Looking forward to Advent... Looking forward to Christ's Return

Advent to many of us is a time when we open the calendar with the doors and the hidden chocolate, or maybe it's the decorations, or maybe it's the shopping, the food the festivities.  But, do we often get wrapped up in the festivals, and forget the true meaning.  Advent is looking forward to the coming of Christ, the savior of the world, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and remembering his first entrance into the world (incarnation) and His return.  Often when I think about Jesus's return I think about Jesus's parable of the ten virgins  in Matthew 25:1-3.   When I celebrate Christmas with the folly and festivity, am I also putting oil in my lamp?  Am I prepared for His return?  Am I foolish, or am I wise?  Or will I simply fall in to the daze of Christmas, and not even remember the reasons for the season.   Be prepared... His return is imminent.

This world is not my home

This week I was blessed to hear an honest message from God, a constant reminder that this world is not our home.  So often I want to be comfortable, I want to avoid suffering simply because I buy into this Idea God wants better for us because He loves us..  He does love us, but his plan for us is so much bigger than our comfort.  God wants nothing of us, He needs nothing from us,  He loves us so deeply, but this world is a dying world, it's simply a shadowland. 
If we suffer, we must give Him the glory, because it's so much better on the other side. 
When we have loss, we need to give Him the glory, because there is no loss on the other side. 
When we have pain, we must give Him the glory, because there is no pain in Heaven. 
When we see evil, we must give Him the glory, because there is no evil in Him. 
When we are given much, we give Him Glory... Don't we?   Maybe..  Sometimes we might recite a prayer... a speech of thanksgiving, a mumble of praise.  
We live in a fallen world, and I want to live Gloriously giving all praise to my King, my Creator, my Savior, my God.  It was God who saved us, who provides for us, and allows us to see this depraved and wicked world for what it is.  It is also God who created perfection, though I don't think I can even comprehend a world that isn't bent to sin. 

I would recommend if you have time this week, listen to this little sermon:  CrossPointe

Where will the next year lead us

It's November and I'm already looking forward to change... some kind of change, either for the better or the worse, but change is defiantly on the horizon.   With Gold prices at all time highs and the dollar dropping like a lead balloon, change is happening all around us.  Will our country be struggling with a stagnant economy, or will there be no economy to speak.  Tax cuts won't be an issue, because there won't be money to pay the taxes, we will be a country in poverty, debt up to our eyeballs and no means to pay.  
Next year we might see China take the lead as the worlds superpower, what will that mean for the world, for human rights, for everyone?  We could see increased hostilities against the United States, maybe even on our own soil.  Who knows, we might even see Texas secede from the union, and California become a territory because it's so broke.
What might happen and what will happen are two different things, but what's for sure we are looking for Change.

Pondering General McCrystal's Downfall

As many of you know, I'm a historian at heart, I want to know what was the pivotal point in our history's epochs. As anyone who studies history knows, there are points, decisions, which are made that can change the course of an outcome. Though we only see the results in hindsight, the fact is there was a decision, and it had to be made. There are two types of decisions, calculated and impulse.
A calculated decision is one that was thought out, the risks were weighed, and the facts were thoroughly investigated. This type of decision doesn't take place quickly, each decision will lead to another decision, which in turn must be evaluated and dissected. The game of chess would be a perfect example of a brute exorcise in calculated decision making.
Impulse decisions, are made from a single point, a single fact, and usually these are emotional in bases. This single decision might seem small, minuscule, not leading to anything, but usually these are the chinks in the armor of a well thought out person. I'm not stating that there is a negative value to impulse decisions, because we make them every day. This is the decision of coffee over tea, or milk vs cream. The fact is both impulse decisions and calculated decisions exist each and every day.
General McCrystal's downfall wasn't far from my own each day. He made an impulse decision due to the stress of his schedule during a few weeks where air traffic was grounded in Europe. He made the decisions to talk to a person who represented the press in it's brute power, and rather than being a short few hour discussion, led to a longer period of time when more information could be disseminated... information that didn't need to be shared. I wouldn't blame General McCrystal completely, he acted honorably, he was good at his job, and was a true leader. Where General McCrystal went wrong was having control over the situation, and calculating the risk, the risk of talking to a member of the press, and allowing his staff the same privileged.
Was McCrystal wrong in his opinions, I have to say no. He had the right to have those opinions, he had the right to voice them to the correct channels, and I'm sure he did. Where General McCrystal went wrong, was he allowed a wolf into the sheep pen, knowing he was a wolf, and knowing that the sheep were sheep. An impulse decision became his downfall.
I have a lot of respect for General McCrystal, I hope to see him prosper in our great country. He is a true patriot, a true hero.

