Sacred Lenses

To Whom Will You Go?

2010-08-23T22:40:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the truth hurts. I remember hearing this phrase all of my life and for different reasons. Whether it's bad news from the doctor, getting a test score, or finding out your breath smells like something died in your mouth the truth can hurt. Honesty can be a tough pill to swallow sometimes. While honesty may be "the best policy" and although the truth should be told there are most definitely times when the truth hurts. Yet, most of us were raised to tell the truth.

However, as we get older we discover that lying isn't always bad. Sometimes, we tell ourselves, that a little white lie never hurt anyone and that if you are looking out for their overall feelings then a lie to protect the heart of someone is acceptable. Possibly even noble.

One person hasn't bought into this idea though. One person hasn't found little white lies to protect hearts as a viable option. In fact, this person does the opposite. This person actually does the exact opposite, yet still getting the desired result. This person is Jesus. Jesus Christ doesn't tell a little white lie to protect the heart of a listener; rather, Jesus tells the truth, regardless of how shocking that truth may be, which ultimately is what protects the heart of his people.

Interestingly, Jesus was offending people all of the time with his truth. While his truth, the truth, sets His people free it also embitters the hearts of those who don't love him. Today it's still the case. Prevalent in our culture today is a complete disregard for the whole counsel of the Scriptures. Instead, people will pull a verse here or there and blindly use it as a means to bring there soul comfort. Then, many people will disregard scriptures they don't understand or that don't fit their box for God and act as though Jesus never said that particular troubling statement.

This is not a new phenomenon. In John 6 there is an exchange between Jesus and some followers. It ends with Jesus making several statements that offended most of those who were following him. All of the followers besides the 12 disciples rejected Jesus’ teaching that day and they left him. I love this next exchange!

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…” John 6:67-68

Here's why I love this. Jesus doesn't ask if the Twelve understand it all. He doesn't give them a pop quiz. He just flat out asks if they can handle the truth? And Peter's answer isn't "I understand" but is one of faith that Jesus is the Son of God and what he says is truth and brings life; whether it's a tough pill to swallow or going down smooth.

And that’s the question Jesus is asking you today! When his ways seem difficult; on a day when his teachings seems tough; when you expect him to give you a lollipop and tell you that you’re a good person and instead you get “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you (v.53)” what will you do?? Will you run? Will you conveniently overlook that truth? Will you make your own Stepford God by picking and choosing what aspects of God you like and what aspects you don’t? Or as he looks at you with love and mercy will you say back “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” If it’s the last response know that he will lovingly help you through whatever troubles you. He is good. And he does good.

Grace and Peace.

Power and Object of Hope

2010-08-16T22:23:00.001-07:00

An interesting thing has been going on in Arkansas for nearly a year now. Lottery. Whether a person is an advocate or opponent of the lottery one thing is for sure: people love it. Due to my consistent travel and acquired taste of Red Bull I frequent many gas stations across Arkansas and have found one peculiar practice pertaining to this lottery. I have seen countless people grab a candy bar and soda totaling under $2 only to hand the cashier a $20 bill and spend the leftover $18 on lottery tickets. What happens next is both telling and tragic. They go find a table in the convenience store (if they even leave the register area) and are quickly scratching off their $18 worth of hope only to be dejected as they see their hope blown away like seeds of dandelion on a breezy spring day.

One particular day I witnessed this twice as two customers were in front of me in line. The first was an older gentleman who dropped his cash on scratch off lottery tickets and walked off to the back to uncover his winnings. Within seconds he was trudging back up the isle to leave heralding to everyone within earshot how this is yet another day of wasted money on these tickets. His own history and others as well tell that he will be back tomorrow. As I processed what I had just seen the lady in line in front of me had a small child (couldn't have been more than 5) tugging on her with two dollar bills in his hand, pleading with his mother to let him buy a lottery ticket. Thankfully she said no but I still left the store that day with another visual affirmation of the power of hope.

Hope is an interesting thing. Outside of love, it is one of the most powerful human emotions. It helps people carry on in tough times. The hope of one's capacity to change spurs us on in relationships with family, friends and significant others. People of all ages, sizes and races seek hope to keep them going. Hope is powerful! In fact, it seems as though we are designed to look for it. It doesn't take a genius to realize that something has gone severely wrong in this world and we hope for brighter days to come. We hope to make sense of everything we see.

But here is the trouble with hope: with all it's power over the human heart and will the OBJECT of one's hope is the deal breaker. What you put your hope in is what ultimately determines whether your hope is able to truly bring you the deepest desires of your heart.

The definition of hope is different depending on your perspective. For the majority of people hope is referring to a deep-rooted wish or desire in their heart that they wish with everything within them comes true someday. And if it comes true then their happiness and life will be fulfilled. Conversely, the Scriptures use the word hope differently. In the original language of Scripture hope means more of an expectation and confidence in a future event. And it lends itself that this expectation will bring pleasure to the one who hopes. This is not a wish but is a CONFIDENCE.

So, as I see these individuals that pour there money into inanimate lottery cards as their functional savior hoping that they will win and be able to make a "better life" for themselves I am broken over their condition. For their hope doesn't need to be in a card, or a girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, their children, career, friendships, sports team, lake house, (you fill in the blank). Rather their HOPE needs to be put in one person: Jesus. He is the only one who turns Hope into REALITY. Not just a limited quick fix but a REALITY that is everlasting in this life and the next. A joy unexplainable. A peace unimaginable. Believers in Christ, we must see the world around us through our faith and see their need and search for hope and present to them the one whose loving-kindness and mercy brings restoration and life.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13

"O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. " Psalm 130:7

Heart Ablaze

2010-07-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

As I have gotten older I have noticed that my favorite kind of food, spicy spicy food, creates a new reaction in me. Heart burn. And I hate it. It makes it hard to sleep. It makes it hard to concentrate. It is extremely uncomfortable and I cannot wait until it stops. Yet, this morning I found myself seeking heart burn. When I say seeking I mean yearning for it. But not the heart burn that comes from spicy foods or a late night Dr. Pepper. No, I was yearning for a different kind of heart burn. Not only was I yearning for it, I was powerless to make it happen. No matter how much I wanted my heart to burn I couldn't make it burn. Not in this way.

