Merry Christmas family and friends! I pray that you'll reflect on Jesus' name; the one whose birthday we celebrate today.
Jesus, God and very God took humanity to Himself and came to us a man, experiencing the same challenges and joys we face, even allowing himself to die a grizzly death on a cross so that we would be saved from the penalty of our sins. That penalty is death forever! Jesus' death on that cross more than 2000 years ago is the payment for that penalty for all people for all time!
His death is the salvation of all people as long as they accept it. It's a gift, so you cannot earn it and cannot deserve it so that nobody can brag that they received it. You must take it by sincerely trusting that Jesus did this for you and choosing to turn from your sins (lying, stealing, cheating, lusting, etc.) those of which we have all committed. The penalty for one sin is the same as for ten! When it comes to turning from our sin we can't do it ourselves. If we could we would have done it already. We must trust in Jesus to make us strong where we are weak. This is a daily giving up our rights just as he gave up His to save us for eternity. He chose you, now choose Him and make the best decision of your life. Accept His death on the cross and turn from your sins.
"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever trusts in Him should not die but have life and live forever." John 3:16.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Saturday, December 10, 2005
"Upper Endo" Time
A close friend who works in a pharmacy has really been on my case about getting into the doctor's office to have my esophagus looked at for any damage due to the affects of acid reflux. I've had GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) symptoms for about 2 years now. This may sound bad but I don't remember having any symptoms before I was married. Soon after I was married though, the symptoms really ramped up.
(Clarification #1) Before I am misunderstood any further, I must say being married to my wife is the second most wonderful gift God has ever given me. The first is salvation through his one and only son Jesus Christ. All that said, that doesn't mean that marriage isn't stressful (sorry had to put in the double negative). In fact, I think marriage is much more stressful for me than it is for her. I thought I was easy going until I met her. But, the circumstances surrounding our relationship and marriage, to say the least, were the most stressful I've encountered in my life, bar none. (I know, talk about opening a can of worms.) I'll save all that for perhaps another blog all together. So super-stress is my current theory on why I may have acquired GERD.
(Digression #1) My wife and I were visiting some close relatives this summer and I non-chalantly brought up the fact that I suffer from this strange "disease" common to more than six million Americans. It came up most likely because I had to decline some food item or caffeinated beverage being offered to me. I don't voluntarily like to bring attention to it unless someone asks or it would seem awkward not to mention why I decline. There are enough people in the world who have much worse health problems.
I quickly and caringly received a friendly commercial on the Hallelujah Diet from Hallejuah Acres. All that said we drove away from their house with a hand-me-down juicer from Champion. This is one of those mid-range juicers no less than $200. We were so grateful for their generosity.
(Rabbit trail ahead...) Have you ever juiced anything? Carrots for example, are great for your eyes, nails and I'm sure much more. We decided to throw in spinach and after awhile a chunk of beet or two. Wow what a drink! Let's just say it's an acquired taste. It's a little much to handle at first when everything (and I mean the kitchen sink) is thrown in there. So a common recommendation for newbie juicers is carrots because it is sweet and isn't as hard on the stomach as perhaps tomato juice. With carrots I couldn't believe how fast my nails grew. I'm accustomed to cutting them about every two weeks or so. But juicing about four times a week for month or so straight had me trimming them almost every week.
Again, back to GERD, I finally went in to get an upper endoscopy from my animated and I-absolutely-love-my-job gastroenterologist. He didn't find a bit of damage. Thank you Lord! So I took that to mean... "Start making those wise decisions regarding your overall health that you know you should've long ago." Like exercising regularly, drinking lots of water, getting good rest and relax. The only one I'm really succeeding at right now is drinking lots of water.
So what does juicing have to do with all this? This summer, the Hallelujah Acres site had testimonial after testimonial praising the diet because of how it completely masked their GERD symptoms. Several said that if they got lazy and stopped juicing after about three weeks, symptoms would come back much weaker than before but nevertheless would come back. Still, if I could mask symptoms by eating foods as naturally as possible, by juicing or otherwise and avoid taking meds, then great!
