Lee J's Insights, Thoughts, and Feelings

NEW SITE!!!

2011-03-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

My blog is moving!!

I am moving my blog to leejhinkle.com. Check it out on the "blog" header.

Thanks for dealing with me and this movement! I'm super-excited. I may not quite have the same blog support as with blogspot, but it'll be nice to have other support as well.

Lee J

IT Fun

2011-03-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

This has been a really fun week for me in IT. I've set up servers at school and at home. And I completely fubarred my home router trying to install dd-wrt on it. It seems like every spare moment I've had has been spent doing mostly useless things in the IT area.

But it's bee very good for learning. I also bought two domain names, leejhinkle.com and leejhinkle.net. It's likely that the -.net address will end up pointing to the -.com one, but we'll see what happens.

Anyway, it'll be fun to try hosting those sites myself. I'll set up IIS on Windows Server 2k8 on my desktop and work to set my sites up and show them to the world. But for now, the blog will remain here.

Goals

2011-02-06T23:28:00.001-07:00

Always a fun topic, Goals focuses on several things. Or at least brings greater clarity to me of what my goals should be.

Somethings you can jump right into. Other things you have to learn a little bit about and then you can jump in. Others have a completely foreign culture (maybe) and take some getting used to.

I went to Jackson Hole, WY last year with some friends. One of the people I went with talked about doing a bike race from Logan, UT to Jackson (332 km). Initially, I thought he was nuts (I still kinda do), but I spent a lot of time after that trip riding my bike and running some shorter races.

And I realized I am addicted to adrenaline and to competition. I like the feeling of passing people and knowing I can pass more people. Or maybe I just like everyone looking at my butt.

Anyway, I want to do Lotoja (LOgan TO JAckson). One problem. My physiology. I'm a sprinter. This is made very obvious to me by my ability to be good in short bursts and breath heavily for a while and then do it again. And I have a 30+-inch vertical--meaning my musculature is at least 50% and likely 70+% fast-twitch X muscles.

I ran two 5k and one 3k race last year. I felt 5k was a little farther than I'd like to go and 3k is almost perfect (of course, I'd really prefer <400m, but those really don't exist). In any case, I placed very well in the races I ran.

Then I tried a super-short triathlon hosted by my university's tri club. I did it without any training during the two months prior to it and placed very well in my division (the one without the really good triathletes).

So anyway, I've been looking for local 5k to run this year--I want to run at least one a month (or 12 on the year, because January is gone and I didn't run one and I doubt I'm gonna run one in February). Also I've been looking at sprint-distance triathlons (200-800m swims, 10-15 mile bikes, 5k run) and there are a fair number nearby. But then Lotoja is in the back of my head.

For both the triathlons and Lotoja, I have to have a new bike. Period. The 5k obviously don't require a bike. I'll probably get a new bike in June, but if I want to do Lotoja I have to be riding 100+ miles/week prior to June and I don't know if my current bike can handle that.

I think the solution to my dilemma presented itself. Swim and run now. Keep biking to school. Compete in 5k events until I get a new bike, then do triathlons. Biking 10 miles is easy-peasy. Simple to do at top speed, especially on a new bike. Running and swimming are my crappy events anyway. Focus on Lotoja next year. Because I'll need more than 7 months (Feb to Sep to alter my physiology enough to last for 10-12 hours in the saddle). And my musculature may not be the only thing that needs altering. :-/ I love thinking aloud.

Tolerance and love

2011-01-14T00:14:00.003-07:00

While I was at home I ripped the entire series of M*A*S*H to dvd. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) So I've been watching it a lot recently. One of the topics that seems to come up frequently is the need to accept people for who they are and love them. This is evident through the interactions between Major Frank Burns and Captain Hawkeye Pierce.

Burns is a very intolerant person and often refers to the enemy (Korean War ==> Chinese) as "gooks." He uses this dehumanization of people to justify his doing his duty as a US officer. Because all the officers at M*A*S*H are doctors, they have a higher calling and responsibility than just to their country. Their Hippocratic oath is an oath to all humankind--therefore the lesson Hawkeye often must show by example is one of human decency--putting the enemy on the operating table ahead of American soldiers because they are more mortally wounded.

In one episode, Hawkeye starts quoting Rudyard Kipling's poem Gunga Din--a poem about British occupation in India. The poem is linked here. As I read the poem, I was moved by the speaker's brutal honesty. He speaks of the need to fit in with his comrades, but also the need to treat the regimental bhisti with better respect, because he is a better man than the speaker.

The speaker speaks for all of us as we realize that often we act exactly as he did: we see that others whom we treat poorly are better people than we are, but for social reason--and any others--we may not have the inner fortitude to better our actions. And we essentially say with the speaker,

Tho' I've belted you an' flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you.
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Unique teaching methods

2010-12-28T01:19:00.002-07:00

A new movie burst into my top five tonight. I'm not sure which one it knocked out, so maybe my top five has six, but that's not the point.

I spent the last six hours or so working via a virtual private network (I love being able to do that). Luckily the work is mindless enough that I can watch movies and other things to keep myself entertained as I work. I had watched several episodes of M*A*S*H, but I felt need for a more in-depth, cohesive storyline, not something that changes every 25 minutes. So I plopped myself in front of my parent's DVD cabinet (hence the need for the VPN--working for a Utah-based company while in California can get pretty tricky) and searched for something new to watch.

I chose Charly a movie written by an LDS physics professor that I heard was "sappy" and "a total chick flick." Never having been too put off by such things (although most chick flicks are trash) I decided to watch it.

It is a definite tear-jerker and would have elicited more from me if I had not been partially focused on my work. I'm kinda glad I didn't see it for the first time with a girl because I may have lost all semblance of manliness in her eyes if I had. However, experience shows I may not be much better the second time around.

To move to my actual thoughts: the story is not about the love Sam and Charly have for each other. Their love is the vehicle for the underlying message: when love is founded in true principles, it can be eternal. That is, "happily ever after" is not a fairy tale. It can be reality if both individuals want it and work at it.

Some sort-of spoilers follow, but knowing what happens won't change the powerful emotional effect the movie has one you.

Movies that elicit powerful emotions quickly jump to be among my favourites. The last forty minutes (as I saw it--your experience may differ) is about a man who loves his family so much he will do anything, include acting contrary to God's will (a belief he holds very strongly) to try to ensure that family can live together. Sam takes every step he can think to hold onto Charly and Adam for as long as he can. But Charly's illness proves to be terminal.

Sam is a powerful example to men of how strongly they ought to love their wives. Together he and Charly teach the viewer how a couple must foster a relationship so it can last longer than "as long as you both shall live." Part of this is belief in correct principles, part of it is the continuation of courtship beyond marriage.

One symbol pervades the story: a ferris wheel. When Sam meets Charly, they ride the ferris wheel for hours, mostly annoyed with the other (you gotta watch it to understand why they would torture themselves like that). Here the wheel symbolizes the futility of their conversation and even their relationship to that point. It symbolizes a happy-go-lucky girl stuck in a constant state of college party and a too-old man (only within a certain culture ;) ) constantly stuck in his boring ways.

The first time they return to the ferris wheel (maybe the second?--I was working) they actually are engaged and each has progress toward the other. Now the ferris wheel symbolizes potential. They dream of creating a relationship that will last forever, a relationship that death cannot terminate.

