One sacrifice for all

Our Daily Bread
I have to admit that this week has been difficult for me with the devotionals. Several of the topics have been controversial, at least in my belief system. Today's topic is also difficult for me.

I have never understood the concept of animal sacrifice for the absolution of sin. That also means I don't really understand the need for Jesus to die on the cross since he abolished the rites of animal sacrifice. Did God have to declare this method for making oneself right with Him?

After reading and studying more the past few years, I prayed about this a lot. I finally understood that these rites in the Old Testament times meant several things to God and to the people who were making the sacrifices. The first is similar to the topic from yesterday -- irreparable damage. Sacrificing an unblemished animal was a serious sacrifice for a serious offence -- sinning against God. Even those who couldn't afford a lamb or goat would give everything they had to purchase an unblemished dove so they could make their sacrifice. Sin is serious stuff. Disobeying God is serious stuff. The concept that something must die because of our sin is serious stuff.

In my belief system, God sending his only begotten son as our ultimate sacrifice is also serious stuff when I thought about it more. We NEVER have to offer an animal as a sacrifice again. Jesus offered that sacrifice for us. We have no excuse now. We can accept this sacrifice or refuse it. If you haven't accepted it already, please pray and do so today.

Lord, thank you for my limited understanding of your will and your ways. Thank you for our ultimate sacrifice.

Other Stuff
I had a nice visit with my family yesterday. My aunt is very sweet. I enjoy spending time with her. I had a nice afternoon with my mother. We went to see the movie Secretariat, then had dinner at the little Mexican restaurant not far away. She had to laugh at me staring at the cute server that waited on us. ;-p I couldn't help it that he was looking good in those jeans and was bending over the tables all over the place! hehehe Mom really appreciated the stuff I took for her. I am happy to share stuff with her to help her out.

I had a nice drive home, then did a few things around the house before hitting the sack. I had to return a few phone calls and watch a little bit of the Buckeyes game before fading off into sleepy land. I kept waking up last night. No songs this time... hehehe I was able to go back to sleep each time.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Irreparable Damage...

Our Daily Bread

Irreparable damage is the topic of the devotional today. At least that is the way I read it. As humans with our frail relationships, we usually attitude: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!" We remember things, especially things that hurt us done by other people. I thought the example of the nail hole in the devotion was great. I never thought of it that way. I usually think irreparable damage as "scars on the soul" similar to physical scars. With the advantages in plastic surgery nowadays, almost anything can be fixed, can't it? ;-)

I have several examples of "nail holes" in my life. I am not proud of them. I have one situation where folks think I am brilliant, but they can't look past the nail holes from my previous mistakes. I am praying for some divine spackle to help lessen the appearance of those nail holes. I know the showing my good deeds consistently over and over again will help smooth things over.

Lord, I want to understand the impact of every deed, both good or not so good. The repercussions of our actions ripple across the ponds of our lives...

Simply Saturday

I need to start my trip to visit my family, so I am not going to write much today. I want to write a little bit about "putting yourself out there" and what that means to me. It has evolved during my lifetime and especially the last three years. Here I go!

I used to think that putting yourself out there was for getting attention in the workplace or when looking for a mate. You put yourself in places where you get recognized or in places to meet the kind of people you want to spend time with. Makes sense. Notice that I didn't say anything about God in this section!

This thought evolved into some more as my self-confidence and my need for attention from men grew. I would walk up to any man I thought was handsome and start talking. I would chat with anyone on a chat site if I wanted to meet him. I would have a sense around me when going to Target and meet men there. My friends say it is sort of scary and a little annoying... hehehe I can't help it that I am popular! ha! My latest moment was when I sent flowers anonymously to a new guy that I had never met before so we could have a cool "how we met" story. I wrote a clever note. When I approached him about the flowers and asked for his phone number, he said "Thank you, but no.". That is the way it goes sometimes. Guys like me move on. Still no mention of God here....

I am still evolving, but here is where I am now. Putting myself out there now requires that I do it for God. "Use your powers for good" as a catchy ring tone warns me! hehehe! I am doing my best to listen to God to determine when to put myself out there for his purposes. I sang a song for the devotional in D2 class on Wednesday instead of a simple reading. I put myself out there in a potential relationship at God's leading. I initiated a new friendship with a guy that has a similar life story to mine knowing it would never be anything but a close friendship. God will lead us in this way if we let him. I have to admit that it is much easier for me to act on this type of activity than it is for others. God also instructed me to back off on my flirting. I can be cordial, but not flirtatious. "Use your powers for good" or should I say "use your powers for God"? Please think and pray about that for your life.

Other Stuff

I had a great time with my close buddy and his family last night as we celebrated his birthday. The highlight of the evening for me is when my buddy's grandfather came in the house and made a big deal about seeing me. He apparently recognized my red Escape and got excited about me being there. He is the closest thing I have to a grandfather now. He is a special man. My buddy liked is presents and the double entendre card I gave him. We cackled about that a lot!

Going to visit the family today. Looking forward to that. It will be a good day.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

A can of worms...

Our Daily Bread

Today's devotional opens a can of worms for me. Is the Bible infallible? Is it really God's inspired word written down by many folks over many centuries? Why hasn't there been more books added to it since the New Testament was written?

Here are my beliefs for what they are worth. Let's agree to disagree if you believe differently. ;-) I do believe that the Bible is God's infallible word. I don't believe that men have always translated its language the best for the different translations of the Bible, causing hermeneutic inconsistencies (Duane learned a BIG word in D2 class!). Hermeneutic inconsistencies are when different parts of the Bible seem to contradict themselves. I fully believe 2 Timothy 3:17 -- "God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."

That being said, please consider these things. We should not "restrict" God to the writings of the Bible! One passage says that the skies above could not hold all the writings of the glory of God! Yet we try to restrict him to that one little book! Second, don't just read about God. Have a relationship with him and experience him for yourself. Don't let your faith be observation only -- take part! Lastly, I recommend concentrating on the important concepts in the Bible instead of picking apart all the complicated details in books like Revelations. Love, tell others about God, and be the best child of God you can be are good places to start!

Lord, thank you for your holy word. Please use it in our lives to help us do every good work!

Foodie Friday

Here are two more Halloween recipes. Working on these inspired some friends to be more creative. The eye ball deviled eggs I saw yesterday were a hoot!

Witches Hats (link)

32 Hershey's® Kisses® brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

1 package (11 1/2 ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32)

1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange or red decorating icing

1. Attach 1 chocolate candy to chocolate bottom of each cookie, using decorating icing.

2. Pipe decorating icing around base of milk chocolate candy.

Special Touch

Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a shallow bowl. Make a face with miniature chocolate chips and decorator candies; top with a Witches' Hat. Quick, eat the witch before she melts!

Substitution

You can use any 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-inch chocolate or chocolate-covered cookies instead of the shortbread cookies.

Witches Finger Cookie Recipe

Yield: 5 dozen

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Almond extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup whole Almonds, blanched
• 2 squares of melting chocolate, or chocolate bark

Combine the sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in the flour, and salt. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it’s firm.