You see, I wanted my heart to burn from reading the Scriptures. God's Word. I am not saying this in a gloating manner or trying to make you think I super-spiritual. Quite the opposite, actually. I am telling you this because I was realizing my heart had grown harder and had grown colder towards the Scriptures. I realized that my inconsistency in time spent in the Word had led to a frustrating end--the Word feeling cold. And I realized my heart needed to be engulfed by the fire of the Scriptures. Yet, those same Scriptures teach that only God can engulf my heart with unquenchable fire by "opening my mind" to their meaning and heart implications. It is then, when your mind grasps the treasure, life-changing, and life-giving Words that the Scriptures are, that your heart becomes emblazed.

So after pleading with God to open my mind as I read his Word I found myself picking up where I left off in Luke 23 & 24. And sure enough it would happen that Luke 24 contains one of my favorite stories in all of the gospels. After Jesus' resurrection he begins walking on the road to Emmaus with two disciples. These two men are talking about the recent events in Jerusalem; namely, the crucifixion and reported resurrection of Christ. I emphasize reported because these two men don't seem to believe the report. As Jesus is walking with them they begin discussing the events with him but they do not realize who he is because "their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (v.16). Jesus then begins to "open the Scriptures" to them, explaining from the Law to the Prophets how the Christ had fulfilled these things and that he foretold of his death and resurrection. Later as they were eating Jesus broke bread and "their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight" (v.31) Wow! It's the next phrase that stuck with me.

They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" Luke 24:32

Now that is the kind of heart burn I want! I can't imagine how surreal that must of been. Surreal, yet so real! Later we find the Jesus appears among the eleven disciples in a room and begins to remind them of the scriptures and things that he said about himself. When he told them these things initially "it was concealed from them, that they might not perceive it." (Luke 9:45). But now, post resurrection, "he opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45) so that they would see him, believe, and be able to teach and spread the Gospel calling on the Scriptures as proof of their testimony.

So today, I pray that God would also plant in you a yearning for heart burn. And I trust that if he gives you the yearn to burn he will be faithful to open up your mind to understand the Scriptures and set your heart ablaze!

Grace and Peace.

Dad, I love you.

2010-06-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

On this Father's Day I am hard pressed to find words to express what I feel towards my father. This is an odd feeling as normally words come naturally for me. Yet, today is different. How do you put 30 years of fatherhood into words? How do you explain love and acceptance that can truly only be experienced first-hand? How do articulate compassion, mercy, and faithfulness when those attributes are actions thus leaving them only as adjectives feels so inefficient? I don't know how to express my gratitude and love this Father's Day but I will sure try. In fact, only one set of words truly make an impact on people. I will use those Words to describe my dad and my childhood home...

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4 ESV)

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
(Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV)

Yep, this describes both my dad and my home, alright! Not perfect, but many fond memories. And best of all, Jesus was spoken of there. Everyday. Every meal. At bed time. In the morning time. All the time. I still remember mornings, when I got up early enough, seeing my dad rocking in his chair either reading his Bible or praying. He set the spiritual tone in our house. One of faithfulness to God. I remember both of my parents "teaching diligently" the scriptures to us. What a gift that was. I had no idea how big a gift that was then, but I appreciate it more and more daily.

Not only did he train me well in Christ but also he was always making my sister and I a priority. I remember countless days of pitch & catch, shooting hoops, playing 4 downs in the front yard, taking me to Royals games and so much more. We loved sports together so we often spent our time watching them or playing them. I still remember watching the Hogs win the NCAA Championship together in 1994 at the Moyers house. And I remember him consoling me as I was so distraught after Nick Lowry missed a game winning field goal for the Chiefs against the Dolphins in the playoffs. While he was definitely busy, he always made time for me. And my most distinct memory is from probably 3rd or 4th grade when he took me to a Lee's Summit High School Tiger Basketball game, just me and him. As we walked back up the porch to go inside I told him thanks. I can't remember exactly what he said because I hung on one particular word in his response...he called me his "buddy!" Yes, Dad and I have always been great friends.

Still, I made some mistakes. Some of them very heart breaking. Yet, with all the disappointment I caused him, all the pain my parents went through from my bad decisions, one thing is for sure: He never gave up on me. Neither of my parents did. They remained, through the pain, merciful, gracious, compassionate, and most of all, Christ-like. You see, like the passage above, it was in those moments my parents taught me about Jesus "while we walked along the way" by BEING him to me in some of the most important times of my life. For that, I am forever grateful!

So on this Father's Day, while my Dad and I are not able to spend it together please know this: the older I get, the more grateful for you I am. When I think of how hard it is to be a godly Dad like you I am all the more impressed that you did it without even having an earthly example of your own to follow. You followed the best example, our Father in heaven, and all in all you did well. You have, and still are leaving a legacy.

So, today and every day remember: Dad, I am thinking of you. Dad, I am proud of you. Dad, I am your biggest fan. And Dad, I love you.

Happy Father's Day!

Impacting a City: Part 1

2009-05-13T17:51:00.001-07:00

Mideast’s Christians Losing Numbers and Sway was the leading front page story printed in the New York Times today, Wednesday, May 13, 2009. According to Ethan Bronner, the reporter of the front page story, the Holy Land’s population was made up of 20% professing Christians a century ago. It is about 5% now. Jerusalem is now predominantly Muslim with only 2% of the population claiming to be Christians. The story attributes the decline in Christian population primarily to emigration and violence. In a Mass at the foot of the Mount of Olives on Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI stated “While understandable reasons lead many, especially the young, to emigrate, this decision brings in its wake a great clutrural and spiritual impoverishment to [Jerusalem].” What an interesting comment. Seriously, interesting. While I don't agree with much of Catholicism I must admit I find this comment by the Pope to bring up an intriguing idea...