Well I juiced with the help of my lovely wife for almost two months. After we let up a bit, the heartburn returned and I had to see my doctor again. He said to take Omeprisole (generic for Pepcid) twice a day instead of the once-a-day I was currently prescribed. And it was on that visit that I begged to see the gastroenterologist and have an upper endoscopy. What you don't know can hurt you was my philosophy.
Let's just say the results were a relief but the whats next question was proposed by my doctor minutes before he put me under. "Surgery?" he asked? "Uh that's an absolute last resort!" I replied.
So that takes us back to the making wise decisions about my overall health and getting some real discipline going. God is good. Gotta take it a day at a time!
(Clarification #1) Before I am misunderstood any further, I must say being married to my wife is the second most wonderful gift God has ever given me. The first is salvation through his one and only son Jesus Christ. All that said, that doesn't mean that marriage isn't stressful (sorry had to put in the double negative). In fact, I think marriage is much more stressful for me than it is for her. I thought I was easy going until I met her. But, the circumstances surrounding our relationship and marriage, to say the least, were the most stressful I've encountered in my life, bar none. (I know, talk about opening a can of worms.) I'll save all that for perhaps another blog all together. So super-stress is my current theory on why I may have acquired GERD.
(Digression #1) My wife and I were visiting some close relatives this summer and I non-chalantly brought up the fact that I suffer from this strange "disease" common to more than six million Americans. It came up most likely because I had to decline some food item or caffeinated beverage being offered to me. I don't voluntarily like to bring attention to it unless someone asks or it would seem awkward not to mention why I decline. There are enough people in the world who have much worse health problems.
I quickly and caringly received a friendly commercial on the Hallelujah Diet from Hallejuah Acres. All that said we drove away from their house with a hand-me-down juicer from Champion. This is one of those mid-range juicers no less than $200. We were so grateful for their generosity.
(Rabbit trail ahead...) Have you ever juiced anything? Carrots for example, are great for your eyes, nails and I'm sure much more. We decided to throw in spinach and after awhile a chunk of beet or two. Wow what a drink! Let's just say it's an acquired taste. It's a little much to handle at first when everything (and I mean the kitchen sink) is thrown in there. So a common recommendation for newbie juicers is carrots because it is sweet and isn't as hard on the stomach as perhaps tomato juice. With carrots I couldn't believe how fast my nails grew. I'm accustomed to cutting them about every two weeks or so. But juicing about four times a week for month or so straight had me trimming them almost every week.
Again, back to GERD, I finally went in to get an upper endoscopy from my animated and I-absolutely-love-my-job gastroenterologist. He didn't find a bit of damage. Thank you Lord! So I took that to mean... "Start making those wise decisions regarding your overall health that you know you should've long ago." Like exercising regularly, drinking lots of water, getting good rest and relax. The only one I'm really succeeding at right now is drinking lots of water.
So what does juicing have to do with all this? This summer, the Hallelujah Acres site had testimonial after testimonial praising the diet because of how it completely masked their GERD symptoms. Several said that if they got lazy and stopped juicing after about three weeks, symptoms would come back much weaker than before but nevertheless would come back. Still, if I could mask symptoms by eating foods as naturally as possible, by juicing or otherwise and avoid taking meds, then great!
Well I juiced with the help of my lovely wife for almost two months. After we let up a bit, the heartburn returned and I had to see my doctor again. He said to take Omeprisole (generic for Pepcid) twice a day instead of the once-a-day I was currently prescribed. And it was on that visit that I begged to see the gastroenterologist and have an upper endoscopy. What you don't know can hurt you was my philosophy.
Let's just say the results were a relief but the whats next question was proposed by my doctor minutes before he put me under. "Surgery?" he asked? "Uh that's an absolute last resort!" I replied.
So that takes us back to the making wise decisions about my overall health and getting some real discipline going. God is good. Gotta take it a day at a time!
Saturday, December 03, 2005
"I know that guy..." Part 2
So I left off with Billy...
By the way... before I continue with Part 2, I have been bombarded with nothing but hate mail and nasty grams for not finishing this story. OK, so maybe it hasn't been that bad but I do apologize for taking over a month to finish this story. I hope you won't be disappointed... those of you demanding an ending to the story.
