With the media talking about the anniversary of Roe v. Wade a lot lately, I've been thinking a lot about my stance on abortion. As most Christian fundamentalists, I've always held tightly to a strict pro-life belief. Abortion is wrong and it should be outlawed. But as I've grown, I've started to question the legal part of it, and yesterday, I think I've finally come to rest on a solid opinion.
Again, the following is just my opinion and is not representative of anyone other than myself. You are welcome to agree. You are welcome to disagree. This is such a tremendous issue that I think it's important for people to come to a decision on their own after taking in all the considerations and then hold firmly and unwaveringly to their belief.
First of all, the Bible clearly condemns the shedding of innocent blood. We can infer from the Old Testament that God considers a fetus as human life at the moment of conception. In Old Testament law, if two men were fighting and accidentally struck a pregnant woman and caused her to lose the baby, the one who accidentally hit her was to be killed. That's pretty strict. In God's eyes, a baby is a human life before it is ever born.
Since God considers abortion murder, I firmly believe it is wrong. I do not agree with abortion. But here is where I may lose some of you (and will quite possibly take some fire for my view). I do NOT believe the government has the right or authority to dictate or decide whether or not abortion is legal.
When you mention abortion to most people, they picture the knocked up cheerleader that wants to erase the consequences of her actions. Don't get me wrong, I am not unsympathetic to her plight. We all make mistakes. But killing an innocent life for the sake of your convenience is absolutely wrong.
I don't believe I have the right to dictate the right or wrong of abortion to a woman who was raped and is now pregnant with her rapists baby or the parents who were just told by the doctor that the baby growing inside is going to be severely handicapped, live a life of pain and suffering only to die at the age of 5. I have heard many stories of doctors delivering that sort of grim news, only for the parents to go ahead and give birth to a miraculously perfect, healthy baby. And although I don't think my wife and I could ever abort our own baby even if it was going to be horribly ill, I have not lived through it and I have no right to tell someone what they should do in that situation.
As a matter of fact, to play the devil's advocate for a moment, parents are supposed to love their children and do whatever they have to in order to take care of them and provide the best life for them. In that case, what is more cruel; ending a life of misery and suffering before it begins (even though it breaks the parents heart) or raising a child that has no quality of life and suffers through horrible disabilities to the day her or she dies? I believe with all my heart that God can step down and intervene after a doctor says there is no hope, but let's look at the facts. Physically and mentally disabled children are born every day, meaning that although you pray and ask God to fix your unborn child, it may not happen, which opens up a whole Pandora's box of questions and philosophy which I am unprepared to charge into here and now.
Anyways, I have no right to dictate to someone else what they are to do in that sort of situation. And thankfully, since I am not God, it is not my responsibility to. And although sometimes the government thinks it is in fact divine and holy, it is not their place either.
With that being said, I don't feel the knocked up cheerleader should be able to get her abortion and send me as a taxpayer the bill. I vehemently oppose funding the murder of the innocent under the candy coated title of "family planning." And that is the thought that brings me to the real purpose of this blog. Today, newly inaugurated President Barack Obama is signing an executive order allowing government funding for abortions in other countries. So essentially, our tax dollars can now pay for some Mexican whore to get an abortion so she can get back to work on the street corner. That's kind of an extreme example, but you get the drift.
The executive order is part of a partisan battle that started clear back in the Reagan administration. Reagan introduced legislation banning the use of US government money for the funding of abortion counseling and procedures in other countries. Clinton reversed it. George W. Bush reversed the reversal. And now Obama has reversed the reversed reversal.
First of all, funding the murder of innocents here in our own country is absolutely wrong. But to give money to foreign countries to do the same (especially while unemployment is continuing to rise and our economy continues to deteriorate) is left wing insanity.
