Time magazine has selected their man of the year and against most predictions, they selected Vladimir Putin. Now the smart money was on Al Gore. Al Gore of course won an Oscar for Best Documentary. (I guess it doesn't even need to be factual to be a documentary nowadays) He also won a Nobel PEACE prize for his role in Global Warming (now Climate Change) awareness. Now while these two awards have their obvious political ties, so does Time's Man (or person) of the Year. Gore was certainly the front runner in the collective wisdom of most people who pay attention to these things. I must admit that while the choice of Pootey Poot (as he was affectionately called by President Bush) is better than last year's choice of You, (it's less of a cop out at least) it still leaves one scratching their head.
I understand Time does not look at whether a person is good or bad, but bases their choice on the impact of a person, but this is ridiculous. Putin certainly has had an impact on world events. He has been instrumental in bringing Russia closer to a Soviet style dictatorship than it has been since shortly after becoming a democracy. He has also strengthened alliances with most of our enemies. He has even been responsible (very recently) of supplying nuclear (not nucular) materials to Iran. But rewarding him with Man of the Year honors? Time Magazine please just come out and say that you hate the way America is, and that you want socialism.
My vote would have been for GEN David Petraeus. The architect of modern urban warfare and counterinsurgency tactics has done an amazing job of restoring the peace to Iraq. In fact, after much criticism by the Anti-War Left, the war in Iraq is enjoying the lowest month of troop deaths of the entire war. (currently 19) Anyone who has taken acne medication knows it gets worse before it gets better. That is what happened with the strategy. At first, the insurgency got worse, but then it got better and better. Now Iraq is as safe as it has been in a long time. GEN Petraeus has done his job with honor, class and distinction in the way some of his great predecessors have done. GEN Petraeus has turned a war that the left had called 'lost' and turned it into a war that we are clearly winning, in spite of many Democrats in Congress and our media who have been committing sedition and sabotaging the war effort for years now. Peace is being restored in Iraq, and with any luck the Iraqi government will get its act together and unite for the betterment of its people. I only hope that they do not look at our congress for an example of how things need to be done. Our congress has openly criticized the Iraqi government for not getting the job done politically, but I think our congress needs to look at their 11% approval rating, and heed the words of Jesus:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)
26 December 2007
25 December 2007
Merry Christmas!
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14)
Today is the day that we celebrate Christmas, the day of birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We could get into a debate about, whether Jesus was born in December or March or whenever. We could debate the year Jesus was born. We could get into a debate about the pagan influences which were added to the holiday a few hundred years later. We could even debate about the over commercialization of Christmas. But we would miss the point.
The point is Christ was born. God sent His son who was from before the beginning of time, through whom ALL things were created, to come to earth, show us God in the flesh, show us how to live, and ultimately die in our place for the sins we have committed. Christ is the King of the Earth. He is our Lord and Savior. He died for your sins and mine, and His birth was a gift from God. As we open presents and watch eagerly as our children open their presents, as we spend time with family, and eat turkey, ham or whatever you eat, remember this is a day to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus. Everything else is great and fun and wonderful as long as you remember what Jesus gave up for you. Remember his love, remember his life, and remember his teachings.
"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:15-17)
On the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord, let's be reinspired to live for Him.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14)
Today is the day that we celebrate Christmas, the day of birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We could get into a debate about, whether Jesus was born in December or March or whenever. We could debate the year Jesus was born. We could get into a debate about the pagan influences which were added to the holiday a few hundred years later. We could even debate about the over commercialization of Christmas. But we would miss the point.
The point is Christ was born. God sent His son who was from before the beginning of time, through whom ALL things were created, to come to earth, show us God in the flesh, show us how to live, and ultimately die in our place for the sins we have committed. Christ is the King of the Earth. He is our Lord and Savior. He died for your sins and mine, and His birth was a gift from God. As we open presents and watch eagerly as our children open their presents, as we spend time with family, and eat turkey, ham or whatever you eat, remember this is a day to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus. Everything else is great and fun and wonderful as long as you remember what Jesus gave up for you. Remember his love, remember his life, and remember his teachings.
"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:15-17)
On the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord, let's be reinspired to live for Him.
18 December 2007
Words of Wisdom from Aslan
*SPOILER ALERT* If you haven't read "The Magician's Nephew", and intend to, you may not want to read this post.
