Moving to WordPress

Hey All, I'm bored with blogger so I'm moving my blog over to wordpress, it's more customizable, better designs, and always improving. Blogger hasn't really changed since I started using it. So follow the link to the new home of Ramblings On . . .

Common Words on My Blog

I found this at snapshirts.com This is a word cloud of the words most commonly used onmy blog

Heresy Free

Another reason to thank God for the internet, if it weren't for this online survey I would never know for sure where I stood on the Chalcedonian Decree. 100% Baby Woo-Hoo!

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 100% Monophysitism 67% Pelagianism 50% Gnosticism 33% Nestorianism 33% Modalism 33% Adoptionist 17% Apollanarian 17% Donatism 8% Socinianism 8% Monarchianism 0% Arianism 0% Docetism 0% Albigensianism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

Score Two for Jason!!!

I came across this post today, I'm not only Left Handed, but I'm also tall. I will be a smart ruler though Left Handed People Rule the World

Jesus . . . what a guy

So last night I was writing my notes for >>beyond>> and I was just blown away again and again with Jesus. He's pretty stinking rad. Last week he told us not to worry, and to keep our treasure in heaven, and now this week he's telling us to be ready for his return. The only way we can really be ready is if we don't hold on to this world, but we live like the Israelites on the night of the first passover, eat with our shoes on, ready to go. This study of Luke has really been stretching me because it has caused me to have to really look at Jesus and get to know him all over again. Last year I led a bible study on sunday mornings called Jesus Unexpected where we looked at the Gospel of Mark, and a couple of years ago I went through the book of John with the youth ministry I was working in. All of these studies have really strengthed my love for Jesus, and each book has really opened my eyes to the different perspectiveson Jesus. John -- Jesus the mystic, lover of lost people, truly the son of God, embodiement of wisdom. Mark -- Jesus the action movie star, always on the move, miracle worker, teacher, efficient. Luke -- Jesus on Mission, Jesus the healer. I only have Matthew left, and I know that that book would easily take 2 years to unpack all the Jewishness behind it. This has been a great time of learning and preaching Jesus for me.

The Beauty of the Infinite

So every once and awhile I like to read stuff that I know will really challenge my thinking and stretch my brain a little bit. So I went to the library and put on reserve a bunch of books that seemed interesting, one of which is The Beauty of the Infinite, by David Bentley Hart. I just started reading this today, and the introduction is already making my head hurt. I really hope I can get through it. But I came across this quote in reference to Beauty and how even in the worst situations, there is still an element of beauty if we can look beyond the situation, if we look for beauty we will always find it.

Beauty seems to promise a reconciliation beyond the contradictions of the moment, one that perhaps places time's tragedies within a broader perspective of harmony and meaning, a balance between light and darkness; beauty appears to absolve being of its violences

Somehow beauty shows us the promise of God and if we search that beauty the natural conclusion will be God, reconciliation with him and others. But if we ignore beauty then that will hinder our reconciliation. I think Christians don't realize the beauty in creation enough. We take it for granted. When was the lastime that you were blown away by a sunset and praised God for it? When was the last time you looked at the stars and marveled at God's creative power? When was the last time you saw a cross and marveled at the beauty of God's self sacrifice? When was the last time you were in community and were amazed in the beauty of a community fo grace? I've come to the conclusion that recognition of beauty is the first step to giving up your worry. I'm still thinking about Jesus telling his disciples not to worry, he turned to creation; the birds who have beauty in their song, their flight, their plumage, they don't store and toil God takes care of them. The flowers in all their colors don't worry about what they are going to wear, and God clothes them. If we can look at the beauty of creation and be marveled by God's beautiful provision, what would happen if we really took to heart Jesus' statement that we are more valuable than all of creation. We would be able to truly say that God is beautiful, his grace if beautiful and his provision is beautiful, and I can enjoy what I have, and I can live with out worry because he is with us, watching out for us, and showering down his love on us. That is truly beautiful.

