In the Good

In the ever growing expanse of moral decay that faces human civilization, we have bastardized the good.  We scoff at it in our decrepit jealousies and debase it in our hearts - when secretly we know that being good rings of something long forgotten in our souls. 

It is in the Good where romance still lives. It is in the Good, where chivalry is more than opening a door. It is in the Good where a rose smells sweet, stars are amazing things, falling leaves are inspirational, and home cooked meals are savored - not for their flavors, but for the laughter and the sharing of the meal. 

It is in the Good that we find inspiration instead of aspiration. 

Life blooms in the good. Yet we have been dying for so long that we fear to remove the cancer of our warped sensibilities. We are afraid of the gaping hole that will be left in our soul if we were to truly embrace the whole of Good. But I contend that it is to the Good, and to God that we must direct the course of our lives - for little time is left. 

With what breaths we have remaining, we should seek out and enjoy the vibrancy of lives like those that do good - but not because of who they are, but more so for who they represent and follow (Christ Jesus). And we should seek to emulate them in our own lives. 

To die some day without eternity harbored in our soul - clean, pure, and vibrant, is a waste.  

No my friends, being good is not boring. It is a hallmark of truly living - it is divine.

My World View (Again)

This statement of my faith is not debatable, meaning that I do not enter into argument/debate over these issues. My focus is fellowship with the Father and the Son, and then with YOU as an outflow of that fellowship (1 John 1:1-4). I am not focused on convincing others of the correctness of my views. -It took me 38 years...but I will debate with you your beliefs, until you concretely tell me what you believe - and why.

I BELIEVE the only true basis of Christian fellowship is Christ's ("agape") love, which is greater than any differences we possess, and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.

I BELIEVE worship of God should be spiritual. Therefore, I remain flexible and yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct my worship.

I BELIEVE worship of God should be inspirational. Therefore, I give great place to music in my worship.

I BELIEVE worship of God should be intelligent. Therefore, I place great emphasis upon the teaching of the Word of God that He might instruct me how He should be worshiped.

I BELIEVE worship of God should be fruitful. Therefore, I accept reality as His love in my life and my recognition of this perspective as the supreme manifestation that I am truly worshiping Him.

I BELIEVE in all the fundamental doctrines of orthodox evangelical Christianity.

I BELIEVE in the inerrancy of Scripture, that the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, infallible Word of God.

I BELIEVE in the trinity - one God eternally existent in three separate persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I BELIEVE that God the Father is the personal, transcendent, and sovereign Creator of all things.

I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious death on the cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us.

I BELIEVE that after Jesus ascended to Heaven, He poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His command to be His witnesses in the entire world, a responsibility shared by all believers today.

I BELIEVE that all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit. All his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God destined to spend eternity with the Lord.

I BELIEVE in the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures, and that they are valid for today if they are exercised within the scriptural guidelines. I covet the best gifts, seeking to exercise them in love that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. I believe that love is more important than the most spectacular gifts, and without this love all exercise of spiritual gifts is worthless.

I BELIEVE that church government should be simplistic rather than a complex bureaucracy, and I depend on the Holy Spirit to lead, rather than on fleshly promotion.

I AWAIT the pre-tribulation rapture of the church and I believe that the second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on earth will be personal, pre-millennial, and visible. This motivates me to holy living, heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God's Word, regular fellowship, and participation in adult baptism by immersion and Holy Communion. (I was baptized as an adult the day prior to my marriage, for how could I be ready to be married to my wife, if I could not first be married to God?)

I SEEK to teach the Word of God in such a way that its message can be applied to an individual's life, leading that person to greater maturity in Christ.

I REJECT: (1) The belief that true Christians can be demon possessed. (2) "Five point Calvinism" (i.e., a fatalistic Calvinistic view that leaves no room for free will. Specifically, I reject the belief that Jesus' atonement was limited, instead I believe that He died for all people, and I reject the assertion that God's wooing grace cannot be resisted or that He has elected some people to go to hell. Instead, I believe that anyone who wills to come to Christ may do so). I REJECT (3) "Positive confession" (the faith movement belief that God can be commanded to heal or work miracles according to man's will). (4) Human prophecy that supersedes the Scripture. (5) The incorporation of humanistic and secular psychology and philosophy into Biblical teaching, and (6) the over-emphasis of spiritual gifts or experiential signs and wonders to the exclusion of Biblical teaching.
So there you have it. Now tell me, what do you believe?

If I taught a Bible College Class, or 3 Part Deux

Pauline and Johannine Interpretations on Christ - we would explore the greats (spurgeon, grudem, Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Chuck Smith, etc.) and their commentary on various interpretations of Christian living from Paul's perspective and then contrast to the same but from the perspective of John. Source texts would include Romans, the Epistles (Pauls and Johns), The Gospel of John and Revelation of John. Then we would identify where we as individuals are on the spectrum between the two - assuming a spectrum between Paul and John exists. I assume Paul will be more legalistic with highlights on grace, and John the opposite. We will take a look at their audience too, as that is important to differentiate their views. It will be necessary to give a background on Hellenistic culture and Middle Eastern Jewish culture of the time and Roman law.