My fellow Americans; get mad. Get indignant. This dude's been in office for just a few days and he's already pushing liberalism, and he ain't doing it subtly. Write your senators and congressmen. Blog about it. Talk about it at the coffee shops and with your neighbors. Whether you are pro-life, pro-choice, or libertarian the use of our tax dollars to fund abortion for non-US citizens is unpatriotic and unethical. How can we be humanitarians and take care of other nations if we can't take care of ourselves? The most important thing you can do for a poor person is to not be poor, because if you are poor, you can't help them.
Below are the links to the stories where you can learn more about this issue. As a side note, I have done my best to give Obama the benefit of the doubt. I don't agree with him on many issues, but I've done my best to have an open mind and a willingness to at least let the guy get settled into office. But this issue has caused me to seriously doubt this man and I am quickly losing respect for him.
You can read the story here on FoxNews.com and learn more about the original legislation here.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
There's a Thin Line Between Faith and Apathy
It's true. There is a very thin line between faith and apathy; between a true belief that God can do the miraculous and a crutch to avoid responsibility for our lives. Many times people say things like "God is in control." or "If it's God's will..." when they face troubling circumstances. While it is true that God is in control, too many people are using that as a crutch. If God is in control and I am not, then when things go wrong or trouble befalls me, I have someone to blame for it. If God is in control, then it doesn't matter what I do or whether I try or not, because it's God's responsibility. That is flawed thinking.
Faith without works is dead. If I desperately need $2000, I cannot sit around and do nothing but pray and have faith and expect God to drop it in my lap. Faith doesn't work that way. If I need $2000, God expects me to believe Him for it and then get off my do-nothing and go find a way to get it. God will supply the way, but we must supply the will.
For a car to go, the engine needs two things; fuel and air. Without fuel and air, there will be no explosion in the cylinder and therefore no power to move the car. We are the same way. Miracles require two things; faith and action. Without faith, God has no reason to intervene any more than I should expect you to help me if I didn't believe you were willing or able to do so. Without action, God has nothing He can work with; no tools He can use to create our miracle.
For some people, "If it's God's will..." is a crutch of apathy; they are too lazy or careless to actually DO something about their circumstances so by waiting on God, they are shirking their responsibilities with the benefit of a pious excuse. For others, it's not so much a matter of laziness, but rather a matter of fear. It's sort of like the high school graduate too scared to open the letter from the college of his choice for fear they did not accept him. In his mind, it's better to not know than to know and be disappointed.
Using the crutch of "God's in control." out of fear of being disappointed is nothing more than a lack of faith in God cleverly disguised as pious belief. If we say we have faith but have no works, we have nothing. If we have no works because we're afraid of being disappointed by an almighty, awesome and wonderfully loving God, then we don't really know who He is or understand His character.
In short, God is in control, and God does have a will. But it is our job to prayerfully find our place; prayerfully add works to our faith in order for God to do what only He can do and provide the miracle for which we need.
Faith without works is dead. If I desperately need $2000, I cannot sit around and do nothing but pray and have faith and expect God to drop it in my lap. Faith doesn't work that way. If I need $2000, God expects me to believe Him for it and then get off my do-nothing and go find a way to get it. God will supply the way, but we must supply the will.
For a car to go, the engine needs two things; fuel and air. Without fuel and air, there will be no explosion in the cylinder and therefore no power to move the car. We are the same way. Miracles require two things; faith and action. Without faith, God has no reason to intervene any more than I should expect you to help me if I didn't believe you were willing or able to do so. Without action, God has nothing He can work with; no tools He can use to create our miracle.
For some people, "If it's God's will..." is a crutch of apathy; they are too lazy or careless to actually DO something about their circumstances so by waiting on God, they are shirking their responsibilities with the benefit of a pious excuse. For others, it's not so much a matter of laziness, but rather a matter of fear. It's sort of like the high school graduate too scared to open the letter from the college of his choice for fear they did not accept him. In his mind, it's better to not know than to know and be disappointed.
