So today I did something I haven't done since I think I was 12; went sledding! :-)
I took my mentee, Sal, and met up with Kate at the big hill across from CBC.
I'll be honest and say I was a little unsure if I was going to have any kind of effective sled, but then this morning Kate said her friends had recommended trash bags.
Man, did they work!
But what was really cool was the sled I made;
I took a tarp I've had for like two years and never used and wrapped it around a bulletin board. I then tied the tarp tightly around it with rope. Sadly though, after doing that last night I was still thinking "I'm not sure if this is going to work...it's probably just too big, flat and heavy."
Well, problem solved when I put a trash bag over it!
Man, because that thing weighed a pretty good bit and then had something with very little friction wrapped around it, it flew down the hill.
Which caused too funny stories;
1 - the first time I went down on my butt on that thing, I flew off the ledge at the end of the hill. Little did I know it was concrete down there; so I FLOPPED on my butt. Yep, my tail bone still hurts :/. Just glad I didn't hit it harder!
2 - After that I learned how to basically role off and not fly off the ledge. So I was pretty confident when Kate tried it that there would be no problem. Haha...nope....
She went flying off the ledge and did like a 180 body flap down there in the mud... She lost her keys and stuff for a second.
She wasn't too happy with me on the walk up :-) haha....
So anyway, all in all it was a pretty awesome time.
And I think my sled deserves a prize for the day or something :-)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Prayer
Intimacy is about listening. Truly, about listening. Yes we have to engage, but I think so often we forget that in order to be intimate, we have to soak up the other person. We have to enjoy them, just because they're there, and we can't do that if we're so focused on ourselves that we don't give them a moment to speak: if we don't stop one moment and listen.
And yet I so often find myself having this problem in my time with God. I forget that He's there, and He wants to spend time with me, honestly, much more than I could ever want to spend time with Him. Yet, so often...I never stop and let Him spend time with me. It's always about my time with Him.
Sometimes we just need to sit back,
And listen.
And it's not just about Him speaking to you, in some direct, audible sense. It' just about...letting Him be there. His presence, is sufficient. I know that sounds basic, but man, so often that I miss that. That I miss that it's just about....letting Him be there, and to stop trying to ask Him for things. To stop trying to seek Him for things, to stop consuming my thoughts with how I can come to Him, but sit back and let Him come to me. So much of this life, I think, is about communion with God. Well, I suppose it all is at its root, but the reality is that that deep, intimate communion cannot be engaged in 24/7. It's only when we take the time to go to our prayer closet, and truly seek Him, and then let Him be found, that we have that. It's the only time that I have it, and sadly I realize how often I'm engaged in that time only allowing it to be all about me, and not Him.
My prayer is that I can learn to fix that.
And yet I so often find myself having this problem in my time with God. I forget that He's there, and He wants to spend time with me, honestly, much more than I could ever want to spend time with Him. Yet, so often...I never stop and let Him spend time with me. It's always about my time with Him.
Sometimes we just need to sit back,
And listen.
And it's not just about Him speaking to you, in some direct, audible sense. It' just about...letting Him be there. His presence, is sufficient. I know that sounds basic, but man, so often that I miss that. That I miss that it's just about....letting Him be there, and to stop trying to ask Him for things. To stop trying to seek Him for things, to stop consuming my thoughts with how I can come to Him, but sit back and let Him come to me. So much of this life, I think, is about communion with God. Well, I suppose it all is at its root, but the reality is that that deep, intimate communion cannot be engaged in 24/7. It's only when we take the time to go to our prayer closet, and truly seek Him, and then let Him be found, that we have that. It's the only time that I have it, and sadly I realize how often I'm engaged in that time only allowing it to be all about me, and not Him.
My prayer is that I can learn to fix that.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A good relationship
A good relationship is a wonderful thing.
I never would have imagined I would have been humbled this many times, and had to deal with my own imperfections this many times, as I have in being in a healthy relationship.
It's so often when you both come forward with your respective realizations of your shortcomings. When you both realize that there are things about your personality, or certain behavioral patterns that you've developed, that simply aren't the most relationally endearing as you would like them to be. It's just so wonderful when you come into a conversation thinking that the other person might be offended or get mad at you, but is instead glad that you brought it up and is willing to work on it and get better. That, quite simply, they care tremendously for you and are willing to do anything they can for you to make sure that this relationship stays healthy and joyous. It's just such an awesome thing.
And then even though you come away knowing a glaring flaw of yours might have just been plastered before both you and her to be worked on, the fact is that you've gained an insight into yourself to help better yourself, and a window into a way to continue to grow closer to someone that you value in so many ways. I suppose it's a fairly basic relationship fact, but problems either push you further away or draw you closer together. And in my case, it seems that again and again, we keep getting closer, and closer, and closer.
Truly, a healthy relationship is a wonderful thing :-)
I never would have imagined I would have been humbled this many times, and had to deal with my own imperfections this many times, as I have in being in a healthy relationship.
It's so often when you both come forward with your respective realizations of your shortcomings. When you both realize that there are things about your personality, or certain behavioral patterns that you've developed, that simply aren't the most relationally endearing as you would like them to be. It's just so wonderful when you come into a conversation thinking that the other person might be offended or get mad at you, but is instead glad that you brought it up and is willing to work on it and get better. That, quite simply, they care tremendously for you and are willing to do anything they can for you to make sure that this relationship stays healthy and joyous. It's just such an awesome thing.
And then even though you come away knowing a glaring flaw of yours might have just been plastered before both you and her to be worked on, the fact is that you've gained an insight into yourself to help better yourself, and a window into a way to continue to grow closer to someone that you value in so many ways. I suppose it's a fairly basic relationship fact, but problems either push you further away or draw you closer together. And in my case, it seems that again and again, we keep getting closer, and closer, and closer.
Truly, a healthy relationship is a wonderful thing :-)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Que me está llamando con fuerza
Hay algo en mi espiritu, y me está quemando con fuerza.
Hay un poder dentro de mis huesos, y me está rompiendo con fuerza.
Hay un deseo en mi ser, y a mí me clama gritando:
"Hay algo, y es Mi Espiritu, que te está llamando con fuerza."
Hay un poder dentro de mis huesos, y me está rompiendo con fuerza.
Hay un deseo en mi ser, y a mí me clama gritando:
"Hay algo, y es Mi Espiritu, que te está llamando con fuerza."
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Run Run Run!
So I did something I haven't done in a while today; run.
See, back in the day, mainly my freshman and sophomore years of college, I used to run a mile and a half fairly regularly. I particularly remember my freshman year, in which I really grew to love the "after run" feel and really just felt pretty healthy for some time.
Well, the only problem was that since my hips are crooked, I eventually gave up running because my lower back and hips would start to get sore in some weird places. It just didn't feel normal. It really kind of sucked, because it's hard to find anything that so quickly gets your heart rate up super high and leaves you soaked with sweat. Mmm endorphins :-)
So anyway, my chiropractor here in Springfield gave me a lift to put in my left shoe so that my hips don't hit the ground so crooked anymore (basically my left leg stretched down further than my right) Because of this, running shouldn't be the problem for me that it used to be. So....
I started back tonight. It was nice; I felt great afterwards and everything. But the sad thing is that back in the day, I would basically go outside and at least run a mile on cold legs. Nowadays...it just doesn't happen.
See, back in December Kate and I ran a few times, and the first time around I about killed myself to run 3/4 a mile. Yeah, sad. Worse yet, that "good"feeling after running didn't come. I basically just felt light headed and sick afterwards. My chest, throat, and everything hurt from the heavy breathing . My body just wasn't running prepared anymore... So...
We ran again a couple days later, and I had the same results. Now, in all of my running history, though I have always hated (mostly) running itself, I have learned to love it for the feeling afterwards. Well, now for whatever reason even that was gone. I guess my body was so out of shape or something that I just couldn't get back into like I used to.
Anyways, so I say all that to say that when I ran tonight, I ran a whopping 2 1/4 laps on a track. Meaning I ran like...barely over half of a mile. Yep, pitiful. Very pitiful. But even with THAT, my chest and everything was hurting. I felt great afterwards, but it was only after some time of letting my chest calm down. So the question I've been wondering is "why the heck is my body struggling with it so much more now? Even back in the day if it killed my legs, I still felt great after a mile, now I feel horrible after a half mile!"
Well, here's my main theory; my lungs, particularly my right lung, have not 100% recovered from the Chilean cold of death I had a year and a half ago. When that cold began to change into pneumonia (I'm pretty sure it was on its way) all of the rattling that I heard in my lungs was in my right lung. Secondly, when my back muscles were getting torn to shreads, it was particularly my right side that got screwed up. There was a particular spot on my lower ribs that sometimes would hurt whether or not I coughed; it would be oober sensitive at all times no matter what (on the bad days). Well, tonight when I ran I realized a couple very telling things: one, that when my chest was hurting/struggling during and after running, it was almost solely on my right side. It felt like my right lung was really hurting. Secondly, I coughed later and the same spot that used to hurt when I had that cold actually cramped up (sad day I know). Finally, ever since that cold (this is gross to some, I'm sorry) it's been only for very short periods of time that all color has left my mucus. Yes, for a year a half, yellow to green somethings when I blew my nose were fairly regular. Well, tonight after running I was still coughing stuff up a bit, and it was mainly my right side that felt like it was cramping a bit, and even felt like I was weezing a bit sometimes. LIke..my right lung if I breathed out a lot, didn't seem to be able to breath out at full capacity.
So yep, that's my theory; I think the lack of running since that trip has not pushed my respiratory system to re-strengthen to full potential again. SOOOO the plan is, I plan on continuing to run now, and hopefully it shouldn't be long before these lungs come back to full power :-)
See, back in the day, mainly my freshman and sophomore years of college, I used to run a mile and a half fairly regularly. I particularly remember my freshman year, in which I really grew to love the "after run" feel and really just felt pretty healthy for some time.
Well, the only problem was that since my hips are crooked, I eventually gave up running because my lower back and hips would start to get sore in some weird places. It just didn't feel normal. It really kind of sucked, because it's hard to find anything that so quickly gets your heart rate up super high and leaves you soaked with sweat. Mmm endorphins :-)
So anyway, my chiropractor here in Springfield gave me a lift to put in my left shoe so that my hips don't hit the ground so crooked anymore (basically my left leg stretched down further than my right) Because of this, running shouldn't be the problem for me that it used to be. So....
