Well, last night, my basketball teams were defeated (an inglorious defeat) by whopping margins. The Dark team played like.....the Dark team (ball-handling atrocious, passing terrible, shooting worse, defense like statues, rebounding like Casper). Even though the Light team has been improving recently, they played last night as though it was their first time on the floor. Guys not knowing where to be or when they were supposed to be there; no one boxing out and rebounding; shooting horrific; defense in concrete shoes, etc. Next week is their last regular season game and the end of season tournament. I told them that I expect to come home with a trophy, albeit the Consolation Championship trophy (their first game is against the only undefeated team in the district; I don't expect them to win that one regardless of how well they play).
The victory (and a HUGE victory it is!) concerns rules changes for next year. Every since I started coaching 7th-grade, our district has required that we play "quarter teams," i.e., 5 guys play the 1st quarter, then a different 5 play the 2nd quarter. Subs are designated by quarter, and every player must play if he's suited out. After ANOTHER broo-haha about the rules last week, we had a meeting this morning and decided as a district coaching staff that the kids would be much better served if we just played basketball and forgot about trying to keep inordinate numbers of kids to fill the requirements of this ridiculous quarter system! Woo-Hoo!!! We FINALLY get to play basketball in 7th grade!!!!!
I'm so excited, I may not sleep tonight (literally!)!!! - Dan
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Well, it looks like Giuliani's done!
As usual (at least as far as recent elections are concerned), the political fate of a nation came down to the voters of Florida, and they messed things up again!
Choosing McCain over Romney and forcing Giuliani out of the race for all intents and purposes, it looks as though the Republicans are poised to send a "status quo" guy (or at least that's how he'll be painted and perceived by voters) into the general election. Where's Newt when you need him? We need some "contract with America" fresh thinking to get the electorate energized! We need someone who's not thought of as a Washington insider who's merely "switching chairs," as Romney said when referring to McCain. I know McCain is a maverick thinker, more mainstream than most Republicans would like, but I think Republican are outthinking this one this time. Why be concerned with perceptions? Ronald Reagan didn't hedge his beliefs because he thought it's what people wanted to hear; he merely stated his case and it resonated with mainstream America! It's time for us to stop taking a poll before every statement!
I like Romney and what he stands for. I'd be perfectly happy with Giuliani, but he seems to be toast. Huckaby....well....he's named Huckaby for crying out loud! I like what he says, but no one's going to vote for a guy named Huckaby! My LEAST favorite guy in the Republican race is McCain and, with Hillary running as an outsider (yeah....RIGHT!), I think he'll have a hard time distancing himself from an unpopular President and what have turned out to be his unpopular policies.
Let's hope that Super Tuesday turns things around for the 'Pubs. Sadly, I don't see it coming to pass. - Dan
Choosing McCain over Romney and forcing Giuliani out of the race for all intents and purposes, it looks as though the Republicans are poised to send a "status quo" guy (or at least that's how he'll be painted and perceived by voters) into the general election. Where's Newt when you need him? We need some "contract with America" fresh thinking to get the electorate energized! We need someone who's not thought of as a Washington insider who's merely "switching chairs," as Romney said when referring to McCain. I know McCain is a maverick thinker, more mainstream than most Republicans would like, but I think Republican are outthinking this one this time. Why be concerned with perceptions? Ronald Reagan didn't hedge his beliefs because he thought it's what people wanted to hear; he merely stated his case and it resonated with mainstream America! It's time for us to stop taking a poll before every statement!
I like Romney and what he stands for. I'd be perfectly happy with Giuliani, but he seems to be toast. Huckaby....well....he's named Huckaby for crying out loud! I like what he says, but no one's going to vote for a guy named Huckaby! My LEAST favorite guy in the Republican race is McCain and, with Hillary running as an outsider (yeah....RIGHT!), I think he'll have a hard time distancing himself from an unpopular President and what have turned out to be his unpopular policies.
Let's hope that Super Tuesday turns things around for the 'Pubs. Sadly, I don't see it coming to pass. - Dan
Monday, January 28, 2008
A Great "Chillin' " Weekend
Hello, there, Blogfans!
We're at the time of year when the grind has pretty much done me in. From the middle of August until the middle of February, my workdays go like this:
Out of bed at 5:30 (or, at least that's when the alarm goes off....), out the door by 6:10 or so. In the door at school by 7:00, work in my room (unless I have duty or a meeting - Friday and Wednesday respectively) until 8:20, when my first class rolls in. Teach classes until 2:30; coach during the Athletic period from 2:35 until 3:40. Coach after school until 5:45 or 6:00, depending upon what we're working on; get in the truck and drive home, usually by 7:00. On game days (Wednesday and Thursday during football; Wednesday during basketball), I usually won't be home until 8:00 or 8:30. When I get home, I greet my darling bride and then eat. She's so AWESOME!!!! She always has dinner waiting for me! After we eat, we clean up the dishes, then I have to pack my bag for the next day (gym clothes) and make my salad for lunch. I'm usually done with everything I have to do by 9:30 or so, so it's time for bed. Tomorrow, it starts all over again!
Anyway, it's exhausting after awhile even though I DO love it! I'm not the kind of guy who likes to sit around too much. I'd prefer to have a project going or something I can do to feel like I'm accomplishing something. I'm in the middle of building a dog kennel, for example. On that, we're just waiting for funds to become available so we can finish that up and reclaim the back yard!
Despite that, it IS good to simply relax and kick back every so often, so that's what we did this weekend; catch up on movies. Has anyone seen the Adam Sandler flick "Reign Over Me?" It was pretty intense, but I think Sandler did a really good job. Dealing with that kind of loss, especially when it's so unexpected, is seriously traumatic. As I said, IMHO, Sandler did a really good job conveying the turmoil such a loss could cause for the survivors.
Anyway, back to work. It was good to just chill for the weekend, but the grind is almost over! Woo-Hoo! Our last potential game day (tournament time for the A team) is Feb. 8! - Dan
We're at the time of year when the grind has pretty much done me in. From the middle of August until the middle of February, my workdays go like this:
Out of bed at 5:30 (or, at least that's when the alarm goes off....), out the door by 6:10 or so. In the door at school by 7:00, work in my room (unless I have duty or a meeting - Friday and Wednesday respectively) until 8:20, when my first class rolls in. Teach classes until 2:30; coach during the Athletic period from 2:35 until 3:40. Coach after school until 5:45 or 6:00, depending upon what we're working on; get in the truck and drive home, usually by 7:00. On game days (Wednesday and Thursday during football; Wednesday during basketball), I usually won't be home until 8:00 or 8:30. When I get home, I greet my darling bride and then eat. She's so AWESOME!!!! She always has dinner waiting for me! After we eat, we clean up the dishes, then I have to pack my bag for the next day (gym clothes) and make my salad for lunch. I'm usually done with everything I have to do by 9:30 or so, so it's time for bed. Tomorrow, it starts all over again!
Anyway, it's exhausting after awhile even though I DO love it! I'm not the kind of guy who likes to sit around too much. I'd prefer to have a project going or something I can do to feel like I'm accomplishing something. I'm in the middle of building a dog kennel, for example. On that, we're just waiting for funds to become available so we can finish that up and reclaim the back yard!
Despite that, it IS good to simply relax and kick back every so often, so that's what we did this weekend; catch up on movies. Has anyone seen the Adam Sandler flick "Reign Over Me?" It was pretty intense, but I think Sandler did a really good job. Dealing with that kind of loss, especially when it's so unexpected, is seriously traumatic. As I said, IMHO, Sandler did a really good job conveying the turmoil such a loss could cause for the survivors.
Anyway, back to work. It was good to just chill for the weekend, but the grind is almost over! Woo-Hoo! Our last potential game day (tournament time for the A team) is Feb. 8! - Dan
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Coordination
Is it just me, or does there seem to be times when a subject shines prominently in the public spotlight multiple times over several weeks and you'd either never heard of it before or it had been YEARS since the topic had been visited on such a universal scale?
Recently, there seems to be a lot of interest in the idea of planet Earth without people. "I Am Legend" investigates the topic quite nicely and now, on the History Channel, "Life After People" is doing the same. As if that wasn't enough, I saw glimpses of another show recently that predicts catastrophe for Earth as of 2012. If I saw what I think I saw, these predictions go back to Mayan astronomers and their calendar.
I find all of this stuff interesting, of course, since I happen to believe that Jesus will return on "the third day" (2 Peter 3:8 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.") just as He said. There seems to be corroboration among secular sources if one can trust what's said in the media. So, even though none of this recent media blitz seems to connect the biblical account of the end of days with the secular accounts of the same, there seems to be growing interest in what happens to the Earth when people are no longer at the top of the food chain!
