Let's see, I am 39 years old and I think for 31 of those years I have struggled with this question. So, continued thoughts result in continued posts, especially as I do more research on the question.
I did change the question a bit, however. Instead of asked "Who IS Jesus", I am wondering who Jesus WAS. There is a difference.
As I read more and more on the subject, my vision of Jesus changes radically. Currently, I am reading a book called "The Jesus Papers" written by Michael Baigent (the author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, the book that was one of the sources for the Da Vinci Code). In this book, Baigent offers research and factual information to give us new insights as to what roles, if any, Jesus played in the times he lived. He explains how the New Testament was created, how it was written, and by whom. It is eye-opening to say the least, and can change open-minded thought because it makes sense.
Was Jesus a rebel against Rome, crucified for his sedition? It seems Romans did not execute for religious crimes, and saved crucifixion for rebels and rioters (the Jewish punishment for blasphemy was stoning, which was not done in the case of Jesus). It also appears likely that the two men crucified by the Romans with Jesus were not "thieves", but were found guilty of sedition and executed as well. Barabbas was not just a murderer, but a convicted rebel who was to die in place of Jesus. Judas and Peter were both part of a band of murderous rebels who not only killed Romans, but Jews who did not believe as they did. The sign placed above Jesus on the cross "Here is Jesus, King of the Jews", was a list of his crimes, which would have been assigned to anyone who claimed to be the leader of the Jews rebelling against Caesar and Rome. Just to think, I am only on page 78.
It all makes perfect sense to me actually. In order to understand, you have to go back in time and put yourself in that era. Jesus was, most likely, married. He was, most likely, not only rebelling against Roman rule, but the corrupt Jewish leadership as well. The Jewish leadership was installed and approved by Roman rule, and the High Priest would have had to ensure that he kept his place of power and wealth. Jesus would have, I think quite naturally, rebelled against a corrupt Jewish leadership (as evidenced in the New Testament) allied with the Roman government. This would have made him enemies not only of the State, but also of the his own people.
At this point, this information doesn't change the possible mission Jesus was on from God. But it does beg to question the motivation behind the lies and bent truth of the New Testament, and why the Christian church has place false edicts on it's followers. Why, in the New Testament, was Mary of Magdalene depicted as a prostitute and adulterer when archaeological evidence suggests she was not only the wife of Jesus, but also a wealthy woman in her own right? Why do Christians always overlook the fact the Jesus was in fact, an Arab (Palestinian) Jew killed not by the Jews (or at least no killed alone by the Jews), but by the Romans? Again, Romans did not kill religious criminals for the Jews, Jesus would have been stoned, and could have been stoned, and most likely would have been stoned if the charge was religious in nature. Pilate would not have "washed my hands of this innocent's blood" and then had him crucified if he had committed no crime against Rome. That was a standing order from Caesar himself.
Ah the questions. Again, blind faith leads the masses to their deaths. It is in understanding, using the tools God has given us, that we find true faith build on rock. You just have to be willing to work a little bit.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Friday, March 2, 2007
War
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime." - Ernest Hemingway.
That sentiment is listed at the end of this video, which isn't anti-war per say, but shows the horrific consequence of war. You can make your own judgements.
That sentiment is listed at the end of this video, which isn't anti-war per say, but shows the horrific consequence of war. You can make your own judgements.
Monday, February 26, 2007
One Nation Under God?
As one meditates and prays on life's questions, it becomes apparent how easy it is to be contradictory in our nature. A great example of this is the war in Iraq and what it means to each of us as a person. My thoughts on this come directly from this video found on You Tube. If this is true, and I believe it is, we are going down the dangerous road and our actions are unforgivable.
Contradictions as one grows spiritually and mentally will always happen. The more you need to grow, the more you will end up being contradictory. It is, of course, the person who doesn't change who contradicts themselves the most. If this is true, than I must have grown a lot over the past months, because my attitude about this war changes with every body I see, with every innocent life lost, and with every coffin laid to rest.
I find it odd that we went to war to punish those who attacked innocent people. We label the terrorists "monsters" and "evil". I will say that after watching the video, the American voices heard could have easily been Arabic and the weapon of choice a car bomb. We, in defending our "one nation, under God" have become our enemy. We have sunk to their level, and have taken on their morality.
It makes me wonder if we have sunk to their level and taken on their morality or if they have sunk to ours and taken on our morality years ago. We, a supposedly "Christian" nation, have rejected the teachings of Christ and have not only attacked our enemies, but also attack innocent people without provocation. Call it battle stress, call it an itch trigger, or just call it what it is: evil.
There is no excuse for this behavior. The man on the tractor, I wonder if he knew this was the last kiss he would give his son. The son, I wonder if he knew that the rains of hell were about to fall upon his family. Either way, we have made enemies here, and we need to ask for forgiveness.
Let's end the lunacy now, before forgiveness cannot be found. Peace.
Contradictions as one grows spiritually and mentally will always happen. The more you need to grow, the more you will end up being contradictory. It is, of course, the person who doesn't change who contradicts themselves the most. If this is true, than I must have grown a lot over the past months, because my attitude about this war changes with every body I see, with every innocent life lost, and with every coffin laid to rest.
I find it odd that we went to war to punish those who attacked innocent people. We label the terrorists "monsters" and "evil". I will say that after watching the video, the American voices heard could have easily been Arabic and the weapon of choice a car bomb. We, in defending our "one nation, under God" have become our enemy. We have sunk to their level, and have taken on their morality.
