transformation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!" - II Corinthians 5:17


man i wanna feel like that!! at times i do, i mean my way of thinking has changed in some aspects. the way i look at people, alot of my selfishness has taken a big step back. i realize how selfish i can be so that's big. i look at my motivation for doing things before i do them. so i guess the change is coming along. but i guess sometimes i want more. i guess i just want to be "super christian". full of biblical knowledge, Holy Spirit filled, always saying and thinking the right things. perfect i guess. and that's not possible while i'm here.





"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." - Romans 12:2

i'm realizing that this is easier to do when you're surrounded by a community of believers. "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:4-6. each of the parts of the body can function on their own, but work better when they work together. so we need each other. for encouragment, to pray for each other, to keep each other in line. i'd like to find that kinda community. it could help with the transformation process and i think thats how God intended for things to work among us while we are growing in Him.

weakness

psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

that's my prayer. i should probably say it everyday. i was talking to a friend the other day and its been my thought at times that i'd like to feel close to God all the time like the songs you hear from artists talking about their relationship with God and authors of books suggesting ways to have a closer relationship with Him. sometimes i wonder if its possible that people really have that all the time and that it's always "all good" with them and the Lord. its frustrating to me that i struggle with walking down the narrow road. sometimes (too many times) i go off course and it takes me awhile to get back on track. although these days i've been really missing my quiet time with God and the effect He has on me. He really does change how you think and view the world. alot of those changes are still there, i guess i just struggle with my own weaknesses and don't like that they're so hard for me to put down. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." hopefully like paul someday i'll "delight in weaknesses" and know that "when I am weak, then I am strong."

let's build part deux

so i called the bro that i sent the email to. the convo went well. i basically let him know that i think that as brothers we should building each other up. i told him we should be supporting each other and that the tone of the emails were changing. i told him that i thought him and the other bro were at times saying the same thing and that sometimes emails were not the best way to have that kinda discussion after it gets to a certain level. i also asked him if he saw that kinda discussion as fruitful. will it help a brother in his growth? help him to be a better father, husband, or help him live his life according to how God wants us to live our lives. i said that i was saying it as an observer and one who was wondering if that kind of going back and forth is beneficial. he took it well and we talked about some other things. he kinda started preaching and i told him that he's preachin to the choir. my parents had us have family devotions at nite when i was very young. My mom witnessed to my brother, she was a witness to me just by how she lived and conducted herself. my dad would tell us to read our bible often. i let him know there was plenty of bible in my life before meeting him. and i didn't even mention that i was a bible quizzer for 4yrs. not that that makes me a scholar in any way but he wouldn't be saying anything i haven't heard before meeting him, lol. so over all it went well and hopefully i left him with some things to think about.

let's build

the guys were at it again...

i mentioned some guys that i know who have an email group where God/the bible is discussed. its become more and more obvious that there are some varying beliefs among these brothers. anyway the topic of the Godhead has been the most recent thing they've discussed and it's been mostly between two brothers but the whole email group was included on the emails. well it started to get a little heated cuz they were not in agreement on each other's view. the emails were paragraphs long and it was alot of going back and forth. now one of the brothers made the mistake of calling me and others out. he basically said that he was surprised he didn't hear any input from me to refute something that the other brother said and that i "knew better". wrong move dude. i've never even discussed the subject with him so he doesn't know where i stand. i sent a response, but i didn't even touch the subject, here is what i sent:



greetings brothers,
#####,

i chose not to get involved in this discussion because i'd rather have
fellowship. i'd prefer not to debate. i'm seeing more and more debate and disagreement than fellowship. and like john said its somewhat troubling. i still don't feel like that is what the Word was given to us for. these are some very
lengthy emails and they seem to be going in circles. at times it seems more like
this is turning into "i'm going to prove i'm right". let me ask you some
questions. if two brothers disagree on their view of scripture does that mean
one's saved and the other isn't? does that mean that one loves the Lord and
the other doesn't? does that mean that one's interpretation is right and the
other's interpretation is wrong?? who among us can judge???

this is what i believe: i believe we should pray for each other. i believe
we should pray that our hearts are opened to His Word and to Him and that He
continues to work in each other lives and that He reveals His truth to us.