I started back tonight. It was nice; I felt great afterwards and everything. But the sad thing is that back in the day, I would basically go outside and at least run a mile on cold legs. Nowadays...it just doesn't happen.
See, back in December Kate and I ran a few times, and the first time around I about killed myself to run 3/4 a mile. Yeah, sad. Worse yet, that "good"feeling after running didn't come. I basically just felt light headed and sick afterwards. My chest, throat, and everything hurt from the heavy breathing . My body just wasn't running prepared anymore... So...
We ran again a couple days later, and I had the same results. Now, in all of my running history, though I have always hated (mostly) running itself, I have learned to love it for the feeling afterwards. Well, now for whatever reason even that was gone. I guess my body was so out of shape or something that I just couldn't get back into like I used to.
Anyways, so I say all that to say that when I ran tonight, I ran a whopping 2 1/4 laps on a track. Meaning I ran like...barely over half of a mile. Yep, pitiful. Very pitiful. But even with THAT, my chest and everything was hurting. I felt great afterwards, but it was only after some time of letting my chest calm down. So the question I've been wondering is "why the heck is my body struggling with it so much more now? Even back in the day if it killed my legs, I still felt great after a mile, now I feel horrible after a half mile!"
Well, here's my main theory; my lungs, particularly my right lung, have not 100% recovered from the Chilean cold of death I had a year and a half ago. When that cold began to change into pneumonia (I'm pretty sure it was on its way) all of the rattling that I heard in my lungs was in my right lung. Secondly, when my back muscles were getting torn to shreads, it was particularly my right side that got screwed up. There was a particular spot on my lower ribs that sometimes would hurt whether or not I coughed; it would be oober sensitive at all times no matter what (on the bad days). Well, tonight when I ran I realized a couple very telling things: one, that when my chest was hurting/struggling during and after running, it was almost solely on my right side. It felt like my right lung was really hurting. Secondly, I coughed later and the same spot that used to hurt when I had that cold actually cramped up (sad day I know). Finally, ever since that cold (this is gross to some, I'm sorry) it's been only for very short periods of time that all color has left my mucus. Yes, for a year a half, yellow to green somethings when I blew my nose were fairly regular. Well, tonight after running I was still coughing stuff up a bit, and it was mainly my right side that felt like it was cramping a bit, and even felt like I was weezing a bit sometimes. LIke..my right lung if I breathed out a lot, didn't seem to be able to breath out at full capacity.
So yep, that's my theory; I think the lack of running since that trip has not pushed my respiratory system to re-strengthen to full potential again. SOOOO the plan is, I plan on continuing to run now, and hopefully it shouldn't be long before these lungs come back to full power :-)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Happy January 19th
Today is a good day :-). I think it's like fifty degrees and sunny outside. And that equals a smily day. Yes, I just said the word smily.
Also, though it probably sounds lame, after watching the movie 2012 last night, it made me a little more thankful for everything this morning. I mean, yes, it was a movie, but with the Haiti earthquake having just happened, in a weird sort of way it kind of hit home. Just to think that right now in Haiti, a whole lot of the anxious, fearful, desperate mentality that saturated that film are a reality. To think that right now there are literally thousands upon thousands of people dead, with their corresponding thousands of families mourning their passing. Or perhaps worse, the horrid unknown of having still not found his or her body. Disaster, quite simply, is a terrible thing.
But here I sit in comfy Springfield MO, a pretty sunny January day, having slept in my nice, comfy apartment and driven here in my nice car (by most standards ;-) ). Not only that, but here I am in class, being in a degree program to get a masters degree; something so many people in this world could hardly dream of the opportunity to accomplish. Truly, I would be a near shameful person to not be exceedingly grateful for the life that I'm living.
Also, perhaps one of the other things contributing to my thankfulness this morning is that I randomly fell upon a documentary of the 1918 flu pandemic last night. More specifically, it talked about the epidemic's effect in the united states. In total, the epidemic killed between 500-675,000 people in the US alone. And again, here I am in 2010, surrounded by medical advances that, as far as I could tell through some brief research, would not be nearly as overpowered by such an epidemic as they were then. I don't know, yesterday, for a few reasons, just kind of reminded me that I ought to be very grateful for my comfortable, happy life here in Springfield :-). And of course, there's that cute girl that I'm dating that makes me all the happier as well :-).
So happy January 19th everybody. It's a good day :-)
Also, though it probably sounds lame, after watching the movie 2012 last night, it made me a little more thankful for everything this morning. I mean, yes, it was a movie, but with the Haiti earthquake having just happened, in a weird sort of way it kind of hit home. Just to think that right now in Haiti, a whole lot of the anxious, fearful, desperate mentality that saturated that film are a reality. To think that right now there are literally thousands upon thousands of people dead, with their corresponding thousands of families mourning their passing. Or perhaps worse, the horrid unknown of having still not found his or her body. Disaster, quite simply, is a terrible thing.
But here I sit in comfy Springfield MO, a pretty sunny January day, having slept in my nice, comfy apartment and driven here in my nice car (by most standards ;-) ). Not only that, but here I am in class, being in a degree program to get a masters degree; something so many people in this world could hardly dream of the opportunity to accomplish. Truly, I would be a near shameful person to not be exceedingly grateful for the life that I'm living.
Also, perhaps one of the other things contributing to my thankfulness this morning is that I randomly fell upon a documentary of the 1918 flu pandemic last night. More specifically, it talked about the epidemic's effect in the united states. In total, the epidemic killed between 500-675,000 people in the US alone. And again, here I am in 2010, surrounded by medical advances that, as far as I could tell through some brief research, would not be nearly as overpowered by such an epidemic as they were then. I don't know, yesterday, for a few reasons, just kind of reminded me that I ought to be very grateful for my comfortable, happy life here in Springfield :-). And of course, there's that cute girl that I'm dating that makes me all the happier as well :-).
So happy January 19th everybody. It's a good day :-)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Phil 3:12b
Phil 3:12b
Though my life is fading quickly,
Let these words I say so faintly,
Breathe into this air something for which it longs,
Give into this life something for which it pains,
A soul, that knows Your pain.
A heart, that knows Your name.
For I was once I man among them,
I was once just as broken too,
But with life comes its many lessons,
But for them, it couldn't come too soon.
For this blood it runs cold to the heart,
This emptiness it cuts to the bone,
I only wish I could feel the harsh chill in the air,
So I too could call their pain my home.
Yet I am lost with simple empathy,
Praying the Spirit's knowledge is more,
Than my fallen compassion.
Yet as my life is fading quickly,
And I breathe out prayers from a heart I pray is worthy,
Let this life breathe out something for which they long,
A soul, that knows their pain.
A heart, that knows their names,
As well as You.
Though my life is fading quickly,
Let these words I say so faintly,
Breathe into this air something for which it longs,
Give into this life something for which it pains,
A soul, that knows Your pain.
A heart, that knows Your name.
For I was once I man among them,
I was once just as broken too,
But with life comes its many lessons,
But for them, it couldn't come too soon.
For this blood it runs cold to the heart,
This emptiness it cuts to the bone,
I only wish I could feel the harsh chill in the air,
So I too could call their pain my home.
Yet I am lost with simple empathy,
Praying the Spirit's knowledge is more,
Than my fallen compassion.
Yet as my life is fading quickly,
And I breathe out prayers from a heart I pray is worthy,
Let this life breathe out something for which they long,
A soul, that knows their pain.
A heart, that knows their names,
As well as You.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Ending fast
Well today is day 3 of being off of the fast, and as of last night I was pretty much able to eat whatever I want. I will say though that in my experience, some Immodium AD or some tums usually help out a bit when you're stomach's struggling ;-).
However, I would like to mention that I pushed it too hard the first time I ate. Definitely got a bit sick the next day. After that I was okay though, and so I'd like to come back to how it is that I'm eating this much already.
Honestly, coming off of a fast is different for everyone. For me, even when I did 14 days I was able to eat pretty much anything 24 hours after breaking my fast. This is not to say this is for everyone. The best answer I have as to how to tell what's okay to eat is simply 1 - pray before and as your eating to be sensitive if God says STOP, because I've ignored that before and gotten sick and 2 just listen to your stomach. I can't really explain it, but your stomach is just more sensitive after a fast. You can almost "feel" it digesting food, and so be aware if it feels like you're pushing it too hard. Just take it slow and try to enjoy what food you can eat, particularly the amount, and don't make yourself sick. Trust me, the sickness that comes with over eating after a fast is not fun. Ugh...can be one of the most painful things ever.
Anyway, so I can probably say that at this point, the "food" aspect of the fast is more or less over for me. Now it's just an issue of believing in all the spiritual things I sought after for 2010 to hopefully start coming to be. And I'll save this til later, but something very significant financially just happened for me, and if it all works out, that'll certainly be the subject of my next post :-)
However, I would like to mention that I pushed it too hard the first time I ate. Definitely got a bit sick the next day. After that I was okay though, and so I'd like to come back to how it is that I'm eating this much already.
Honestly, coming off of a fast is different for everyone. For me, even when I did 14 days I was able to eat pretty much anything 24 hours after breaking my fast. This is not to say this is for everyone. The best answer I have as to how to tell what's okay to eat is simply 1 - pray before and as your eating to be sensitive if God says STOP, because I've ignored that before and gotten sick and 2 just listen to your stomach. I can't really explain it, but your stomach is just more sensitive after a fast. You can almost "feel" it digesting food, and so be aware if it feels like you're pushing it too hard. Just take it slow and try to enjoy what food you can eat, particularly the amount, and don't make yourself sick. Trust me, the sickness that comes with over eating after a fast is not fun. Ugh...can be one of the most painful things ever.
Anyway, so I can probably say that at this point, the "food" aspect of the fast is more or less over for me. Now it's just an issue of believing in all the spiritual things I sought after for 2010 to hopefully start coming to be. And I'll save this til later, but something very significant financially just happened for me, and if it all works out, that'll certainly be the subject of my next post :-)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Ambivalent?
I'm not even sure what I'm thinking.
Ambivalence is the norm it seems,
And at times the chaos is overwhelming.
I want order.
I want symmetry.
I just want clear indication,
As to what this all is.
These words, they form and then die, don't they?
These thoughts, they breed and then die, don't they?
