Our local grocery store has scented pine cones at the entrance that will automatically put you in the holiday spirit. I bought some and left them in our SUV, so now it smells like Christmas everytime we go for a drive.
I mentioned when we visited my father’s grave over the weekend and DaughterGeeding had a lot of questions about death that we answered honestly but still hard for her to comprehend. When my father was alive I would talk to him as he would get in bed and when he laid his head on his pillow I would brush back his hair and give him a kiss on the forehead, I even did it when he died and I left his hospital room. I continue the habit when I visit his grave by stroking the top of the tombstone as if I’m brushing his hair back and then kissing it. This time when I did it DaughterGeeding followed suit and did the exact same thing and gave the tombstone a hug. She also asked us to take a picture of her next to the flowers and flag we placed on the grave. I feel weird taking pictures of people in front of a tombstone but blighted.
I think I mentioned this before, but after I asked WifeGeeding’s parent’s permission to marry their daughter the next thing I did was visit my father’s grave. At DFW National Cemetery that day I encountered Michael Irvin talking on a cell phone leaning on his Mercedes that had PLY MKR license plate.
For the last five years or so I had the worst dry scalp and dandruff problem and have tried every shampoo and product out there. I’m not much for home remedies, but I read that apply apple cider vinegar to your scalp for about 15 minutes and washing it out would do the trick. I had nothing to lose and to my surprise it worked remarkable well, my scalp hasn’t feel this great and hasn’t produced any dandruff since I tried this about four weeks ago.
The UIL now has a 6A classification for Texas schools. [hat-tip LiberallyLean.com]
I follow a lot of agnostic and atheist blogs, and it’s amazing how much they like and respect Pope Frances. Most of them touched regarding his recent ‘I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty’ comments. It’s great to see how he’s connecting with the unchurched.
Sometimes I think those who complain that Christ is being taken out of Christmas usually don’t put Christ at the forefront of their life eleven months of the year. I feel similar to those who point out God has been taken out of schools. And here is your2013 ‘War On Christmas’ Enemies List which is even color coded.
“The problem with quotes on the internet is that you never know if they’re true. -Abraham Lincoln” @Lecrae – I had to stop following @OMGFacts because after a bit of research I found of lot of their facts were incorrect. And that brings me to a rare disappointment in @HistoryInPics which posted a photo of JFK and Marilyn Monroe snuggling through a creaked door which is obviously fake.
I think AMC should start a show using the actors that played Mike from ‘Breaking Bad’, Bert Cooper from ‘Mad Men’, and Herschel from ‘The Walking Dead’. About what? I dunno.
I wonder if the overhead camera we see for both college and NFL games will be replaced with a drone one day for even more spectacular shots. Off hand, I’d say a drone would be safer than those cable mounted cameras and they would probably be cheaper. Heck, it would be neat to have several drones with cameras recording action.
I know conservatives don’t favor government regulation, so I wonder about their thoughts on drones and how they may become a part of our daily lives. The cost of drones are very affordable, and you certainly don’t want those things interfering with aircraft or neighbors using them as Peeping Tom or spying equipment. And ifAmazon.com is able to use them as a delivery mechanism, you certainly want to make sure they don’t hit power lines or drop or hit anyone.
I wonder when stop lights will advance in technology so if you are the only car coming to one and there are no other vehicles, it will change so you don’t even have to slow down, or based upon certain algorithms can make traffic flow more efficiently and coordinate with other lights down the road.
If you ever wanted to ride in a tank with Arnold Schwarzenegger and smoke a cigar with him, here’s your chance.
Two-and-a-half years ago Rebecca Black released the song ‘Friday’. Now, the 16-year-old reviews the video and is embarrassed like a lot of are when we look at younger versions of ourselves. But I can’t get over how she’s reacting after just a little over twoyears, she just needs to wait until she hits 30 and then it will really hit her.
Thanks for your perspective. My remarks certainly do come across as trolling, and I must admit that they were my gut instinct after reading this post. But your remarks make it clear that I didn't adequately express my thoughts, so I'll attempt to clarify.
I have absolutely zero problem with generosity or with money being given to church, charity, individuals, causes, etc. I think if more people would stop focusing on themselves and look at the people around them with love and compassion (as Christ did), then this world would be a better place. I believe in generous giving of both time and money, and I try to model that with my children so that they will learn how important it is. Do I do enough? No. But I'm trying.
But the fundamental message coming from this church doesn't seem to be about generosity. And that's where my criticism lies, and it is rooted in my own personal experience with a local church that preaches a very strong message of "you must tithe and give TO THE CHURCH or your life will be cursed." In my experience, churches that push hard for money are very often run like a business and thus they are constantly striving to meet quarterly and annual goals (as measured by numbers of people, income, etc.). In these situations, the people looking for God that you and I both care about (and I assure you – we are on the same page in that aspect) are treated as a cog in the machine's wheel. Personal care, compassion, and community that goes beyond mere lip service to the concepts? Good luck finding it, because while not non-existent, it's a rarity. When you're one church member out of 21,000, your personal, individual needs are as noticed and cared for as blade of grass in the pastor's well-manicured front yard. You know, the one next to his driveway which houses 3-4 cars that cost more than most of his church member's homes.