Called by God to be Small: From Saul to Paul - the conversion and sanctification of a soul. We often look at the Epistles of St. Paul as independent pieces that provide instruction on set of Christian principles. However, the letters also were personal. They contain the emotion and the relationship of Paul to a variety of churches and friends. IF we read Acts, Romans, and the letters in Chronological order- what do they reveal about the man who Paul is? Can we see development in his thoughts, his faith and philosophy? Do the epistles reflect an un-yielding and fully formed interpretation of Christ, or do they present the full spectrum - a natural progression of sanctification? Key points of discovery:
-Roman and Jewish Citizenship
-Romans: Law verse Grace - struggles of the mind
-Ephesians: Mature behavior - "knowing" versus advising
-"Thorn in my side" - perpetual struggles
-Timothy - reflections, advice, imprisonment.

The Bride of Christ: Romancing a Masculine God. Our culture has a strong apprehension for homo-erotic influences in our society. Yet in our own Christian walk, as men we are called to be the Bride of Christ. This is perhaps the only and the most ignored precept of our faith. Let us explore these scriptural mandates in both instruction and parable and see the full extent of the phrase. We will use standard scriptural references to brides throughout the OT and NT and use them as a reference point to model our own relationship with Jesus. We will learn to see the strength in the role of the bride and hopefully respect our own wives moreso. We will review the types of love:brotherly, romantic, and godly and apply it to our own relationship with God. We will look at the idea of submission and of sacrifice. We will explore Proverbs 31 and apply it to our mandate for having a mission based life on earth. We will discuss the masculine concept of God and challenge it ("in His image He made them male and female"). We will also explore the following concepts: spiritual adultery, spiritual divorce, Jesus as head of household, etc. This class could be for married men only or open to all. Perhaps reserved only for students who have demonstrated a strong fundamental relationship with Christ and understanding of basic Christian doctrine.

Through the Lense of Yesterday

36... don't remember 36 too well, but I was a father for the first time
35... that rocked, celebrated - truly celebrated -- my parents were able to be there for the first time since age 27.
34... don't remember too much - just my amazing wife... our new business..our new home
33... my wife took us all to the Chart House, Jane made me the best birthday card ever, and Katya put my face on my cake (tres leches)...AND I recieved the entire collection of Babylon 5 videos...
32... did a lot... dancing at Big Texas, dinner with a ton of friends - Jerry Jones told me the key to life (Hanging with others, good peeps = good life) Katya (not my wife yet) sneeks me away to get dessert at Perrys... she spent the entire day with me actually. such a good friend.
31... HUGE dinner... i think all of Clear Creek community young adults were there - including Jerry (lol). Best memory: Jerry jones: Let's go surfing... Sid: I can't surf Jerry: Bro' I'll teach you Tommy: Uh... HOW ABOUT ITS NOVEMBER AND FREAKIN COLD!!! Old dudes tryin to be kids *facepalm. Jerry: you're just jealous.
30... Small dinner at Churascos... Chocolate Tres Leches.... Sonia argues with me over who should pay the check (idiot, I should have let them pay... just think about the interest I would have made on the savings...lol) Phone call from mom: You need to get married.
29... don't remember
28... huh....
27... uh... nope
26... you know family is important... a god daughter in my arms, home made macaroni and cheese, pork chops... and the resounding love and promise of family...a restless heart was calmed by Good O'l fashioned food and a sister deeply loved
...24...Old friends. Spent the entire day walking through the Emerald Necklace... climbing trees, Yours Truly... Sold two of my rental properties for a tiny profit...
...22...hard year... lots of transitions...cathyrn clark... oof... you sure know how to put things in perspective -- one of the most spiritual birthdays ever...
..21... Peppermint Schnapps...yuck Deepa, what were you thinking? A tattoo? Really Matt Cotner? A birthday baked potato bought at the Overoak Pub by Shabnam..call from Karrie Langer --> why do friends have to talk so seriously and be so frank... but so loyal
20... Phone call from a pay phone in the pouring rain... one of the best gifts ever....deeply touched, eternally remembered.
19... The last time I talked to my sister on my birthday
18-17: Veronica, Chris, Peter, Alex... good times... can't remember the specifics... but I have pictures... yes Veronica, you at one time had frizzy hair, and Alex, well you had hair. Karrie -->what do you mean the world doesn't revolve around me?
16: Melanie --> you mean I am not Actually God? Tough blow...The Elam family --> Son go buy a birthday pizza.LOL...
15... hmm don't remember
14...nope...
13...uhuh...
12... Bon Jovi... enough said....

Last Day In Russia

Not having a cell phone has been surreal, which means that I need to spend more time without one. I have had plenty of time to think of new ventures and how to help take Integris to a new level. Spending time with my family was wonderful. I realize now that the time to put away some parts of "me" and some dreams on a shelf has come. I think its time to figure out how to put more into God, people, community.

