While getting dressed for work this morning I was reminded of how truly sick the world is that we live in. There is a website (apparently very popular) called Second Life where people join to live out a 3D virtual reality persona. People PAY real money to have virtual sex, use virtual products and to buy virtual material for their virtual alter-ego. One of the guys interviewed has become a real life millionaire because he invented these virtual beds and virtual sex toys where people can hook up virtually anytime. Another woman who is an attorney by day is an escort in this virtual world an earns real money by helping other sick individuals live out their virtual fantasies. How long will it take before these people tire of this virtual world and fail to receive satisfaction there or with their real life spouse and begin taking their virtual fantasies to real life?
What benefit can a site like this hold for society or better yet, what does a site like this say about our society?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Busy Weekend
This weekend was incredibly busy. On Friday we left Nashville early in order to take my mother out to dinner for her birthday. Her birthday was Saturday but we needed to have the family dinner on Friday as there was a surprise party for another friend's birthday on Saturday (his 50th).
On Saturday I received a call from Andy informing me that his father had just passed away. We had spoken Friday night and new that the end was near but no one expected it as quickly as it came. So I quickly got a shower and shaved and headed down to Cleveland, TN for a few hours with that family. Got back in Maryville just as my family was heading out the door to go to the birthday party.
We ended up staying an extra night in Maryville on Sunday night rather than driving back to Nashville Sunday afternoon and to Cleveland and back on Monday. That gave mom extra time with the boys which I think all enjoyed. It also gave Janelle and I a chance to sit through a worship service on Sunday evening with no boys to take care of as they had classes for both age groups. What a nice treat.
Monday was a day of surprises. Learned many new things. 1. My friend is a 9th generation decendant of Bach. 2. His father had both been a judge and a clerk as well as an attorney. 3. The family of God is like a spider web....we had more connections with people at the funeral than we could have imagined, which is very cool. 4. His father chose cremation so that he could burn up the cancer that consumed him and it would "not bother anyone again."
And the ever present reminder, while death may have won a temporary victory Reginald Hyberger and all those that die in Christ win the ultimate victory. May we all continue to run our race knowing that the victory has been won.
In Him,
David
On Saturday I received a call from Andy informing me that his father had just passed away. We had spoken Friday night and new that the end was near but no one expected it as quickly as it came. So I quickly got a shower and shaved and headed down to Cleveland, TN for a few hours with that family. Got back in Maryville just as my family was heading out the door to go to the birthday party.
We ended up staying an extra night in Maryville on Sunday night rather than driving back to Nashville Sunday afternoon and to Cleveland and back on Monday. That gave mom extra time with the boys which I think all enjoyed. It also gave Janelle and I a chance to sit through a worship service on Sunday evening with no boys to take care of as they had classes for both age groups. What a nice treat.
Monday was a day of surprises. Learned many new things. 1. My friend is a 9th generation decendant of Bach. 2. His father had both been a judge and a clerk as well as an attorney. 3. The family of God is like a spider web....we had more connections with people at the funeral than we could have imagined, which is very cool. 4. His father chose cremation so that he could burn up the cancer that consumed him and it would "not bother anyone again."
And the ever present reminder, while death may have won a temporary victory Reginald Hyberger and all those that die in Christ win the ultimate victory. May we all continue to run our race knowing that the victory has been won.
In Him,
David
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Too Much
There is so much going through my head right now (luckily none of them are bullets), but lots of stuff to ponder. Thinking about camp, camping, summer vacation, wishing I had some time to ride my bike, time spent with the in-laws while they are back in the states this summer and the ever pressing job situation. I won't bore you with them now, maybe I will update you on some of that stuff at a later time.
Today is Valentine's Day and Saturday is my mother's birthday. My birthday comes at the end of summer and the closest holiday is Labor Day....a few weeks after my birthday. Janelle's birthday is the day before New Year's Eve so she is sandwiched between Christmas and New Year's. I never had known it any other way, but I prefer how mine is, away from the holidays, then it is about me! This is not a selfish me, just a happy thought. No danger of ever getting the combo Birthday / Holiday gift. There are 4 of us at the office who have our birthdays within 5 days of each other...I always declare that week Birthday Week 200_!