So here's my problem: the churches that predominantly share the attitude of the one in this picture are categorically NOT in the business of shining the example of Christ. They are, however, in the business of building satellite campuses, releasing their praise band's CDs, selling the pastor's books, having a good light show & sound system, hosting leadership conferences with the biggest names they can draw, and getting the best time slot in which to air their TV show.
Does this mean these churches do NO good? Absolutely not. I freely admit that many of them give thousands and even millions to a multitude of good causes. But when the same amount (or more, or much, much more) is being spent on "administrative" costs or church buildings or staff salaries, that's when I have a problem. Because the people financing that extravagance are almost always people who are being fed the false prosperity doctrine that if they just give enough, God will give them their richest dreams. It's twisting scripture for personal gain, and I don't think (in my opinion, of course) that it's Christian.
That's my take. My initial comments do sound cynical, because they're born out of my reality. And while my reality is not your reality, I believe we do share some common ground. I, too, want people to know Christ's love and grace in its fullness. I, too, believe generosity is a virtue and allows us to create blessing in the lives of others, which in turn blesses our own lives. And I, too, believe that our ultimate mission involves being ever aware of the people around us and doing our best to show them Christ's love and grace.
But I disagree with churches preaching that a prosperity doctrine is the way to find that love and grace, all while they are busy building their empires here on earth. After viewing that church's website and knowing the genesis of that "refund" statement (they didn't come up with it, it's borrowed), I believe what they're doing is more harmful than helpful. They're reducing God to a commodity; just another product that they can sell to further the business that they're building.
If you or anyone else finds any of my initial comments or the ones here personally offensive, I apologize – that definitely is not my intent. My intent is to criticize the system, not a person.
Paul,
Thanks for your perspective. My remarks certainly do come across as trolling, and I must admit that they were my gut instinct after reading this post. But your remarks make it clear that I didn't adequately express my thoughts, so I'll attempt to clarify.
I have absolutely zero problem with generosity or with money being given to church, charity, individuals, causes, etc. I think if more people would stop focusing on themselves and look at the people around them with love and compassion (as Christ did), then this world would be a better place. I believe in generous giving of both time and money, and I try to model that with my children so that they will learn how important it is. Do I do enough? No. But I'm trying.
But the fundamental message coming from this church doesn't seem to be about generosity. And that's where my criticism lies, and it is rooted in my own personal experience with a local church that preaches a very strong message of "you must tithe and give TO THE CHURCH or your life will be cursed." In my experience, churches that push hard for money are very often run like a business and thus they are constantly striving to meet quarterly and annual goals (as measured by numbers of people, income, etc.). In these situations, the people looking for God that you and I both care about (and I assure you – we are on the same page in that aspect) are treated as a cog in the machine's wheel. Personal care, compassion, and community that goes beyond mere lip service to the concepts? Good luck finding it, because while not non-existent, it's a rarity. When you're one church member out of 21,000, your personal, individual needs are as noticed and cared for as blade of grass in the pastor's well-manicured front yard. You know, the one next to his driveway which houses 3-4 cars that cost more than most of his church member's homes.
So here's my problem: the churches that predominantly share the attitude of the one in this picture are categorically NOT in the business of shining the example of Christ. They are, however, in the business of building satellite campuses, releasing their praise band's CDs, selling the pastor's books, having a good light show & sound system, hosting leadership conferences with the biggest names they can draw, and getting the best time slot in which to air their TV show.
Does this mean these churches do NO good? Absolutely not. I freely admit that many of them give thousands and even millions to a multitude of good causes. But when the same amount (or more, or much, much more) is being spent on "administrative" costs or church buildings or staff salaries, that's when I have a problem. Because the people financing that extravagance are almost always people who are being fed the false prosperity doctrine that if they just give enough, God will give them their richest dreams. It's twisting scripture for personal gain, and I don't think (in my opinion, of course) that it's Christian.
That's my take. My initial comments do sound cynical, because they're born out of my reality. And while my reality is not your reality, I believe we do share some common ground. I, too, want people to know Christ's love and grace in its fullness. I, too, believe generosity is a virtue and allows us to create blessing in the lives of others, which in turn blesses our own lives. And I, too, believe that our ultimate mission involves being ever aware of the people around us and doing our best to show them Christ's love and grace.
But I disagree with churches preaching that a prosperity doctrine is the way to find that love and grace, all while they are busy building their empires here on earth. After viewing that church's website and knowing the genesis of that "refund" statement (they didn't come up with it, it's borrowed), I believe what they're doing is more harmful than helpful. They're reducing God to a commodity; just another product that they can sell to further the business that they're building.
If you or anyone else finds any of my initial comments or the ones here personally offensive, I apologize – that definitely is not my intent. My intent is to criticize the system, not a person.
Joel Osteen has a 10.6 million dollar house .. what else would one need to know about him?