Here in Russia people don't smile they walk around with blank stares. I am aware of this because I don't speak the language... so I've noticed. Is it the same back home? Shouldn't we be cognizant of our connection to each other? Smile to strangers because we aren't really strangers? Wave hi and say hello to people we don't know, because in a way, we do know them?

It is a thought.

I also realized that it is better to be the good guy, noble, compassionate, strong, fun... good. Our society has crippled the concept of Clark Kent and Superman. But I think some major healing needs to be done with our concept of what has value, and what is just empty.

Russia is full of beautiful, knock out, georgeous women. But many know it, and it lessens them. God is a crucifix on a necklace here. Icons on a wall, church on Sunday (rarely for most). They look at my interpretation of Christ as a "Cult". Praying over meals - quaint and quirky.

But the people here have Spirit - it resonates here. Like God is saying, I won't let go of you, even if you forget about me. You can feel the Holy Spirit everywhere -- I think its called common grace, or something like that. And those that are religious are also Reverent.

I think we have forgotten how to be reverent. I think we only view the Spirit through seldom moments, miracles, whispers. But the Spirit is constant - an ever present Help. So how can we be more spirit filled as a people?

Russia could embrace our type of Christianity -- I just need a good old fashion barbeque (oh and alcohol must be welcomed, its a cultural thing here) and if the food is free, and the music good, the people will come. And they would enjoy the fellowship and they would discuss and contemplate God and Jesus. It would be a start.

Back home, I think my participation at Calvary Chapel is going to change. I am going to be more out going, more involved and connected... but moreso, we as a family are going to bring some of Russia back with us. A bridge to the Spirit, to reverence of God.

I miss Texas, but it can wait one more day.

I am enjoying the surroundings and the hum of family.

Confessions from a Hypocrite

http://www.sermonspice.com/product/38536/welcome-to-our-church-2011

I think we as a society have forgotten something along the way to progress. We forgot what freedom means. We forgot what it means to live in community with one another and God. Our Nobility has been sapped by our poor decisions and the never ending attack on our senses by the world around us.
Alot of you try to figure out why, how I became a Christian. It fits.

For all of us, it fits. I don't know why we make up so many lies as to why we believe or don't believe. I don't know why we have so many interpretations of one simple book.

But I do know this -- life is more full, more noble, and much less complicated as a Christian.

I mentioned earlier that we have forgotten what it means to be free. Freedom is not the ability to speak without censure. It is not the ability to date who you like, marry whomever you want. Freedom is not having the absence of discipline and perogative in our lives. Yet somehow, we have come to be deluded and think it is these things that define freedom.

I posit that Freedom exists when and only when an individual becomes self aware and has control of their mind - untethered to anything else in the world. You are free when you exist in the world but are not of the world. (PS that nugget's in the Bible by the way)

So how then can we achieve this? I contend that no other faith or philosophy on the planet allows for a path to complete freedom outside of Christianity. And I believe that no one can grasp the true freedom of life, the universe and everything (D.A. RIP 1952-2001) without being in a community of people who are themselves also pursuing the same thing.

The church experience should be one where you are not indoctrinated and brainwashed, nor brow beaten into a guilt laden submission of all temptations and desires. The link above describes my church experience at Calvary Chapel (we're in wikipedia too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary_Chapel).

Anyway, I'm not perfect. But life is good and free. I did have to work hard for my freedom - but it didn't consist of paying for soldiers to fight terrorists, nor did it consist of teaching about creation or darwin in schools, nor does it require me to be consistently paying attention to the economic strife that is tearing our country down....

It required me to think, decide, and act in a manner consistent with my values.

Ok. done for now.

Spread the word - especially to young people.

Parents and Children

by John Coblentz © Copyright 1992, Christian Light Publications

Honoring Parents

God's expectations for the family are based solidly upon Scriptural principles. We have already observed some of those principles in relation to heritage, but there is another basic principle which has suffered such neglect and abuse in Western society that we must pick it up here and consider it carefully. That is the principle of honoring parents.

Among the commands God gave to His people was one specifically related to families. "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12). Paul, writing to the Ephesians, notes that this is the only command of the ten to which a promise is attached. The promise has to do with well-being and long life. Inasmuch as life is a social existence, and inasmuch as the family is the basic social unit, it follows that our obedience or disobedience to a basic family principle will directly affect our lives.

What does it mean to honor our parents? Do Westerners generally honor their parents? Do Western Christians honor their parents? These are questions we must honestly face.

The Hebrew word for honor literally has the idea of heaviness. In verb form it means to give weight to, or to hold as significant or worthy in contrast to something light or frivolous. The practical outworking of such a high regard for parents is invariably associated with such things as obedience, helpfulness, and deference. Children do what their parents instruct them to do, help their parents with work and responsibility, and where there are differences of opinion about plans or desires, they yield to their parents.