"He thinks great folly, child,......But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and rumblings. Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!"
-Aslan the Lion; (representing The Lion of Judah) from "The Magician's Nephew", by C.S. Lewis
"Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:25-29)
If you don't believe, is it because you are refusing to listen? He wants you to hear, but is your heart hardened? All who believe can have redemption. Even Digory, who brought evil with him into Narnia was redeemed because he was still humble enough to listen to the lion. His uncle was hard-hearted, and didn't hear the voice of the Lion, but only mutterings and growls. When God is talking to you, can you hear his voice?
"He thinks great folly, child,......But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either; he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him, he would hear only growlings and rumblings. Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!"
-Aslan the Lion; (representing The Lion of Judah) from "The Magician's Nephew", by C.S. Lewis
"Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:25-29)
If you don't believe, is it because you are refusing to listen? He wants you to hear, but is your heart hardened? All who believe can have redemption. Even Digory, who brought evil with him into Narnia was redeemed because he was still humble enough to listen to the lion. His uncle was hard-hearted, and didn't hear the voice of the Lion, but only mutterings and growls. When God is talking to you, can you hear his voice?
16 December 2007
*
When I was a kid, the second thing I ever wanted to do was play major league baseball. (The first thing was to be an astronaut) I had it planned out. I would be the starting catcher and I would have been in the mold (at the time) of Gary Carter. I just knew that's what I'd do. Well, a broken thumb when I was 13 made me second guess myself and I didn't play when I was 14. I didn't play because during the registration period I just felt depressed and didn't want to play that year. The broken thumb also broke my spirit. But during the season, I wished I would have played so badly. I did play when I was 15, but I had lost the edge, the killer instinct. Two years away from the game held me back.
But I still loved the game. I loved watching, playing and analyzing baseball. You see unlike any other sport, I believe that baseball is the greatest game ever invented. It is the only game where you can be considered excellent if you are successful 30% of the time. Baseball is such a game of percentages, that managers switch pitchers to increase by 5% the chance of getting a batter out. But for a manager who plays these percentages right, it means the difference of winning 90 games as opposed to winning 85. Those 5 wins can mean the difference between making the playoffs, and not making the playoffs.
In line with that minuscule probability edge, is the steroid drama. You take a player who is good or even great, and when he takes steroids, it makes him just a little better. Maybe a ball he would have hit 340 feet for a long out now goes 350 feet for a home run. Maybe a pitch that would have been thrown 93 miles per hour and is hit for a base hit, is thrown 95 miles per hour and is a strike out.
The bottom line is; greed. The difference between 15 wins and 11 wins as a pitcher, or 3.50 ERA instead of 4.00 ERA is probably $3-5 million per year. The difference between hitting .275 with 25 home runs and .300 with 35 home runs is probably $3-5 million per year as well. That doesn't include endorsements and the prestige of the all-star game. Most people would say that its not worth it to cheat and risk everything you've worked for. But there are many people who would say that it IS worth it.
As the Mitchell Report shows, at least 80 players considered the risk to be worth it. Undoubtedly, many more players cheated than were implicated in the report. Cheating is not just happening in baseball. It is track and field (Marion Jones), cycling (Floyd Landis and possibly Lance Armstrong), professional wrestling (if you can call it professional or wrestling) and many other Olympic and professional sports. The stigma of cheating covers most sports. But baseball was synonymous with apple pie and America. It was the game of the heartland. The game that I love, and apparently the worst offender in steroid cheating. (with maybe the exception of pro wrestling)
To have this sport to be ripped apart by this scandal is hard for me. Honestly, I knew that there were issues, but it is hard to put together all the emotions of this. Being an adult and having been scarred and hardened by the world, I know that there are cheaters in every facet of life. I am glad that I am older now. I am glad that I am not the 8 year old I was when I imagined being the Mets catcher for 15 years, being a perennial all-star and home run king and world series champion and everything kids dream of. I don't know how I would feel to see my heroes destroyed by their own doing. The cheating environment of our nation has become accepted. It goes from average people to our sports stars, to celebrities to our political leaders. How far our nation has fallen.