When you’re ready to shape the cookies, only take out a small portion of the dough at a time. Shape the cookies into fingers by rolling and working with your hands. Score the top of the cookie with a knife or spatula to make it look like the wrinkles in your knuckle. Press an imprint into the tip of the cookie with your finger to make a spot for the almond finger nail. Press an almond into the tip of each finger to look like a fingernail.

Placed on a cooking sheet lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray and bake at 325` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are a very light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a drying rack.

Use melting chocolate to go around the outside of the almond nail, giving a ghoulish appearance. Just melt the chocolate, put it in an icing piping bag, and cut a very small hole in the tip. Then pipe around the nail.

If you use red melting chocolate the look will be even more dramatic, you can also make small drops of chocolate blood, or chocolate cuts on the cookies if you really want to gross out your guests.

The witches finger cookies will make great party treats, but you can also bundle them up in a decorative container and use them for your Halloween party favors.

Other Stuff

I had a BUSY night last night. I ran to Costco right after work to pick up some stuff for my trip to Wooster on Saturday and pick up my Halloween candy. I made it home in time to eat some supper and setup my meager Halloween decorations. ;-) They turned out nice. The kids seemed to love them.

I handed out candy in my favorite way. I sat out on my portico (breeze way) surrounded by my meager decorations and greeted the kids personally. I had a whole new batch of little ones this year! Most of the kids that were little when I moved here are teenagers now! Wow, how time flies! One little boy couldn't contain his excitement about my lighted pumpkins and yelled "I love your stuff!" hehehe I packed up the candy and folding chair about 7:40. There wasn't anyone on the street and it was COLD!

I gathered some stuff up for my trip to WJ tonight. I gathered some stuff up for my trip to Wooster on Saturday. I cleaned the kitchen and ran the dishwasher. I cleaned up a mess in the laundry room. Oh, yes, I had an overwhelming scent when I opened my front door last night when I got home from work. The large container of laundry detergent fell off the six foot high shelf and spilled all over the laundry room floor. I lost about half the very large container. I got it all cleaned up and washed the towels that I used to mop up the mess. Oh well. I made SURE that the container was firmly on the shelf last night!

I returned a few phone calls, then fell into bed. It was a nice night. I am looking forward to this weekend.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Do you use Airborne?

Our Daily Bread
My best friend prefers to use Airborne before and during each one of our travel adventures. The purpose is to help build up your immune system to fight off the germs we encounter on planes and airports. Sounds great, right?

We can do something similar in our spiritual lives -- putting on the whole armor of God! The passage in Ephesians describes all the parts of the armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Wow! Think of that the next time you are just trying to "make it through the day". We can overcome!

Lord, I realize now that I have your whole armor at my disposal. Please help me to use it!

Technology Thursday
The introduction of the Apple iPad spawned a new interest in tablet computers. There have only been a few tablet computers that experienced even mild success until the iPad came along. Other computer makers are introducing their own tablet computers with a myriad of sizes and features becoming available by the end of the year.

New iPad's are coming the first part of next year. If you like the iPad, you should consider waiting until the second generation comes out early next year. There are a lot of new features being introduced such as the Facetime feature and some other iPhone4-type features. Very cool!

RIM (Research in Motion) introduced the PlayBook, which will be available after the first of the year. It has some neat features, but they haven't announced the pricing yet. RIM bought a new operating system to use for this device. Here is the link to the web site.

Samsung is introducing new tablet devices based on the Android OS. There are a few options available with some cool features. The Galaxy tablet is the flagship device. It will be interesting to see how it is received. I will review the device when it is available. Here is the web site.

Every major computer maker is coming out with something in this market. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out!

There are also several new ereader devices coming out as well for your review. I will talk about those next week!

Other Stuff
I had a nice talk and walk with my new buddy last night before church. I think our friendship will continue to grow as we get to know each other. He will be a great friend. I hope I can be a great friend to him as well.

D2 class was cool. I sang a song for the devotional. It went well. We watched most of the remaining section of The Ten Commandments. We have a little more to watch next week, then discuss.

I am trying to decide if I want to hand out candy tonight for Trick or Treat. I will figure that out this afternoon. I have some errands to run tonight to pick up some stuff before I visit my family on Saturday.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

I don't understand this "hair" thing...

Our Daily Bread
Being a bald/balding man, I don't understand this hair thing! hehehe I think I have had thinning hair my whole life. I can't imagine a man's strength being linked to the hair on his head. Now, if my strength were linked to the hair on my chest, I would be as strong as 100 men! hehehe But I digress...

There are so many lessons that could be learned from this passage and the devotional. I will stick with what I think is the main theme -- being a loyal friend. Ever had a friend that betrayed you? Told all your secrets to folks who should never know? Leave you alone when you really need love and support? We have all been there. I venture to say we have all done it. ;-(

As I stated in one of my Wednesday articles -- if you want a friend, be a friend. I will write a little more about this below.

Lord, you know my heart. You know how I want to be a good friend. Please show me the way to put aside my selfishness and disloyalty so I can be the kind of friend you want me to be.

Wee-way-shun-ship Wednesday
I have to admit that I am running out of things to write about for this topic. Some might even say I have written about a lot of things that I know nothing about! hehehe I want to write at least one more entry before I decide if i want to switch Wednesdays to another theme. The topic today is: From the inside, out.

The partner of a long-time friend told me once: it all starts from the inside. We were talking about getting ready for a long-term relationship, how to prepare, etc. I was like "Oh, yeah, I have been working on that." This has evolved into several seemingly unrelated lessons from God. It has taken me a while to put them all together.

First, you must love yourself before you can really love others. I would expand that statement to you must really love God before you can truly love others. That is just my opinion. I am not saying that atheists can't love. I am saying that if you want to know love, you have to experience it from the God who created love! It is like learning an Martha recipe directly from Martha! hehehe

Second, you need to know yourself well enough to know when things are driven by love vs lust or selfish needs. This is a tough one as well. We all have needs. We all have times that we might do less than self-less things to meet those needs. Feelings can be hurt. Being sensitive to God's voice in these times can make this easier. God will help console you when needs are not being met, in your opinion. I have experience this a lot lately because of the path that God asked me to take. It takes self-discipline (which I suck at) and commitment to God (which can be spotty at times).

Trust God for leadership. Trust God for wisdom for when to say or do things when it comes to friendships or relationships. For example, I had a friend that I thought wrote me out of his life because his boyfriend was horribly jealous of me. I stayed out of his life for over five months out of courtesy to his relationship. At God's prompting, I recently sent him an email to say hello and to see how he was doing. He broke up with the boyfriend several months ago, but was dealing with some other personal issues now. We reestablished our strong friendship because God wants me to support him during these personal issues. We know we are not meant to date. We know we love each other very much.

Lastly, ALWAYS be yourself. The last extension of the "something has changed within me" dream was revealed last night. In my only LTR, I found that I lost myself in the relationship. That is my own fault, not the fault of my ex. I was ready to lose myself again for my next potential partner and didn't realize it. I can't play by those rules. God made me this way for a reason. God made you for a reason. Rejoice in the way he made you and be yourself. That way you will always know that someone really likes you for you.