Of course, the other side of the coin is that parents are to be honorable. That is, they are to be venerable, loving, and wise. The truth, however, is that all parents have faults and fall short of the ideal, and that some parents are actually unloving, foolish, and contemptible. Does a parent need to be honorable to be honored?

The direction God gives for children to honor their parents makes no exception for parents who are not honorable. In another authority relationship where God calls for honor, He says specifically, "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [unreasonable]" (1 Peter 2:18). Young children do not grapple with whether they should obey or not. They tend to respond as their nature dictates. Older children and youths, however, begin to analyze their parents' performance as well as their own reasons for or against obeying. Those with Christian teaching struggle with this command of God in view of their imperfect parents. Three things must be kept in focus for those whose parents may not be honorable:

1. One must honor the position of a parent even when the parent does not seem deserving of honor. All authority rests in God. The position of parenthood with its responsibilities was given by God, and where parents are unfaithful in their responsibilities, they are unfaithful not simply to their children, but to God. By honoring the position of parents, children can leave in God's hands the task of rebuking, chastening, and correcting. With this view, one can say, "Even though my mother screams at me, she is still my mother. And I will try by God's grace to do cheerfully what she says."

2. The giving of honor is more dependent on the heart of the one honoring than the life of the one being honored. To honor parents, one must have an honoring heart, that is, a heart with the qualities suited to honoring. Such qualities include submission, love, faithfulness, meekness, wisdom, etc. Without these qualities, one would find it impossible to find a parent he could honor. With these qualities, one will find grace to honor the parents God has given.

3. Since God commands honor to parents, and God is perfectly honorable, obedience and honor can be given to imperfect parents as obedience unto God. As long as we focus on the imperfections of earthly parents, honor will be difficult. But when we focus on the glory and perfection of our heavenly Father, we have no reasonable option but to honor Him. Since He told us to honor our parents, our honor and obedience to them can be viewed as honor and obedience to Him.

Many Christian young people struggle with practical questions about honoring their parents. They wonder HOW? Here are some specific suggestions for teens who are serious about giving honor:

1. Develop a conscious habit of expressing gratitude to your parents. When you begin to consider, you realize your parents have done, and continue to do for you, far more than you can ever calculate.

2. Discuss with your parents plans you are making. Share both short-range plans for the week and any long-range plans you may have for the next year, several years, or your life. Failure to communicate is one of the most common problems between teens and their parents.

3. Ask for advice. Even if you think you know what your parents will say, ask them what they think. Many teens complain about overrestrictive parents, but probably the biggest cause of overrestriction in parents is underaccountability in teens. Initial advice from parents may not be intended to be the final word on an issue. If you have other thoughts, their advice provides a basis for you to discuss your view point with them. When it comes down to the final decision, of course, you will need to honor them. But even if this means you do not do what you had wanted to do, you will have gained respect and the benefit of further openness with them.

4. Value evenings at home. This will mean, especially in some communities, that you will not go to every activity available to you. Discuss with your parents a suitable schedule and then ask for advice when faced with schedule conflicts. Believe it or not, there will come a time (and shortly) when you will think back to evenings at home as a teen and wish that you could roll back time and just for one evening return.

5. Look for opportunities to do what is not asked. It is hard to describe all that happens when a task is done voluntarily as a gesture of kindness. The work becomes lighter, the worker is changed, and the one for whom it is done is affected. Parents find immeasurable joy in those who honor them in this way.

6. Honor your parents when away from them. Those young people who are really serious about honoring their parents will find that their actions do not change when they are removed from their parents. Neither do their words. Neither does their appearance.

7. Involve your parents on any steps you take on acquiring a life companion. This is not saying we should return to the oriental custom of parents arranging totally for the marriages of their children. It is to say, however, that the notion that only "I" can ultimately tell who is best for me is a false notion in the other extreme. More specific guidelines for this will be given in Chapter 3.

The principle of honoring parents is a lifetime principle. Certainly roles change as a person moves from childhood to teenage to adulthood to old age. But all through life there are ways to show respect and honor to one's parents. As a person moves out of his parents' home, one of the foremost ways to show honor is to seek counsel. As one's parents move into old age and frailty, honor is shown by caring for them. Some of the difficulties associated with that care are discussed more fully in Chapter 8. Here we will simply note that the benefits which come from honoring parents in this way more than offset the difficulties. Furthermore, the practice of sending old folks off to care centers has left a vacancy in the family which convenience cannot replace. The separation and loneliness experienced by many aged parents is a tragedy they should not be required to endure.

P.S. Fun with QED-quod erat demonstrandum

In the world of physics most people translate QED as Quantum Electrodynamics... if you really want to have fun, interchange QED with the original QED of physics..."quod erat demonstrandum".

Most physics professionals today have forgotten that QED was once common for this Latin phrase. It literally translates in "what was to be proven" and is a common way of identifying the conclusion of a mathematical or logical argument.

It is the cornerstone of scientific pursuit.

Consequently QED is not QED.