Happy Census Day.. April Fools Day.... Maundy Thursday...

Maundy Thursday is really an interesting day, it's the day we celebrate the Last Supper, or the meeting in the upper room by Jesus and the Twelve. Maundy is the old English translation of mandatum or "A New Commandment", The statement which Jesus made "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you" as he washed the twelve disciples feet. Tonight my church will have a Maundy Thursday service, where we will celebrate the Lord's supper, and also have foot washing, a service where members of the church demonstrate servitude to the body, as Jesus demonstrated to the 12.
We must also remember that Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him, but He chose to wash his feet. He demonstrated "Love your enemy as yourself", and as I write this I ask that of myself. How am I willing to lay it all down knowing, trusting, that God will be glorified, and that he will keep his covenant. When we reach this level of trust will our lives be transparent to others that they might see Christ living in us? I have to believe so, when you look at lives of those eleven disciples. All of them but one died at the hands of others, All of them but one preached the message of Christ resurrected. Which of the twelve am I like?

In an effort to monitize my blog

In an effort to monetize my blog I'll be talking about products and services that approach me for review and just to talk about what they do. Today Kodak Ink, for your Kodak printer, if you have one, has asked me to let you know that you can get your Kodak Printer Ink Cartridges directly from them by pressing the last link. George Eastman was the founder of Kodak over a hundred years ago. It was said his favorite letter was K, and with some degree of purchases and acquisitions of intellectual property, found Kodak was just a unique brand, which today still exists. Kodak was a great entrepreneur, who changed the way we remember things, making personal photography possible for billions of people. Think about purchasing a Kodak Photo printer for your computer, they make wonderful products and would really appreciate your sponsorship.

Where Will The Road End

Each day I wake up with that feeling in the pit of my stomach, will today be the day that I get that Job I've been working so hard to find. This job market is a killer, and there really isn't very much more that anyone can do to stimulate an economy that's dwindling. I keep hearing reports on the news "The Recession is Almost Over". Almost is a key word in the story, since no one really knows when the economy will pick up. Currently I'm in 'Jack of All Trades' mode, where I do almost anything that anyone is willing and able to pay. The Census has been a windfall for us, but the job is 'intermittent' at best. With all work aside, it has really got me thinking about how blessed I am to live in a country where I have the right to work, where I can work has hard as I'm able, and as long as I'm able. No one can force me not to work, they can end my job, but it doesn't prevent me from finding a new job, or creating work for myself. People still put value in something, be it home, or family or just their God given ability, we all are blessed. I have a 825 square foot home with running water, septic, electricity, and internet. We are blessed to never go without food, and we are blessed to have wonderful friends who actually care about how we are doing? The fact is we are truly blessed.
Living on the edge, actually trusting that God will provide isn't exactly the easiest thing to do in life. When your son has a medical illness and needs medicine, but you have no money, it's hard to say that God will provide. When you look at an aspect of getting a job, but get turned down because the market is so competitive, it's hard to be positive. But why should I care.. obviously it's not where God want's me to be, it's not the place where God want's me to exist. The fact is God has me in his grip, and that's all that really matters.