Personal relationships are hard. There are personality differences, personal agendas, family differences, age differences, economic differences, etc. I feel the greatest gifts I received in my life are the close friends who have taken the time to love and accept me for who I am . Thank you, my friends. I pray that I am as special to you as you are to me.


Other Stuff
Well, the evening started off a little slow and rocky, but it ended with a bang! My hero and I had dinner at my house last night. I had two simple things to pick up (at least I thought they were simple): mushrooms and ahi tuna. Who knew that you couldn't just go to Giant Eagle to pick up ahi tuna steaks? DOH! I found some yellowfin tuna steaks at Kroger and also picked up some fresh chicken breasts in case the yellowfin wouldn't work in the recipe. She made me an incredible supper of healthy stuff! It was great! We also had a great time talking and hanging out (chatting it up as she calls it). Thank you very much for everything!

Another busy day at work planned, then dinner with a buddy, then the disciple class tonight. It will be a good day.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Fruity goodness...

Our Daily Bread

Today's devotional is about the scripture where Jesus talks about each believer being a branch on the vine of God. If the branch is severed from the vine, then the branch can't bear fruit. The branch is dependent on the vine for its sustenance and ability to produce fruit.

So my last sentence is how I prefer to look at the message of this passage: "The branch is dependent on the vine for its sustenance and ability to produce fruit." I have long been confused about the concept of relying on God for "every breath" as my favorite seminary professor once told his wife and me. This passage helps me understand it more. The power of the vine shoots out through every branch that is still attached. Jesus warns that a branch can become useless and pruned from the vine. Yikes!

We cannot go it alone. We are just branches, no matter how strong we are or how much fruit we have produced in the past!

Lord, I want to be a fruitful branch on your vine of eternal life.

iTunes Tuesday

I may have to rethink the iTunes Tuesday topic. I don't get into the iTunes store that much. I will do some research about other topics or if there are any other things I can talk about iTunes. I could make the topic "Talk about me" Tuesday, but I do that every day! hehehe

Here are the DVDs being released today:

Sex and the City 2:

If you liked Sex and the City, you should obviously see all the movies! hehehe I was not a huge fan of the show, but I enjoyed both movies. You can have your own copy of this one today!

There is a new Alien anthology on Blu-ray. Woohoooo! ;-)

There is also a 25th Anniversary Trilogy of Back to the Future on Blu-ray available today. Nice.

I hadn't heard of the others for today:

Paths of Glory (Blu-ray)

Santa Claus: The Movie (Blu-ray)

South of the Border

Dancing Across Borders

Wild Grass

Other Stuff

I had a nice evening last night. I met some friends at the Barnes and Noble at Easton. I got there early and had supper before we met. We talked about their adventure with their new vegan diet. We talked about the advantages and the challenges. I explained that I am hesitant to add any more complexity to my diet since I am diabetic. There are some parts of the vegan diet that would fit nicely with the diabetic diet. There are parts that would not (some things they recommend are high in carbs). I will figure out where things fit. I know I need to continue to refine my eating habits. I need to work on losing weight. I am down three pounds so far. I can do this...

A good friend is coming over tonight to cook dinner while I work on her net book (yes, I said her. I have female friends, too!). We always have a good time hanging out. She is the one that ran the half marathon last week. We are also going to talk about her adventure and the plan she used.

I also had a few phone conversations with friends and family. Very cool.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do....

What do I write about this devotional?

Our Daily Bread

What do I write about this devotional? I admit that I am not familiar with the Simon the Sorcerer story in Acts. That caught me by surprise this morning. So what do I say about this story?

My first inclination was saying something like "we all know poison ivy people in our church". Whoa! That sounded way too judgmental (even for me...). My second thought was actually thinking of specific names of people like that (even more inappropriate).

Finally, God told me to look at myself. Isn't that the real purpose for these devotionals and readings? I had to ask myself -- Am I being a poison ivy person? Not just at church, but in all places that I show my face? Should I just carry some bottles of Calamine with me to hand out to everyone that I come in contact with? I pray it isn't so. I also pray that I will focus on my own life instead of trying to point out things in the lives of others. That is the job of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I don't want to be a poison ivy person. Please help me to be a rose amongst roses wherever I go.

Movie Monday

I didn't make it to the movies this week. I had a busy week, but it was a great one! I would like to write a little bit about the Capital Pride Band concert this weekend. The Capital Pride Band is the GLBT band based in Columbus, Ohio. They have concerts twice a year. They also participate in other activities during the year, like a marching band in the Pride Parade, etc.

This concert was called "A Musical Passport". The programs were designed to look like a passport that folded out to include all the information about the concert, sponsors, etc. It was nice.

There was a variety of musical selections from around the world (and above) as you can imagine from the theme of the concert. Here are what I consider to be the highlights. Noble Deeds was the first piece. It was a great piece to start the concert with. It got my attention with the interesting musical lines. It was also well-played by the band. Nimrod was great as well. I like the music of Elgar. Who's Who in Navy Blue was a hoot. Part Sousa and part seaman-like singing. It was cute! The selections from Wicked were well-played. I was not crazy about the\ arrangement as the transitions between songs were a little rough in my opinion.

The concert, played by over 70 musicians, was very enjoyable. Great job, folks!

Other Stuff

I had a busy day, but God knew what I needed. I went to early church, and then drove back down to Grove City to volunteer for the Emmaus Walk a few more hours to help clean up. I also wanted to see how the recipes I helped with and my lunch creation were received! ;-) They all turned out great. My self-confidence showed through once again, so I was asked "Are you a chef or something?" Ha! If they only knew! hehehe I said, no, I just like to cook.

I attended the Cap Pride Band concert with my new buddy. We had a nice time talking and hanging out. I have to apologize again for sort of disappearing at intermission. Some friends caught up with me when my buddy was in the restroom. He couldn't find me for a while. I am sorry I went MIA!

I planned to visit a buddy last night after the concert. I love spending time with him, but I was very tired. He called me from Denver to let me know he is working the next few days. I missed seeing him, but I was a little glad I could go home and relax!

I had my mind on trying to transfer some accompaniment tracks from cassette to my computer so I can play them on my iPod. I have had my cassette deck beside my desk to a LONG time and haven't played with this. I have responsibility for the devotional and prayer on Wednesday night. God told me to sing one of my old favorites (that was on cassette, but is now on my iPod). The will be a little different approach than the other devotionals we had! I will let you know how it works out.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Can't we all just get along?

Our Daily Bread

The famous Rodney King quote still pops up every once in a while "Can't we all just get along?" This is especially important when it comes to the followers of God. How can we tell others about the love of God when we are wasting time bickering amongst ourselves? How can others see the love of God if we can't even show it to each other?