Later they again return to the ferris wheel (the practical person in me wonders how it is still there, given the transient nature of most ferris wheels) and it symbolizes their immediate hope for an eternal relationship together. It is their last time to ride the wheel together. But it symbolizes eternity--the ride has no end. There is no beginning or end to a circle--there cannot be. Thus the ferris wheel symbolizes their hope and faith in an eternal relationship--what they worked so hard to create and what they look forward to when they are reunited after their deaths.

After Charly is buried, Sam takes Adam for a ride on the ferris wheel. The story begins again, but in a slightly different place. This last visit moves the circular story into three dimensions and we realize what was a circle in two dimensions is a helix in three. Throughout the story Sam and Charly have been circling on this ferris wheel, but each time they come back to it, they are on a higher plane--they are closer to both God and each other. This last time introduces Adam to the ferris wheel and begins his symbolic journey to mimic what he parents created.

Thus the author actually uses the relationship of Sam and Charly to teach the principle of eternal marriage. And hey preys on people's emotions to make the story hit home. Realizing how similar I am to the characters and how similar my life could be draws me into the story and makes their emotional roller coaster one I must experience, and one I should prepare for. I pray I never have to leave a young wife, and I pray I am never left by my wife when I am young, but I know I can overcome the trial with faith in God, with faith in His teachings and His gospel. No matter how many nights I end up crying myself to sleep if that happened to me, I know that pain will be replaced with joy, because I will be married for eternity.

What is perhaps my favourite line of the movie came after the credits ended, and summarizes my belief of life on earth and whether this is the totality of existence. I cite it verbatim:

Not The End

Christmas

2010-12-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Christmas is about potential. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who grew up to be the Saviour of all men. We collect as families and close friends to celebrate what will be. Maybe I'm not making sense.

Before the world was formed, God had a plan. His spirit children (us) needed a world to come to and experience life in a body and learn how to master bodies. He knew we would make many mistakes and needed a way fo us to be able to return to Him. (He is perfect and imperfect people can't come back to stay.)

Jesus Christ volunteered to come to earth as a mortal, like us, and suffer more than any man had ever suffered. He would experience the entirety of human experience and atone for all pain, lost, sickness, and sin--all imperfections--so we could return to God and live with Him forever.

We had known Jesus for a long time, and knew He was the only spirit sibling we had who could possibly make good on such a promise. We supported this and looked forward with faith to His life.

On Christmas day (or what we celebrate as Christmas day), Jesus was born to a virgin mother. Heaven had such trust in Jesus that angels proclaimed his birth across the world. A new star appeared, telling everyone the Saviour was born.

It is the beginning of His perfect life we celebrate today. We celebrate the potential of a tiny baby child; born in the muddy, flea-ridden stable; lain in an animal's feed trough for a bassinet to become the perfect example to all mankind of how to live and how to return to God's presence.

Christmas reminds us of our potential. Each of us can choose to be like Jesus. We can live following His example, repenting of our mistakes because He atoned for our sins. His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on Calvary's Cross allows us to repent and have our sins, though as scarlet blemishes on our souls become white as driven snow (see Isaiah 1:18).

Jesus allows us to fulfill God's plan, to fulfill our potential as children of the Most High. We can achieve limitless heights because He performed His mission on earth. We each must do the same. We must follow all His commandments and help other do the same. We must find and fulfill our purpose of life.

Then we, too, through Jesus' atonement that rights every wrong, will realize our potential as we stand before God and are ushered into His loving arms once again.

Home

2010-12-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

The phrase apparently goes "Home is where the heart is." I believe the phrase was meant to be symbolic of where the subject's thoughts and preferences lay. I don't agree with that interpretation.

For the last 6 years I've lived away from home. I spent one year at university, two years in Toronto, and returned to university for the past three years. Although I love visiting my parents (what the symbolic interpretation of the phrase would imply is "home"), I know this isn't where I live. However, it is home. But only so far as I am living here for the next 10 days. Then I will return to the place I normally sleep and where I pay (too much for) rent and live 96% of the year.

But that wasn't always home. I've been in three different complexes at university this year. Each of those places was home for the time I lived there.

So what is my home? It's the place where my physical heart beats. It is wherever I am. Wherever my head hits the pillow at night, that is home. Home is literally where the heart is. And to make the symbolic statement true, I have to work to love where I am.

Maybe there's a lesson in that...

Love where you are; you never know how much longer you will be there.

Me, the Bari-tenor

2010-11-14T23:06:00.002-07:00

So I love to sing. Not that I'm particularly talented, mind you. I just love to do it. For most of my semi-adult life (age 14 on) I've considered myself a bass. I've got good low range (I bottom out around D2/C2--deep C or "the C below 'low C'") and I can push myself to reach E4 (F4 on a really good day--just above middle C (C4)).

And then one day, singing in my car I realizes there aren't many cool songs for basses. Thus I must improve my upper range and become a baritone or 2nd tenor. Boy, that was fun. So I've been experimenting with singing tenor in church choir. Lucky for me, I live in an area where tenors are in plentiful supply (usually good tenors are the hardest to find at church). Thus I have the ability to hear a good tenor in both ear and match where I need to pitch my voice.

Stretching my limits has been very fun. I sang a song over summer that required a G4 (a step and a half above my normal max) that I had to falsetto, but it has been fun to learn to hear the higher range of notes. Bass is easy to pick out because it is the lowest note you hear.

So anyway, I can sing bass better than most, and my tenor is coming along, if a little short on the upper end. Either way I love it.

Twilight

2010-11-12T16:37:00.002-07:00

(Originally dated December 2009)

I honestly can't believe I'm blogging about this. Actually, I can't believe I watched Twilight.

I have mixed feelings about it. Yes. It was as bad an awkward as everyone said. The music was cheesy, and the acting seemed poor as well.

But it other ways, I was very impressed. As bad as Rob Pattinson's performance was (I was reminded of Hayden Christensen's Star Wars performances) both he and Kristin Stewart played the awkward high schoolers perfectly. The script could either be labeled as horrible, or as perfectly representative of high school relationships. Add to that the strangeness of an emotionally troubled girl thinking she is in love with an equally emotionally troubled vampire. (Although you'd think that he'd be a little more in control after "living" for 100+ years.)

The strange camera angles can be seen as reflecting Bella's troubled mind as well as Edward's mental instability in regard to Bella (actually it was horribly accurate to how I felt around one particular woman).

(I had more to say at the time, but I found this in my draft box and decided to publish this.)

Less inspiring, no less interesting

2010-11-12T16:34:00.001-07:00

When I started this blog, I felt it would be important to monitor where my traffic (visitors) came from--or at least how many visitors I had. I thought that's what the SiteMeter widget would do. It doesn't.

However, some time between when I last blogged frequently and now, blogger has added a sweet analytics interface to my admin dashboard. And what I can see is super cool. Since this architecture was implemented, I can track my most frequently read posts, and the sources that send people to my blog. Yay for Google buying blogger and integrating GoogleAnalytics into the blog interface!

That said, why is "Unclog the Flow" my most-read post? Please comment, I'd love to know your thoughts. (Although if you do so anonymously (i.e. don't have a gmail account for some odd reason (WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?)), please leave some hint for me to know who you are.

Jesus Logic

2010-11-11T10:26:00.005-07:00

At first this may sound a little blasphemous. It's not, I promise. (As an aside, I freaking hate toaster ovens. I can't even toast things properly.)

In Toronto I met a lot of people whose opinions about Jesus varied. "He was a good guy." "He was a fraud." "He taught good things." "He was the Son of God." "He was a charlatan."