Every day the beauty of one day is given up for the next,
It seems nothing is forever.
Sure I know this,
But I feel overwhelmed to the point of neurosis.
I can't understand it,
I can't figure it out,
And it pains me.
Am I neurotic? I don't know;
But that's precisely it, I don't know, I can't rationally ascertain it,
I can't grasp it,
I can't calculate it,
And it breaks me.
Ambivalence is the norm it seems,
When you don't let life,
Be life,
And you don't let beauty,
Be beautiful,
When you don't let God,
be God.
Ambivalence is the norm it seems,
And at times the chaos is overwhelming.
I want order.
I want symmetry.
I just want clear indication,
As to what this all is.
These words, they form and then die, don't they?
These thoughts, they breed and then die, don't they?
Every day the beauty of one day is given up for the next,
It seems nothing is forever.
Sure I know this,
But I feel overwhelmed to the point of neurosis.
I can't understand it,
I can't figure it out,
And it pains me.
Am I neurotic? I don't know;
But that's precisely it, I don't know, I can't rationally ascertain it,
I can't grasp it,
I can't calculate it,
And it breaks me.
Ambivalence is the norm it seems,
When you don't let life,
Be life,
And you don't let beauty,
Be beautiful,
When you don't let God,
be God.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Nfl Playoff Predictions, Divisional Round
Well, first off, seeing as ALL of my wild card predictions were right (te he :-) ) I think it's okay to go ahead and draw out my whole playoff bracket and not seem like I'm skipping a round in doing so. Also, know that I will explain my divisional predictions. I would feel odd to go ahead and explain the conference matchups, which I'll do after the games are actually set.
So with my wild card predictions already posted, here's my bracket from here on out:
NFC
Divisional
Cowobys vs Vikings - Cowboys by 7
Cardinals vs Saints - Saints by 3
Conference Championship
Cowboys vs Saints- Cowboys by 10 (I think weak 15 repeats itself)
AFC
Divisional
Ravens vs Colts - Colts by 3
Jets vs Chargers - Chargers by 7
Conference Championship
Chargers vs Colts - Colts by 3
Superbowl
Colts vs Cowboys - Cowboys by 3
Alright, so now my divisional explanations
Ravens vs Colts
I think the Raven's ability to run the ball will help keep the Colt's potent offense off the field. However, the bottom line is Joe Flacco completed 4 passes against New England, and that's just not going to fly against the Colts. They are a far superior team to whatever it was that happened to the Pats, and that kind of one dimensional approach won't fly. THey'll need more than that to keep up with Peyton. Don't forget the Colts Dolphins game earlier this year. The Colts barely had the ball against a running, ball control Dolphins game; and only 17 minutes TOP for the whole game was enough for Manning to put up enough points for the win.
Jets vs Chargers
Revis is a great weapon to shut down one of Rivers' receivers; but one shut down corner won't be enough. The Chargers simply have too many weapons for the Jets. And on the defensive side of the ball, expect them to make Sanchez look a lot more like a rookie than he did against Cincinnati. I expect the Chargers to take control of this game.
Cowboys vs Vikings
Plain and simple: DEFENSE. The Vikings are scarily similar (for Vikings fans) to the Eagles on offense. But the main problem; they have issues on their offensive line, so expect Spencer and Ware to wreak havoc on Favre all day. And if that's happening, expect turnovers from Mr. Interception. Really, the truth is that many analysts have pointed out that this game is simply a mismatch for Minnesota. I think they're right, and I really won't be shocked if this game looks a lot like Dallas vs. Philly
Cardinals vs Saints
This one is probably the toughest. Here you have two very similar teams. I think it'll be a shootout of two high powered offenses. However, I think the Saints D will make the difference. They just got back their cornerback they've been missing really since he left midway through the season, and with his return Darren Sharper will get back to his game over the middle. Meaning, then, that as Warner had all that success over the middle vs the Pack, he probably won't have it in the Superdome.
So with my wild card predictions already posted, here's my bracket from here on out:
NFC
Divisional
Cowobys vs Vikings - Cowboys by 7
Cardinals vs Saints - Saints by 3
Conference Championship
Cowboys vs Saints- Cowboys by 10 (I think weak 15 repeats itself)
AFC
Divisional
Ravens vs Colts - Colts by 3
Jets vs Chargers - Chargers by 7
Conference Championship
Chargers vs Colts - Colts by 3
Superbowl
Colts vs Cowboys - Cowboys by 3
Alright, so now my divisional explanations
Ravens vs Colts
I think the Raven's ability to run the ball will help keep the Colt's potent offense off the field. However, the bottom line is Joe Flacco completed 4 passes against New England, and that's just not going to fly against the Colts. They are a far superior team to whatever it was that happened to the Pats, and that kind of one dimensional approach won't fly. THey'll need more than that to keep up with Peyton. Don't forget the Colts Dolphins game earlier this year. The Colts barely had the ball against a running, ball control Dolphins game; and only 17 minutes TOP for the whole game was enough for Manning to put up enough points for the win.
Jets vs Chargers
Revis is a great weapon to shut down one of Rivers' receivers; but one shut down corner won't be enough. The Chargers simply have too many weapons for the Jets. And on the defensive side of the ball, expect them to make Sanchez look a lot more like a rookie than he did against Cincinnati. I expect the Chargers to take control of this game.
Cowboys vs Vikings
Plain and simple: DEFENSE. The Vikings are scarily similar (for Vikings fans) to the Eagles on offense. But the main problem; they have issues on their offensive line, so expect Spencer and Ware to wreak havoc on Favre all day. And if that's happening, expect turnovers from Mr. Interception. Really, the truth is that many analysts have pointed out that this game is simply a mismatch for Minnesota. I think they're right, and I really won't be shocked if this game looks a lot like Dallas vs. Philly
Cardinals vs Saints
This one is probably the toughest. Here you have two very similar teams. I think it'll be a shootout of two high powered offenses. However, I think the Saints D will make the difference. They just got back their cornerback they've been missing really since he left midway through the season, and with his return Darren Sharper will get back to his game over the middle. Meaning, then, that as Warner had all that success over the middle vs the Pack, he probably won't have it in the Superdome.
Final day: Day 9
Well, today really wasn't all that difficult, and as of two hours ago, I had my first meal since Sunday night, January 3rd :-).
It was pretty good, about half a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some crackers. Later I had a small cup of pudding, and some crackers and apple sauce. I might have eaten a little too much, but I think I'll be fine. I feel pretty good right now.
But after having eaten, it kind of makes me realize how fasting really isn't the big deal to me that it used to be. What I mean is, I wasn't compelled to stuff my face because I missed food so much. And as of right now, I'm really in no great hurry to start eating pizza again. It's all just...food, and I'm content with what doesn't upset my stomach. I don't know, I guess God has just really helped me mature when it comes to the discipline of fasting. To put it really "traditionally," maybe I've really learned to "master my flesh" in that area..haha.
So thank you God for 9 days I've pressing in to see your glory manifest in 2010. I pray and believe it was effective, as I also pray you help me to come off of this fast wisely, and healthily.
Amen.
It was pretty good, about half a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some crackers. Later I had a small cup of pudding, and some crackers and apple sauce. I might have eaten a little too much, but I think I'll be fine. I feel pretty good right now.
But after having eaten, it kind of makes me realize how fasting really isn't the big deal to me that it used to be. What I mean is, I wasn't compelled to stuff my face because I missed food so much. And as of right now, I'm really in no great hurry to start eating pizza again. It's all just...food, and I'm content with what doesn't upset my stomach. I don't know, I guess God has just really helped me mature when it comes to the discipline of fasting. To put it really "traditionally," maybe I've really learned to "master my flesh" in that area..haha.
So thank you God for 9 days I've pressing in to see your glory manifest in 2010. I pray and believe it was effective, as I also pray you help me to come off of this fast wisely, and healthily.
Amen.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Day 8
Today's been kind of hard, mainly just because I've felt kind of tired and unmotivated all day. I slept for almost ten hours, and just haven't felt really energetic today. I could say it's the fast, which I'm sure is a big part of it, but I know you can be energetic while fasting too. I think today's just one of the non energetic days, lol.
I also think part of it is that I know that tomorrow night, I get to eat! Yay! haha. So I think my mind has maybe wandered a bit too much toward food, such that it's harder for me to concentrate on certain things (like school) and get as motivated, when really all I want to do is get to 8 PM tomorrow. hahaha.
But I know the point is to really enjoy this last day of fasting. To really savor this last little stretch of this spiritually intensive time, and believe for God to have heard this time of consecration unto Him loud and clear. Also, I know it's a time where I still continue to maintain my fasting mindset, meaning that even though I'm eating tomorrow, I know that mentally, I have to still have food a bit off limits. That I need to just be happy to eat some chicken noodle soup, and take it slow and listen to my stomach. Later next week, yeah, I'll probably start eating some really good things, but for now I just need to be cautious and enjoy eating what I can.
I also think part of it is that I know that tomorrow night, I get to eat! Yay! haha. So I think my mind has maybe wandered a bit too much toward food, such that it's harder for me to concentrate on certain things (like school) and get as motivated, when really all I want to do is get to 8 PM tomorrow. hahaha.
But I know the point is to really enjoy this last day of fasting. To really savor this last little stretch of this spiritually intensive time, and believe for God to have heard this time of consecration unto Him loud and clear. Also, I know it's a time where I still continue to maintain my fasting mindset, meaning that even though I'm eating tomorrow, I know that mentally, I have to still have food a bit off limits. That I need to just be happy to eat some chicken noodle soup, and take it slow and listen to my stomach. Later next week, yeah, I'll probably start eating some really good things, but for now I just need to be cautious and enjoy eating what I can.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Movie Review: V for Vendetta
Okay, so let the political discussion begin.
Upon watching this film, while I certainly picked up on certain liberal strains (particularly the portrayal of the heinous dictator as a conservative who hated homosexuals) it wasn't until I watched the "making of" that exactly what they wanted to communicate became clearer to me.
However, (and please excuse if this sounds pretentious) what was particularly interesting to me was that I do not think it was simply because I "missed" the point. That I was too dull to catch the political sting they were going for. No, what I believe it was was simply a fundamental difference in ideology, such that my interpretation of the film was certainly far removed from theirs. Here's what I mean.