I almost sent this devotional and psalm to a friend who appears to be mad at me AGAIN. No idea what is going on. He won't talk to me. He is "not actively communicating". I said a short prayer before emailing him the devotion. God told me this "you need to take the log out of your own eye before picking out the twig out of the eyes of others". Whoa... I realize my eye sight hasn't been the best the past few years, but I thought I would have seen a log! hehehe I will continue to pray for God to help me with that task. I will continue to pray for my friend that our friendship will be filled with God's peace, love and light.

Lord, help me realize that when I point a finger at another believer, that I have three fingers pointing back at myself! No more logs... No more logs... Thank you!

Sunday Friend

My Sunday Friend is someone I will nickname Puppy Dog. My ex gave him that nickname because of the way he followed me around when I first moved to Columbus. I hated the way our friends treated this sweet man so I stuck up for him. My friends didn't appreciate that (so I had to redefine that friendship, for sure!).

Over the years, we got to be closer friends, especially after the breakup of my LTR. Dating was never in the cards for us, however, that didn't keep us from growing closer. We can talk about anything from the latest date to the last trip or the way we are feeling about things going on in our lives. I hope and pray that PD will find the man of his dreams. He really deserves someone special in his life. Thank you, PD, for being my friend!

Other Stuff

I was very, very busy yesterday with my volunteer work. I had a great time!

You know how music speaks to me. Almost any kind of music. I managed to find time while driving to listen to the "Defying gravity" song a few times (from my dream the other night). I looked up the lyrics this morning. A few phrases jumped out at me as part of the interpretation of my dream:

But I don't want it -

No - I can't want it

Anymore:

Wow! It hit me that I am sick and tired of most bizarre relationship of my life. I really don't want it. I CAN'T want it any more or I will never be ready to move on to the man I supposed to be with. Though I care about this man very much, I will not play by his rules any more (see below!). I want to play by God's rules. God doesn't want his people treating others the way he treats people (see above -- I promise to take the log out of my own eye as well). I will continue to pray for this man and be his friend.

And you can't pull me down!

When you try to defy gravity, there is always a sudden THUMP at the end when you finally hit the ground! That is the way gravity works! The incredible thing with God is that when you rely on him to defy gravity in your life, then chances of the sudden THUMP at the end drop drastically! hehehe By relying on God to defy gravity I mean relying on him to defy the things are holding you back from being the kind of person or the child of God you should be. Wow! All of this came out of one funky dream! Rely on the power of God to empower you to soar in your life. There will be energy vampires, game players and others who will try to pull you down. Pray for them. Be a friend. Do not try to fix them or fix their problems. God will lead you on what you should do to help them and protect yourself.

Lastly, this text summarizes what is coming next for me.

Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

I will not second guess myself on this situation. I can be very hard on myself when I don't live up to my own expectations. I refuse to go back to sleep to the things I know aren't right. I will trust my instincts that have served me well my whole life. I will trust God and leap!

My prayer is that my writings about this dream and my life struggles give you hope and encouragement. May it be so.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

I have a difficult time with this one...

Our Daily Bread

I have a difficult time with judging. ;-( I am a smart guy who usually figures out things pretty quickly. That gift can cause me grief when I don't know all the facts or at least the important ones! I have a relationship pattern with a close friend who tells me stories in what I consider "riddles". hehehe The story finally winds around to include all the important information, but he often stops in the middle to ask my opinion. I say "I would do ZZZ or YYY". He then says "But you don't understand!" and proceeds to tell me some key information that I really needed before giving my opinion! DOH! I am better about listening to the whole story now before giving my humble opinion!

Jesus asks us to do even more than that. Don't judge too quickly. Don't jump to conclusions. "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly."

Lord, I want to get my exercise each day, but not by jumping to conclusions or letting my mind run away without the full story!

Simply Saturday

So what do I write about today? How about the nice time I had with my close friend last night. I took him to Outback for his birthday, then we attended the Capital Pride Band concert. We were both tired and had to worry about work stuff, so we left at intermission. I plan attend the entire concert with another buddy on Sunday.

After I got home from the concert, I checked with my coworker who was working on our change activity. They hadn't started yet. I told him to call me if he needed anything. I got a call about 4:00 am. No worries. That is part of my job on occasion. We worked for two hours to figure out a few things. Almost everything worked we changed. There are some issues we need to follow up on today.

I slept in a little, then made a nice breakfast. MmmmMMmmmm ;-) Had a short conversation with my best friend. I need to do a few things around the house before driving to church to volunteer for the Emmaus walk this weekend. I am working in the kitchen. I teased a friend who also volunteers in the kitchen "try not to kill any pilgrims with your cooking!" hehehe I plan to stay for the service tonight.

So what have I learned this week? I think I figured out at least part of my "Something has changed within me" dream. Something has changed within me regarding my relationships. God has been healing my heart and mind the past three years to help me get over some personal issues like codependency and anger/frustration issues. I kept all of these things inside, which caused many health issues for me. I am thankful to say that God has worked miracles in me. He continues to do so this week.

The "Something has changed within me" dream, at least in part, meant that I am finally listening to God about what is best for me. I am doing better each day. I have my relapses at times. The change centers around the two men I called Ying and Yang in an early post. I love both men very much. I realized this week that while I had made great progress the past few years, I would melt when I would look into Yang's eyes or look at Ying's handsome face. The things that were best for me went right out the window. The first change is: I love Ying, but I am not so desperate for a relationship that I will try to push the relationship into something that is not right for either of us. Yeah, we might be able to "make it work". That is not what I worked so hard for the past three years.

As far as Yang, he has been the biggest puzzle in my entire life. I joke with my best friend that Yang's puzzle has a few pieces missing! hehehe That is why I can't solve it! ha! A new friend gave me a new perspective on why God insists on keeping Yang in my life -- "he really needs a friend". The change within me? God gave me a list of stipulations for when Yang asks me to out on a date. Yikes! My first thought was to just say "YES!" hehehe These stipulations are both me and for him so we can build trust in our relationship. Here they are:

1. Be my friend.

2. I want a belated birthday card (he never remembers my birthday)

3. The first date is at my house (he has never been to my house)

4. Delete all his online accounts (Yikes...)

5. See only me (Double yikes)

Meeting these stipulations is the only way I will go out with Yang. It is the only way I can trust him not to repeat the recurring pattern he has for his relationships. Will this ever happen? If it doesn't, I will be the best friend I can be. That is what I do... If it does happen, I will give him more adoration than he will ever need and more love that his heart can hold. That is also what I do...

I have faith that God is sending along the man I am supposed to be with. I can deposit that check in the bank... God will tell us both when the time is right, whoever he is.

Lastly, the last part of the "change within me" is strengthening my commitment to God to remain celibate until I am in a loving, committed relationship. God asked me to do this about two years ago, but I was not obedient. I made the commitment 5 1/2 months ago and have stuck with it. With each victory, God asks a little more. He never gives me more than I can bear, nor asks me to do anything that he doesn't give me the strength to do. This commitment evolved from celibacy to include getting rid of the thousands of pictures of naked men I collected over the years, the few magazines I collected and the two porn videos I owned. The latest evolution includes not satisfying myself either (that is the gentlest way I could think of saying it!).