I know people for whom their entire thought process is "its all about me", not just birthdays but all the time. While they can be entertaining at times, many times it is a chore to be around them because they are so self centered. I know I can be self centered at times but I hope my friends love me enough to let me know when I am becoming self absorbed and forgive me.
There are so many other thoughts crowding in on me now that I think I will just end and say Happy Valentine's Day everyone and have a blessed day.
In Him,
David
Today is Valentine's Day and Saturday is my mother's birthday. My birthday comes at the end of summer and the closest holiday is Labor Day....a few weeks after my birthday. Janelle's birthday is the day before New Year's Eve so she is sandwiched between Christmas and New Year's. I never had known it any other way, but I prefer how mine is, away from the holidays, then it is about me! This is not a selfish me, just a happy thought. No danger of ever getting the combo Birthday / Holiday gift. There are 4 of us at the office who have our birthdays within 5 days of each other...I always declare that week Birthday Week 200_!
I know people for whom their entire thought process is "its all about me", not just birthdays but all the time. While they can be entertaining at times, many times it is a chore to be around them because they are so self centered. I know I can be self centered at times but I hope my friends love me enough to let me know when I am becoming self absorbed and forgive me.
There are so many other thoughts crowding in on me now that I think I will just end and say Happy Valentine's Day everyone and have a blessed day.
In Him,
David
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Movie you have never heard of
I want to recommend a movie that you probably have never heard of, it is called Secret of the Cave. This movie was produced by the students and faculty of Southern Adventist University. I discovered it when I was looking for something for Janelle and I to watch last night. It is a movie that you can watch with your entire family and not have to worry about language and everyone will get something out of it. If you watch it I would like to know what you thought of it.
In Him,
David
In Him,
David
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Special Days
Today was a special day because it was warm enough to take the boys to the park and play for a while. After that Christopher wanted to go to "the big store" aka Costco and get a slice of pizza. Cheap lunch that the boys enjoyed. After lunch they fell asleep during the van ride home so we sat in the driveway while they slept and I read. Jacob woke up first but wanted to sleep more so I carried him into the house to continue his nap. When Christopher awoke I opened the windows to the backyard to listen for Jacob then Christopher and I went out and played for another hour. As I said, a special day.
Family days are special to me. I also love holidays and birthdays. Next week we have valentine's day and then my mother's birthday. March is the easter celebration and the much anticipated Peter's Hollow egg fight (more on that at a later time). April has Christopher's, my brother's and one of my niece's birthdays. After that we roll into mother's day and Memorial Day. I'll stop there, you get the point. I think it's funny (note: I want you to remember mine regardless of what I say next!) that we celebrate our birthdays which in essence is celebrating our surviving the passage down the birth canal; our mothers are the ones that should be receiving the cudos. With that in mind, how many of us celebrate our re-birth day? Wouldn't it be great if we threw a party every year to commemorate the day we dedicated our life to Christ? Just a thought.
In Him,
David
Family days are special to me. I also love holidays and birthdays. Next week we have valentine's day and then my mother's birthday. March is the easter celebration and the much anticipated Peter's Hollow egg fight (more on that at a later time). April has Christopher's, my brother's and one of my niece's birthdays. After that we roll into mother's day and Memorial Day. I'll stop there, you get the point. I think it's funny (note: I want you to remember mine regardless of what I say next!) that we celebrate our birthdays which in essence is celebrating our surviving the passage down the birth canal; our mothers are the ones that should be receiving the cudos. With that in mind, how many of us celebrate our re-birth day? Wouldn't it be great if we threw a party every year to commemorate the day we dedicated our life to Christ? Just a thought.
In Him,
David
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Soap Box
A friend of mine went to the drug store to get some deodorant and decided to pick up some razor blades. To his surprise, and mine, the razor blades were all in a locked cabinet. When he asked the clerk about this the reply was "its bad out there man, people will steal a package of razor blades and sell them for a dollar just to support their crack habit." He went on to tell how his cousin was hooked at 58 years of age after just one hit of crack.
