's why he's in this mess!


There's much more to see. Check it out!

All the Guys (& Girls) Need to Read This! - A bulletin, response, & commentary

The bulletin below has been making the rounds on myspace and i had to comment on it. This principle is one of my major pet-peves.

I know way too many really beautiful girls who think they don't look good... It hurts... because it's our fault, guys I mean YOU. We make girls feel like they have to be perfect. You know what I mean, flat stomach, big boobs, round booty, long legs, sexy lips, and on top of all that, they have to dress like a whore, and be one as well... nobody can measure up to that... and its not fair... because nobody should have to. Girls prefer being called beautiful instead of hott or sexy. The little imperfections are what make people special. If everyone was perfect the world would be so boring, variety is what makes life interesting. So guys, stop making girls have to live up to your, I'm sorry, our... deluded fantasy visions of perfection...

girls who agree repost.
and to the few guys who have balls and agree repost this

In my expereince as a therapist and from talking to girls, guys, men, and women, this is a joke. It amazes me how often this comes across. From what i have seen, women and girls tend to dress up more for themselves and each other. They are looking for someone to make them feel better about themselves and want to be accepted by their peers.

For instance, Married women rarely dress up for their husbands. They dress up when they are going out. They dress up when they are going to be seen by other women. They dress up when they want to feel good about themselves. Rarely do they dress up for their husbands.

At school girls dress up to look good in front of other girls (and to attract guys). Girls are constantly critical of how they and other girls dress. On the other hand, many times most of the guys couldn't tell you how you are dressed differently today than yesterday.

It's easy to blame the guys, but the reality is that more often than not it's about a girl trying to fit into HER OWN or her peers (other girls) expectations and views than the guy's expectations or views.

Take responsibility for you own insecurities, don't blame everyone else.

I have been trying to decide whether it's a good idea to leave this post on my MySpace account or to take it off. I had posted it as a bulletin in response to the initial bulletin, but thought that as my response seems kind of critical or could be taken as attacking, thus it might not be the best idea to make it public for anyone/everyone to see. There is nothing quite like a youth leader appearing as if they are publically attacking a youth from the youth ministry they are involved with. So i put it as a blog post on my MySpace account instead. Now i'm wondering if it would be a good idea to remove it from there as well for the same reasons. However, i really don't want to because i see it as such a major issue that needs to be brought to light and not ignored and swept under the rug.

Any thoughts?

Edit: I have officially removed it...

Answers... hopefully

Mike posted this comment and i thought it would be good to try to answer his question for him.

Ok, strange question. You're confident that Jesus Christ spoke with God and is his last true prophet, right?
Why do you think devout believers of another religon disagree? I'm especially curious about the ones who spoke with God after Jesus, such as muslims, and mormans.

This is not a question that has a simple answer. Especially in the limited space available here. So i will try to answer as best i can in the space i have. First, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus the Christ (Messiah) is not just another prophet. This is made clear in the Old Testament a.k.a. the Jewish scriptures. Let me go through a series of scriptures to deal with this. (I am aware that the Jewish Scriptures have chapter and verse divisions that are not exactly the same as the Old Testament Bible, however the content is the same) . Most of the beginning of this list is basic principles...

1) God is Holy - Leviticus 19:2 Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, Jehovah your God, am holy.
2) Man is a sinner - Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
3) Sin separates man from God - Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have come between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, from hearing.
4) Attonement is through blood sacrifice - Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.
5) Complete or true attonement is only available through the Messiah's sacrificial death - Isaiah 50:5-9 and Isaiah 52:13-53:12
6) The Messiah had to have already come - Daniel 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction. And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
- 7 weeks is 7 7's or 49 - the city of Jerusalem was rebuilt in 49 years. 62 7's is 434 years after that that the Messiah was supposed to have been cut off (killed) but not for himself.
7) Jewish Messiah is required for the salvation of both the Jew and the Gentile - Isaiah 42:6 I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
8) The Messiah is eternal - Micah 5:2 And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you being least among the thousands of Judah, out of you He shall come forth to Me, to become Ruler in Israel, He whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.

There are many, many, many, many other prophesies concerning the Messiah/Savior showing that he would be more than just a prophet. I found this website that covers many of the prophesies concerning the coming and fullfillment of the Messiah.

What does all of this have to do with Islam and Mormanism? Simple. These religions treat the Christ as if he is simply another prophet and his coming, death, and resurrection was not the completion/fulfillment of the law that the old testament (Jewish scriptures) and new testament show that he is. Their added "scriptures" are attempts to "complete" by addition what has already been completed. As Revelation 22:18-19 states; For I testify together to everyone who hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been written in this Book. And if anyone takes away from the Words of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which have been written in this Book.