Our God is a mighty god. He knows what is best for us even we don't know ourselves. We can trust the road he puts before us even though we can't really see where it is going.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Darn tree huggers...

Our Daily Bread

The devotional today talks about learning from the mighty Redwood trees in California. I hate to admit it, but I am not a nature person. I am allergic to nature. ;-( I try to enjoy the forests and fields and mountains -- usually while watching them on TV. hehehe I also admit that I am awe of God's creation.

The scripture passage from Isaiah was what I would call a "typical" passage from Isaiah. It is meaningful, but sort of repetitive throughout the book. I found one special verse that jumped out at me. It is funny how different verses do that at different times, isn't it? Isaiah 66:2 (New Living Translation) ends with: "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word." Wow! In this "ME" world where my personal needs and getting ahead by putting number one first, this verse throws that mentality out the window! While it is OK to be proud of accomplishments and a well-loved life, keeping a humble and contrite heart is key to being a Godly person. Trembling at God's word like you were in a 3D IMAX version of the Bible listening to Him speak. No CGI (computer generated graphics) needed there!

So I guess I will be a darn tree hugger in my own silly way -- embracing the beauty of God's creation so I can tremble at his word and do my best to have a humble and contrite heart.

Lord, thank you for giving us this world. Thank you for reminding us each day of your glory in nature.

Foodie Friday

Here are some fun Halloween recipes for this week. Enjoy!

Mummy Meatloaf

Ingredients

Meatloaf from your favorite recipe (ours used about 2 pounds of meat)

American cheese

Olive slices

Instructions

Make your favorite meatloaf recipe and shape the loaf to resemble a mummy's body with crossed arms. Bake the loaf until it's cooked through.

Let it rest about 3 minutes, then lay 1-inch-wide strips of American cheese across the body as shown, leaving a narrow space on the head for the olive slice eyes. Trim any overhanging cheese with scissors and return the mummy to the still-warm oven to slightly melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

Check out this link to the recipe web site for a cute picture!

Swamp Creatures

Create a spooky Halloween supper with these cheesy critters, the perfect accompaniment for the Mummy Meatloaf.

Ingredients

Macaroni and cheese

Sautéed spinach

Olive slices

Instructions

Mix up a batch of macaroni and cheese, then spoon it into greased muffin cups and bake until firm, about 25 minutes.

Let the creatures rest for about 10 minutes, then gently remove them from the tins. Place them upside down on a swamp of sautéed spinach and add olive slice eyes.

Here is the link to the recipe and a picture.

Other Stuff

I worked on cleaning and straightening up my basement last night. A buddy came over to help me. We got it all put back together after the cleaning. I hadn't moved all the shelves and storage boxes back in place after removing them from the path of water in my basement a few weeks ago. The basement is dry. I am relieved. ;-) My buddy and I also had dinner and talked. That was nice.

Tonight will be fun. I am taking a friend out for his birthday, then we are going to the Capital Pride Band concert. I enjoy their concerts.

I made some progress at work yesterday. Very nice progress. Progress is good. ;-)

Still don't understand what the dream about the "For Good" song means. I will be patient so the giver of dreams can intepret it for me. Patience is good. I wish I was better at it! hehehe

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Where do you go?

Our Daily Bread

Where do you go during times of adversity? When you feel the need to be "safe"? The home of your parents? Church? The apartment of a close friend? We all have our physical places. The folks in Biblical times looked to a "strong tower" as their safest physical place. Masada, a place I visited while I was in college, is an example of a safe place.

We all have our "things" that we run to. Food (don't even get me started on Hoho's and other comfort food!). Drink. Drugs. Sexual immorality. Lots of things can seem to give us comfort during these times, but they aren't real and they are fleeting at best. This is similar to how the scripture describes people who rely on their wealth for safety.

The point of the devotional is that we need to run to God during these times. God is our refuge. This is hard to understand, especially at times when we are unsafe physically. I can only think how lives would have been changed or saved if all of the gay teens had turned to God instead of killing themselves. We all need to reach out more to tell others about God's love and grace.

Lord, you are my refuge is not a cliche that I only use at church. I want you to be my refuge in every way every day of my life. I thank you and praise you.

Technology Thursday

I am writing about the new smartphone from RIM (Research in Motion), the company that makes Blackberry devices. The new phone, out of a few weeks now, is called the BlackBerry Torch. Let's look at some of the features.

Style: The Torch is a hybrid of sorts. It is a touch screen phone with a slider keyboard. The keyboard is OK, but not the best for big fingers or thumbs. The keys are a little close together (not as roomy as the Curve or Bold). It is not horrible. I could use it. I have to admit I am spoiled by the touchscreen keyboard on my iPhone. ;-)

OS: RIM come out with BBOS (BlackBerry operating system) 6 for the Torch. I saw a preview of the OS in May at their WES convention. It is not bad. I don't like the folders feature as well as some other phones and devices, but it works fine. There is true multi-tasking that has a nice interface for switching between apps.

Wifi: The Torch offers wifi capability, which is cool.

Web browser: BBOS 6 offers a new web browser for BlackBerry devices that is very similar to a real browser. Previous versions of the BBOS had a lame web browser that was not easy to use or was not fast at all. The only good thing about the browser is that the BlackBerry server design actually compresses the data traffic to make it bearable. Cool.

Service: ATT is the exclusive carrier for the Torch. Hmmmm. Nothing against ATT, but I would have preferred they continue expanding their network for the iPhone before taking on another exclusive phone. Oh well.

Visit an ATT store today to see a Torch if you are looking for a new smartphone. The Torch is a worthy upgrade from any of the previous BlackBerry devices, especially the lame Storm devices. Yikes!

While talking with some folks from RIM the past few months, I gave my opinion of the difference between the BlackBerry devices and the iPhone: "The iPhone is part of my life. The BlackBerry is just a device". They didn't like that. Oh well.

UPDATE: Apple announced the new MacBook Air laptops yesterday. The technology is cool. I am disappointed that the prices are so high. $999 for an 11" netbook? Really? I can get an HP with a solid state drive for almost half that. Oh well.

Other Stuff

I had a nice time having dinner with my new buddy last night. It was nice being able to talk to him about stuff. It is nice having platonic friends. We will hang out or text again soon.

We watched the first half of The Ten Commandments in our D2 class. I need to read the story in Exodus before next week. There are lots of details I have forgotten since I haven't read it in a long time.

I woke up in the middle of the night with a weird feeling. "Some-thing has changed within me..." That song kept going through my head. I am praying about what this all means. I hope I have been changed for the better AND changed for good. I will write more as I understand more.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

It's only words...

Our Daily Bread

"... and words are all I have to take your heart away". Nothing like the lyrics from an old BeeGees song to get your day started! hehehe If you don't know who the BeeGees are, then ask your mom and dad! Ha!

The devotional talks about using the right words when speak about God and his glory. We don't need nor should we speak in "lofty" words or extremely complicated words to communicate the simple message of God's love.