I Corinthian 13 8-12

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where
there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass
away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection
comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put
childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then
we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.

i've talked to one of the guys who was in this debate since sending the response and let him know that i'm thinking about asking to be removed from the email list. i wanna be a part of something where we're building each other up, not where people are puffing themselves up cuz of their biblical knowledge and/or debating about their interpretation of scripture and humility is lacking. i will be calling the other brother today since i see that he's tried to call me once. i was on the cape so i didn't get the call. hopefully he doesn't take what i sent as a personal attack on him or as an endorsement of the other brother. but for one, he shouldn't have called me out and secondly when you do something like that you should be careful about the words you use. can't we all just get along??

its tough enough to be a Godly man and to stay on the narrow road. and as a body of believers we should be lifting each other up and supporting each other thru the struggle.
i've got some chores to do. i'll give the brother a call and post on how the convo went later.

vacation - kind of a rant

well vacation isn't turning out how i would've hoped. didn't have big hopes but...here we go. this weekend was our 12 yr anniversary and we went to the cape. the wife's tooth has been bugging her and got much worse this weekend. jr is teething and realized he wasn't home and didn't want to go to sleep until after eleven. i woke up to find wifey rocking and crying from the pain at about three in the morning on monday and it didn't get better by tuesday. the time on the cape was cool but she was in pain and jr was off his schedule. we left the cape earlier than planned and she had her tooth pulled that afternoon. i didn't end up working out, which i was looking forward to but i didn't feel much like it after taking her to her appt, going home and taking care of lil' man then going back and picking her up after the appt. yesterday i ended up playing playstation for hours and didn't go to the gym. didn't feel much like it, mostly cuz i was zoning from the playstation and it was late and i didn't sleep much the nite before, probably from playing playstion till about five a.m wednesday morning.

i played ball this morning but my back was incredibly stiff from playing playstation all day in the same position. not enjoyable. i worked out today but wifey has a big test next tuesday and had to go to a friend's to study this morning, i was with cranky pants who was quite cranky. i went to the gym but felt under the gun cuz the wifey had a second study group at eight o'clock and i didn't get to the gym till after seven. she knew i wouldn't be home until after eight. and it's thursday already!! tomorrow i have jr from one till nine. doesn't sound like much of a vacation. don't get me wrong. i love being with my son, no doubt, but it doesn't quite fall into vacation mode when he's cranky. the things i was looking forward to the most were the anniversary weekend and playing ball and working out. none of those things went to well. i think i needed a two week vacation. oh well. its a vacation from work. and it's definetly good to not have to be at work. life still happens, can't take a vacation from that. on the bright side, i did get some quiet time this morning. just left the tv volume turned all the way down, played some playstation (again) while wifey and lil' man slept. i realized how much quiet time i don't get. always some noise going on. i hope to be able to take an hour of quiet time a day or about three times a day. gonna try and go somewhere quiet during lunch. ok, i'm rambling...goin' to bed.

New Look

i was ready for a change and put up a new template. wish i could say i created it but i like it alot. maybe some day i'll have the time to sit down and create my own. well...it'll definetly take more than one day that's for sure. but i'm learning css (casscading style sheets)...slowly, but i'm learning. the syntax is what i struggle with the most right now. and like anything else it takes practice practice practice. i'm on vacation this coming week!! horrayy!! maybe i'll put some time in during the week on learning some more

funny

i don't really have a comment, just that this made me chuckle...hehe

the battle rages on!!

i think i need a refresher on "every man's battle". maaahn!! my job is surrounded by colleges. two are all girls colleges. there are about three other colleges in the area also, along with fenway stadium and a few bars, clubs, restaurants, gyms, etc. so the amount of women of all ages is overwhelming to say the least. and not to use the common excuse but the clothes they wear doesn't help. like man ambassador says;


Most women have care in their genes
Where’s the care you killin' us today the way you're wearing those jeans
A few of us really care for the king
We’ve got to fight when you're in sight
For other men staring's no thing
Well don't look then
Well sis, I wasn't lookin'
But if I’ve gotta nose can I help smellin' the cookin'
I know you can blame it on the weakness of men
But the weakness is made weaker when we see your skin


so this brutha is strugglin again. one of the methods "every man's battle" suggests is to "bounce" your eyes, but i get dizzy from all the bouncing lol. cuz my eyes bounce from one girl and end up in another one's direction!! its tough cuz i take the T so they're everywhere. another thing is the IT dept works in the basement of our building and there are no windows so you don't even know if the sun is out. plus they've had issues with mold in the basement so its good to go out and get fresh air. but going outside is dangerous lol. and when there's a home game...forgetaboutit!!