My friend Kathy and I have had this conversation many times. She is a "pan-millenialist," meaning that, to her, it matters not; it will all "pan-out" in the end." From a personal prespective, i.e., how it will affect me and those close to me, I agree. If Jesus comes back before I finish this, I intend and fully expect to "...meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) " However, theres a "great unwashed" to reach who, as predicted in scripture, go about their daily lives completely unaware. These are the ones who need to hear the message - that the Lord is coming, and that right quick!
So, just for the sake of discussion, let's say that the Mayans had an inside track on the truth and their calendar is correct - the world is going to end in four years. Are you like the 5 wise virgins or the 5 foolish ones? Have you made spiritual preparations? Will you be on the inside with enough oil for your lamp, or on the outside, wondering what happened? You know, there's no accidents in the Bible. Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins immediately after explaining the events of His second coming in Matthew 24, so Jesus was talking to those "in the know;" those who should know about the signs of the end. So what does this mean? Are well-meaning followers going to be left out because they failed to prepare? Can true believers be caught unaware? I think it goes back to what Jesus said in Revelation: Revelation 3:15 - "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." It's entirely possible to call yourself a Christian and not actually BE one, according to Jesus. Jesus tried to warn us about this phenomenon before the Revelation to John. He said that trees without fruit would be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.") and He said that we would know other Christians by their fruit. I've written about being a "fruit inspector" before, but not in this context. How sad would it be to find yourself on the outside looking in, just as the five foolish virgins were, when you've lived your life AS a Christian, going to Christian events, calling yourself one, and hanging around with other Christians?
Oh well....enough about that. Back to the original question; who coordinates these "media blizes" anyway? How is it that, supposedly at random, more than several shows, public appearances, magazine articles, etc., all covering the same topic, show up at once? I don't believe in coincidence. I believe that God controls all things either by direct action or by omission of action, so, at the root of it, God is in control. I guess I would like to know HOW it happens rather than why. Any help out there? - Dan
Recently, there seems to be a lot of interest in the idea of planet Earth without people. "I Am Legend" investigates the topic quite nicely and now, on the History Channel, "Life After People" is doing the same. As if that wasn't enough, I saw glimpses of another show recently that predicts catastrophe for Earth as of 2012. If I saw what I think I saw, these predictions go back to Mayan astronomers and their calendar.
I find all of this stuff interesting, of course, since I happen to believe that Jesus will return on "the third day" (2 Peter 3:8 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.") just as He said. There seems to be corroboration among secular sources if one can trust what's said in the media. So, even though none of this recent media blitz seems to connect the biblical account of the end of days with the secular accounts of the same, there seems to be growing interest in what happens to the Earth when people are no longer at the top of the food chain!
My friend Kathy and I have had this conversation many times. She is a "pan-millenialist," meaning that, to her, it matters not; it will all "pan-out" in the end." From a personal prespective, i.e., how it will affect me and those close to me, I agree. If Jesus comes back before I finish this, I intend and fully expect to "...meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) " However, theres a "great unwashed" to reach who, as predicted in scripture, go about their daily lives completely unaware. These are the ones who need to hear the message - that the Lord is coming, and that right quick!
So, just for the sake of discussion, let's say that the Mayans had an inside track on the truth and their calendar is correct - the world is going to end in four years. Are you like the 5 wise virgins or the 5 foolish ones? Have you made spiritual preparations? Will you be on the inside with enough oil for your lamp, or on the outside, wondering what happened? You know, there's no accidents in the Bible. Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins immediately after explaining the events of His second coming in Matthew 24, so Jesus was talking to those "in the know;" those who should know about the signs of the end. So what does this mean? Are well-meaning followers going to be left out because they failed to prepare? Can true believers be caught unaware? I think it goes back to what Jesus said in Revelation: Revelation 3:15 - "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." It's entirely possible to call yourself a Christian and not actually BE one, according to Jesus. Jesus tried to warn us about this phenomenon before the Revelation to John. He said that trees without fruit would be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.") and He said that we would know other Christians by their fruit. I've written about being a "fruit inspector" before, but not in this context. How sad would it be to find yourself on the outside looking in, just as the five foolish virgins were, when you've lived your life AS a Christian, going to Christian events, calling yourself one, and hanging around with other Christians?
Oh well....enough about that. Back to the original question; who coordinates these "media blizes" anyway? How is it that, supposedly at random, more than several shows, public appearances, magazine articles, etc., all covering the same topic, show up at once? I don't believe in coincidence. I believe that God controls all things either by direct action or by omission of action, so, at the root of it, God is in control. I guess I would like to know HOW it happens rather than why. Any help out there? - Dan
Thursday, January 24, 2008
My A team is getting better....
...but my B team is....well.....how can I say this nicely? Uhhh....they're horrendous! They have yet to win a game and their prospects are not looking very bright. They don't dribble well; they don't pass well; they don't shoot well; they don't play defense well, and they don't rebound well. Is there anything left?
Tonight, in the B team district tournament (we lost in round 1 so we went to the losers bracket), we played a team that lost for the first time this year last night, that to the only undefeated team in the district, and that by only three points. Well....I'll bet you can guess where this is going! If you'd like to see replays, you won't find them on YouTube, but you can find a reasonable facsimile at your local video store. Go the the "Classics" section, pick out one of those old "Christian Vs Lions" movies, and cheer for the Christians; that's us!
The game was 21 to 2 when I told them to just run the clock....with 4 minutes to go in the first half!!! The final score was 35 to 6. How we managed to score 6 I'm not sure. Don't you usually have to be able to get the ball across half-court to score?
Oh well....look up "hideous" in the dictionary; you'll probably find footage of this one in there! - Dan
Tonight, in the B team district tournament (we lost in round 1 so we went to the losers bracket), we played a team that lost for the first time this year last night, that to the only undefeated team in the district, and that by only three points. Well....I'll bet you can guess where this is going! If you'd like to see replays, you won't find them on YouTube, but you can find a reasonable facsimile at your local video store. Go the the "Classics" section, pick out one of those old "Christian Vs Lions" movies, and cheer for the Christians; that's us!
The game was 21 to 2 when I told them to just run the clock....with 4 minutes to go in the first half!!! The final score was 35 to 6. How we managed to score 6 I'm not sure. Don't you usually have to be able to get the ball across half-court to score?
Oh well....look up "hideous" in the dictionary; you'll probably find footage of this one in there! - Dan
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Well, we won AGAIN!!! Woo-Hoo!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the boys pulled out another one!
Tonight, they played a team that is historically one of the weaker teams in our district, but one we cannot afford to overlook with our record! We've been working really hard on improving our rebounding since one of our biggest problems has been giving up multiple opportunities to the other team on their offensive end. Well, we must've done something right; we basically controlled the defensive glass and won the game by ten!
Woo-hoo! - Dan
Tonight, they played a team that is historically one of the weaker teams in our district, but one we cannot afford to overlook with our record! We've been working really hard on improving our rebounding since one of our biggest problems has been giving up multiple opportunities to the other team on their offensive end. Well, we must've done something right; we basically controlled the defensive glass and won the game by ten!
Woo-hoo! - Dan
Monday, January 21, 2008
Happy MLK day!
I'm not sure how Martin Luther King Jr. would have felt about his birthday becoming a national holiday, but I'm pretty sure he'd be upset that it's celebrated primarily as a black holiday and pretty much ignored or chastised by those of different races or colors.
As a middle-class white guy, I'm privy to the sort of comments other white and hispanic people make about this day. It's hard to tell if they mean anything by it, but you hear comments like "Definitely MY favorite holiday" or "why do we get a day off?" when MLK day is mentioned. Frankly, of all the leaders of nationally prminent movements of the 20th century, I'd have to say that MLK was in my top five. Why do I say that? It's pretty easy. He stood for non-violent protest of social injustice and longed for the day that race, color, creed, etc., would not matter. The only criteria for judging one person over another would be the content of their character. Sadly, MLK never saw it and, again sadly, I have yet to see it in my lifetime.
I DO think we're getting closer to a "color-blind" society, but we're still a long ways away. As long as I hear comments like the ones previously described, we won't be there. Then again, as long as we single out people like Dr. King for holidays, I don't think we'll make it, either. Why? Because Dr. King's accomplishments were in the arena of civil rights, primarily equality for African-Americans. If we celebrate the day and include a host of similar leaders in the celebration of every race and color, then it will be less about African-American rights and more about American equality for all. I think Dr. King would feel better about such a celebration and I think fewer Americans would feel left out if that were the case.