As I viewed it, V for Vendetta was a movie about a world in which a totalitarian dictatorship had taken over supreme political power in the world, and was utilizing heinously immoral fear tactics to assert its power. Because of this, the world has now sold themselves over to such unforgiving, corrupt leadership because they're willing to trade the peace they now have in their lives for the unthinkable acts being done behind the scenes. This being the setting, "V" then comes in as a variable ideological purist who seeks to reinstate the true virtues of human liberty into the system. Of course, since the system has been so thoroughly militarized, the only way he can do this is through violent force: through vigilante justice. Ultimately, he succeeds in reinstating a sense of humanity to the world by killing the main power figures over the corrupt government, and destroying the ultimate "symbol" of their power, parliament. That is of course a simplified version of it, with the other primary detail to be mentioned that, in the end, his quest for justice takes his life as well (his justice is also personal vengeance, but that's a whole other side of the story which does pertain, but merely fits into the overall themes of what I just stated) Anyways, in short, when I saw V for Vendetta I saw a man willing to step into a variable modern day Third Reich and do what it took to reinstate a sense of liberty to the communal human spirit.
Here's what the directors, apparently, wanted us to see:
For one, I will say that throughout the movie, I got the sense that they were trying to compare the oppressive dictatorship in the movie to the modern day US government. However, I sensed that they were still leaving their movie up to various interpretations. Apparently, in the directors' eyes, this is not what they wanted. As I listened to them discuss the "political message" of the movie, all they talked about was how V was a terrorist who stood for good while the government was fundamentally flawed and corrupt. And then Hugo Weaving (who played V) made a comment to the effect of "it makes you think about terrorists today, and how maybe we should try and understand them better." So basically, I caught the pretty clear vibe that the movie was trying to convey this idea that modern day conservatism is far too misunderstanding, and that if we continue in that direction, we might utterly crush human expression and essentially need a "terrorist" to set us aright. Now while this was extreme, I suppose what really got me was that they actually wanted to postulate this idea that V's character might in some ideological way manifest the modern day terrorist threat. That our aversion to contemporary terrorists, that our modes of precaution that are in some way "fear" based, are in some way unjustified because their message may truly be what we need in order to deliver us from our overt McArthianism and bring us back to a fully liberated psyche. Wow, just....wow. Now, I'm not saying that they came out and SAID this, but when Hugo Weaving says something like I mentioned earlier, the fact that they would even hope for our thinking to be turned in that direction from this movie is just ludicrous to me.
Which brings me to my full opinion on the issue:
A liberal takes this movie and tries to use it as a means to becry the crimes of governmental power and oppression. They point out the flaws in a conservative mindset and show how the whole world can literally go to hell in a firey flamebasket of fear: that intolerance is an insidious thing that will breed and mulitiply until our world is entirely overrun by a closeminded, unforgiving regime.
However, I have one overriding difficulty with this: is not the liberal platform the one that espouses greater governmental power and control? Yes, I know I am a conservative, but I'm farily sure that anyone educated at all in the differences between the conservative and liberal approach to politics and particularly economy would know that the conservative is more about the individual, and the liberal about the system. The conservative wants to get as close to true capitalism as possible, while the liberal wants to push more towards socialism, with an economy controlled by government related taxes. The conservative wants bigger businesses to employ more people; the liberal want to take that money from those businesses, put it in the hands of the government, and spread it how it sees fit (typically to help those who won't help themselves: different topic for a different day, though.) Anyway, this being considered, I thought it pretty logically inconsistent that the liberal agenda in this movie would be to criticize the conservative mindset as the one more akin to governmental regulation; when nearly anyone with any knowledge of the difference betweent these two thought camps would know that it's precisely the oppoite.
But ultimately, I could probably go on about that forever. So I'm going to let that suffice for now :-)
Upon watching this film, while I certainly picked up on certain liberal strains (particularly the portrayal of the heinous dictator as a conservative who hated homosexuals) it wasn't until I watched the "making of" that exactly what they wanted to communicate became clearer to me.
However, (and please excuse if this sounds pretentious) what was particularly interesting to me was that I do not think it was simply because I "missed" the point. That I was too dull to catch the political sting they were going for. No, what I believe it was was simply a fundamental difference in ideology, such that my interpretation of the film was certainly far removed from theirs. Here's what I mean.
As I viewed it, V for Vendetta was a movie about a world in which a totalitarian dictatorship had taken over supreme political power in the world, and was utilizing heinously immoral fear tactics to assert its power. Because of this, the world has now sold themselves over to such unforgiving, corrupt leadership because they're willing to trade the peace they now have in their lives for the unthinkable acts being done behind the scenes. This being the setting, "V" then comes in as a variable ideological purist who seeks to reinstate the true virtues of human liberty into the system. Of course, since the system has been so thoroughly militarized, the only way he can do this is through violent force: through vigilante justice. Ultimately, he succeeds in reinstating a sense of humanity to the world by killing the main power figures over the corrupt government, and destroying the ultimate "symbol" of their power, parliament. That is of course a simplified version of it, with the other primary detail to be mentioned that, in the end, his quest for justice takes his life as well (his justice is also personal vengeance, but that's a whole other side of the story which does pertain, but merely fits into the overall themes of what I just stated) Anyways, in short, when I saw V for Vendetta I saw a man willing to step into a variable modern day Third Reich and do what it took to reinstate a sense of liberty to the communal human spirit.
Here's what the directors, apparently, wanted us to see:
For one, I will say that throughout the movie, I got the sense that they were trying to compare the oppressive dictatorship in the movie to the modern day US government. However, I sensed that they were still leaving their movie up to various interpretations. Apparently, in the directors' eyes, this is not what they wanted. As I listened to them discuss the "political message" of the movie, all they talked about was how V was a terrorist who stood for good while the government was fundamentally flawed and corrupt. And then Hugo Weaving (who played V) made a comment to the effect of "it makes you think about terrorists today, and how maybe we should try and understand them better." So basically, I caught the pretty clear vibe that the movie was trying to convey this idea that modern day conservatism is far too misunderstanding, and that if we continue in that direction, we might utterly crush human expression and essentially need a "terrorist" to set us aright. Now while this was extreme, I suppose what really got me was that they actually wanted to postulate this idea that V's character might in some ideological way manifest the modern day terrorist threat. That our aversion to contemporary terrorists, that our modes of precaution that are in some way "fear" based, are in some way unjustified because their message may truly be what we need in order to deliver us from our overt McArthianism and bring us back to a fully liberated psyche. Wow, just....wow. Now, I'm not saying that they came out and SAID this, but when Hugo Weaving says something like I mentioned earlier, the fact that they would even hope for our thinking to be turned in that direction from this movie is just ludicrous to me.
Which brings me to my full opinion on the issue:
A liberal takes this movie and tries to use it as a means to becry the crimes of governmental power and oppression. They point out the flaws in a conservative mindset and show how the whole world can literally go to hell in a firey flamebasket of fear: that intolerance is an insidious thing that will breed and mulitiply until our world is entirely overrun by a closeminded, unforgiving regime.
However, I have one overriding difficulty with this: is not the liberal platform the one that espouses greater governmental power and control? Yes, I know I am a conservative, but I'm farily sure that anyone educated at all in the differences between the conservative and liberal approach to politics and particularly economy would know that the conservative is more about the individual, and the liberal about the system. The conservative wants to get as close to true capitalism as possible, while the liberal wants to push more towards socialism, with an economy controlled by government related taxes. The conservative wants bigger businesses to employ more people; the liberal want to take that money from those businesses, put it in the hands of the government, and spread it how it sees fit (typically to help those who won't help themselves: different topic for a different day, though.) Anyway, this being considered, I thought it pretty logically inconsistent that the liberal agenda in this movie would be to criticize the conservative mindset as the one more akin to governmental regulation; when nearly anyone with any knowledge of the difference betweent these two thought camps would know that it's precisely the oppoite.
But ultimately, I could probably go on about that forever. So I'm going to let that suffice for now :-)
Day 7
So I'm making the home stretch now. And I must say it feels pretty good I guess. It really is crazy to think that it won't be long before I get to nibble on some God-given chicken noodle soup. Haha.
But it's been great, and I still want to enjoy the next couple of days of just focusing on Him as best as I know how. Yesterday was probably my easiest day so far, so I think, hopefully, now that I'm this far along that these last couple days shouldn't be too rough either. But considering that, there is one point for today I'd like to mention:
Why not go further?
I actually thought of this the moment I started. Ever since I matured in my fasting approach last year, essentially learning to just mentally give food up, the "final day" isn't the day of deliverance that it used to be. I think this is good. Because as I mentioned in an earlier post, when you dwell on that final day, it really just takes away from the fast as a whole, if anything because it 1- makes you painfully hungry, and 2 - sets you up to push yourself too hard in coming off the fast, and make yourself sick. So anyway, now having come to that point where I've really been able to just fast more peacefully, pretty much since day 1 I haven't been "counting down" until I can eat. However, the one key thing in regards to this fast for me is that this year I know God told me 9 days. It was a couple weeks before the fast, and when I prayed He said it pretty clearly. So I was like "Okay, good deal." So that should mean I shouldn't have even considered going further, right? Well, maybe, but I guess I've been of the mindset that if God wanted to stretch me further, or whatever, during the fast, that I would be willing to hear Him out. In fact, I actually kind of anticipated that I might go longer this year than I have in the past. But, the truth is that every time I've even thought about it in prayer, God has continuously reiterated to me "9 days," to the point that after I seriously prayed about it yesterday, I know that Tuesday night is the time for me to come off this fast.
Anyways, I mention this because I've come to experience two competing poles in fasting: the human pole, and the God pole. On the one hand, fasting is a Scriptural mandate that Jesus expects us to do (when you fast...they will fast when the bridegroom is gone), and that being the case, regardless of whether or not we get a clear word from heaven, as Christians fasting is a spiritual discipline that we ought not ignore. Simply, we (the human side) simply make the choice to obey Him. But on the other hand, and this has been fairly frequent in my experience, often when we pray and seek God about fasting, or about a long fast particularly, it seems, He may very well give us clear guidelines. He may tell us how long, what to fast, etc. And in these cases, we certainly need to heed that and not try and cheat our ways out of it. Furthermore, as it has been for me this year, we may even want to fast for a longer period of time, but He can still tell us that we've done what He's asked of us. Which is, obviously, satisfactory :-).
