Saturday, January 17, 2009
Birthday Lunch with the Grandkids
Today we had a little birthday lunch at OTB. It was a nice and easy going lunch. Here is a video of the kind of fun Nana has with the grandkids.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Joys of XBOX 360
One of the major highlights of my week was playing Madden 2009 on the XBOX 360 I bought before Christmas. I sold some of the coins in my coin collection and bought a 360 for the house. Its a lot of fun. There is a karaoke program on it that Amy and Amaya really like. Caden likes the microphones and doesn't care if they are on or off he just carries it around the house talking and making noise into the mic. Hey it keeps him busy and that boy needs to be busy with something that is not destructive.
I've been trying to conquer Tour of Duty 3 but don't have a lot of time to spend on it. I think I've killed the same Nazi soldier on the first level a thousands times. One day I will make it to the second level and see if there are any other bad guys to electronically kill with my sharpshooter rifle. It seems like you kill one enemy in a window in a building and he reincarnates again in 5 seconds to the same spot looking the same. As a matter of fact every Nazi enemy looks exactly like the others. The good guys all look like the programmers who programmed the game. The similarities are amazing.
Well, back to Madden 09 this week. I truly, had only played two games of Madden 09 before I played my son-in-law, Chase--who incidentally has been playing this game for years. Well I beat Chase by 10 points, a rookie against a Madden Pro. Then I played my other son-in-law, Robby--another veteran of the game. I beat him by 4 points, it killed him because he got down to the half yard line and time ran out in the game (haaa-heeee-haaa, lol). They both had all kinds of excuses. I did have a rematch with Chase and he beat me only because I ran out of time and was about to kick a 25 yard field goal on second down with 10 seconds left and my being unfamiliar with the game (because I'm a rookie) could not find how to kick a field goal on second down. So we tied and he scored first in overtime and beat me. We played again and I was about to go up on him two touchdowns when he said he had to take the grandkids home and put them to bed.
Whispering: "I will be secretly practicing the game now so that I might annihilate them in the future." Becca and Amy, if you read this blog don't tell them because I know they won't be reading this.
I've been trying to conquer Tour of Duty 3 but don't have a lot of time to spend on it. I think I've killed the same Nazi soldier on the first level a thousands times. One day I will make it to the second level and see if there are any other bad guys to electronically kill with my sharpshooter rifle. It seems like you kill one enemy in a window in a building and he reincarnates again in 5 seconds to the same spot looking the same. As a matter of fact every Nazi enemy looks exactly like the others. The good guys all look like the programmers who programmed the game. The similarities are amazing.
Well, back to Madden 09 this week. I truly, had only played two games of Madden 09 before I played my son-in-law, Chase--who incidentally has been playing this game for years. Well I beat Chase by 10 points, a rookie against a Madden Pro. Then I played my other son-in-law, Robby--another veteran of the game. I beat him by 4 points, it killed him because he got down to the half yard line and time ran out in the game (haaa-heeee-haaa, lol). They both had all kinds of excuses. I did have a rematch with Chase and he beat me only because I ran out of time and was about to kick a 25 yard field goal on second down with 10 seconds left and my being unfamiliar with the game (because I'm a rookie) could not find how to kick a field goal on second down. So we tied and he scored first in overtime and beat me. We played again and I was about to go up on him two touchdowns when he said he had to take the grandkids home and put them to bed.
Whispering: "I will be secretly practicing the game now so that I might annihilate them in the future." Becca and Amy, if you read this blog don't tell them because I know they won't be reading this.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Turning 47
Ten things I liked about turning 47.
1. Got a few gift cards. Here I come Chick-fil-a and Scholtzkys.
2. Got a Penni press. Nothing like a sandwich made with a Penni press. Love the grill marks.
3. Got a gift card to a book store. Thinking about getting Biblica - a big Bible Atlas book.
4. Got my favorite meal--Curry and rice, even though I had to make it myself. At least I didn't have to clean up.
5. Got a coconut cream pie, mmmm my favorite. Turns out the grandkids love it too.
6. I still don't look like a grandfather, so they tell me, they could just be trying to keep me feeling so bad.
7. It's 364 days until I turn 48.
8. Debby is only one year older than I am. In September she will be two years older than me (really it is just 18 months). It's a good thing we don't say we are 47 1/2.
9. I ain't 50 yet!
10. The crying only last a few hours now. I'm too tired to cry any longer at this age.
1. Got a few gift cards. Here I come Chick-fil-a and Scholtzkys.
2. Got a Penni press. Nothing like a sandwich made with a Penni press. Love the grill marks.
3. Got a gift card to a book store. Thinking about getting Biblica - a big Bible Atlas book.
4. Got my favorite meal--Curry and rice, even though I had to make it myself. At least I didn't have to clean up.
5. Got a coconut cream pie, mmmm my favorite. Turns out the grandkids love it too.
6. I still don't look like a grandfather, so they tell me, they could just be trying to keep me feeling so bad.
7. It's 364 days until I turn 48.
8. Debby is only one year older than I am. In September she will be two years older than me (really it is just 18 months). It's a good thing we don't say we are 47 1/2.