Regardless of perceptions, what MLK stood for was worth celebrating! So, happy MLK day! - Dan
As a middle-class white guy, I'm privy to the sort of comments other white and hispanic people make about this day. It's hard to tell if they mean anything by it, but you hear comments like "Definitely MY favorite holiday" or "why do we get a day off?" when MLK day is mentioned. Frankly, of all the leaders of nationally prminent movements of the 20th century, I'd have to say that MLK was in my top five. Why do I say that? It's pretty easy. He stood for non-violent protest of social injustice and longed for the day that race, color, creed, etc., would not matter. The only criteria for judging one person over another would be the content of their character. Sadly, MLK never saw it and, again sadly, I have yet to see it in my lifetime.
I DO think we're getting closer to a "color-blind" society, but we're still a long ways away. As long as I hear comments like the ones previously described, we won't be there. Then again, as long as we single out people like Dr. King for holidays, I don't think we'll make it, either. Why? Because Dr. King's accomplishments were in the arena of civil rights, primarily equality for African-Americans. If we celebrate the day and include a host of similar leaders in the celebration of every race and color, then it will be less about African-American rights and more about American equality for all. I think Dr. King would feel better about such a celebration and I think fewer Americans would feel left out if that were the case.
Regardless of perceptions, what MLK stood for was worth celebrating! So, happy MLK day! - Dan
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Is Clinton Electible?
Well, Hillary won in Nevada, and it begs the question; is Clinton electible?
I sure hope not!
One thing you have to consider is the fact that Democrat primaries basically "poll" those who intend to vote Democrat, leaving the majority of Americans behind. I hope the people who watch from the sidelines don't read too much into a Clinton victory in the Democratic party. I mean, after all, Muskie, McCarthy, and a litany of other Democrat candiates, won the nomination of their party after the primary season and found that Americans don't buy into their notion of government first, last, and always. I hope we're seeing a replay of history. Sadly, my concern is that people are so fed up with George W that they'll seek relief wherever they can find it and that relief will take the form of a Democrat, whoever that is. If it's Clinton, I'm afraid we're in for at least four years of skyrocketing spending on social boondoggle that will generate little in terms of real results, but will make everyone feel good for the effort; at least those on the Democrat side of the aisle.
I abide by the original notion of the conservative; give a man a fish and he eats for one day: teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. Let's teach America to fish. before the provision of fish bankrupts us all! - Dan
I sure hope not!
One thing you have to consider is the fact that Democrat primaries basically "poll" those who intend to vote Democrat, leaving the majority of Americans behind. I hope the people who watch from the sidelines don't read too much into a Clinton victory in the Democratic party. I mean, after all, Muskie, McCarthy, and a litany of other Democrat candiates, won the nomination of their party after the primary season and found that Americans don't buy into their notion of government first, last, and always. I hope we're seeing a replay of history. Sadly, my concern is that people are so fed up with George W that they'll seek relief wherever they can find it and that relief will take the form of a Democrat, whoever that is. If it's Clinton, I'm afraid we're in for at least four years of skyrocketing spending on social boondoggle that will generate little in terms of real results, but will make everyone feel good for the effort; at least those on the Democrat side of the aisle.
I abide by the original notion of the conservative; give a man a fish and he eats for one day: teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. Let's teach America to fish. before the provision of fish bankrupts us all! - Dan
You may like to read...
MDB's blog. One of the things I love about Kim (among the endless items I could list) is the way she thinks about things. Her latest talks about people, both living and dead with whom she'd like to have a conversation. Some of the people she listed are unknown to me, but she's told me who they are/were. A conversation with them may prove interesting indeed. One was victimized by the Holocaust. The Bushs have been eyewitness to much of what shapes our country today; another interesting conversation! Bill Gates is another, but I'm not so sure I need to talk to him. He seems to be attempting to use his great wealth for the overall betterment of society, but I happen to feel that he and his foundation could do more if they chose to do so. I give him a lot of credit, though. In the same environment that saw the collapse of giants like Enron, Arthur Anderson, etc., his enterprise has done, and continues to do, quite nicely!
Kim loves to watch "ET" (Entertainment Tonight), so a conversation with Princess Diana and/or Donny Osmond makes sense from her perspective, but neither one interests me particularly. The others are members of her family or persons with whom her family has had connection, the sole exception being Abraham Lincoln. Now THAT'S a guy I'd LOVE to sit down with for however long he had to spare! IMHO, no President has EVER faced the sorts of problems that he faced, but he dealt with them with authority and grace and made the absolute best of it.
Here's some folks I'd like to talk with, other than the ones already mentioned:
Living
Billy Graham, Jim Brown, Jimmy Carter, Tom Clancy, Norman Schwartzkopf.
Dead
Albert Einstein, FD Roosevelt, the Apostle Paul, Ronald Reagan, Chester Nimitz.
I'd have listed Jesus first, but I carry on a fairly regular dialgoue with Him and I didn't know which list would be appropriate for inclusion. He's not alive in the generally-accepted sense, but He certainly is alive in Spirit and available for conversation to any who will listen.
If anyone's interested, I'll discuss why I'd like to hear from any of the above.
Read MDB's blog to keep track of her amazing mind! - Dan
Kim loves to watch "ET" (Entertainment Tonight), so a conversation with Princess Diana and/or Donny Osmond makes sense from her perspective, but neither one interests me particularly. The others are members of her family or persons with whom her family has had connection, the sole exception being Abraham Lincoln. Now THAT'S a guy I'd LOVE to sit down with for however long he had to spare! IMHO, no President has EVER faced the sorts of problems that he faced, but he dealt with them with authority and grace and made the absolute best of it.
Here's some folks I'd like to talk with, other than the ones already mentioned:
Living
Billy Graham, Jim Brown, Jimmy Carter, Tom Clancy, Norman Schwartzkopf.
Dead
Albert Einstein, FD Roosevelt, the Apostle Paul, Ronald Reagan, Chester Nimitz.
I'd have listed Jesus first, but I carry on a fairly regular dialgoue with Him and I didn't know which list would be appropriate for inclusion. He's not alive in the generally-accepted sense, but He certainly is alive in Spirit and available for conversation to any who will listen.
If anyone's interested, I'll discuss why I'd like to hear from any of the above.
Read MDB's blog to keep track of her amazing mind! - Dan
Friday, January 18, 2008
Some of the people from the old IWon days are peeking in...
...so I thought I'd wax reminiscent for a moment.
I was working as a safety engineer at a mid-sized industrial facility in those days. My job had morphed into that of Training Coordinator primarily, and I was building a computer-based training program for the company. Since that required me to be at a computer almost all day for the most part, I took "breaks" by posting on the politics forum on IWon, along with several thousand of my computer-savee colleagues from other parts of the country. Of course, the primary topic was the election; who should receive our support and why. As I mentioned in my response to Suz, I don't think we changed any hearts or minds, but we certainly got a lot off of our collective chests, sometimes to the detriment of the discussion. We were coming out of the Clinton years, a time when personal attack in the name of political discourse had become acceptable it seems, and personal attack, rather than discussion of issues, is what IWon soon became, which is why many of us left that arena and gathered at other locations, primarily Network54. I started my own Christian forum, which was very nice at the outset because the people there were civil and truly interested in discussing things of mutual interest. Frankly, I think more than one seeker actually found an original relationship with Jesus because of it and for that I'm truly thankful. Unfortunately, that forum eventually became rather contentious as well when people who were more interested in disruption and chaos than seeking a relationship with God virtually controlled the forum, and I had to shut it down.
My friend Ross, who passed away several years ago, was the one who directed me to IWon initially. He knew I was a conservative and he sought a compatriot to assist with his online battle against the forces of those evil liberals! LOL! God rest his soul; Ross was one of a kind. He was truly committed to his ideals and he KNEW that his was the only correct way! It may have led him to an early grave. Like I said, God rest his soul. He was a true friend, and I miss him.
Note that I describe myself as a conservative and not a Republican. At one time, when conservatives controlled the party and conservative ideals were evident in the platform of the party, I may have considered myself a Republican. Now, I don't think there's a nickel's worth of difference between the parties; only the individuals who reside there. Frankly, almost any of the candidates who call themselves Republican could gain my support and, as I said, all of the Democrats who are running sing pretty much the same tune; "let us show you what government can do for you!" Frankly, I'm not too interested in what government can do for me, but I would be interested in a candidate who could get the government out of my back pocket and return my constitutional liberties! In this day and age (post 911), I'm not even sure if that's possible or advisable, but it's a nice thought, isn't it? Like I said, waxing reminiscent!