It makes me wonder if we have sunk to their level and taken on their morality or if they have sunk to ours and taken on our morality years ago. We, a supposedly "Christian" nation, have rejected the teachings of Christ and have not only attacked our enemies, but also attack innocent people without provocation. Call it battle stress, call it an itch trigger, or just call it what it is: evil.
There is no excuse for this behavior. The man on the tractor, I wonder if he knew this was the last kiss he would give his son. The son, I wonder if he knew that the rains of hell were about to fall upon his family. Either way, we have made enemies here, and we need to ask for forgiveness.
Let's end the lunacy now, before forgiveness cannot be found. Peace.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Thoughts: Who is Jesus?
This question has dogged me for my entire memory. I always struggled with my beliefs and how they fit into common conception of religion. So, here goes (NO SOUND BITE WARNING: this will be long, so please try to get through it all)
Having been baptised a Methodist and raised a Catholic, the divinity of Jesus has been drilled into me almost from birth. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. Whereas this may be true, I found that the struggle I had with this obviously unanswerable question really kept me from understanding the true role of Jesus in history, in faith, and in the way we as people live our lives. People seem to focus on the things they cannot answer so much they overlook the things they actually can do something about.
Was Jesus God's Son? Well, we are all children of God, so I guess that answer is obvious. Jesus prayed to "our Father, who art in heaven", which kind of lumps him in with the rest of us. He was, however, much different from the rest of us. I believe he communicated with God in ways others could not. Like other Prophets, from Noah to Isaiah, from John the Baptist to the Apostles, and yes, possibly, from Muhammad to John Smith, God chose Jesus to carry a message to the world. Why?
We are all God's children, and like our own children, we must be taught in stages. You do not teach infants as you would teach adults, everyone is taught in stages depending on their development and abilities. God has done the same thing. From the beginning of life as we know it, we have been developing and growing. The Old Testament (or the Torah), taught humanity in it's infancy how to behave, and what God expected of us as we lived the gift of life. We were given a set of rules (the Ten Commandments) as well as other lessons from the Prophets that were designed to instruct us on how to live, how to worship, how to love, how to punish, and how to conduct ourselves daily as humans. If you think about it, the rules given to earlier versions of man made perfect sense. You were to honor God, your Creator, and to worship no other. You were not to kill. You were not to covet. You were not to commit adultery. You were not to steal. All of these are well within man's ability to honor and grasp. Yet, like children, we pushed the envelope. We violated "curfew". We worshiped idols. We killed. We stole, and we committed adultery. We did everything we were not supposed to do, and like children, we began to pretend the rules didn't pertain to us. Well, can anyone say "Time Out"?
The one thing God doesn't do is grab us and put us in the time out chair. He does, however, tell us that we will be punished for being bad, and, just like children, we don't believe Him until we finally get the belt across the butt. So, in around the year 6 BC, God sent Jesus to begin a new lesson. The life of Jesus wasn't lived to have us debate whether or not he was God on earth, but rather to give us an example of how to live our lives. Jesus didn't want to change any of the old rules, he just wanted to add a few rules to the set. People of that time period had lost their way, and God, just like any parent would, decided that He needed to set us straight before we really did ourselves harm. The world was full of people, like the Romans, who valued life little, who killed others for sport, and who ruled others with an iron hand and little mercy. Then you had the Jews, who had turned God's house into a money factory, and who had basically put the written letter of the law before the spirit of the law. So, He sent us Jesus, who was to set an example for us all to try to follow. There are many examples of Jesus challenging the interpretation of the law although never trying to change the law itself.
It is interesting to note that Jesus never took up arms against anyone, and he did things that religious leaders of his day thought wrong. He sat with tax collectors (hated during that time),
mingled with the sick, showed unparalleled tolerance and love, and preached only one message; to love God and each other unconditionally. He asked us to forgive our enemies (in contradiction of religious laws of the time). If you read chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew you will learn quite a lot about what Jesus was really all about. These chapters are excellent guides for life and are very relevant today. How many of us would ask forgiveness for those who bore false witness against us? How many would, if we had the power, allow the weak to beat us, spit in our face, torture us, and then kill us? Only someone with a unique perspective, a unique understanding, and a unique love could do all of those things.
In my personal belief system, Jesus was all human with divine providence. He was sent on a mission, not to just die for us, but to set an example for us all to try to adhere to. He explained that God did not expect us to be perfect, but He expect us to try and to be truly sorry for our transgressions (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our trespassers). The great thing about the Jesus "story" is that you don't have to believe it in order to live it. You don't have to believe in Christ to live like him. You don't have to believe in his divinity in order to believe in his message. Some of the most Christian people I know are not Christian in the slightest, while some of the most non-Christian I can find in church every Sunday. Jesus was, and is, part of God and God part of him, and he lived as we all should, with love, tolerance, and an understanding of what is expected of us.
Peace.
Having been baptised a Methodist and raised a Catholic, the divinity of Jesus has been drilled into me almost from birth. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. Whereas this may be true, I found that the struggle I had with this obviously unanswerable question really kept me from understanding the true role of Jesus in history, in faith, and in the way we as people live our lives. People seem to focus on the things they cannot answer so much they overlook the things they actually can do something about.
Was Jesus God's Son? Well, we are all children of God, so I guess that answer is obvious. Jesus prayed to "our Father, who art in heaven", which kind of lumps him in with the rest of us. He was, however, much different from the rest of us. I believe he communicated with God in ways others could not. Like other Prophets, from Noah to Isaiah, from John the Baptist to the Apostles, and yes, possibly, from Muhammad to John Smith, God chose Jesus to carry a message to the world. Why?