I attended a small Christian college and then attended seminary for two semesters. The preacher boys were always trying to outdo each other with their orations about God. I find myself trying to be too "smart" sometimes about the Bible or about things in general. I am ashamed to admit that I am sometimes an intellectual bully. God is helping me with that.

Lord, I want to speak your words so that even a child can understand your love.

Wee-way-shun-ship Wednesday

How to be a friend...

This is a lofty topic for such a silly bear as me. I will give it my best shot. These are the things that I try to do with new and old friends. I hope you get some good out of what I wrote.

Spend time together

It is hard to be a friend with someone if you don't spend face to face time together, if only at the beginning of the friendship. There is so much to be learned from the body language of an individual that "registers" the person in our minds in many ways. I can't really explain it, but here is an example: I have a friend that has some physical characteristics when he is thinking or uncomfortable. I can see those things when we are face to face. When we are texting or calling or emailing, I sometimes refer to those things if I say something that might make him show one of those characteristics. "OK are your eye brows furled?" "Are you rubbing your hands together?" Getting to know each other face to face helps to grow the friendship when you are apart. I have a close friend that I only see once a year. We know we will always be close friends even though we don't see each other.

Listen

It is important to really listen to what the person says, especially if you can't be face to face. Don't rely on phone calls, texts or emails to think "I really know him or her". Frankly, that is naive. The inflections in a person's voice can tell you a lot that texts or emails cannot. The phrase "I really like you" can take on completely different meanings when spoken different ways. Be sure you listen to what the person is telling you. Warning: if you are doing all the listening, then this person might not be a good friend candidate. Granted, there are times when we all need to vent. Be careful if you are always doing all the listening!

Talk

You need to talk about yourself. That is not easily done. There is always give and take in a friendship when it comes to what to share and when. There are some folks that you will never share beyond casual history and maybe connect some dots through friends. There are other folks that can talk about anything from day one! It depends on what kind of person you are. The bottom line is: if you want to develop a close friendship, then you need to make yourself vulnerable by talking about yourself. This trust can be built up over time.

Remember

My memory is sort of scary sometimes. :-O I remember simple details or other stuff long after the person tells me. I sometimes forget things so don't be offended if I forgot something about you! hehehe I sometimes take notes about stuff. I remember things like where they went to college (or not), where they are from, what they do, number of siblings, name(s) of pets and other personal information that seems important. If you care about someone as a friend, then remember stuff. There are few things more frustrating that feeling like each lunch or dinner with a new friend is like the movie "50 First Dates" where you have to start from scratch each time you meet! hehehe

Care

Have you met some folks that just don't seem to care about you as a friend? You try to listen, talk, remember and care with them, but they just can't seem to do this in return? I have a casual friend that refuses to remember my birthday even though I wrote his down and have remembered it several times. Be careful of these folks. They are sending you a message. They are either unable or unwilling to care about you as a friend. Being a friend means making friends a priority in your life. If you can't remember friends, then you are too busy.

In conclusion

You have to be a friend if you want to have friends. You have to care if you want people to care about you. It is not easy putting yourself out there for new friendships.

Please note this is about friendship -- not about dating. "Being friends" or "just friends" in the context of dating or a potential romantic relationship can drastically change the rules of friendship. I recommend being a friend first, then determining what might happen next. Freeing yourself of the "we might be more than friends someday" weight can make the friendship more meaningful.

Other Stuff

I ran a few errands last night, then did a few things around the house. I also had a fun text conversation with a new buddy. Yes, we are going to spend some face to face time this evening. I read what I wrote above! hehehe He seems like a sweet guy. We have similar life stories. I think we will be great friends.

I have my D2 class tonight. We are going to watch the first half of The Ten Commandments and discuss. Should be interesting.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

Ever watch "Hoarders"?

Our Daily Bread

We have probably all heard of the show Hoarders on A&E. It is about people whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis. As Christians, we are supposed to SHARE our belongings with folks who ARE in crisis!

Giving to others helps us appreciate what we have. It helps us appreciate when folks help us. It helps us appreciate when God provides for our needs over and over. I have a story about the latter.

When I was 26 years old, I had cancer. God was with me through the entire experience of multiple surgeries and several cycles of chemothereapy. I was so poor that I lived with friends who took me in. I could have moved back home, but I would have been away from the doctors and hospital that were taking care of me. There were days that I would open my mail almost in tears. The first two or three envelopes would be bills that I didn't have the money to pay. The last envelope was often from a friend or relative that sent just enough money to pay the bills! God provided over and over again. One of the reasons I started this blog is that I started a journey back to the faith of my youth. A faith that said with all confidence "It is OK. It is JUST cancer. God has it under control". As I continue to face my eye issues, I am almost to the point again in my life when I can say "It is OK. It is just eye problems. God has it under control". Living life in a victorious manner means not backing down from anything that comes our way. The only way I can live victorious is to have the undefeated champ, God Alimight, fighting the battles for me.

Lord, I want everyone reading this post to feel your power and love. Please help them be open to your spirit and power.

iTunes Tuesday

Over the air: Did you know that you can now purchase stuff from iTunes without using your computer? You can purchase stuff using the iTunes app that works on the iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone. The items you purchase sync back to your computer the next time you sync up. It is very cool. Those items are stored in a separate folder in iTunes so you find them easily. It works well.

Rentals: Did you know that you can rent movies and TV shows now in iTunes? You can rent in either regular resolution or HD. The TV rentals are good for 30 days. Once you start watching it, you have 48 hours to finish watching it. Many of the rentals are only 99 cents! For movies, you have 30 days to start watching and only 24 hours to finish watching once you start. Most movie rentals are $3.99, though there are some older movies available for only 99 cents. I think the $3.99 rate is too high, but I sort of frugal. ;-p

TV shows - entire seasons: You can also buy entire seasons of TV shows for less than what you would pay for the DVDs in the stores. It is very convenient.

Backups - Be sure to backup your iTunes purchases by clicking File > Library > Backup to disc option in iTunes. Select the backup option:

Backup library and playlists

Backup only iTunes store purchases

Or click only backup stuff that changed since the last backup (uses less disk space)

I usually backup everything regularly. It is easier to reload or move to another computer if I have it all backed up. I don't have to rip all those CDs again!

New MacBooks: There are rumors of new Apple laptops coming out soon. We will see how that pans out. There is talk of a mini MacBook Air that will kill most of the netbook computers out there. I am looking forward to that if the rumors are true!

Other Stuff

Progress? Do I hear the sound of progress? Yes! Things are moving along with my projects at work. That is a good thing. I am doing my best to be steady and not let stressful situatins bother me at work. PLease keep my in our prayers about that. I can't keep saying "I will be upbeat and steady" at the end of my blog each day if I don't plan to live it! That is just the way I roll! hehehe

I mowed my lawn last night and did some things around the house. The kitchen is clean again after my weekend cooking extravaganza. I made my Halloween appetizers and a veggie casserole for my church dinner group. The veggie casserole turned out great. I will keep that recipe handy! I will post it on a Foodie Friday. ;-p

I worked on laundry as well. It is under control now. Whew!

