It's time...

Thinking I need to get this thing going again. Look for it...

Slowing down...

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

When I say, "Stop," I want you to stop reading this blog. Sit still, take a couple of breaths, clear your mind. Come back when you are ready...not time limit one way or the other.

STOP.

I am curious as to how some of you did. You can let me know if you want. For some...it could've been a few seconds to a minute. Maybe some of you shut off your monitor and came back hours later. I wonder how many of you cleared your mind. I wonder how many of you cleared your mind of everything except for wondering what the next paragraph would say. I wonder how many of you cleared your mind of my blog but immediately thought of what you need from the store, etc, etc.

I'm not judging here. This is something I struggle with: being still. It's something that I think is on the minds of my small group. We are currently going through a book called Celebration of Discipline, and the other night we were discussing the chapter about meditation. What I took away is that we are all struggling with taking time out for ourselves, and more importantly, for God.

(example...just got a brief case of writer's block...spent five minutes on facebook as a result...)

In the aforementioned book, Richard Foster quotes Carl Jung, who states, "Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil." Foster says that we are constantly under attack by "noise, hurry, and crowds," and that Satan is "satisfied" when we are "engaged in 'muchness' and 'manyness.'" I had this very experience of "muchness" last Friday night. I had the night to myself...Melissa was with a college friend, roommate was out of town, nothing specific to do. I opted to put Almost Famous on and watch the extended version...for reference, this is my favorite movie of all time...pure Cameron Crowe greatness. Two and a half hours of my favorite script, acting, soundtrack, cinematography, everything having to do with movies. I lasted exactly sixty-seven minutes before I had to get up and do something else. The whole time, I was thinking about blogging, or playing my guitar, or sorting through blank CDs. Even when I had the time to "be still," I couldn't do it.

I think our whole culture has this problem. We are always on the go. The tagline for the present times seems to be "What have you done for me lately?" If you aren't doing something, you aren't using your time wisely. Workloads for all of my friends (and myself) are in overtime. To-do lists continue to grow. And if it isn't work or chores, it's a case of having "too many hobbies to have a hobby" (yeah, I'm quoting myself there, but that is how I describe myself).

So, I'm gonna challenge everybody to a little something. Let's all "be still." Find some time for yourself starting Sunday. I'm not gonna tell you how much. For seven days, put some rest into your life. Not even hobbies can be counted (I know they are relaxing, but it isn't rest). I'll report back next Saturday to let you know how it went for me.

Until then, I leave you with this from Hebrews 4:10: "...for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his."

Controversy: Inclusion not really all-inclusive (no surprise here)

Many public school libraries are carrying books that deal with homosexuality...namely the struggle with ones own identity. But it seems that only works one way...

Click here for a link to the story.

We are force-fed a message of tolerance on a daily basis. What amazes me is that this message is generally so one-sided that it becomes laughable.

Irritating.

Controversy: Pastor to burn Bibles

Next Saturday, on Halloween night, a North Carolina pastor is planning to host an event that will include the burning of books he considers heretical.

Click here for a link to the article.

Undoubtedly, this same event will occur throughout the nation and world, not only on Halloween, but throughout the year. The kicker here is this: the pastor is planning to burn versions of the Bible that are not the King James version. He calls other versions of the Bible "satanic" and "perversions." He will also be burning works from "heretics" such as Billy Graham, Rick Warren, and...wait for it...Mother Teresa.

Unbelievable. First of all, the whole book burning thing is very Footloose and Pleasantville and 1955 sounding. I've never understand what is accomplished with this, other than reinforcing the stereotype that Christians are intolerant and close-minded. Second, this dude wants to burn the Bible. He wants to prevent the perversion of God's word...a truly noble act, undoubtedly...but isn't he perverting the way that God wants us to act in the process? (Granted, don't we all pervert that every day?)

I don't know...this just really ticks me off. I obviously base this on no sort of inside knowledge, but I am guessing this dude hasn't had a ton of two-sided discussion on the various translations that are out there, and is probably very likely to cast that first stone if called upon. Thanks for the great pub, buddy.

October blogging and ghosts in the Bible

Back in August, I put up a post detailing my blogging plans for October, November, and December. Well, the plan still stands...although due to work, a week of vacation in DC, and trying to initially put some wedding plans together, October has gotten away from me. I am still gonna take the last days of the witching month to follow the plan, and I apologize for just now getting this thing going.

I figure the best way to start is to take a quick look at what the Bible says about spirits, ghosts, demons, etc. A quick Google search ("what does the bible say about ghosts") took me to this website. The thing that immediately stands out is the differentiation between the words "spirits" and "ghosts." Most of us know that spirits (angels and demons) are referenced in the Bible through various stories. However, if the term ghost is taken as the spirit of a person who has died, then the idea of ghosts in our world is not supported by the Word. Instead, the Bible speaks directly against the idea of ghosts. The referenced website uses Hebrews 9:27 to support this, which states that a "...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment..." (NIV). The Word is also very clear that upon facing judgment, a late person's spirit will either "go away to eternal punishment" or to "eternal glory" (Matthew 25:46 NIV). This leaves little doubt that while spirits might be found on Earth, those spirits are not ghosts in the sense that we think of them.