We are all God's children, and like our own children, we must be taught in stages. You do not teach infants as you would teach adults, everyone is taught in stages depending on their development and abilities. God has done the same thing. From the beginning of life as we know it, we have been developing and growing. The Old Testament (or the Torah), taught humanity in it's infancy how to behave, and what God expected of us as we lived the gift of life. We were given a set of rules (the Ten Commandments) as well as other lessons from the Prophets that were designed to instruct us on how to live, how to worship, how to love, how to punish, and how to conduct ourselves daily as humans. If you think about it, the rules given to earlier versions of man made perfect sense. You were to honor God, your Creator, and to worship no other. You were not to kill. You were not to covet. You were not to commit adultery. You were not to steal. All of these are well within man's ability to honor and grasp. Yet, like children, we pushed the envelope. We violated "curfew". We worshiped idols. We killed. We stole, and we committed adultery. We did everything we were not supposed to do, and like children, we began to pretend the rules didn't pertain to us. Well, can anyone say "Time Out"?
The one thing God doesn't do is grab us and put us in the time out chair. He does, however, tell us that we will be punished for being bad, and, just like children, we don't believe Him until we finally get the belt across the butt. So, in around the year 6 BC, God sent Jesus to begin a new lesson. The life of Jesus wasn't lived to have us debate whether or not he was God on earth, but rather to give us an example of how to live our lives. Jesus didn't want to change any of the old rules, he just wanted to add a few rules to the set. People of that time period had lost their way, and God, just like any parent would, decided that He needed to set us straight before we really did ourselves harm. The world was full of people, like the Romans, who valued life little, who killed others for sport, and who ruled others with an iron hand and little mercy. Then you had the Jews, who had turned God's house into a money factory, and who had basically put the written letter of the law before the spirit of the law. So, He sent us Jesus, who was to set an example for us all to try to follow. There are many examples of Jesus challenging the interpretation of the law although never trying to change the law itself.
It is interesting to note that Jesus never took up arms against anyone, and he did things that religious leaders of his day thought wrong. He sat with tax collectors (hated during that time),
mingled with the sick, showed unparalleled tolerance and love, and preached only one message; to love God and each other unconditionally. He asked us to forgive our enemies (in contradiction of religious laws of the time). If you read chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew you will learn quite a lot about what Jesus was really all about. These chapters are excellent guides for life and are very relevant today. How many of us would ask forgiveness for those who bore false witness against us? How many would, if we had the power, allow the weak to beat us, spit in our face, torture us, and then kill us? Only someone with a unique perspective, a unique understanding, and a unique love could do all of those things.
In my personal belief system, Jesus was all human with divine providence. He was sent on a mission, not to just die for us, but to set an example for us all to try to adhere to. He explained that God did not expect us to be perfect, but He expect us to try and to be truly sorry for our transgressions (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our trespassers). The great thing about the Jesus "story" is that you don't have to believe it in order to live it. You don't have to believe in Christ to live like him. You don't have to believe in his divinity in order to believe in his message. Some of the most Christian people I know are not Christian in the slightest, while some of the most non-Christian I can find in church every Sunday. Jesus was, and is, part of God and God part of him, and he lived as we all should, with love, tolerance, and an understanding of what is expected of us.
Peace.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Is being gay a sin?
I was reading with some interest the apparent "curing" of Evangelical minister Ted Haggard. I find it odd that the so-called "men of Christ" that "cured" him have not cured him of his adulterous behavior, but of his homosexual behavior. Makes you wonder where their collective head is.
My Christianity is a tolerant one. If Jesus taught us anything, it was that tolerance and love should be of utmost concern for each of us. Jesus sat and ate with all types of reviled characters, and even invited them into His inner circle, and yet here are supposed teachers of Christ's word curing a man of something they revile while saying nothing about the real sin this minister committed: adultery.
It seems most Christians of today are more interested in listening to false prophets in ministry then in the actual words and teachings of God. Jesus came to mankind to reverse the words of the Old Testaments, words of hate, anger, murder and chaos. He came to preach love, tolerance and fogiveness as a means to Him. He said nothing of punishing those who are not like us for being different, instead choosing to tell us all "he without sin may cast the first stone".
It's time the faithful stop acting like those wayward souls running their churches and more like the Messiah sent as an example to us all. It is time to stop killing people for who they love and accepting them for who they are.
My Christianity is a tolerant one. If Jesus taught us anything, it was that tolerance and love should be of utmost concern for each of us. Jesus sat and ate with all types of reviled characters, and even invited them into His inner circle, and yet here are supposed teachers of Christ's word curing a man of something they revile while saying nothing about the real sin this minister committed: adultery.
It seems most Christians of today are more interested in listening to false prophets in ministry then in the actual words and teachings of God. Jesus came to mankind to reverse the words of the Old Testaments, words of hate, anger, murder and chaos. He came to preach love, tolerance and fogiveness as a means to Him. He said nothing of punishing those who are not like us for being different, instead choosing to tell us all "he without sin may cast the first stone".
It's time the faithful stop acting like those wayward souls running their churches and more like the Messiah sent as an example to us all. It is time to stop killing people for who they love and accepting them for who they are.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Science Explains Away God?