As i said, this is a limited explanation and does not even come close to fully answering your question, but under the circustances and time & space limitations, this is the best i could do.

Part of My Testimony

This is part of my testimony and some of who i am.

I grew up in a Christian home and was saved at a young age. As i grew older i knew that God was real and working in my life.

When i was around 10 or 11 years old God came to me asking me if i loved Him more than something else that was very important in my life. It took me a moment to look at what I saw of the church and decide that if all of these rules, expectation, and lifelessness that is so prevalent was what it meant to be a Christian, i didn't want to love God more than anything else. So I told God that.

It was not long after that that God began taking all of those things away one at a time. Those next years were very difficult as my world completely fell apart. I continued to go to church and was very involved through my teen years. I worked very hard to be a good Christian and was very frustrated being the only person i knew around my age that was actually trying and feeling that instead of my life being better because of it, it was really only getting worse.

So for a while i began to turn my back on God in part. I was angry with Him for what seemed like His abandoning me. As time went by He drew me back and showed me that He was with me and that all that time He was removing those things that i had placed in my life ahead of Him until there was only Him. Since then He has been replacing those things one at a time.

One of the biggest things that had gotten me through those difficult years had been people that God had put into my life to reach me, like my high-school sunday school teacher. It was because God was working through those people and their influence that i even survived through those years.

This has been a huge factor in my life and has led me to be involved in ministering to youth & young adults and counseling with youth, families, and couples.

By the way....

By the way, i am actually on MySpace. Can you guess what the address is.... wait for it... wait for it... That's right! http://www.myspace.com/jcmasterpiece

Rage Against the Machine

I posted this on my MySpace blog on Thursday... What Mike commented in my last post is exactly along the lines of this.

This morning i woke up from a not so great dream and was thinking some more about anger. In my dream i had gotten completely fed up with a bunch of crap people were giving me and i blew up. It reminded me how much anger comes from pain.
When God created us, he created us with amazing abilities to protect ourselves. One of the ways a person is able to protect themself is through anger. When someone is hurt or in pain, many times it is not possible for that person to express that hurt or by doing so it would cause a great deal of problems. As a result they turn that pain into anger in an attempt to protect themself.
Ephesians 4:26 says to "Be angry, but do not sin". Anger in and of itself is not sin. Anger is a feeling. It's what we do with that anger that can be sin.

Just something to keep in mind and remember for when you need it.

Why Do the Nations Rage?

These are some of my thought while i was doing my devotions this morning. Psalm 2:1 asks,
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?

The chapter goes on to talk about how the wicked attempt to stand against God's anointed, and God promises to/about His Son and the kings.

The first line of the first verse is what i was really focused on this morning. Why do the nations rage? Why do people stand against God? Why do we get so angry?

My first thought was that it's because they have no hope, but that sounded too much like a SundaySchool answer to me so i kept asking.
Because something is missing?
Because they/we feel the need to justify ourselves?
Because me, I, myself (pride)
Because sometimes the only way to stop guilt, feelings of hurt, emptiness, etc. is to turn those feelings into anger...
To make the internal, external.
To give an external source (???find something to lash out at???) to an internal source/problem (???an excuse for our own faillings and guilt???)

So now what? What is the internal problem?
In Psalm 2 those standing against God and His anointed say,
"Let us break Their bonds in pieces
and cast away Their cords from us" vs. 3
They didn't/don't like the Israelite's/God's rules & laws. They made them feel guilty (showed them their sins). ...removed their (self)justification & made them responsible for their own actions.
It's easier to offer a sacrifice to Baal asking for a blessing than to admit and acknowledge self-sin and a need for true repentance.

This is so much of a problem in our society today. What do you think?

Stress About the Job Hunt & the Little Ways God Speaks

The job hunt has been really stressful for both Lori and i. We had been wanting to leave Arkansas pretty much since the moment we got there. We finally felt like we got released from there in the beginning of June. We had felt like the move from Pocahontas to Hartford was more about faith and trust in God than about the job.

Since we have moved here i have been working very hard to find a job. It has been very difficult and draining. The other day Lori and i were having a discussion about it and about how frustrated we are that so many doors seem to be closing with no real direction. It has been causing us to re-evaluate our goals and in part to question God's instructions/our ability to recognize His instruction. In other words just to doubt.