"The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight." (Proverbs 11:1)
But I still loved the game. I loved watching, playing and analyzing baseball. You see unlike any other sport, I believe that baseball is the greatest game ever invented. It is the only game where you can be considered excellent if you are successful 30% of the time. Baseball is such a game of percentages, that managers switch pitchers to increase by 5% the chance of getting a batter out. But for a manager who plays these percentages right, it means the difference of winning 90 games as opposed to winning 85. Those 5 wins can mean the difference between making the playoffs, and not making the playoffs.
In line with that minuscule probability edge, is the steroid drama. You take a player who is good or even great, and when he takes steroids, it makes him just a little better. Maybe a ball he would have hit 340 feet for a long out now goes 350 feet for a home run. Maybe a pitch that would have been thrown 93 miles per hour and is hit for a base hit, is thrown 95 miles per hour and is a strike out.
The bottom line is; greed. The difference between 15 wins and 11 wins as a pitcher, or 3.50 ERA instead of 4.00 ERA is probably $3-5 million per year. The difference between hitting .275 with 25 home runs and .300 with 35 home runs is probably $3-5 million per year as well. That doesn't include endorsements and the prestige of the all-star game. Most people would say that its not worth it to cheat and risk everything you've worked for. But there are many people who would say that it IS worth it.
As the Mitchell Report shows, at least 80 players considered the risk to be worth it. Undoubtedly, many more players cheated than were implicated in the report. Cheating is not just happening in baseball. It is track and field (Marion Jones), cycling (Floyd Landis and possibly Lance Armstrong), professional wrestling (if you can call it professional or wrestling) and many other Olympic and professional sports. The stigma of cheating covers most sports. But baseball was synonymous with apple pie and America. It was the game of the heartland. The game that I love, and apparently the worst offender in steroid cheating. (with maybe the exception of pro wrestling)
To have this sport to be ripped apart by this scandal is hard for me. Honestly, I knew that there were issues, but it is hard to put together all the emotions of this. Being an adult and having been scarred and hardened by the world, I know that there are cheaters in every facet of life. I am glad that I am older now. I am glad that I am not the 8 year old I was when I imagined being the Mets catcher for 15 years, being a perennial all-star and home run king and world series champion and everything kids dream of. I don't know how I would feel to see my heroes destroyed by their own doing. The cheating environment of our nation has become accepted. It goes from average people to our sports stars, to celebrities to our political leaders. How far our nation has fallen.
"The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight." (Proverbs 11:1)
11 December 2007
2 Esdras
Over the last few days I have been reading the books Ezra and Nehemiah. Originally Ezra and Nehemiah were compiled as one book, 2 Esdras. It is believed that they were compiled from partial writings of Ezra and Nehemiah. I hadn't read them in a while, and honestly I read through Ezra puzzled looking for something to jump out at me, but nothing did. I didn't know if I was not in touch with the Spirit, or if a poor week of quiet times previously was hindering me. But this morning as I began reading Nehemiah a light bulb went off.
"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:14)
What I realized around this point was this: Christians will face opposition. Our opposition will come from many sources, yet it is Satan's work. God, true to his promise, returned the exiles from Persia in the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. Also true to the word of God were the 70 years. It was 70 years from the initial exile to the building of the new altar in Jerusalem,(605 BC-536 BC) as well as 70 years from the destruction of the Temple to the completion of the new Temple. (586 BC-516 BC)
In Ezra 1, the exiles begin returning to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (By proclamation of King Cyrus) At first things go great and they make progress on the construction, but then they face opposition and stop. They may have stopped for about 10 years. With another proclamation (This time from Darius) the construction is finally back on track and a few years later the temple is completed. It took 20 years, but it could have been 10.
In Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah, cup bearer to King Artaxerxes is distraught when learning that after many years of the Israelite return to Jerusalem, the walls had still not been rebuilt. The temple was built, but they stalled and did not finish the work that needed to be done. Nehemiah returns (he had never actually been to Jerusalem as he was born in Persia) to the land of his fathers, in an effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls and the city. Initially like with the temple, construction goes well, and they face more opposition (notice a trend). Finally they stand up and do the work that needed to be done to finish the walls.
After all of that background here is my initial analysis: When someone makes the decision to walk with God, there are challenges. At first it is great, but then Satan realizes he is losing his grip on you and the attacks come. At this point many people stall, not fully realizing what they are sacrificing in stalling, or who the attacks are really coming from. For me, it was past unconfessed sins that I didn't want to deal with. I liked them where they were buried just fine. But I wasn't going anywhere. The foundation was laid, but there was no temple. I finally overcame my fears and Satan's opposition and finished building the temple.