More Vibrant than Yesterday

I miss "us" -- how we used to be. Young. Laughing. Blissfully unaware of tomorrow.
I miss how cold wind used to feel "brisk" and "crisp" -now it feels just cold, and bone deep.
I miss the broken hearts and the long long phonecalls into the night. The bittersweet.
But then again I look back on yesterday through glasses tinted.

Today is more vibrant than yesterday. And I am well practiced at ignoring tomorrow.
I can wear a scarf to fight the aching cold -besides, warming up in bed with my wife is very nice.
A heart that beats a thousand times with love, strong and pure -- is of more worth than a thousand bleeding hearts that broke.
Today I face my future with steady feet on solid ground. With nothing to miss, not even memories

Christmas 2010

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...

Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior who is Christ the Lord.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men...

Merry Christmas, may your soul have rest and your yoke be light.

My Unwritten Book -sigh..

Page 1:

Somewhere along the way you will die.







Page 2:
Every human on the planet has a different point of view on his or her own mortality. I believe in the commonly accepted Christian version of Heaven and Hell, and for my part would like to spend eternity hanging out with Jesus. My brother on the other hand believes that life just ends, game over. My father believes that he will be reincarnated into someone else – he'll get another chance on life, kinda like starting over in a video game.

What do you believe?

With certainty you will die a physical death someday. Very few know how, fewer know when, and no one can know what happens next. Even with my faith, I do not know. Faith by its very definition requires a belief in something for which you do not have any proof.

Yet you know you will die – physically at least. How do you cope with that? How long will you live? 100 more years? Maybe. 80 years? Still not certain. 50 years? You hope. 20? 10? 5? 1? How sure are you that you will be here even 1 more year from now?

Drunk drivers kill people. Planes explode. People choke on their food. Criminals mug and kill victims. Random mortar shells land on civilian homes. Hurricanes hit coastal Cajuns. Typhoons hit Sri Lankans. Earthquakes kill Chinese.

Events beyond our control, from the mundane to the spectacular occur all the time and they make predicting how long we will live very unpredictable. And the fact is most people don't know what they believe happens next. Because they do not know – they mostly ignore. And then they "act" like they are in control, or have a plan.

I love how in the Bible, Jame's (the brother of Jesus) says:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

When will you vanish?

Do you ignore the uncertainty of your life and then act like you are in control? By not comprehending the extreme blessing or sheer luck of having a tomorrow, the individual is not able to fully appreciate and enjoy the nuances and experiences of living. At least that is the point of this book. I hope to convince/shock/scare you into waking up to your own situation. And then I hope to encourage you to live your life in an extraordinary way.

It is my hope to help you cherish tomorrow and to gain insights on how to get more out of your life.

Simplicity

Life is intended for lush experiences....just read Genesis if you don't believe me:

Own several businesses...experience making a living on your own.

Spend 2 weeks or more on your honeymoon

Visit India....explore Hamburg, get lost in Leon .

Fall asleep on a hammock

Drink home made wine...

Revel in the mountains...

Eat tomatoes from a home garden..

Pura vida....to quote a friend.

Awakening to a New American Dream

My parents believed in the American dream. I think it died with my generation (i'll be 36 in November). Apathy derived from an entitled, self absorbed, and opulent lifestyle robbed many of the desire and need to put forth real effort in order to achieve. Afterall not achieving wasn't too bad... rent was still paid, food was still eaten, and beer was still half off after 4.

Today, we dream of mediocrity. It was once unthinkable to have anyone but a general, a senator, or a brilliant academic individual as a President....now many are ok with a soccer mom or Steven Colbert.

bigotry has made a comeback in California no less....how did San Francisco forget to vote? Ironic.

Our society has become lazy and obese. We idolize Homer Simpson and can't recall anything about the Illiad...see what I mean?

As a society we screamed for clean air and clean water... none the less now we don't even care when a "heat advisory" or "ozone warning" is in effect. Question, do you drink from the tap or a bottle? Why? If you pay taxes...shouldn't your tap water be clean enough to drink and tasty enough to enjoy? 30 years ago you could drink from a hose and it was good.

The land is no less free today, nor less opportune. But you have not been taught or have forgotten how to harness it....ok ok yes with the passing of the Patriot Act we are less free...but other than that...what they took over the auto industry? Ok but other than that....wait..what about health care...we have to get it or what? Huh...ok we still have RELATIVE freedom.

The main point is that we have allowed our circumstance to happen...our parents share in the blame.

Are we going to provide our kids the same lack luster view of American ideals that we hold?

Many of you once pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the republic (not democracy) for which it stands. It is time to honor that pledge. A republic is built on the virtues held by the elected leadership. When the people elect politicians devoid of morals and civic duty, or worse abdicate by not voting...the people allow their society to decay.

In our time people believe they have "woken up" and that the American Dream has faded. They are still sleeping, lazy and fat.

You need to aspire in order to dream. You need to try in order to succeed.

In this country any citizen has the right to start his or her own business for FREE. As a proprietor you can sell a product or service....you just need to sell and need someone to buy.