Well, that's enough for now! Good to see some friends from the old days looking in! Wax reminiscent in reply if you choose! Dan
I was working as a safety engineer at a mid-sized industrial facility in those days. My job had morphed into that of Training Coordinator primarily, and I was building a computer-based training program for the company. Since that required me to be at a computer almost all day for the most part, I took "breaks" by posting on the politics forum on IWon, along with several thousand of my computer-savee colleagues from other parts of the country. Of course, the primary topic was the election; who should receive our support and why. As I mentioned in my response to Suz, I don't think we changed any hearts or minds, but we certainly got a lot off of our collective chests, sometimes to the detriment of the discussion. We were coming out of the Clinton years, a time when personal attack in the name of political discourse had become acceptable it seems, and personal attack, rather than discussion of issues, is what IWon soon became, which is why many of us left that arena and gathered at other locations, primarily Network54. I started my own Christian forum, which was very nice at the outset because the people there were civil and truly interested in discussing things of mutual interest. Frankly, I think more than one seeker actually found an original relationship with Jesus because of it and for that I'm truly thankful. Unfortunately, that forum eventually became rather contentious as well when people who were more interested in disruption and chaos than seeking a relationship with God virtually controlled the forum, and I had to shut it down.
My friend Ross, who passed away several years ago, was the one who directed me to IWon initially. He knew I was a conservative and he sought a compatriot to assist with his online battle against the forces of those evil liberals! LOL! God rest his soul; Ross was one of a kind. He was truly committed to his ideals and he KNEW that his was the only correct way! It may have led him to an early grave. Like I said, God rest his soul. He was a true friend, and I miss him.
Note that I describe myself as a conservative and not a Republican. At one time, when conservatives controlled the party and conservative ideals were evident in the platform of the party, I may have considered myself a Republican. Now, I don't think there's a nickel's worth of difference between the parties; only the individuals who reside there. Frankly, almost any of the candidates who call themselves Republican could gain my support and, as I said, all of the Democrats who are running sing pretty much the same tune; "let us show you what government can do for you!" Frankly, I'm not too interested in what government can do for me, but I would be interested in a candidate who could get the government out of my back pocket and return my constitutional liberties! In this day and age (post 911), I'm not even sure if that's possible or advisable, but it's a nice thought, isn't it? Like I said, waxing reminiscent!
Well, that's enough for now! Good to see some friends from the old days looking in! Wax reminiscent in reply if you choose! Dan
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Sometimes winning is not a good thing!
Yesterday's games were ugly. The team we faced, IMHO, was not even as good as the team we beat last week by 18, but we made them look like the Boston Celtics or something. Here's why I say winning is not always a good thing:
With a winless team, a win can do one of two things. On the good side, it will make the team hungry for some more of the good feeling that comes with being victorious; they'll try harder and work to improve even more so that they can beat even better teams than the one they just defeated. On the bad side, a win can make a team think that they're "all that," and stop working to improve, stop trying as hard in competition, stop doing the things that got them the win in the first place. I think that my team chose option two.
Now, we have to start all over basically, going back to the fundamental errors we made and trying to correct them. Unfortunately, we have another team next week that is traditionally pretty weak, so we're probably going to do the whole thing all over again; get a win, think we're all that, and get it handed to us the following week. I hope not!
Anyway, keep those cards and letters coming in! - Dan
With a winless team, a win can do one of two things. On the good side, it will make the team hungry for some more of the good feeling that comes with being victorious; they'll try harder and work to improve even more so that they can beat even better teams than the one they just defeated. On the bad side, a win can make a team think that they're "all that," and stop working to improve, stop trying as hard in competition, stop doing the things that got them the win in the first place. I think that my team chose option two.
Now, we have to start all over basically, going back to the fundamental errors we made and trying to correct them. Unfortunately, we have another team next week that is traditionally pretty weak, so we're probably going to do the whole thing all over again; get a win, think we're all that, and get it handed to us the following week. I hope not!
Anyway, keep those cards and letters coming in! - Dan
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I put a "hit counter" on Dan's Place....
...and there seems to be a lot more traffic here than I thought!
Come on, people! Write a response every now and again! I know this isn't a chat site or even a discussion forum, but it would be interesting to see what visitors think and start a discussion of sorts about some of the topics I visit.
This morning's headline "Romney wins Michigan!" was rather telling, especially in light of what I wrote yesterday. Apparently, a lot of other folks are tired of "business as usual" in Washington and are ready for some real change. As usual, the Dems are trotting out a host of "look what governement can do for you" folks. Romney seems to be the exception, telling people that government is too fat and needs to be curtailed. I agree. The thing that I'd most like to see is a genuine effort to make our tax system more equitable. Look, I know that taxes are necessary and that our government provides a lot of very important services. Most of those services could be performed just as well for a lot less money, IMHO. I know that the IRS is a necessary agency. There's a contingent of people out there who would go to extreme lengths to avoid paying anything at all, and that's why the system has to be changed. There are too many loopholes for people who have a lot of money such that they do not pay what they should. Should they pay 70% like they did at one time? I don't think so, but they should NOT be able to hide all of their cash in different "shelters" and pay nothing, either! I'd like to see us do away with income tax altogether and go with a straight sales tax. That way, people who consume in a big way pay big tax. Those who cannot afford to consume in a big way don't pay so much!
Anyway, I've got a meeting to go to, so I'll check in later. Respond, people! - Dan
Come on, people! Write a response every now and again! I know this isn't a chat site or even a discussion forum, but it would be interesting to see what visitors think and start a discussion of sorts about some of the topics I visit.
This morning's headline "Romney wins Michigan!" was rather telling, especially in light of what I wrote yesterday. Apparently, a lot of other folks are tired of "business as usual" in Washington and are ready for some real change. As usual, the Dems are trotting out a host of "look what governement can do for you" folks. Romney seems to be the exception, telling people that government is too fat and needs to be curtailed. I agree. The thing that I'd most like to see is a genuine effort to make our tax system more equitable. Look, I know that taxes are necessary and that our government provides a lot of very important services. Most of those services could be performed just as well for a lot less money, IMHO. I know that the IRS is a necessary agency. There's a contingent of people out there who would go to extreme lengths to avoid paying anything at all, and that's why the system has to be changed. There are too many loopholes for people who have a lot of money such that they do not pay what they should. Should they pay 70% like they did at one time? I don't think so, but they should NOT be able to hide all of their cash in different "shelters" and pay nothing, either! I'd like to see us do away with income tax altogether and go with a straight sales tax. That way, people who consume in a big way pay big tax. Those who cannot afford to consume in a big way don't pay so much!
Anyway, I've got a meeting to go to, so I'll check in later. Respond, people! - Dan
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Even though my bid for President doesn't seem to be...
..."getting legs," I'm hearing some pretty interesting things from some of the other candidates!
First, isn't it nice to hear the Dems imploding once again? Obama criticizing Clinton for playing the race card, Clinton criticizing Obama for NOT playing the race card, both of them taking pot-shots at the other for WHATEVER. As Artie Johnson used to say, "v-v-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-y-y-y interesting!"
Seriously, does anyone really believe that any card put forth by the Dems has a chance? If all they get is the "disgusted with the Pubs" vote, they'll get 25% tops! Of course, we all know how that works; the states that ALWAYS vote Dem will continue to vote that way (Mass., New York; the "solid south," etc.), but the bulk of the nation will vote Republican as usual and then it will come down to a count of the Electoral College, which is an antiquated agency that needs some serious re-consideration, BTW.
Of the Republicans running, I'm liking what Romney has to say moreso than most of the other candidates. Oh, we could go into a lengthy debate about religion here, but I don't see Romney mixing religion with politics, so why would any potential nay-sayers do so? Romney says a lot of the same things I've been saying. Run government like a business. If an agency has come to a place where there's no "value added," do away with it. People who are sitting at $80,000/yr jobs doing their knitting should be let go! Make agencies justify every penny they spend! Stop talking "billions" and start talking "thousands" the way the people footing the bills do! Install term limits for every elected official. Make government "lean" so that we can spend money where it needs to be spent constitutionally. Do away with "earmarks." He's been saying may ny of these things, and I like what I'm hearing!
Is that my official endorsement of Romney? Not yet...but stay tuned. I may come out for him eventually as the political season wears on! - Dan
First, isn't it nice to hear the Dems imploding once again? Obama criticizing Clinton for playing the race card, Clinton criticizing Obama for NOT playing the race card, both of them taking pot-shots at the other for WHATEVER. As Artie Johnson used to say, "v-v-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-y-y-y interesting!"