i'm being humorous about it but it is something i've noticed of course. and i can't express enough how tough it is to be surrounded by people who have no respect for God. i can't keep count of the amount of times someone says "jesus christ", or "jee-zus" or "oh christ". since when did it become so fashionable to use His name as a curse word?? i cringe everytime i hear it. some even say "cheese and rice!" cuz it sounds close to it. arrggh. i miss fellowshiping with people who have a love for God. people who wanna live for God, wanna be closer to Him. I MISS HAVING MY QUIET TIME!! .


i know a few guys who communicate via email but more often than anything it turns into some sort of debate on how one interperts this or that scripture or doctrine. and the emails get to be paragraphs long and the threads can go on for days. for example today an email was sent asking a question about women's role in the church and what paul said concerning that topic. he asked the ques cuz there was a judge and prophet named deborah in the book of Judges who had a postion of leadership. now the guy directed the question to another brother who responded by saying that he'd address his questions under the conditions of his sencerity to know the truth! and went on to say he was more concerned about the question asker's belief on who Jesus Christ is. in another email thread there was discussion about the Trinity and there was disagreement. i can't even beging to go into that right now. but it just wasn't a cool way to respond and i'm tired of these guys debating. its not fellowship.

but....i have a train to catch. so i'm out. maybe i'll post more on that subject later. peace out!!

Cool!!

Partial beard, freestyle : German Willi Chevalier, contestant in the category partial beard, freestyle, poses in Berlin, during the World Beard and Moustache Championships. (AFP/DDP/Marcus Brandt)

meant to live

Fumbling his confidence
And wondering why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments,
And failed attempts to fly, fly

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

Dreaming about Providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we've been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we're bent and broken, broken

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much mor
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside


Lyrics by Switchfoot

the internet is a funny place....

what can't you find on the internet??? and i wasn't even looking for it lol....http://www.jamiefrost.co.uk/narniaquiz

As Prince Rilian, you are brave, noble and intelligent, but easily misguided! Just make sure you don't go after any green women.

not feeling so hot

i'v been sick this week. jr got sick first then passed it on to us. and with him being cranky from teething and having the cold and mom and dad being sick too, it was quite the adventure. i've also had alot on my mind and plate lately. having some car/money issues and that kinda stuff stresses me out. not really having the money or time to get to the shop, plus wanting to take better care of the car. and again money is an issue so it can be depressing.

i've also been distracted with trying to create a new template for this blog. i found one that someone else created and i like it alot, but i wanna tweak it and i'm having trouble. its written using css and i know some but not like i should so i've been teaching myself. i wish i had more time to concentrate on it. or i wish i made better use of my time. i have alot of interests. it's difficult though. life can't be truly scheduled. at least that's my experience. but its kinda cool trying to teach myself but i'm not usually disciplined with it. i prefer being taught and having some structure.

i finished the chronicles of narnia! excellent series. my wife was right. she said i'd wanna read it again once i was done and i do kinda want to review it. i really liked the last few books of the series, there was quite a bit that stood out . so i wouldn't mind quickly going over the first couple of books to see what i may have missed or forgotten as i got further along in the series. the one thing that stood out the most from the entire series was how God's nature was portrayed. its hard for me to find the words to describe. and that was another good thing about the way the books were written. at times c.s. lewis would basically say something was hard too explain or describe to really get across what a character or characters were experiencing.

but yeah, it makes me wonder why we have the view of God that we do. our view of Him in general seems that He's always angry and waiting for us to mess up. maybe its me but thats something i've observed. i wonder if when we come to realize how awesome and powerful God is, (and really it is beyond our imagination) we fear for our lives. i mean that in the sense that we think like humans do. we think, "well if i was a Holy God i know how displeased i'd be with someone like me". but we forget about how much God says He loves us. and we forget that God looks deep into our hearts and is more interested in the motivation behind our actions. and i think Jesus gives examples of that in some of the parables He told. but we concentrate so much on His anger. i wonder why. and fear motivates in the wrong way. i don't think that's God's intention. Jesus says to take on His yoke and that His burden is light. why don't we believe that. (belief is something else i've been thinking about ever since reid posted on faith and belief a while back. for some reason we don't believe it or don't believe we can handle what God would throw our way. i dunno. this life is a trip. at times i feel like a bear that had a very small role in the "the last battle" of the chronicles of narnia. he simply says "i..i..don't understand". there was so much going on and it was happening so quickly that it was all he could say.