I have heard religion explained away in scientific terms. It seems that as long as there is a scientific explanation to something, than that could serve as proof that God does not exist. Conception and birth are no longer miracles because science has explained how they happen. The heat and light of the sun are no longer things of amazement because science has explained how it all happens. Once, man was amazed at lightning and thunder, and now even those have lost their luster in the eyes of grown men and women. So, is it possible that science has explained away religion?
To most, this is an easy question depending on what belief system you employ. To someone who does not believe in God, religion is a fantasy created by those in need of something to believe (I was given this evaluation by an atheist). Religion is nothing more than a fantasy based on more fantasy. God becomes a crutch and eternal life a dream. To others, the Bible is to be taken quite literally, every word dissected and believed without question. To one person, believing in God is silly, to others, God not only exists but bore a son to save the world from sin.
Let's dissect religion for one moment. The "major" religions (i.e. Christianity, Islam, Judaism) base their rules and beliefs on books. Most of these books are filled with rules that, well, could scare the crap out of anyone. Death, destruction, sex, violence - it's all there in the black and white text of the Old Testament and the Torah. The Qur'an isn't much different - non-believers must die unless they either submit to Islam or pay a hefty tax for not being Muslim. It is no wonder some could not believe in the religion based on any of these books. They are not scientific documents, with theories tested and hypothesis rendered. They are, after all, written by mostly uneducated men in rather primitive times.
But what if science actually supported the existence of God? What if these explanations, while demystifying certain events that once bewildered men, actually offered proof proof that God existed?
Take the miracle of conception. While science has actually explained how conception happens, no one has actually explained why the HOW happens. What method of design actually created conception? What actually causes the joining of the female sex cell and her chromosomes with the male sex cell and his chromosomes? What mysterious presence actually joins the chromosomes and creates a new life? Exactly what created this miracle, what exactly created the mechanisms by which all life on earth reproduces?
Even those who think that the Theory of Evolution completely dispels the Creationist view on man's creation, could it be that God actually created humans in a way different than that stated in written text? Could it be that man, in his primitive state, decided to simplify the method and design by which he got here? Could it be that God actually created man out of something else long before homo sapiens began the reign we now enjoy? Isn't it entirely possible that evolution itself is a creation of God to ensure life survives the eventual changes in our environment?
So while science explains the hows and whys of life, death, birth, illness, emotion, and suffering, it cannot explain the origins of those things. So, it would seem there is still some room to believe that God, this Ultimate Designer, created these origins of the hows and whys we strive to understand. It would seem, that although we know how the Earth was formed, how the Sun produces the light and heat we need to live, and even how Evolution itself is a creation of God?
Whereas it seems that men have divided religion into sects and sub-sects, it is quite apparent that most religions are all based on the resounding principals of compassion, peace, love, and tolerance. It is also part of the contradictory nature of man that those tenets are only seem to apply to members of their own "sect". It does appear odd that most major religions lose their tolerance, love, and compassion for those not of their faith. Again, it isn't hard to see why there are non-believers.
As each of us goes on our own path, it may prove important to think about the possibilities. It is important to understand what it is that makes us who we are. The human genome may have just been deciphered, the the author of the genome has yet to be credited. The deciphering may be a great discovery, but in meeting the author we may find the greatest discovery of all.
My Daughter...the Comedienne
At least someone thinks she is hysterical and worth the price of admission:
Today, Gianna's kitchen, tomorrow Carnegie Hall!
Today, Gianna's kitchen, tomorrow Carnegie Hall!
Sunday, February 4, 2007
My blood brother
The time is late, just after midnight on Sunday morning. Man, this Saturday went flying by, and I think I wasted much of it working and organizing. I did, however, get some pretty good things done.
My oldest and bestest friend IM'd me from Utah. I grew up with this kid, (yep, a kid even if he is in his thirties now) He now has lovely children and a wife who makes him better than he is. We realized that we have that in common, having wives that make us better than we are, just like we have a common link between us: our childhood.
Vince grew up two doors down from me, and was always someone I could talk to. Of course I tried to be Mr. Tough Guy and never let the pain of my childhood show, but I felt, and always have, that Vince was the one person I could always be myself around. We could talk about all kinds of stuff, and rarely got into fights about our beliefs. He was always someone I admired, as he never quit, showed fear or weakness, and stood firm in his beliefs and morals. Although he was a little shorter than most, he didn't earn his nickname "Bulldog" because he wasn't housebroken and needed to go for walks 10 times a day. No, he earned that nickname because of his tenacity, a trait only surpassed by his kindness and humanity. I realized when we stopped "talking" online today that I really miss him, and it brought a smile to my face to remember all the silly crap we did as young kids.
I will say that although we have both moved on from the "best friend" and "blood brother" stage (yes we actually cut our hands to become blood brothers), I still love this guy as if he were my brother. Gone are the days of digging tunnels, playing war, practicing football in his back yard, the endless games of flashlight tag and hide and go seek. I do, however, trade those days gone by with the memories they bring. I remember the first day when I was 8 when Vince introduced himself to the new kid (me) moving in down the street. I am proud to say that I can still remember that silly smile of his, with his curly red hair all over the place as he swung upside down from a branch in the big tree next to his house. I remember the tire swing he had, the countless tree forts, and all the fun stuff we did with some of the other kids in our 'hood.
