A Three-Part Reading Assignment

Okay ... so I get aggravated when people never post on their blogs - especially those blogs that I visit to read. So why do I never blog? It's so much trouble...

I commented on a friend's page. I thought it would make a nice blog on my page - so here it is (edited somewhat).

Your reading assignment:

Never let it be said that I missed the chance to recommend books! Here are three to start with, when you're done with these I have more for you.


1. "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. This is one of the most insightful books that I have ever read concerning God, Christians and Christianity other than the Holy Bible. This book is a transcript from a series of radio talks given in the early 1940's by Professor Lewis then edited into a readable format. In four books within this book, Lewis will expound on what is at the center of things Christian. Whether you are an Apologetic or simply a Christian who seeks a deeper understanding of "what it is all about," this book will make you think.

2. "The Jesus I Never Knew" - Phillip Yancey. Everyone who grows up in our society has a prconception of who Jesus is, was or may be. Some never get past this preconception - some grow to know him in one way and others in another. This book will challenge your preconceptions and offer an analysis of Jesus and offer insight to the person He was on Earth - the humanity of Jesus, on why He came - His mission and His teachings, and on what He left behind for us. This book is written with easy to read language and offers much insight for all Christians from the baby to the mature. It was called "... [P]robably the best book about Jesus in the whole century" and from my limited knowledge, I would have to agree.

3. "The Screwtape Letters" C.S. Lewis. Normally, I would not assign two texts from the same author, however, there is no way around it in this three part reading assignment. This book is a must-read for anyone whose "...struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12) Written, originally, as a seies of newspaper articles, Lewis assumes the persona of a demon who advises his nephew, an apprentice, in ways to turn a human away from God. Sometimes it is the simplest means - sometimes it may be more overt. It is important to know thine enemy - and recognize when his minions are at work.

Those should keep you busy for a week or so. If you would like something "fun" to read, (not that studying all things Christian isn't fun, but) or perhaps something with a historical bend, then I can recommend those as well. Let me know what you think, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on these titles.

Woot! ... success.

I have successfully wooted. In my case, the five dollar shipping charge bought the delivery of a really nice looking watch in seven days.

Last night I almost bought the 2 for Tuesday deal on the two-way radios. I was thinking of all the different instances in which those two-way radios would come in handy. It's probably a good thing that my watch hadn't come yet. I don't really "need" two-way radios... even at a great price.

I can see how this woot! thing could turn into a problem, even an addiction. I wanted the dvd recorder/vhs player the other night too.

All I really need now, though, is that big 61" In-Focus hi def tv... oh, and a bag o' crap.

*sigh* and just 5 dollars delivers.

Fries With That?

On a response to a friend's blog I saw the word "shim"

... and I had to lol

It reminded me of a strange thing that happened to me in the backwater redneck town where the college that I go to is located. I was confronted with the sight of either a really ugly middle aged redneck woman with a deep voice and an adams apple... or a transsexual whose hormone therapy has not resulted in an improvement.... other than, perhaps, those perky little titties and some impressively long fingernails.

When did Royston get so "progressive"?

OK, so I know that this was not just a run of the mill ordinary redneck crone.

Today I encountered the most unfortunate looking transsexual I've ever seen. Not that I've had a lot of experience in seeing them... but you watch the Jerry show a few times and you think you're an expert, right? Wrong, when you encounter a frizzy haired sweet talking tranny in Wendy's.... working the counter, then you know your town has arrived. Post-modern city life has finally made it to the wilds of Franklin County.

It's not that I minded getting my single with cheese, fries and coke from a gender bender. I just can't believe that 1- the local Baptist Church isn't picketing them or 2- some redneck vigilante-ism hasn't broken out over there.

And on second thought, maybe I should have gone through the drive-thru.

I know everyone needs a job ... but I really didn't want fries with that.

