This isn't just a blog about life issues... I promise. But read this:

So, while I do believe that bringing God into the equation of life is critical--it really is refreshing when someone who claims to not believe in God at all will de-politicize an issue and make a solid, morally based argument:

A pro-life atheist tells why the tides might be turning

I believe that drawing an arbitrary line in the sand determining when life starts or doesn't start in the womb is ludicrous. Life starts at conception. Ending life after that is the same 2 weeks after conception, 2 months after conception, or 2 years after conception. But even if you might disagree with my claims there, you might want to tread lightly just in case I might be right.

So, I don't really think there should be a question here. But let's say you have questions and you believe that one person's privacy is able to cover up another person's right to life--what if you are wrong? 

If I am wrong (and we stopped all abortions now) then the worst case scenario is more life. If you are wrong (even a little bit) then there are thousands and thousands and millions of deaths on your hands...

Couldn't have said it better myself:

"If you oppose selective abortions, but not abortion overall, I wonder why? How is terminating the fetus because it's the wrong sex any worse than terminating the fetus for convenience's sake? The fate of the fetus does not change, only the reasoning for its extinction does."

Hmmm... Thank you Denver Post reporter guy for this article.

Why is anyone worth anything?

CLICK HERE

I appreciate this post because the author is right on in not making his own argument, but in merely placing the facts right there on the table.

Can't argue with that (well, I guess some people would, but their arguments are based on fear, ignorance, and selfishly wanting to have their own way--no matter who gets in the way).

I know I don't have the ability to place, take, or otherwise move someone else's worth.

If you can't beat 'em...

Do you think we should join 'em?

Well, in one sense it can be a cop out. Take for example how all the major sports leagues, ticket agents, and concert venues have dealt with electronic scalpers: Rather than standing up for what was right, fighting price gouging, greedy ticket brokers, and allowing middle-class dads to take their sons to the ballgame for less than a month's salary--they have now become business partners and receive a portion of the proceeds... twice. And a $14 ticket to the game now costs $45 and climbing.

In another sense it might conjure up good sportsmanship. Take for example the loser of a political primary election. After spending months nitpicking at their opponents weaknesses, pointing out their flaws, claiming that they have no experience, etc. Then losing. And then joining forces to fight off a common enemy.

Well, neither one reeks of integrity. But we also don't want to just be sore losers.

Just some thoughts. Potential money and potential power often turn the best of people into the vilest of creatures. Or the vilest of creatures into even more vile creatures (is that possible)?

I'm glad God is in charge.

Guardian Angel

What do you think of when I write the term "Guardian Angel" up there?

-A puffly, winged creature hovering between you and oncoming traffic?

-A stranger who shows up at the exact right time, with the exact right something, only to never be heard from again?

-A prayer card with the etymology of your name on it?

While the notion of guardian angels is certainly very comforting, there isn't much biblical support backing up the claim that we each have a particular angel vigilante hovering in our midst (though there are a few passages that might suggest it: Hebrews 1:14, Psalm 91:11). 

Angels are God's creation, we need not forget that we serve an omniscient God whose Spirit is everywhere (John 3:5-8).

Guardian angels or not, God is the one in whom our trust belongs. Let's not forget it.

2 minutes

Perusing the Internet can waste a lot of time and can yield few results--or it can cause me to find this computer-generated reenactment of the US Airways plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River last month.

Basically, this pilot took everything he ever learned, all his thousands of hours of flight training, his years of experience and PERFECTLY EXECUTED this landing, without losing any cool (or lives), in less than 2 minutes.

I believe that humans (and men in particular) dream about this day of perfect execution. We dream about the perfect moment of trial, adversity, and certain doom--and rising above it. Perfectly.

Don't shrink back. Be someone who steps up to the plate.

³⁸But my righteous one will live by faith. 
   And if he shrinks back, 
      I will not be pleased with him.³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

(Hebrews 10:38-39, NIV)

Fiscal Responsibility Starts at Home

For the most telling chart on our current financial mess click HERE.

I find this most interesting primarily because I haven't seen it before.

Irresponsible buyers, greedy lenders, and a whole lot of money that never existed had caused people to think their homes were "worth" more than twice what they were actually worth. It's like my baseball card collection--just because a Barry Bonds rookie card is supposed to be worth $75, doesn't mean someone would actually shell out $75 for it.

So, the long and short of it is that since home buying and selling is such a big industry (real estate agents, lawyers, repair companies, lenders, etc.) and since most people couldn't get for their house what they paid for it, there's a lot of trouble... for anyone who bought a house in the last 5 years and wants to sell it in the next 5 years. 

If you bought yours before then or never want to move, and you can actually afford your mortgage (another problem all together)... then stop checking zillow so often.

Also, everyone should not own their own home... nor should everyone stay in the home they never should have bought in the first place. Save for a down-payment and rent please.