I remember Denise R., who we all had crushes on when we were just turning into teenagers. I remember when his brother Joseph was born, and his sister Katherine. I remember when my sister broke her thumb jumping ramps with us, and we tried to get her to lie and say she did it in the pool (we weren't supposed to let her jump with us). I remember the break dancing contests in his living room, the same time we all thought we could dance like Michael Jackson (I am laughing out loud at that one). God, there are so many memories I dare not list them all. I can honestly say, with much joy, that all of them are happy.
I haven't seen Vince in about 20 years. (Has it really been that long?) We went our separate ways about the time I graduated high school, started partying, and doing many other stupid things I am not too proud of. Vince always kept the firmness of his morality, the strength of his character, and the sense of who he was longer after all of that waned on me. You can see it in his family pictures he sends from time to time. You can see it in how he followed his heart and moved to Utah. I could see it today, when in the cold of Utah's winter, my old buddy Vince was going out in the early morning to help a friend do some work. Yep, he hadn't changed much at all.
So, my friend, if you are reading this, know that this man has never forgotten you, and still loves you dearly as a friend for all the bad times you helped me through and all the good times you have left in my memory. I thank you for the smiles I had today thinking about all of those days that were not nearly plentiful enough. You will always be my friend, and though the scar on my hand is long gone, the symbolic meaning will never fade. You will always be my "blood brother".
Peace.
My oldest and bestest friend IM'd me from Utah. I grew up with this kid, (yep, a kid even if he is in his thirties now) He now has lovely children and a wife who makes him better than he is. We realized that we have that in common, having wives that make us better than we are, just like we have a common link between us: our childhood.
Vince grew up two doors down from me, and was always someone I could talk to. Of course I tried to be Mr. Tough Guy and never let the pain of my childhood show, but I felt, and always have, that Vince was the one person I could always be myself around. We could talk about all kinds of stuff, and rarely got into fights about our beliefs. He was always someone I admired, as he never quit, showed fear or weakness, and stood firm in his beliefs and morals. Although he was a little shorter than most, he didn't earn his nickname "Bulldog" because he wasn't housebroken and needed to go for walks 10 times a day. No, he earned that nickname because of his tenacity, a trait only surpassed by his kindness and humanity. I realized when we stopped "talking" online today that I really miss him, and it brought a smile to my face to remember all the silly crap we did as young kids.
I will say that although we have both moved on from the "best friend" and "blood brother" stage (yes we actually cut our hands to become blood brothers), I still love this guy as if he were my brother. Gone are the days of digging tunnels, playing war, practicing football in his back yard, the endless games of flashlight tag and hide and go seek. I do, however, trade those days gone by with the memories they bring. I remember the first day when I was 8 when Vince introduced himself to the new kid (me) moving in down the street. I am proud to say that I can still remember that silly smile of his, with his curly red hair all over the place as he swung upside down from a branch in the big tree next to his house. I remember the tire swing he had, the countless tree forts, and all the fun stuff we did with some of the other kids in our 'hood.
I remember Denise R., who we all had crushes on when we were just turning into teenagers. I remember when his brother Joseph was born, and his sister Katherine. I remember when my sister broke her thumb jumping ramps with us, and we tried to get her to lie and say she did it in the pool (we weren't supposed to let her jump with us). I remember the break dancing contests in his living room, the same time we all thought we could dance like Michael Jackson (I am laughing out loud at that one). God, there are so many memories I dare not list them all. I can honestly say, with much joy, that all of them are happy.
I haven't seen Vince in about 20 years. (Has it really been that long?) We went our separate ways about the time I graduated high school, started partying, and doing many other stupid things I am not too proud of. Vince always kept the firmness of his morality, the strength of his character, and the sense of who he was longer after all of that waned on me. You can see it in his family pictures he sends from time to time. You can see it in how he followed his heart and moved to Utah. I could see it today, when in the cold of Utah's winter, my old buddy Vince was going out in the early morning to help a friend do some work. Yep, he hadn't changed much at all.
So, my friend, if you are reading this, know that this man has never forgotten you, and still loves you dearly as a friend for all the bad times you helped me through and all the good times you have left in my memory. I thank you for the smiles I had today thinking about all of those days that were not nearly plentiful enough. You will always be my friend, and though the scar on my hand is long gone, the symbolic meaning will never fade. You will always be my "blood brother".
Peace.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The Smell of Rain - Awesome Email Sent to me...
I wanted to share with you this email sent to me by my brother-in-law Chris (he is a wealth of great emails). It certainly puts life, love, and faith into perspective.
The Smell of Rain
A cold March wind danced around the dead of night inDallas
The Smell of Rain
A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in
Her husband, David, held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing.
At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature.
Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs. "I don't think she's going to make it," he said, as kindly as he could.
Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children.
Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.
During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.
"There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one"
Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.
She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on.
"No! No!" was all Diana could say.
She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.
She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.
Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.
But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Dana's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.
But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.
At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time.
There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger.
But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there.
At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time.
And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted.
Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life.
She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story. One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving , Texas
As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, "Do you smell that?"
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, "Yes, it smells like rain."
Dana closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?"
Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain."
Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, "No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest."
As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, "Do you smell that?"
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, "Yes, it smells like rain."
Dana closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?"
Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain."
Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, "No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest."
Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children.
Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along.
During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
First food
You gotta love your kids' firsts. This is a picture of my soon to be 4-month old son eating his very first "solid" food. It is times like these when one realizes just how much we take for granted.
Today I got into a discussion with my 12 year old daughter. It was mostly a one-sided affair (as most of our deep discussions are), but meant to try to teach her something about life other than which shirt matches what pants. I have always felt that the creation of this world is a miracle. To me, life and creation prove, without a doubt, the existence of God. I don't believe that science explains away God, but rather supports His existence just as a matter of reason.