Yet as a final note about this, obviously trying to draw the line of our human hunger and what God really wants us to do with something like fasting is incredibly dubious. I mean, how many of us who have fasted have gone into our prayer closets, heard a creek in the door and said "The voice of God! He told me I can eat!" Haha. The point is, we have to as intentional as possible about seeking Him. We need to be hungry for Him. And if we truly seek after Him with everything, I think we'll start shying away from making excuses. Rather, we'll actually want to do whatever we can while fasting to get closer to Him, such that if in fact He does tell us our fast is concluded, we will know it's a pleased Father saying "well done" and not an irritated parent saying "Okay already, eat your stinkin cookies!"
But it's been great, and I still want to enjoy the next couple of days of just focusing on Him as best as I know how. Yesterday was probably my easiest day so far, so I think, hopefully, now that I'm this far along that these last couple days shouldn't be too rough either. But considering that, there is one point for today I'd like to mention:
Why not go further?
I actually thought of this the moment I started. Ever since I matured in my fasting approach last year, essentially learning to just mentally give food up, the "final day" isn't the day of deliverance that it used to be. I think this is good. Because as I mentioned in an earlier post, when you dwell on that final day, it really just takes away from the fast as a whole, if anything because it 1- makes you painfully hungry, and 2 - sets you up to push yourself too hard in coming off the fast, and make yourself sick. So anyway, now having come to that point where I've really been able to just fast more peacefully, pretty much since day 1 I haven't been "counting down" until I can eat. However, the one key thing in regards to this fast for me is that this year I know God told me 9 days. It was a couple weeks before the fast, and when I prayed He said it pretty clearly. So I was like "Okay, good deal." So that should mean I shouldn't have even considered going further, right? Well, maybe, but I guess I've been of the mindset that if God wanted to stretch me further, or whatever, during the fast, that I would be willing to hear Him out. In fact, I actually kind of anticipated that I might go longer this year than I have in the past. But, the truth is that every time I've even thought about it in prayer, God has continuously reiterated to me "9 days," to the point that after I seriously prayed about it yesterday, I know that Tuesday night is the time for me to come off this fast.
Anyways, I mention this because I've come to experience two competing poles in fasting: the human pole, and the God pole. On the one hand, fasting is a Scriptural mandate that Jesus expects us to do (when you fast...they will fast when the bridegroom is gone), and that being the case, regardless of whether or not we get a clear word from heaven, as Christians fasting is a spiritual discipline that we ought not ignore. Simply, we (the human side) simply make the choice to obey Him. But on the other hand, and this has been fairly frequent in my experience, often when we pray and seek God about fasting, or about a long fast particularly, it seems, He may very well give us clear guidelines. He may tell us how long, what to fast, etc. And in these cases, we certainly need to heed that and not try and cheat our ways out of it. Furthermore, as it has been for me this year, we may even want to fast for a longer period of time, but He can still tell us that we've done what He's asked of us. Which is, obviously, satisfactory :-).
Yet as a final note about this, obviously trying to draw the line of our human hunger and what God really wants us to do with something like fasting is incredibly dubious. I mean, how many of us who have fasted have gone into our prayer closets, heard a creek in the door and said "The voice of God! He told me I can eat!" Haha. The point is, we have to as intentional as possible about seeking Him. We need to be hungry for Him. And if we truly seek after Him with everything, I think we'll start shying away from making excuses. Rather, we'll actually want to do whatever we can while fasting to get closer to Him, such that if in fact He does tell us our fast is concluded, we will know it's a pleased Father saying "well done" and not an irritated parent saying "Okay already, eat your stinkin cookies!"
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Day 6
Mornings are always easiest. I have definitely come to realize that. Though I suppose I could have guessed this off of even one day fasts, as about 70% of the time I'm not really all that hungry the next day until around lunch time. My guess as to why this is is that as your body shuts down so much in sleep, you've spent 8 hours or so expending little energy. So when you wake up, your body's really not in all that great of need for food or anything like that.
But anyway, this has definitely been pretty evident for me the past two days, as I have woken up not even bothered by the absence of food, and later in the day certainly having hunger difficulties. And again so far this morning, I could care less about eating anything. I suppose the best thing to do is enjoy it, as it sure does feel peaceful when I'm fasting but not even physically struggling to fast, lol. Really, it's almost like the first few hours of the day give me the confidence that I could go for almost however long I want. And I guess that's for two reasons: 1 - simply because it's physically easy, and 2 - because it just feels pretty dang good spiritually speaking when you know you're doing the most you can possibly do to petition God's movement in your life, and you feel like you're doing it with relative ease. It's just like "ahh...just sit back and enjoy the ride into God's outpouring in my life." haha.
Of course, then a few hours later reality usually hits and I just keep praying to make it to the end :-).
But anyway, this has definitely been pretty evident for me the past two days, as I have woken up not even bothered by the absence of food, and later in the day certainly having hunger difficulties. And again so far this morning, I could care less about eating anything. I suppose the best thing to do is enjoy it, as it sure does feel peaceful when I'm fasting but not even physically struggling to fast, lol. Really, it's almost like the first few hours of the day give me the confidence that I could go for almost however long I want. And I guess that's for two reasons: 1 - simply because it's physically easy, and 2 - because it just feels pretty dang good spiritually speaking when you know you're doing the most you can possibly do to petition God's movement in your life, and you feel like you're doing it with relative ease. It's just like "ahh...just sit back and enjoy the ride into God's outpouring in my life." haha.
Of course, then a few hours later reality usually hits and I just keep praying to make it to the end :-).
Friday, January 8, 2010
NFL Playoff Predictions
Alright everyone, it's that time of year so loved by American football fans: the playoffs. It really is a good time for football, for on the Superbowl people who never watch the game do, and for those who are football fans but whose team hasn't made it, they are usually compelled to watch these 11 elimination games regardless.
So anyway, here are my predictions for wild card weekend.
Philadelphia at Dallas: Dallas by 10
Okay okay, so I am a die hard cowboys fan. They're my team, I want them to win, so sure I'm biased. However, most sports analysts are on my side in this one. The fact is that for whatever reason, the Dallas D has been the lone D able to stop the explosive Philadelphia offense. They averaged 30+ points against every other team they played; and scored 16 points in two games vs. Dallas. Of course, there's always that fear that after being swept by the Cowboys and having a rematch with them 6 days later, that the Eagles will come out and put it on the Cowboys. Trust me, I am pretty afraid of this myself. I am pretty worried that the Cowboys 13 season long playoff curse may come to roost this Saturday night. Also, there's just that difficulty with beating the same team three times, especially when the last two games are back to back. There's just so much these teams got to know about each other, that I'm sure the game plans will be a heck of a lot more improved on Philadelphia's side of the ball. However, and as my final thought, based off of Dallas exorcising the December demons with an impressive three straight wins (breaking the Saints 13 game win streak, then back to back shutouts) I think they're more than ready for the heat Philadelphia will bring. That's why I'm calling Dallas by ten. I think they're tired of the playoff-less Cowboys, and are ready to prove to everyone they're ready for a Superbowl win. I think they're just too physical on both the offensive and defensive lines, and I think that because of that they bring home another victory, and a trip to the divisional playoff, which I think they'll win (I don't think New Orleans or Minnesota will stop them)
*But a final thought, I definitely see a good chance of Philly winning. I'm pretty afraid of that. But as unbiased as I can be, I think Dallas makes a statement in this game.
Baltimore vs New England: Baltimore by 3
Yeah, you heard me right: Baltimore goes into Foxboro and beats the Pats at home. I know Tom Brady has never lost a home playoff game. But I also now that Wes Welker is out and I think the Ravens are going in with something to prove. I don't think Baltimore gets past the division round, but I think they pull the upset in this one. Sure, I won't be shocked at all if Brady wins it, but idk...I just think the Pats started falling apart this year, and that the Ravens are just playing better and are able to pull it off.
Green Bay vs. Arizona: Arizona by 3
What the heck!? Green Bay dominated them in the final game of the season! Yeah, but Arizona sat most of their starters, but the man who really counted on that bench was Kurt Warner. Dude gets hot in the playoffs: real hot. I think he knows what games like this are all about and turns that offensive explosion on we saw last year in the playoffs. Yes, I still like the Packer's chances in this game, but I think Arizona surprises a lot of people in this game...again (last year) and sends the Pack back to Lambeau. But I do think it's going to be a close game.
NYJ vs Cincinatti: Jets by 3
This one was probably hardest for me. I know the Jets plastered the Bengals last week, but the Bengals weren't really in that game. However, I do think that Revis shuts down Ochocinco, and that really makes it hard for the Bengals in my mind. I do like their running game with Cedric Benson, but I think Thomas Jones out performs him and Sanchez steps up to the pressure of this game and doesn't turn the ball over. Either way, I don't see either of these teams making it past the division round. The Colts or Chargers would plaster either of them.
So anyway, here are my predictions for wild card weekend.
Philadelphia at Dallas: Dallas by 10
Okay okay, so I am a die hard cowboys fan. They're my team, I want them to win, so sure I'm biased. However, most sports analysts are on my side in this one. The fact is that for whatever reason, the Dallas D has been the lone D able to stop the explosive Philadelphia offense. They averaged 30+ points against every other team they played; and scored 16 points in two games vs. Dallas. Of course, there's always that fear that after being swept by the Cowboys and having a rematch with them 6 days later, that the Eagles will come out and put it on the Cowboys. Trust me, I am pretty afraid of this myself. I am pretty worried that the Cowboys 13 season long playoff curse may come to roost this Saturday night. Also, there's just that difficulty with beating the same team three times, especially when the last two games are back to back. There's just so much these teams got to know about each other, that I'm sure the game plans will be a heck of a lot more improved on Philadelphia's side of the ball. However, and as my final thought, based off of Dallas exorcising the December demons with an impressive three straight wins (breaking the Saints 13 game win streak, then back to back shutouts) I think they're more than ready for the heat Philadelphia will bring. That's why I'm calling Dallas by ten. I think they're tired of the playoff-less Cowboys, and are ready to prove to everyone they're ready for a Superbowl win. I think they're just too physical on both the offensive and defensive lines, and I think that because of that they bring home another victory, and a trip to the divisional playoff, which I think they'll win (I don't think New Orleans or Minnesota will stop them)
*But a final thought, I definitely see a good chance of Philly winning. I'm pretty afraid of that. But as unbiased as I can be, I think Dallas makes a statement in this game.
