Month: July 2011

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Space, Dreams and Creation

Today is a big day, and in lots of ways it’s a sad day.  The last Space Shuttle will rocket into the sky around 11 am this morning, weather permitting.

This is a sad thing for me as I have grown up with the Space Shuttle.  This was the topic of my seventh grade science fair project.  I had aspirations for a short time that I would fly on one of those things one day.   Everytime I see the amount of engineering and the amout of design that is in those ships, I just stand and marvel at the amount of creative design and thoughts and the mind power that was used to build those things and to make them fly around the earth! 

So today seems like the end of an era of exploration. But it seems that  exploration is something that has been created inside of us. The abilty to dream and to explore and to create.

And it does seem that it all comes back to one creator who gave us the ability to create such incredible devices to explore his marvelous universe.

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 New International Version (NIV)

Remember who created you today, and reach for the stars, or maybe the space station! I wonder what we will explore next!

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Bloggity Blog Blog

I am kind of stuck on this blog today.  I am at one of those impasse that a writers occasionally arrives upon where the thoughts of the brain are twisted and far from the writing word.  As a matter of fact as I started writing this morning this is all I could come up with:

“Blog blog Blog blog, and some more blogging, and how about a little more blogging,

and a now great verse about blogging:”

So I decided to see if I could discover a great verse about blogging and well look what I found:

18Remember my words with your whole being. Write them down and tie them to your hands as a sign; tie them on your foreheads to remind you. Deuteronomy 11:18 New Century Version (NCV)

You’re correct. It’s not really about blogging, but it is a verse which encourages us to use writing and signage as a way to remember the law and the promises given to us from the Creator.  Write down some of your favorite verses today, and work to remember them with your whole being – and then even more importantly, do what they say!

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The Verdict

I was trying to avoid it at all costs, but it has been everywhere.  Turn on the TV, it was there, Facebook, twitter, even in the hardware store.  If if you didn’t want to participate, you had to be pretty isolated to not have some clue about the Casey Anthony trial. And now it has make it to this “buffet of buffets”.

So, the verdict came down yesterday and the world went crazy.  Surprise, shock, and even outrage has been the rule of the day.  As I mentioned, I have tried to avoid this whole thing and have only paid partial attention whenever I have been around any coverage, but even with that little bit of observation, it’s pretty easy to lean toward the guilty side.

But today, I wanted to throw some other thoughts in the ring for your consideration.  I probably should not go here, and maybe very wrong about this, but here are some things tangentially related to the trial that I post for your consideration.

I noticed the outrage and condemnation all over my Facebook world last night and it reminded me of my old preacher man Steve Riley who would frequently say something to the effect of “we are quick to judge when it’s others, but quick to beg for mercy when it is us”.  (That’s not really a quote, and I am sure he was not the original creator of that thought, but it is him who I always think of when that concept creeps into my little brain)

Anyway, as you consider the Anthony young lady, and the disaster that is her existence on this Earth, think about the mercy that you walk in the the light of everyday.  Do she do it? – yes probably.  Is it just the most horrific thing you can think of – well for me, I can actually think of some things much more horrific, but this one is pretty bad.  Should the legal system produce a more just result?- I would think so.  (That being said, I am glad for a legal system that leans toward innocence, versus the alternative).  Should we react to her in a condemning way – hm, this is where I catch myself.  Take a look at these two teachings:

 

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! James 2:12-13 New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Jude 1:22-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Christ, the most beautiful man to ever live, and I mean that not in appearance, but in his character and spirit, admonishes us to be careful with judgement, even so much as to turn that over to God, and to be free with mercy – rescuing those who are in trouble, but hating the actions they have taken. I wish I could be that way, and that is why I sit and stare at these verses this morning and consider the tragedy in Orlando, and formulate what sort of reaction to have to that mess.

What do you think?

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What’s In A Name

Last week, as I spent several hours in the car driving and one thing I noticed was the name of car dealerships on the back of other vehicles and on the side of the road.  And the thing I noticed about them was that some names are perfect for car dealerships and others, well they don’t work.

For instance, the one that I saw that really got me thinking about this was “Jacky Jones Ford”. Can you think of a better name for a car dealership.  That name works, it sounds goods and immediately make you think of a place you want to go.  Whereas ‘Jason Butcher Ford” just doesn’t have the same ring.  Somethings just go together, and some things just don’t.

It’s sort of like, peanut butter and chocolate, or maybe like a follow of Christ and righteous living!

Yeah, as I looked at the license plate for Jack Jones Ford, I was thinking, man that is so perfect, so expected, so right.  I don’t live near a Jacky Jones dealership, but I think I would go there if I did just because the name fits so well with a car dealership.  His name make me want what he is selling.  And that let me down the path of how our names are always associated with something.  And I think as a follow of the Christ, we need to make sure that our names ‘just fit’ with the direction he gave us – things like:

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15 New International Version (NIV)

and

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

So, think about it today, if you had to put your name of a license plate, would it draw people to what you are trying to sell?

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America, FTW!

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

I am so pumped that John Hancock and the boys signed that document that led us down a path to incredible freedom as a country.  The freedoms that are enjoyed in this country to do whatever you want are such a blessing.  And it also reminds me of a similar declaration of independence:

for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:27-29

What a great gift to have all this freedom around us.  Remember to use it and don’t abuse it.

Have a Happy Independence Day!

Now,Get out there and watch some fireworks!