What impact does Christianity have on a city? What impact should Christianity have on a city? Unfortunately, these are two very different questions. Let's tackle the first question in this post and the second in a later blog post.

What impact does Christianity have on a city? While I know Pope Benedict was referring to Jerusalem, and even more broadly the Holy Land, I believe the question can be asked of any city. Obviously, it's affect on Jerusalem is great. Jerusalem is the home for the world's three largest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Judaism and Islam are still abundant in the holy city but Christianity has fallen to 2%. Part of the tragedy here is that Jerusalem was the site of much of Jesus' ministry and Christian history. Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem; he was buried and was resurrected in Jerusalem. He appeared to many witnesses in and around Jerusalem. The church started in Jerusalem and spread out from there. So, it's definitely sad to see Christians leaving Jerusalem. But to say it "brings in it's wake a great cultural and spiritual impoverishment" escalates the effect of Christianity to a whole new level. Why would Christians leaving a particular area or community have that sort of affect on that which it leaves? I wonder how many communities would be affected to that extent if Christianity was to leave? What about your community? Would your city look any different if the Christians left? Would it be culturally and spiritually imporverished? The question "what impact does Christianity have on a city?" asks all of us, both Christians and non-Christians, to take stock of what impact it has had on our particular cities and the like. The answers, especially in America, may be scary for us to confront that claim to follow Christ Jesus. Still, it would serve us well to be honest on what impact we are making within our cultures we do life in. Once we have determined what impact we are making we can then, as those that profess Jesus as Lord, evaluate how to make a bigger impact so that if we were to leave our community for some reason people might actually notice due to a "great cultural and spiritual impoverishment."

For His Renown,

Nathan

Skeptics...Come one, come all

2009-05-04T21:04:00.001-07:00

Are you skeptical about God? Are you skeptical about Jesus Christ and who He claimed to be? I believe we all have been at some point in our lives. Even for people who have believed in God since they were children still find themselves skeptical at times. I have a 7-year old son who believes in God and the claims of Jesus but even now still has questions. The fact that skepticism is commonplace and continues to become more commonplace within our culture raises some interesting questions.

First, does increasing skepticism in the existence of God mean that God does not exist? I don't believe this has any bearing on God's existence. Skepticism does not ultimately decide reality; rather, it is a way in which we, as rational creatures, ask questions to help us effectively grasp what we believe reality to be by wrestling with facts, perceptions, and other data. By being skeptical about something it does not effect the actual reality of what is in question but is a helpful way to process information to make an informed and thoughtful decision. For example, if I believe that I can fly and I climb to the top of a 2-story building I am going to go home with a best a bummed knee. My own belief in my ability to fly or my own disbelief in gravity does not actually have any bearing on reality.

Secondly, everyone is skeptical about something. Therefore, no matter if you believe in God or not you must admit there is an element of faith to whatever you believe. There is even faith behind your doubts and faith is what holds up your skeptical beliefs. The fact is that you really cannot disprove God for sure. So, have you ever doubted your faith that there is NOT a God? Have you ever tried to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does not exist? For every clue of the non-existence of God there is a stronger clue of the existence of God. Authors such as C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia and many other titles) and Lee Strobel set out to disprove Christianity and the claims of Jesus. Both of them in their study wound up with faith in Jesus as God. I read critics of Christianity...do you read anyone who boasts Jesus as the true God? When you realize that your belief or lack of belief in God is founded on some sort of faith it will inspire you to doubt your doubts and begin searching for truth.

Finally, if you are skeptical of the existence of the God of the Bible ask yourself what is so hard for you to accept or believe? Let's go to the root of the problem. Does the existence of evil inhibit you from believing in an all-loving God that claims to be in control? Does injustice keep you from belief? How about evolution? How about believing there are no moral absolutes? What is your hold-up and then begin researching. Try praying to God and asking him if he is real to make himself known to you.

This topic is really not one in which a short blog can address the issue of skepticism in the claims of the God of the Bible. However, my point was not to change your mind about God. Rather, I wanted skeptics to at least entertain the idea that there is faith behind their doubts and to challenge skeptics to really look into and research the claims of Christianity. And I want you to know that if you are skeptical... you are welcome! Unfortunately, many churches and Christians treat skeptics like they have the plague when in all actuality you should be welcomed with your doubts and all. I believe in Jesus. I believe that He is God's Son and that all purpose in life is to be found in him. I am a Christian. And I personally want to welcome you to bring your doubts and questions and seek out the truth about God, Jesus and Christianity.

Skeptics...come one, come all.

What to do if the election upset you...

2008-11-11T11:17:00.000-08:00

It has been about a week since that big night in our nation's history. One week since we watched the first African-American male to become our Commander and Chief. One week since we saw one of the largest landslides in electoral votes since Reagan swept all except Minnesota. One week since we saw our collective nation put it's hope in a leader that promises "change." And it's been one week since I heard many people from here at home to people nationwide grumble and spew ugliness from their mouths over the new President Elect.

The unfortunate thing is that many individuals conveying their utter hatred for President Elect Obama are professing Christians. The same people vocal about their union of beliefs and political allegiance; the same folks who are claiming God in the elections; the same people who claim God is love are showing disdain for the elected officials in our government. Now let me reiterate I am not advocating the views, policies, or ideologies of those that won their respective elections. However, that is not the point now! The way our government is designed is for the elected officials to have a designated amount of power and authority but that power and authority is given to him/her by the people and only for a given time.

