This morning (Halloween day) I went to the DMV and oh, what a horrorible place that is. They talk about the rise and fall of civilizations. If the “wait time” at the Driver’s License Bureau is any indication, I’d say America is on the rocks. I’ve been twice in two days. Yesterday I went at …
Author Archives: Nick
Do Pictures Make Our Lives Better?
Back in 1824, Joseph Niépc took the first photograph ever – a view looking out the window of his home in France. Here it is: That may have been the first photograph, but believe me, it wasn’t the last, though I’d venture to opine many taken since are hardly more interesting. 188 years later, us …
My Remarks Following a Visit to the Local Salt Mine
On Monday I visited the Hutchinson Salt Mine with Luke and Mom. Being so deep underground (twice the depth of the height of the Statue of Liberty) was disconcerting. ‘Tis not hospitable for humans down there… had the ventilators quit working we would soon have died from lack of air. I noticed a tangy smell/taste …
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Haiti: Idyllic Isle with a Few Worrisome Woes
Travelling Again! So once again I’m travelling, to wit: in Haiti – with all that implies. Upon arrival last Thursday I hit the ground running and have been until today, which is being used to catch up: doing laundry (by hand in a bucket, using laundry powder purchased in Indonesia), visiting locals at the guest …
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Goals for this 10-Day Trip to Haiti
Today I’m heading off to Port-au Prince, Haiti. Should be back next Friday. Goals for this trip include: Trying to find and meet with various children from the now-defunct Son of God orphanage to see how they are doing and encourage them in some way. Meet with two organizations that work with Street Kids (Child …
My Life is a Story, But How’s the Scripting?
Life is a story. Yours is. Mine is. (heads up, this post isn’t very interesting, just random musings) One of the dozen or so blogs I follow is Screenwriting Tips. Every day a thought-provoking tidbit is shared on effective scriptwriting. Below are several I appreciated on “Crafting a protagonist (hero)”: At the character bio stage, …
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Would You Like to Receive Post Updates by E-mail?
Well, now you can, because on the left sidebar I just added a Subscribe button for anyone interested. The way it works is you put in your e-mail address and then in the future you’ll be notified whenever a new post is added. Nifty, huh?
Tent and Sailboat Camping in Oklahoma
Last weekend Dad and I went on a three day Father-Son campout. All great expeditions start at QuickTrip, and this one was no exception: The lake we visited, Broken Bow, is known for both its clear waters and also being dotted with scenic islands. I was planning for us to boat to one of those …
Life in the Slow Lane
So after five weeks working at summer Bible camp, I’m back in Wichita. There were friends I made at camp I most likely won’t see again anytime soon. Sad. But, there are friends here I’m getting re-acquainted with. The whole last year of my life seems to be a long series of “hellos” and “goodbye’s.” …
Crocs, Moby Dick, a Lost Toothbrush and a Light Princess
I was too quick to laud the merits of Crocs in my last post. This week one of mine sat out in the sun an entire day and (would you know it?) shrunk down at least two whole sizes! No joke. Made me feel like one of Cinderella’s sisters trying to jam a foot into …
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In the OZARKS, where the Internet is RARE, and the heat is BLAZING
Here at Turkey Hill Bible Camp, finding internet is like finding a burning bush on the North Pole, it just ain’t happening. Last weekend I didn’t even have time to post a single jot or tiddle on simplefollower. Making up for it now by posting twice in one fell swoop. Impressive, I know. So here …
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Wilderness Week
Two weeks ago (July 15-21) I was one of four leaders on a week-long Current River canoe trip with fifteen teenagers. Here are a few pictures: ‘ A highlight was the time I spent up late talking with different guys. One night until 2am! When I was a kid (8?) I went on a week …
Teen Week Counseling Update
So I don’t have time to write an update so I’m not going to. Except to say Week 1 of camp went by quickly, and is now over. And true to prediction, I am now officially sleep deprived and worn out. But, it starts all over again tomorrow! So I didn’t use e-mail or phone …
Around the World in 180 Days (wrap-up post, by request)
I remember more than one night lying in bed late, in the dark, except for a dull street-lamp filtering through cracks in my venetian blinds, feeling restless. Getting up and going for long walks: padding round and round the nearby pond at my apartment with the spraying fountain in the middle. This was about a …
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I Feel Welcomed Back!
Tomorrow I get back to Wichita once again, yippee! Already I’m feeling quite welcome. Spent a week with Luke and Sarah out West, and they treated me royally – we had a great time (at least I did!) Then a short visit to Seth & family here in Texas which has also been good reconnecting. …
A Connecticut Yankee in King Aloha’s Court
From Tokyo to Honolulu was a red-eye flight. Only slept about an hour that night. The weirdest thing happened… I left Japan on Wednesday night and arrived in Hawaii on Wednesday morning! Therefore, I was able to do what few people have ever done: live through a day twice. My lifetime has been extended a …
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The Shocking Semantics of Culture Shock
So the powers that be, whoever they are, have determined Culture Shock has four stages. However, I’m not convinced Culture Shock has only four stages, just as I’m not convinced public speeches have only three parts (introduction, body, and conclusion). I’ve heard speeches before that were all body; I’ve heard speeches that were all conclusion; …
I Thought I’d Seen it All, Until I Saw Japan
First: Language… Most the signs in Japan are not in English. And their script is scary-looking. See for yourself, here is the title of this post in Japanese: 私は日本を見るまで私は、私はそれをすべて見たと思った And the people don’t speak English either, hardly a one. Even at the airport, nobody can barely say a word of English! even the customs guy… …
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Jakarta Ho! A Somewhat Sagacious Soliloquy.
I’m currently in the capital of Indonesia. It feels oh-so Asian. And fairly Muslim too, though I don’t find the locals here as intimidating as their compatriots in the Middle East. With over 10 million citizens, Jakarta is populous. But Indonesia itself is populous: the 4th most country in the world (behind China, India, and …
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Luxury
I’m back in Sentani. Good ol’ civilization. Even if it’s third world civilization. Even if it’s “wild west” civilization. Dave, who picked us up at the airport, told about how he got stuck in the middle of a local demonstration yesterday in Sentani, including having a guy in front of his vehicle wave a pistol …
Clashing Civilizations
Often my most creative writing thoughts come at an inopportune time for recording said thoughts. One such time is just before drifting to sleep. Like now, but this time I gave in, got out of bed, and pulled out ye old laptop to jot down a few sundry thoughts. I’m not sleepy anyways. I’m still …
In the Moi Tribe
I’ve been without internet for quite awhile. Since writing last I’ve gone interior where I’ll be another couple weeks. Our internet unexpectedly started working again (intermittently) so I get to update ye olde blog. I’m staying with a missionary family out in the bush among the Moi tribe, helping them get set back up here …
Goofing Off in Papua
I should enjoy these lazy days while I have them. Haven’t been doing much around here… pretty slow this past week. Just hanging around little ol’ Sentani, Papua. Road Work Helped missionaries some on road work in front of the mission. Got bit up by bugs, but so far haven’t contracted the Dengue fever, which …
Dissecting the Present
I saw this warning notice regarding touts on the back of a slick brochure for local tourist company Krishna Bali Tour: “Please make a call direct by your self to have the true information and avoid diverting to the other personal. Some case happen because of diverting that make you feel disappointed and you blame …
Bali Walee
A Million Motorbikes. “Taxi?” Oppressive heat. “Taxi?” Short Statured Locals. “Taxi?” Bali, a Pacifica Isle. “Taxi?” No, I don’t want a taxi. After five flights and a two day layover in Italy, I made it to Bali, Indonesia. Now just two more flights to my final destination: the mountains of Irian Jaya where I’ll spend …
From Venice, Much Thanks to Everyone for the Birthday Well-Wishes!