9. I ain't 50 yet!
10. The crying only last a few hours now. I'm too tired to cry any longer at this age.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
God's Every Day Presence In Our Lives
I've been reading John Ortberg's book God is Closer than You Think. The first chapter is about a God who would draw near to his people. There are numerous examples out of the Bible that speak about God promising to be near to people. The Psalms are filled with the understanding of a God who is ever-present and who continually remains with us wherever we might go or wherever we might be. Read Psa. 139:1-10 and see what I mean about God being near.
John Ortberg in his book gives guiding principles to help us be aware of God's presence in our every moments. I find these principles helpful in getting me to slow and intentionally see God in every little thing. Try it!
John Ortberg in his book gives guiding principles to help us be aware of God's presence in our every moments. I find these principles helpful in getting me to slow and intentionally see God in every little thing. Try it!
- God is always present and active in my life, whether or not I see him.
- Coming to recogize and experience God's presence is learned behavior; I can cultivate it.
- My task is to meet God in this moment.
- I am always tempted to live "outside" this moment. When I do that, I lose my sense of God's presence.
- Sometimes God seems far away for reasons I do not understand. Those moments, too, are opportunities to learn.
- Whenever I fall, I can always start again right away.
- No one know the full extent to which a human being can experience God's presence.
- My desire for God ebbs and flows, but his desire for me is constant.
- Every thought carries a "spiritual charge" that moves me a little closer to or a little father from God.
- Every aspect of life--work, relationships, hobbies, errands--is of immense genuine interest to God.
- My path to experiencing God's presence will not look quite like anyone else's.
- Straining and trying too hard do not help.
John Ortberg, God Is Closer Than You Think (Participant's Guide, p.20)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A Final Word On "Disputable Matters"
There are alot of these "disputable matters" that we deal with in our Christian relationships and in the church. I don't believe that we have dealt with these matters in our churches in the way that Paul guides us in his letter to the Romans. We have, in most cases, wanted to make everything black and white in what we believed and what we practiced. So, we had an opinion about everything and backed it up with a vague and stretched sort of proof-texting and called it truth. Then we based our fellowship on whether others believed what we believed in regard to what we claimed to be truth. Now we seem to spend our time trying to decide whose right and whose wrong, whose in and whose out, and we have lost our whole focus on real truth--Jesus Christ the Son of God who gave his life so that we might live.
Paul gives this final message about those "disputable matters" that we fight over so much.
Rom. 14:22-5:2 (NIV): So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good to build him up."
This tells me that we, on many matters of opinion, will have different ideas, thoughts, and practice. And when we handle this diversity of thought we do it in the way that Paul has given in the above passage. The diversity is okay as long as we come to our understanding based on faith.
I find it interesting that even though we might have diverse thoughts in the these matters of opinion that Paul still encourages us to have unity. Rom. 15:5(NIV): May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ.
Unity in our diversity.
Paul gives this final message about those "disputable matters" that we fight over so much.
Rom. 14:22-5:2 (NIV): So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good to build him up."
This tells me that we, on many matters of opinion, will have different ideas, thoughts, and practice. And when we handle this diversity of thought we do it in the way that Paul has given in the above passage. The diversity is okay as long as we come to our understanding based on faith.
I find it interesting that even though we might have diverse thoughts in the these matters of opinion that Paul still encourages us to have unity. Rom. 15:5(NIV): May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ.
Unity in our diversity.
Monday, January 5, 2009
How To Get Along With One Another
We often struggle with one another when we can't agree on Hot Button topics. Such issues as politics, schools, forms of recreation, celebration of certain holiday, church attendance, fellowship, clapping hands, raising hands, and even instrumental music. The result is a chuch that splinters and grows weak.
Romans 14 is a good chapter to look and learn when it comes to how we are to treat one another when these Hot Button topics hit us. The following are eight points from the first 19 verses that Paul presents us on how to get along with one another when these issues arise:
1. Accept him or her whose faith is weak by welcoming them. V.1
2. Don't quarrel over "opinions" or "disputable matters." V. 1
3. Don't pass judgment toward on another over these matters of opinion. V.3
4. Let God take care of the judgment of others in regard to these issues and practices. V.4
5. Where ever you are on these issues or opinions, be sure your practice or abstinence of them is to honor the Lord. Vs. 5-9
6. Remember, when you consider you stance on these "disputable matters" you will give an account to God. Vs. 10-12
7. When you exercise your right in these matters of opinion, be driven by love for one another rather than by your own selfish desire. V. 15
8. Pursue only those things, in Christ, that will lead to peace and mutual upbuilding. V.19
God help us to see and do things His way!
Romans 14 is a good chapter to look and learn when it comes to how we are to treat one another when these Hot Button topics hit us. The following are eight points from the first 19 verses that Paul presents us on how to get along with one another when these issues arise:
1. Accept him or her whose faith is weak by welcoming them. V.1
2. Don't quarrel over "opinions" or "disputable matters." V. 1
3. Don't pass judgment toward on another over these matters of opinion. V.3
4. Let God take care of the judgment of others in regard to these issues and practices. V.4
5. Where ever you are on these issues or opinions, be sure your practice or abstinence of them is to honor the Lord. Vs. 5-9
6. Remember, when you consider you stance on these "disputable matters" you will give an account to God. Vs. 10-12
7. When you exercise your right in these matters of opinion, be driven by love for one another rather than by your own selfish desire. V. 15
8. Pursue only those things, in Christ, that will lead to peace and mutual upbuilding. V.19
God help us to see and do things His way!
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