:-x

My plug for a couple of sites

This is a "heads up" to those of you who might otherwise be unaware of two websites that are outstanding. I do not "ever" give recommendations like this one... so you know they have to be something special.
The first one is home to what has to be the premier crew of copy writers in the business of selling items today. The fine people of Woot! Dot Com, the originators of "one day, one deal" bring us one deal on one item every day for one low price and the shipping cost of five dollars. The new items go on sale every day at 1:00 EST and range from a $5 "bag o' crap" to a ginormous television set and run the gamut in price and variety in between. The true bargain of this website, great deals notwithstanding, is the advertising copy. When you do one item every day, you have to sell it right, and these people certainly know how to write entertaining copy. For anyone who has not visited that site, I highly recommend it... it's simply hilarious.

I must admit. I just wooted tonight for the first time. It was a very enjoyable experience. Now I can hardly wait to see what $5.00 will buy you on the shipping.

Secondly, I would like to direct your attention to the home of Germaine the girl and Foamy the squirrel. The creators of ill will press use the medium of internet animation to take on social issues from cell phones to clothing fads to rap music and industries from internet companies' software licensing agreements and customer support to the famous "Starschmucks" coffee house chain. Often gut-busting humor and always biting commentary on social issues, these cartoons are a must-view for those of us with an eye toward depicting americana with realism. I feel that it is only fair to warn you, my reader, that this squirrel sometimes has a foul mouth, so for those of you who are easily offended, lack a sense of humor or are just simply stick-in-the-muds, view with caution. You might find yourself enjoying yourself for a change.

That's all for now....

shalom.

Thoughts on the "Sermon on the Mount"

In an attempt to understand the intent of Jesus’ words in the sermon on the mount, one should be aware that the sermon is as relevant today as it was at the time of its utterance. A believer should know that this sermon lists precepts for the way a Christian should strive to live his or her life. One should also keep in mind, however, that non-compliance with these strictures does not necessarily condemn a soul to Hell.

In the book, The Jesus I Never Knew (1995), the author, Phillip Yancey, makes this point by illustration of the lives and philosophies of two Russian writers, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Tolstoy strove to live his life by the commands put forth, by Jesus, on the mountain. He did everything from selling all, or most, of his worldly goods, to sleeping in a different bed from his spouse in an attempt to be chaste to try to live by the precepts he found in the sermon. The accounts of his life, in diaries of his and thoughts of his wife say that he was never successful in living up to the commands. His heart was not in “the right place.” His attempts were, seemingly, done more in pursuit of a goal than by loving obedience.

Dostoevsky seemed to understand more the ideas behind the precepts. He understood, also after his near-death experience, the concept of grace and forgiveness.

Anyone, in the setting of today’s world, who is attempting to find relevance for their lives in the sermon on the mount should meld the dedication that Tolstoy depicted, to strive for fulfillment of the precepts, with the understanding of God’s mercy that was defined in novels by Dostoevsky. In a nutshell, one should always try to love their neighbor as they love themselves, while also remembering to love themselves and remembering that, and how, God loves them.

God’s love is bidirectional and should always be treated as such. Out of love for Him, we should try to live by his precepts. Out of love for us, God knows that we can, and usually will, fall short. He will always be merciful enough to forgive us if we will only humble ourselves enough to ask.

Contemplation of an Empty Vessel

Days, dreary and overcast, lead me to contemplate
Life and nature. Do all things revolve
Around the maddening twists of fate,
Or is life a riddle not meant for man to solve?

An inkling persists within my very soul,
Inherent knowledge of Yahweh, The Great I Am,
His presence that completes, makes my spirit whole.
To Him, nothing is hidden, He sees past every sham.

Even as desolation encroaches, hope sslips away
Time, the essense, hope the furthest thought
And it seems, you, for the walls, are prey.
His strength will guide you, for your will is naught.

The knowledge is inside you, surrender your will.
Your life to complete, the vessel to fill.

Imagine

Imagine that you are fourteen years old. It is a Sunday and you will be fifteen on Wednesday. Your parents separated when you were six and subsequently divorced. You live with your Dad and even though you are a teenager, you have a wonderful relationship with both parents. Some things you talk about with Dad, but some things just for you and your Mom.

You have a little brother who is eleven years old. You fight sometimes but your Dad tells you to stick together because you are never going to get another full brother... and it makes sense... and you do. The two of you have been the children of divorced parents together since little brother was still in diapers and you depend on each other.