I’ve been receiving Happy Birthday notes throughout today via e-mail and Facebook – some short, some lengthy. Just want to say, “Thank you!” to all for helping make this #29 special, even though I’m overseas. Was blessed to get to spend this birthday in Venice, Italy. Had one full layover day here before heading onwards …
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Frankfurt, Germany
Just made it to Frankfurt, Germany. Sitting here grabbing a McDonalds burger in the airport. It seems weird being in a different culture again, even if I’m only seeing Germany from the airport. Being yanked from one culture to the next is rattling. Walked outside and it’s cold. They had snow here yesterday. Where I …
Crazy Safari
It seemed appropriate to spend my last few days in Kenya on Safari, viewing wild animals. So I don’t know what you were doing this past Saturday morning, but I arose early and after catching a bus from my guest house to the bus station, remembered I’d accidentally forgot my camera back at the guest …
The Bad Samaritan
(these “beggar anecdotes” were written a couple weeks ago during the time I was visiting Lalibela in Ethiopia) You’re Poor with No Opportunities? Tough luck. Was approached by a kid as I walked down the street who insistently wanted me to exchange Euro coins into Ethiopian Birr. I had done this with a few other …
Sundry Pics from Egypt and Ethiopia
Tombs of Mohammed’s Family – Cairo, Egypt These tombs are located in an obscure crypt located within the City of the Dead in Cairo. A local guy from that city took me in his old beat up pickup truck. Mr. Welsh & Mr. Poland – My Travelling Companions in Egypto Matt and I both …
On the Move
Had an interesting experience the last two days… took a long trip via the back of a transport truck. Got on about 8am yesterday morning in Moyale and was dropped off 7am this morning in Isiolo. That’s a long time on the top of (and sleeping inside) the back of a truck! Here is a …
Have Kenya, Will Internet
Just arrived in Kenya and lo and behold internet here actually works. Wow, this is new. It’s been awhile since I’ve been online. Which hasn’t hurt me…. plus, it was fun getting a batch of e-mails at once! Thanks to those who wrote. The last several Ethiopian towns have struck out connection-wise. In Konso I …
From Fish to Freedom – Tis Issat Falls
If yesterday was a disappointment, today more than made up for it. It began at 5:30am when I woke up for an early morning stroll down to the river (about a mile away) to see if I could spot any hippos. In the pre-dawn there were already quite a few people gathering water in buckets …
Caveat Emptor
If I visit India someday, I think I’ll skip seeing the Taj Mahal. I pretty much have grown to despise touristy stuff. Whether America or Tim-Buck-Two, can we please get off the beaten track? I’m currently in Bahir Dar, a city on the edge of Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands. THE Lake Tana that …
Begging the Issue
Been walking the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for five days now. What to do with the beggars? They are everywhere, sitting in their misery with hands stretched out. Some blind, some deaf, others with deformed limbs, swollen extremities and missing appendages… others hunchback bent over double, some old and toothless, some women young with …
Sahara-Ho!
When I think desert, I think sand. In particular, sand dunes. In Israel I never saw sand dunes. Neither the Judean Desert nor the Negev had the type of desert I consider proper. But thanks be, finally I saw the real deal at the Siwa oasis. Siwa is located in the heart of the Sahara, …
10 Experiences from Egypt
Right now I’m at the Siwa Oasis – about fifty miles from the Libyan border. See map below, which shows the 1,000 mile route I’ve taken so far since entering Egypt. From Taba (the border of Israel) down to Dahab, then on to Cairo, Alexandria, and now Siwa. All Egypt is desert except along the …
Visiting the Pyramids of Giza
Today I had quite the adventure… I went to visit the pyramids. First let me talk about Cairo. It is a pretty amazing place. A mass of humanity, something to the tune of 17 million. I suppose it’s like New York City that never sleeps, where the horns never stop, where multitudes of people are …
Climbing Mount Sinai
The most recent adventure around here has been hiking up Mount Sinai with my Welsh companion Matt. We went with a tour group leaving from our hostel. The cost for going was $15 – that included round-trip transportation, a guide, and admission costs (everything, as we found out, but the fees for using the bathroom). …
Bartering in Dahab
Tourism is down here in Egypt. This translates into 1) good prices 2) not much of a crowd and 3) individualized attention. These all sound positive, but each have a negative too. Take the individualized attention, for instance. You can’t walk five feet without having someone try selling you something. Good prices sound good, but …
First Day in Egypt
After getting a passport photo from a local camera shop in Eilat, applying for a visa at the Egyptian Consulate and waiting a few hours for the paperwork to get processed, I was finally cleared for entry to Egypt! After catching a local bus to the border crossing at Taba, paying the Israeli exit fee, …
Snow in Jerusalem!
Below are pictures I snapped yesterday morning. The first is on Jaffa road, a main walking thoroughfare through town. This street is lined with shops and many of the store owners were standing out by their doors laughing. It was a jolly atmosphere as I exchanged excited greetings with them: “Boker Tov – it’s SNOWING!” …
We Have In-flight Food Options
I’m sitting here booking a flight…. Which meal option should I pick? Oh the choices.
Where Are All the Workers?
More than just travelling, I am on a fact finding quest for what types of work God’s people are doing throughout the world. The ministries I have seen so far are numerous, but they all boil down to one common theme: sharing Christ with others. Distributing spiritual bread of life. Some help physically as well, …
Hiking in the Footsteps of Jesus
After walking from Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth up to Capernaum, I wonder if Jesus got blisters on his feet too? Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum, Bethsaida, are towns I walked through on my 70 km (~40 mile) stroll through the Galilee on what is known as the “Jesus Trail.” In short, I hiked from Nazareth to Bethsaida …
Asylum Seekers in Levinsky Park, Tel-Aviv
Asylum seekers from Darfur, South Sudan, and Eritrea have found their way to Israel seeking a better life. Many are staying in a park outside the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv. Yesterday I went to that park to help distribute food and talk with those who spoke English. I’m planning to go several more …
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8 Things You May Not Have Known About Israel
1. Toilets in Israel have two levers. One for smaller duty flushes, and one for heavier duty flushes, I guess. And I thought America had too many options. 2. Israel has the fourth largest Air Force in the world, after the United States, Russia, and China. I see helicopters flying overhead all the time, including …
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Zeitgeist the Movie: Slick Propaganda
Zeitgeist the Movie is a conspiracy genre documentary made in 2007 which shows, among other things, that Jesus never existed (he was supposedly copied from archetypes found in ancient pagan religions), that 911 was an inside job by the US government, and that a group of elite financial bankers hold the reigns of global power. …
Music Conference and Cow-Wowing
I’m still here… lost somewhere between “fine” and “dandy.” Last weekend I went to a two-day music concert showcasing 100+ Christian songs written by local Messianic Jews during the last two years. (try saying that sentence ten times in one breath) It was sponsored by the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel – and was quite …
A Treatise on Baby Calves and their Tendencies
Today we received new baby calves. They are about 3 days old. One of them we got a few days ago was born too early and has problems with coordination (they all have problems with coordination, but this one has excessive problems). The good thing about new baby calves it they are very cute and …
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Does God Intervene in Daily Life?
