Define Me
October 31, 2007
We’ve all had a vision or a great idea and had someone who knows better squash it.
We’ve all decided to clear our debts, but been tempted by the next great offer.
We’ve all been determined to save up for a holiday or some other thing that will enhance our lives and then been clobbered by a bill that sets us back a month or few.
We’ve all affirmed a diet in one moment and been offered chocolate in the next.
We’ve all ran a mile from heartache and nightmare, as well as from our dreams or love affairs and we’ve all laughed when we should have cried, cried when we could have laughed and ran ourselves into a downward spiralling place.
We’ve all judged ourselves too harshly: beaten ourselves up for what we’re not, what we don’t have and what we believe we can never be. But let’s not do that.
Let’s resolve not to define ourselves by our weakest moments. Let’s resolve not to make harsh judgments on ourselves for our failings.
Should we really give ourselves a hard time ? slaughter ourselves for trying, but not achieving?
Let Her Be Covered Part One
October 30, 2007
Several weeks ago, while shopping in a grocery store, my wife was approached by a woman who appeared to be very refined — very courteous manner. She indicated that she had a question that possibly she could answer. She and her husband had observed that some women wear coverings similar to the one that my wife was wearing. Why are they worn? Her husband’s opinion was that it signifies marriage. She herself did not concur with that opinion. But why DO you wear it? That was her question. In response, my companion assured her that the wearing of the headcovering is a Biblical teaching recorded in 1 Corinthians 11. To her that was news. She seemingly was not aware that this was a Bible teaching, and with gratitude in her voice, she promised to go home and read for herself from 1 Corinthians 11.
A hundred years ago, an occurrence like that here in Lebanon county would have been unlikely. Why? Because a hundred years ago, this practice was still being observed in numerous non-Mennonite circles. The widespread loss of this practice demonstrates what can happen in no more than a hundred years. Whether that woman was a church member or not, I don’t know. I do know that today, in many church circles, this teaching is either omitted, or explained away, or twisted so as to make the hair the only needed covering.
Ancient Philosophy On The Internet Can Change How We Think
October 29, 2007
Here I am again sitting at my computer, my job is to write about the positive aspects of the Internet. I’d like to think of myself as a bit of a novice philosopher as well as writer. The other day in poetry class at university my lecturer mentioned a quote from a guy who I had already read and enjoyed, Baruch/Benedictus Spinoza. The quote mentioned was quite a simple one, and in my opinion simplicity is the best form of communication (and everything else for that matter). Spinoza once said, "Reality is perfection." I feel this idea is quite a powerful one indeed, in relation to all aspects of life, including the Internet.
Where do you go these days when you want to find out about anything? Church? School? Parents? No, you go to the Internet. The Internet is the collective pool of unconscious, sub consciousness, and conscious ideas, beliefs, knowledge and wisdom of humanity from the past to the present. There has never been such a tool available for us. Of course there is a perfectly imperfect amount of crap out there to sift through as well, but that is intrinsic in this perfectly balanced reality that has always existed.
Why The Devil Is He Out To Get You?
October 28, 2007
The devil’s agenda for tricking Adam and Eve into eating the wrong fruit and thus rebelling against God, was so he could be like the most high GOD himself.
The devil (Lucifer) cleverly devised his plan to be like God by tricking Adam and Eve into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of The tree of Life.
This made him the spiritual opposition to God Himself and total opposite in representing and controlling all that is evil, like God represents and controls all that is good, thus in a since being like the most high GOD.
Isaiah 14:12-14 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Common Scents For Emotional Well Being
October 27, 2007
Aromatics which include essential oils, perfume, centred candles and incense, have been used for centuries to affect the mind (and also, ultimately, the body) in a positive way. This practice finds its origins in religion and primitive beliefs. Aboriginal Australians burned the leaves of eucalyptus to fumigate an area from viruses. Aboriginal Americans use sage and cedar and the Slavs, such plants as sunflower, pine and garlic peels for the same purposes. This was done because occult powers were thought to be sensitive to fragrances and could protect against fever, sorcery, epidemics and demonic charms.
Today scents are often used to calm, uplift or sedate a troubled mind. This is called the psyche-soma effect. The theory is that the bloodstream might absorb scents entering the nose and cause a chemical effect in the brain. Here is a list of common scents you can find in the form of incense, perfumes and oils that might help you to cope with certain unpleasant emotional states.