Your Mom married a really good guy who treats her well and loves you like his own son. This is a special part of your family that includes your only little sister. You don't really even think of her as a half-sister at all because ... how could you? It is for adults to make those differentiations. She is five years old and your little sister thinks that you can do anything. Even though you only really get to see each other for two weekends out of most months, you are closer than some brothers and sisters who live together.

You play baseball. You are on the track team at your school and one day you may get a major college scholarship... you are a good athelete and running is one of your special gifts. Running is one of the things that you and your Mother share together. Ever since you were old enough to run a mile run, your Mom and you have been running races together. From the milers you went to the five kilometer runs. Your Mom and you run in a lot of these races together. It is something that you can share.

You have a lot of friends. It just is not as awkward for you at school as for some people. You have always had a knack for making friends and knowing what to say... even though it has gotten you into trouble at times, in school. You are not a bad kid, not the total class clown, just enthusiastic and vibrant... and who really needs an "A" in "Conduct" anyway? Your Mom is a "talker" and your Dad just "understands people" and you got both of them rolled up into you.

School is so easy for you. Concepts that your classmates are struggling with seem like things you learned years ago. Your academic future is bright. You do not know, yet, what you want to be for sure but realistically it could be pretty much anything you desire. You are thinking about being a writer, a teacher... maybe English, and you have entertained the thought of being a lawyer. There is time to decide still. Whatever it is, you have decided that you are going to go to college.

Your mother has a special day planned for the two of you today. She always makes birthdays special. Your Mother... you still call her Mommy even though you are almost fifteen ... because that's just who she is... she thinks birthdays are wonderful times. She is going to take you shopping, maybe to a movie and to eat at a nice restaurant.

Your Mom has a big birthday party planned for you next saturday. You have already invited twenty-five friends. You have never had a party this big before. Your Mom has made plans for the two of you to go get your learner's permit to drive this week. All in all, I imagine that you will have to agree, your life is going pretty good, all things considered.

Can you imagine a life like this?

Now imagine that your Mommy lives in a town called Athens, GA, "a drinking town with a football problem." Now imagine that early this morning you found out that your Mommy was almost four times too drunk to drive a car legally. Imagine that your Mommy did not get drunk at home but was fed drinks by {read: negligent} bartenders in a town called Athens, GA. Because, how could they be anything but negligent if they keep serving and serving drinks to patrons until they are almost lethally intoxicated? Imagine that there is a bar in Athens, GA that has marble steps with no traction aids or handrails that lead down to the only bathrooms that are accessible to customers. Imagine that the name of this particular Athens, GA bar is "City Bar."

That seems like it should be enough, but we can not stop there as much as we would like to. Imagine, if you will, that Sunday was a blur and tonight your Mommy is dead.

Now can you imagine a life like this?

Now let us put this in terms that are black and white with no shades of grey. If you are a bartender or a bar owner, you or someone like you just murdered this thirty-four year old Mommy of three who unfortunately had a penchant for alcohol that you exploit. I am sure that you will want to find some way to justify what you do but at the end of the day, even though you may lie to yourself to be able to sleep at night, you are what you are. In pursuit of your idol, the dollar, you are willing to sell people the bullets to load the guns in order to kill themselves. In cases where you are negligent to the point of allowing a patron to get almost lethally intoxicated (reportedly .30 BAC fyi), especially when your establishment has a flight of dimly lit rock stairs (!) with no handrails for drunk people to climb to relieve the bladder you fill, you are even offering to pull the trigger for them.

Imagine you were fourteen years old and loved your Mommy very much... or eleven... or five. You are lucky it is only your imagination. It is my son.

Opening Posting

This ... is the opening posting in what could turn out to be one of yours, and my, favorit blogs on the web. Here "we" will attempt to tackle topics from mundane musings to deep and thought-provoking issues of the day.
If I go for a few days without writing anything, bear with me... I have other things to do besodes feed your appetite for text!
Props go out to http://thesacredcow.blogspot.com and his incisive and pertinent postings for giving me the impetus to create a blog of my own. "Everyone" should stop by there and check out his thoughts once in a while.


Thank you, that is all for now.