During the dead-locked Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787, Benjamin Franklin had this to say: "The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: ‘that God governs in the affairs of men.’ And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire …
Tel-Aviv Beach
I was in Tel-Aviv December 30th. I walked along the Mediterranean beach down South to Jaffa. The Tel-Aviv beach is quite nice, so far my favorite “hang-out” spot in Israel. Here are a few pictures I took along the walk: (that sailboat out at Sea looked like fun) (the waves didn’t look big enough …
Give Me Liberty… or… “We’ll Kill Ourselves” ??!
Masada is an ancient mountain fortress built by Herod the Great in the time before Christ. It’s located up on a high, isolated plateau in the Judean desert. Kind of like Israel’s version of Mancha Picchu (in Peru). For a quick history: During the Jewish revolt against the Romans (in AD 70’s), Masada was the …
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Not Enough Time (energy?) to Blog Correctly
Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My. Sorry for the dearth of content recently. It’s not because things aren’t happening, they are. So many things, yet not enough time to write them. I have a mental list going of things I want to write about (like part of a cows tail that got disconnected from the …
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Neve Shalom-More Historic Than the White House?
I was told of a 2 day Bible conference being held in Neve Shalom this weekend. I’m planning on going, leaving tomorrow after work. Neve Shalom is a small community about 25km West of Jerusalem. Do you know where Neve Shalom is? Neither did I, but the history in the area is quite fascinating. Located …
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Differences
Pop cans here in Israel are made from thicker aluminum than I’m used to. This makes them heavier – this MEANS I always think there’s more pop in my can than there really is. I’m continually disappointed as I go for that laast sip and… nothings there. The can has tricked me again. That’s not …
Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, 2011
Preamble Checking out of my hostel the morning of Christmas Eve was a bit of an ordeal. When I had arrived at the hostel the night before they didn’t honor my reservation. He said my reservation was for a “mattress on the roof” (not what I reserved on the website) and since it was raining …
December 23rd – Jerusalem, the Old City, the Wailing Wall and the Church of the Sepulcher
Friday after lunch two other volunteers and myself headed for Jerusalem. After catching four different rides via hitch-hiking, we arrived (hitch-hiking is more common in Israel, they even have specially marked turn-out lanes to pickup hitch-hikers). After arriving and checking into my hostel, the afternoon/evening/night was spent wandering around the Old City of Jerusalem. Our …
Be’er Sheva
In the Bible it’s spelled Beersheba. Either way, I went there this evening. It’s about a half hour drive from Nir Oz, similar to a trip up to Newton back home. I went with several volunteers and a Kibbutznik (and his girlfriend). There are some ancient ruins outside the city that date back from Bible …
London, England
I had a long layover in Heathrow so went downtown to explore. Here are a few pics… This is the train station in Central London: Seemed like everyone was either out walking or riding their bikes: I wanted to try making the guards at Buckingham Palace laugh but couldn’t get close enough to try. Hyde …
Kibbutz Nir Oz
That’s where I am now. I’m excited about the next few months, think they’ll be fun. Despite the name “Near Oz,” it’s actually nearer to the Gaza strip. In fact, I can see into the Gaza strip from here. All the other volunteers (about 8 of them) are very friendly and from all over: Wales, …
36 Hour Countdown
Feel like I’m about to go over a waterfall. Can see the drop-off ahead and hear the booming water, but where I am now is still calm and tranquil. Not sure if everything is going to fit into my backpack. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow when I try stuffing it all in. Lot of little …
10 Packing Tips for Travelling to Faraway Places
Packing is a fine art. Especially when you try bringing everything (like I do). At the end of this post I’ve made a list of 10 packing tips I came up with. My Travelling Experiences When I quit my job in June I had in mind to travel for a year. Initially I was going …
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Christmas, Birth and Death
Boxing up all the stuff in my apartment. The death of one phase, the birth of another. Contemplating. Listening to Christmas music on the radio while working. Loved Michael Buble’s rendition of, “All I Want For Christmas.” I know it’s sappy lovey-dovey, but I like it anyways ‘cus it reminds me the most important things …
When Was the Last Time You Went Road Tripping?
Summary of Last Three Weeks I’m just home from a three week Western America road trip. I spent a week driving out to the coast, a week visiting my brother in Oregon, and a week driving back to Kansas. On the trip I was up close to Canada and down to within several miles of …
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Ducks & Geese
I got a new camera so decided to walk around my apartment complex and snap pictures. I’d never noticed how many ducks and geese we have. They pose pretty well for pictures I found… I was struck at how pretty they were… it seems God has given every animal a beauty of its own. Was …
Homeward Bound
I’m in the Chicago O’Hare airport getting ready to spend another night sleeping in the terminal. Oh joy. So I didn’t kiss the ground when I got off the plane in Miami, but did step outside to bask in the aura of freedom and prosperity this country exudes. Great to be back in good ‘ol …
DR Update and… Are There Benefits to Being Materially Poor?
I just snapped this picture. It is the view out the double doors in my bedroom: I think it’s technically jungle around here, but it seems to me more like “jungly forest” if there is such a thing. Oh, and I can see the ocean far better in real life than in the picture above. …
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Anxiety Related to Expectations
I’ve noticed the less I try to accomplish, the lower my anxiety becomes. However, it’s usually not enough for me to have just one goal. I often have about ten. Maybe you can’t relate to this, but I don’t usually feel good about myself unless I’m accomplishing things. This trip has been a good example. …
Blessed With a Burden
Megan has lived in Haiti for a year or so – she just wrote a blog piece about a child from the same orphanage I recently visited for ten days. Her passion comes out better than if I tried writing so I’m linking it here. Some of the things she writes are just how I …
Update from the Dominican Republic
Food, Food, Wonderful Food One of the difficult things about this trip has been not eating foods I’m used to. For the first couple weeks in Haiti I ate lots of rice and beans. Then when I got to Dominican Republic, a Latin American country, I expected burritos and enchiladas. But turns out those are …
My Heart is Hurting
My heart aches. I have a massive lump in my throat and feel like crying. I’ve been transported from a place of incarnate misery and oppression to a place of incarnate joy and love. I remember when I was a kid we lived in this house where every time someone flushed the toilet the shower …
Bon Bagay! A Missionary Interview
“Haiti is known as a missionary graveyard. The burnout rate here is high.” I was talking with a long-term missionary about what he found most discouraging working in Haiti over the years. He continued, “When the going gets rough, people often bail. It’s discouraging to see fellow workers beat down and ‘run out of town.’ …
The Power of a Smile
Here in Haiti there is so much need everywhere it is overwhelming… hard to know what would truly help. Not sure if I helped much during my time at the orphanage, but at least I helped put a few smiles on their faces. I taught the kid sitting next to me in the picture above …
Quick Update From a Different World
Today is my 9th day in Carrefour, Haiti. This is the first day I’ve had internet, and amazingly, on my laptop no less. I’m on wi-fi in a small internet café now. Creole music is blazing, it’s quite warm (i.e. blazing hot), and I’m sitting at a rustic table. The internet is veeeery slow. Like …
To Inf-haiti and Beyond
I’m in the Chicago airport. Turns out they have 20 minutes of internet here for free. And more internet if you want to pay for it. On a serious note, at times recently I’ve wondered if this trip to Hispaniola was all my initiative or if God was in it at all? On my flight …
Tumblr-ing through Cyberspace
I prefer this blog be kept mainly for original content rather than reposting stuff I find online. However, I’m always finding cool little tidbits online so the decision was made to branch into yet a new foray of internet publishing: Tumblr. Check it out here: http://simplefollower.tumblr.com/ Now I have Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, a Blog and …
What’s Been Happening, Not Neccesarily How I Feel About It
I’ve been eating fumes this last week so finally made a run to the grocery store. It was down to the last crumbs at my apartment. Literally, I had crackers and chocolate chips for my mandatory snack last night. I’ve been living off Taco Bell, church potluck, and free food from family. Though a few …
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Home Is Where Your Toothbrush Is
That’s what my brother Luke always says, and I think it’s true. When I got back to Wichita after five weeks of being gone I first went by my parents house because I had given them the key to my apartment. But then I got to talking with them until late so I just spent …
Got Mud?