But what happens next? I'm a Christian, I'm saved. I'm GOOD. But you're not growing, and you haven't built your defenses. You have to grow as a Christian, because Satan will flee from you when you stand up to him, but he will come back with a better strategy. It took Nehemiah coming back to build the wall in Jerusalem, and it takes a fully committed effort by every Christian, to build their walls against the evil one. The Christian walk takes faith, determination, perseverance and a good measure of armaments to battle Satan.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18)
"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:14)
What I realized around this point was this: Christians will face opposition. Our opposition will come from many sources, yet it is Satan's work. God, true to his promise, returned the exiles from Persia in the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. Also true to the word of God were the 70 years. It was 70 years from the initial exile to the building of the new altar in Jerusalem,(605 BC-536 BC) as well as 70 years from the destruction of the Temple to the completion of the new Temple. (586 BC-516 BC)
In Ezra 1, the exiles begin returning to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (By proclamation of King Cyrus) At first things go great and they make progress on the construction, but then they face opposition and stop. They may have stopped for about 10 years. With another proclamation (This time from Darius) the construction is finally back on track and a few years later the temple is completed. It took 20 years, but it could have been 10.
In Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah, cup bearer to King Artaxerxes is distraught when learning that after many years of the Israelite return to Jerusalem, the walls had still not been rebuilt. The temple was built, but they stalled and did not finish the work that needed to be done. Nehemiah returns (he had never actually been to Jerusalem as he was born in Persia) to the land of his fathers, in an effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls and the city. Initially like with the temple, construction goes well, and they face more opposition (notice a trend). Finally they stand up and do the work that needed to be done to finish the walls.
After all of that background here is my initial analysis: When someone makes the decision to walk with God, there are challenges. At first it is great, but then Satan realizes he is losing his grip on you and the attacks come. At this point many people stall, not fully realizing what they are sacrificing in stalling, or who the attacks are really coming from. For me, it was past unconfessed sins that I didn't want to deal with. I liked them where they were buried just fine. But I wasn't going anywhere. The foundation was laid, but there was no temple. I finally overcame my fears and Satan's opposition and finished building the temple.
But what happens next? I'm a Christian, I'm saved. I'm GOOD. But you're not growing, and you haven't built your defenses. You have to grow as a Christian, because Satan will flee from you when you stand up to him, but he will come back with a better strategy. It took Nehemiah coming back to build the wall in Jerusalem, and it takes a fully committed effort by every Christian, to build their walls against the evil one. The Christian walk takes faith, determination, perseverance and a good measure of armaments to battle Satan.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18)
07 December 2007
A day that will live in infamy....
Today is the 66th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. I hope that as a nation, we can remember that we have common goals as Americans regardless of party affiliation or non-affiliation. Americans have a goal that our nation be a great nation and be a force for good throughout the world. Please pray for our troops in harm's way now, and remember the hundreds of thousands that died in World War II, who have given us a chance to be a great nation, and saved us from oppression. Also pray for our leaders on both sides of the aisle, that they can stop bickering and attend to the business of the people as they were elected to do. Hopefully, partisanship can stop and our nation and its leaders can work together to build a greater nation.
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5166/
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5166/
05 December 2007
But Everyone's Doing It (Part 2)
Well I am working on this blog. Soon I'll add more things to the blog, pictures and such, but for now I'll start by saying that I'm entering into new territory. I have always been shy, and the first few times I ever posted on a blog, were strange to me. I've been working on public speaking and I even took a public speaking class this past summer. I would eventually like to serve in my church as an elder (I'm about 15-20 years away from this) but I'd like to serve in numerous ways. This past weekend I did my first communion message here in Austin. I did one before one time but that was at a much smaller church. I wasn't nearly as nervous as I thought I'd be, which was good, and I stayed pretty close to my intended message. Anyway, I'd considered starting a blog and when my wife set one up in about 15 minutes that looked really cool, I figured 'why can't I do that?' I'm not very technologically savvy, but this is not too bad. Anyway, there is no real point to this, and I'm starting to ramble so I'll stop. Tschuss
But everyone's doing it!
Since everyone else seems to be getting a blog going, I figured why not? I'll try to work on it over the next few days.
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