When I began hearing and seeing the backlash by some (definitely not all) professing Christians my first thought was for those individuals that are skeptic of the faith and of our God, the one true God. How would they interpret our actions? How would that individual that is not sure there really is a God and if there is would he really want to associate with that God evaluate our response to this election? How would that individual be able to reconcile our actions with what we say we believe?

Here lies the challenge before us all who believe in Jesus: we must live our lives believing that He is good, He loves us, He is working all things for our good because He is good and that He can be glorified in our world today. And we must trust Him with what we cannot control. We cannot just believe this but we must live this. Anyone who is skeptical of Jesus and Christianity is always looking to us for legitimate hope or for us to fall on our face...and sometimes both. I don't blame them for this in the least. As believers in Christ we are not perfect and we will make mistakes. That is unavoidable. However, our lifestyle and mindset should be one of humility and love to the world around us that doesn't know Jesus.

So how would God want us to respond if the election upset us? We should pray for President Elect Obama. Plain...simple. We should pray for our leaders. There is not a single person who can thwart God's plan in human history! People have tried...they always fail. We need to pray for Obama to have wisdom during his presidency. We need to pray for God to use him for His purposes. We need to pray that God will save him and redeem him if he is not already a believer in Jesus. Our country needs prayer. Our leaders need prayer regardless of their faith and tax plans they want to enforce.

God has allowed or put (depending on how you view God's sovereignty) Obama in place. While scripture is the ultimate authority for us our elected officials are also in authority over us and until the elected officials require us to do something that goes against God's will in the scriptures. At that point we must stand for truth!! Definitely! But until then we are to submit to their authority.

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Romans 13:1-2

My fear is that our negative speech and absence of grace towards President Elect Obama and those who voted for him will lead them from the cross instead of to the cross. We will make mistakes because we are human but if our heart is in the right place God's grace will fill the gaps. So let's go love people who are skeptical; let's love those who don't love us; and let's pray for our nation and our leaders. Why? Because God will get the glory and we can be a blessing by leading people to Him!! Isn't that what our goal for life is?

I love you all,

Nathan

Why pray for the Election?

2008-11-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

So, it is finally here...well, almost. It is Monday night, November 3, 2008. Tomorrow we, as Americans, get to exercise one of our greatest liberties and responsibilities. We get to vote. And what an important vote it is. Now I could get into all of the reasons why it is an important vote, however, I would rather spend a quick moment discussing why it is vital that we not overlook praying for the election.

The scriptures teach that God is the one who appoints kings and rulers to there proper places. We see this in 1 Samuel 8 and 9 when Israel is demanding a king to rule over them like the other nations. Up to this point they had Judges but God was to be their king. Israel though, seeing the nations around them ruled by a human king, began demanding of Samuel that he annoint a king of Israel. So, after warning them of how a king will treat them and the Israelites still demanding a king, God allowed them to have what they thought they wanted. God told Samuel to annoint Saul king. Not long after in 1 Samuel 13 God is angered by Saul's lack luster performance as king and lack of faith in battle. He then prophesies through Samuel that Saul will be removed as king and God will insert a king after his own heart. That king was David. This is just one example of how God puts rulers and kings in their place for a reason and purpose.

So that begs the question...why even pray about this matter? What good would it do to pray if God is the one who appoints rulers; good and bad? Well, scripture also teaches that God is moved by our prayers! That is astounding to me, really! As I was considering this truth earlier today I was trying to think of different places in God's Word where we see Him change plans (so to speak) and be moved by the prayers of humble servants. Sure enough, God brought an example in my daily bible reading this very night! Isn't God awesome?!! I have been reading through Isaiah and just so happened to come to chapter 38. Check this out:

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the
prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set
your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover." 2Then Hezekiah
turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3and said, "Please, O LORD,
remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart,
and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5"Go and say to Hezekiah,
Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I
have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6I will
deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will
defend this city. Isaiah 38:1-6

Wow! Now I think that is pretty cool. I mean we have Isaiah roll up on the scene and essentially tell Hezekiah that he needs to get things ready to continue without him because he is going downhill quick and will not live. I love how Hezekiah responds. He prays earnestly. He pleads with His maker. He throws himself on the mercy seat of God. And what happens? God hears his prayers, sees his tears, and God's heart is moved. That is amazing!! God loves us and does hear our prayers. And sometimes, God even is moved! There are many more examples in scripture but I wanted to bring this out tonight.

So, the challenge to all of us is this: during election day pray continually for our nation and that the officials that are elected all over our great nation from President to local mayor would be people that love God, fear the Lord and seek Him with all of their heart! You never know what might happen in the election then! Forget what the media says about who is supposed to win because our God reigns!! Then, trust Him that regardless of the outcome He is sovereign over all things and has our joy and best interest at heart!!

For His Name!

Nathan

Grace is Borderline Scandalous

2007-12-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see." Chances are by the time you finished reading that first line you were singing those words or humming along. Amazing Grace is probably the most recognized hymns ever. Chris Tomlin, a worship leader, has produced a song titled Amazing Grace (My chains are Gone) that expounds on the classic hymn. The chorus claims "My chains are gone I've been set free. My God my Saviour has ransomed me. And like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace." That is quite a claim! But, what makes Tomlin's rendition and the old hymn so popular?

Could it be because it tells of something so precious that it's seems too good to be true? How could someone love you and I that much. Sure I want to believe it but it is almost too hard to fathom a true "unending love."

Something about grace seems borderline scandalous. Philip Yancey has written a book What's So Amazing About Grace in which Part III is titled "A Scent of Scandal." Scandal usually carries a negative connotation with it. In fact Webster defines it first as "Libelous, defamatory." The second definition however is the one I love: "shocking." Why? Because grace is shocking!