As part of the discussion i had told Lori a number of times that really "i just don't know what to do". Afterwards i just needed to go for a walk to clear my head. I have been walking down to the park, jogging around the park, and walking back trying to just talk to God in the mornings as a part of my devotions. So i went to clear my head and talk to God. As i was walking i was just talking to God telling Him how i feel and that "i just don't know what to do".

As i was walking i went past a house where a guy had been standing there looking at a log in his yard. It looked like a decent sized log but he had ropes tied around it and it looked like he was well on his way to getting it into his truck. I said "good afternoon" as i went by and just kept walking. I thought that maybe he could use some help. But then i figured "nah, if he needs help he'll ask for it". But the thought wouldn't go away. So i told myself that if he was still there when i came back through on my way back that i'd ask if he needed help (not that abnormal of an excuse on my part). I started to feel convicted and gave myself a hard time about it, so i turned around went back and asked him if he needed help...

What kind of response would you expect from a question like that? "Sure, i could use some help" "No thanks, i've got it" or something similar probably. Well, that's not the answer he gave. As soon as i asked, his immediate response was "I just don't know what to do" **SMACK** He said to me exactly what i had said to both Lori and God. The exact words! Needless to say, after some work we got that last log onto his truck with some effort and went on our ways.

I told Lori about it when i got home and apparently she had had a similar experience of God speaking and confirming to her in her time while i had been gone. I'd tell it, but that's her story. It never ceases to amaze me when God just does those little things to give us strength and support right when we need it. It's just His way of saying, "I'm here and I know what's going on. I haven't forgotten about or abandoned you."

My Dangerous Idea

I wrote in earlier posts about the World Question and what my response would be to last years question of what i believe to be true even though i cannot prove it. I promised that i would write about this year's question "What is my dangerous idea?", so here it is.

My dangerous idea is that our modern public educational system is almost completely failing today's youth. If the purpose of the education system is to prepare young people for adulthood and to give them what they need to succeed in life, than it is failing miserably. More and more education above and beyond the basic 12th grade is required to have anything more than a minimum wage job. And oftentimes even that is not enough. I currently have my Masters Degree and am preparing myself to get my Doctorate, but even with all of that education, it was very little preparation for the real world.

The public school system does not prepare people to work and hold down a job, it teaches them to be students. For those people who are not very good at academics (even though they may be great at other things), forcing them to fit into the education system and attempting to force them into a mold that they may not fit simply teaches them to see themselves as a failure instead of building the strengths that they have to help them to be productive.

I do not blame the teachers and educators for this as they often do their jobs very well. Oftentimes they do this at their own personal expense of time, finances, and other potential gain. I believe that the flaw is in the system itself.

In order to explain this properly i need to go over some historical background. Prior to the industrial revolution much of what would have been considered the education of a child was done either through working in the family business, working in the fields, working in the home, and/or doing an apprenticeship/journeyman work. When a child was old enough to be able to do any work,....

Well, that's better, but still not finished...

Not What i Can do For Him, but Who i am With Him.

Isaiah 66:1-2
Thus says the Lord,
"Heaven (is) My throne
And earth (is) My footstool
Where (is) the house that you will build Me?
And where (is) the place of My rest?
For all those (things) My hand has made
And all those (things) exist"
Says the Lord.

"But on this (one) will I look
On (him who is) poor and of a contrite spirit
And who trembles at My word.


This passage talks about how we tend to focus on what we can do or build for God. The reality is that there is nothing that we can do or build for Him that will please Him. He already has it all. He created it all. But the one thing that He does look at and desires from us/his people at the time is that we are/they were poor (depressed in mind or circumstances; also translated humble) and of a contrite (maimed, [figuratively] dejected) spirit and who trembles (afraid, reverence) at My word.

We want to do great things. God wants us to seek and fear Him. When we seek and fear Him, He can use us to do great things. But when we try to do it our way, we inevitably fail.