WD-40

I have a list of 5 tips on "Expanding a Household Brand" by a guy named Garry Ridge (he is President and CEO of WD-40) hanging above my desk.

Tip #5 goes like this: Invest in products that consumers will always need.

This makes good sense. And in order to understand what people will always need, we have got to understand what kinds of problems people will always have... and then, here's the key, we've got to invest in these products so that we can be a part of the solution

Problems people will always have (products they will always need to help with those problems):

-Squeaky hinges (WD-40)

-Sweet toothes (Twizzlers)

-Sore backs (hot pads, Icy Hot)

-Relational difficulty (books, seminars, teachings, classes to help)

-Desire to be a part of something greater than themselves (groups, churches, families)

You get the idea.

It is one thing to think of things like this in the context of good business. It's a whole other thing to think of what this might mean for our spiritual lives. What things will we always need? And what things are just extra/a fad/meaningless?

More later.

Bottom-up

So, a question was recently posed to me: How would you define top-down vs. bottom-up evangelization?

Bottom-up evangelization would probably look a whole lot like a relationship-building, disciple-making, friendship-type of Gospel sharing. A "watch how I live and see if it rings true with what I say" kind of life-sharing. The sharer has so intertwined lives with the hearer that the hearer can't deny some type of plausibility.

Top-down evangelization would probably look a whole lot like a large group of people at all levels of faith who hear the truth of the Gospel preached in their direction, and because of the sheer power of the redeeming message of Jesus Christ, people change. The sharer has no (or very little) personal interaction with the hearer, but because the right message, the right time, and the right heart all collided--truth is heard.

I don't think either is the only way. Nor do I think either could be wholly successful without the other... Christ taught to large crowds, Paul preached to the masses, the Apostles boldly shared the Word of God wherever they went. But the exponential evangelization came when disciples made disciples who made disciples.  

Jesus made fishers of men by having them follow Him.

Just some thoughts.

Kinda Makes Me Sick...

Children are not a "cost" to be rid of. Children are not a line item to delete once the irresponsible state governments get stuck in the red. Children rejuvenate cultures in downturns. Societies that act on what this woman (the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 2nd in line to the Presidency) is saying, eventually die.

"Freedom has a scent, like the top of a newborn baby's head..." --'Miracle Drug'

A Big Day

The next 100 days should be interesting.

The fanatics will defend him with the old "you can't expect everything to change overnight" trick.

The critics will attack him with the old "you can't live up to your own hype, you're not God" trick.

They're both kinda right.

Pray for our President. He needs it.

Book Learning

Well, as I write this, I am preparing for the first class of my last semester in this round of graduate school. I will graduate in May, Lord-willing, with a Masters of the Arts in Ministry.

Now, I will surely write more about this whole thing later, but what I'd like to say now is that I have really been blessed by this whole fantastic experience.

Due to some scholarships, employee discounts, and generally affordable tuition, I think I can safely put the financial price-tag on this endeavor at about: $24,000-ish (tuition, books, fees...)

It seems cheap (both literally and figuratively) to put such a number on this education. So, this is the only time I will do it. And the only reason I do it now is because I am ashamed at how often I think of the price of pretty much everything (computers, deli meats, cars, Pringles, pants, plane tickets, and office chairs), and how unfair it would be to slap this number on that experience. I think I need to learn this lesson for everything else too. 

Spread out over 4 years, I was at once a part-time worker and a full-time student, and now I find myself with those roles reversed, but still intent on finishing the degree (albeit a different one than when I started). And it was worth every nickel and every second.

Today I had the privilege of sharing with a group of first-time grad students what a joy studying God's word for the last four years has been.

And it still is.

The President Reads Lots of Books

I came across this article a couple weeks ago.

Basically, it outlines a competition between two old friends and their desire to gain knowledge, insight, and different perspectives through the reading of good ol' fashioned books. The reason why it is in the Wall Street Journal is because one of those old friends happens to be the President of the United States.

I mean, even though he loses the competition every year, the fact that he reads almost 2 books/week on history, notable people, current events, and even sports, all while being President shows grit and determination.

Books are a worthwhile endeavor.

And he reads the Bible cover-to-cover every year. 

January First

A new year brings about all kinds of emotions. Emotions of a year gone by (fond memories or good riddance)? Emotions of a year ahead (Trepidation or excitement)?

This is a time for a new chances, new beginnings, new horizons, and being resolute. I have made a list of things to do this coming year, it is a tangible list and it can (and hopefully will be) checked off. Here are my ten categories (I have made a specific goal for each one):

1. Scripture intake

2. Debt management

3. Physical health

4. Creative output

5. Nature enjoyment

6. Fun reading

7. Money saving

8. Furthering education

9. Job performance

10. World traveling

Make one in each of these categories for yourself. Or make up your own categories.

Don't let another year go by without doing something awesome.