Baltimore vs New England: Baltimore by 3
Yeah, you heard me right: Baltimore goes into Foxboro and beats the Pats at home. I know Tom Brady has never lost a home playoff game. But I also now that Wes Welker is out and I think the Ravens are going in with something to prove. I don't think Baltimore gets past the division round, but I think they pull the upset in this one. Sure, I won't be shocked at all if Brady wins it, but idk...I just think the Pats started falling apart this year, and that the Ravens are just playing better and are able to pull it off.
Green Bay vs. Arizona: Arizona by 3
What the heck!? Green Bay dominated them in the final game of the season! Yeah, but Arizona sat most of their starters, but the man who really counted on that bench was Kurt Warner. Dude gets hot in the playoffs: real hot. I think he knows what games like this are all about and turns that offensive explosion on we saw last year in the playoffs. Yes, I still like the Packer's chances in this game, but I think Arizona surprises a lot of people in this game...again (last year) and sends the Pack back to Lambeau. But I do think it's going to be a close game.
NYJ vs Cincinatti: Jets by 3
This one was probably hardest for me. I know the Jets plastered the Bengals last week, but the Bengals weren't really in that game. However, I do think that Revis shuts down Ochocinco, and that really makes it hard for the Bengals in my mind. I do like their running game with Cedric Benson, but I think Thomas Jones out performs him and Sanchez steps up to the pressure of this game and doesn't turn the ball over. Either way, I don't see either of these teams making it past the division round. The Colts or Chargers would plaster either of them.
Day 5
So a couple of things to mention:
One, I suppose I was wrong about the "watering down of juice" I mentioned yesterday. I've been drinking straight juice yesterday and today with no problem. I really just think it depends on the year (sometimes I've been more sensitive than others) and the person's stomach.
Secondly, although yesterday felt pretty easy to start off with, I started getting really hungry by the end of the day. Granted, it wasn't ever anything terrible, but it was definitely somewhat difficult for a good part of the day. Which brings me to a good "fasting topic."
Many will tell you that once you get past the first three days that it is much easier. Now, I won't tell you that's not true. As a pretty static rule for all people, every human body knows how to fast and knows how to shut down and begin operating in "fasting mode." For those of you who don't know, there are actually a good number of medical doctors who have written books on this, talking about how your body's metabolism shuts down, and begins producing and using energy in a fundamentally different way than when you're eating. There is a lot of pretty cool information pertaining to this, which I might get to later. But anyway, the point is that as a near scientific fact, everyone does, at least to some extent, begin to have an easier time with fasting after the third day. However, I will also tell you that I think it depends on the person as to how easy the subsequent days are. For instance, when it comes to me, the whole "third day hump" has never really been this glorious conquest; usually just a minor landmark. Because the truth is, most days of a fast are, for me, fairly difficult. I know what it's like to be pretty incredibly hungry all the way to day 8, for instance.
So with that stated, today's day 5 and I've been pretty hungry since around noon. However, I think my stomach's starting to calm down which is good. But based off of what I just said, I'm really not expecting random hunger pangs, at least for me, to vanish even until my final day (day 9). I'm not saying it's impossible, because while I have in fact experienced hungry days later in a fast, I have also had days where food wasn't much of an issue. Anyway, so I guess my point on this topic is that depending on the individual, "day 3" may not be your deliverance like you would hope it to be. BUT that brings me to my next and final point for today: it then becomes about your mindset.
Now, this idea has been huge for me when it comes to fasting. I mean, really huge, and something that I didn't really get until last year; meaning for about 6 years, 6 long fasts, I just hadn't grasped yet. And that is, my friends, mentally letting go of food. Here's what I mean:
Going back to my first fasting days, you approach it with this mindset "Ahhh I'm giving up food...ahh...but I CAN MAKE IT! just focus...focus...day 1....2....3....AHHH....4.....on onto the final day, whatever it is, and FOOOOOD! YAY!!!!!" But I'm telling you my friends, this is just not the way to fast, and for a handful of reasons.
1 - And perhaps the most important, hunger in itself is so much of a mental battle. The fact is that in regards to your mindset during a fast, you have to learn to think about food in a way that's moderate and reasonable. What I mean is, and for those of you who know how much I love food hopefully this has strong effect, food is not the glorious image you hold up in your head while you're fasting. It's just not. Take it from someone who has come off of many fasts, the fact is that about a week or so after you start eating again, food is good and all, but life is back to normal and if you get a chance to eat out, great. If you have to just eat a pb & j at the house, that's cool too. The point is that the way you envision food while you're fasting just isn't realistic; you're hungry so you make it into something it's not. What you have to do is realize that once you start eating again, it won't be long before those days of crying out to God for a burger will be long forgotten, that food is just food and it's not the god you're empty stomach will make it out to be. Also, just like so many other things in this world that pertain to our physical desires, the more you think about and dwell on it, the more you want it. If I sit here and meditate on the pizza I'm going to eat in a month, it won't be long until I'm chaining myself to floor to keep me from going to the kitchen now. Simply, if you keep thinking about your "day of deliverance" when you get to eat again, it only serves to make you hungry, and I mean hooongry.
2 - This pertains to number one; if you're going on any type of long fast, another huge reason to not think on what you're going to eat when you finish is that you can't eat the stuff you fantasize about when you're done. If you start pushing 7 days or more, there's no use in thinking of the prime rib steak you're going to eat, because you won't be able to eat it for at least a few days or more after you come off your fast. Furthermore, this also means that when you finally do come off of the fast, you're not thinking about the joy of just getting to eat something again; you're still set on that "glorious succulent juicy God-given steak!" And this points to number
3 - The main thing you have to do mentally when it comes to fasting, is make the decision to give up food twice as long as you fasted. Honestly, this might be the most important point. You have to be in the mindset that once you come off the fast, food is still in a lot of ways off limits; you eat small and intelligently and listen to your stomach if you're pushing yourself to hard. You need to be content with taking it slow and really just almost maintain the mindset you had while fasting, that the "glory that is food" is mentally off limits. But again, I am saying that the "glory that is food" you will soon forget after coming off of the fast, meaning that you need to just try and think about food the way you do when you're eating normally; that it's a pretty good thing, but not the sole desire of your being for which you feel you'd punch a thousand babies to get.
So yeah, my point is that when you fast, it makes the world so much better when you learn to just let go of food, and what I mean by that is letting go for about double the time you fasted. And if you do that, when you come off it will be so much easier and peaceful, and actually allow you to enjoy coming off on chicken noodle soup, and not put pressure on you to stuff your face and get really, really sick.
One, I suppose I was wrong about the "watering down of juice" I mentioned yesterday. I've been drinking straight juice yesterday and today with no problem. I really just think it depends on the year (sometimes I've been more sensitive than others) and the person's stomach.
Secondly, although yesterday felt pretty easy to start off with, I started getting really hungry by the end of the day. Granted, it wasn't ever anything terrible, but it was definitely somewhat difficult for a good part of the day. Which brings me to a good "fasting topic."
Many will tell you that once you get past the first three days that it is much easier. Now, I won't tell you that's not true. As a pretty static rule for all people, every human body knows how to fast and knows how to shut down and begin operating in "fasting mode." For those of you who don't know, there are actually a good number of medical doctors who have written books on this, talking about how your body's metabolism shuts down, and begins producing and using energy in a fundamentally different way than when you're eating. There is a lot of pretty cool information pertaining to this, which I might get to later. But anyway, the point is that as a near scientific fact, everyone does, at least to some extent, begin to have an easier time with fasting after the third day. However, I will also tell you that I think it depends on the person as to how easy the subsequent days are. For instance, when it comes to me, the whole "third day hump" has never really been this glorious conquest; usually just a minor landmark. Because the truth is, most days of a fast are, for me, fairly difficult. I know what it's like to be pretty incredibly hungry all the way to day 8, for instance.
So with that stated, today's day 5 and I've been pretty hungry since around noon. However, I think my stomach's starting to calm down which is good. But based off of what I just said, I'm really not expecting random hunger pangs, at least for me, to vanish even until my final day (day 9). I'm not saying it's impossible, because while I have in fact experienced hungry days later in a fast, I have also had days where food wasn't much of an issue. Anyway, so I guess my point on this topic is that depending on the individual, "day 3" may not be your deliverance like you would hope it to be. BUT that brings me to my next and final point for today: it then becomes about your mindset.
Now, this idea has been huge for me when it comes to fasting. I mean, really huge, and something that I didn't really get until last year; meaning for about 6 years, 6 long fasts, I just hadn't grasped yet. And that is, my friends, mentally letting go of food. Here's what I mean:
Going back to my first fasting days, you approach it with this mindset "Ahhh I'm giving up food...ahh...but I CAN MAKE IT! just focus...focus...day 1....2....3....AHHH....4.....on onto the final day, whatever it is, and FOOOOOD! YAY!!!!!" But I'm telling you my friends, this is just not the way to fast, and for a handful of reasons.
1 - And perhaps the most important, hunger in itself is so much of a mental battle. The fact is that in regards to your mindset during a fast, you have to learn to think about food in a way that's moderate and reasonable. What I mean is, and for those of you who know how much I love food hopefully this has strong effect, food is not the glorious image you hold up in your head while you're fasting. It's just not. Take it from someone who has come off of many fasts, the fact is that about a week or so after you start eating again, food is good and all, but life is back to normal and if you get a chance to eat out, great. If you have to just eat a pb & j at the house, that's cool too. The point is that the way you envision food while you're fasting just isn't realistic; you're hungry so you make it into something it's not. What you have to do is realize that once you start eating again, it won't be long before those days of crying out to God for a burger will be long forgotten, that food is just food and it's not the god you're empty stomach will make it out to be. Also, just like so many other things in this world that pertain to our physical desires, the more you think about and dwell on it, the more you want it. If I sit here and meditate on the pizza I'm going to eat in a month, it won't be long until I'm chaining myself to floor to keep me from going to the kitchen now. Simply, if you keep thinking about your "day of deliverance" when you get to eat again, it only serves to make you hungry, and I mean hooongry.