So this is what we looked like before leaving on our cave adventure: And this is what we looked like after exiting El Cavo de Muddo: And this was taken at a scenic overlook on our way back: I know this blog is supposed to be about following Jesus, but I don’t have …
Joseph As A Figure of Christ
The message last night was on Joseph. In particular, the message was on self-control and the life of Joseph was used as an example. Some people would debate whether Joseph is a “type” of Christ so we will use the term “figure” instead because there are definitely shadows and allusions to Christ in Joseph’s life, …
Life Continues
I’m in the office checking my e-mail. Thought I’d write a short blurb on here as well. I’m still at camp… this week I’m working as a Lifeguard. It’s cool because last week I got Red Cross certified for Lifeguard (as well as updated my Red Cross certifications in First Aid, CPR, and AED). This …
21 Highlights and Lowlights of Camp Counseling
It’s midnight and I can’t sleep. This is the beginning of my third week at camp. Tonight I’m in a new room sharing with 10 other guy staffers. Right now the lights are out but I don’t think many are sleeping yet. Several of us are sick. The white noise is incredible. I think we …
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I’m Off To Camp. Let the Fun Begin.
I’m off to be a camp counselor. Kids beware. I may be away from blogging for quite some time. A month? All depending. When I return I’ll be full of new insights, wisdom and epiphanies. Or not. Any tips on being a camp counselor would be appreciated!
My Life Summarized By a 5-Year Old
My friend Naomi gave me this thoughtful letter. I added her explanations on the side: The question is, “What will the scribble become?” Perhaps there are clues in the picture that would help answer that question? I see two stick figures amongst the scribble, does that portend something of note? It appears they are both …
‘Twas 111 Degrees Yesterday. Let’s Remember Cold.
Kansas Bird Hunting Icy Trees Along the Talimena Scenic Drive Cold Weather Camping (in the backyard) Another Very Cold Campout The Abominable Snowman Revealed (on the right) Cold Weather Swimming. Do I Look Cold? I Was Colder Here. And More Cold Pictures from Flickr Mt. Rainer National Park, Washington State A Cool Guy in the …
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Comparison Chart of the Hevenly Signs Described in the Bible regarding the Sun, Moon and Stars
I’ve been trying to figure out where the prophecies in Matthew 24 fit into the flow of end times prophecy in general. I had a hunch the bit about the “signs in the heavens” might yield a clue. Therefore, I put together this little chart. Perhaps someone besi>des myself will find it useful too: Download …
Good Friends I’ve Made in the Last Year
Do Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4 Refer to the Same Second Coming?
Here is an interesting question, “Is the return of Christ described in Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4 the same?” Passage #1: Paul Describes Return of Jesus in I Thessalonians 4 “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, …
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Where Do Spirits Go After Death?
In a previous post we established people have both a body and spirit. Recapping: “For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19) "May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community…” (Numbers 27:16) “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith …
Prophecies of Jesus Regarding Himself in Mark
“Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’” (Mark 14:65) Ironically, Jesus had prophesied a number of things. Here are some I’ve noticed as I’ve been studying through Mark: Jesus Prophecies His Death and Resurrection 3x “He then began to teach them [his disciples] that …
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The Power of a Soul
I was going to continue this series with The Power of a Smile, The Power of Sin and perhaps the Power of My Brother Seth. However, since those posts seem slow in coming I’ll summarize by saying they’re all three quite powerful, in their own way: Smiles can make old people look new; Sin can …
Time Rich. It’s Weird.
I went beach camping most this past week. It wasn’t until the 3rd afternoon I finally got bored. Not miserable bored… just relaxed bored. The picture above shows one of the spots I camped at. I set my tent up underneath the shade of those Kansas Palm Trees (aka Cottonwoods). Now that I have so …
Changing Lanes
Do you hate change? Most people do. No doubt about it, change is uncomfortable. I’ve noticed most people change things occasionally, some people change things up ALL the time…… then still others rarely make any changes. Case in point: I drove up to Newton this evening and performed a test. I set my cruise control …
Sailing in Jesus’ Footsteps
In all the exciting hubbub recently, I forgot I had a blog. “What exciting is going on?” you may wonder. Several things, but for one, this past Friday was my last day working at my old job! Now before you ask what my next plans are, just let me say the future looks bright and …
Having a Vision as Big as Vuthers
On my way down to Haiti I talked with a Haitian man in the Miami airport for several hours. His name was Vuther and he told me straight-up he doesn’t like America. His reason? The immorality we are exporting to his country. ouch. I find this a common complaint among Internationals. American culture is seen …
The Power of Stick Shift
I got a surprise when I left work the other day: My car wouldn’t start. The battery was dead because I’d left my headlights on at lunch. Who should I call? How long would it take for Dad to show up? How long would it take for Mallikar or Pat to show up? How …
The Power of Space, Part 2
From the mail bag…… here is an excerpt from a letter I received in response to my post yesterday: I’m not convinced that God tells us to go find misery and poverty in the world and then fix it. That would ascribe a God-like omnipotence and limitless resources to us. The Samaritan wasn’t traveling along …
The Power of Space
Will Miller is a friend of mine, though we’ve never met in person. When the tornadoes hit the South, Will was at his home in Tuscaloosa, AL. He writes: Within the last 24 hours, Tuscaloosa was hit with one of the most devastating storms we’ve ever seen. The night it happened, I sat huddled in …
Meantime, Back at the Ranch
I notice there has been a dearth of content on this blog as of late. What’s happened? The answer is I’ve had plenty of ideas to blog about, but been too busy to write them. Too pre-occupied. Most people, when they get pre-occupied, raise suspicion by acting pre-occupied. Which, come to think of it, I …
The Power of a Song
With a title like this, I have no option but to start the post off with a song: Ever had a song put you into a trance before? Me either, but this happened to a friend of mine. Or so he says: He was a sophomore in High School at the time, driving with his …
The Power of a Story (plus, 10 things we fear)
Everyone likes stories. I think. "Researcher story-teller" Brene Brown defined story as, "data with a soul." A more stodgy definition is, "An account or recital of an event or a series of events, either true or fictitious." (source) For an example of a brief, well-told story, you might enjoy this short piece about a conversation …
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The Power of Serenity
Last week I visited Botanica Gardens. It’s my favorite local destination here in Wichita and I’ve been many times. In fact, think I’m on my third annual membership. The best time of year to visit is Spring. Right now, in fact, as the tulips are currently in bloom and breathtaking. If you go, I recommend …
The Power of a Sentence
So We Only Use 2% Of Our Brain’s Capacity? My brain never really stops. I used to think everyone was like this, and perhaps they are, but I’m not totally sure anymore. Please help me put this issue to rest by answering the poll to the left. Even at night my brain clacks away. Sometimes …
Arby’s, We Are On To Your Tricks
With all the heavy talk on here recently about people going hungry (like this post about very hungry people I met in Haiti), perhaps it’s time to take a lighter look at food. In particular, Arby’s fast-food. I don’t eat Arby’s much. Not that I don’t like it, I do. It’s just that I’ve found …
Being Overwhelmed With Circumstances
Normal is what we’re used to. When things are going worse than normal, we complain. At least, I complain. But when faced with those less fortunate, it readjusts our thinking of what normal really is and makes us give pause before complaining. I took the following two pictures on the same day, March 18th. One …
Lord of the Flies
There are 17 books in my reading stack. I just counted. Granted, some of them are library books. And some have been in the stack a long time. Lord of the Flies was one of the latter. Nevertheless, I finally finished it, as I do most in my stack. I like to complete things I …
Packing Notes
No matter how hard I try to pack light, I always over pack. I used my recent 10 day trip to Haiti and Florida as a packing test for a longer trip. Below are my “packing reflections.” I know I’ll be pegged as a geek for having taken the time to write this, but my …
The Value of Going on a Short Term Missions Trip vs. Just Sending Money
Before I went to Haiti I was concerned the money I was spending on the trip might be better spent donating directly to someone. The expense of short term “missions” trips is a frequent complaint regarding them – and there is no denying cash is needed many places… I was only in Haiti one week …
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Pastor Pierre Wilnord
Adventures in Missions (AIM) has contacts with 650 churches in Haiti. That’s a lot of contacts! AIM has a program called “Church to Church” that facilitates churches in the US sponsoring churches in Haiti. So far they have about 35 American churches signed up to sponsor a Haitian church. The group I went to Haiti …
Tent City Story–Why So Much Disparity in Wealth?