Seriously, does anyone really believe that any card put forth by the Dems has a chance? If all they get is the "disgusted with the Pubs" vote, they'll get 25% tops! Of course, we all know how that works; the states that ALWAYS vote Dem will continue to vote that way (Mass., New York; the "solid south," etc.), but the bulk of the nation will vote Republican as usual and then it will come down to a count of the Electoral College, which is an antiquated agency that needs some serious re-consideration, BTW.
Of the Republicans running, I'm liking what Romney has to say moreso than most of the other candidates. Oh, we could go into a lengthy debate about religion here, but I don't see Romney mixing religion with politics, so why would any potential nay-sayers do so? Romney says a lot of the same things I've been saying. Run government like a business. If an agency has come to a place where there's no "value added," do away with it. People who are sitting at $80,000/yr jobs doing their knitting should be let go! Make agencies justify every penny they spend! Stop talking "billions" and start talking "thousands" the way the people footing the bills do! Install term limits for every elected official. Make government "lean" so that we can spend money where it needs to be spent constitutionally. Do away with "earmarks." He's been saying may ny of these things, and I like what I'm hearing!
Is that my official endorsement of Romney? Not yet...but stay tuned. I may come out for him eventually as the political season wears on! - Dan
Monday, January 14, 2008
A glimpse into why MDB is so AWESOME!!!
Kim, my darling bride (MDB), is absolutely the most wonderful person EVER in the history of the universe! Let me explain that categorization. First, she's not JUST the most wonderful woman ever; that leaves out half of humanity and her wonderfullness goes far beyond that. Second, she's not just the most wonderful person alive; that leaves out a whole bunch of dead people! Finally, assuming there's life on other planets, we have to take those life forms into consideration and I have no doubt that she would come out on top in that competition as well!
Why do I say all of that? Well, frankly, I'm a knot-head. This morning, not realizing it was Kim's day to "sleep in" (well...if you can call 6:30 "sleeping in"), I attempted to awake my darling angel at about 10 minutes to 6:00, fearing that she was oversleeping and would be late for work. A normal mortal would have turned over, screamed at me for waking her up on her "late" day, and rolled back over to sleep. MDB simple whispered "it's my day to sleep late" and returned to slumber. Well, I felt about 2" tall, but she didn't say a thing and, in fact, she said later that it was "no big deal." Is she awesome, or what?
Yesterday, we went to the boat show together. She had to work the event; I went along to keep her company and check out some stuff that we'd like to obtain one day (a travel trailer in particular). Looking at stuff with her and dreaming is AWESOME! She knows what she wants and she's not particular about making sure it's the fanciest or the nicest as long as it meets her needs. In her case, having a commode and shower on board is important; cooking area is important; and sleeping area (an adequate sized bed mostly) is important. Well, there's no shortage of trailers you could spend upwards of $40,000 on without batting an eyelash, but she's just as happy with one that was less than half of that!
Well....more later! Suffice it to say, MDB's the awesomenest person EVER!!! - Dan
Why do I say all of that? Well, frankly, I'm a knot-head. This morning, not realizing it was Kim's day to "sleep in" (well...if you can call 6:30 "sleeping in"), I attempted to awake my darling angel at about 10 minutes to 6:00, fearing that she was oversleeping and would be late for work. A normal mortal would have turned over, screamed at me for waking her up on her "late" day, and rolled back over to sleep. MDB simple whispered "it's my day to sleep late" and returned to slumber. Well, I felt about 2" tall, but she didn't say a thing and, in fact, she said later that it was "no big deal." Is she awesome, or what?
Yesterday, we went to the boat show together. She had to work the event; I went along to keep her company and check out some stuff that we'd like to obtain one day (a travel trailer in particular). Looking at stuff with her and dreaming is AWESOME! She knows what she wants and she's not particular about making sure it's the fanciest or the nicest as long as it meets her needs. In her case, having a commode and shower on board is important; cooking area is important; and sleeping area (an adequate sized bed mostly) is important. Well, there's no shortage of trailers you could spend upwards of $40,000 on without batting an eyelash, but she's just as happy with one that was less than half of that!
Well....more later! Suffice it to say, MDB's the awesomenest person EVER!!! - Dan
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Well, one week down, 17 to go!
Hello, friends!
I know that may be a pessimistic way of looking at the school year, but, the longer I teach, the more discouraged I get about today's young people. Oh, don't get me wrong. I LOVE to teach and I love coaching, and I won't be doing anything else for as long as I know, but it IS discouraging to face the fruit of what society is producing today and have a positive outlook for tomorrow.
Why do I say that? Back in the day, the outlook of most young people mirrored that of society. People of my generation were parented by the people who fought WWII. You know, people who knew what it was to sacrifice personal gain for the common good; people who knew what was written in the bible ("he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted"); people who believed that the best way to get along was to follow the Golden Rule and treat others with respect and kindness whenever it was possible to do so. Today, all of that is on its ear! This is the biggest "me first!" bunch of whiners I've seen yet! They have no concept of building a better society just because its the right thing to do; its all about what can I get for me and how soon can I have it? They have no trouble tooting their own horn whenever they think they've got a little more coming and they have no compunction whatsoever about DEMANDING it regardless of whether they've got it coming or not. Treat others as they would like to be treated? They have no concept of what social grace or manners are whatsoever. You can be carrying on a conversation with another and they will break right in between you, interrupt, and blurt out whatever is on their mind at any time and for any reason! I'm telling you, it mindboggling! Although I must be as much to blame as anyone else who raised some of these kids, I can't help but think that its getting worse by the minute. It's time we reinvested in some of our past child-rearing strategies before its too late:
1. "Spare the rod, spoil the child" isn't in the Bible by accident. At the very root, kids are animals just as dogs are animals. The best way to train them is to create in their very psyche a deep-seated fear of getting in trouble and being punished. Sorry, folks, but "time out" doesn't scare me very much! Sorry....staying after school doesn't petrify me, either. My apologies, but in school suspension (which has become sort of a "badge of honor" for the thug generation we're seeing now), doesn't make me quiver a lot, either. Let's bring back corporal punishment, where we bring out the "board of education" for correction and give them something to think about before they mess up! If parents won't allow their children to be spanked by school authorities, send them home and do not give them the PRIVILEDGE of a free public education until they can abide by the rules and governing authorities of the school!
2. Get rid of all of this "everyone gets a trophy" nonsense! Only the winners get a reward and that's the way it is in life, so why make kids believe that all they have to do is show up and they'll be rewarded when that's not the case! You know what? Life is hard. Keeping your head above water is a struggle much of the time. The sooner we teach kids that they way to do it is to work hard and be responsible, the better off we all will be. Kids today have WAY too much handed to them without working at all for it and they think that that's how it's supposed to be as they get older, so they grow up expecting everything to be simply handed to them. What a shock it is when they get to my class and find out that I won't give them anything they don't earn! Many of them don't survive it and wind up with a consequence called summer school; one of the last bastions of hope for our society when it comes to making the little malcontents realize that there really are unwanted outcomes for less than acceptable performance!
3. If the atheists or antheist apologists won't allow us to teach straight from the Bible, then AT LEAST make a social graces/manners class mandatory! People of my generation went to church every week and attended Sunday School every Sunday morning. Most of us had to attend Catechism or Confirmation classes, and we learned the tenets of Christianity just like anything else that we learned in school or elsewhere. Let's go back to that, shall we?
4. By the way, how is it, in a country where "majority rules" is the backbone of our system of government, that atheists and their "separation of church and state" allies have managed to co-opt our rights to educate our children as we please? Most, if not all of the people who fund public education are Christian. Most, if not all of the educators in those institutions are also Christian. So please, tell me; why do we allow a minority to dictate to the majority? How is it that we can't educate OUR children as we see fit? I have an idea! If it's the money that they're contributing in the form of school taxes, give them a rebate check and let them educate their kids somewhere else! Send their kids to "Atheist Academy" or wherever they might go to be with other atheist children. What about muslim, or hindu, or bhuddist, or whatever else is out there kids? They can do the same thing as the atheist kids! You know what?! I'm tired of apologizing for being a Christian nation! In Saudia Arabia, nobody apologizes for being muslim! And, if you don't like what they have to offer, they'll tell you where to get off real quick, too! Maybe we could be a little more like that here. I know...I know.....turn the other cheek; forgive and you will be forgiven, etc. How about a little more of the "righteous indignation" Jesus, the one who turned over the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple! How about a loud and proud version for the whole world to see?! We're so busy trying to get along with all of these splinter groups and appease the minority all the time, we, the majority, are getting swept under the rug!