2 - This pertains to number one; if you're going on any type of long fast, another huge reason to not think on what you're going to eat when you finish is that you can't eat the stuff you fantasize about when you're done. If you start pushing 7 days or more, there's no use in thinking of the prime rib steak you're going to eat, because you won't be able to eat it for at least a few days or more after you come off your fast. Furthermore, this also means that when you finally do come off of the fast, you're not thinking about the joy of just getting to eat something again; you're still set on that "glorious succulent juicy God-given steak!" And this points to number
3 - The main thing you have to do mentally when it comes to fasting, is make the decision to give up food twice as long as you fasted. Honestly, this might be the most important point. You have to be in the mindset that once you come off the fast, food is still in a lot of ways off limits; you eat small and intelligently and listen to your stomach if you're pushing yourself to hard. You need to be content with taking it slow and really just almost maintain the mindset you had while fasting, that the "glory that is food" is mentally off limits. But again, I am saying that the "glory that is food" you will soon forget after coming off of the fast, meaning that you need to just try and think about food the way you do when you're eating normally; that it's a pretty good thing, but not the sole desire of your being for which you feel you'd punch a thousand babies to get.
So yeah, my point is that when you fast, it makes the world so much better when you learn to just let go of food, and what I mean by that is letting go for about double the time you fasted. And if you do that, when you come off it will be so much easier and peaceful, and actually allow you to enjoy coming off on chicken noodle soup, and not put pressure on you to stuff your face and get really, really sick.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A good day. And who wins tonight?
Today is a good day. I feel good, life is good. I don't know, it's just a good day. There's snow on the ground outside, it's pretty, and it just makes for a good day. Of course, it is 7 degrees but hey, I'm more of a cold weather person and it honestly doesn't bother me that much. I guess I'm a freak. O well.
But anyway, I'm enjoying being back at school for now. If anything, probably because schoolwork hasn't really started yet, haha.
But with that stated, there's another reason today is a good day: National Championship baby! Woo!!
For those of you who don't know, I am a HUGE football fan. Love the game, love watching it, love analyzing it, everything; I love football.
So here are my thoughts on tonight's national title game between Alabama and Texas.
First of all, even though a part of me wants Texas to win, I just can't bring myself to make that prediction. I predict an Alabama victory, either 20-14, or by some blowout score. So yes, either way I think Texas loses; I think the question is will they make a game of it, or get blown out.
So why do I think this?
Well, in agreement with many football analysts, the real problem for Texas, and particularly Colt McCoy, is that the two times they've played great defenses this year, their offense flopped. Against Oklahoma they won 16-13 and McCoy had a terrible game. And against Nebraska McCoy had another lousy outing, not to mention getting sacked 9 times and almost losing the game on a really poor decision throwing the ball out of bounds JUST before time expired.
This being the case, is it not a big stretch to think that McCoy will match up against a defense at least equal to if not much better than these other two team's? I really don't think he will. In fact, the big problem is that Nick Saban is so good at giving mutiple different looks on defense in order to push any quarterback into making mistakes, that I just don't think McCoy can handle it. Honestly, I won't be surprised if Bama has a turnover field day on him.
But as a final thought, I guess I can't say I'm ruling Texas out COMPLETELY. If anything, maybe the significance of such a HUGE game will bring out the best in McCoy. Maybe he'll step it up immensely, and surprise us all. I wouldn't put it past him, completely. But then you have to consider the fact that in the Big 12 championship, with a national title bid on the line, that the Texas offense and McCoy got DOMINATED. But who knows, maybe that shot in the gut will make them extra prepared for the Crimson Tide. And one other thing I should mention is that it's not like I totally want Texas to lose; my brother graduated from there and I'd be pleased to see them pull off the upset. Both for my brother and just because it's always fun to see the underdog pull it off. However, I am still more of an SEC fan at heart and in this particular case it just seems like the upset might be out of reach.
I guess we'll see...
But anyway, I'm enjoying being back at school for now. If anything, probably because schoolwork hasn't really started yet, haha.
But with that stated, there's another reason today is a good day: National Championship baby! Woo!!
For those of you who don't know, I am a HUGE football fan. Love the game, love watching it, love analyzing it, everything; I love football.
So here are my thoughts on tonight's national title game between Alabama and Texas.
First of all, even though a part of me wants Texas to win, I just can't bring myself to make that prediction. I predict an Alabama victory, either 20-14, or by some blowout score. So yes, either way I think Texas loses; I think the question is will they make a game of it, or get blown out.
So why do I think this?
Well, in agreement with many football analysts, the real problem for Texas, and particularly Colt McCoy, is that the two times they've played great defenses this year, their offense flopped. Against Oklahoma they won 16-13 and McCoy had a terrible game. And against Nebraska McCoy had another lousy outing, not to mention getting sacked 9 times and almost losing the game on a really poor decision throwing the ball out of bounds JUST before time expired.
This being the case, is it not a big stretch to think that McCoy will match up against a defense at least equal to if not much better than these other two team's? I really don't think he will. In fact, the big problem is that Nick Saban is so good at giving mutiple different looks on defense in order to push any quarterback into making mistakes, that I just don't think McCoy can handle it. Honestly, I won't be surprised if Bama has a turnover field day on him.
But as a final thought, I guess I can't say I'm ruling Texas out COMPLETELY. If anything, maybe the significance of such a HUGE game will bring out the best in McCoy. Maybe he'll step it up immensely, and surprise us all. I wouldn't put it past him, completely. But then you have to consider the fact that in the Big 12 championship, with a national title bid on the line, that the Texas offense and McCoy got DOMINATED. But who knows, maybe that shot in the gut will make them extra prepared for the Crimson Tide. And one other thing I should mention is that it's not like I totally want Texas to lose; my brother graduated from there and I'd be pleased to see them pull off the upset. Both for my brother and just because it's always fun to see the underdog pull it off. However, I am still more of an SEC fan at heart and in this particular case it just seems like the upset might be out of reach.
I guess we'll see...
Day 4
It's kind of hard to imagine that I'm in my fourth day now. I guess since I've done it for the past seven years or so, it's not nearly as stressful or mentally consuming that it used to be.
I will say one thing; yesterday I definitely got over a hump. I woke up feeling kind of weak and "sickly," but it's that sickly particularly associated with what I'm doing. Basically, a sickly where you can just feel your body trying to purge itself of all the crud, but kind of struggling to do so. So I drank some prune juice, and a few other juices, and I felt much better after an hour or so.
Anyway, well when I woke up today I actually felt pretty great! And if you can believe it, I actually have a pretty good amount of energy right now!
So with all of that in mind, I'm really glad to be on this fast. I'm kind of truckin along, getting kind of in the groove of doing it, and when I have prayed and read for the past couple days, it has just been so intimate. I can just feel, or sense, whatever, God moving in my life during this time.
Anyway, after having said all this I feel I need to interject something. That is, many of us are hyper sensitive to someone mentioning to anyone that they're fasting, because we fear the boasting that Jesus critiqued in Matthew 6. Well, the thing about that passage is that Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for going overboard trying to draw attention to themselves (disfiguring their faces, even). But in writing this blog about fasting today, I promise you that that is not my intention. I kind of just want to blog each day maybe, from here on out, to kind of describe to whoever's reading this what it's like to live through a longer fast, day by day. I promise I'm not trying to do anything other than just document my experience, and thereby hopefully help any of you combat any fears or reserves you may have about fasting. To let you know that even a skinny guy like me can fast for a while and still have plenty of energy and joy in his day to day life to truly enjoy it, to truly get closer to God, and not begrudgingly suffer through every day.
So a last more technical fasting thought for the day:
Now that it's day 4, my stomach (everyone's a bit different) has moved past the ability to drink straight juice. It's too strong and well uh....wants to flush right through if I drink too much of it ;-). This is because anyone can fast about 3 days and after the third day pretty much go back to eating whatever they want. You might want to take it easy for like the first meal, but you're probably fine. But after that third day usually, your stomach really begins to alter into "fasting mode" and you need to take it a bit easier with what you drink. For me, it's simply watering down my juice a little bit. *However, I DO NOT water down my gatorade. I've never had to do that, and the one year I tried doing that, the watered down gatorade really screwed my stomach up. So anyway, those are some brief fasting "ideas." Maybe tomorrow, or at least at some point, I'll probably go more in depth about fasting as a whole.
I will say one thing; yesterday I definitely got over a hump. I woke up feeling kind of weak and "sickly," but it's that sickly particularly associated with what I'm doing. Basically, a sickly where you can just feel your body trying to purge itself of all the crud, but kind of struggling to do so. So I drank some prune juice, and a few other juices, and I felt much better after an hour or so.
Anyway, well when I woke up today I actually felt pretty great! And if you can believe it, I actually have a pretty good amount of energy right now!
So with all of that in mind, I'm really glad to be on this fast. I'm kind of truckin along, getting kind of in the groove of doing it, and when I have prayed and read for the past couple days, it has just been so intimate. I can just feel, or sense, whatever, God moving in my life during this time.
Anyway, after having said all this I feel I need to interject something. That is, many of us are hyper sensitive to someone mentioning to anyone that they're fasting, because we fear the boasting that Jesus critiqued in Matthew 6. Well, the thing about that passage is that Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for going overboard trying to draw attention to themselves (disfiguring their faces, even). But in writing this blog about fasting today, I promise you that that is not my intention. I kind of just want to blog each day maybe, from here on out, to kind of describe to whoever's reading this what it's like to live through a longer fast, day by day. I promise I'm not trying to do anything other than just document my experience, and thereby hopefully help any of you combat any fears or reserves you may have about fasting. To let you know that even a skinny guy like me can fast for a while and still have plenty of energy and joy in his day to day life to truly enjoy it, to truly get closer to God, and not begrudgingly suffer through every day.
So a last more technical fasting thought for the day:
Now that it's day 4, my stomach (everyone's a bit different) has moved past the ability to drink straight juice. It's too strong and well uh....wants to flush right through if I drink too much of it ;-). This is because anyone can fast about 3 days and after the third day pretty much go back to eating whatever they want. You might want to take it easy for like the first meal, but you're probably fine. But after that third day usually, your stomach really begins to alter into "fasting mode" and you need to take it a bit easier with what you drink. For me, it's simply watering down my juice a little bit. *However, I DO NOT water down my gatorade. I've never had to do that, and the one year I tried doing that, the watered down gatorade really screwed my stomach up. So anyway, those are some brief fasting "ideas." Maybe tomorrow, or at least at some point, I'll probably go more in depth about fasting as a whole.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
How to be an evangelist (in my humble opinion)
I want to be an evangelist for Christ. But I'll be plainly honest; I've felt, for so long, very unsure as to how to go about doing that. Really, the simple explanation for this confusion were the years I spent in youth group hearing the message of "EVANGELIZE TO EVERYONE NOW OR THEY'LL ALL DIE AND GO TO HELL!!"