Christ and hip hop

i'd like to comment on the music that i play on my site. the first song that's playing is by a group called the cross movement. i support this group by buying and listening to their music cuz there's no question that they are trying to reach souls for God and their music doesn't try to hide the fact that they are Christians. Jesus Christ crucified is what they preach and there's "no shame in their game". since being introduced to their music i've stopped listening to secular music and they've inspired me to strengthen my walk and to be more in the Word.

that being said...i read an article about them written by rondy long of exministries and for one, he misquotes a song or takes the lyrics from a song out of context. the song is called "hip-hop-cracy" and the song is about the state of hip hop today and its negative influence on the world today. one line from the song is “And when that last tic-tocks, I’m (God) coming to your block to see what you did with my Son and with my Hip-Hop!” . that line refers to God giving us the abiility to make music and what we do with it. hip hop being one form of music. rondy seemed to think that that line makes it sound like Jesus and hip-hop are equal. here are the lyrics within context:

Now if Hip-Hop is gonna be true to life
I'm tellin' you Hip-Hop’s gotta be true to Christ
‘Cause as the Hebrew writer cites,
That His creative endeavors made all things and holds all together
So that kick and snare that jerks your spine is ‘cause God made noise work by design
So it’s Divine and not by chance that you can make a hot track or do a little dance
Or write a little rhyme
Ain’t that crazy?
Words whose sounds matched that stimulate the mind
And what if you can write a verse?
How you paying homage to music’s Maker with punchlines of curse?
And the stanza’s that modern man does are full of vanity, vulgarity and propaganda
But I guess that’s this age –
We Thugs and Fools
We even stick God up and saying, “Run the jewels!”
But God ain’t the type to just lay down flat and put His hand behind His head and turn His back
He’s the type to look right back down your pipe
And see the Cross in the crosshairs of your site
And be like, “Oh you sticking me up? No you’ not…
I’m loaning you my stuff, but you on the clock.
And when that last tic-tocks, I’m coming for your block
To see what you did with my Son and with Hip-Hop!”
So woe to all men who have abused the craft with unjustified math and filthy cash
“Will a man rob God?” No indeed
But that’s the sin and attempt of Hip-Hop-cracy


rondy believes that hip hop is music is influenced by demons. and i guess my question would be...what about rock music and the culture that comes from it? new age jazz?? r&b?? etc...what kind of spirit is behind these genres?? should christian rock be abandoned by christians? what about when "christian music" takes on the forms of these othere genres? should christians only sing songs you find in hymns??

at any rate, he also thinks that this group is promoting hip hop. i disagree. i believe what they are trying to do is reach a subculture that seems to be getting ignored by the church. they are reaching them through a language that is familar to them. but still telling them about the love of Christ for us.

nowadays there are alot less parents in the inner city taking they're kids to church. there are alot more single parent/broken homes and they are not turning to God. the family structure is not what it should be and respect for God is hard to find. they are turning to drugs and alcohol to fill that void. their heros are the rappers they see on video and hear on the radio and they want to immulate them. most rap music today promtes promiscuity, violence, drugs and the worhip of money.

the cross movement and other artists/groups like them are trying to show kids that idolize these rappers and the life style they promote that there is another option. some kids have such little biblical knowlege and no one to guide them towards God. some of these kids feel like the church won't accept them as they are. these guys are trying to tell them that God loves them just as they are and that they don't have to wear a suit to be loved by God. they don't have to change how they dress, change the slang they use (obviously if its offensive to God it must change) and change who they are to be accepted. they use hip hop to reach these kids but that doesn't mean they feel that is the only way to reach them. but right now rap is what they listen to and what they are influenced by. hip hop being a way of expressing one self. parts of hip hop are style of dress, slang and other elements. i commend them for going into a very competitive, very hard industry and preaching Christ.