Life is just too delicate and too complicated to be an "accident". When you think about how children are created, how they develop, and how they take half of mom and half of dad into the world, it is just to awesome a happening to have been devised by chance. When you think about how mom produces milk to feed baby, how the sperm joins with the egg, how the cells divide, and how baby grows and learns, it just seems way too involved to not have been planned out by some Higher Existence.
When you realize we are the perfect distance from our sun to support life, and have the perfect atmosphere for our existence, and that this planet gives us all we need to survive, again I believe it is too much to all be an accident. No, to me God planned this out, created it all, and now gives us the freedom to do with it as we please. He has given us the tools and the rules, it is up to us to follow them.
So, I will continue to enjoy these first, hope for more, and follow God's plan for me as I struggle in this world. Whatever He has in store for us, we will continue to count our blessings, work hard for success, and share the love we feel.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
American Character
Bah humbug!
I just listened to the President's speech and the democratic response and have no reservations about what is the right course of action. I take the President's side here.
Why?
Well, I am not a "cut and run" type of guy. I see the war in Iraq as the battlefield for superiority between the terrorists that would fight us and the will of the American people. Forget about the reasons we got there. Forget about the WMD's, Saddam's madness and murder, and the tyranny we decided to depose. Forget about America's failed foreign policy that has alienated Arabs in the Middle East. Today, al Qaeda and Muslim extremists are fighting our soldiers in the streets of Baghdad, and we simply cannot afford to cut and run. We cannot tuck tail and embolden a group of bastards that have declared war on us, who have said repeatedly they wish to eliminate our way of life, and who have tested our American character and attacked us on our soil.
The war on terror isn't just being fought in Afghanistan anymore. And we must have the guts and the fortitude to fight it wherever it needs to be fought. If Iran wants to test us, let's answer their call. If North Korea wants to push us, let's push back. It is high time the American character be proven to be a no nonsense, tough, and equal to any challenge. The faster the world understands that we cannot and will not be pushed, the faster they will stop pushing.
This can only be done with the resolve of the American public. Let's inform our Congressional leaders that we will not stand for divisiveness. That is not to say that we want our President to have carte blanche, but we certainly do not need the politics of 2006 giving our enemies the advantage of a divided America. We must resolve to win in Iraq, no matter what the costs, and to do so decisively.
To do anything less is only to endanger us all in the future. Period.
I just listened to the President's speech and the democratic response and have no reservations about what is the right course of action. I take the President's side here.
Why?
Well, I am not a "cut and run" type of guy. I see the war in Iraq as the battlefield for superiority between the terrorists that would fight us and the will of the American people. Forget about the reasons we got there. Forget about the WMD's, Saddam's madness and murder, and the tyranny we decided to depose. Forget about America's failed foreign policy that has alienated Arabs in the Middle East. Today, al Qaeda and Muslim extremists are fighting our soldiers in the streets of Baghdad, and we simply cannot afford to cut and run. We cannot tuck tail and embolden a group of bastards that have declared war on us, who have said repeatedly they wish to eliminate our way of life, and who have tested our American character and attacked us on our soil.
The war on terror isn't just being fought in Afghanistan anymore. And we must have the guts and the fortitude to fight it wherever it needs to be fought. If Iran wants to test us, let's answer their call. If North Korea wants to push us, let's push back. It is high time the American character be proven to be a no nonsense, tough, and equal to any challenge. The faster the world understands that we cannot and will not be pushed, the faster they will stop pushing.
This can only be done with the resolve of the American public. Let's inform our Congressional leaders that we will not stand for divisiveness. That is not to say that we want our President to have carte blanche, but we certainly do not need the politics of 2006 giving our enemies the advantage of a divided America. We must resolve to win in Iraq, no matter what the costs, and to do so decisively.
To do anything less is only to endanger us all in the future. Period.
The best website I have found for weight management
I am in the process of getting "back" into shape and losing weight. Not an easy task for a soon to be 40 year old who has been out of competitive shape for years. Still, as I look at my wife and kids, I know I have to do something to prolong whatever natural life I have left. Leaving things to fate has never been my way.
I started to count calories. At first I was just curious to see just how much I actually ate, and relate that to how much I should be eating. Everyone should do this, particularly if you want to lose weight and get in shape. I started Googling for calorie counters that would help me put a number to the food in my list. Then I stumble on an absolute awesome website!
Go to http://www.calorie-count.com. Create a profile and use it daily. This website not only has the nutritional information for more foods than I have ever heard of, but also can help you determine how many calories you are burning. Pretty need stuff. You can put a host of activities in your activity log and relate that to how many calories you are consurming. This website also gives you information on some diets, and allows you to analyze a recipe for nutrional value. Plus, there are forums that will allow you to get information or converse with others about diet, excercise, or motivation.
This is the absolute best website for those of us dieting or getting in shape. It is a "must" tool if I have ever seen one. Take a look!
Oh, BTW, I am not affiliated in any way with this website. It is just that good.
I started to count calories. At first I was just curious to see just how much I actually ate, and relate that to how much I should be eating. Everyone should do this, particularly if you want to lose weight and get in shape. I started Googling for calorie counters that would help me put a number to the food in my list. Then I stumble on an absolute awesome website!