Now, I'm not saying that there's not some merit to an urgency when it comes to winning the lost. Because, yes, the real truth is that there are plenty of people who need the gospel, and if we fail to bring it to them, they may very well end up in hell.
However, perhaps my main grievance with this viewpoint so often dominant in the modern day, American church setting, is that it seems far too man, and not Spirit, based. Allow me to explain:
Evangelism is a Spiritual endeavor. Quite simply, the very thing we know as "evangelism" hinges the entirety of its existence upon the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2. We wouldn't even know this concept known as "evangelizing" were it not for the empowerment of the Spirit in that chapter. Furthermore, if one takes the time to read the early history of the church as relayed in this book, they will find one overriding theme: Spirit based/guided proclamation of the gospel. Throughout the book, you will find stories of the apostles and early church praying about the Spirit's direction when it came to the placement of missionaries (Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles) and really just the general direction of the gospel's proclamation as a whole(Acts 16:6-10). Anyways, the point being that evangelism's root definition is found in an approach that is highly sensitive to the Spirit's direction when one preaches, ministers, etc.
Okay, but of course the question is, "Are you saying contemporary American Christianity doesn't portray it that way?" Well, more or less, yes I am. However, the first thing I should say is that I am not one make a blanket statement, so I'm sure this isn't the case everywhere. However, I do think it is a problem, and here's what I mean:
When a message goes out that essentially says "in a perfect world, you would be winning the lost at almost every conscious second of your life" it seems pretty inevitable that people will begin to seek out ways on their own to go about doing that. Essentially, the main implication of this means of preaching evangelism is that it is up to you to reach them. You need to be preaching. You need to take every opportunity in front of you, preach to all that you can, minister to all that you can, you need to take that burden and do all you can to reach the lost. In other words, the focus is on you; God has given you His word, now go and preach it to everyone you can find. Of course, this doesn't seem all bad, but when you really look at it, does this really look like the early churches approach? I don't think so.
To give an example, if I'm under the more "you" based persuasion, when I go to witness to people, I will be choosing to do so myself and really take it upon myself to get through to the lost. Thus, I may go up to some random guy at the story, or wherever, and begin thinking of whatever persuasive words I can to try and convert or spiritually help this person. But perhaps more importantly, I would be doing this almost every second of every day, if I were truly a devoted evangelist!
But on the other hand, if I am following the example that I believe was set in Acts, I would be seeking the Spirit, and not myself, for the entirety of my day to day evangelistic life. I would be in constant prayer about God opening the doors, presenting opportunities, and giving me the words to say. To give some pretty blunt scriptural substantiation for this, look at Paul's words in Colossians 4:3 and 5: And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ... Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
In other words, it seems to me that Paul had a pretty clear understanding of the Spirit's guidance and direction when it came to witnessing; He opened the doors, He made the opportunities, and it is simply up to us to be available. And with that, we come to what I think is the key word to being an effective evangelist: availability.
Because the truth is, no one wants to reach the lost more than God (1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9) I mean, He died on a cross for them for crying out loud! And though this may seem rather rudimentary, when you really think about it, a really man based approach to evangelism kind of takes this for granted. That is, in thinking that I've got to reach them (for fear of their eternal destination), am I not depending on myself and not God? To put it another way, does it not show a lack of faith in God when we're ruled by fear both of we're they're going, and the price we'll pay, for not reaching them? Essentially, we take it on ourselves, and forget that no one is more desperate to reach them than Him, that we just need to get on His "Holy Spirit bandwagon" and stop trying to knock it over and push our own. So ultmately, I believe that all He wants are those who are available and sensitive to His Spirit, when it comes to evangelizing.
So what does that look like, you ask? Well, in my opinion probably something like this:
Praying every morning that God attunes your ears to who He is reaching. That he shows you the doors that he is opening, and not that you're trying to force open.
Praying over passages like Colossians 4:3 and 5, or also Acts 16:6-10, where it says that the Spirit prevented Paul and Luke from going to Asia, later calling them to Macedonia, which clearly show that the Spirit has foreknowledge as to who he wants you specifically, to reach.
And ultimately, I think having this as a priority every day will open things up to you. I think God may give you words, or clues, or generally just a greater sensitivity, to who He's reaching in the world around you. And then knowing that you're available, I believe He'll show you what to do or say, and how to do or say it. That it will be His Spirit working through you, and not your desperate, fear based tactics of hoping "they all don't die and go to hell because of me!"
Now, I'm not saying that there's not some merit to an urgency when it comes to winning the lost. Because, yes, the real truth is that there are plenty of people who need the gospel, and if we fail to bring it to them, they may very well end up in hell.
However, perhaps my main grievance with this viewpoint so often dominant in the modern day, American church setting, is that it seems far too man, and not Spirit, based. Allow me to explain:
Evangelism is a Spiritual endeavor. Quite simply, the very thing we know as "evangelism" hinges the entirety of its existence upon the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2. We wouldn't even know this concept known as "evangelizing" were it not for the empowerment of the Spirit in that chapter. Furthermore, if one takes the time to read the early history of the church as relayed in this book, they will find one overriding theme: Spirit based/guided proclamation of the gospel. Throughout the book, you will find stories of the apostles and early church praying about the Spirit's direction when it came to the placement of missionaries (Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles) and really just the general direction of the gospel's proclamation as a whole(Acts 16:6-10). Anyways, the point being that evangelism's root definition is found in an approach that is highly sensitive to the Spirit's direction when one preaches, ministers, etc.
Okay, but of course the question is, "Are you saying contemporary American Christianity doesn't portray it that way?" Well, more or less, yes I am. However, the first thing I should say is that I am not one make a blanket statement, so I'm sure this isn't the case everywhere. However, I do think it is a problem, and here's what I mean:
When a message goes out that essentially says "in a perfect world, you would be winning the lost at almost every conscious second of your life" it seems pretty inevitable that people will begin to seek out ways on their own to go about doing that. Essentially, the main implication of this means of preaching evangelism is that it is up to you to reach them. You need to be preaching. You need to take every opportunity in front of you, preach to all that you can, minister to all that you can, you need to take that burden and do all you can to reach the lost. In other words, the focus is on you; God has given you His word, now go and preach it to everyone you can find. Of course, this doesn't seem all bad, but when you really look at it, does this really look like the early churches approach? I don't think so.
To give an example, if I'm under the more "you" based persuasion, when I go to witness to people, I will be choosing to do so myself and really take it upon myself to get through to the lost. Thus, I may go up to some random guy at the story, or wherever, and begin thinking of whatever persuasive words I can to try and convert or spiritually help this person. But perhaps more importantly, I would be doing this almost every second of every day, if I were truly a devoted evangelist!
But on the other hand, if I am following the example that I believe was set in Acts, I would be seeking the Spirit, and not myself, for the entirety of my day to day evangelistic life. I would be in constant prayer about God opening the doors, presenting opportunities, and giving me the words to say. To give some pretty blunt scriptural substantiation for this, look at Paul's words in Colossians 4:3 and 5: And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ... Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
In other words, it seems to me that Paul had a pretty clear understanding of the Spirit's guidance and direction when it came to witnessing; He opened the doors, He made the opportunities, and it is simply up to us to be available. And with that, we come to what I think is the key word to being an effective evangelist: availability.
Because the truth is, no one wants to reach the lost more than God (1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9) I mean, He died on a cross for them for crying out loud! And though this may seem rather rudimentary, when you really think about it, a really man based approach to evangelism kind of takes this for granted. That is, in thinking that I've got to reach them (for fear of their eternal destination), am I not depending on myself and not God? To put it another way, does it not show a lack of faith in God when we're ruled by fear both of we're they're going, and the price we'll pay, for not reaching them? Essentially, we take it on ourselves, and forget that no one is more desperate to reach them than Him, that we just need to get on His "Holy Spirit bandwagon" and stop trying to knock it over and push our own. So ultmately, I believe that all He wants are those who are available and sensitive to His Spirit, when it comes to evangelizing.
So what does that look like, you ask? Well, in my opinion probably something like this:
Praying every morning that God attunes your ears to who He is reaching. That he shows you the doors that he is opening, and not that you're trying to force open.
Praying over passages like Colossians 4:3 and 5, or also Acts 16:6-10, where it says that the Spirit prevented Paul and Luke from going to Asia, later calling them to Macedonia, which clearly show that the Spirit has foreknowledge as to who he wants you specifically, to reach.
And ultimately, I think having this as a priority every day will open things up to you. I think God may give you words, or clues, or generally just a greater sensitivity, to who He's reaching in the world around you. And then knowing that you're available, I believe He'll show you what to do or say, and how to do or say it. That it will be His Spirit working through you, and not your desperate, fear based tactics of hoping "they all don't die and go to hell because of me!"
A blogging experiment
Hello everyone (or no one..haha)
I thought I would give blogging a try since I frequently want some sort of platform through which to present my thoughts, poems, etc. I have used facebook for quite some time, if anything because you can actually notify people you might think to be interested in your thoughts and in reading your writing. And that being the case, I will probably continue to post on both sites for a while, and depending on how this blogging thing turns out, I may end up deciding on one or the other. But I will say that even if I don't amass some sort of "following" on here, my hopes are up about this blog, as it will encourage me to "publicly journal" or whatever you could call it, a bit more often. And being one who has journaled much in the past, and sees the value in it, I'm hoping that this blog can re-elicit the "journaler" I once was..haha.
I thought I would give blogging a try since I frequently want some sort of platform through which to present my thoughts, poems, etc. I have used facebook for quite some time, if anything because you can actually notify people you might think to be interested in your thoughts and in reading your writing. And that being the case, I will probably continue to post on both sites for a while, and depending on how this blogging thing turns out, I may end up deciding on one or the other. But I will say that even if I don't amass some sort of "following" on here, my hopes are up about this blog, as it will encourage me to "publicly journal" or whatever you could call it, a bit more often. And being one who has journaled much in the past, and sees the value in it, I'm hoping that this blog can re-elicit the "journaler" I once was..haha.
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