And you don't even need to pay with money...Bartering is alive and well...

Spend less time in front of the tv, less time at bars, fast food dives. Spend more time getting serious about your life, dreams, and desires.

Get involved. Very few have a valid excuse to be unemployed. Seek me out...I will help you find occupation.

Moreover, dream again. Inspire your kids. Invest in the future. Hold your leadership Accountable. Get a passport and travel. Leave your state and travel. Then invest in your neighborhood.

Lose weight. Save resources and money. Take control of your life and help Transform the American Dream from an assumed failed promise into a vibrant AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY. Trust me. Effort pays off.

Being Beautiful

it never took much to be beautiful.

It takes a smile and some effort to comb your hair and scrub your cheeks. but most of all, it takes love.

Smile at people. Hug them. Listen and let them speak for hours, without saying a word. Be confident in your own happiness and share it with others. Encourage others to be ok with being happy. Look people in the eyes and make sure to look for the warmth in their eyes.

Touch people. Touch their shoulder while they are talking to you. Get in close and smell them - even if they smell bad, purify them in your mind and make them smell more beautiful than roses.

Love them deeply - even if it will rock their boat because they have never been loved deeply before. Without any desire of romance, regardless of gender, just purely and in an agape fashion, connect and Love Deep....

Let each individual that you meet know that they are sincerely valued by you, important to you, and most of all treasured by your God.

Control your emotion. Control your connection. Be a leader, and teach people how to handle a true relationship.

In English, our word "love" is limited - so for most of us, we reserve it for our immediate families and our romantic partners.

I tell my friends (men and women) that I miss them and I love them. They know the difference between that love and the love that I share with my wife, my siblings, and my parents....

But they know that it is Love.

Loving others makes you beautiful and attractive - and in the process you will be doing some good.

Same Sex Unions, ooof

I am upset that the debate on same sex marriage even exists! Marriage should be an institution left to the church - not government! The government should never have provided unfair advantage for married couples versus others in the first place. Since we live in a country with a strong culture of "fairness" and "equality" - we have a mandate to provide equal opportunities, services and advantage to other union types. By allowing the unequal treatment of people to persist we risk too much - Constitutional integrity is at risk. By allowing government to define "marriage" we have opened the door to something that we can never shut again. oof!

Miscegenation

Main Entry: mis·ce·ge·na·tion
Pronunciation: ..(?)mi-?se-j?-,,n,,-sh?n, ?mi-si-j?-,,n,,-..
Function: noun
Etymology: irregular from Latin misc,,re to mix + genus race — more at mix, kin
Date: 1863
: a mixture of races; especially : marriage, cohabitation, or sexual intercourse between a white person and a member of another race
— mis·ce·ge·na·tion·al ..-shn?l, -sh?-n?l.. adjective

I have a lot of "Odin" worshipping friends... new odinists... one of their cultural beliefs is to not mix via marriage or intercourse with other races... they are a shamanistic belief system, where they believe that Gods are region specific... therefore, if you are from Norway, the Gods of that region take care of you. If you are from Kenya, the Kenyan Gods take care of you. Black with Black, white with white, yellow with yellow... you get the picture.

This is a valid belief, not tainted with hate and predjudice, nor lacking in morality -- it is akin to the Japanese belief that civilized Japanese should not marry barbaric "other" races. Cultures should be encouraged to have a variety of perspectives and beliefs...it is healthier for our population.

However, three things pop into my mind: 1. Modern Neo-Odinic sub-Cultures often warp this thinking into hate filled, ethnic clensing type behavior, 2. Original Icelandic, Norwegian, and Scandanavian Cultures PROMOTED intermarriage, and co-mingling. 3. Modern day science shows that inter-racial mixing is healthier for the child (hybrid vigor ring a bell?).


1. I don't really need to get into an indepth discussion on Neo Nazism....or Aryan discussions... we all know the hype. Fact is a majority of New Odinists do NOT ascribe to hate and violence, and prefer to just be with their own kind...but there is a significant amount of others within their clans that remind me of radical islamists and fundamental christians. So as a universal rule, it seems none of our religions can keep the bad apples out... grrr...

2. If one does and anthropologic study of the Nordic regions, they will find a lot of research scientific, in the literature, and in the architecture - in the economy, the cultural practices (like drinking of mead), and in the beliefs that CLEARY PROVE that the humans who ended up living in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, East Russia, etc. were the resultant children of a 1,300+ years of migration, intercultural mixing, and on and on. FACT... the Aryan race was not white, blue eyed, and blond... they were a mix of Caucasoid, and Indo Dravid... (meaning they came from Africa, through India, into Europe and made several stops along the way). The literature suggests that even later on, the culture of the Vikings, promoted the taking of wives and children from conquered lands.