Go to http://www.calorie-count.com. Create a profile and use it daily. This website not only has the nutritional information for more foods than I have ever heard of, but also can help you determine how many calories you are burning. Pretty need stuff. You can put a host of activities in your activity log and relate that to how many calories you are consurming. This website also gives you information on some diets, and allows you to analyze a recipe for nutrional value. Plus, there are forums that will allow you to get information or converse with others about diet, excercise, or motivation.
This is the absolute best website for those of us dieting or getting in shape. It is a "must" tool if I have ever seen one. Take a look!
Oh, BTW, I am not affiliated in any way with this website. It is just that good.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Comforting Embrace
My brother-in-law sent me this clipping via email. I realized you just don't get stories like this too often. Here's a man, probably away from his own children for months, offering solace, compassion and comfort to a child he doesn't even know. We should not be there? Insurgents, wonderful, God-fearing Muslim insurgents, killed this girl's family and shot her in the head. Wonder if God is still having pride in these animals calling Him great.
Remember, if our soldiers weren't sacraficing so much to fight these bastards in a far away land, this could be any one of our children this stranger is holding in Anytown, USA. I know, someone is saying "if we weren't there, then this wouldn't have happened." Wrong. It happened every day in Iraq under Saddam. The difference is then we could turn our blind eye to it. Now, it makes news.
Thank God for men and women like this soldier. I am sure this man could kill if he had to, but the compassion he shows here is testament to humanity and to an America few get the chance to see. I believe there are more people like this man in my country than there are of the mentality and brutality of the insurgents and terrorists we fight. This is NOT our Vietnam unless we turn it into one.
Same old new day?
Did you ever just wake up with a revelation? I did, and it revitalized me yet again. Today will certainly not be the "same old new day" for me!
First, when my eyes opened for the very first time this morning, the first thing I saw was my wife. Now that may not seem all that stupendous to you, but you have to understand some things in order to get why it is an awesome thing to me.
See, I snore. I snore loudly. Call it the weight gain, or the lack of exercise (all of which will change on this new day), or just my innocent way of torturing those I love, but the truth is whatever you call it it surely annoys my wife when we sleep. So, in the essence of maximizing her already depleted sleep schedule (a toddler and 3 month old will do that to you), she has this method of making me turn my head the moment it turns it's ugly way towards her. She must have this internal alarm that sets off the moment my head makes it's way in her direction. I call it an internal alarm, she calls it a freight train coming out of my mouth.
You also have to understand my wife is beautiful. Not just in the "you are so beautiful in the inside" kind of way, but in the "wow, that's hot" kind of way. So to wake up with this awesome sight filling my brain is to illicit feelings that, no matter how hard I would try, just aren't going to be addressed in quick fashion (she kills early birds for a late breakfast). One reason I don't play the lottery is because I believe I already won it the day she married me, and to think I could win again would only be tempting fate. Honestly, I could be poor and not have many material possessions, but her hand in mine would make me very, very wealthy.
Well, off to the gym. Nope, no pressure here to be hard and sexy, lean and muscular. Just the realization that I want to live this life as long as I can in order to enjoy this quite different new day over and over again.
First, when my eyes opened for the very first time this morning, the first thing I saw was my wife. Now that may not seem all that stupendous to you, but you have to understand some things in order to get why it is an awesome thing to me.
See, I snore. I snore loudly. Call it the weight gain, or the lack of exercise (all of which will change on this new day), or just my innocent way of torturing those I love, but the truth is whatever you call it it surely annoys my wife when we sleep. So, in the essence of maximizing her already depleted sleep schedule (a toddler and 3 month old will do that to you), she has this method of making me turn my head the moment it turns it's ugly way towards her. She must have this internal alarm that sets off the moment my head makes it's way in her direction. I call it an internal alarm, she calls it a freight train coming out of my mouth.
You also have to understand my wife is beautiful. Not just in the "you are so beautiful in the inside" kind of way, but in the "wow, that's hot" kind of way. So to wake up with this awesome sight filling my brain is to illicit feelings that, no matter how hard I would try, just aren't going to be addressed in quick fashion (she kills early birds for a late breakfast). One reason I don't play the lottery is because I believe I already won it the day she married me, and to think I could win again would only be tempting fate. Honestly, I could be poor and not have many material possessions, but her hand in mine would make me very, very wealthy.
Well, off to the gym. Nope, no pressure here to be hard and sexy, lean and muscular. Just the realization that I want to live this life as long as I can in order to enjoy this quite different new day over and over again.
Friday, January 5, 2007
The Torments of God
I have been watching a lot of You Tube videos lately about the war in Iraq. I really wanted to get both sides of the issue, so I started not only watching posts placed by our soldiers, but also posts placed by our enemies. I am not easily swayed, but I do listen to reason. I am patriotic, but not so much to believe our government is innocent and not the cause for some of our conflict. I support our troops but certainly wish like hell we didn't need to be over there. There is so much propaganda from both sides that it is hard to tell what is true and what is not.
I also believe it to be more patriotic to question our government than to be a sheep to it. When a United States citizen can not protest or question his/her government, then we have "jumped the shark".
All that being said, I have to say that our enemies have lost their way. I am no Christian, so I don't think any part of me could be called a "crusader", but I wonder in my heart of hearts if religion and it's radical side have severely impaired the judgements of our enemies, just as it has the minds and hearts of "religious" zealots throughout history. It leaves one to wonder, are we the torments of God?