I’m learning a short "missions" trip can really spin you around. One day you’re marching along in everyday life and then – wham, you’re transported to another world. A world where people don’t have the same privileges I do. Where water and electricity are sporadic. Where food and clean water are not a given. Where …
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Haiti–Jumbled Impressions
Wow. So much has happened in this last week. The trip to Haiti has really been amazing and eye-opening. I recommend for everyone go visit Haiti! Just arrived back in the U.S.A. a short bit ago and will be in Florida several days longer so can’t give a long update now but wanted to post …
Our Part. God’s Part.
If I learned anything from my brief stint in playing educator, it was this, “Never do for a student what they can do for themselves.” (Reference, Are We Listening? from Nov 2009) Jesus followed this rule both in how he taught and in how he performed his miracles. We might be able to learn something …
3,000 Years, Baby
Do you wonder what the #1 watched YouTube clip is? The answer: Justin Bieber’s music video, “Baby.” Over 483 million hits. You know how much time that represents? Imagine someone watching that clip over and over again from cradle to the grave. Now, multiply that by 40. Yep, forty lifetimes of time. Or 3,000 years! …
Who is your authority?
Here are two observations: Everyone believes something Those beliefs depend on what/who we hold up as our authority I recently heard an acquaintance make reference to how doctrinally incorrect it is for Catholics to believe in praying to dead saints. Well, depends on who your authority is. If your authority is church tradition and the …
Asking the Wrong Questions
An engineer I work with likes to say, “Bad requests yield bad data.” Asking wrong questions can lead us in wrong directions. I ran a series of posts about a year ago trying to answer the question, “What makes a church a church?” A Pastor? A Church building? A certain number of people? A religous …
When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty
Introduction (and all that implies) When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself by Steve Corbett and John Perkins. I heard of this book through a required reading list of a certain Missions organization, purchased it, and recently finished it. Though written from a Biblical perspective, the highlights I took away were …
20 Things I Learned From a Week on Jury Duty
This past week I worked as a juror on a case involving a string of burglaries. We the jury found the defendant guilty of 5 of the 7 theft and burglary charges leveled, which involved over $30,000 worth of stolen property. The punishment will likely be several years on parole. Here are some of my …
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God Moves Suddenly, Not Quickly
Hope Naomi wrote a piece recently about how God works. It got me thinking. She brings out the concept of God working behind the scenes for what feels like an eternity before anything HAPPENS. But then, when God DOES do something, results are immediate. This concept of how God works is something I’ve thought about …
Did My Life Peak at Six?
Talking about everything changing… even I’M changing. Even within a single day I change: In mornings I’m most creative, in afternoons most tired, in evenings most busy, at night most WIRED. Once I was a baby, then I was a youth, then I morphed to teen-hood and now I’m just a goof. Soon I will …
Blizzard Ho in Kansas!
I’ve noticed that Things Change. The temperature, for instance. Over the last few days in Wichita, we have had: 69 degree weather (Saturday) 40 degree weather (Sunday) 24 degree weather (Monday) 7 degree weather (Today) Today is a blizzard. Outside it feels perhaps the coldest I can remember. Howling 40 mph winds are churning snow …
Money the Meaning of Life?
Truth is Truth wherever it’s found, I believe. Jesus said a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. And He said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Self proclaimed minimalist, traveler, thinker, and humanist Colin Wright has come to a similar conclusion even though as near as I …
Onward and Upward
Spinach greens, red peppers, green peppers – for a salad. That’s what my friend Keith brought last night when he came by for supper. I added cheese and pulled out several dressings from the fridge. Sitting down to eat, Keith was about to pour some Italian dressing on his salad when I stopped him, "Hey! …
Prepare Yourself
I have a co-worker who ran into a curb this morning with his car. It slid on ice and bent his rim. He didn’t have a car jack or tire iron, incredibly. He also was only wearing a cotton hoodie though it was 5 degrees out (yes, that would be Fahrenheit). The Boy Scout motto …
Do Women Work Harder Than Men? And Other Gender Issues.
I’ve heard 2/3rds of the world’s manual labor is done by women. A quick search on Google didn’t substantiate this fact, but I still wouldn’t be surprised if it were true. From my unofficial observations, women DO work harder than men. If you believe the creation account as given in the Hebrew Old Testament, the …
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Christmas Morning Polaroid
Is The Perfect Family Size Really 3 Kids?
Here’s a question for you, “How many children would you like to have?” This question was asked by Rick and Jan Hess to a group of singles in a survey they gave to four evangelical churches (Berean, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Evangelical Free, and General Conference Baptist) and one Bible College. The average answer? 3.2 …
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Christmas Eve on the Piano, from my Fireside to Yours
As you enjoy time with your own families this Christmas, and as you sit on the hearth sipping a cup of hot chocolate next to a warm, crackling fire enjoying a good book, here’s something else to add to the ambience: From my fireside to yours, a few carols on ye olde grand piano. Oh …
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Challenging Status Quo, from the Bride Rebekah to the Bride the Church
Safety, comfort, and stability are basic goals for all civilizations. Here in America we’ve perhaps attained those goals closer than any other civilization, past or present. Here’s my question, “For Followers of Jesus, should safety, comfort, and stability be our goals as well?” I’ve been struck with how flippantly I treat characters in the Bible. …
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Lifeless Christmas Lights Symbolic of Relational Shallowness in Middle Class Suburbia
Have you ever thought about the three bedroom house, the literal cornerstone of modern civilization? … Today a housing tract of 3,000 houses is planned and built, then 10,000 people come out for the grand opening, buy up the houses and, almost like programmed robots, move in with their matching furniture, draw the drapes, turn …
Hope for Even the Biggest Losers
Can The Worst Become Best? Ever notice how the worst often becomes the best? The kid with worst teeth gets braces, making his the straightest on the block. Saul, the persecutor of Christians, becomes Paul, the Christian Apostle. Granted, sometimes the worst stays the worst. Some kids have terribly crooked teeth with no opportunity to …
Some Christmas Audio For You!