Now for the soap box. I may be way off base and feel free to contradict me if you think that I am off base. In my opinion the main reason we have problems "in the projects", that we have so many single parents, such a drug problem and many of our other social problems is that the modern day church, all churches not just one particular faith, have abdicated our responsibility to the community and turned it all over to the Federal Government.
There was a time where family took care of family and if your family could not handle it the local church did. It is the churches responsibility to take care of the poor, the widows and the orphans but it is now more convenient to let the government handle that problem. If it was not for the government stepping in to fill that gap, I think you would see the numbers at local churches swell. Why? Because to get help you would have to be involved in that family of believers. It is my opinion that God in his wisdom knew that not only did we need to help the ones who needed help, he knew that they needed to come to us as believers for that help. Not only would they get the things they needed to survive by doing so, they would get the spiritual help, guidance and sense of belonging that came with being a part of and helped by the family of believers. With this would come - if not behavior modification maybe some moral responsibility in the way one conducted his/her affairs.
Now there are no consequences. The Federal Government is going to hand out the check regardless of your behavior because you are "entitled" to that money. Maybe if we took the entitlements away and reinstated responsibility then things would get better in our communities. Maybe if the churches were doing what they should be doing then things wouldn't be so bad out there. What do you think?
In Him,
David
Now for the soap box. I may be way off base and feel free to contradict me if you think that I am off base. In my opinion the main reason we have problems "in the projects", that we have so many single parents, such a drug problem and many of our other social problems is that the modern day church, all churches not just one particular faith, have abdicated our responsibility to the community and turned it all over to the Federal Government.
There was a time where family took care of family and if your family could not handle it the local church did. It is the churches responsibility to take care of the poor, the widows and the orphans but it is now more convenient to let the government handle that problem. If it was not for the government stepping in to fill that gap, I think you would see the numbers at local churches swell. Why? Because to get help you would have to be involved in that family of believers. It is my opinion that God in his wisdom knew that not only did we need to help the ones who needed help, he knew that they needed to come to us as believers for that help. Not only would they get the things they needed to survive by doing so, they would get the spiritual help, guidance and sense of belonging that came with being a part of and helped by the family of believers. With this would come - if not behavior modification maybe some moral responsibility in the way one conducted his/her affairs.
Now there are no consequences. The Federal Government is going to hand out the check regardless of your behavior because you are "entitled" to that money. Maybe if we took the entitlements away and reinstated responsibility then things would get better in our communities. Maybe if the churches were doing what they should be doing then things wouldn't be so bad out there. What do you think?
In Him,
David
Monday, February 4, 2008
The Weekend
This was a busy yet fun weekend although it started out a little strange. Janelle had to go back to the dentist Friday because her new crown was causing her pain. This meant that I needed to leave work early to take care of the kids. Since I was going to watch them all evening Friday and all day Saturday anyhow, I decided for us to take a road trip, me and two boys ages 2 1/2 and 16 months old. We got there and back no problem and had a great visit with grandmother. Before we left Saturday night I put the boys in their pajamas and they both slept most of the way home and woke up Sunday morning in their own beds.
Janelle had to rush to work after services Sunday so the boys and I joined some friends for lunch, went home and "rested" a little and then it was off to some other friends house last night for a Super Bowl party. There were 14 children there, 11 of whom were 6 or younger. Even with all the kids running around it was a great Super Bowl party and we all had fun. Janelle was able to join us about 6, which made the evening better. I was glad to see the Patriots streak end the way it did, not that I am such a huge Giants fan, more so that I did not want to see a cheater win the ultimate prize in football. I was pulling for Eli in the fact that we were a witness to history, brothers quarterbacking their teams to back to back Super Bowl victories.
Janelle had to rush to work after services Sunday so the boys and I joined some friends for lunch, went home and "rested" a little and then it was off to some other friends house last night for a Super Bowl party. There were 14 children there, 11 of whom were 6 or younger. Even with all the kids running around it was a great Super Bowl party and we all had fun. Janelle was able to join us about 6, which made the evening better. I was glad to see the Patriots streak end the way it did, not that I am such a huge Giants fan, more so that I did not want to see a cheater win the ultimate prize in football. I was pulling for Eli in the fact that we were a witness to history, brothers quarterbacking their teams to back to back Super Bowl victories.
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