130913 Career Decisions

At the age of nineteen, and after three semesters of college, I realized that while I really liked engineers, engineering was not my cup of tea. I loved the science; I loved seeing how things worked; I loved making things work, but what it took to get there was not only arduous, but somewhat boring. That summer, my dad encouraged me to work for a mining company. Again, I loved the engineers, but now I discovered what their support staff did.

This was the 1970s, and personal computers were still in the process of being born. What computers do now, people did by hand. What they did, fascinated me. Drawing with instruments? It was as if art and science met! I asked a drafter where she learned to do what she did, and my first career was conceived.

Moon once said that she loved buildings. Now that she has had a few semesters in an architecture program, she doubts the career choice. I understand. Sometimes, what looks good on the outside actually smells bad on the inside. Getting there is not the same as being there. Like engineering was for me, architecture is becoming for her. When she solidifies what direction to take, she’ll let us know. She has many educational loves. She’ll find something and obtain her degree.

Jonah Goldberg: The grand myth of live-and-let-live liberalism

Jonah Goldberg: The grand myth of live-and-let-live liberalism

My favorite line: "As a conservative resident of Washington, D.C., where registered Republicans are outnumbered by about 9 to 1 and where truly conservative Republicans are outnumbered on a scale comparable to the predicament faced by Frodo and Sam when they sneaked into orc-infested Mordor, I find such statements hilarious."

Civilization cycles. A look at history seems to indicate that we are approaching the end/beginning of another cycle.

130807 Meanwhile, Fire Starts in Kitchen

With one grown child at home and one teen, I go to bed when I am tired. They tend to stay up late. Sometimes, they cook. Sometimes, they even clean. (My younger daughter likes to clean when I am not looking. She's afraid I will correct her methods.)

Someone cooked something that boiled over.

This morning, I put on a kettle for tea and walked away from the stove to read posts. Hearing a noise, I returned to the stove. The burner was on fire! So, how many jokes can we make about me starting a fire by boiling water?

130905 Alignment Test

A friend took an Alignment Test, so I did, too. Looks like it's time to quit telling the girls that I'm Chaotic Good.

You Scored as Neutral Good

A Neutral Good person tries to do the 'goodest' thing possible. These people are willing to work with the law to accomplish their goal, but if the law is corrupt they are just as willing to tear it down. To these people, doing what's right is the most important thing, regardless of rules, customs, or laws.

Neutral Good
100%

What is Your Alignment?

130904 Do We Have Issues?

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem in which each section starts with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section is in alphabetical order. Every one of the one hundred and seventy-six verses uses a synonym for God's Word. The Word, which revels God, must be first in our thoughts and actions. Without His Word, how do we differentiate God from Satan? (Remember: liars lie, especially the father of lies.)

In light of that, why do Christians put everything they have into ‘issues’? That is what the world does. We should be promoting the Word of God instead. What does the Word say?

1 John 1:5
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

That’s where we need to put our efforts and not into political chants and rants. I fully support those business owners who refuse to pander to the whims and threats of certain groups. A private business should be able to have the right to refuse service to anyone. Even if it is based on prejudice or ignorance, they should be able to operate a legitimate business as they choose and let the customers decide with their feet. Neither the Thought Police, nor The Department of Pre-crime should have any say in the matter. One may argue that drug running is a business, but that bypasses the concept of ‘legitimate’ as they break other, more serious laws as well.

When I say to concentrate on the Word, I mean to spread the Good News of the resurrection and the new birth and how to live the more abundant life of John 10:10.

John 10:10
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Jesus didn’t address the specifics of stealing, killing, or destroying. He went straight to the life. God has so much more to offer than a set of arcane rules regulations. God offers life in all its fullness. Yes, the details include changing one’s thinking and redirecting one’s actions, but the rewards are significant. Any athlete knows he must make significant sacrifices in order to perform, but he does it willingly for a temporal reward. God offers eternal rewards in addition to the immediate. Let’s concentrate on a few of the present rewards: Confidence, peace of mind, strength, even physical healing come from believing and adhering to God’s Word.

Psalm 107:20
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Rumor has it that heaven will be boring. Give me a break! Our limited perceptions cannot yet conceive of what it will be like. As vast as the universe seems to be, there will be even more to explore in the future. Therefore, do not get caught up in the tiny issues of today’s society. Those little wars the Adversary starts are nothing compared to the greatness of what God wrought for us in Christ Jesus. Even in the worst of times, God cares about our lives and works to see us blessed. Let yourself be blessed by God today by speaking of God’s goodness. That is what defeats the antics of the Adversary.

130903 Daniel and Politics

Last week, a friend of mine taught the Bible in front of about a thousand people. He taught on Daniel and what got him into the lion's den. He was a high official in first the Babylonian court, then when they were conquered, the Persian court. The new Persian king liked him better than the others, so a few of other officials devised a way to 'remove' Daniel from their collective craw. They told the king that 'everyone' wanted to honor him, so had him make an unbreakable law. It said that no one was to worship anything other than the king himself for 30 days. The penalty for breaking this kind of law was death. This particular death was by hungry lion. Not even the king could rescind the law of the Medes and Persians. We know how this ended.

Daniel chose to continue praying to God. He even opened his shades to allow everyone to see him praying. He refused to bend away from what God's Word said, and figured that God would protect him. This brings us to a baker in Oregon and a photographer in New Mexico and several other people with businesses across the country. More here. We are not up to killing people just yet. Killing businesses seems to be enough. Maybe.

Sometimes, I think I harp on the fact that in the 1980s, I knew some Soviet citizens who became former Soviet citizens. Speaking about God in the former Soviet Union was a matter of life and death, yet they did it. Being a Christian in Egypt today is a matter of life and death. Seventy to eighty percent of Americans claim to be Christian, yet it is becoming illegal to practice those beliefs. We have not reached the level of the former Soviet Union, nor today's Egypt, but it seems as if we are walking up the mountain on scree.

Do we really want government telling us what to believe? Do the Thought Police run our country? Some of my ancestors fled Germany for religious reasons in the early 18th Century. Later, others left Germany for political reasons. A final set came in the 20th Century with hope for a better life. What happens when Rome falls? I do not believe that it is the end of the world. (If Christ comes today, I don't mind being wrong.) The United State of America is not the Israel of God. Because of what Christ accomplished, God works with individuals wherever they are. Not everyone wants to come here -- believe it or don't. If this government succeeds in shutting God totally out of American life, God will prosper some other country. It has happened before.

130831 Why I am Unafraid of Miley Cyrus

First, I taught my children the independence of thinking for themselves.
Second, I allow them to make their own mistakes.

The like-aged elder shrugged her shoulders over the incident, and the younger said with disdain, "Who's that?"

Their lives have more important things to consider than the antics of a rebellious brat.