Working on Promoting my Blog

I'm finding I really need to start marketing my Blog.  Below are some links of places where I'm listing my blog:

blogs directory

Can Children really be the Idol's of Adults?

Now first I would never say I would knowingly worship my children, they are truly fallen, but I do love them.   Last night as I was driving, I got to hear 'Family Life Today' a program on our Christian radio station.  The guest was Leslie Leyland Fields, a writer and speaker who was speaking on her book "Parenting is Your Highest Calling And 10 Other Lies That Trap Us In Worry And Guilt".  I got to thinking about how I view my children, sure I want them to be happy, sure I want them to be well adjusted, educated, and ready to be adults, but really when is our expectation becoming Idolatry?
I had the pleasure last year sitting in on a lecture by Voddi Boccum at a homeschooling convention, his topic was Harvard or Heaven.  So often we want our children to be smart and well educated, maybe we see success as a person who has a good job, or is 'Happy'.  For many, they place expectations of high levels of education upon our children, only to find that they arn't well adjusted.  The world really has nothing for us, and even a school like Harvard isn't exactly what it was when it was founded.  
So how do children become the Idol's of adults?  Every child is smart, beautiful, and perfect when compared to other children, they are truly a blessing from God!  But the blessing is that they are for us to guide, teach, direct and a vessel of unknown potential.  But what do they do for us?  I guess you could see all your efforts shine as they reflect upon you...  but that's really kind of selfish.  Anything we do for our children expecting better rewards for ourselves is selfish, and really taking our focus off the most important thing which is Christ.
 The fact is many of us have placed our entire purpose in raising our children, while we do have influence, we can't control the future.  Jesus said "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  The real question is who do I love more, and If I do love Jesus more, than I can leave my children in His control.  In the first chapter of 1st Samuel, Elkanah and Hannah give the one thing they cherished more than anything, their only child, back into the hands of God.   So also must I surrender my children as vessels of His purpose, never worshiping, but simply loving and guiding as He allows me.

Looking for a Blogger Theme?

Yes, I redesigned my Blogger Theme, hope it fits the message of this blog.  Currently I'm not doing very well with keeping up with the blog about my life and the world in general, I guess it's good to be busy.   My current job just came to completion, and now I'm looking for the next job.  The wonderful thing is God provides, and I know He's going to do with us as He wills, that I may bring Him Glory.   Good news is I do have a job in 3 weeks with the Census Bureau if people don't fill out their census forms.   So, my plan is to work on websites and themes for the next few weeks and post them on my website www.radrodweb.com, also if you have any ideas please share and I'll make you a free theme if you let me sell the idea.
Thank you for your continual prayer for us in these days, I hope to start really making this a daily action....

Kicking Your Kids out of the Nest

     My wife and I have had an on going discussion about trends we see around us, kids who never mature..  Well they are physically mature, and probably cognitively mature, but spiritually and emotionally they aren't prepared to be away from home.  Usually the trend is a mother and father who are very loving, very concerned about their child's well being, but maybe to an extreme.   The real question I'm asking myself is: Will my kids be able to leave home at 17.  Now I picked 17 because a young man or woman by the age of 17 should have enough common sense to live on their own, 18 is only a legal age (and gives us an extra year in case they are slow).
     What are the common sense type of things should your son or daughter be able to do for themselves?  Laundry, cook, clean, pay bills, balance a check book, budget, self control, be a good citizen, be responsible for themselves and for those around them.  Of course there are plenty of other things, but I see so many 'Kids' and I would personally call any child over 17 an adult, but they arn't because they are lacking in so many 'common sense' things.   A hundred years ago, a 17 year old man would be courting, and even marring, starting a family, working in a business, a farm, they were responsible.
      So why has it all changed?  If you follow the talking heads on TV, they might say it's a cultural evolution, and kids need to stay home longer, and I have to say 'Rubbish'.   The responsibility is completely in the hands of the parents to train up their sons and daughters to leave home.  What's the exit plan?   I hope to continue this discussion over the next week as I pull my thoughts together.