The world in which we live is so incredibly performance driven it is no wonder that we would have a hard time understanding grace. Love in our world tends to come with strings attached. "Do this for me and I will love you. Don't do this and I won't leave you." Performance love; that is the common love we find in our world. Frankly, I think we are more comfortable with performance love. It makes more logical sense to us. Unconditional love full of grace blows our minds. It seems many of us want a love where we know what we have to do to earn it. However, grace says "I love you no matter what." Grace says "I forgive you." Grace claims that "your sins are remembered no more."

The truth of grace shocks us to our very core. That is part of what makes it amazing. Grace impacts an individual to the very core of who they are! When a person encounters the grace of God they are changed forever! It breaks down barriers we have built. It softens hard hearts! God does not sit on His throne with your life on a scale of good and bad deeds. The same grace He offers me is the same He would offer the world's worst serial killer on death row. Does that sound fair? No, it sounds scandalous!

Jesus' death and resurrection enables God to be perfectly Just and perfectly Loving. It is through Jesus that we are offered this amazing grace. Jesus' death and shedding of blood on the cross 2000 years ago paid the penalty for sin. He was the righteous lamb of God whom the angel prophesied to Mary in the book of Matthew

"...you shall call His name Jesus, for he will save His people from their sins." 1:21

Once we receive Him as our savior by realizing He is the only way to God we are offered that amazing grace. And the best part is it's free!

When I think about all the bad things I've done or decisions I have made in my 27 years on this earth it is hard to believe that I could be completely forgiven. Could I really have a clean slate without having to earn it? You bet! As Yancey states in his book "There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less." Not every church you enter will tell you that but it's true. God loves you completely! In fact, you can be wiped clean by a Holy God without having to clean yourself up first. It doesn't seem fair. That is the beauty of it. It's called grace and it's freely offered by the Lord. It's not fair; it's shocking! And it sure seems scandalous!

Hope you have an extra special Christmas!

Nathan

A child-like mind can make a lot of sense

2007-11-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

I was in the car last week taking my son to school. He is in first grade and rather intelligent. Heck, the kid can already multiply 12 x 12...ok, you don't care.

So, we were listening to the radio when a song called "East to West" by Casting Crowns came on. I was singing along when my son asked me what the song meant. I thought to myself, "how is he going to understand this?". I did my best. I told him that when we are born and we sin that separates us from God because He is perfect and does not do anything bad. But He loves us so Jesus, His son, came to earth, lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our bad things. Jesus took the punishment for our sins and if we accept Jesus as our savior then God removes our bad things from us. We aren't in trouble with God for them anymore. The Bible tells us that when He removes them from us they are as far from us as the east is from the west. Hence, the title of the song.

At that point I thought I had probably lost Him but what he said next blew me away. He said, "Dad, God moves our sins so far away so He can make room for Himself next to us?" I was so amazed at the simplicity in his statement that I almost forgot to answer him. Finally, I said, "Yes, son. That is right."

That was the end of our discussion that morning but I was dumbfounded at the logic of my 6 year-old son. Sometimes, a child-like mindset can make a whole lot of sense.

Enjoy your day!

My Ways are Watched and Pondered

2007-10-27T07:23:00.001-07:00

What would you do if you knew every move you made, every step you took, every path you walked, and every thought was watched? That is kind of scary to think about.

I was reading in Proverbs this morning and God's Omniscience pierced me. Now, I was taught from childhood that God is all-knowing (Omniscient) but this morning it struck me in a new way. When I was growing up I viewed God as all-knowing and therefore was ready to paddle me when I did wrong. Unfortunately that view of God is more common than the factual view of God. One of my favorite lines from Bruce Almighty is when Bruce is feeling God hates him and he yells up to the sky "Smite me Almighty Smiter!" Beyond the humor is the perception of many in our world today that God is the Almighty Smiter. The beautiful thing for all of us is that this perception is not reality.

In all actuality, God is not an Almighty Smiter. He is the Lover of Our Souls! What does that mean? Well, in Proverbs 5 it tells us that He knows us and the decisions we make:

For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all His paths. Proverbs 5:21

Now, the context of this verse is Solomon speaking against the snare that is adultery and sexual immorality. So, it would seem that this is a word of warning to immoral people. That is true; it does serve that purpose. However, as I was reading this I was thinking about God's love for His people. God not only knows my ways and choices but Proverbs says that He ponders them. He is not just making checks for error or checks for good deeds; but rather, He is pondering my ways. There is thought and consideration as He views my life. As a Christian, saved by grace alone and faith alone, the Lord is active in my life and He is forming me to be more like Christ.

The point I am trying to make is that God knows what we do when we do it. Still, it is not to smite us when we screw up. If you are one of His children (saved by grace) and Jesus is Lord of your life take heart that He ponders your ways. So, live for His glory and allow Him to bring glory to Himself through you. If you are not a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ then know that God knows and ponders your ways as well. God is slow to anger and quick to show mercy, but as you read the rest of Proverbs 5 you will find that your sin will ensnare you if you continue. Our behavior is under constant scrutiny by a Holy God.

Nathan
Soli Deo Gloria!

The Consuming Fire

2007-10-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

I am in awe of what is going on in California. I heard today that there has been 700 homes lost to the wildfires; 800 buildings lost so far. That blows my mind. As I heard the reports on the radio my heart sank. I feel helpless here in Arkansas and I can't imagine how the victims feel.

Then, two thoughts struck me. First, what an incredible act of God it would be if He just dumped a whole bunch of rain on Southern California; a place that rarely sees rain and needs it now more than ever. God could do that! So, I began praying in my car that He would just open up the sky and dump unforeseen rain on those fires. I am positive that I am not the only one praying that prayer either. Now, it is His choice on whether He answers those prayers. He may stop the fires in another way or He may choose to allow them to continue. That is His sovereign choice to make. Still, it is something that we can do to help...pray for His intervention.