I love this rendition of the Christmas Story, read by Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter, Shaoey: [audio:http://simplefollower.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/01_-_Luke_27-14_As_Told_By_Shaoey.mp3] And this song by Michael W. Smith always gives me chills… [audio:http://simplefollower.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/07_-_All_Is_Well.mp3]
Verses Supporting the Trinity in the Bible
Gen 1:26, “Then God Said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” So who is the “us” this verse refers to? My friend Jay explained to me the three common positions: It’s a reference to the Trinity It’s a literary technique showing glory through what’s known as a “majestic plural” (yeah, news …
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What Legacy Will We Leave?
Recently I overheard a man on the phone talking to a funeral home. The conversation went something like this: "My sister died Friday. No, we weren’t very close. Yeah… it’s a strange story, haven’t seen her in years. We’re estranged. Sure. Now, you need to understand our family is very small so I want to …
The Dangerous and Beautiful God
Jay is a friend of mine. He gave a message recently verbalizing a vision of the might and majesty of the God of the Bible and to help us understand better his awesomeness, his mightiness, his beauty, and his fierceness. It’s really worth hearing, listen to it here. If nothing else, listen to the first …
Sharing Christmas Cheer (i.e. some recent articles)
Sparring With a Bell Ringer Every day Will Miller tells a story from his life. This post describes a run in he had with a bell ringer at the mall. William is quick on his feet, quicker than I. He explores the question, "Should we be giving out of guilt?" 1 Simple Strategy to Save …
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How to Make a Big Difference in This World
I’m going to start with a random question: What makes a story newsworthy? What type of events do the press pick up on? Here’s my answer: 1) Stories that affect one or a few people a lot – Headline Examples: "Hiker falls in volcano" "Miners trapped after explosion" 2) Stories that affect many …
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Can I Recommend Irresistible Revolution?
The book, Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne challenges nearly every aspect of American "churchianity." The revolution Shane describes is nothing less than a call to follow Jesus literally in the way He lived and taught. Shane’s interpretation of what it means to be a Christian looks far different than we …
Being a Follower of Jesus Means Praying
Picking up from yesterday’s post about what Christian’s can and can’t do, I want to suggest that perhaps the foremost activity which should characterize a Believer’s life is PRAYER: "As is the business of tailors to make clothes and cobblers to make shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray." -Martin Luther For …
Christians Can’t DO Anything? Wrong!
Was talking with an older man recently who was bemoaning the fact there is nothing for Christians to do. "It’s a problem now, it was a problem when I was a kid, it’s always been a problem. If you can’t watch movies, can’t dance, can’t do anything bad, what can you do?" There was a …
Texting Beyond our Limits
Imagine it’s Saturday, 2,000 years ago. Jesus is sitting in the synagogue. His cell phone is laying out on the pew beside him, flipped open. He is following along with the Rabbi, but frequently glancing down at the phone, checking incoming messages. Multi-tasking is no bigee for Him. A coalition of blind beggars are texting …
When is Texting Rude?
Two relevant facts: 1) My actions always speak louder than my words 2) What I spend time on communicates what I find important Regarding text messaging, here are 10 observations: Nearly everyone texts, including my Grandpa (there are around 5 billion cell phone subscriptions out of 6.8 billion humans and more than 2/3 …
Living and Dying
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot (1927-1956) What are we living for? Is it also worth dying for? Because if we’re not living for something worth dying for, we’re not living, and we’re not ready for dying either. "Whoever tries to keep …
Rethinking the Standard Testimony
Ever learned a new vocabulary word and then right afterwards heard it used three times in unrelated contexts? Seems to happen all the time. Another example: my brother moved to Oregon and now it seems everywhere I turn there’s an Oregon connection. Works out practically everyone’s brother lives in Oregon. Who’d have thunk? Even today …
This Is What I Get Excited About
In short: Incarnational Ministry Among the Poor I first read this article about a month ago. I got excited reading it! It discusses Incarnational Ministry from a practical perspective. Though lengthy – and at least one of my friends found boring – it does lay down a thought out framework. The author discusses Incarnational Ministry …
The Way I See Things
Here is a little known fact about me: I have an eye disorder called strabismus. The Symptoms Include: Crossed eyes Double vision Loss of ability to see in 3-D (loss of depth perception) For grins, I photo-shopped the picture below to how I would see it: Yep, that’s how I walk around seeing things all …
Saving Hundreds of Dollars
There are two ways I know to increase the amount of money I have lying around: 1) Make more 2) Spend less I’ve been experimenting with option two. It could be argued this has lowered my quality of living, but I would disagree. Regardless, cutting back on recurring expenses has yielded surprising savings for me; …
And Americans Drive Fast Because…?
On a recent trip down to Oklahoma with my friend Krishnan (who is here in the States short term from India), I noticed how impressed he was at our speed: "120 kilometers per hour! And it doesn’t even feel like we’re moving!" He assured me we could never go that fast in India. "Why? Do …
Letting Go. Letting God.
Control. What would happen if I let go? Removed every crutch? What would we call someone who didn’t carry insurance, invest in a 401k, or hold money in a savings account? Who gave away every dime he made over that necessary for food, clothing, and supporting his family? Someone who relied on God for everything? …
Accosted at QuickTrip
Was running late to work the other morning. Empty on gasoline. Stopped at QuickTrip. Filled the Jeep. Was ready to leave when a guy comes over to my car. Had a story: Low on gas, wife wouldn’t give him any money, etc. Could he have $10? This has happened before, but it’s been awhile so …
Are We Too Rich to Enter Heaven?
Ever heard the silly song, "You Can’t Get To Heaven In…"? We don’t sing this at my church as the theology is suspect: Oh, you can’t get to Heaven in an old Ford car ‘Cause an old Ford car won’t get that far Oh, you can’t get to Heaven on roller skates ‘Cause you’d roll …
God’s Waiting to Prove His Love
One of the cool things about playing an instrument is the unique outlet it provides for worship. Sometimes I am able to express best the way I feel towards God while playing the piano. But never fear those who don’t play an instrument because…! singing is another way we can express ourselves: And everyone can …
10 Ways to Make More Time
A shortage of time has become a problem for me in attempting to maintain all the relationships and responsibilities in my life. I imagine you face the same problem! In order to create more space, here are 10 things I’ve tried, more or less successfully: Watch very few movies and TV shows e.g. around …
Missional Small Groups
This past summer I read a book entitled Misisonal Small Groups by Scott Boren. I would recommend the book to anyone mission-minded as I thought Scott made some excellent observations, particularly in breaking down what he sees as four types of groups. Having been involved in multiple small Christian groups myself – some structured, some …
Are Short Term Mission Trips a Waste of Time?
The answer? “Depends on the mindset of those going,” according to Noel Becchetti. He provides an interesting break down of unhelpful attitudes Westerners often bring as they go to minister in other cultures. Despite the title of his article, keep in mind he actually does promote short term missions. If you’re considering taking a missions …
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Another Trial, Anyone?
