Proving yet again that I’m a ‘closed-minded’ Christian* I’m upset by the
highly publicized new show The L Word.
If you’re unfamiliar with the show name and its thematic concept it is being
described as Sex in the City with Lesbians in it.
However, what is really bothersome is that almost every interview I see has
something in it about how they want to change how America views
lesbianism.
I (currently) have lesbian next door neighbors, whom I don’t verbally assault
them, key their car, egg their apartment or rip down their rainbow
‘Christmas’** lights.
In fact, I hope that I may show the love and kindness of Christ and that
they’d see I am not out to be self-righteous.
But I digress.

This new show just doesn’t seem to be in the public’s interest.
Right now many critics may be asking, “But Randy, what about [insert other
show name here]? I don’t see you critical of it.”
That is right.
Mostly because I don’t have time to write an essay decrying the sins of
[insert other show name here].
The thing I’m trying to point to is that if a show is based on morally
apprehensible concepts, concepts that are not found to be edifying in the
scripture, we may have to ask why we’re watching it.

A secondary point that I must add is that we walk in grace.
Our salvation comes from a righteous God who gave us His Son’s righteousness
when we accepted His free gift to us.
This means that watching any show will not revoke your salvation.
It also means that if anyone turns from sexual sin, repents and turns their
hearts to Christ that they will be lovingly accepted by Christ.
It is the responsibility of the church to also lovingly accept those people
who turn from sin.

Instead of being closed-hearted, a greater sin than mental stubbornness, let
us openly love those around us.
Let us be lights to the world, and encourage everyone we can to embrace the
life of good works that God has placed before us (Eph. 2:10).

Resting in Him,

Randy “Inflammatory” Peterman

Footnotes

* Closed-minded is a really bad phrase to use, but I figured that’s
the label I’ll get labeled with.
I’d be much keener on people understanding that I’m an advocate for truth,
and believe that I have comprehended part of truth (not all of it because
only God (as described in and by the Bible) knows all truth).
The opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the ideas of anyone
else. This includes family, friends, co-workers, my employers, people
I live near, old dogs, young dogs, pharmacists, sprinkler installation
specialists and small rodents or attorneys.

** Not sure how completely anti-Christian ideas like
Lesbianism warrant celebrating Christmas.
Seems awfully contrary to their lifestyle.
It’s like, “Yeah, the savior is born, the one who will let us in to heaven
if we repent of our sin and come to know him.
Lets blatantly live in our sin.”

No, I’m not talking about counterfeit money, I’m talking about Michael Dell.
I think he must have given a raise to the genius that thought they should
add printers to their lineup of products.
Why would Michael Dell give some of his precious money away?
Because I can only get ink from his company.
With the new laptop I’m getting from Dell came a ‘free printer.’
Free as in we’ll send you the bloated plastic shape that accepts the ink cartridges and then when I want to print something I have to send them money.
The box came with ink cartridges mind you, but if I want more ink, you must buy it from Dell.

I think that Michael Dell should buy stock in some analgesic company because
the headaches he’s going to cause will make acetaminophen, ibuprophen,
codeine and morphine popular drugs.
Imagine needing to print out a report at night for a class paper and then discovering half way through your 100 page paper’s printing that you’re in need of ink.
Michael Dell will not be able to sell you any ink at Office Mac’s, nope, you’ll have to get it from him.
It’s easier to get the morphine and codeine than it is to get the ink.

Thanks Michael Dell!

Randy “Militant” Peterman

The ride home from jury duty was an interesting one.
First I got onto the wrong bus, heading west into the outskirts of Fort Worth.
I live on the East part of Tarrant County… the bus was obviously going the wrong direction.
I asked if I was on the wrong bus and the driver let me off on the next stop and told me to wait across the street.
The next bus coming the other way took me where I needed to go.

On the train I sat near a group of 5 gals who were headed to Dallas.
They warned me that more gals would be getting on at the next stop.
At the next stop 4 more gals got on the train… one was a web developer (and apparently other duties were hers as well).
So I told her about Designing with Web Standards.
Hopefully she’ll get it as it is the brilliant work that other needs to read and apply.

I didn’t get home until 4:20 or so.
I’ve written 3 other articles to put up while I was waiting, tomorrow I’ll enter them into the computer 🙂

Resting in Him,

Randy “un-juror” Peterman

In what was an absolutely exemplary model of security at the Fort Worth courthouse I walked in to see one guard manning the security center.
“OK, so what’s the big deal,” you ask?
The big deal was that he was at the x-ray machine watching the purses, bags and other miscellaneous things scroll in and out of his view while we placed anything metallic that would set off the metal detector in plastic dishes, walked through the metal detector and picked them up on the other side, unobserved.
Had I timed it correctly I could have dropped off a bag to distract him at the x-ray machine and then placed a small gun (underneath a large wallet, or something else simply covering it for a ‘just in case’), walked through the metal detector, picked up my stuff and then grabbed my bag.
All of that without triggering any security alarms.
Security would have effectively been foiled.

I suppose I may be a little critical, but frankly, that sort of thing disappoints me.
I like to think that security guards are here for security purposes and not just for presentation.
However, I’m also aware that small setups like that are less than perfect anyway.

It appears that I might get called to serve on a jury anyway, but I’m uncertain as to when.
They sent us to lunch (I had Razzoo’s) and said, “Be back by 1:30.”
I picked up a book on CSS by Eric Meyer while on lunch.
If I have to wait I might as well do something useful for work.