I worked hard so I could make time to have my quiet prayer meditation time. I am making an effort to make time for this every day. Cool story: I had my meditation time in the sanctuary at church Sunday morning before early church. There wasn't anyone around when I sat down in the sanctuary and looked up at the stained glass. I always notice something new in those windows! Suddenly, I heard the organist start practicing one of his specials for the 11:00 service -- Be Thou my Vision. This hymn has an entirely new meaning to me since having my eye issues the past 27 months. A new meaning, indeed. I wept for a few moments as I felt God's presence through this hymn. My prayer is that you can take time for talking to God and LISTENING to God.

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That IS what I do...

What is your "thing"?

Our Daily Bread
Don't let you mind wander here. The question is about the devotional! The scripture passage from Ephesians 4:7-13 talks about some of the "things" that God gives us with which to serve him -- being prophets, evangelists, pastors or teachers. The goal is to build up the body of Christ. What is your "thing"?

I struggle with this sometimes because I try to do too much. I get sick and have to drop some things. It doesn't look good. God has blessed me with several abilities. I asked him to let me know where to focus. There are some things I do that others shy away from. I think he wants me to do those things, for example, care calls at church. I am still trying to figure out where to use my musical talents. I don't always feel welcome using them at church. I am sure that is my fault. I need to get over it.

What is your "thing"? Are you doing it for God?

Lord, I want to use my talents for you. I want to listen to your voice and follow your guidance.

Movie Monday
I saw two movies over the weekend -- Red and Secretariat. I liked both of them, but for different reasons.

RED: RED stands for "Retired - Extremely Dangerous". Bruce Willis stars in the flick. It also has Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirin and John Malkovich. It was sort of like an "Old School" movie for spies! There were some special effects that were very cool. Bruce Willis's character was almost "Die Hard" cool. I liked the story. I liked the characters. I give it three bear paws.

Secretariat: Who doesn't like a story like this? Diane Lane did a great job in the role of the owner of Secretariat. Please remember this was in the 70s when women were just breaking through glass ceilings. Diane's character broke the glass ceiling of the horse racing good ole' boys club all to pieces! The horse was amazing. He accomplished things over 30 years ago that some think will never be equaled. I give this movie three bear paws.

Other Stuff
I had a good Sunday. Church, church dinner group and hanging out at the marathon. My friends finished the half. My ex finished the full marathon. I am very proud of them all! I also realized that I need to get off of my fat behind and be more active. I walk several times a week, but it is not enough. It is not enough...

I am sorry for the shoddy posting yesterday. I wrote it on my iPhone where the font was MUCH smaller. That was the first time I tried that. I need to be more careful if I try that again.

I have a busy week planned. We will see what this week brings.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do....

On site - Columbus Marathon

The air is cold and thick with excitement as the Columbus Marathon is starting now. I checked out the finish line since i parked near it. How exciting!

Why am I interested in this event? I have several friends running the half marathon. My ex is running the full marathon. Run, Forest, run!!! No, silly, his name is not Forest. That is a joke!

I am walking to church then walking back to the finish line to take some pictures of the finish.

I had a great time yesterday. I had a good time talking with my ex at lunch. It was great seeing Ying at supper. I am so fortunate to have such men in my life.

Hang in there my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

He said what?

Our Daily Bread

Today's devotional is about speaking for God. This may sound simple, but it can be very difficult to speak only what God has said without any interpretation or twisting of the message to our own desires. How many times have we seen modern day "prophets" or self-appointed people of God fall on their face or lead people astray with their own version of what God says? God will not bless those people.

I have had friends that followed those folks over the years. I see the looks of betrayal when their beloved leader falls. The best we can do is to pray for these folks that they see and speak the truth of God -- hopefully before someone gets hurt.

Lord, I want to always speak your message the way you intended. Please help me not "edit" your message for my purposes!

Simply Saturday

I said something about "adapting" the ten virtues of a virtuous woman from Proverbs 31 into the ten virtues of "virtuous folks". God, please forgive me if this is a sin, but I don't like the way the women are generally depicted in the Bible. That topic is whole 'nother party I will write about sometime.

So here is my take on the ten virtues. I am referencing this web site for the outline and adapting the text. Here is goes:

10 Virtues of Godly Folks

I want to encourage everyone to serve God in every aspect of their lives:

1. Faith - Virtuous folks serve God with all of their hearts, minds, and souls. They seek His will for their lives and follows His ways.

2. Marriage – Virtuous folks respect their spouses or partners. They do them good all the days of their lives. They are trustworthy and a helpmeet.

3. Parenting/Role model - Virtuous folks teach children the ways of our Father in heaven. They nurture children with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the way they should go.

4. Health – Virtuous folks care for their bodies. They prepare healthy food for themselves and their families.

5. Service - Virtuous folks serve their spouse or partner, their families, their friends, and their neighbors with a gentle and loving spirit. They are charitable.

6. Finances - Virtuous folks seek their spouse's or partner's approval before making purchases and spends money wisely. They are careful to purchase quality items that their families need.

7. Industry – Virtuous folks work willingly with their hands. They praise God and do not grumble while completing their tasks.

8. Hospitality – Virtuous folks are hospitable. They create an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love for their families and guests. They use hospitality to minister to those around them.

9. Time - Virtuous folks use their time wisely. They work diligently to complete their daily tasks. They do not spend time dwelling on those things that do not please the Lord.

10. Beauty – Virtuous folks are people of worth and beauty. They have the inner beauty that only comes from Christ. They use their creativity and sense of style to create beauty in their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

God gave this idea to me and helped me adapt it for all Godly folks. Please put this someplace where you can read it each day.

Other Stuff

I have a fun and relaxing weekend planned. I went to the movies last night. I LOVE going to the movies except for my weakness for buttery, salty popcorn. ;-( I soooooo don't need to eat that much popcorn! I gave up Hoho's. I don't have to give up popcorn, however, I should eat less of it! I will review the movies on Movie Monday.

I am having meals with two friends today -- lunch with my ex (we were together for 11.5 years) and supper with the man who is the closest thing I have had to an ex since that breakup. The former is in town for the marathon. Run, Forest, run! ;-) I nicknamed the latter Ying in one of my earlier posts. I am looking forward to seeing him.

I plan to cheer on some friends for the half and full marathon tomorrow, go to church, and get ready for my dinner group tomorrow night. I posted the recipes I am making for appetizers. How fun!

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

How will they hear?

Our Daily Bread

As church folks, we have a tendency to rely on our ministers to do a lot of the evangelism work. Isn't it their job to tell the good news? Isn't that what we pay them for? Well, we pay them very little for all the things that they do!

Today's devotional talks about evangelism, or telling others about God, being the responsibility of ALL believers in Christ. ALL means ALL. Did I mention ALL? hehehe

God has been working on me about telling others the past few months. Actually he has been working on me for years, but I didn't really pay attention until recently (God, please forgive me!). Those of you who know me will say I am not shy. I can talk to anyone. Why am I not putting that gift to better use than flirting with handsome men? God wants me to use that shameless extrovertedness to his glory. I will try harder.