James wrote, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance, and perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Sounds good on paper, but who likes trials in real life? In …
What Do Missionaries Do?
As I’ve been looking into short term mission opportunities, one thought I’ve had is, “How best could I be used to serve and support the full time workers I’ll be visiting?” This in turn led to the question, “What is it missionaries even do in the first place?” Looking at the big picture, it seems …
Think Globally, Act Locally
The Red Cross has a slogan, “Think Globally, Act Locally.” In other words, keep the big picture in mind while not letting that stop you from doing the work which needs done here in the present. It’s been nearly two years since I helped with Red Cross, but I remember being surprised at the beginning …
International Students in the U.S.
Over 800,000 International Students currently study over here in the US… Ever wondered where they all come from? And this is interesting too: List of World Leaders who have studied in the United States
Blogging Again!
After taking a break for the summer, I’ve decided to pick blogging back up. However, this time I’m taking a slightly different tack. In the past, Simplefollower blog was not advertised much, it was more of an experiment… Now it will be more public. My writing goal is to post at least once a week. …
7 Stages Out of Traditional Church
Roger is the author of the blog, Simple Church Journal. Last Fall, he wrote a post listing the stages he sees people go through in their journey towards a more simple house church meeting. These stages resonated with me – some of which hit close to home! With his permission I’m reprinting his post below. …
Am I Content?
I often wonder, “What does God have for me today, right now?” I frequently chafe at the daily grind, wishing to do something more exciting – or at least more important. Yet I firmly believe God has me exactly where I’m at for a reason and a purpose – even if what I’m doing isn’t …
Indictments, Confessions, and Following Jesus
I notice precious few go against the grain. At least not in a significant way. And this would include me. But aren’t we Christians above all people called to go against the grain? For example, Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will …
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Going Against the Grain
Going against the grain is difficult. Especially to do so in a significant way. But aren’t we Christians above all people called to go against the grain? For example, Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) This advice …
The Church: Traveling Light
Traveling light. The very phrase conjures images of camel-laden nomads crossing the Sahara, an Alpinist scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro, or (slightly less romantic), a homeless man walking down Main Street. Jesus traveled light. For at least part of his life, Jesus was homeless. ”Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son …
Light bulbs, Luxury, People Hurting and an Inspirational Story
Do Light Bulbs Shine Brighter in the Dark? Of course not, light bulbs shine just as bright regardless of where they’re located. And this is a silly question, but think, “If you were a light bulb, would you prefer to be in a miner’s headlamp or the headlight of a riding mower?” Don’t know about …
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My Nieces
Last night… I hung out with family. After dinner, we went outside and sat around in lawn chairs talking. It was a beautiful evening. I spent time playing with my two little nieces – they’re two and four years old. I tried teaching them how to blow a piece of grass between their thumbs and …
When the Church was Young
Last week I read When the Church was Young, it Did Not Look Anything Like it Does Today by Ernest Loosley. At only 77 pages, it was a quick read. Not a new work, (written in 1935) I still found it applicable. Very clear in layout, it compares some features of the early church with …
Blog Stats After First Year
Back when this project began a year ago, I was curious if anyone would find it if it were never actively promoted. Now, a year later, the number of first time visitors stands at 397. Nothing to write home about, but that’s ok cus this blog has primarily been a project for my own benefit …
Following Jesus is Lifestyle, not Academic
“The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived.” -Thomas Merton, Thoughts In Solitude “Superficiality is the curse of our age… The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep …
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38,000 Denominations… plus House Churches
When delving into the study of how Christians should structure their meetings – particularly in respect to modeling closely after New Testament principles – it doesn’t take long before one stumbles across the “House Church Movement.” I do know I’m supposed to Love God and Love my Neighbor (and admit to frequently failing there at …
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Memorization Inspiration
I attended our annual AWANA awards banquet last Sunday. Many young people were recognized, but one young girl in particular stood out to me. In case you’re unfamiliar with AWANA, it’s a fun program for youth offered in many churches and has a heavy emphasis on Bible memorization. But back to our young heroine, Emily. …
thoughts
“A woman’s heart should be so lost in God, that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her.” And while I’m in a poetic mood… “…life cannot be understood flat on a page. It has to be lived; a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, …
What makes a Church a Church? Part 2: Who Are the Church?
continued from Part 1… The title of this post may sound wierd: “Who are the Church?” What kind of grammar is that??! But this is because we are conditioned to thinking of the word church as meaning a building instead of a collective group of “called out ones.” The more I examine the scriptures, the …
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Did Paul claim to be Authoritative?
How many times have you heard someone quote 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness…” and thought to yourself, “Did Paul really mean for us to consider the very words he was penning to Timothy Scripture as well?” It’s an interesting question and got …
To whom did Paul write his letters?
A question I’ve had recently is, “Were Paul’s letters written to me or others?” I’ve wondered, “Am I reading someone else’s mail or are Paul’s writings general information relevant to all believers?” Let’s start with who Paul himself said his letters were written to: Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God …
What makes a Church a Church? Part 1 – Ekklesia
Recently there has been discussion among my friends as to what makes a Christian gathering an official “church meeting.” What makes a church, church? A bit tongue-in-cheek, the following quote may be a good place to start: “The image of much of contemporary Christianity can be summarized, a bit euphemistically, as holy people coming regularly …
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Are There Temptations Stronger Than We Can Bear?
The problem with temptations is that they are so tempting. C. S. Lewis once wrote, “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is…. A man who gives in to temptation after five …
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Elders, Deacons, & Church Leadership
How many leadership offices were there in the 1st century church? How were these offices appointed? What were the differences in duties and qualifications of these offices? And what’s more Biblical anyways: Pastors or Elders? These were only some of the questions we looked at in a recent Bible Study I attended on “Leadership Within …
Quotes to Remember
A fully satisfying, powerful life comes only by faith and costs only your illusions. It is never enough to have what you want, you have to want what you have. Dissatisfaction will always lead to more dissatisfaction.
Do I Have to Pay Attention at Church?
So while listening to a sermon at church, is it ok to… …eat candy? (as long as it’s not crunchy?) …send text message? (as long as nobody notices?) …snuggle with my true love? (if nobody is behind me?) …sleep? (if it’s just during the prayers and other boring parts?) …slouch? (when my butt hurts too …
Pulling the Plug – Three Month Update!
Three months have passed since I canceled internet at my apartment. Yet lo and behold, I am still alive. Yes, it is a pain. But for me… it has been totally worth it. Though I do still have access at school and my parents house, there are many days I’m not online at all, even …
Pulling the Plug – Can I Live Without Internet at Home?
I am officially without internet at my apartment now. I called COX Saturday and had them cancel my account. The representative asked me why. I tried to dismiss it with a nonchalant, “Well, you know, I have access other places.” “Man!” he said, “I just couldn’t live without the internet [at my home].” Well, I’m …
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The Impact of Our Thought Lives
Perhaps you’ve heard the pithy ditty: “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap your life. Sow your life, reap your destiny.” These days I’m becoming increasingly convinced of the truth behind that saying. Of course, Jesus made the same observation 2,000 years ago: “For out of …
Are We Listening?