While opinions are well and good, we can know Truth. We can know exactly what Jesus was/is/will be. The Spirit will guide us to this knowledge as we are prepared.

However, what helps me is whether things make sense. Regardless of what my mother claims, I feel I am a logical person whose opinions are based in fact and reason. Thus we shall take a lawyer-influenced look at Jesus and His claims.

We know Jesus taught many things taken as truth and as beneficial. However, are they really? Can we really trust a man who claimed he was the Son of God? In a court case, if a witness is proven to have lied on the stand, even once in hours of testimony, the entire testimony is often discounted and the witness is assumed to have lied about everything. This must happen because picking truth from lies is impossible.

Similarly, we can put the testimony of Jesus on trial. Without doubt, the claim that he was the son of a God and a mortal woman is the most questionable he ever made. If someone can disprove that claim, the entirety of his teachings falls apart. Thus the Beatitudes become useless--for they are obviously taught by a liar, His commands to love one another become unnecessary, etc.

Following that track, any teaching that has come since derived from Jesus' words is also false, any teaching from other perceived great men (Ghandi, Confucius, Mohammad, etc) agreeing or citing Jesus must also be taken as false. As you can see, claim Jesus is only a great man and not 100% what He said He was leads to the disruption of much of the moral code the world follows.

However, if He is the perfect Son of God--a knowledge any willing person can gain--all of His teaching (even the ones you don't like) must be true (because He could not lie) and must be followed in order to gain the Eternal Life He promises to His disciples. This is the case because the Son of God would have full authority to speak on any subject, and His words would be eternal law. Thus evaluating Jesus' claim to divine sonship is the crux of most arguments about Christianity.

So the decision comes to you. Will you throw away the morality of the world by believing He is less than what He claimed to be, or will you discover whether He is the Son of God?

My knowledge is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died and was resurrected so each person who ever lived may gain Eternal Life by following His teachings. Logic supports it and the confirmation of the Spirit irrefutably confirms it.

Accountability

2010-11-10T00:19:00.003-07:00

Any of you who have had an in-depth discussion with me recently know I have been on a kick about agency. You ask me, "what should I do?" and, like a very wise person I know, I answer, "Do what you want." Well, at least that's my answer to most people who already have an idea of what they ought to do. For people who are completely unsure or who I think need guidance I am an endless source of unwanted advice. That said, I still try to end the discussion with "Do what you want."

I take great comfort in the fact we must each answer for our own choices. It makes sense. If my friends came to me for advice and I had to answer to God for their choices, I would not have any friends, nor would I choose to share my opinions. But we will each answer for our own choices. Therefore we have two burdens on us: (1) choose to do what is best for us in all situations and (2) suggest people do the same--this is an action we must answer for also.

So when it comes to you to choose, do what you want. But want to do your best and what God wants you to do.

Mr. Finnagan, Begin Again

2010-10-28T00:50:00.002-06:00

Maybe it's time to start this thing up again. But not tonight.

Frequent inconsistancy

2009-12-30T21:08:00.004-07:00

I love how my blogging inconsistency is so consistent. Things happen in my life and you know where they go? My journal. Where else?

So the questions becomes, what is blogging really for? I suppose it's a passive way to tell the world what's going on with your life. But why? Wouldn't they ask if they cared?

Or do we do it to entertain others? I'd be surprised if more than ten people end up reading this. (To prove me wrong, leave a comment. (And I'd be happy, albeit surprised to be proven wrong.)) But how do we try to maintain semi-anonymity (the internet is dangerous, despite what some may think) and still share personal experiences? It is possible?

Can I do anything except ask rhetorical questions?

(Might a blog be a place for debate and discussion? A forum of ideas? Mmmm...)

Genius

2009-09-18T11:06:00.003-06:00

So I was reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey and came across this awesome quote. It's pure genius.

"In the great literature of progressive societies, love is a verb. Reactive people make it a feeling. They're driven by feelings. Hollywood has generally scripted us to believe that we are no responsible that we are a product of our feelings. But the Hollywood script does not describe the reality. If our feelings control our actions, it is because we have abdicated our responsibility and empowered them to do so.

"Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return. If you are a parent, look at the love you have for the children you sacrificed for. Love is a value that is actualized through loving actions. Proactive people subordinate feelings to values. Love, the feeling, can be recaptured." (p. 80)

Genesis

2009-09-03T20:20:00.006-06:00

And so school begins anew. There's not much more to say than that. Basically time is split between good and better things.

Life is always easier when I prioritize. Best thing to do: wake up early (like 530) and read scriptures. For me, everything follows very easily after that. When I put the most important things first (chronologically) in my day, the rest of it flows pretty much perfectly after that. Not that there aren't flaws that creep up, but all my priorities are straight.

So then I go to work. Laundry is so much fun. :) (Yes, of course that is sarcastic.) I work till my first class starts about 900 and then it's off to the races.

The Lord blessed me a lot this year and so I am living one of my dreams: I am coaching a high school volleyball team. Like as the head coach. Yeah, crazy, eh? Crazier still when it takes about 20-30 hours of my week. But I love it. It gives me something to do and forces me to plan and execute my plans well. I get a lot more done when I am constantly busy. But then, doesn't everybody?

Genesis really has nothing to do with anything but the first line of this post.

But a fun scripture in Genesis gives insight to what God looks like. (Yeah, whoa! God looks like something?)

Yup, Genesis 1:26-27 read: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. . . . So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

How can God create something in His image if He doesn't have an image after which to form us? He can't; it's impossible. Even for God. So the logical conclusion is God has an image and likeness. This isn't completely conclusive that God has a physical body, but mix it up with some NT scriptures and you gotta believe it.

John 5:39

2009-08-18T00:50:00.004-06:00

Here's some vintage Lee J blogging:

I get really annoyed with people taking the scriptures out of context. Take John 5:39 for instance.

"Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

So pretty much every person I know quotes this scripture in order to prove the importance of reading the scriptures. The logical reasoning they use is that the scriptures contain eternal life.

With a more accurate reading of the text, we realise that Jesus is rebuking people for believing that the scriptures contain eternal life. They don't. No matter how hard you try, you will never gain eternal life from reading the scriptures.

The verses surrounding v. 39 tell us that everything Christ does testify of Him as the source of eternal life. And v. 39 supports this reading. Jesus says "[the scriptures] are they which testify of me." They testify of Him as the source of eternal life. He follows with v. 40: "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Coming to Him is the only way to achieve eternal life. Period.

So read the scriptures right. Don't take them out of context. Know what Jesus (or whoever is writing them) is really saying, and don't quote it to make the wrong point. Just make sure you cite John 5:39 to prove the point that the scriptures testify of Jesus and He brings eternal life.

Beauty

2009-08-15T22:47:00.006-06:00

Wow. Two posts in a month. It's like a record or something (until you look at my first four months blogging, and then two posts is kinda crappy.)

Skipping the age story (still not the right time), I've spent a lot of time recently thinking about Beauty--what it is and how we know something/-one is beautiful. And since I'm a man, I'm going to be biased toward women's beauty.

First off, I have to say I disagree wholeheartedly with the thought that beauty is only skin deep. I think that is a shallow definition of the word and espoused by people only slightly less shallow. (In four months I haven't really become any less judgmental.) But I wholly agree that ugliness runs to the bone. (This doesn't refer to the physical definition.)