Lord, help each of us discover how we can share you with others. We aren't all extroverts, but we all have talents that we can use to share your love.

Foodie Friday

The recipes for the rest of this months will be for Halloween food. Woohooooo! I have to make some appetizers for my dinner group on Sunday. I did some research about recipes and found several cute ones. Here are the two I decided to use: mummy toes and salty bones. Eery! hehehe I plan to serve the Salty Bones with marinara sauce.

Salty Bones (link)

Ingredients

• 1 tube of refrigerated breadstick dough (we used an 11-ounce tube to make 12 bones)

• Coarse salt (used my Sea Salt grinder)

Instructions

1. Unroll a tube of refrigerated breadstick dough and separate the rectangular pieces.

2. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a 11/2-inch slit in the center of each end.

3. Roll or shape the resulting four flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone.

4. Place the dough bones on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little coarse salt. Bake the bones until they are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Mummy toes (link)

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package cocktail sausages
• 12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• toothpicks
• 1/4 cup ketchup, for garnish
• 1/4 cup mustard, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Make a small slit into one end of each cocktail wiener to resemble a toenail. Cut the tortillas into strips 4 inches long by 1 inch wide, and place onto a microwave safe plate. Cook the tortillas in the microwave a few seconds until pliable. Wrap each sausage with a strip of tortilla, and secure with a toothpick. Make sure the toenail side is sticking out. Place the mummy toes onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool slightly. Place a squirt of ketchup or mustard where the wedge is to resemble a bloody toenail, or of course an infected toenail. Serve to unsuspecting guests.

Other Stuff

I was a busy bear last night. I have been cooking a lot this week. What is up with that? ;-) I ate some of the chili I made on Tuesday night. It was sort of hot and very tasty.

I made five dozen cookies for the church play weekend and delivered those to church. I had to stop by work and pick up my Blackberry. I forgot it when I left yesterday.

I experimented with the Salty Bones and Mummy toes recipes. I made some marshmallow treats with Cocoa Krispies. The didn't turn out as well as what I wanted. I hadn't made them in a long time and took a short cut that didn't work out. ;-(

I changed the sheets on my bed and hit the sack early. I was tired from not sleeping well the night before.

I plan to see the movie Secretariat after work. I will see how that goes.

Hang in there, my friends. I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...

You are in good hands...

Our Daily Bread

You are in good hands -- with a wife of noble character! Sorry, Allstate! ;-) This scripture not only applies to women, though it is often used as a guide to what a good wife should be. I might have to modernize this sometime. I may also write a version for gay men. ;-) Let's call it a "virtuous person"! hehehe

Here is a summary of the characteristics from this web site that notes ten virtues in this scripture passage: faith, marriage, mothering, health service, finances, industry, homemaking, time and beauty. We can change "mothering" to "parenting" and maybe "beauty" to "attractiveness" to make this list fit both sexes. It really does apply to both sexes as the devotional implies! Take a look. I will try to write a modern version sometime soon. ;-)

I have to admit that I don't agree with what I perceive as the degradation of women in the Old Testament. Please do not think I am condoning this message in any way, shape or form!

Lord, I want to be a virtuous person having the characteristics listed in Proverbs 31:10-20. Thank you for your strength and guidance.

Technology Thursday

I am writing about home computer networks for Technology Thursday. In short, a network enables data, sent as "packets", to be shared between multiple computers or devices. They are becoming more prevalent in homes as there are more and more devices that can use them in addition to computers -- gaming systems, printers, phones, tablet devices, home security systems, etc. Let's take a quick look at the different types of home networks.

Wired networks

There was a time that a home network was always wired! There was no such thing as a wireless network, if you can imagine that! Wired networks require you to run a network cable between each computer via an ethernet port and the hub or switch. The hub or switch is then connected to the Internet connection device like a DSL modem or cable modem. There are currently three speeds: 10mb, 100mb and 1000 mb (also known as gigabit) ethernet. Ethernet wired networks are the most common wired networks as the other types of wired networks went out of vogue many years ago due the technical superiority of an ethernet network. Some modern homes are designed with the cables and outlets built into the walls. Very cool. Wired networks are the most stable kind of networks. While the ethernet cables can suffer from packet degradation due to some electrical interference, you don't have to worry about that very much.

Wireless networks

A wireless network is as its name suggests -- wireless. You don't need the ethernet cable to run to each computer or device. The data is transported over the air using a specific protocol in the 802x family of protocols. There are several kinds of wireless networks -- a, b, g and n, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The most commonly sold now in computer stores are g and n. They are the two fastest wireless technologies. Many computers and devices support all four. Some only support two or three. I usually look for a computer or laptop or device that supports the wireless n standard because it is the fastest and what I have in my home. Wireless n also has the widest range of the standards. It should be noted that only g and n wireless networks compare in speed to wired networks! While a n wireless network can be faster than a 100mg wired network, there is nothing on the wireless network market at this time that offers the speed of a gigabit wired network.

The problems with wireless networks can be interference or a dropped signal. Interference can come from cordless phones and microwave ovens and some other electrical devices like large power strips. Dropped signals can happen for many reasons (it is wireless for goodness sake!).

There are many Internet service providers that offer a wireless network router with free setup when you subscribe to their service. That is the easiest way to go. Most of the security you need to set up is already done for you.

Please be sure to secure your wireless network or other folks can piggyback on your Internet connections! ;-)

Wired via your electrical outlets

Lesser known and used is the wired network that uses the electrical wiring in your house to transfer data. This approach doesn't require you to run the ethernet cable all over the house. You can plug in a special adapter in an electrical outlet, then plug the ethernet cable into the adapter and your computer. Some folks have great success with this, especially if they live in a newer house with modern wiring. Other folks do not fare as well.

A home network is a great way to share a fast Internet connection with multiple computers and devices. I love sitting in my club chair surfing college football scores on my iPad while watching college football games on Saturday afternoon! ;-) It is very handy. I highly recommend it!

Other Stuff

Another busy day at work...blah, blah, blah. The great news is that I am working through every impedance we have faced for one of my big projects. Woohooooo! It has been a team effort that has been rewarding and fun. I am getting a few things done on the other big project, but not as much as what I want. I will keep plugging away at it

We had another great session in our Disciple 2 class tonight. Great job, R, in leading the class while J was out! Thank you! We get a two week break from our readings to watch and discuss the movie The Ten Commandments as we start our study of Exodus. Very cool. We talked about the themes of patience and trusting God that run through the book of Genesis. God, I want to trust and be patient for your will to work in me. You know that is not always easy for me.

I volunteered for two sessions in the kitchen for the Walk to Emmaus next weekend. That should be fun. I plan to stick around for the service that night. It will be nice seeing some of my Emmaus family.

I plan to make some cookies for the fall play presentation this weekend. I hope I don't eat too many of them before they make it to church. ;-p

Hang in there, my friends! I will be upbeat and steady. That is what I do...