Well....that's enough rant for now! Don't be afraid to be who you are, fellow Christians, and don't apologize to ANYONE for it! We know the truth and, the sooner as we proclaim it loudly and proudly, the sooner we'll get what we have coming to US! - Dan
I know that may be a pessimistic way of looking at the school year, but, the longer I teach, the more discouraged I get about today's young people. Oh, don't get me wrong. I LOVE to teach and I love coaching, and I won't be doing anything else for as long as I know, but it IS discouraging to face the fruit of what society is producing today and have a positive outlook for tomorrow.
Why do I say that? Back in the day, the outlook of most young people mirrored that of society. People of my generation were parented by the people who fought WWII. You know, people who knew what it was to sacrifice personal gain for the common good; people who knew what was written in the bible ("he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted"); people who believed that the best way to get along was to follow the Golden Rule and treat others with respect and kindness whenever it was possible to do so. Today, all of that is on its ear! This is the biggest "me first!" bunch of whiners I've seen yet! They have no concept of building a better society just because its the right thing to do; its all about what can I get for me and how soon can I have it? They have no trouble tooting their own horn whenever they think they've got a little more coming and they have no compunction whatsoever about DEMANDING it regardless of whether they've got it coming or not. Treat others as they would like to be treated? They have no concept of what social grace or manners are whatsoever. You can be carrying on a conversation with another and they will break right in between you, interrupt, and blurt out whatever is on their mind at any time and for any reason! I'm telling you, it mindboggling! Although I must be as much to blame as anyone else who raised some of these kids, I can't help but think that its getting worse by the minute. It's time we reinvested in some of our past child-rearing strategies before its too late:
1. "Spare the rod, spoil the child" isn't in the Bible by accident. At the very root, kids are animals just as dogs are animals. The best way to train them is to create in their very psyche a deep-seated fear of getting in trouble and being punished. Sorry, folks, but "time out" doesn't scare me very much! Sorry....staying after school doesn't petrify me, either. My apologies, but in school suspension (which has become sort of a "badge of honor" for the thug generation we're seeing now), doesn't make me quiver a lot, either. Let's bring back corporal punishment, where we bring out the "board of education" for correction and give them something to think about before they mess up! If parents won't allow their children to be spanked by school authorities, send them home and do not give them the PRIVILEDGE of a free public education until they can abide by the rules and governing authorities of the school!
2. Get rid of all of this "everyone gets a trophy" nonsense! Only the winners get a reward and that's the way it is in life, so why make kids believe that all they have to do is show up and they'll be rewarded when that's not the case! You know what? Life is hard. Keeping your head above water is a struggle much of the time. The sooner we teach kids that they way to do it is to work hard and be responsible, the better off we all will be. Kids today have WAY too much handed to them without working at all for it and they think that that's how it's supposed to be as they get older, so they grow up expecting everything to be simply handed to them. What a shock it is when they get to my class and find out that I won't give them anything they don't earn! Many of them don't survive it and wind up with a consequence called summer school; one of the last bastions of hope for our society when it comes to making the little malcontents realize that there really are unwanted outcomes for less than acceptable performance!
3. If the atheists or antheist apologists won't allow us to teach straight from the Bible, then AT LEAST make a social graces/manners class mandatory! People of my generation went to church every week and attended Sunday School every Sunday morning. Most of us had to attend Catechism or Confirmation classes, and we learned the tenets of Christianity just like anything else that we learned in school or elsewhere. Let's go back to that, shall we?
4. By the way, how is it, in a country where "majority rules" is the backbone of our system of government, that atheists and their "separation of church and state" allies have managed to co-opt our rights to educate our children as we please? Most, if not all of the people who fund public education are Christian. Most, if not all of the educators in those institutions are also Christian. So please, tell me; why do we allow a minority to dictate to the majority? How is it that we can't educate OUR children as we see fit? I have an idea! If it's the money that they're contributing in the form of school taxes, give them a rebate check and let them educate their kids somewhere else! Send their kids to "Atheist Academy" or wherever they might go to be with other atheist children. What about muslim, or hindu, or bhuddist, or whatever else is out there kids? They can do the same thing as the atheist kids! You know what?! I'm tired of apologizing for being a Christian nation! In Saudia Arabia, nobody apologizes for being muslim! And, if you don't like what they have to offer, they'll tell you where to get off real quick, too! Maybe we could be a little more like that here. I know...I know.....turn the other cheek; forgive and you will be forgiven, etc. How about a little more of the "righteous indignation" Jesus, the one who turned over the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple! How about a loud and proud version for the whole world to see?! We're so busy trying to get along with all of these splinter groups and appease the minority all the time, we, the majority, are getting swept under the rug!
Well....that's enough rant for now! Don't be afraid to be who you are, fellow Christians, and don't apologize to ANYONE for it! We know the truth and, the sooner as we proclaim it loudly and proudly, the sooner we'll get what we have coming to US! - Dan
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Once saved, always saved?
Those of you who read here often know that I like to blog about all kinds of things, but the stance of different Christian denominations and their interpretation of the Word of God is one thing that I really like to explore. Before I get started, let me say one thing; I am not a Bible scholar by any means. I haven't read the original Greek and Hebrew; I haven't poured through the Latin Vulgate, and I haven't even read every English version of scripture. That said, I have a limited window through which to peer. However, I trust the Word in the form it's been handed down to me and I believe that, in essence, it is the true Word of God.
Certain denominations offer scriptural evidence of the idea that, once a person receives Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, that person can never lose his/her salvation. This concept, in and of itself, is contrary to the very idea of free will; you know, the thing that got us in trouble in the first place! Free will dictates that, until death, we always have the right to choose what our eternal destination will be. The very people who tell us that "death bed" salvation is valid would have us believe that "life bed" rejection of Jesus at any time is an impossibility. I have a hard time swallowing that.
Not only that, but the very concept is not scriptural. Those who tout "OSAS" quote John 6:
35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Read the words carefully! Jesus said "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away;" He did NOT say "whoever comes to me, I will never let go." This is an important concept! It is possible for the believer to willfully reject his/her salvation, but Jesus will never turn his back on those who believe! Keep reading. Jesus then said "this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me..." What does THAT mean? Well, the way I read it, Jesus is saying that those who have been called by God, known beforehand to have received Christ in eternity, will never be taken from Him. Now, God exists in all times and all places simultaneously. He KNOWS who will be raised before we, in our finite understanding and knowledge, have even made our decision! Therfore, what Jesus says is correct (Duh!); any who have been given Him by the Father will not be lost! So, how would we, once saved, be capable of losing that great gift that we've been given?
Free will! Hebrews 10 offers us the answer:
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
I think this is pretty clear, but let me interpret. After one has received Jesus as Savior, it is still possible to return to the former ways, leaving no sacrifice available to that person! If you choose to "trample the Son of God under foot," there is no way to rectify that behavior again!
So, why would a truly blood-bought, born-again believer choose to "trample the Son of God under foot" anyway? Well, I think this is the question that our Christian brothers truly ask when the claim "once saved, always saved." They claim that, if a person is truly saved, that person would NEVER be ABLE to reject Jesus and return to his/her former life. This is the concept that troubles me. It does not allow for free will, and THAT is what got us into trouble in the first place!
Lord, I pray that any who have accepted Jesus, truly becoming new creations in Christ, would never choose to reject Him and trample Him underfoot! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! - Dan
Certain denominations offer scriptural evidence of the idea that, once a person receives Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, that person can never lose his/her salvation. This concept, in and of itself, is contrary to the very idea of free will; you know, the thing that got us in trouble in the first place! Free will dictates that, until death, we always have the right to choose what our eternal destination will be. The very people who tell us that "death bed" salvation is valid would have us believe that "life bed" rejection of Jesus at any time is an impossibility. I have a hard time swallowing that.
Not only that, but the very concept is not scriptural. Those who tout "OSAS" quote John 6:
35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Read the words carefully! Jesus said "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away;" He did NOT say "whoever comes to me, I will never let go." This is an important concept! It is possible for the believer to willfully reject his/her salvation, but Jesus will never turn his back on those who believe! Keep reading. Jesus then said "this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me..." What does THAT mean? Well, the way I read it, Jesus is saying that those who have been called by God, known beforehand to have received Christ in eternity, will never be taken from Him. Now, God exists in all times and all places simultaneously. He KNOWS who will be raised before we, in our finite understanding and knowledge, have even made our decision! Therfore, what Jesus says is correct (Duh!); any who have been given Him by the Father will not be lost! So, how would we, once saved, be capable of losing that great gift that we've been given?
Free will! Hebrews 10 offers us the answer:
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
I think this is pretty clear, but let me interpret. After one has received Jesus as Savior, it is still possible to return to the former ways, leaving no sacrifice available to that person! If you choose to "trample the Son of God under foot," there is no way to rectify that behavior again!