Using the crutch of "God's in control." out of fear of being disappointed is nothing more than a lack of faith in God cleverly disguised as pious belief. If we say we have faith but have no works, we have nothing. If we have no works because we're afraid of being disappointed by an almighty, awesome and wonderfully loving God, then we don't really know who He is or understand His character.
In short, God is in control, and God does have a will. But it is our job to prayerfully find our place; prayerfully add works to our faith in order for God to do what only He can do and provide the miracle for which we need.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Prerequisites For Miracles
Everyone in life has problems that require a miraculous, divine intervention from the Lord God. We may not have such an issue constantly, one after another in life, but at some point, everyone goes through something where we need a miracle. Jesus taught us to ask and we'd receive, seek and we'd find, and knock and it'd be opened to us. If Jesus said it, I believe it. However, I believe there are some requirements we must meet first before we can claim this verse. I believe God expects a few things of us before we can expect something from Him. I'm not a scholar or a prophet, but I'll attempt to lay out what I believe are prerequisites for a miracle.
Rhetorical Question #1 - Is There Sin In the Camp?
For many fundamentalists, this is the first thing they point out when someone has a hardship. Although I think many people are too quick to blame trouble on sin, there is definitely a reality to it. Joshua chapter 7 tells the story of a man who took gold, silver and a robe from the ruins of Jericho after God commanded all the spoils be brought into the Lord's treasury. The man's name was Achan. He buried these stolen goods under his tent. When Israel went to battle against the city of Ai, a small town they should have easily defeated, they got their butts handed to them. The men of Ai chased them away from the city gates and killed 36 of the Israelite soldiers.
Joshua cried out to God "What happened!?!?" God told him that someone had stolen from the Lord and broke his commandment. Achan confessed, they found the stolen goods, and stoned Achan and his entire family. They then went on to defeat Ai with the blessing and favor of God. While God doesn't do much stoning these days, there is a very real spiritual principle to observe here. Although Achan had hidden his sin from others, he didn't hide if from the all-seeing God. God would be condoning sin and disobedience if he gave His blessing and favor to a people who were willingly disobedient and sinful, therefore God could not bless Israel. Notice that Achan's sin not only affected himself and his family, but the entire nation of Israel. Our actions can have serious consequences for not only ourselves, but others as well.
The difference between then and now is the blood of Christ. Christ came to off forgiveness and mercy and to be justice for our sake. He didn't replace justice with mercy, he became justice so that we could have mercy. If there is hidden sin in your life, confess it and get rid of it. Turn and walk away from it. As long as you are willingly and knowingly being disobedient to God, He cannot and will not bless you.
Rhetorical Question #2 - Is What You Are Asking In God's Will?
Way to many Christians use this point as a crutch. "Oh, if it was God's will for me to be healed, I would be healed." They use this thought as an easy out, because let's face it, faith isn't always easy. It's much easier to believe in the obvious than to trust in an unseen God for a supernatural miracle. This is where reading God's word and seeking His heart come in. It is God's will that our bodies be made whole. It is God's will that we prosper and be in health. But if you are harboring sin, it is not God's will to bless you until you confess and repent of your sin. If God is ready to take you eternally home to be with Him, He may not remove the cancer that is accomplishing His will. (Side-note - That doesn't mean He won't give you the peace that passes all understanding in the face of death.) However, it is impossible to know God's will for you and your situation if you don't seek Him.
Often we look at delays as defeats. If God doesn't answer our prayer in a week, a month, or even a year, we don't think it is an answered prayer. I read a story a while back of a couple that was over $100,000 in debt and they prayed and prayed for a $100,000 miracle. God didn't answer there prayers by giving them the winning lotto numbers or having a generous stranger write them a check. The couple went through bankruptcy and struggled for several years. Way later in life, their daughter received a $100,000 scholarship, meaning they wouldn't have to pay for college. God answered their prayers, but He didn't do it on their terms. He had a bigger, better plan. God had His will in the matter.
