posting frenzy

want to begin tracking the scriptures we are memorizing for our small group on my blog:

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each one should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

"Come follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him."

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."

and this weeks......

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

it has been a rewarding experience to memorize and ponder scripture each week, and then come together and share.

i am certain i read this

because i don't have an original idea in my head, but i proposed today that i disagreed with my "brother in christ at work" philosophically on why jesus came to earth.

this is what i said:

Christ came primarily, NOT to establish a religion (or system of belief), but a movement (namely the kingdom of God) in which he invites others to particpate in the redemption of the world.
This is THE major theme of scripture - God partners with Israel in the OT and the Church in the NT to redeem fallen man for his glory (i added this later). Through Christ he has once and for all, finished the work of salvation, and he is asking us to "trust" him for that salvation and the power to live with Christ as king.

we run to religion, rules, laws and the like while jesus wants us to run to him in obedience.

wrestling with

all kinds of different ideas, that quite frankly i haven't wrestled with for some time. still in conversation with a brother in christ at work, and the latest topic is election or maybe better put, god's sovereignty. i am coming from the viewpoint of without choice - real choice - then how can there be love? if i haven't had the ablility to choose or deny god since my birth, what is the deal? i believe he is coming from the reformed theological viewpoint (i say think, b/c i really don't know) that god has divinely chosen who will be the elect and who will not.

now - if we serve an all good, all powerful and all knowing god then i have to trust whatever the real deal is, it is right and just. but this is tough stuff. this brings up tons of other questions, and maybe i will wrestle with more of them on this blog at a later time.

suffice to say right now, i am glad i "bumped" into this fellow and have enjoyed the relationship we have formed. he is earnestly seeking to get me to "see the light" and i am returning the favor, but we are not beating each other to a pulp - at least most days.

so if are reading this - what do you think? free will or not free will? or is that even the issue here?

southern baptist

you know who you are - this is just for you, if you have ears to hear.



there is a second half you can download if you wish.

simply amazing!

my winner

this was my favorite super bowl video - and i am not all about watching the commercials, i actually look forward to watching the game! but this one was hilarious to me. also, what about that game? one of the best in history, some are saying.

at it again

this morning emily took the kids for some doughnuts at one of our favorite places, sugar and spice. as they open up the drive through windows kylie catches a whiff of the intoxicating aroma of sugary goodness and proceeds to say:

"mommy, i can taste doughnuts in my nose!"

not sure what to do with that, but it made me laugh.