People manifest beauty in many ways. We obviously think of beauty in the physical sense. We see magazines glorifying this type of beauty at every checkout register of every grocery store. But how many delve into a more comprehensive definition of beauty? How many of us look beyond the face to see what's inside? Innate talents and personality greatly affect my vision of another's beauty.

(I should note that everyone has different ideas of what constitutes beauty. It could include intangible character traits such as intelligence, courage, daring, wittiness, or stubbornness. Or beauty could include very specific physical characteristics--fingernails, eye colour, or hair length. I give these only as examples, not as conclusive exposés of what I consider beauty.)

Women generally become more beautiful to me as I learn more about them (sometimes this goes in the reverse). Perhaps this is a mental connection I make as they talk about who they are. Also my observations of women's actions/abilities change how beautiful they are to me. Also my interpretation of beauty is affected by how similar she is to what I think beauty entails, whether it be physical, mental, emotion, personal, etc. The closer she is, the more beautiful I consider her.

Two examples may help illustrate. To me, a woman with little physical beauty is much more beautiful when I hear her classically-trained voice. This not physical characteristic makes her more beautiful to me. Or if she shares goals/aspirations/opinions (although disagreeing with me can be more attractive (depends on the topic)) with me, she immediately becomes more exciting/attractive/beautiful.

I guess what it comes down to is that certain characteristics people have, certain things they say/do are considered beautiful. These add up to (hopefully) overcome areas where they are not as beautiful as another.

But, all that aside, women who try their best to be beautiful should always be praised for their efforts--in whatever manner they add to the world's beauty.

Blog? What blog?

2009-08-12T07:50:00.003-06:00

So apparently when I get busy, my blogging decreases. And when I'm no longer busy again, then I forget I have a blog. Kinda sad, eh?

Well, it's more sad when you find out that my blog is one of my bookmarks that is so prominently shown on my browser.

Nothing major has changed in the last four months (maybe that's why I haven't written--little to pontificate about). I still like women, volleyball, school, and religion. Maybe a few things have changed. I no longer live with freshmen and am now breathing the fresh air of social interaction with people close to my own age.

It's fun to live where I do. What's interesting is I am among the youngest guys there, but am older than most of the women in the complex. Yay for two year missions. While I may not agree that those years "don't count," (I think I had between four and eight years worth of memories) missions give guys a chance to mature and catch up.

Not that age should matter, but that's another story. (One I might share a little sooner than December.)

New Post

2009-03-17T06:55:00.002-06:00

So perhaps my title is a little facetious, but I haven't written in a while. Not for lack of profound things to say, but for a lack of time. Funny how my last blog was about time...

School kinda closed in around me and has sucked my resources dry. Several of my classes are much more intense than I thought they would be, but I am trying to balance all of my assignments. And I'm fairly successful in doing so. It just leaves me without energy. That's not too bad, but I spent last week sick and didn't do any homework. So now I feel the heat.

Especially since I have two big tests in the next two days, and I haven't really studied for either of them. Well, c'est la vie.

I saw someone write that on his facebook page the other day. Only he had no clue how it was spelled. I was slightly offended (because the French would be), but also laughed my head off. "Se la vi`" is just NOT how it is spelled.

It's About Time

2009-02-05T20:16:00.003-07:00

Funny thing about that title. It's the title of something else I'm working on--something that's taken 70+% of my time for the last week or so. I get to do athletic research with volleyball! How sweet is that?

But I had to put off a lot of homework to get the process started. Five days worth. That's a lot at this level of education. But it's flattening out now. It feels good to start balancing a little better. All I know is that the last week was the only week I could have taken time away from homework and been ok. Now things are really heating up in my classes and I won't able to take so much time away anymore. But it's all good. I'm gonna balance better.

I can see how the Lord's hand has blessed me. I've been able in the last week to meet people I never thought I would and get this thing going. It's been amazing!

Coincidences like these just don't happen.

The End?

2009-01-09T21:58:00.005-07:00

I question the sanity of those who think death is the end of existence. To be sane is to be of a sound mind, not mad, or mentally ill, reasonable. What reason would there be to life if this were it? Why would we want to stay in a place full of pain if there was no hope for future existence? (Of course, on the opposite extreme, why are we afraid of death?)

My thoughts aren't centred on morbidity, really. Just the insanity it is to think that death really is the end. If one believes in Christ one believes in live after death--that's why Christ came: so we can live again. That's the whole point! And not only will we live again, but we will live where there is no pain.

Hello! Purpose brings sanity. It is reasonable to exist for a purpose. It is not reasonable to think that somehow life could suddenly pop into being (because no matter how many little evolutionary steps you break it down into, life still has to come; and life doesn't come without God)--scientifically, philosophically, or otherwise.

So to believe that life just appeared with no prior thought on a random chance is insanity. And to follow that track and use it for the "proving" there is no purpose to life and obviously there cannot be an afterlife, is just ludicrous.

Christ lived. He died. He is now living because He was resurrected. And we will all be resurrected, too. "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive."

Use your brain, be sane.

All Because Two People Fell in Love

2008-12-26T20:15:00.005-07:00

'All because two people fell in love.'

This phrase interestingly sums up my existence. It sits on a plaque in front of my grandparent's fireplace. As I sat in their living room, I thought about how inclusive the word all is. It covers everything.

What's interesting is that plaques like this one are usually the kind you see in newlyweds' homes, not 80 year olds who have been married for 55+ years.

But it is more appropriate for elderly couples to have such a phrase: their all is a lot further reaching than newlyweds'. They have more to claim. They have years of experiences shared together. They have rough times and easy times, fun dinners, dates, children, and more. Their children have children which just includes more in all.

I think of my grandparents family: five children, more than thirty grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and more coming.

All because two people fell in love.

Finals

2008-12-15T10:30:00.004-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if exam week is meant to be a joke. I'm not sure why. But I haven't gone crazy over a final in years. Today I've already taken 2, my third one starts in 30 minutes, and it's only 1030. I think that it's just that I haven't had a final that has adequately tested what I learned in the class. Or maybe I am actually in the top tenth, but I really don't think so.

I almost wish I could take the rest of my finals today, but the other two are scheduled.

I guess I might be bragging, so I'll stop.

But finals week is fun, I get to do lots of cleaning checks (38). But there aren't any today, which is what matters. Most are tomorrow night. Yay.

Jesus the Lamb

2008-12-10T16:03:00.003-07:00

As Christmastime approaches, our awareness of the Jesus story increases. His birth comes to our minds, and we remember why we celebrate the season. However, one misunderstood aspect of our Saviour's birth story helps us better understand why He is the Lamb of God: the shepherds.

We know Jesus is the Ultimate and Last Sacrifice, sent by the Father to fulfill the Law of Moses. On the day of Atonement, unblemished lambs were sacrificed as the offering for Israel's atonement. With these sacrifices made, the nation once again stood pure before God. Jesus was sent as the Final Sacrifice--the Sacrifice to End All Sacrifices by the shedding of blood.

Jesus' entire mission was spent leading up to the hours of his Atonement, but His birth, and particularly those to whom the message of His birth was announced, give greater insight to what he was.

We learn, from Luke, that there were shepherds abiding in the fields by night on the eve of the Saviour's birth. Though we often think "wow, the angels came even to the lowly shepherds," this is not the intent of the announcement. These were not ordinary shepherd, these were shepherds who watched over the temple's flocks (this is known because of significant internal and external evidence). These were not the average, poor, run-of-the-mill shepherds. These shepherds were well-cared for, well-off, and not what we think of when we think "shepherd."

