life stuff

On my journey with Christ, I've come to the full realization that I was born into a world at war and a world NOT what God meant for it to be. I've heard this world being referred to as a cesspool...indeed a sludge pit! Don't get me wrong, there are moments where you think the fall never happened...but only moments.

I love God...period! This having been said, here's what I hate:

1. wickedness


2. injustice


3. persecution


4. money and it's whole system


5. buying and selling


6. greed


7. selfishness


8. arrogance


9. PRIDE!

From what I can tell, God's system never included buying and selling. His system included giving abundantly. His word is chop full of statements saying this. If you're a Christ-follower, you know where to find them. Some that pop out in my mind include:

1. John 3:16


2. Mark 12:29-31


3. John 13:34-35


4. Malachi 3:9-11

Church, when are we going to stop following the systems of this world and fully engage in our LORD's? I don't know, maybe I'm just frustrated. Then again, maybe my relationship with God is intimate enough that I feel what He feels and begin to think what He thinks?

What would it look like if we eliminated money, buying and selling, and we engaged fully in giving to God first then to each other? I'd think if we all were giving to one another then everyone would be taken care of. No one would be left hungry or suffering. : What would it look like if we eliminated competition and fully engaged in cooperation? You know, living together in community serving and helping each other. Working for each other rather than against. Indeed, what would that look like?

what is love anyway?

Love is not an emotion. What? Yes, love is not an emotion. Sure there are many emotions associated with love, but what is love really? Love is the decision of the heart of put someone else ahead of yourself. Love is to say you matter more to me than I matter to myself, which is what Jesus Christ says on the cross. Yep, Jesus loves us literally to death. Of course, He conquered death.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.--John 3:16

spiritual battles

Many times along this journey with Christ, I face battles with the enemy...sometimes those battles are fierce. I think this battle scene from Star Wars episode I: The Phantom Menace best illustrates this. As you can see, I'm not alone in the battles. My Master is with me. Also, my Master was killed by the enemy and there wasn't anything I could do about it. Of course, my Master could not be kept down as He conquered death.

weather related cancellations

Well last night the Lake Michigan College canceled all the afternoon and night classes. The Southshore Concert Band whom I play the baritone saxophone with rehearses at LMC. It's winter weather policy is that if the college cancels classes then our rehearsal is also canceled. So no band last night. Instead I spent time clearing out the driveway with my snowblower. I'm glad it's Friday...I can sleep in tomorrow.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Okay I know it's not the Christmas season, but it's snowing out. In fact the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for this area. In spite of all this, I'm still here at work...and wonder why. I think I'll take the afternoon off to go home, clear out the driveway with the snowblower, then relax. Tonight is when I usually go to band rehearsal, but due to the this weather...maybe I'll stay home.

when God shows up

I read chapter 50 of the Psalms and wow! God shows up here and puts it out there. What all this says to me is that God certainly want to help those He loves and love Him in return. It also shows that He's not going to help those who turn from Him. It's not because God doesn't want to help them, but because they don't want Him to. God is a gentlemen and will not force Himself upon anyone. In this chapter, He basically tells those who do love and follow Him that He right there ready to help. Then He basically tells those who don't love and follow Him that they won't receive any help from Him.

As one of my pastors would say, "if you want to move from here to there you have to take steps in that direction." Indeed, if I want to move closer to God I need to take steps in that direction.

not a morning person

This is me in the morning LOL!

God is good!

Today was a good day. I was reminded that sometimes I have to go through a little pain for a greater good. The time with the oral hygenist was a little painful with that whole metal scraper thingy, but it cleans out the tatar and other junk. It saves me from having any bigger problems. Sometimes God allows us to go through some painful times to prevent any bigger problems.

I'm in the middle of Psalms right now, I've read up to chapter 50. Every time I read from the Bible, I like to ask three questions.