As in the words of Grandpa in The Princess Bride, "Now where was I?... Oh yes..."
10 minutes prior to what took place in the first story, I was walking back from the mailbox with some mail and noticed Billy standing in his driveway on the other side of the street holding something in his hands. I said hi and kept walking.
He crossed the street and proceeded to show me the playing cards he held in his hand. They appeared to be from some sort of role playing game. Dragons, knights and warriors appeared, all with their own powers and cost. As I listened to this boy, whom I know has no siblings and living with his Dad and girlfriend, I sensed loneliness and a need for approval. My heart went out to him.
It was a kind of a surreal experience where I was physically there but not mentally. It seemed as though he was seeking a father figure or male mentor. So, knowing that in this day and age it is risky just to be seen with children that aren't yours (and as far as his dad is concerned, I'm practically a stranger. I still haven't met him in the three years I've been here.), I slowly started backing up toward my house hinting non-verbally that I best get going. Surreal in that his need for belonging and a sense of safety was so deafening that I could almost not hear him speak at all. My heart cried out "Lord, please be a father to the fatherless!"
As I continued to back up, Sara and her companion approached with the red Radio Flyer wagon asking for Billy's attention. He maybe nodded in her direction but really just ignored her until he was finished describing every last detail about each card he held. I didn't want to encourage his rudeness to Sara so I made it more obvious that I was leaving. With that he said something to Sara to "get her off his back" and sort of started following me back to my house continuing to explain why the cards he has are worth the most and how to acquire them.
To myself, I cracked up because of this dogged determination to make sure I understood how important these cards were and how he ignored Sara. All to follow just moments later with, "I know that guy." As if he were saying, "He's my bro dogs, we hang out all the time yo! I don't mind being associated with this dude. We go way back!" Another example might be from the most hilarious movie Dennis the Menace when Joey tells everyone crowding around Dennis, "This is my buddy. This is my pal..."
I couldn't help but think that's how I would want to be if Jesus Christ was here in the flesh and I were to take him around and introduce him to my friends. "This is my Lord. This is my Savior... I know this Guy. He saved me! He can save you too!"
Okay... So maybe the analogy is a stretch and somewhat silly. However, I do know that we all have a need and desire to belong. As my pastor says, we are all gregarious; designed for a flock.
Jesus talks about just this concept in this passage:
By the way... before I continue with Part 2, I have been bombarded with nothing but hate mail and nasty grams for not finishing this story. OK, so maybe it hasn't been that bad but I do apologize for taking over a month to finish this story. I hope you won't be disappointed... those of you demanding an ending to the story.
As in the words of Grandpa in The Princess Bride, "Now where was I?... Oh yes..."
10 minutes prior to what took place in the first story, I was walking back from the mailbox with some mail and noticed Billy standing in his driveway on the other side of the street holding something in his hands. I said hi and kept walking.
He crossed the street and proceeded to show me the playing cards he held in his hand. They appeared to be from some sort of role playing game. Dragons, knights and warriors appeared, all with their own powers and cost. As I listened to this boy, whom I know has no siblings and living with his Dad and girlfriend, I sensed loneliness and a need for approval. My heart went out to him.
It was a kind of a surreal experience where I was physically there but not mentally. It seemed as though he was seeking a father figure or male mentor. So, knowing that in this day and age it is risky just to be seen with children that aren't yours (and as far as his dad is concerned, I'm practically a stranger. I still haven't met him in the three years I've been here.), I slowly started backing up toward my house hinting non-verbally that I best get going. Surreal in that his need for belonging and a sense of safety was so deafening that I could almost not hear him speak at all. My heart cried out "Lord, please be a father to the fatherless!"
As I continued to back up, Sara and her companion approached with the red Radio Flyer wagon asking for Billy's attention. He maybe nodded in her direction but really just ignored her until he was finished describing every last detail about each card he held. I didn't want to encourage his rudeness to Sara so I made it more obvious that I was leaving. With that he said something to Sara to "get her off his back" and sort of started following me back to my house continuing to explain why the cards he has are worth the most and how to acquire them.