I believe firmly in God, in His existence, in His mercy, and in His power. I also believe that he has given us a gift in the messages placed by people before us. All major religions, from Buddhism to Islam contain the precepts for a perfect world and a great life. Treat others well. Do not steal. Do not kill. Show compassion. Show mercy. Value life to enjoy it for eternity. We honor not only God Himself, but ourselves in our Humanity, by being all of these things. It isn't funny, but rather sad, that those who believe themselves closest to God are the antithesis of all that has been taught about what God is about.
An example of this would be in one video I watched. In this video, Muslim extremists shout Allahu Akbar (God is great) while blowing up a vehicle. I also heard them screaming this as they sliced a man's head off. So, I wonder, what would God think about all of this?
Would God think He so great as an innocent man's head is sliced off (while alive mind you) for no real reason? Does God actually believe it great when we blow each other up? Does God get all tingly when we butcher each other for senseless ideology and religious extremism? After reading the Bible and the Quran many times, I cannot seem to find it in me to believe the God I have read about and prayed to; the God who has shown me beautiful sunrises and love, could possibly be the God these radicals believe find pride in them for destroying it all for so many people. Oh, and I am not just speaking about our enemies.
If Gandhi proved one thing it is that you don't need to be violent to get things done, you just need to be right. Had Gandhi been a violent man, many more Indians would have lost their lives and the world would have lost a great example of true leadership and humanity. India may have eventually gained her independence, but the road would have been paved with the corpses of many more of her people to get there. Gandhi also proved that if you want to have your enemies listen to you, let peace be your weapon.
If Osama bin Laden had been a peace-loving man, and a true man of Islam, then he would not have to be in hiding and could have a far greater voice in how his world is changed. Instead, he must cower in a cave and only have those who already agree with him hear his voice. Nothing like being a champion of others who no one will listen to. Plus, how many Muslims would have been still alive to follow the peaceful examples of change in a true man of peace? Or is it that Islam is truly a violent religion?
Yet, here we are, in the midst of brutal and inhuman war, prepared to the utmost for an attack at any time in our country, and past all the charity humans have extended each other in times of crisis, we have the evil that men do to each other. Someday, perhaps, we will get past ourselves, our borders, our religions, our skin tone, our sex, our "things" and learn to live with each other in peace and prosperity. Maybe Muslims won't have to blow up Christians and Christians won't have to burn witches and try to dominate the world. Maybe, in this exercise of euphoria, we become humans instead of sections of humanity. One thing for sure, it won't happen in my lifetime. Today, even in our best of times, we somehow find it in ourselves to somehow become the torments of God.
I also believe it to be more patriotic to question our government than to be a sheep to it. When a United States citizen can not protest or question his/her government, then we have "jumped the shark".
All that being said, I have to say that our enemies have lost their way. I am no Christian, so I don't think any part of me could be called a "crusader", but I wonder in my heart of hearts if religion and it's radical side have severely impaired the judgements of our enemies, just as it has the minds and hearts of "religious" zealots throughout history. It leaves one to wonder, are we the torments of God?
I believe firmly in God, in His existence, in His mercy, and in His power. I also believe that he has given us a gift in the messages placed by people before us. All major religions, from Buddhism to Islam contain the precepts for a perfect world and a great life. Treat others well. Do not steal. Do not kill. Show compassion. Show mercy. Value life to enjoy it for eternity. We honor not only God Himself, but ourselves in our Humanity, by being all of these things. It isn't funny, but rather sad, that those who believe themselves closest to God are the antithesis of all that has been taught about what God is about.
An example of this would be in one video I watched. In this video, Muslim extremists shout Allahu Akbar (God is great) while blowing up a vehicle. I also heard them screaming this as they sliced a man's head off. So, I wonder, what would God think about all of this?
Would God think He so great as an innocent man's head is sliced off (while alive mind you) for no real reason? Does God actually believe it great when we blow each other up? Does God get all tingly when we butcher each other for senseless ideology and religious extremism? After reading the Bible and the Quran many times, I cannot seem to find it in me to believe the God I have read about and prayed to; the God who has shown me beautiful sunrises and love, could possibly be the God these radicals believe find pride in them for destroying it all for so many people. Oh, and I am not just speaking about our enemies.
If Gandhi proved one thing it is that you don't need to be violent to get things done, you just need to be right. Had Gandhi been a violent man, many more Indians would have lost their lives and the world would have lost a great example of true leadership and humanity. India may have eventually gained her independence, but the road would have been paved with the corpses of many more of her people to get there. Gandhi also proved that if you want to have your enemies listen to you, let peace be your weapon.
If Osama bin Laden had been a peace-loving man, and a true man of Islam, then he would not have to be in hiding and could have a far greater voice in how his world is changed. Instead, he must cower in a cave and only have those who already agree with him hear his voice. Nothing like being a champion of others who no one will listen to. Plus, how many Muslims would have been still alive to follow the peaceful examples of change in a true man of peace? Or is it that Islam is truly a violent religion?
Yet, here we are, in the midst of brutal and inhuman war, prepared to the utmost for an attack at any time in our country, and past all the charity humans have extended each other in times of crisis, we have the evil that men do to each other. Someday, perhaps, we will get past ourselves, our borders, our religions, our skin tone, our sex, our "things" and learn to live with each other in peace and prosperity. Maybe Muslims won't have to blow up Christians and Christians won't have to burn witches and try to dominate the world. Maybe, in this exercise of euphoria, we become humans instead of sections of humanity. One thing for sure, it won't happen in my lifetime. Today, even in our best of times, we somehow find it in ourselves to somehow become the torments of God.
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