So, why would a truly blood-bought, born-again believer choose to "trample the Son of God under foot" anyway? Well, I think this is the question that our Christian brothers truly ask when the claim "once saved, always saved." They claim that, if a person is truly saved, that person would NEVER be ABLE to reject Jesus and return to his/her former life. This is the concept that troubles me. It does not allow for free will, and THAT is what got us into trouble in the first place!
Lord, I pray that any who have accepted Jesus, truly becoming new creations in Christ, would never choose to reject Him and trample Him underfoot! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! - Dan
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Woo-hoo! Finally got a "W!!!"
Well, it took ahwile, but my 7th-graders finally got a win tonight! Based upon past experience, I knew that we should be able to press the team we played, so we came out pressing HARD and jumped out to a 10-2 lead before they knew what hit 'em! Well, we never looked back and had s solid 10-point lead at the half. Even though they came out playing with a lot of energy and emotion after the half (oh, how I would like to have been a fly on the wall in THEIR locker room at the half!) we soon jumped out to a 20 point advantage and had to stop pressing (our league has a "mercy rule" that doesn't allow a press when the other team is up by 20 or more). Well, it didn't matter that much; they got back within 17, but that's where it ended.
Well, maybe that'll turn things around, but we have a tough game next week against a 4-1 team. If we can take the momentum from this one and translate it into continued improvement, we may be turning a corner! Woo-hoo! - Dan
Well, maybe that'll turn things around, but we have a tough game next week against a 4-1 team. If we can take the momentum from this one and translate it into continued improvement, we may be turning a corner! Woo-hoo! - Dan
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Superman
A report came out recently, verified by reliable sources, that Superman used steroids to elongate his illustrious career of crimefighting. Long-time confidant, Lois Lane, implicated Superman during an investigation of Batman, Aquaman, the Flash, and other comic-book heroes, all of whom have admitted to using banned substances to enhance their crime-fighting abilities. "The CBA between authorities and the crime-fighters union had not banned these substances at the time they were used," stated one super-hero, who spoke under the promise of anonymity, "but I have to admit; I knew I had an unfair advantage while I was using, and I regret ever falling into the trap of easy gain." Superman, however, has adamantly denied ever using these substances, including steroids and Kryptonian Growth Hormone (KGH), and has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Lane, claiming defamation of character. "I've done so much for Lois; treated her like family," said Superman, "so I don't understand how it is she could implicate me in this thing." Superman, during a press conference, produced an expletive-laced audiotape of a conversation he and Lane had after the allegations became known but before the report came out officially. The tape really didn't do much to exonerate the Man of Steel, but it did make Lane appear as though she were telling the truth. "What do you want me to do, Superman? Go to jail? I'll go to jail if that's what you want" Lane was heard saying repeatedly.
Superman is slated to appear before a congressional committee next week and has vowed to tell all that he knows, but his pending lawsuit would make that difficult, if not impossible to do, according to those who know about such things.
So, did Superman actually do what Lane has accused him of doing? Here are the facts:
1. Lane accused Superman of accepting illegal injections of steroids and KGH on several occasions over a 6 year time period;
2. Lane had no motive for implicating Superman along with the other super heroes. In fact, Lane's only motivation for implicating Superman at all was the fear of extended prison time if she did not tell the whole truth about everything she knew;
3. Facing a faiding career and reduced earning potential, Superman had plenty of reason to seek aid from whatever source he could find;
4. Every other person implicated by Lane has come forth and admitted that Lane told the truth; why would Lane fabricate a story about Superman and tell the truth in every other instance?
The jury is out, and the truth may never come out. After all, with no way to verify the facts other than testimony from the accuser and the accused, it's a "he-said, she-said" situation. Who do you WANT to believe?
One thing is for sure. Today is a sad day for fans of comic books. We never want to believe that our heroes are cheating, but in the climate of big money for big performance, our heroes have done just that.
Dan
Superman is slated to appear before a congressional committee next week and has vowed to tell all that he knows, but his pending lawsuit would make that difficult, if not impossible to do, according to those who know about such things.
So, did Superman actually do what Lane has accused him of doing? Here are the facts:
1. Lane accused Superman of accepting illegal injections of steroids and KGH on several occasions over a 6 year time period;
2. Lane had no motive for implicating Superman along with the other super heroes. In fact, Lane's only motivation for implicating Superman at all was the fear of extended prison time if she did not tell the whole truth about everything she knew;
3. Facing a faiding career and reduced earning potential, Superman had plenty of reason to seek aid from whatever source he could find;
4. Every other person implicated by Lane has come forth and admitted that Lane told the truth; why would Lane fabricate a story about Superman and tell the truth in every other instance?
The jury is out, and the truth may never come out. After all, with no way to verify the facts other than testimony from the accuser and the accused, it's a "he-said, she-said" situation. Who do you WANT to believe?
One thing is for sure. Today is a sad day for fans of comic books. We never want to believe that our heroes are cheating, but in the climate of big money for big performance, our heroes have done just that.
Dan
Saturday, January 05, 2008
I've written about this before...
...but it seems as though the pharmaceutical companies invent a new "syndrome" almost everyday! Of course, only they have the cure! We can fix almost anything! If you have "ED," there's a pill for that! You can be cured of your ED for upwards of 36 hours at a time for when "the moment is right!" Of course, if you have "PAD," you may want to stay away from the other stuff because they insist that you must be healthy enough for sexual activity before you take their stuff! Naturally, you can get rid of your PAD with the right stuff from the pharmaceutical company, but it may make you "go," so you'll want to load up on Flowmax so you won't miss "the right moment" while on your ED medicine! Naturally, the PAD is probably because of high cholesterol, so you can take another pill for that!
I think I'll invent my own malady; of course, I'll be the only one who has a cure! I think I may have SFS ("Stinky Fart Syndrome"). My pill to cure SFS will not cure the ailment, of course, but it will cause clogged sinuses so that you won't notice your SFS any longer! My medicine will be called "Odorafix." Naturally, Odorafix has side effects. If you have red blood, a resting respiratory rate of 12-20 Breaths/Min, 20/20 or worse vision, clear skin, and a resting pulse rate of 60 BPM, you should not take Odorafix without the advice of a physician. Odorafix may cause a decrease in renal function, elevated blood pressure, enlarged prostate, loss of bone mass, ED, and, in certain extreme cases, instant and permanent death.
Of course, you can take Levitra for part of that.
Oh, and Flowmax may help with the enlarged prostate, too...if that instant and permanent death thing doesn't get you first!
Dan
I think I'll invent my own malady; of course, I'll be the only one who has a cure! I think I may have SFS ("Stinky Fart Syndrome"). My pill to cure SFS will not cure the ailment, of course, but it will cause clogged sinuses so that you won't notice your SFS any longer! My medicine will be called "Odorafix." Naturally, Odorafix has side effects. If you have red blood, a resting respiratory rate of 12-20 Breaths/Min, 20/20 or worse vision, clear skin, and a resting pulse rate of 60 BPM, you should not take Odorafix without the advice of a physician. Odorafix may cause a decrease in renal function, elevated blood pressure, enlarged prostate, loss of bone mass, ED, and, in certain extreme cases, instant and permanent death.
Of course, you can take Levitra for part of that.
Oh, and Flowmax may help with the enlarged prostate, too...if that instant and permanent death thing doesn't get you first!
Dan
Well...I got to play the last couple of days!
Last time we went to mom's, I noticed that her garage was basically falling down. Hers is a detached garage and, over the years, the soil surrounding it rose to a place where it was above the foundation and contacted the siding on most of two sides. Well....I probably don't have to tell you...when soil contacts wood, termites are soon to follow! In any case, on top of significant termite damage, someone (mom) had run into the back wall with her car and knocked the bottom plate off of the concrete curb upon which it should rest. Whooh!
Yesterday, I took care of termite damage on one side, replacing one entire stud and "sandwiching" a second after replacing the bottom plate. Today, I removed the bottom plate for the entire length of the back wall and jacked up the wall a section at a time, eventually replacing the bottom plate along the entire length. Then, with the jack in place, I screwed a section of 2x6 onto the wall and used a come-along to pull the wall back into place, securing it to the bottom plate as I went. Naturally, this was a time-consuming and exhausting enterprise and I'M TIRED!!!
