Sounding Like a Broken Record

Is it me? Or am I sounding like a broken record lately? The folks on the extreme right have fueled the fires of the extreme left and meanwhile the middle gets burned! I'd like to see what would happen if everyone would just take the time to realize that although they are sometimes right and sometimes wrong, that they have to live with other people who are just as right or wrong as they are. These days, I'm noticing that there is less and less "common courtesy" and more and more "I'm #1, so get outta my way!" going on. When I was growing up, you were told to be nice to people, but not to take any crap from them! Here it seems that people are to dish it (the crap) out BEFORE it gets dished to them. It also seems that people around here get a kick out of putting people down and keeping them there (or is it just me). Anyway, that's just my rambiling muse and opinion for the morning...

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

Thoughts and Prayers

Right now, I'd like you to keep your thoughts and prayers for our neighbors, Jack & Deb who were involved in a serious automobile accident this morning. Obviously, I'll be limited in terms of blogging for a few days. Thank-you.
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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

Preaching for the 1st Time...Whew!

After nearly 4 months of preparation, and literally weeks of actual input, I finally preached my first sermon yesterday. I have never felt so mentally and physically exhausted in all my life. I have newfound respect for all you pastors out there who do this week-in and week-out! And that doesn't include all the other work that they do.

Being up there in the "minister's seat" for the first time was a rush that I never expected. I set up a "tele-prompter" (basically a bunch of PowerPoint slides), in case I forgot where I was, but it didn't work properly, and I was glad I'd printed out a copy of my sermon (although for next time, I'll print it out in LARGE type). Adrenaline took over after the initial shock and I only lost my spot twice. People said that I did a good job and didn't look as frazzled as I felt (which made me feel good about the experience).

I enjoyed preaching. I'll probably do it again, but after I've had a bit of a rest to come back to my mental senses...I'm glad I only do this once in a while.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

My First Sermon

No, I'm not a preacher, if that's what you're going to say. I'm just a guy that happens to be giving a sermon this weekend. My normal job is fixing PC's, and I do find that very enjoyable. But preaching is something I've been looking forward to since I became an elder in my local church. I think it's because it gets me out of my comfort zone. I've been planning out this sermon since the beginning of the year, and I've gone through so many drafts, that I think that if I were to have actually printed all of them, it would fill a small landfill (or at least one of those 30' Mixed Paper Recycling Bins). I'm just praying that I do a good job and that the good Lord gives me the right words to say and that I don't blabber on forever.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

I'm tired of hearing about ANWR, but...

A buddy of mine and I were talking about the high cost of gasoline when he made the comment that "W has done nothing but pillage the country and sell it to the special interests". He was specifically talking ANWR and the rest of the US energy policy which basically encourages exploration and development, but does virtually nothing to curb pollution or encourage conservation.

Now, drill in Alaska, or don't. I could care less. The problem is that even if "there's oil in them thar hills" how long will it take to get to it? I've heard estimates of 5-10 years. Does that do anything for us today? Absolutely not! And even when the pumps start flowing, it's said that it will only provide 1% of the total US energy need. ONE PERCENT!!!

I could understand it if it were 5-10%, but we're going to do this for 1%???

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that sounds like a bad idea to me. If it's not let me know why.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

Relaxation!

After the day I've had (regular work and working on taxes!), I'm ready to just collapse! Can the folks in Washington make it any more difficult to get money from ordinary citizens, or for those same citizens to get their money back? I paid my fair share of taxes, contributed to the economy, volunteered a whole lot of my time and effort to causes I believe in and for what? 45,622 pages of code that even my tax program made it difficult for me to file? Well, at least I'm finally done and I'm taking the weekend off from the computer! Nothing from me until Monday! Have a good weekend all-y'all.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

Ink and Blood Exhibit

This past weekend, my wife and I went to see the exhibit "Ink and blood" in the OLD Knoxville Convention Center (basically it's now the basement of the Holiday Inn Express). Well, if you have the opportunity, you HAVE to see it! Just understanding what our fore-fathers did in order to bring the Bible to the masses makes me all the more grateful for their sacrifice (many actually gave their lives for the Sacred Word of God). The cost may be a bit much ($15 +tax for adults), but I think it's worth it. And they've extended their stay until May 1. Go and discover for yourselves what it took to get that Bible that sits on your coffee table (probably collecting dust) there!

While you're at it, start reading and studying the Bible for yourselves. According to Bible prophecy, there will be another time where True Christians will be persecuted once again, so cherish the freedom you have now before it is taken away from you. The Devil is out targeting those who sincerely believe that the Bible is inspired and true. This isn't all about the 10 Commandments (sure they're a part of that), but it's about God being fair. Satan wants you to believe that God's rules can't be lived by and that He's not fair. God wants every person on earth to study and decide for themselves whether that is true or not. I fully believe that God's rules can be lived by and through His grace we will.
If you feel differently, comment and tell me why.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."

Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness

Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness
Can someone please tell me what happened to these beliefs of the American Way? In the past 4 years, I've seen more done in an attempt to take away these truths than in the previous 30 of my life. I'll bet that almost everyone can think of some example of this. Anyway, what brought me to this is the fact that the extremes (both liberal and conservative, btw) have gotten way too vocal. This is causing the ones of us who are moderates to choose sides on topics we would prefer to leave alone to individuals. I'm a Christian, and I believe in what the Bible says, but when it comes to intruding on the personal lives of individuals and married couples, that's taking things too far! Why you ask? Because if you actually READ the Bible you understand that this whole conflict between good and evil is about making choices and not forcing them on others! Life is about convincing and convicting people to do the right thing, not forcing them to do it. God has never wanted people to come to Him by force, but by love. If you don't believe me, then you really need to start studying your Bibles right now!

Case in point this week was Ms. Schiavo. Now, I am not going to comment on whether she should have lived or died--there's been enough of that already and I hazard to guess even more to come. But, I will say this, barring a document that says otherwise (and it had better be fully legal, not some scrawling on a napkin), this should have only been a discussion between husband and wife. Now if the family wants to intrude and try to intervene, they'd better have really good reasons (legal separation leading to a divorce would count) because the Bible says that as a married couple they become "one flesh." That means no butting in otherwise in the matter of a husband and wife who are married before God and all those witnesses. That being said, I wish that both sides could have come to some arrangement that would have allowed Terri to live or die with some dignity. When the term "persistent vegetative state" comes into play, usually that has to be confirmed by more than one doctor. Also, it's been 15 years for Terri to come up with some evidence that she could become better. I pray that both families finally make their peace with God and each other.

I'm going to let it be known here, that if I end up in any situation where I am unable to speak for myself medically, my wife knows that there is a point where I don't want the risk to be taken on me and to let me go and end my suffering. Now, she can choose to violate that and take the risk, but that's her decision as MY WIFE! My parents can yell and scream all they want, but she has been informed of my wishes and unless she decides that she no longer wants to be my wife, she knows what I would like to have happen to me. I fully believe, that the right to life is just as important as the right to die with dignity.

Pro-life,/pro-choice. Pro-gun/gun control. Extreme Right/Extreme Left. etc./etc. There has to be a place that balances it for everyone. It's always been about balance with me and always will be.

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Note:The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. "Go ahead, make my day!"
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A wise man once told me "Listen to the opinions of the extremes and you'll discover that the truth is somewhere in the middle."