Christmas 2007

-

I almost hope no one in my family sees this video... They might feel slightly offended. Honestly though, that was not my intent. Christmas with all of them was absolutely wonderful. I just also enjoy a little bit of comedy...especially in poking fun at family singing... (I would like to take this moment to apologize to my dad, my brother, my aunt Liz, and my aunt Cordellia.....yes...you've now all been named...)

At any rate, the real soundtrack to the video should also be pointed out as being by the German Hardcore Christian band, Obadja. They are awesome.

We went to a really cool wedding for our good friends, Uli and Kai, and that occupies much of the video. Sean, the rest is for you!! :-D



Note - The lyrics for the song are in an image file below...

Incidently, I have been taking pictures, but I don't feel like writing about or posting about all of them. So, I'm going to try to upload them to the photo library on the right.. (If I can remember how...)

Also, FYI, Obadja is apparently the German name for the Prophet Obadiah, as in the book of Obadiah in the bible. Just so you know...

Obadja Album Cover (images from their website)


Obadja Lyrics to the Song, Salvation


The back of the Obadja booklet... (Romans 11:33-36)

Rajah's New Tag

-

While we were out at Wal-Mart tonight, we noticed they had a pet tag engraver. Buying a custom Pet tag is something that I have thought about doing for Rajah for a long time, but have been too lazy to actually do. So, we decided to stop down and get one. Lilly picked the tag type. It was a worthy $6 investment...




I think Jason (see: Ick's Corner) would approve.

The kitten has a luxurious, Bohemian, unpuritanical nature. It eats six meals a day, plays furiously with a toy mouse and a piece of rope, and suddenly falls into a deep sleep whenever the fit takes it. It never feels the necessity to do anything to justify its existence; it does not want to be a Good Citizen; it has never heard of Service. It knows that it is beautiful and delightful, and it considers that a sufficient contribution to the general good. And in return for its beauty and charm it expects fish, meat, and vegetables, a comfortable bed, a chair by the grate fire, and endless petting.

- Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks

Just contributing to the movement...

-

Spread the word:Ron Paul's got a blimp.

I've been following him for a few weeks now, and, while I don't agree on him with everything, I do find myself supporting his primary ideals more than any other candidate in memory. He's got a blimp now, and so, with this post, I contribute in a oh so tiny way to the movement.

Ron Paul 2008!!

What you give up on is a tyrannical approach to solving a social and medical problem. We endorse the idea of voluntarism, self-responsibility, family, friends, and churches to solve problems, rather than saying that some monolithic government is going to make you take care of yourself and be a better person. It's a preposterous notion, it never worked, it never will. The government can't make you a better person, it can't make you follow good habits. Why don't they put you on a diet, you're a little overweight...

- Ron Paul - The Morton Downey Jr. Show, July 4, 1988

How can I run for office and say I want to be a weak president? We need a strong president, strong enough to resist the temptation of taking power the President shouldn’t have.

- Ron Paul - New Hampshire Liberty Forum, February 25, 2007

Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons

- Ron Paul - Security and Liberty, April 23, 2007

Certainly the Patriot Act would have never been passed, because it wasn't available to us... It was almost 400 pages long, and became available less than an hour before it was debated on the House floor... The congressmembers were intimidated, "if I do nothing, my people gonna be mad, because they want us to do something". And the people are frightened. When they are frightened, they are much more willing to give us their liberties. But giving up their liberties won't make them safer, that's the real sad part of it.

- Ron Paul - Interview by Laura Knoy on NHPR, June 5, 2007

Some of the strongest supporters of the war declare that we are a Christian nation, yet use their religious beliefs to justify the war. They claim it is our Christian duty to remake the Middle East and attack the Muslim infidels. Evidently I have been reading from a different Bible. I remember something about “Blessed are the peacemakers.” My beliefs aside, Christian teaching of nearly a thousand years reinforces the concept of “The Just war theory.” This Christian theory emphasizes six criteria needed to justify Christian participation in war... The war in Iraq fails to meet almost all of these requirements. This discrepancy has generated anger and division within the Christian community. Some are angry because the war is being fought out of Christian duty, yet does not have uniform support from all Christians. Others are angry because they see Christianity as a religion as peace and forgiveness, not war and annihilation of enemies.

- Ron Paul - Why Are Americans So Angry?, June 29, 2006

~ All quotes taken from Wikiquote.org

The Task of Receiving

-

During Christmas season, it is customary for most of us to hear many messages about "the joy of giving." There's a lot of sense in that. In a world where materialism is encouraged every day, giving to others can be difficult. It's made much moreso difficult when we don't have a lot to give or a lot of money to buy gifts. So, we hear each season about giving, and we hear about the message in the gospel of how God gave to us.

Less often heard is the idea that receiving might also be difficult. We think to ourselves, "Who wouldn't want free stuff!!?!", and all thought of a difficulty in receiving goes flying out the window.

The truth is though, that, when we have need, there is a nagging problem of pride. You see, if I don't have money to pay rent, and someone else gives me that money, I am most certainly grateful to have it because I can pay rent. Underneath it though, is the shame that I didn't have that money to begin with. I would feel like I'm not working hard enough or doing enough to make ends meet on my own. My pride is sorely wounded.

In a world where we cry out for justice every day, for ourselves, those around us, and those far far away. Our hearts are accustomed to demanding a balancing of our debts. I think that that need is instilled in us by our creator. The Law further ratifies this instinctive need. In order for us to have peace and acceptance with ourselves, there is a balance to be met. Acknowledging the reality of our inability to pay our debts takes a heavy toll on our hearts. There is no inherent ability to overcome our obstacles.

The gift of Christ that God gave us, which we celebrate each Christmas, is the same kind of gift as the money to pay rent. Freely given, Christ ultimately paid the price to meet a need we could not pay for ourselves. Without Him, the debt is too great and we will perish, but, by accepting Him, we acknowledge that we are incapable of surmounting that debt. Our pride is sorely wounded.

I realized recently that I was struggling with this issue. Not as much the issue of Christ ransoming me, but with the more practical issue of my pride when I can't make the ends meet. Being married now, it is even easier to fall into the pit of despairing over one's ability to pay bills, food, etc. Every once in awhile, when a friend wants us to go out and eat, we will find ourselves unable to afford it. Yet, our friend will insist to the point that he pays.

I find myself oh so grateful for the food, and yet feeling a little wounded. It doesn't seem logical. In a sense, it's not logical. Yet there is a real and driving reason behind that wounded feeling: a wounded pride.

So, as we've come into this Christmas season, I find myself trying to learn the task of receiving. That is to learn the importance of swallowing that pride, and carrying on. God's solution for our debt of sin was not a solution in which we can take any pride in ourselves. When we celebrate Christ's birthday, we should remember not only that He was/is giving, but that we also are receiving. And let's not let our own sense of pride stand in the way.

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

- Isaiah 2:11

The arrogance of all people will be brought low and human pride humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

- Isaiah 2:17

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

- Proverbs 11:2

Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.

He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.

God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.

The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

- Psalm 47