So what kind of spirits are floating (bad pun!) around out there? Tune in tomorrow (or the next day) for a look at "hauntings" in the Bible, and what the Word says about Earthly spirits.

Happy brithday, Melissa!!

WOW! Somebody's thirty years old today...

Happy birthday, Fiancee!! I hope that the big 3-0 is extra awesome for you. I am looking forward to having dinner with you and your parents to celebrate...and especially to eat lots of cake and ice cream! I love you!

"Yes!"

That's right, folks. On September 18, 2009, one Melissa Nicole Reeves answered "yes" when I nervously fumbled my way through a proposal! At that single second, I was as happy as I could possibly imagine being. Yes, it has probably been a long time coming, but that took none of the shine away from that single word. Call me a sap...but I'm pumped, people!!

Short (edited: but not really that short) version of the proposal story: We had a date night planned (Trendy Date Night is what we call it...you know, somewhere cool and trendy and downtown...this was actually my idea to be able to pull off the engagement (I started it in August)). I kept the restaurant a surprise (we were headed to Five Sixty at Reunion Tower), but had told her I was wearing a suit (mainly because I had bought some new suits and wanted to wear one). Well, she also knew that the following night we had plans to meet my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, her parents, and her brother for dinner (this had nothing to do with the engagement, as it was more of a surprise birthday party). Well, I kept wondering if she was on to what I was planning. So, I show up, in a suit, with some roses and a backpack...she answers the door, says "Hi" and smiles real big...and I have no doubt that she knows. I give her the roses, she smells them, sets them down, says "thanks," and then looks at me. I am like, "Are you ready to go?" She replies, "Yeah, I'm ready." QUICK SIDE NOTE: I WAS COUNTING ON HER TO BE RUNNING LATE...YOU KNOW, SO I COULD GET THERE AND COLLECT MYSELF...FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME TOO WELL, I GET NERVOUS...BUT INSTEAD, SHE IS READY ON TIME (EARLY EVEN), FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME...SO THAT THREW ME COMPLETELY OFF MY GAME!! Anyways, she says she is ready, so I kind of just stand there, and then clumsily say "Well, I have some surprises for you!" So I give her a framed piece of paper with the verse in the picture above (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) on it, as well as a Jack Ingram song lyric that is a little inside thing with us. We read the verse, I am messing the words up. I say a few things, and then I get down on a knee to ask her, and the last thought I have before I ask is as follows: "The ring box is going to open towards me." (Reminder: I was thrown off my game by punctuality, so I did not have time to ensure the box was oriented in my hand appropriately.) Well, I proceed...and lucky me, it opens towards her. She says "yes" and tries to hug me...I make her say it again...rinse and repeat...she says it three times before I will hug her. SECOND QUICK SIDE NOTE: THAT IS A LOT OF BUILDUP TO A QUESTION/ANSWER THAT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS, SO I WAS TRYING TO STRETCH IT A BIT...IT HAD BEEN FOUR AND A HALF YEARS! We head on to dinner and have a few people over to my house afterward. The next night, we get to the planned party, and everybody yells "surprise!" Well, only a few of them know we had gotten engaged. I quickly grab her left wrist, hold up her left hand, and yell "surprise!" back at them...a collective gasp occurs...and then the chaos of birthday wishes and congratulations ensues! Quite a memorable weekend...one I certainly won't be forgetting soon!

Melissa and I have been dating since January 14, 2005. In four and a half years, nobody has helped my grow more into who I am today, be it my personality, my attitudes, and most of all, my faith, than her. I am incredibly blessed to have found a woman who possesses such a strong sense of herself and her faith and beliefs. I know that I am expected to fill this role...but she is truly the rock in my life. She keeps me grounded...she keeps me humbled...she keeps me motivated...and she keeps me going. I have referred to our relationship as "crazy, silly love" and I honestly think that describes it best! We have a blast together...we laugh a lot (mostly at each other!)...whether it be training for a triathlon, or going to a musical, or sitting at home and plowing through reruns of Friends, it's always fun, and it always feels new. She's truly my best friend, and there is nobody I would rather embark on life's journey with!

I am looking forward to the next few months as we embark on the journey that planning a wedding will certainly turn out to be. I am looking further with even greater anticipation to beginning our lives as a married couple. God has done amazing things in my life the past few years, and I look to the future with little doubt that He has even more in store...not just for me, but for Melissa and me both!

A few pictures....

The Hardware

Surprising the party!

A merging family