The second thought was how those flames were engulfing the desert of Southern California. As those flames spread over the state they leave their impression in their wake. Fire does not come and go without making an impact. Well, the Bible tells us that God is a "Consuming Fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24, Exodus 24:17).

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24

How incredible is our God! He is a Consuming Fire and when you come into contact with the Creator that is a Consuming Fire you will never be the same!!

Please pray for the countless victims of these wildfires.

In Christ,

Nathan

Praying the Psalms

2007-10-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

I am praying through the Psalms. It is a really neat idea that I was taught at a seminar by Donald Whitney, author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. He was teaching on how to pray scripture. The part that stuck out to me most was praying through Psalms for several reasons. First, they are full of a wide range of emotions. Also, they are truth from the heart of the writer to the Lord.

The method for choosing the Psalm for the day is simple. Take the day of the month and add 30 to it until you have 5 Psalms to read. For instance, October 10 would mean you would pray through one of these five Psalms: Psalm 10, 40, 70, 100, or 130. This way you cover every Psalm over the course of a month (150 Psalms divided by 30 days=five/day!).

So, as I have re-acquainted myself to this prayer method as of late, I figured I would blog what they were speaking to me. I am not teaching...it is more sharing how I relate to the objective truths of scripture and the Unchanging Holy God. Here we go...

Psalm 70

v. 1-3
One thing I find interesting about the Psalms is the way the Psalmist (many times it is David) is fleeing for his life or feels oppressed by his enemies. As far as I know, I am not being hunted. So, to relate to this I think about spiritual oppression; spiritual warfare. I KNOW I am being hunted there!
In reading these three verses and using that context for myself, I can relate to these verses better.

"1 O God, hasten to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to my help!"

See the exclamation point. I didn't add that myself...it is written that way in the NASB translation. Also, there is urgency in the word "hasten." The Psalmist is pleading to the Lord to act quickly. Why is that interesting to me?? Well, because it shows that he was real with God. He cries out to God in a moment of desperation and pleas with the Lord for deliverance from the oppression.

v. 4
David then pauses from his pleas for a moment to praise God.

"Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.'"

We need to give God glory even in affliction. God points us to Himself during those times. Rejoice, be glad, love God's salvation and let Him be magnified. This is not always easy; however, it is always the best route.

v.5
We wrap up with one last plea. Notice David refers to God with four different names in this verse...God, Lord, Help, Deliverer. Each name carries a different meaning; yet, they all fit the moment. Remember when you are speaking to God in prayer to refer to Him by His attributes depending on your moment...Deliverer, Redeemer, Lion of Judah, I Am, Jehovah, Prince of Peace, (the list goes on).

I hope you find this encouraging.

Nathan

The Wilderness

2007-09-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

I know it seems every post I have made lately is depressing. Well, I am one honest dude. And it seems as though this blog is my best release of tension, request of prayer, and outlet for my emotions.

I have never been more miserable in my life...emotionally and spiritually. That's it...plain and simple. I have too many important responsibilities to feel this way...I am a single parent with two small children who depend on me for everything. I facilitate an amazing small group on Sunday mornings where God is truly working. I have a new career I am trying to get off the ground. Still, when I don't have those responsibilities in front of me I sink deep into thought and lay motionless on my couch.

I told my small group yesterday morning how I am going through a "wilderness" experience. I told them to trust God and walk through that wilderness; don't lie down and throw a pity party. I told them God wants us to let go of self and hold on to Him when we are in the wilderness so we can do that when we get out of the wilderness. I told them that we should "limp away" from our wilderness experience just as Jacob did from his wrestling match with God when God re-named him Israel. I told them all of this...truth from God's word.

Yet, on Monday I am so scared to let go and trust God with my future. Why? Has He not proved Himself trustworthy in my life? Of course He has. But right now I am at a point where it's either trust Him or take matters into my own hands. The latter has never worked out for me. Why would it work now? It wouldn't.

So, I must trust that God is in control...even when it seems like He is not. I have to trust that He put me in this job for a reason. I have to trust that my children will be alright in the long run if I put them in His hands and leave them there. I have to trust Him while I am in the wilderness trying to heal from everything that I have gone through in the last 2 years. I have to trust that He will be waiting for me on the other side of the wilderness and that He is with me even now while I am in it.

I do know one thing for sure. He has led me to the wilderness. He has led me to what John of the Cross called "the dark night of the soul." My quiet times that were once exhilarating have lost their luster. God has virtually become silent to me. I can see His activity around me in our small group, our church body, and my children's lives. But the activity between God and I personally has basically come to a screeching halt. And as I said yesterday to my small group..."When God leads you into those wilderness times in life you have to walk through it, hold on to God, and limp away a changed person, forever." It is just as true today as it was yesterday. I know.

Psalm 34:18

2007-09-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Wow, I needed that.

Decisions, Decisions

2007-09-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

Making decisions can be extremely hard...especially big decisions. Some people can make a decision in a split second and live with that decision. I, on the other hand, have to pray, ponder, pray some more, ponder some more, ask for advice from people I trust, and then pray some more. Sounds ridiculous...I know.

It is actually great to pray about big decisions. God does care about the big decisions we face. However, at some point you have to trust where His spirit is leading you. Sometimes He leads you into a very hard decision. That is where I find myself now. In doing what I believe I had to do for the best of everyone involved, I am left with a troubled heart. Does that mean I made the wrong choice? No. It is a natural development. Therefore, for those that have stumbled upon this blog I ask for your prayers that God's strength will be made perfect in my weakness.

Always seek the Lord in all decisions; big and small. He cares about your every need. Have a blessed day.

In Dying We Live

2007-07-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

In dying we live?? How does that make sense? It sounds to me like an oxymoron. What makes this statement even harder to except, at a surface level, is that we are talking about living by dying to selfish pleasures, ambitions, and goals that are outside of what God desires for our life. Now...even more confusing??? How could dying to my own desires and aspiring to achieve someone else's desires for my life really equal living?