If you ask God for $1 million, He may not give it to you all at once in a lump sum. If you ask God for $1 million to buy a dream house and the biggest SUV you can find, He probably won't give it to you because with great wealth comes great struggle relying on God instead of self. If you ask God for $1 million to accomplish a ministry goal or spread the gospel or feed the hungry, you are trying to carry out God's will, and he will give you exactly what you need to do that, whether it is a $1 million donation or a million people sending a dollar to the cause you are praying for.
Rhetorical Question #3 - Do You Believe?
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is what makes the invisible and intangible visible and tangible. There are Christians living on both sides of faith. Some believe that just because they believe, they can have anything. They believe that if they want to own the moon and believe hard enough for it, that they can. Then there are others who see the ridiculousness of this notion and couple it with their own doubting attitude and don't believe we can change ANYTHING with faith.
Both camps are wrong, and the truth lies somewhere in between. God makes it very clear in the Word that we can have whatever we ask for if we ask in His name (i.e., according to his desire for us) and believe for what we've asked. Without faith, we won't keep doing the things required to lay hold of that which we're asking for. If we don't believe the door will be opened, we won't keep knocking. If we don't believe we'll receive, we'll never ask, much less continue to ask.
There it is. We need to get rid of the sin in our life, ask according to God's will and desire for us, and finally believe that we'll receive in order to get the miracle that we're asking for. Laid out on paper, it sounds so simple, but like many things, putting it into action can often be difficult. Discovering secret sin is hard because so often, it's been there so long that we overlook it every time we inspect. A root of bitterness can be growing for years and it becomes so ingrained within us that we don't even notice that it is growing and crowding out what God wants to do in us. Sorting out our desires with God's will can often get pretty murky because many times, what we want lines up with the character of God because we are created in His image. But just because it lines up with God's character doesn't mean our motives are pure or that it is what God wants from us. A serious lack of faith in a loving, generous, giving God is often cleverly disguised by our subconscious as being "realistic." And the only way to sort out this murkiness is to talk to God. We must get to know his character through His word, His heart through His Son, and his desire for us through the Holy Spirit in prayer.
This has been a public service announcement from a hypocrite who can preach these points but struggles with living them out day to day. Or maybe I'm not a hypocrite because I can admit that I struggle with these myself. Either way, I hope that it has blessed you and clarified areas in your own life to improve upon and pray about in order to receive the miracles and blessings God is waiting to heap on you.
Cheers, and God bless!
Hoss
Rhetorical Question #1 - Is There Sin In the Camp?
For many fundamentalists, this is the first thing they point out when someone has a hardship. Although I think many people are too quick to blame trouble on sin, there is definitely a reality to it. Joshua chapter 7 tells the story of a man who took gold, silver and a robe from the ruins of Jericho after God commanded all the spoils be brought into the Lord's treasury. The man's name was Achan. He buried these stolen goods under his tent. When Israel went to battle against the city of Ai, a small town they should have easily defeated, they got their butts handed to them. The men of Ai chased them away from the city gates and killed 36 of the Israelite soldiers.
Joshua cried out to God "What happened!?!?" God told him that someone had stolen from the Lord and broke his commandment. Achan confessed, they found the stolen goods, and stoned Achan and his entire family. They then went on to defeat Ai with the blessing and favor of God. While God doesn't do much stoning these days, there is a very real spiritual principle to observe here. Although Achan had hidden his sin from others, he didn't hide if from the all-seeing God. God would be condoning sin and disobedience if he gave His blessing and favor to a people who were willingly disobedient and sinful, therefore God could not bless Israel. Notice that Achan's sin not only affected himself and his family, but the entire nation of Israel. Our actions can have serious consequences for not only ourselves, but others as well.
The difference between then and now is the blood of Christ. Christ came to off forgiveness and mercy and to be justice for our sake. He didn't replace justice with mercy, he became justice so that we could have mercy. If there is hidden sin in your life, confess it and get rid of it. Turn and walk away from it. As long as you are willingly and knowingly being disobedient to God, He cannot and will not bless you.