1. What does this say about God? God is awesome, period! In each instance, God shows Himself to be faithful, loving, righteous, and true. Plus, there just isn't anything or anyone bigger than Him.
2. What does this say about other people? We all have a longing to have value and to be accepted. David and others express how much they want God to come through for them. This also shows how desparately dependent on Him we are.
3. What does this reveal about myself? I've been reading the Message paraphrase version by Eugene Peterson and I love how this version captures the emotion of the Psalms. I connect immediately with what the writers are expressing. I too am so desparately dependent on God to get through. I also feel like the world of godless people are out to take me out. I also feel the world opposing me from being fully all of what God created me to be.

So yeah, the Psalms are a great book to pray. The Psalms are raw, passionate, honest, and genuine cries of real people.

Indeed, God is good!

TEETH ARE CLEAN!!!

WOO HOO! My teeth are clean and so far all is well with my choppers. I did focus much on God through it all. That hook scraper thingy can pinch ya a little. I go back is 6 month per usual.

I'm at work now, so I better do just that.

this is just too cool!

I have a divine passion for music. It transcends space and time. I discovered this and thought it was the coolest thing. It combines music and computers, two things I enjoy much.

the dentist

Less the 12 hours from now I go visit the dentist for the usual 6 months cleaning and check-up. I always dred going and I really don't know why. I suppose I have a low threshold for pain and when she pulls out that scraper thingy...yeah, you know what I mean.

Hopefully everything will be just fine, but if not it will be an adventure...that's for sure.

meant for so much more

As I continue my journey with Christ, I'm always becoming more aware of what God meant when He brought me into being. My pastors continuously repeat how "we" were meant for so much more...that when we follow Christ we enter into a life that is extraordinary. I want to believe this whole-heartedly, but sometimes I feel I'm just ordinary...just another guy.

I wonder if any other man struggles with this? As I look at where I am in this life, I'm not always impressed. I wish for more and at the same time I'm bombarded with statements, all Biblically based, that say I need to be content with what I have and/or where I'm at. Honestly, this sounds like a resignation into passivity. How can I grow in Christ if I just be content with the way things are? At the same time, I see and hear statements that suggest it's okay to feel some discontent. In fact, there is a book written by Bill Hybels, Sr. Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, called Holy Discontent. I have not read this book, but I just may.

The more I dig, the more I discover just what God meant for this earth and all that dwell in it to be. It's clear to me that God meant for humanity to be blessed with such abundance, but sin messed that up. There are those who have an outrageous abundance and those who struggle just to survive. God certainly didn't mean for this. This morning my pastor spoke about the importance of community, that we're all hard-wired for relationships. We weren't meant to be alone. Yet there are so many who are...and it's only by choice.

This is just so cosmically staggering, when God created humanity He not only gave us the ability but also the complete freedom to make up our own minds! He did so because He wanted us to love, and I've concluded that true love is the decision of the heart to put someone else ahead of myself. You matter more to me than I matter to myself. This is what God is clearly stating on the cross. True love can only be an act of free-will. No one took Jesus' life. He even stated clearly that His life cannot be taken. No, He gave His life because He loves us that much. Because God meant for us to have free-will, and He doesn't interfere with this, this is why so much bad stuff happens in this world. God is a gentlemen and does not force Himself upon anyone. So it's obvious so many make bad decisions. I admit, sometime I make a bad choice. This is why I want Him so much in my life. He sees things I cannot and can tell me, "No Tom, don't go that way...go this way instead...trust Me." Indeed, trust Him.

the first one

This is my first entry onto this blog. Before I've been blogging in MySpace, but you have to have an account in there and be my friend to see it. I wanted to be able to blog my thoughts and have those friends who don't have myspace be able to see it.

Currently I'm watching Stealth with my wife and so far it's a cool movie. This is the kind of story that poses the question, should a machine be in complete control of military defense? Usually the answer to that question is no because a machine doesn't have instincts or moral feeling, in fact it can't feel at all which makes it a lethal killer. It would destroy without remorse, whether the "target" is innocent or not.

Well, more to come...maybe later, maybe tomorrow...who knows.