No where, from start to present, is there a clear indication that the original culture or the culture post Christian invasion, ever sought to be separatists....truly this idea of culture preservation is a NEW THINKING from the 60's and 70's -- what is at the heart of it, I don't know... maybe hate, maybe fear, maybe a desire just to preserve the past and take it into the future. (Only active dialog will tell, so far most of the people I have spoken with don't know themselves... they only seem to recite garble that they were told by their spiritual leaders - just like most of modern day christiandom, where the average Christian doesn't know what "grace" is, just the fact that they are "saved by it"...

The languages spoken, the genetic code of the people, the practices all stem from an Indo-Africaans back ground... yup, nearly all vikings are BLACK on the inside... bet you didn't guess that one. The shamanistic belief structure can be traced back through Vedic India into Proto-Mesapotamic Africa. Genetic tracing demonstrates that most people from modern day Scandanavia to as far south as the Czec Republic and Hungary share IDENTICAL Genetic markings as their African counterparts including: bone structure in spine, legs, arms, rib cage and jaw, blood types and illnesses, teethshape, and mitochondrial DNA...

In addition, the cultural practices, Hearth Fires, Drinking of Mead, Celebrating Past Victories, Attacking Tribes for any of a number of reasons, are almost identical between the practices of the peoples in Coastal Africa and the Nordic Peoples... even the way that they made their boats, structured their economy (typically with women in leading political roles), and their languages share common phonetic structures not found anywhere else....

3. Modern Biology has shown that hybrid vigor, i.e. the mixing of diverse sub species of human (i.e. races) results in children that are healthier, more prone to conception (more attractive), more intelligent, and stronger, than either of the parent race. 90% of the time the progeny have the "best" traits (the dominant ones)...

It has been demonstrated that a majority of the recessive traits :propogated during trans migration... with no one else to concieve with the tribes migrating from Africa to the north of Europe, were forced to, yup, inbreed... leading to whiter skin, lighter eyes, blonder more straight hair, thinner bones, more dry skin, smaller breasts and butts, weaker thyroid glands, weaker nails... etc.

So my point is:

While many of the new odinic rite may be trying to preserve culture, and prevent dilution of their peope and beliefs... they may in fact be leading themselves closer and closer into genetic and cultural repression. If this is the case, rather than rising up out of the milue, they run the risk of falling ever into the back drop - like an endangered species.

So while I applaud their desire to preserve -- I must ask, is it healthy? Is it worth the risk? I know that other cultures have tried - despite the odds... native americans, Jewish people, Japanese, heck even the Chaldeans at a point went the route of being isolationsist.... but all have withered away... or ultimately found a way to mix in with Global populations...

I hope, for what it is worth, that this new rising of a pre-modern culture will not go the way of the Amish, the Aztec, or the Atlantian, but rather find a healthy nich in which it can prosper and contribute back to the diaspora of human civilization.

I for one, want to read more about this people, beyond Lief Erricson, Eric the Red, Odin, Thor, and Wulfgar... there must be more than Denmark... (had to throw in that reference...)

Good luck in staving off Miscengenation...however, it may very well be the downfall of your culture....

Advice For the Reader

God has given me a wonderful life....lots of interesting experiences.

I want to write them here, but I am afraid what I would write, intended for praise, would be seen as boasting... so, I will just be content in being thankful for my blessings....

My advice:

learn to talk with God
maximize the body, mind, and soul that he has given you
don't eat too much, don't focus on food at all...
relax
point your every thought to god, as if in conversation, and you will make better decisions and be less stressed
love people - even the ugly ones, the fat ones, the mean ones, the selfish ones....

BIG LESSONS:
1. We have no free will
2. People act and react based on their level of happiness and or pain
3. Happiness is inversly correlated to Selfishness
4. Love is a choice - it requires sacrifice
5. Don't try to use your own mind to solve problems, seek God and the counsel of lots of other people older than you.


HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS:

do not be original, copy those who are better than you, improve upon those who have good ideas, always surround yourself with people that are older than you, smarter than you, and more liked than you (trust me, it rubs off).

One of my best friends is about 15 years older than me, he has been married (happily) for a LOOOONG time, has 5 kids, a great house, has spent his entire career in my industry, loves God, has a better understanding of polymers and engineering than I do, and has a good understanding of who he is...

I have watched him sooooo closely....how he thinks, prays, talks with his wife, does his business, manages his kids....fix his car, handle emergencies....and I have learned his dreams and goals...

By being around him, he has "rubbed off on me"... he is one of many people like that in my life.

OH AND LEARN TO PRAY. PRAY ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE....it works.

Solving Healthcare

Causes of High Healthcare Costs:
1. Malpractice Lawsuits--- insurance costs go way up, forcing Hospitals to force Doctors to charge more.
2. HMO's --- they set a fee that is one part true cost of care, one part risk premium, one part profit (they are a business afterall) -- being unregulated, no one can see in this box.
3. Medical School -- its expensive in both time and money... some doctors work 15 years before they pay off their 100K+ school loans.
4. High Demand Low Supply --- the # of people needing medical help (including the uninsured) is greater than the available providers of healthcare (basic economics: low supply, high demand = high price)

Solution:

1. Create a system to make medical education "free" to the student. If you are smart enough to get into Medical School (and maintain excellent grades) the government should provide the option to pay for your medical school. The option is either a 0% interest loan + grants or service in the "government medical service". Hold the same for all medical fields: nursing, lab technology, physical therapy, etc.