Poetry & Purpose in Isaiah 61:10-11

Isaiah 61:10-11
א) I will greatly rejoice in the Lord
ב) My soul will be joyful to my God
א) For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation
ב) He has covered me with the robe of righteousness
א) As a bridegroom decks (himself) in ornaments
ב) And a bride adorns (herself) in her jewels

א) For as the earth brings forth its buds
ב) And a garden causes what has been sown in it to spring forth
ג) So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations

The poetic structure of the passage has been highlighted using Hebrew letters

The first section is preparation and lead for the second section
The first two lines are what the author is doing, or who he is
The 4 lines after that explain and flesh why that is so

The second section explains who God is and what He is doing
The last line appears to be the purpose of the entire passage

In the last stanza notice the parallel between the last two lines.
garden ~ Lord God
what has been sown ~ righteousness and praise

In the last stanza i find it interesting that "the earth brings forth it's buds" while "the garden causes what has been sown in it to spring forth"
The first is a natural process while the second is what has been/is being produced (purpose).
That in turn applies to the last line.
"So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations"

Intelligence Tests

Yesterday something i was reading pointed out the first of these two intelligence tests. Being someone who enjoys these kinds of things i was naturally interested,... then caught in the trap. Because of these tests i wasted most of the productive time that i had had yesterday (thankfully i still got the work done that i needed to). But, being the kind person that i am, i decided to share to lack of productivity around the office, and now with you. I got a 20 on the first test so far (although i haven't finished yet), and that doesn't count the 3 or 4 that other people blurted out so i can't count as my own. On the second test, when i left work i had had a score of around 15, but again i'm not through with it yet (and i had a lot less time to work on it).

Let me start you out on the right foot. My wife blurted this one out to me, so i couldn't claim it as one i had figured out so i will pass the answer on to you.
26 L in the A = 26 Letters in the Alphabet. Enjoy and good luck

So how did you do? (What is your 1 day total?)

Sexualizing Youth? Good or bad?

After reading the comments on my last post i decided to pose some questions for the readers and commentators of this site. Kim made the comment that "Society is sexualizing our children at younger ages than ever before", and that this could be causing numerous problems. I commented that i agreed with her, but let's see what you have to say.

1) Do you agree that our society is sexualizing our children at younger and younger ages? Why?
2) Is this something that is a problem? How so or why not?
3) If this is a problem, what can we do to change it?

So now i leave it in your hands...

Feminism and Politically Incorrect Advice for Men

I have been working on and trying to get this post done since about Thursday. Now it's Sunday and i still don't have it finished. I get the feeling that if i don't post this soon, i never will. So here's an unrefined but postable draft.

A friend of mine that i work with found the article, Politically Incorrect Advice for Young Men and bookmarked it. I was focused on getting necessary work work done at the time, so i came back to it later. Much of what this article says i have been recognizing for years and is one of the big issues that i have with today's society. Femminism and our current mentality on love (stemming from the femminist movement) have taken over our society to such an extent that it prevents both men and women from reaching their real potential. There is a reason why so many men abandon their families and so many women are left to raise their kids as single moms.

Anyways this article is about the author's awakening and advice to young men and should really be taken seriously. I especially like what he said in point 7:

Society is addicted to sex. The atmosphere is sexualized. Human relationships have been degraded. The best way to fight sex addiction is to get married. Sexual liberation is not wanting sex (because you have it.)

Understand, i do not fully agree with everything Mr. Makow states, especially in regards to his staying "Make work (not women) your passion". A man that is burried in his work with disregard for his wife and family is called a workaholic. I believe that you should make your work and your family your passions.

Anyways, this article has alot to say about the current state of our society and some of the falacies that pervade it. I recommend that you read it.

What do i Believe?

Last year’s World Question was “What do You Believe is True Even Though You Cannot Prove it?”  I suppose that there are a great many things that i believe, and that i cannot prove.  

For instance i believe that no one is an accident.  I believe that every human being has a purpose greater than themself that they can reach/attain, or not, but never on their own.  I believe that every person has the potential to attain to great things, world changing things, yet never fulfill their purpose.  I believe that there is more to a human being than just a body and mind; that every human being has a soul/spirit.  I believe that there are unseen forces in this world that are at war with each other, continually battling for our lives and souls, attempting to bring those purposes to fruition or to bring us to destruction.  I believe that everything we do is connected to ourselves and the world around us.  Thus as no one is an island unto themselves, nothing one does, does not affect others around them.  Thus nullifying the idea that i can do what I want as long as it doesn’t affect anyone else.  I believe that all of these things are connected, and more.

There are many other things that i believe that i cannot prove by science and mere reason.  What i've stated here is just the tip, of the tip, of the iceberg.

So, what do you believe?

The World Question

It appears that each year the Edge Foundation, Inc. asks an annual "World Question" inviting scientists and intellectuals all over the world to respond with thieir thoughts and ideas. Many of responses end up published in a book. Last year's question was "What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it", with the responses published in the book What We Believe But Cannot Prove: Today's Leading Thinkers on Science in the Age of Certainty .