rondy talks about a young man who came to Christ and changed they way he dressed, got himself nice and clean-cut and respectable and raised his grades in school after getting saved. and he did this without being told to. and that's great, but we're not all the same.
I Samuel 16:6-7 6 "When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." This is what God told samuel when he was to choose who would be the next king of Israel. saul was looking for someone who had a certain appearance. God had him go to jesse of bethlehem to pick the king. jesse brought all of his sons before samuel except one, david. and none of them were who God was looking for. david is who God wanted. the bible says that david was "ruddy with a fine appearance". he was young and handsome, he did not have the rugged experienced look of man ready to take over and become a king.

i believe when paul says "therefore, if any man is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!" II Corinthians 5:17 , he's referring to that inner man. not necessarily his outward appearance. when someone has changed from the inside, it shows. when there is something different about you its evident and how you dress does not always indicate that. and i have a good example. people who lived in my apt complex noticed something different about me but couldn't put they're finger on it. then i pointed out that i don't swear. now i'd been around them for quite some time, i dressed similar to them but they could see that something was different. maybe its the word hip hop that is causing the problem. i dunno.
its laughable though.

by what rondy writes, it seems that the church is saying you can only come in if you look and act like they do. no baggy jeans, t-shirts and sneakers allowed. cross movement is reaching out to the youth. they are going to them where they are. who else do we know that did that? the cross movement preaches Christ crucified and in a language this culture understands.

ok, i'm tired. enough on that for now...time for bed.

andrew aka...

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alt="Artificial Networked Destruction and Rational Exploration Worker"
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hearing the call

"Please, what task, Sir?" said Jill.

"The task for which I called you and him here out of your own world." This puzzled Jill very much. "It's mistaking me for someone else," she thought. She didn't dare to tell the Lion this, though she felt things would get into a dreadful muddle unless she did.

"Speak your thought, Human Child," said the Lion.

I was wondering -- I mean -- could there be some mistake? Because nobody called me and Scrubb, you know. It was we who asked to come here. Scrubb said we were to call to-to Somebody-it was a name I wouldn’t know-and perhaps the Somebody would let us in. And we did, and then we found the door open." "You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you," said the Lion." - C.S. Lewis The Silver Chair Book 6 of the Chronicles of Narnia

i'm reading this book now and when i read this it touched me. i stopped reading and thanked God for calling me. its good to know that He desires us. i'm glad i answered the call. there are many who hear the call but don't answer. sometimes we as believers hear His voice when we've gone astray and ignore the call.

jill then asks "Then are you Somebody, Sir?" and he replies "I am". Pretty cool Mr. Lewis, pretty cool.

frustration

i started this blog cuz i really like doing web pages, its a challenge and i enjoy it. also i was intrigued by blogs. like other blogs i was reading at the time i wanted to blog about things that are going on in my life. mostly to rant. lol. i was the angry black man at the time. lol. not angry at "the man" or any thing in particular, just angry. then i had a change of heart, i turned to God with some things i was dealing with and i also wanted to keep in contact with Him instead of turning away like i had done so many times. it was one of the many things i was angry about. i didn't want to turn to God only in times of trouble. thats not the kinda relationship he wants and i know that. once i had the change of heart i wanted to write about my "journey", my walk with Christ and all its challenges. i haven't posted anything in awhile cuz i'm discouraged right now and haven't been in the mood for various reasons.

i'm back at a job site i don't like to be honest. it's kinda like the epi-center of everything. it feels that way anyway. it's the busiest site and its a very challenging place to work. its a challenging site to get to, either by driving or the T. and you could swim in the atmosphere of negativity here. for whatever reason when you're at this site you know what everyone else is doing. and the disorganization!!! it reeks!!! anyway, the negativity plus the language here makes it quite the challenge to not get caught up in it. not to fall into the complaining and the attitude that permeates this place. when i was at my other site i had my own office and i was able to do my devotions and sometimes that would just lead to studying or prayer at length. now i know i could find time elsewhere but it was really good cuz it was the first thing i'd do at my site every morning. nothing like starting your day like that. i'm just frustrated.