So this may destroy the popular notion that the angels came even to humble shepherds. But there is a reason the angels came to these shepherds--a symbolic, and, therefore, much more important reason--they watched over the sheep to be sacrificed for Israel's atonement. The angels came, in essence, to say "Come, see the reason you have a job. See who will end the need for animal sacrifice." This symbolism, of shepherds leaving their flocks and coming to Jesus, foreshadows what the early saints had to do: leave behind the Law of Moses--it had been fulfilled--and come to Christ, recognizing Him as the great and last sacrifice.

The Bible

2008-11-27T07:40:00.006-07:00

My brother, like myself, was a strong proponent for Prop 8 (and as the legal fight continues remains so). On his blog, or facebook, or myspace--something--a friend of his posted the comment 'F... the Bible' in reaction to my brother's defense that the Bible condemns the practice of gay marriage (or gay anything for that matter).

"F... the Bible' is a strong comment. It comes from someone who doesn't recognise the foundation upon which Western society is built. The Bible is more than just the bestselling book of all time, it is the moral foundation upon which our society was laid. And, to all those who look, is what kept the world relatively pure for so many years. As we fall away from discipleship to Christ and, as my brother's friend said, 'F... the Bible,' our society will follow. The fact we even had to vote on Prop 8 shows way too many people are saying 'F... the Bible.'

And sadly too many Churches are saying the same thing. Churches that use the Bible each week during their sermons are saying 'F... the Bible' because they aren't willing to stand up for what it teaches. They piddle away the blunt passages in Exodus, Romans (really blunt in the Greek), and Corinthian as mistranslated, unimportant, or 'hatespeech.'

Funny that this book which has given the moral guidance to our society is being decried as 'hatespeech.' Stranger still that a 20th century word is used to devalue the most important book in Christian history--and it's working.

Now is the time for those who are disciples of Christ to stand for what they believe, what the scriptures teach, and face whatever persecution comes. We only stand for morality, for life, for our Saviour.

Speaking of the times in which we live, Jesus prophesied:

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall killyou: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

So where do you stand? Will you endure? or will you succumb? There are only two choices.

Education vs. Schooling

2008-11-19T12:37:00.004-07:00

You know, it's funny, but I'm in an Honours Writing class and today the teacher talked about how trying to get a C in a class would change our university experience. She talked about how it would give us new insights to life and learning, among other things.

While I haven't been trying to earn a C in any of my classes (my presence in an Honours Writing class should give good indication to that), I have realised that, in some small way, I have been following some of the principles my instructor discussed.

As a resident assistant, my life has become one of service to my floor and building. I've given a lot of time to others to help them with papers and other assignments, putting my faith in God to bless me in m studies. And I've seen Him come through. As I've trusted that my service would help someone else, I've seen my own studies greatly blessed (and I've felt very rested on little sleep). In fact, I'm doing better this semester than my previous two--and I feel like I'm studying less.

It's pretty weird, but I have learned a lot as I've put my education (about life and all other subjects) in front of my schooling. I've learned more overall.

So to all you uptight Honours students, don't favour your schooling above your education. Put others first, and trust that the Lord will bless you. I've seen it.

The Samaritan Woman and Us

2008-11-11T13:53:00.004-07:00

It seems that every time I got to my New Testament class my respect for women grows. Much of my astonishment come from realising the negative connotations women had in that time. So as I see the high praise women are given in scripture it sharply contrasts with the societal conventions of the day.

Today we discussed John 4 when Jesus converses with the Samaritan woman at the well. According to Jewish tradition Samaritan woman were perpetually unclean. Thus anything accepted of the by any Jew was unclean and the Jew would then be ritually unclean as well.

Yet Jesus asks her to draw water for Him. Imagine her confusion, knowing the Jewish tradition, to have this asked of her. But He then teaches her of the water He has to give. Over the course of their conversation she realises who He is and why His water will truly quench thirst eternally.

I love the symbolism of what she does as well. Because she is a woman, she likely makes the trek to the well daily to draw the water she will use to clean, cook, and give the thirsty inhabitants of her house. This water is life-giving. It is necessary to the survival of all. But it is necessary she draws it from the well daily, for they will surely thirst again.

So as she learns of the water Christ gives, she leaves her waterpot behind to tell the men in her house of Christ. In the same way she brings the water of physical life to her house each day, she brings the water of eternal life when she finds it.

What I love is this is not a role relegated to this woman alone. It is a divine role given to all women. Each is to bring that water of eternity to her home, what a blessing she has in being given this privilege!

Christ's Role in My Life

2008-10-31T15:15:00.005-06:00

It's funny at first to think that someone I've never seen could be the central focus of my life. I mean, seriously, I centre my life around Jesus Christ, His atonement for me, and His example.It seems ridiculous looking in with no shared understanding of the effects Christ can have in a life.

I take comfort knowing I have felt His atoning influence in my life. I am grateful to have often felt the ease of the burden of guilt and shame for my actions. We often think of atonement in the terms of sin, but it covers much more than that. I have felt effects of the atonement for sadness, sickness, depression, and hatred. Truthfully, I have felt it in so many different situations I'll bet it covers everything. At least that's what the scriptures teach, and I'm pretty inclined to believe them.

Even when I'm not in the middle of some trauma, I kneel down and seek the love of the Lord. It comes. He gives it that freely.

When I ponder what Christ endured and overcame I am astounded at the amount of love He has for me. (I do not limit that love to just me, but this is about His influence on me.) His atonement wasn't a finite, calculable experience. It involved infinite suffering and strength to perform. To kneel alone in a garden and take--individually--the sins of each person upon Himself shows more love than I can imagine. In some small way, I have suffered pain for others, usually emotional, but never the full extent of what they feel. never physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and any other way you might think.

I know it's an act of love that I could not perform. But because He was perfect, He could. Only He could. Only He can help us perfect ourselves. It's something I know. And that knowledge supports me in my times of trial.

Art of Atonement

2008-10-31T09:46:00.004-06:00

I visited the Museum of Art yesterday with my New Testament class. The museum has a collection of religious and Christ-centred art. My favourite painting was Triplus Number 3 by Ron Richmond.

It is of three vessels sitting on crossed cloths. Each vessel is full of a different medium. The near vessel holds water. The far one looks to hold nothing, but actually holds Spirit. and the centre vessel holds Blood.

The symbolism cannot be ignored: three vessels sitting on crossed red and white cloths certainly have reference to our Saviour. It is also interesting to realise the only things in full focus are the vessels. The edges of the painting are hazy , drawing our attention to the middle.

I was touched how the vessel of blood takes the centre spot in the line of vessels. It is because blood, the blood of Christ, His atoning blood, is what sactifies us. We know by the water that we keep God's commandments (baptism as Christ was), by Spirit we are justified (brought back to even level prior to sin), and by Blood we are sanctified (made Holy and able to enter God's presence).

Christ, though absent in form is the centre of this painting, through the use of symbols.

Promises of Scripture

2008-10-23T09:07:00.003-06:00

As I was reading my scriptures this morning, a passage struck me. In The Book of Mormon, a passage from the Book of Ether struck me. This interlude by Moroni was particularly interesting considering current world events.