Rhetorical Question #2 - Is What You Are Asking In God's Will?
Way to many Christians use this point as a crutch. "Oh, if it was God's will for me to be healed, I would be healed." They use this thought as an easy out, because let's face it, faith isn't always easy. It's much easier to believe in the obvious than to trust in an unseen God for a supernatural miracle. This is where reading God's word and seeking His heart come in. It is God's will that our bodies be made whole. It is God's will that we prosper and be in health. But if you are harboring sin, it is not God's will to bless you until you confess and repent of your sin. If God is ready to take you eternally home to be with Him, He may not remove the cancer that is accomplishing His will. (Side-note - That doesn't mean He won't give you the peace that passes all understanding in the face of death.) However, it is impossible to know God's will for you and your situation if you don't seek Him.
Often we look at delays as defeats. If God doesn't answer our prayer in a week, a month, or even a year, we don't think it is an answered prayer. I read a story a while back of a couple that was over $100,000 in debt and they prayed and prayed for a $100,000 miracle. God didn't answer there prayers by giving them the winning lotto numbers or having a generous stranger write them a check. The couple went through bankruptcy and struggled for several years. Way later in life, their daughter received a $100,000 scholarship, meaning they wouldn't have to pay for college. God answered their prayers, but He didn't do it on their terms. He had a bigger, better plan. God had His will in the matter.
If you ask God for $1 million, He may not give it to you all at once in a lump sum. If you ask God for $1 million to buy a dream house and the biggest SUV you can find, He probably won't give it to you because with great wealth comes great struggle relying on God instead of self. If you ask God for $1 million to accomplish a ministry goal or spread the gospel or feed the hungry, you are trying to carry out God's will, and he will give you exactly what you need to do that, whether it is a $1 million donation or a million people sending a dollar to the cause you are praying for.
Rhetorical Question #3 - Do You Believe?
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is what makes the invisible and intangible visible and tangible. There are Christians living on both sides of faith. Some believe that just because they believe, they can have anything. They believe that if they want to own the moon and believe hard enough for it, that they can. Then there are others who see the ridiculousness of this notion and couple it with their own doubting attitude and don't believe we can change ANYTHING with faith.
Both camps are wrong, and the truth lies somewhere in between. God makes it very clear in the Word that we can have whatever we ask for if we ask in His name (i.e., according to his desire for us) and believe for what we've asked. Without faith, we won't keep doing the things required to lay hold of that which we're asking for. If we don't believe the door will be opened, we won't keep knocking. If we don't believe we'll receive, we'll never ask, much less continue to ask.
There it is. We need to get rid of the sin in our life, ask according to God's will and desire for us, and finally believe that we'll receive in order to get the miracle that we're asking for. Laid out on paper, it sounds so simple, but like many things, putting it into action can often be difficult. Discovering secret sin is hard because so often, it's been there so long that we overlook it every time we inspect. A root of bitterness can be growing for years and it becomes so ingrained within us that we don't even notice that it is growing and crowding out what God wants to do in us. Sorting out our desires with God's will can often get pretty murky because many times, what we want lines up with the character of God because we are created in His image. But just because it lines up with God's character doesn't mean our motives are pure or that it is what God wants from us. A serious lack of faith in a loving, generous, giving God is often cleverly disguised by our subconscious as being "realistic." And the only way to sort out this murkiness is to talk to God. We must get to know his character through His word, His heart through His Son, and his desire for us through the Holy Spirit in prayer.
This has been a public service announcement from a hypocrite who can preach these points but struggles with living them out day to day. Or maybe I'm not a hypocrite because I can admit that I struggle with these myself. Either way, I hope that it has blessed you and clarified areas in your own life to improve upon and pray about in order to receive the miracles and blessings God is waiting to heap on you.