Resting in Him,

Randy Peterman

I am writing this entry on the back of a coupon pamphlet.
I have been chosen to be in an extra-jury pool.
This means roughly that I’m like the last shirt you wear in your closet before you officially need to do laundry.

This morning I drove to the TRE railway station and took “The T” down town.
I found another juror on the way off of the train and asked him if he had been a juror before.
Turned out that yesterday he was called and today he was going to serve.
He kindly showed me where I needed to go and then parted ways as he had to go to a court room and I needed to go ‘check in.’

After checking in I sat in the room with what appeared to be 200 people.
Various coughing sounds abounded.
With great anticipation I listened for my name to be called.
Juror bingo apparently is not the ‘winningest’ game in town as they pay you $6.00 per day for the first three days, and after the first three days $10.00 per day.
When they called my name I shrieked with excitement and then shouted, “I won! I won!”
After the security escorted me out of the room and sedated me I calmed down.
You see, I never win anything.
Just kidding about the excitement, shrieking, and sedation.

They did call my name, but it was for the list of ‘waiters.’
So once 12:00 rolls around, assuming a judge doesn’t order a new side of jurors with lunch, I’m heading back home.
What this means though is that they could call me for jury duty again tomorrow and ever day for years, but if I don’t make it into a jury…they can keep summoning me.
If I do get picked, I get a six month respite.

OK, well it’s at least a new experience and I got to read some more of Genesis.

Resting in Him,

Randy Peterman

This morning I got up to work out (which is a miracle of God) and was
listening to Charlie Clough’s
Frameworks series.
What an encouraging thing to hear God’s word taught systematically.
He made a very key point in the lesson: When you see a word or phrase (such as “Kingdom of God”) used in the scriptures, find its first occurance and determine its usage and meaning there, then see if its usage is consistant throughout the scriptures, then determine its meaning in your context.
Words definitions are vital, and observation, interpretation and application all depend on a careful, critical and clear understanding of them.

Also, pray for my dad who’s got an ‘odd mole’ that he’s having removed and checked out.
His lyme disease is picking up again, so pray that the Lord would either slow it down, wipe it out, or use some other medical means to prevent it from getting worse.
My dad may not be viewed as a national treasure by the rest of the world, but he’s one to me.
I’d like for him to remain in tip-top shape until the rapture.

More to come,

Randy Peterman

I’ve put up more pictures of Abby.
Hopefully you’ll find them satisfying.
At least for a week or so.

Tuesday I’ve got jury duty, which I’m not looking forward to.
Not because I don’t want to do my duty as a citizen, but I am going to have to miss out on some office activity.
That’s life though – I suppose I can’t have everything, all at once at least.

We went to church again today, two weeks in a row, which for us is a record lately.
The person I sat next to did not fall asleep, which was nice, last week I was a little uncomfortable sitting next to the guy who would have freaked out had the pastor actually raised his voice some.
I’m saddened when I see people asleep in the pews, but I suppose that they make choices of their own, and if they want to sleep while I learn, that’s fine.
If I want to learn while they sleep, at least I’ll not be too embarassed if the Lord returned at that moment and I was paying attention.

Resting in Him (even when awake),

Randy “Photomat” Peterman

Christmas and such.
This time there’s loot to be had.

Pants head’s revenge.
Abby is getting older, but I’m still the one who wears the pants in the family.



Abby rides the moose in IN.



Abby plays with Aunt Kelsey, most likely pointing at the kitty-cat.



Abby opens the first present with Aunt Kristin.
The first of many presents.



Abby holds the banana, in natural lighting.
This came out a little dark, but I lightened it in Corel Photo Paint and it looks great.



Abby sleeps in IN.
Sweet little girl.



Abby and Grandpa at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.
Boy, does she love water.



Abby with aunt Kristin and Mommy.



Abby tumbles at the children’s museum.



Abby bundled for the cold weather outside.
Cute hat, eh?

Last night my former Sunday school student, Vincent, came over and we enjoyed an evening with him.
Vincent is full of questions, I think his mind runs at a whirring pace, sometimes jumping from subject to subject.
He asked questions about Saddam Hussein, Michael Jackson, Theology, playing the guitar, being a dad, having a family, work…the list goes on.
It’s good to be trusted with answers and opinions like that.
I really miss teaching Sunday school.

After he left I talked with my friend Tony as he was having a bit of a tough day.
Without going into details I’m glad that he trusts me as well as enjoys my company, even if it is over the phone.
He and I talked about life, but it was also good because we talked about some programming stuff that he’s really interested in, and I’m curious about, Java Struts.
I need to get more information about struts for future developments.

This weekend I’m going to attempt to work on getting more pictures of Abby up on the web.
You should see them by Monday morning, most likely.

Resting in Him,

Randy Peterman

In what has to be one of the most brilliant, yet slightly expensive practical jokes, a man
foiled his friend’s apartment.
I wish I’d thought of this.
I would have loved to have done that in high school to one of my friend’s rooms.

Onto other news: Abby told me she loved me yesterday.
Or at least she said the words, “I Love You.”
I hope that she knows roughly what they mean as I tell her that all of the
time.
She’s a sweet, preciuos little girl.

Resting in Him,

Randy “Tin Man with a Heart” Peterman