Believe it or not, that is exactly how anyone on this earth achieves lasting satisfaction, contentment, adventure, and purpose. So if I am to really live...if I am to die to my own selfish desires and ambitions...if I am to strive for something different...who should I strive for and what should I strive to do? The answer...Jesus Christ and his plan for your life.

Now, before you stop reading this blog and tell me that you are not religious or worse...that you are religious...let me explain. I have lived the party life. Those of you who know me from college know. I am not afraid to admit it. I do not hide it. Let me tell you, I WOULD NEVER GO BACK! I don't miss it. It is empty, meaningless, and creates more problems than anything. Sure, it can be fun in the moment. But it still lacks substance.

Jesus came to this earth to show a strayed humanity how He originally intended us to live. He came with compassion for the poor in spirit. He came to seek and to "save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11) He loves me and He loves you. He wants to save us not only from our sins but from a meaningless existence.

Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Open up a Bible and begin reading the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. These are the books written predominantly about the life of Jesus Christ as he walked on earth. Make no mistake. This is not myth. This is history. There really was a man named Jesus. No other man has stirred history like this man. He wants to stir up your life...AND I PROMISE YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

In love,

Nathan

Taking a trip from Good Friday to Easter

2007-04-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all. I just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Easter. What a privilege to worship and serve the risen savior, Christ the Lord.

Last night I attended a Good Friday Vespers service at my father's church in Hot Springs, AR. It was such a blessing to recognize the events of Good Friday and how it has impacted eternity. As we worshiped with classic hymns about the cross I was reminded of the brutality of Jesus' death. As I reflect on the cross and the punishment endured by Christ my heart breaks again; like the first day that I accepted him as my savior.

Christ, who exists uncreated, created the world.

16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were
created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things
hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

So, if Christ was "in the beginning" then what did he give up for us to come to earth and take on a fleshly body? In heaven we learn from scripture that angels surround the throne and sing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The earth is filled with your glory. It is paradise. It is perfect. He is exalted and sits at the right hand of the father. He gave up worship to come to earth as a baby born of a virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. In heaven he was worshiped, on earth he was ridiculed. He had to flee to Egypt as a toddler for King Herod was killing all baby boys in an attempt to murder this Messiah he had heard about. By the time of his ministry he was not even welcomed in his home town of Nazareth. He was rejected during his time on earth and even now he is still rejected by many human hearts all over the world. In heaven he is adored. Isaiah foretells of his treatment on earth.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his
wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

He was perfect, sinless. So, to receive unwarranted punishment like this begs the question "why?"

Would you believe the answer to that question is simple...because he loves us. Period. Regardless of what you have done. Regardless of your past. No matter how ashamed you are or who you have hurt. No one deserves his love. Not I, not you, not Paul, not Billy Graham, not your children, not your parents. No one. Even though we don't deserve his love he offers freely. That is called grace. And his grace is sufficient because it is based on his perfect ability to forgive broken hearts not our ability to earn it. He loves us so much that he gave up worship in heaven for insults on earth. He was, and is, high and lifted up in heaven while on earth he was just hammered and lifted up on a cross to die in public humiliation. And don't think for one second that he had to this. He CHOSE to do this. Without his sacrifice there was no chance for us to be reconciled. Adam's sin brought on the fall of man. Jesus came to sympathize with his creation. He came to walk among us and love on us. He came to bring mercy and compassion and truth. He came to set us free. He came to lead us back to paradise. And he was crushed for my sin and yours because he loves us.

So, as we look at the cross and it's grusomeness we should feel broken. For an eternity with him is within our reach as a free gift. We should feel broken because we deserve the lashings, beatings, spit, and brutal death that he took for us. Yet, in that sorrow of reflecting on his suffering and death remember one thing. Friday was good. Good for you, good for me, and the Father saw that it was finished. His death cancelled our sin for those who accept him. And don't forget either that the story doesn't end there. When Satan and this world thought they had put an end to this Christ; when they watched him be buried in that tomb, no doubt they were having a party. Only, their party was premature. It was only Friday...and Sunday was coming!
Sunday Jesus was raised back to life! Sunday meant victory over death! And some days later Jesus ascended to the Father and now he sits in heaven receiving glory and honor and praise. The Holy Spirit is now here to guide us and direct us as we wait for his return!

This Easter worship the risen savior, Jesus Christ, in spirit and in truth. Our Joy Comes in the Morning!

Personal Relationship? Part 3

2007-03-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

Ok...time to tackle part 3 of the "how" involving a personal relationship with God, the creator of all things. The first two parts are archived here and may access them to your left underneath my goofy picture! (not my normal smile...I was laughing...that is why you can't see my eyes)

The third key part of the foundation is self sacrifice. Let me share an example of this between two individuals. When I moved back to Jonesboro in April of 2005 my neighbors, and good friends, came over to help us pack a U-Haul at about 9pm. Little did we know that it would take us until 4am to finish loading the truck. That is 7 hours of packing! I was beat but it was my house. Our neighbors had no obligation to help us; especially that late. They had to work the next morning at 8am. Yet, they knew we could use the help offered to without hesitation. That was a huge sacrifice; one that I will never forget.

Example number 2. Last summer a couple that I am good friends with opened up their spare bedroom for me to sleep in for two weeks. I was going through a trying time and needed a place to crash for awhile. They would stay up and talk and listen to me. I felt like I could rest there. They will never know what their prayers, listening ears, and trusted advice has, and will always, mean to me.

Personal sacrifices, great or small, are very important. They are investments into the lives of others. They tell the other person that your need or life is more important than their own. They make impacts that last a lifetime.