Speaking of the American continents, he says,

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

We live in a land of promise. A land wherein if we keep the commandments of God, we will prosper. It is one of the Book of Mormon's main messages. But the inverse promise also exists--and is often recorded as an example for us: if we will not follow God, we will be cut off. There will be punishments for our iniquitous actions. Moroni does not give this warning lightly.

It is evidence to me of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon: its truths speak to us. They are applicable to our day. More importantly, though, as I read it, the Spirit of the Lord tells me through my thoughts and my feelings that the book is of God.

What is a Right

2008-10-20T14:47:00.003-06:00

This was written by the father of a good friend:

Homosexual Marriage is Not a Right

Despite the financial crisis this nation now faces, the most important issue is the moral issue facing our state of California. The passage of Proposition 8 is essential for the well being of our children for generations to come. The traditional family structure is absolutely imperative for the continuance of our republic. Sadly, opponents to Proposition 8 have masterminded great deceptions to convince the voters of California against it. One of the greatest deceptions has been fostered by our own state political leaders including Debra Bowen (Secretary of State) and Jerry Brown (Attorney General). The official voter information guide published by the Secretary of State of California contains erroneous and incorrect information about Proposition 8. The proposition is falsely titled as: “Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.” Homosexual marriage is not a right.

This falsehood about a homosexual marriage right is rooted in a misunderstanding of the origin of rights. Rights come from a divine source, not from government. This is very clear in our national birth certificate, The Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence contains the fundamental doctrines of government upon which the U.S. Constitution was designed. The Declaration states that everyone is endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights including life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. These rights must come from a higher source than human governments; otherwise they would not be unalienable. The text of the Constitution does not even contain the word right; this is because rights were already defined in its source document: The Declaration of Independence. Thus, in reality, what we call Constitutional rights are really the inalienable rights from the Creator defined in the Declaration. The duty of any government is to protect these pre-existing rights, not to invent or manipulate them. In summary, since rights come from the Creator, an alleged right must be traced back to the Creator before it can qualify as a right.

The Declaration of Independence also contains a formula for determining rights. It states that all law and authority come from the Laws of Nature and the Laws of Nature’s God. The laws of nature are all of the laws of the universe discoverable by man; the laws of Nature’s God all of the revealed laws in Holy Scripture. Thus, it is very clear that in order to qualify as a right, it must be demonstrated within the Laws of Nature or Laws of Nature’s God. Homosexual marriage DOES NOT qualify as either a law of nature or a law of Nature’s God; therefore it is not a right. Furthermore, since the Declaration is the blueprint for the Constitution; homosexual marriage is also contrary to the spirit of both the Federal and State Constitutions. Jerry Brown and Debra Bowen, supposedly law professionals, are ignorant of the most elementary principles in our organic founding documents: the origin of rights. Both should be recalled for this gross deception perpetrated upon the voters of California.

Joseph Andrews

The Center for Teaching the Constitution

www.teachconstitution.org

Jesus and Marriage

2008-10-14T14:46:00.004-06:00

So I ought to blog a little in the midst of my mass of posted videos. I thought it rather appropriate to ponder on Jesus' teachings on marriage. For some reason He might have a little authority on the topic...

Perhaps why I use this example is because I have heard from more than one proponent of gay marriage that "Jesus would favour it. He told us to love everyone." I had never imagined people were so shallow.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to love everyone. True. I will even agree with my friends who say Jesus was a radical of His day. Again, true. But what was His motivation for radical thought? Where did His teachings come from? Unlike the radicals of today whose teachings are founded in ever-changing philosophical ideas, Christ's teachings came straight from God, the Maker of the Universe.

Jesus taught people to live with a greater devotion to God. He taught them to love the scriptures and the word of God. Do the radicals of today teach this? Or do they put themselves in place to interpret scriptures? (And doing so ignore all scriptures that teach doctrine contrary to theirs.)

Also in the Sermon n the Mount, Jesus teaches a higher law of chastity than the Jews lived at the time: He taught that whoever looked at a woman to lust after her was as guilty as the adulterer or the fornicator! So he taught lust and acting immorally was wrong.

Where does that fit in with homosexual marriage? It basically shoots every case for it out of the water. While I do not deny people feel they are born gay, they have control over their desires. Christ does not limit who is commanded to be chaste. It is applicable for everyone. Period. End.

And while homosexuals are to be treated with love and mercy, their sinful choice to engage in immoral acts cannot be allowed to infect our society. We've already had enough of that as people have chosen not to accept the consequences of their actions by using abortion and divorce as increasingly popular ways to shrug consequences off. Why would we allow the degradation of society to continue?

Music

2008-10-08T16:01:00.003-06:00

I've thought a lot about music and it's qualities/effects on us. Most of my thinking, of course, is based on my own reactions to it. And I think my thoughts would reflect a lot of professional research that I'm not familiar with, but I'll share some things anyway.

Music has the ability to affect our thoughts and feelings. A few examples:

A good friend of mine liked emo and heavy rock music. He listened to it often, and, over time, his thought pattern changed to be more subdued, less sure of himself, darker, at times suicidal. Now all of it can't be attributed to the music, but it had a lot to do with it.

Another friend always listened to rap music to 'pump up' before volleyball games. I wasn't a fan of rap, but I go the same 'pump up' effect from classical movie soundtracks with fast bass-heavy rhythms.

Other thoughts: music can pull our minds from clean, pure thoughts. THink of how songs with romantic overtones lead us to think of love, explicit songs bring those words to our minds more often, songs glorifying sex make us think more about it, etc.

How long does it take you to memorize a song's lyrics? Three or four times? And how long do you remember them? Years? Decades?

What would you do if you had to listen to the music you currently listened to forever? Would you change what you listened to? Would you choose to put good things in you head or forever be drowned in mediocre or worse musical themes?

It's something to think about.

The conclusion is, watch it. What you listen to affects you for a long time. Choose wisely.

On Politics

2008-10-07T09:03:00.003-06:00

I think somewhere in time we lost the idea of why politics exists. Or at least what politics ought to be.

I often observe during election time, especially among those my own age, the common thought: 'we need change. We need someone with "fresh" ideas, someone who will change what we don't like. I will vote for him.'

But is this always right? Why do we think a particular candidate will do what he says? Why do we think he will be able to do what he says? This is especially true for presidential candidates. The executor of the United States has a great deal of information at his fingertips, information the candidates will not have until they are sworn into office.

The American people do not know why certain actions are being taken. And I'm not convinced we always should. The presence of media in various conflicts proves the reduced effectiveness of the military when the enemy can tune into CNN and see what is being planned. (This is obvious.)

But regardless of their ignorance, Americans are highly opinionated and many plan to vote for the candidate who will do what their personal preference is, whether or not the fate of the world is affected by one move or another.

I guess the point is to remember that, once inaugurated, a candidate will have significantly less motivation and power to fulfill his promises, regardless of which 'side' he comes from.

So, choose wisely, and make sure to find out the projected consequences for all of humanity before making a choice when voting.

Why?

2008-09-27T18:03:00.004-06:00

Why do we do things? What is our motivation? What makes our society a (usually) low-abiding society? Why do we feel good about being nice to people and helping others?

Simply, because it is Right.

Inherent in each of us is the knowledge of right and wrong. Children understand this concept, especially if they are well-parented. But often we begin to philosophize answers as we 'mature.' I've noticed in myself that this philosophizing usually is justification for doing what we know is wrong. 'It's not that bad,' or 'once won't hurt,' or you would if you really loved me' plague our society and warp the minds of our youth. These youth grow up thinking these things and then pass the same twisted morals on (but more on this another time). The point is we make excuses for our poor actions (things we know to be wrong) and believe our justifications are truth.