i'm also frustrated with some of the blogs i've read lately. i think i've mentioned this before. there is not one of us who knows the mind of God but so many come off as they do. whatever your belief is, in my opinion it is still not a Christ like attitude to knock a certain group for what they believe. as i understand it we're supposed to pray for each other. we're supposed to pray for our enemies!!! not for what we want but for God's will to be done in people's lives and i don't see that being said very often at all along with the criticism of what one believes. its one thing to disagree and its another to generalize a group because of experiences you may have had with people who look at God differently than you, and i'm referring to different views of doctrines or scripture not the worldy view on God, i.e "the church". not all churches are the same and not everyone who attends the same church looks at God the same way. people who attend church are not hypnotized zombies without their own minds. once service is over everyone goes home and leads very different lives. we're also supposed to pray for wisdom and discernment. we're to be seeking His face, not trying to prove that our view is the correct one. we are finite! we're limited in our knowledge, no matter how much studying we do, whether it be on our own or through group bible studies or seminary or whatever the source of knowledge is. i dunno...i'm just frustrated about alot of things right now. now i know for a fact that i don't always follow what this scripture subscribes as much as i should but i do believe that it would be pretty hard for people to have different views on this verse:

Proverbs 3:5-7

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

none of us should be wise in our own eyes, and we shouldn't lean on our own understanding. now i don't know how else to lean on the wisdom of God except through his Word and through prayer. if the bible wasn't reliable i have a hard time believing it would be here for you and i to read today. i can only imagine how many people have tried to discredit it. doesn't the longevity of the "good book" speak for itself??? and if you can find flaws in His Word ask Him for the answers to the quesions you have. its still up to Him to decide whether or not you'll get the answer but there can't be harm in asking. James 1:5. the bible even says that God's foolishness is wiser than man's wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:25. and actually read that whole chapter to see the context of the message. it speaks on divisions in the "church", the church being the body of believers. ahhh...its time for bed and i could go on and on. hopefully i'll be back to blogging soon. i'm just more concerned about getting my personal time with God back.

we only know in part

I Corinthian 13 8-12


8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

very interesting

got this link Inclusivism??? Universalism??? Judgement???
from ybmt. i don't really have a comment about it, not now anyway. i find the topic to be very interesting though. i will say this. it does make one wonder about all the different ways people look at the gospel in Christiandom. and to some degree it makes me sad that we all seem to think we have it right and the other "groups" don't. and i'm talking about each so-called "side".

my little man

this is my chubbawubba!! i never thought i'd post a pic of my kid on the 'net but man....i'm in love with this kid. i can look at pics of him all day and can't help but be proud!! we've been married for 12 yrs and this our first, so you could understand if i was thinking we weren't gonna have children. sometimes i still can't believe i have a child!!! i got to hold him right after he was born for a good half hour, even before mom!! what a blessing!! and i'm proud to say that this daddy has been doin it all from day one. changing diapers, feeding, helping give baths, takin work off to go for support when he got his shots, getting up in the middle of night to help out. i don't regret it. i've never been so tired in my life lol, but its' all love. don't get me wrong, i've been very frustrated at times and the crying would drive me insane at times, but i love him. he's alot of fun and has a face full of expressions. we think we have a character on our hands (and with mom and dad's personalities?!? we've got a little comedian) and man is this kid gonna be active!! he was constantly on the move in the womb and is still kickin those feet today!! he'll be six months tomorrow! its hard to believe that we just had him. thats what it feels like. he was so small when he was born and he's just blown up! i call him chubbycheeks or chubbawubba and that gets a big smile from him!!! anyway, i was feeling like i needed to put some kinda picture up, i love photos, and thought these would be good to put up today.

"killing my old man"

that title is from an old Petra (lyrics) song!!

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self...Eph. 4:22-the first part of vs. 24

taken from today's our daily bread - He's not interested in merely changing our spiritual appearance. Instead, He intends to replace our character with what is called "the new man," made in the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:24). The flesh has a tendency to perform religious activity, but this is not the work of the Holy Spirit. He will completely transform us on the inside.


But the process is a partnership (Philippians 2:12-13). As we daily lay aside our old behaviors and replace them with godly ones, the God of grace works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit.



12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. - Philippians 2:12-13