Well, God made a sacrifice for you with an impact that will last an eternity! His sacrifice is the ONLY reason we can even have a personal relationship with him. As a holy, just God he cannot be in the presence of sin. It disgusts him. That creates a big problem for us. Although he loves us unconditionally, we are not worthy to be in his presence, much less worthy to have a personal relationship. Good news: he fixed the chasm between us and him. The cross that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on has bridged that chasm. The actual cross itself did not fix the problem but the shedding of Jesus' innocent blood on that cross did fix it. You see, Jesus was God's sacrifice to bring us back to him. The only perfect man to ever live, the God-man, 100%God, 100%man, God the Son, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed for you and for me. Let me tell you...that was enough to reconcile us back to God.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

So, what are we to sacrifice to God? Well, specific things to sacrifice are really between you and God. On a grander scale God does request us to give him our whole life!

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27

God is not interested in half-hearted service, lukewarm Christianity, or church "players." He is looking for devotion and sacrifice. And he wants us to be joyful in the laying down of our life for him. Again, God desires most to bring glory to his name. And we can most glorify him by denying our desires that fall out of his will and living for his will and his glory.

Nathan

Personal Relationship? Part 2

2007-03-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

In the last post we discussed the first part of the foundation to a deep personal relationship with anyone...whether it be your family, friends, or God the Father. The first part of the foundation was trust. No one would call a relationship deep or personal if they don't even trust the individual enough to share their thoughts, struggles, joys, and passions. It takes trust in relationships with other people; therefore, much more so with God. Review the previous blog (just below) for more discussion on why a personal relationship with God is vital to your current situation and your eternity. Remember, God longs to have a relationship with His children.

As we try to tackle the "how" of having a personal relationship with God let's look at another common characteristic of personal relationships that is as important as trust. Time together brings about knowledge of one another; increasing the depth of the relationship. Think about your best friend...could be your dad, mom, sibling, or someone you hang out with all the time. Whomever that person is how often a week or month do you spend time with them in conversating, corresponding, or enjoying their company? Hopefully, it is often. Even if they are far away email, facebook, myspace, and other internet sites allow for you to keep in touch from virtually anywhere. Most people would concede that time together with others creates a deeper bond between you and that individual.

Guess what, it works the same way with God. There are different ways to spend time with God; all of which are important.
(1) Conversate with God. Talk to Him. That is commonly referred to as prayer. Tell Him verbally how you feel--even though He already knows you voicing it to Him pleases Him and blesses you. You don't have to have your eyes closed either. Pray in the car, in the shower, while you cook, clean, shop, work, even falling asleep. Prayers are to be reverent but can be conversational as well. Just like with your close friends tell God when you are happy, sad, angry (even if it is Him you are angry with), worried, weary, etc. Do it in reverence but do it all the same. Prayers shouldn't be haughty but heartfelt.
(2) Revere and Relish Him in His presence...

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

God reveals Himself to His children if we would slow down, listen, and be still before Him.
(3) Correspondence. Write out on paper or journal what God is doing in your life. Putting those feelings and thoughts on paper will help you to mature as you express you love, gratitude, and passion for Him. God has left His correspondence with us...His scripture. That is His love letter to humanity. Spend time reading his letter and write some back.

You fill find as you revere, relish, conversate with, and correspond with God that your personal relationship will grow.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah
29:13

These points may seem obvious to some. Still, as Christians we may have many close friendships but feel distant from God because we are not using common sense in deepening our relationship. God is always the one who initiates the relationship first. Now, it is up to you whom He has initiated a relationship with to deepen it with trust and time together.

Have a blessed day.

Nathan

Personal Relationship? Part 1

2007-03-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

If anyone has been to a bible believing church they have probably heard that life is all about having a personal relationship with God. But what does that mean? How can you have a personal relationship with the creator of the universe?

First, you have to know that God longs to have a personal relationship with you. We mean more to him than we can possibly fathom. Throughout the Bible the Lord's passion for His people is obvious and humbling. God desires to know you and for you to know Him. While it is hard to understand why such a perfect, holy, and righteous God would pursue those He loves, it is important to accept this as truth.

Let's start simple. What does a relationship with another person require. All solid relationships in my personal life, whether it be with my family or friends, is based on trust. You normally don't open up yourself to someone you do not trust for fear of rejection, safety of feelings discussed, or many other reasons. Yet, once you trust someone it is easier to bear your innermost feelings and build a relationship that transcends the "hey, how are you" level.

The same is true with God. Until you fully trust God is who He says He is you may not have a deep relationship with Him. Still yet, to have a personal relationship with God the Father you MUST have a personal relationship with God the Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus' death and resurrection has paid the penalty for the sins of those who put their faith and trust in him.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21

You see, without trust in Jesus a personal relationship with God is impossible.

Deep personal realtionships with others are founded on trust. Let's take it one step at a time. If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus and have not accepted Him as your savior to pay the penalty for your sins (which must be paid for by either you or Him); then, you must start there. If you have made a profession faith in Jesus as you savior, and have a personal relationship with Jesus, how would you rate your closeness to Him? Evaluate today how much you trust Him; that he has your best interest in mind(your will Lord, not mine), that He will provide for your needs (daily bread), that He has forgiven you and is preparing a place for you in Heaven. That is the starting point for a truly deep personal relationship; the kind of relationship He longs to have with you.

Have a blessed day.

Nathan

Welcome

2007-03-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Welcome to my blog. Maybe I should be saying thank you as well. As I have stated under the title of this blog site "For His Renown" my goal for this blog is to tell others of the Lord and His renown. There may be times that I actually post thoughts dealing with issues outside of the spiritual realm; however, all thoughts are from me and where I am at in life. I am a pretty transparent individual. I guess that can be good and bad, right?

I hope this blog allows you to get to know me better. Some of you may know me very well and others may not know me or have ever met me. Either way I pray you are encouraged, uplifted, touched, or anything else needed by viewing this blog and hearing my inner thoughts. Feel free to post comments as well.

Check back soon. This will be fun!