Orange: In tenth century Europe, Arabia and China orange scents were used to aid with nervousness, epileptic fits, melancholia and depression. It helps one to relax, regenerate and calm down. It is comforting, refreshing uplifting and warming and is used by some to calm down hyperactive children.
A God I Can Live With
October 27, 2007
God, the Puzzle Maker
While some rise before the sun to do their daily prayers, I head off to Starbuck’s and the New York Times crossword puzzle, seven days a week. So, in the best tradition of seeing God in our own image, my God is the Great Puzzle Maker, and my work lies in trying to solve some piece of the Grand Puzzle, to contribute to the unraveling of the whole. I have good company in this quest; Albert Einstein spoke of trying to understand the mind of God; he spoke of great scientists as people who stand in "rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law." This harmony is not always beautiful; quite often, its consequences are ugly. I have, for example, written about the Terrible Dance Of Power in which one group has a vision of a better world (through fascism, communism, manifest destiny, Christianity, Islam, a new world order, or some other such inspiration) only to find some THEM who stand in the way of this vision, and then a predictable story unfolds, like a dance, of oppression, death, and destruction. There is a terrible beauty to this story as different factions arise and interplay with one another - moderates and radicals, gradualists and extremists, liberals and conservatives ? escalating from disagreement to debate to confrontation to minor skirmishes to colossal destruction. Makes for great drama.
When Does Man Become God?
October 26, 2007
Some scientists argue over creation and evolution and they argue did man create god or did god create man. And without that ongoing and predictable out of debate, lets discuss our scientific advancements. When does Man cross the line and become a god? Or a creator or modifier of life to such a degree that he has changed the entire current scenario? Take this interesting development. To make ethanol better, simply modify the corn more. Call it Super Corn after this has been done. And regarding mosquitoes, modify them too, and then you have no malaria
http://parthe.net/_cwg0802/0000006c.htm
or West Nile Virus at all? Genetically modified Mesquites to hang out next to genetically modified corn and eaten by genetically modified bats who are hardly bothered by the genetically modified people whose mitochondria DNA is modified so they do not need oxygen as much therefore the problems of pollution are not important and no one gets malaria?
http://www.gene.ch/gentech/2001/Dec/msg00097.html and
http://www.gene.ch/gentech/2001/Dec/msg00096.html .
Theres No Time Like the Present
October 25, 2007
Today certainly is a present and we are to rejoice and be glad in it, because this is the day the Lord has made! Every day we rise to begin anew is definitely a gift from God.
We’ve all heard the saying, “There is no time like the present”. When you think about this, it’s true. Each and every one of us is given this day as a free gift to be used in honoring our Creator in everything we do. We are however, given the choice to use this time any way we want. This special gift is very often times taken for granted but so often leaving us empty, wanting more. What more do you want? Do you want material wealth, power, fame or do want true contentment, peace, happiness and joy?
Develop a Guiding Philosophy for Happiness
October 24, 2007
Groundedness is one of the most important components of a satisfied life. Being grounded means having a guiding philosophy - a foundation of personal integrity that outside influences cannot disturb.
Our philosophy contains our values, spiritual faith, personal boundaries, and the causes we support. It reflects our core beliefs about who we are and how we conduct our lives.
The media bombards us with promises of quick success and glamorous lives. People naturally want happier, more successful lives. Many tools are indeed helpful toward that end. Yet simply having certain “things” is not the reason that we achieve happiness and success.
Promises based on possessions and fads do not address one of the root causes of dissatisfaction; that is, lack of groundedness. Groundedness adds consistency to our lives - a mental compass to guide our actions and decisions.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Build today, then strong and sure,With a firm and ample base;And ascending and secure,Shall tomorrow find its place.” Without Longfellow’s “firm and ample base”, we fly from promise to promise. We do not stay with one idea - regardless how helpful - long enough to realize the peace and love we actually seek. We keep changing channels, not following one story line to completion.
The Basics of the Christian Walk
October 23, 2007
Now that I am saved, what do I do next? That is a very common question for people who have just recently got saved. I recently read that 50% of all people who get saved drop out within the first year or two.
I believe that the number one reason why new Christians drop out is because they do not know what to really do next and they do not get the proper teaching and coaching from either other Christians that they are associated with or the Church that they have joined does not have any type of progressive teaching system in place to lead them on their new journey.
The apostle Paul says you have to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Salvation is just the beginning. God has a purpose and a mission for each person’s life - if only people knew how to find it.