Cheers, and God bless!
Hoss
First post of 2009
Well, it's been quite a while since I've posted anything new. I go through stages it seems with writing. I'll be on fire and write, write, write for a month or two, cool off for a month or two, fire back up again, and on and on the cycle goes. So, I'm actually planning on posting a couple of things today.
My last post was before Thanksgiving, and a lot has happened since then. We spent Thanksgiving moving my in-laws. My father-in-law found a good job in Seattle, so while he's working over there, they are renting out their house and my mother-in-law moved into our spare bedroom. I was more than willing to do whatever I could to help them out, but I thought it was going to be pretty tough having people living with us, but thankfully, it's actually been pretty great. We're enjoying having them there, and my dad-in-law has been off work since before Christmas and will be going back later this month, so it's awesome that he gets to be around.
Our son, Quinn, is doing amazing things. He decided he was done crawling and he didn't like falling much, so he's just full-on walking now. No stumbling, no hesitation, he just walks. It's awesome. He's truly the pride of my life. He's such a blessing and so wonderful. It's hard to believe that a year ago tomorrow he was just coming into our lives. So much has happened since then...so much has changed and we've been through so much. It doesn't look like we'll be reaching the end of our struggles any time soon, but my beautiful baby boy reminds me of God's promise and fulfillment, and it reminds me to keep holding on to His other promises for us and to wait for the fulfillment of those.
We got rid of our beloved Nissan Xterra and were blessed with an older Isuzu Trooper that is just amazing. It does great on gas, great on the road, awesome off road, and saves us a ton of money every month by not having a massive car payment! My buddies and I are going to lift it a little bit and build a custom front bumper, rock sliders and a roof rack with 3 8" Pro Comp off road lights and enough space to haul a ton of camping and off-roading gear. I'm pretty excited about that.
I've decided to start a new recording project later in the spring. I've had a season of winter musically for a while, and I think I'm breaking out of that and I feel some music stuff just about ready to break through the surface and break out. What that means, I don't know...I just feel a restlessness in my spirit and heart. I read a blog the other day from a great worship band (Leeland) about being on the road. As I was reading this blog about traveling through New Jersey looking at the snow, in my mind I could so vividly feel it. I could feel the vibration and bumps of the van as I was traveling down the road to the next venue; I could see the snow, feel the contrast of the cold window and the blasting heater. I often think that I'm destined to be traveling and leading worship, ministering, and playing music, and as I sit and stare at this computer screen at my job, I feel so unfulfilled and yet so hopeful.
It has snowed a ton here this year, and I had no shoes worthy of trudging in the snow and slush. So, I bought some steel-toed, waterproof hiking/work boots from WalMart the other day, and they are pretty much the coolest kicks in the cave. They are not my usual style of footwear, but it's kinda fun knowing I could kick a hole in a concrete wall and not hurt my toes.
I've been hooked on watching Lost. ABC has posted all 4 seasons online, and I have watched all 4 of them. Although it is a bizarre show at times, I really like it and I'm excited for the premier later this month.
Well, that's about it for my life update. Oh yeah...one more thing. We discovered that we're pregnant again! We are going to be having baby #2 in August. At first we were terrified and kinda heartbroken about it, simply because now is no time to be having babies. But, children are a blessing from God, and we'll just trust Him to provide and make a way, and we are really happy and excited now.
That's about it. I've got a teaching-type blog I'll post up later. I may even preach it one of these days. But in the mean time...
Oh, and one more thing I just remembered. What is it about the hills and mountains that make all the troubles of life fade and make God appear bigger and more real than ever? The wife and I loaded up our kid-o and our dogs and headed to the hills for a drive on Sunday. We drove up Van Deusen, past Willow Creek, past our usual camping spots and up to a pond that was frozen over and absolutely gorgeous. It was all so beautiful and gorgeous up there, and it just kinda melted all the worries from our minds and we just got to enjoy God's creation and each other's company. I don't know if it happens like this to everyone, but I felt so alive and happy being up there.