But truth couldn't come form man. We are too fallible, we vacillate too much in our beliefs. Not to mention what is 'acceptable' to society changes over time (take the media for example). Truth only comes from one source: GOD. He teaches us through scripture and prophets more about what is right and what is wrong. These former abstract concepts become absolute when we realise our Eternal Father gave them to us. They will never change. They are, by definition, perfect.

It is up to us to be humble enough to follow them, to accept them as God's truth. But it is our choice as individuals. What will you choose? Purpose to life, to be like God by living His truths, or a purposeless life, motivated by the desires and words of those around you?

The Strong Role of Women

2008-09-23T14:13:00.009-06:00

It's strange we often neglect the importance of women and downplay the performance of their roles. This becomes more apparent as we look at history. (Maybe this is a broad claim and I don't have any support but what I see/study--at least not off the top of my head.)

But I am continually impressed at the strong roles women play in scriptures. We could look (and for a long while) at the impressive Old Testament examples of both Ruth and Esther. Each was a great example to those around her. A light to her world (and ours), in the same tradition Christ taught of in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5: 14-16).

As Jesus taught, He focused on the discrepancies which had crept into Jewish culture between what they had been taught and the traditions which had been adopted at nearly the same level as the Law (Talmud). Christ came to bring all to a higher understanding, to raise them closer to God.

In this He broke from tradition of pedantic following of Sabbath customs and taught, by example, that the Sabbath was given to do good.

The first chapter of Mark (and truly the rest of the text) shows this drastic separation from Jewish culture quite obviously. But what I think is important to focus on (aside from the casting out of evil spirits) is the healing of Peter's mother.

She had been sick with fever and Jesus comes to her and heals her (apparently in broad Sabbath daylight). Now this would be semi-acceptable, but then she (with understanding of the true meaning of the Sabbath) ministers unto Jesus and His disciples.

In first century literature/writings/etc a woman was NEVER depicted doing the right thing. She was generally shown as a temptress or not mentioned at all. How startling it is to have an example of a woman doing the right thing, in blatant contrast to customs of the time, both in what she should be doing and the fact she is even mentioned.

Which brings up my point: how often do we rely on the 'literature of the time' to tell us what women should and shouldn't do, what effect they should and shouldn't have on us. I'm afraid my grand- and great-grandchildren will look back on our time and say, 'They had no respect for women. All the women were ever depicted as was sex objects or individuals who abandoned their God-given calling as nurturers to try to imitate men'--something they were never intended to do--just as we are not intended to imitate women in their roles.

I'm afraid we have the wrong view of women. And I'm afraid we don't give the ones who fulfill their God-given role enough respect or appreciation.

Where would we be without our mothers or the other women who had such an important impact on our lives? We ought to praise women for taking such a strong position to be mothers(or desire to be mothers if they are not able).

Praise them for their strengths, and don't tear them down just because they may not conform to society's (ever-changing) view of what they should do.

Take the strong stance and praise the women who fulfill their strong role.

Unclog the Flow

2008-09-20T22:26:00.007-06:00

A good friend of mine just blogged about small and simple things making great changes in our (and others') lives. It triggered a thought that came tome about 7 months ago.

Each of has what I've termed a 'spiritual artery.' It is through this artery that the Spirit and His promptings flow from our Father. However, like an artery in our body, this spiritual artery becomes clogged (and much more easily than a bodily artery). What we must do, is work every day to clean our artery out. In cleaning it, not only are we more open to the flow of the Spirit, we learn what more we can do to make more room in the artery for the Spirit to flow.

The more we follow the Spirit's promptings, the more promptings we will have. There are many things the Lord has told us we can do to open our spiritual arteries. This guidance comes through scriptures and prophets. Little things we can do are read the scriptures daily, pray often, attend church weekly, serve our fellow men, share our faith, comfort a friend in need, correct some our our wayward behaviour, etc. Each of these things will open our arteries wider and wider. Also we are developing a relationship with our Father. This is one of the steps (with a few sub-steps) to becoming children of our Father in Heaven. This is a perfecting process, allowing us to follow Christ's commandment in Matthew 5:48: 'be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'

However slowly, I am working toward that perfection. I slip daily, but Christ is there as my friend and my brother. Through Him all can be made right. Unclogging our spiritual arteries is a process through which we must all go.

Will you start (or continue) yours now?

Becoming Children

2008-09-19T12:15:00.004-06:00

I learned an interesting thing today (surprise! Its from the New Testament.) When His disciples ask who is to be the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven, Christ invites a child over and says to his disciples, in so many words, you must be like this child or you will never see the kingdom of God.

I had always thought along the lines of 'I need to be like a child, but they really aren't very disciplined.' This, I thought, couldn't be what Christ meant. And it turns out he doesn't. Children are, because of their youth and inexperience, willing to (and sometimes insistently) rely on their parents for help, assistance, advice, and more. This reliance, and subsequently humility are the qualities we need to garner within ourselves. This will make us 'like children.'

But this concept was taken one step further. We are not just to become like any children. We are to become the children of God, sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Now, wait, you say: the scriptures already tell us we are children of God (see Romans 8:16-17). True. They do. But this isn't the easy 'Oh yeah, I'm a child of God' relationship. That isn't the doctrine Christ teaches.

Christ teaches we must do and not just hear. We are to become disciples, followers who will do all He asks them to. And the blessing that come is we will receive the inheritance Christ did. But to receive the same inheritance, we must follow his example and do all in our power, relying as we do on His infinite grace which will help us rise above ourselves.

The idea of inheritance is obvious: the gifts are God's to give and it is God who sets the terms we must meet in order to receive them. Like with earthly inheritors, there are some gifts we receive solely because of who we are. But also like earthly givers, God is (1) much more likely (infinitely so) to give to those who keep His commandments (not just the Ten) and (2) not going to give His children what they don't deserve or never worked to obtain.

So our goal is to work to be able to be blessed as Christ was, therefore becoming the children of the Father, the same children who will submit their will to His and do all he asks of them.

So my eyes were opened and I realised I lacked quite a bit as I strive to be like Christ. but I know as I do, I will truly become the child of Father, so my relationship with Him will be as Christ's and I can say to my Heavenly Father, as young Jewish sons say to their earthly fathers with respect and affection, Abba, Father.

Knowing Christ

2008-09-16T14:09:00.005-06:00

I have a great opportunity to have a class about the New Testament, focusing specifically on the four gospels, as a part of my course schedule. This class allows me to learn about the life of the Saviour in a way much different from the unguided study we usually take.

I am learning WHO Christ really was and who He is now. I am learning the context of the world at that time, which opens up a huge amount of knowledge I'd never even considered.

I'm learning, most of all, which questions to ask myself and others in order to strengthen my understanding and testimony of the man we call Jesus* as the literal Son of the Living God.

The more I learn the more I am curious (and the less I realise I know). Referring back to Sunday's scriptures, to know God and Jesus is life eternal. And this is one step closer in coming to know him. Corey mentioned that we will know Him because we are like Him. And I add, if we don't know what he was like, how will we become like Him in order to know Him. (Again, perhaps words muddle my meaning.)

Coming to know Him is a lifelong goal, but if we don't start now, to what purpose will our lives have gone when they end? And do we want that startling realisation?