Monday Morning Reflections

So this morning I have been working AND taking care of Judah while Kathy is sleeping because she had to work last night. This has been tough. But we made it. Mondays are always tough because Judah's schedule is all messed up because of Sunday. But he's sleeping right now. I have been trying to get him to sleep for a while but the problem is he gets so tired that he gets himself all worked up and anxious and he can't sleep until he winds back down. last night at >>beyond>> we talked about Jesus telling his disciples not to worry. And I was thinking about that while Judah was screaming in my face. I know his problem and he knew his problem but he had a hard time letting me help him relax. I wonder if that is how God feels when we worry and get all stressed about issues that we are facing. He knows and he wants to help but too often we are so worked up that we just can't let him help us relax. And while we are screaming in his face about our problems he is patiently holding us and waiting for us to get our venting out and then just says, let me do this. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 46:10 -- "Be still and know that I am God." The only way that we are going to truly get our rest and relaxation in God is if we just trust that he's God and we are not, and all our toil and stress and running around isn't going to fix a dang thing. There comes a point when we just have to be still and know that he is in charge and us running around frantic trying to fix everything on our won is wasted energy. God is big enough to handle all of our worries, and all of our stress, and all the problems in the world. Ultimately his Will will be done, he will his glory, he will be God and we will worship him and give him glory by trusting him and finding our rest in him.

Blog Wars

I think it's funny how people use their blogs to combat some one else point of view. Is that really the best way to spark a debate? Is that even effective? It seems like it's a waste of creativity to just bash other peope, or maybe it's a lack of creativity. It's one thing to state your opinion it's another to actually attack people. I've seen it from the right and the left, and it just seems like nonsense. If I'm reading your blog I want to read your thoughts not your thoughts on other people's thoughts. I don't care! It's frustrated to go to a blog that usually posts really great insightful posts and then fall into their disagreements with other people. GRRR So if you're going to read this and disagree, do me a favor and don't blog about it. Just shoot me an email, or better yet, don't do anything.

Wikipedia

So it's been a slow day at C&B so I created a wikipedia entry for myself. I'll continue to update it, but the beauty of wikipedia is that anyone can update it. So if you want to add some more "facts" have fun. I want to see if wikipedia will ever delete it. Read the entry here update -- Wiki must be on top of it because they already deleted my entry. We'll just have to try again later.

dropping off my game

Man I can't believe it's been almost a week since my last post. I don't know what's wrong with me. Sorry to all my millions of readers. I know that you have been hanging on for the latest nugget of wisdom or humorous anecdote. I'm sorry that you have had to endure the silence. Know you know how the inter-testamental period must have felt. Or Whatever. . . The main reason I haven't written much is because not much has happened. I hung out with Judah on Monday and Tuesday Nights, and we had fun. Kathy went back to work so I was a single dad for two nights. It's hard working taking care of a baby all by yourself. And I really respect single parents who manage to raise quality people. But I am just blown away by how much he has grown and is changing, he's laughing and smiling more, he's crying less, and he's been a lot easier to get to sleep. He's basically a perfect little angel. I'm begining to feel worried about our next kid, I'm worried that they won't be as easy as Judah. But oh well I'll love them anyway. I hung out with one of our youth staff this morning, he got a macbook and I got jealous. Those things are great and wish I had waiting for one. But i love my iBook. It's been really great and easy to use. Our podcasts (links on the bottom if you haven't subscribed yet) are produced with the iBook and it's really easy. But hanging out with Chris was fun. We talked a lot about technology but also a little bit about ministry and evolving his role. It was a lot of fun. Chris is a great guy and I am so blessed to have him on the team. He's got a great heart and knows everything about tech and he's really funny too. So he rocks. After work today I'm staying in fremont and I'm going to hang out with my friend Kevin. We are going to Cafe Ladro. He's a great guy and I love hanging out with him. So I'm going to be away from home longer than I have been in quite a while. I already miss Judah and Kathy. I will really only see Judah asleep today, bummer, but I don't have any plans for friday so I will work from home and then be home that evening. It's gonna be fun times. So yeah, I'll try to post more often for you guys, I did update some of the links and currently reading secions.