2. Establish the Government Medical Service -- build a network of hospitals and community medical centers nationwide and staff them with private and "public" doctors. The building of the hospitals and med centers will create significant amounts of shorterm (construction) and long term jobs. Long term jobs will be distributed between all levels of skilled labor (doctors, nurces, technicians, administrators, business, security, janitorial..etc.)

3. Public Doctors/ Nurses etc. get paid along the GS track in-line with what First Year residents get paid. After 3-4 years of service they get a bump in pay or can elect to go "private". Private Staff get a reduction in income tax, or pay no tax.

4. Taxpayers, citizens, resident aliens, and legal visitors can use th Government Medical Service - for free the only catch is that you waive your right to sue. You can't sue the government. Negligence and malpractice however would still carry their criminal charges and the removal of medical licenses.

5. People still have the option for private insurance and private doctors -- but due to the public system, private cost must inevitably fall.

6. Provide a $ for $ tax credit without cap on all out of pocket medical costs: co-pays, premiums, drugs, deductibles, etc.

7. Rather than basing risk on 'employee pools' require HMO's and PPO's to qualify all insured based on a "national pool" where the risk is spread through the entire population rather than a smaller pool like employees.

8. Use the new network to support advanced studies and research into therapies and medicine.

Out comes:

1. Basic medical services: colds, broken bones, child birth, stitches, cancer and AIDS treatment etc can be handled by the "system"
2. Advanced surgical procedures will also be offered by the system but due to the potential for a "waiting" period, people with access to private care will inevitably do so.
3. Specialized services will also be offered both in the private and government sectors.
4. All people have access to healthcare, health care costs fall, new jobs are created, more people will seek higher education for the guarantee of a job.

Friends on Facebook

What are the first things you do and why when you add an old friend onto facebook?

1. I check out their profile pictures to see how they've aged and how they compare to my memory.
2. I scan their albums to "catch up" on their lives..
3. I check the "religion" entry on their info tab.

IF I COMPETED WITH THE PERSON GROWING UP...(very immature)...
4. I check out what they do and what they earn
5. I look at their pictures to see how happy they seem (and whether they have hair or not)
6. I count their friends total versus my own

7. I scan the friends to see if there are more people from my past that I want to reconnect with

And sometimes:
8. I read their notes if they have cool titles
9. I read their current status
10. I check out the location to see where in the world they live...

Thank You tiny Humans

My phone used to have a chord attached...and required analog dialing
Come to think of it, at one point, if it rang and no-one was home, it just rang...

Now, we don't have a "home phone"... our cell phones are surfing the internet, call forwarding to our skype accounts, and I text more than talk...

I hated trying to get the antennas "just right" to see a picture on NBC... then when the antenna went away, the cable bill, then satellite bill seemed enormous... now I just pay a simple $40 bucks for internet and get everything on line, highspeed, in HD...

Block Buster? hello Netflicks.

Light bulbs used to go out every other week -- and at 60 watts per bulb... lets just say my electric bill was yucky.. now my bulbs give off more light and only use 11 watts... what's more, they won't be changed for several YEARS...

My convection toaster oven cooks food faster and with less electricity than the oven we had growing up. Our microwave wont give us cancer.

My refridgerator as a kid didn't make ice, then it did, then it poured water, then it poured water and dispensed ice (both crushed and cubed)... now ours does all of the above, uses 1/4 the energy, auto controls the humidity, and I swear it can think... maybe not

I used to have an Atari, then a TSR 80, our upgrade was the commodore 64 and then the Nintendo... today I have a quad core, 64 bit processor gaming machine... and an Xbox 360, and wii.... did I mention that my keyboard and mouse are wireless?

When I was 4, dad would scold my sister for wasting good "tapes"... now I run through blank dvd's like yesterday's paper... whatever happened to the mix tape?

Walmart has EVERYTHING that JCPenny and SEARS only dreamed of having...

Speedracer gave way to GIJoe and Transformers... I loved cartoons... now they are movies with Actors.

Graduating Highschool was terrifying, because it meant leaving my world of friends and fun behind... letters and emails of promises... internet... then myspace and classmates.com (who would really pay when we all knew it would someday be free?)

Now Facebook.. well, here we are aren't we...?

don't forget calculators... I thought solar powered calculators were cool... don't ask me how to use a TI-83, ti-85 or those hp ones...but we have them.

Encyclopedias that noone read to Wikipedia... and Google...
Toll booths that we all avoided to EZ pass...

Clothing stores were targeted to girls... now express, BR, AF, GAP... all have guy clothes... and that's cool...

And who ever invented the Kureig coffee maker is my hero...

Life is pretty cool