Well, I hope your new year is going well! I'm worn out already! - Dan
Yesterday, I took care of termite damage on one side, replacing one entire stud and "sandwiching" a second after replacing the bottom plate. Today, I removed the bottom plate for the entire length of the back wall and jacked up the wall a section at a time, eventually replacing the bottom plate along the entire length. Then, with the jack in place, I screwed a section of 2x6 onto the wall and used a come-along to pull the wall back into place, securing it to the bottom plate as I went. Naturally, this was a time-consuming and exhausting enterprise and I'M TIRED!!!
Well, I hope your new year is going well! I'm worn out already! - Dan
Friday, January 04, 2008
Well...I hope the rest of the country is as smart as Iowa...
Hhmmmm....Obama in first; whoever in second; Hillary in THIRD!!! Woo-hoo! There IS a collective brain in Iowa!
Hhmmm....Huckabee in first; Thompson tied with Guliani......There IS a moral conscience in Iowa!!!!
I PRAY that the rest of the country (starting in News Hampshire) has as much sense as Iowa showed!
Meanwhile....I liked a lot of what Huckabee had to say. "Get rid of the IRS" I believe is what he said. Did I hear that right? Americans are more afraid of the IRS than of a terrorist attack? REALLY? I'd have never thought it (Uhhhh....yes I would!). "Create a flat tax with no loopholes" Is that what I heard? I think it was! Woo-Hoo! It sounds like common sense has returned! Was that RR or Huckabee?
Oh, my! This is going to be interesting! - Dan
Hhmmm....Huckabee in first; Thompson tied with Guliani......There IS a moral conscience in Iowa!!!!
I PRAY that the rest of the country (starting in News Hampshire) has as much sense as Iowa showed!
Meanwhile....I liked a lot of what Huckabee had to say. "Get rid of the IRS" I believe is what he said. Did I hear that right? Americans are more afraid of the IRS than of a terrorist attack? REALLY? I'd have never thought it (Uhhhh....yes I would!). "Create a flat tax with no loopholes" Is that what I heard? I think it was! Woo-Hoo! It sounds like common sense has returned! Was that RR or Huckabee?
Oh, my! This is going to be interesting! - Dan
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Okay, it's time for all the 7s to become 8s!
You know...everything you're used to writing "2007" on, you'll have to get used to writing "2008" on, and that right quick!
I have a good feeling about this year! The last three-quarters of last year (sounds funny saying that already...) was FABULOUS, so I have a really good feeling about 2008!
I know everyone likes to make a list of goals that they call "resolutions" at this time of year, but I choose not to lie to myself or anyone else, so I choose to call them "proposed objectives" instead. You know why, of course. I KNOW I'm not the only person on the planet who has an electrostatic stair-climber or a "total gym" laundry organizer, so I refuse to make promises that I either cannot or will not keep! Regardless, here are the things I'd like to get accomplished this year:
1. I want to lose 30 pounds and get back to below 200 again;
2. I'd like to get the garage cleaned out and finish getting it organized;
3. I want to build a storage building in the back so I can get #2 accomplished;
4. I want to love MDB more at the end of 08 than I do now (this is gonna be a tough one; I don't know if its POSSIBLE to love someone more than I love her right now!!!);
5. I want to put it a garden and grow a lot of our own vegetables;
6. I want to find a buyer for my house and buy a lot somewhere close for a boat storage facility;
7. I want to plan and execute the best anniversary (6-7), birthday (8-27), and Christmas EVER! MDB TOTALLY surprised me for my birthday! She bought Rockets tickets and took me out to dinner, so the bar's been set pretty high!
8. I'd like my kids to know that I love them and I'd like nothing more than to have a close relationship with them.
There are other things I'd like to do as well, but I think it would be a pretty successful year if I can get these things done!
Let's start it with a prayer:
Father God,
You alone are holy, Lord! You are the most high God, the One who spoke the universe into existence and the One who upholds it by the power of His Word! Father, I fall before your presence as dust and ashes! Lord, You said that by the imputed righteousness of Jesus that we could come boldly before Your throne to let our petitions known. Lord God, I trust Your Word and I call on Your promise now as I ask for these things. Father, first and foremost, I thank You for bringing Kim into my life! I know that this is Your doing because You are perfect and all good things come from You! Lord, I ask You to watch over her and protect her! Lord, I ask You to guide her and give her Your strength and Your wisdom, and I ask you to heal her of her infirmities both now and in the future. Father, You know what things trouble her, but she needs healing of her upper respiratory tract right now and healing in her left knee, Father. Lord, You know also that she suffers from fibromyalgia; I ask for Your healing of this ailment as well, Father!
Lord, I've got a number of things I'd like to see happen this year, but none of them can be accomplished without You, Father. Lord, I need you to send someone to buy my house. Lord, I know it's not the Taj Mahal, but it would make some young couple a good place to start their family! Please, God! Send someone to buy my house! Lord, I need Your will to be done in my life and I need the strength of Your will as I try to lose weight and accomplish my other goals! Lord, guide me and protect me! Watch over me and lead me, Father! Lord, help me to be more like Jesus every day and help me to be an example You would be proud of for those You entrust to me! Lord, I cannot do these things in my own power; I need Your power and the strength of Your will to accomplish these things! Lord, grant me these requests I pray, asking it in the name of Jesus!
Father God, You are AWESOME, Lord! You said that we have not because we ask not! You said that You would never give us a stone when we ask for bread or a snake in place of fish! You said that it is Your good pleasure to give us the things that we need! Lord, You said that anything we ask in the name of Jesus would be granted Lord, I ask for all of these things in the name of Jesus! - Amen
I have a good feeling about this year! The last three-quarters of last year (sounds funny saying that already...) was FABULOUS, so I have a really good feeling about 2008!
I know everyone likes to make a list of goals that they call "resolutions" at this time of year, but I choose not to lie to myself or anyone else, so I choose to call them "proposed objectives" instead. You know why, of course. I KNOW I'm not the only person on the planet who has an electrostatic stair-climber or a "total gym" laundry organizer, so I refuse to make promises that I either cannot or will not keep! Regardless, here are the things I'd like to get accomplished this year:
1. I want to lose 30 pounds and get back to below 200 again;
2. I'd like to get the garage cleaned out and finish getting it organized;
3. I want to build a storage building in the back so I can get #2 accomplished;
4. I want to love MDB more at the end of 08 than I do now (this is gonna be a tough one; I don't know if its POSSIBLE to love someone more than I love her right now!!!);
5. I want to put it a garden and grow a lot of our own vegetables;
6. I want to find a buyer for my house and buy a lot somewhere close for a boat storage facility;
7. I want to plan and execute the best anniversary (6-7), birthday (8-27), and Christmas EVER! MDB TOTALLY surprised me for my birthday! She bought Rockets tickets and took me out to dinner, so the bar's been set pretty high!
8. I'd like my kids to know that I love them and I'd like nothing more than to have a close relationship with them.
There are other things I'd like to do as well, but I think it would be a pretty successful year if I can get these things done!
Let's start it with a prayer:
Father God,
You alone are holy, Lord! You are the most high God, the One who spoke the universe into existence and the One who upholds it by the power of His Word! Father, I fall before your presence as dust and ashes! Lord, You said that by the imputed righteousness of Jesus that we could come boldly before Your throne to let our petitions known. Lord God, I trust Your Word and I call on Your promise now as I ask for these things. Father, first and foremost, I thank You for bringing Kim into my life! I know that this is Your doing because You are perfect and all good things come from You! Lord, I ask You to watch over her and protect her! Lord, I ask You to guide her and give her Your strength and Your wisdom, and I ask you to heal her of her infirmities both now and in the future. Father, You know what things trouble her, but she needs healing of her upper respiratory tract right now and healing in her left knee, Father. Lord, You know also that she suffers from fibromyalgia; I ask for Your healing of this ailment as well, Father!
Lord, I've got a number of things I'd like to see happen this year, but none of them can be accomplished without You, Father. Lord, I need you to send someone to buy my house. Lord, I know it's not the Taj Mahal, but it would make some young couple a good place to start their family! Please, God! Send someone to buy my house! Lord, I need Your will to be done in my life and I need the strength of Your will as I try to lose weight and accomplish my other goals! Lord, guide me and protect me! Watch over me and lead me, Father! Lord, help me to be more like Jesus every day and help me to be an example You would be proud of for those You entrust to me! Lord, I cannot do these things in my own power; I need Your power and the strength of Your will to accomplish these things! Lord, grant me these requests I pray, asking it in the name of Jesus!
Father God, You are AWESOME, Lord! You said that we have not because we ask not! You said that You would never give us a stone when we ask for bread or a snake in place of fish! You said that it is Your good pleasure to give us the things that we need! Lord, You said that anything we ask in the name of Jesus would be granted Lord, I ask for all of these things in the name of Jesus! - Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