This year the question is "What is Your Dangerous Idea?" The explanation of this question on the website reads

The history of science is replete with discoveries that were considered socially, morally, or emotionally dangerous in their time; the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions are the most obvious. What is your dangerous idea? An idea you think about (not necessarily one you originated) that is dangerous not because it is assumed to be false, but because it might be true?

Hopefully sometime soon i will have time to post my responses to these two questions. Untill then feel free to comment on how you would answer them.

Homosexuality in Development

There are many that say that homosexuality is a nature (as opposed to nurture) issue and that the idea that a person can "become" homosexual due to circumstances is rediculous.

There is an article on C|Net.com about how a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World Through His Webcam. It's about how he got online with his webcam to meet girls and ended up as a major player in the online child pornography world including homosexual prostitution as a result of manipulation and "grooming".

he would pay Justin $50 to sit bare-chested in front of his Webcam for three minutes. The man explained that Justin could receive the money instantly and helped him open an account on PayPal.com, an online payment system.

"I figured, I took off my shirt at the pool for nothing," he said recently. "So, I was kind of like, what's the difference?"

Justin removed his T-shirt. The men watching him oozed compliments.

The article goes on to explain how this is developed and what made him suceptable to this kind of problem.

The emotional turmoil left Justin longing for paternal affection, family members said. And the adult males he met online offered just that. "They complimented me all the time," Justin said. "They told me I was smart, they told me I was handsome."

In that, experts said, the eighth-grade boy's experience reflected the standard methods used by predatory adults to insinuate themselves into the lives of minors they meet online.

"In these cases, there are problems in their own lives that make them predisposed to" manipulation by adults, Lawrence Likar, a former FBI supervisor, said of children persuaded to pose for pornography. "The predators know that and are able to tap into these problems and offer what appear to be solutions."

Overall it is a really interesting article with quite a bit to say. I was rather disappointed however that almost no focus was placed on what has helped to bring him back out of the problem, with just a quick note saying;

Justin himself has found a measure of control over his life. He revealed the details of his secret life to his family, telling them of all the times in the past that he had lied to them. He has sought counseling, kept off drugs, resumed his connection with his church and plans to attend college beginning in January.

But, such is life...

Pride & Control

It's funny, because i know that God always listens when i speak.
I also know that He speaks and oftentimes i don't listen.
But what really amazes me is how much He says, by saying so little.
Tonight this is what He said to me...

You say you want My will.
You say you want to do My work...
But you say only if you do it.

I guess the title says it all...

How to Make the Bible Fit Your View

So many people do this so naturally and without even thinking about it, but i thought i'd break it down for you with some examples.

1) Read the Bible with pre-set assumptions. You will often find what you are looking for. This is actually what every person tends to do.
2) Pick and choose the passages you want to accept and that fit your view and ignore any that don’t. It usually helps to quote these passages to others so that if people do disagree others can support your view.
3) Pick and choose whole sections of the Bible. If you don’t like something you can always say that it is a metaphor and it should not to be taken literally.
4) Redefine a word to make the verse that it’s in fit your view
5) Impose our culture into the Bible as though it was the culture of the Bible times. Attempting to change the Bible to fit the culture is a long held tradition and is especially sought in today’s society.
6) Don’t even read the Bible, and pretend that you know what you’re talking about.
7) Don’t read the Bible and claim that it is irrelevant, ancient, or useless.
8) Read multiple translations. That way you’re more likely to find one that might say what you want it to. This is especially evident in pop-culture "Christian" books.
9) Keep an eye out for new translations. There have been numerous attempts to make more “politically correct” Bibles that sacrifice accuracy for social acceptability.
10) When the Bible does say something that you disagree with point out any possible contradictions in the Bible and say that it is not accurate and should not be taken seriously rather than working through those, so called, "contradictions".
11) Do research and studies through sources that you know & agree with, and disregard as inherantly flawed any that you don't. It usually helps to point those flaws out to others.

If anyone can think of one that i missed, feel free to comment.
I set up a wikiHow article on making the Bible fit your viewpoint.

Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden

Sorry i haven't posted in a while.  I was commenting so much on Jewish Atheist's blog here for a while that it kind of burned me out.  When the network at work and the satellite uplink started having problems it meant that the only time i could post was in the evenings at home or first thing in the mornings and i found that it was making me a little too temperamental.  So i needed a break.  I’m back for now, but in a limited fashion.  The network at work is still on the fritz for a few more weeks and my mother is coming into town tomorrow, so as usual, my time is limited.  Well, enough of my boring excuses…on to more important things.