I suppose this is why, in my weak and imperfect way, I strive to be a little better, coming to know Christ in knowledge and in action each day. A smile here, a kind word there is all it takes to get started.

Will you?

*The reason I say this is because Jesus is an English translation of the Greek translation of the Hebrew name he would have been called: Yeshua (English: Joshua)

Choose Life

2008-09-15T15:27:00.004-06:00

Ok, before I am crucified for having an opinion on a controversial topic, read to the end to understand the relevance.

Two years ago I gave blood and the worker completely botched the whole needle thing. Consequently, I haven't given blood since. Until today.

About an hour and a half ago I discovered the 'vampires' were on campus asking for donations. A few of my good friends had donated and the horrible thought crossed my mind: maybe you should, too. I shuddered at the thought given my last experience.

Then another thought went through my head: you talk so much about wanting to help people, why don't you do something? I shuddered again. No, there's no reason to do that. I smile, that's enough for a day. Why would I subject myself to such as potentially painful experience again? (I had bruises on both arms for two weeks from my last experience.) But that thought kept coming back: just do it, think of the potential for good.

So I did it. I went and lined up, signed my life away and found myself tipped back in the chair. And then he stuck me. The flash of fire in my forearm was. . . not as bad as I remembered. Hmm. That's funny. Maybe this isn't so bad.

And five minutes later (my vampire's fastest victim of the day) I was all done. My bag was full. I had done my good deed for that moment and I had succeeded in putting my homework off for an hour and a half.

Reflecting back on it, it is much like those times we get impressions to do something and then fight them. It's the choice we always make: either we follow (and see the blessings that can come) or we fight or ignore the prompting and end up regretting it.

I followed this one and I see the brief fire as an acceptable price to pay to give life to three people. It worked for me. Choose life.

Worship

2008-09-14T18:07:00.004-06:00

I love Sundays. I just do. They are probably my favourite days of the week. Each is slightly different and each has so many similarities.

Following the direction of the scriptures, Sunday is my day of rest. Regardless of how much homework I have, I choose not to do it on Sundays so my entire day can be spent in some form of worship.

Sound a little weird? Perhaps. But by worship I don't mean saying recited prayers endlessly from sun-up to sun-down. I think that's weird. I don't think that would entirely encapsulate 'worship.'

Worship to me is more. But because it is so abstract we will each have our own definition of what worship entails. Sunday (sabbath) worship to me involves service and friendship. It includes praying, study of the scriptures, and attending church. But it is more a way of living than a set pattern of activities every week.

This weekly pattern of worship (in whatever form I can find it each week) brings a renewal of strength (see Isaiah 40:31) that I've never found anywhere else. It recharges my batteries for the upcoming week. It makes me use my time more wisely throughout the week. It helps me build friendships. It helps me understand the mind of God because Christ said to know God is to have eternal life (see John 17:3), the greatest of all gifts. And that's a gift I want. And a gift I want everyone else to share with me.

Why would you not want to share the greatest gift that one could receive?

On Love

2008-09-13T09:02:00.001-06:00

There is something special about love. It doesn't diminish when you share it; it expands and swells. I talk not of the silly child-like lusts that most confuse for love, but the deep affection, the pure caring for someone's eternal being. For who they are now in the light of who they could be. Maybe that's a little muddled.

But when you share love; it grows. And it doesn't just have to be shown to the first person to whom you showed love for the pure love of which I speak is manifest in many different ways. To one (and only one) person it could be manifest in a romantic way, but to others it could be that smile that stays on your face (perhaps influenced by your special person) or a hundred other actions designed to bring about happiness in another.

That is the main motive of love: to make someone else happy. It is not given for selfish reasons as the artists (and psychologists) of the centuries have depicted in their works. It is given because there is motivation to be better (purpose to life?) and in bettering the lives of those around you, your life becomes better.

So share it. It is the best feeling you can give someone. Just be kind; that's love. A look in your eyes can reveal the same. All it takes is pure motives.

Life and Sport

2008-09-12T12:05:00.001-06:00

I have often thought there is a close relationship between life and sports. Each has it's difficult moments and each, eventually (if you're good enough), has it's moments of ecstasy, over which you and your friends reminisce in the years following. A brief example:

When I was in grade twelve, I played volleyball. My team was good for our area and we had worked hard to be good (years of practice and many disappointments in previous seasons). We had experienced defeat, trials of our friendships (on and off the court), and teammates stupid decisions.

But each of those experiences pointed us to where we were right then: the team heavily favoured to win the league championships and advance (for the first time in 8 or 9 years) past the first round of the regional playoffs.

Often the reaction of the teams 'at the top' is to assume they already won the title and frequently they are upset by another, admittedly less-talented, team who has a greater desire (drive, motivation) to win. We knew this (and were frequently reminded of it by our coach) and actively guarded against it. We ensured that after each of our plays (whether we won the point or not) we celebrated. Thus giving the impression to the other team we had already won and breaking down their mental game.

In short it worked. Unfortunately as we entered the playoffs, we were so excited about hosting the game in our own gym that we didn't prepare as well as we should have for our opponent, which came from a very competitive league, where 50% of that league's schools made it into the playoffs (as opposed to our league which was lucky to have one automatic berth). Our lack of preparation and, perhaps, inability to envision anything beyond that game, led to us being routed in straight sets.

We just hadn't come to play. We lost our vision of staying on top as soon as the competition became more difficult.

So also sometimes in life we lose our vision, we don't understand our purpose, or we have no focus. All this leads to a lack of motivation which, by not propelling us forward, propels us backwards, into the ground. Often we underestimate our opponents (whoever or whatever they may be) and we are demolished, left in the playground with a bloody nose, scabbed knees, and a black eye. (Or in the gym, deflated, depressed, and crying--in front of the home crowd.)

The lesson is simple: know what your purpose in life is. Follow it doggedly. Don't relent. When it tries to juke you, keep your eyes on its waist and tackle the sucker. Wrestle it to the ground and if it tries to get out send it a cross face. If you get knocked down and it's running for your goalline, don't just let it, cause like Forrest Gump it won't stop. It'll only get farther and farther away. Sprint after it, and make sure you get it.

Don't give up.

Welcome

2008-09-11T14:04:00.002-06:00

In my first real experience putting myself out on the 'net for everyone to 'see', I hope it isn't so weird. But I hope that in some way it can be used for the benefit of mankind. One of the things I enjoy is making lasting impressions.

Whether it's telling someone my name (Lee J--which solicits more unique comments than I can count: 'That's unique!", 'I've never heard that before', 'How do you spell that?' or 'What?'), acting up a little (which is more like smiling and joshing people), or just being sincere, I love it.

People are so enjoyable. Each of us is so different and it is so interesting to find out what each person's story is. We are a conglomerate of all our past experiences and mine certainly determine who I am.

Though I'm young (21) and a student I still like to think I have some quality or something that is mine alone that can change the world. And maybe that seems a little bold or out there, but if can smile at one person a day whose day is brightened by it, I can personally affect 365 people a year. And if that one smile can be passed on to one person, double the number are affected.

And if you want to get really nasty into numbers (and I used to) just keep having that smile affect someone. I never know what reaction I might get, but not too many people get upset at me smiling at them.

And that's just a smile (and it's not even that impressive--I couldn't get a job from it), so if I had something else to share, an idea, or an experience, how much more impacting are those on people?

So with that intent I've created this blog: to put myself out 'there' to help more people than I already hope I am helping.