Cheers, and God bless!
Hoss
My last post was before Thanksgiving, and a lot has happened since then. We spent Thanksgiving moving my in-laws. My father-in-law found a good job in Seattle, so while he's working over there, they are renting out their house and my mother-in-law moved into our spare bedroom. I was more than willing to do whatever I could to help them out, but I thought it was going to be pretty tough having people living with us, but thankfully, it's actually been pretty great. We're enjoying having them there, and my dad-in-law has been off work since before Christmas and will be going back later this month, so it's awesome that he gets to be around.
Our son, Quinn, is doing amazing things. He decided he was done crawling and he didn't like falling much, so he's just full-on walking now. No stumbling, no hesitation, he just walks. It's awesome. He's truly the pride of my life. He's such a blessing and so wonderful. It's hard to believe that a year ago tomorrow he was just coming into our lives. So much has happened since then...so much has changed and we've been through so much. It doesn't look like we'll be reaching the end of our struggles any time soon, but my beautiful baby boy reminds me of God's promise and fulfillment, and it reminds me to keep holding on to His other promises for us and to wait for the fulfillment of those.
We got rid of our beloved Nissan Xterra and were blessed with an older Isuzu Trooper that is just amazing. It does great on gas, great on the road, awesome off road, and saves us a ton of money every month by not having a massive car payment! My buddies and I are going to lift it a little bit and build a custom front bumper, rock sliders and a roof rack with 3 8" Pro Comp off road lights and enough space to haul a ton of camping and off-roading gear. I'm pretty excited about that.
I've decided to start a new recording project later in the spring. I've had a season of winter musically for a while, and I think I'm breaking out of that and I feel some music stuff just about ready to break through the surface and break out. What that means, I don't know...I just feel a restlessness in my spirit and heart. I read a blog the other day from a great worship band (Leeland) about being on the road. As I was reading this blog about traveling through New Jersey looking at the snow, in my mind I could so vividly feel it. I could feel the vibration and bumps of the van as I was traveling down the road to the next venue; I could see the snow, feel the contrast of the cold window and the blasting heater. I often think that I'm destined to be traveling and leading worship, ministering, and playing music, and as I sit and stare at this computer screen at my job, I feel so unfulfilled and yet so hopeful.
It has snowed a ton here this year, and I had no shoes worthy of trudging in the snow and slush. So, I bought some steel-toed, waterproof hiking/work boots from WalMart the other day, and they are pretty much the coolest kicks in the cave. They are not my usual style of footwear, but it's kinda fun knowing I could kick a hole in a concrete wall and not hurt my toes.
I've been hooked on watching Lost. ABC has posted all 4 seasons online, and I have watched all 4 of them. Although it is a bizarre show at times, I really like it and I'm excited for the premier later this month.
Well, that's about it for my life update. Oh yeah...one more thing. We discovered that we're pregnant again! We are going to be having baby #2 in August. At first we were terrified and kinda heartbroken about it, simply because now is no time to be having babies. But, children are a blessing from God, and we'll just trust Him to provide and make a way, and we are really happy and excited now.
That's about it. I've got a teaching-type blog I'll post up later. I may even preach it one of these days. But in the mean time...
Oh, and one more thing I just remembered. What is it about the hills and mountains that make all the troubles of life fade and make God appear bigger and more real than ever? The wife and I loaded up our kid-o and our dogs and headed to the hills for a drive on Sunday. We drove up Van Deusen, past Willow Creek, past our usual camping spots and up to a pond that was frozen over and absolutely gorgeous. It was all so beautiful and gorgeous up there, and it just kinda melted all the worries from our minds and we just got to enjoy God's creation and each other's company. I don't know if it happens like this to everyone, but I felt so alive and happy being up there.
Cheers, and God bless!
Hoss
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