I should have taken a picture. It would have lasted longer. However, I had a great time with a brother in the Lord, Jeremy, this morning. We talked about a lot of stuff, but I can’t tell you about it because what happens in Starbucks, stays in Starbucks. More blogging will be coming soon. I’m stoked about that.
Category Archives: Confessions
This Last Weekend I Had A First
This last weekend I had a first. I don’t have a lot of firsts in my life any more because of my age, though last September I had a thirty-first. Sunday I taught on my dad’s behalf as he was in California looking after things there with his family. I have taught adult Sunday School many times, but its the first time I’ve ever taught in front of my brothers and sisters in Christ in the main service. I taught on the passage and some possible applications of Titus 2:2-8. Since that’s not a commonly taught passage I’ll post the text here:
| Tts 2:2 | Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. |
| Tts 2:3 | Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, |
| Tts 2:4 | so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, |
| Tts 2:5 | {to be} sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. |
| Tts 2:6 | Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; |
| Tts 2:7 | in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, {with} purity in doctrine, dignified, |
| Tts 2:8 | sound {in} speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. |
I have put a lot of time into thinking about that passage and I hope you find it edifying on its surface. Further it is a great passage to use for looking into how we can grow together as a body. Who has God put into your life for you to grow and have as an example?
Check out the recording of the lesson here. And the handout that is referenced here. Feel free to post any questions or comments below in the comments section and I’ll get back to you with answers (assuming I have them).
Prejudiced? I Can’t Tell
Today I was listening to a pop artist because I had heard her name enough times that I had to find out why people were listening to her. For those of you keeping score: it’s not Britney Spears. YouTube had a number of her videos online so I listened to them on the y’ube and got a feel for the style of her album(s). I did not watch more than about 10 seconds of her video but I’m pretty sure I’m prejudice. The reason I say that is that with computers and software being what they are even I can sound relatively decent so I want a genuine artist writing from their heart about things that matter to them. I need something deeper than dulcimer tones.
Am I prejudiced against the pretty faced girl who sings like an ‘angel’ (pardon me while I puke in my mouth after writing that)? I think so. What if the unnamed country-pop star is really a great, talented gal who writes real songs from her heart? I’m scared if she does because she’s got to have a large chunk of bubble-gum lodged in there and its coated with banjos [this makes her songs authentic country, I believe]. Definitely enough to have a need for heart surgery. If she likes country music and enjoys singing about love, broken heartedness and incestuous relationships like traditional country musicians that’s great, but it just doesn’t show up in the lyrics and the videos are more about her hot young body than they are about her personality. Or, as my sister, who likes country, likes to say: her qualities [a reference to the Bachelor TV show].
Help me find a really, really good country artist who writes quality songs, has depth in lyrics, music stylings, and isn’t just a celebrity for appearance sake.
Gut Check
My stomach feels like it is an anaconda sqeezing itself. Crazy muscle cramps are making this thing feel really nasty. I don’t think I’m sick, but I don’t feel well. Well, that’s a deep subject.
Work
My Grandpa Peterman once responded to my statement that he worked too much that I had a negative attitude about work. He went into further detail about it, but let me say that I did have, and sometimes still do, a negative attitude about work. This video (contains graphic description about sheep castration) got my attention in a big way:
Work is a good thing – I’m glad to be employed and part of the problem of our economy has been the glamorization of not working. Or working less. I don’t like to be exhausted from work (which I have been in the last few weeks) but I do like honest physical labor, good intellectual challenges in coding, and to achieve something that is sometimes mundane, sometimes new, but always a job well done.
Keep up the good work. And if you’re not, change that.
Flying: From Canada to Denver
Thursday afternoon at 4:20 PM EST my flight from Canada to Chicago O’Hare was scheduled to depart. Upon boarding the plane I paused in line to let two officers escort a large man onto the airplane. I don’t know what he did, who he was, or if he had made fun of their maple syrup, but the guy was being escorted onto the plane I was getting onto. I’ll just say that my idea of a good time does not involve being trapped in a metal tube thousands of feet above the ground (or water in the case of the great lakes) with a potential bad guy sitting only a few rows in front of me. As the plane took off myself and pretty much all of the passengers kept an eye on him. That is until I fell asleep.
I awoke to the sound of the captain speaking on the intercom, but all other passengers, including the escortee, were still seated. Fortunately nothing crazy happened and when we landed no officers came to collect this unique individual. I’ll assume he had no papers or passport. I don’t know, but I didn’t want to ask lest he help me discover a more practical heavenly position by rushing me through the process of dying.
After enjoying the zoo that is Chicago O’Hare airport I boarded the plane en route to Denver. I stayed awake this time as I had already napped on the other flight and I was seated next to a woman who was not my wife, I didn’t want to wake up with her pushing me off of her as I had unknowingly snoozed in her direction. I spent some time viewing podcasts, read a little Fast Company, and generally waited until we could land in Denver. Upon coming close to the landing strip the flight attendant gently suggested that all passengers stay seated and buckled while airport personnel board the plane.
Did someone puke?
Did someone start having labor pangs?
We landed, taxied to the jet bridge and then sat waiting for personnel to quickly board the plane and then walk to the very back of the plane where they found their man and escorted him off the plane. What gives?! Did the guy threaten someone? Did he happen to be on the FBI’s most wanted list? Did he mention terrororists?
I have no idea, but after waiting for the police to exit the plane the rest of the passengers moved in slow motion and exited the plane in a fashion that can only be described as sloth-like. In fact, I think this may have been faster than sloths, but slower than a sloth in a panic. After leaving the plane I could see that the other passenger was being questioned still by ‘airport personnel’ and I was glad that they hadn’t grabbed me. Mostly because I think I stole a single dry bean from the grocery store in elementary school and they’re still looking for me.
Plane & Simple
I was traveling this last week and barely got time to spend with some friends that went out of their way to see me. Louanne and Nadia were twice out to see me and due to lots of other things going on while taking this trip I barely got time with them. Sorry you two! That being said I’m really grateful for friends like that who are willing to go out of their way to hang out.
I also managed to not get time with Vincent this trip. He also hasn’t talked to me on the phone all that much due to him calling when I’m in the middle of something. Sadly that something is usually when he has time – one day, probably in heaven we’ll have enough time.
I also didn’t get a lot of sleep this last week – serving folks and doing presentations and what not, but the good thing is that most everything went off without a hitch.
I’m leaving another country early Monday morning, which will be another business trip, but the good thing is that this trip will be amazingly new with new faces and new experiences.
All of this leads me to one thing: I love my friends and family and I’m entirely grateful for their love and support through these wild times. Thanks!
Call Me Maximillian
Last week took everything out of me. This week, is almost surely going to take everything out of me. Next week? Its looking the same. March, however, will probably have less going on. Your prayers will be much appreciated. The wife and girls are great, but work has Maxed me out 🙂
Fit In February: Day 10
Today I worked out in the morning, but had to set the elliptical machine to a lighter work out. I was physically tired when I started things, but it was an issue of mind over matter. I won’t make that cute, but let me say that I need more sleep if I’m going to put out this many calories. I burned 275, which is a lot less than yesterday, but I need to probably start spreading my efforts out to other areas of exercise.
Food was not so nutritional today – tomorrow must bring more salad.
Fit in February: Day 9
Its been a few days since I posted, but today I worked out for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I upped the difficulty to level four and burned 375 calories. I’m sweating a disgusting amount so it must be time to go work out. I’ve lost approximately 2 pounds since starting. Not as fast as I wanted, but OK, I’m still following through. More later.