To myself, I cracked up because of this dogged determination to make sure I understood how important these cards were and how he ignored Sara. All to follow just moments later with, "I know that guy." As if he were saying, "He's my bro dogs, we hang out all the time yo! I don't mind being associated with this dude. We go way back!" Another example might be from the most hilarious movie Dennis the Menace when Joey tells everyone crowding around Dennis, "This is my buddy. This is my pal..."
I couldn't help but think that's how I would want to be if Jesus Christ was here in the flesh and I were to take him around and introduce him to my friends. "This is my Lord. This is my Savior... I know this Guy. He saved me! He can save you too!"
Okay... So maybe the analogy is a stretch and somewhat silly. However, I do know that we all have a need and desire to belong. As my pastor says, we are all gregarious; designed for a flock.
Jesus talks about just this concept in this passage:
John 10:14-17We are His!
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-- and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again. (NIV)
Isa 43:1I'd love to hear your thoughts about belonging to a flock or wanting to be associated with Jesus! You really need to "know that Guy... God!"
1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. (NIV)
Sunday, October 23, 2005
"I know that guy..."
Just yesterday afternoon, I was sitting on a chair in the back of my garage putting my shoes on to go work out in the yard when I overheard a conversation between three elementary school children. A boy who lives across the street was pulling these two young ladies sitting in a red Radio Flyer wagon up into my steep driveway.
Now to give a little bit of background... the woman who owned and sold me the home three years ago was very unfriendly to children according to the accounts of at least three neighbors. She would shoo them away and ask them to keep the noise down if they came anywhere near her property. I took as a compliment the fact that these kids felt comfortable approaching the property. But I didn't want to shoo them away for various reasons although I was tempted to do so because I was planning on bringing out a tiller and lawn mower and didn't want them to get hurt. So I left them alone and did not interact with them.
(Names have been changed to protect the innocent...)
The conversation I caught went something like this...
"Billy! His garage is open. I don't think we should be going up here," Sara said.
Billy replied, "It's okay. I know that guy."
"Are you sure???"
"Yeah..."
Now I'm almost positive they saw me putting my shoes on but what they didn't see was that I was chuckling inside with a smile on my face. Seconds later they left and I was busy working away mowing my lawn.
Now that little story by itself would absolutely bored most people to tears but what happened 10 minutes prior to them appearing in the driveway will give you a little more insight into the story. For more on that story please wait for the next post.
Now to give a little bit of background... the woman who owned and sold me the home three years ago was very unfriendly to children according to the accounts of at least three neighbors. She would shoo them away and ask them to keep the noise down if they came anywhere near her property. I took as a compliment the fact that these kids felt comfortable approaching the property. But I didn't want to shoo them away for various reasons although I was tempted to do so because I was planning on bringing out a tiller and lawn mower and didn't want them to get hurt. So I left them alone and did not interact with them.
(Names have been changed to protect the innocent...)
The conversation I caught went something like this...
"Billy! His garage is open. I don't think we should be going up here," Sara said.
Billy replied, "It's okay. I know that guy."
"Are you sure???"
"Yeah..."
Now I'm almost positive they saw me putting my shoes on but what they didn't see was that I was chuckling inside with a smile on my face. Seconds later they left and I was busy working away mowing my lawn.
Now that little story by itself would absolutely bored most people to tears but what happened 10 minutes prior to them appearing in the driveway will give you a little more insight into the story. For more on that story please wait for the next post.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Truth Is Not Relative
I highly recommend taking a look at www.wayofthemaster.com. On this site you will find the truth about who God really is and who we really are. Don't skip past this post and ignore this request to find the real truth! Truth is NOT relative!
Monday, October 17, 2005
The Real True Dawg
This is Buddy the REAL True Dawg himself. He inspires this entry and probably many more. Here he is trying on his sweat suit after many months of us not thinking it would fit. He looks hip and with it in this get up! Go True Dawg! 
The Inaugural Debut
Welcome to Captive Thoughts. My hope is that you benefit from reading and don't feel as though you've wasted your time. We all have to get our start somewhere so without further ado let's get started.
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