It’s easy to talk. It’s harder to listen and I think even harder to ask good questions. As a Math Tutor in the public schools I am reminded over and over the importance of listening. A student asks me for help so I kneel next to him, look over the problem they’re struggling with and… …
Too Small to Ignore – Community
Dr. Wess Stafford writes, “…let’s consider the church, which we fondly refer to as ‘the family of God.’ It is a place meant for inclusion and nurture, we tell ourselves. Then why do the various ages scatter in opposite directions the minute we pull into the parking lot?” Wess admits the value in age-grade curriculum …
What’s for Lunch?
Every morning in the High Schools I’m working in there are morning announcements broadcasted to all the students via intercom. Usually among the announcements a lunch menu for the day is given. Recently I heard one particularly un-appetizing sounding lunch menu, I forget what it was, something like burned lime flavored goulash delight with sides …
Not Being a Hypocrite
Lesson 7 from Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Here is the question this weeks’ study starts off with: “Which of my words or actions might a person find hypocritical?” For me, reflecting on that question is convicting. Jesus says we are not to: do our acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them announce our …
Labor Day: Weather & Prayer
Earlier this week, a friend of mine and I specifically prayed it wouldn’t rain over Labor Day. At the time we prayed, the weather forecasters were predicting scattered thunderstorms all weekend. We wanted to take a couple guys out camping on my big boat (before it sells) Sunday night and couldn’t do that if there …
Being a Simple Follower of Jesus is Hard
G. K. Chesterton observed: “It is not that Christianity has never been tried and found wanting; rather, Christianity has been found difficult and never been tried.”
Finding Home
The book Finding Home: An Imperfect Path to Faith and Family is primarily about Jim Daly’s young life. It’s not until pg. 173 he even turns thirteen years old. However, he sure went through the ringer as a kid! The part of his story which was most winsome to me was the day his mother …
Putting My Boat Up For Sale
Books, I’ve got tons of them. Clothes, I have too many. Doo-dads, knick-knacks, STUFF, STUFF, STUFF! I… Must…. Simplify… Speaking of which… I have a 22′ foot sailboat which I feel is a chain around my neck. It always needs a little work but since it’s stored 30 minutes away from my apartment at the …
Guy Girl Relationship Advice, Best of Boundless
If you’re a single and not familiar with Focus on the Family’s Boundless Webzine, you might find it interesting. Unfortunately, the quality seems to have gone down a bit over the years, but the subject matter is interesting, mostly focusing on relational issues. Having said that, the Boundless team recently compiled together (from their library …
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Fellowship of the Unashamed
I just ran across this “pep talk”. It is really inspirational. It is attributed to Bob Moorehead, former pastor of Overlake Christian Church in Seattle. Ironically and unfortunately, Moorehead stepped down in 1998 due to the surfacing allegations of improper sexual conduct. Who knows if the allegations were true or not. Regardless, this should get …
Yohannan
I have just stumbled upon a Follower of Jesus: K.P. Yohannan. I just listened to a message he gave titled To Live is Christ (located here). It was convicting. “When was the last time you made a pact to say: We will live as strangers and pilgrims on this earth, with sacrifice, and commitment, and …
Hard Pressed on Every Side
“All right, they’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us…they can’t get away this time!” -Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller “We’re surrounded. That simplifies the problem.” -Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller “Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I am attacking.” -Ferdinand …
Things Happen When You Do Something
I’ve noticed nothing usually happens unless I go do something. Then something happens. Not always something BIG, but usually something interesting. Case in point, I just got back from a relaxing bike ride. I needed the fresh air and not much was happening here at the ol’ apartment (except for school, and how fun is …
Some Motivation From Rocky Balboa
So this isn’t an overly religous quote, but it spoke to me: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward — how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go …
The Fine Art of Procrastination
Last week my professor informed our class of a large assignment that would soon be due. I clearly recall her sternly warning us all, “Now don’t wait until the night before to start on this project because it’s going to take longer than that!” Well, I took her words to heart. I followed her advice …
A Piece of Advice From a Cancer Survivor
In my post yesterday on being late to class I mentioned I had to give a presentation for school. The topic I was assigned to discuss was children diagnosed with malignant cancer. I was supposed to address specific issues or concerns teachers might face or at least need to be aware of while instructing said …
That’s the Story of My Life – A Day Late and a Dollar Short
So how do I respond when things aren’t going as planned? This morning I got to find out. Here was the problem: I needed to print thirty handouts for a presentation I was scheduled to deliver this morning in my college summer class. The class started at 7:30am. On this particular project I had procrastinated …
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Crazy Love Part 2
continued from Crazy Love, Part 1 “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) I personally own a lot of stuff. If I were to count up every single material possession I own, the list would be extraordinary. …
Mental Health & Weighted Jackets
I learned in this education class I’m currently taking that children suffering from certain mental issues (such as autism) can benefit from wearing a “weighted vest” or sleeping under a “weighted blanket.” This gives them what is called Deep Pressure Touch Stimulation (DPTS). Ok, got it: Autistic kids can find comfort in the touch stimulus …
Crazy Love Part 1
Recently I read Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. In fact, I read it twice. Chan defined who this book was written for in his Preface: “This book is written for those who want more of Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is …
Summertime… Hip hip hoorah!
It is now officially summertime. At least in my book. And this means… lots of free time. For the next month all I have going is one college class that meets daily from 7:30am to 9:10am. I have to get up early but then most of my day is unscheduled. Today is the second day …
First day of Graduate School
Today I began my first day of class as a graduate student. I am currently enrolled in a “Master of Arts in Teaching” degree. Don’t ask. As typical for the first day of any course the instructor started with an icebreaker activity. It went like this, each student was supposed to share two things. First, …
Arizona Desert
Arizona. Phoenix. Hot. Very hot. I just checked the temperature: 101 degrees. Fortunately our car has a strong air conditioner. Even though the air temperature in the vehicle is cool, my skin still feels like it is crawling. It must be the radiant heat. UV rays. My face feels flushed and my arms are becoming …
Did I Just Eat an Entire Pizza?
Let me share with you something quite personal… for the last week or two I have had an incredible craving for pizza. Yesterday morning I left for work before 7am and didn’t return to my apartment until 10pm. Driving home I had the bright idea to order a pizza from Papa Johns. Being the type …
Is Teaching Supposed to be This Hard?
Some of my students are very difficult to deal with (er… instruct). Since I haven’t been a teacher long my first reaction is, “Well, this all must be because of me, I must be the problem.” So I try to be nicer, more accomadating, more helpful, and more patient. And then I find out they’re …
Am I Ready to Die?
I was just reminded I have to be prepared to die anytime. A woman in her 20s was killed in an auto accident about fifteen minutes after I drove by the exact same spot this morning. One person was killed this morning in a three-vehicle crash on I-135 by the First St exit, emergency dispatchers …
I’ve Really Gotta Go!
Earlier this week in one of my classes a student suddenly out of the blue loudly blurted out, “Can I get a bathroom pass? I’ve really gotta go!” “No.” This is my characteristic response. It’s easy for students to ask for hall passes and special privileges but it’s equally easy for me to say no. …
Should I Be Living More Comfortably Than Jesus Did?
Are you familiar with the song I Have Decided to Follow Jesus? The lyrics are attributed to S. Sundar Singh. They go like this: “I have decided to follow Jesus; (3x) No turning back, no turning back. Though I may wonder, I still will follow; (3x) No turning back, no turning back. The world behind …
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Stuff – Selling it Off!
Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Again, Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and …
First Post – Am I Denying Myself Daily?
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.