I was reviewing some old notes from a theories of counselling course that I took last year, and reading the notes on Larry Crabb got me thinking.
The part that got me thinking is his ideas about the human need for Significance and Security. Rather than look to God, people attempt to aquire Significance through Power which results in Violence, and Security through Pleasure which results in immorality. Crabb believes that the solution is to look to God to meet our need for security and significance rather than ourselves.
It really makes a lot of sense. How often do problems in life occur because people want to feel secure and significant?
This also reminds me of Francis Schaeffer's conclusion in "How should we then live" that the core values of our time are personal peace and affluence. People would rather feel comfortable and unaffected than help out others. People want to have as much as they can.
The source of much human anxiety and suffering are the pursuit of these temperal values rather than the infinite values of faith and love.
So, I guess that the challenge is always actually feeling, acting and living like a person who believes in God's ability to provide rather than in self... regardless of how many big coincidences, syncronicities, and flat out answers to prayer you have seen or experienced.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
putting Hydrogen Peroxide in my ear
I tried something today that was truly new to me. Motivated by the constant itchy state inside my ears, on the drive back from a christmas supper that I took a client with special needs who I work with to, I began to think about what might happen if I put hydrogen peroxide in my ear.
When I got home, I did some google searches on the subject, and I found several websites that recomend putting 3% hydrogen peroxide in your ear as long as you don't have a ruptured ear drum. (Cure for the common cold?, Hydrogen peroxide in the ears for the flu and colds?, EAR WAX) I couldn't find any site recomending against doing this unless you have a ruptured ear drum.
So, I gave it a try. It seems to have worked really well. When I first put the peroxide in, it foamed up like a volcano and continued to make weird bubbling noises of various pitches for a long time (left ear: 3.5 minutes timed). It also felt hot, probably from the chemical reaction. Afterwords, the dampness was easily wiped away with a kleenex and my ears feel much better than usual.
This was a new and rewarding experience for me. For legal reasons, I don't want to recomend that other people try this, but rather check out the above links and decide for yourself and ask a doctor about it or something.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Vador Sessions
Somebody replaced darth vador's voice with samples of James Earl Jones from other movies. very funny!
Truth And Sodom And Gomorrah
I enjoyed the homeless guy's recent post about Ezekiel 16.
It's an interesting section where God talks about destroying the city of Sodom for being arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
It's interesting that being unconcerned is listed as part of the problem. God tells us not to worry about things, but we should still be concerned about the needs of those who are oppressed by poverty.
The bible is full of passages that tell us to be more concerned and helpful towards the poor and those in need. We need to be concerned with more than just our own good and the good of those who are able to help us in return, we need to want the best for the people who are struggling.
It's also interesting how being arrogant comes in to play in this verse. We live in a culture that is very arrogance driven. Education and personal success are number one. Work hard and things will come together... but what about the people that things don't come together for? Society is very efficient at figuring out who the loosers are so that they can be excluded from our wonderful world of progress.
One final thought, in the essay, "love thy neighbour", Soren Keirkegaard makes the strong point that to "love thy neighbour" is a command, yet people often treat it like it's just some nice advice. Most people recognize "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not steal" as commands, but do we take "love thy neighbour" as a command? Do we take it as something that needs to be followed at all times, like the other commands? Or is it just some nice advice that we can obey when we choose to?
It's an interesting section where God talks about destroying the city of Sodom for being arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
It's interesting that being unconcerned is listed as part of the problem. God tells us not to worry about things, but we should still be concerned about the needs of those who are oppressed by poverty.
The bible is full of passages that tell us to be more concerned and helpful towards the poor and those in need. We need to be concerned with more than just our own good and the good of those who are able to help us in return, we need to want the best for the people who are struggling.
It's also interesting how being arrogant comes in to play in this verse. We live in a culture that is very arrogance driven. Education and personal success are number one. Work hard and things will come together... but what about the people that things don't come together for? Society is very efficient at figuring out who the loosers are so that they can be excluded from our wonderful world of progress.
One final thought, in the essay, "love thy neighbour", Soren Keirkegaard makes the strong point that to "love thy neighbour" is a command, yet people often treat it like it's just some nice advice. Most people recognize "thou shalt not kill" or "thou shalt not steal" as commands, but do we take "love thy neighbour" as a command? Do we take it as something that needs to be followed at all times, like the other commands? Or is it just some nice advice that we can obey when we choose to?
Saturday, November 18, 2006
ambrosia
I've had the word ambrosia bouncing around in my head. I don't know why. I think that I must have heard it in a sliders episode. Having a bit of a cold still, I'm more prone to have random junk stuck in my head... I think. I don't think that it's a sign or anything.
I'm doing well at watching my way through the sliders series. I'm on season 3 (of 5) now. I'm waiting for a smaller version of season 4 to get posted because all of the other seasons have been around 1.5 gigs and the only version of season 4 that I found is over 7, so I just don't have the hd space for the thing. there's no reason that the files would need to be that large; I don't need it to be a really high resolution.
I'm doing well at watching my way through the sliders series. I'm on season 3 (of 5) now. I'm waiting for a smaller version of season 4 to get posted because all of the other seasons have been around 1.5 gigs and the only version of season 4 that I found is over 7, so I just don't have the hd space for the thing. there's no reason that the files would need to be that large; I don't need it to be a really high resolution.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Another burning car
The car the my friend Steve P bought with the insurance money to replace the car that recently burnt up, has now also burnt up.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Sliders
I've been watching season 1 of Sliders. It's great. It's the perfect thing to watch when you're sick because completely rediculous things happen but the stories progress nice and slowly so if you fall asleep for a bit you can figure out roughly what's going on. (45 min per episode).
Season 2 is taking forever to get. My program is estimating 18 days.
Does anyone out there have a copy of sliders season 2 that they can loan me? (or any other season as I want to watch all 5)
...didn't think so.. thanks anyways....
Season 2 is taking forever to get. My program is estimating 18 days.
Does anyone out there have a copy of sliders season 2 that they can loan me? (or any other season as I want to watch all 5)
...didn't think so.. thanks anyways....
Monday, November 6, 2006
Modest Mouse - Ocean Breathes Salty Lyrics
Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in.
In my head, in my heart, in my soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't think so.
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I hope so.
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.
Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky.
You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye.
When the earth folded on itself.
And said "Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell
are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath."
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind.
Well I don't mind. I don't mind. How the hell could I mind?
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky.
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?
In my head, in my heart, in my soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't think so.
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I hope so.
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.
Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky.
You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye.
When the earth folded on itself.
And said "Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell
are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath."
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind.
Well I don't mind. I don't mind. How the hell could I mind?
Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky.
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?
Saturday, November 4, 2006
Discernment
I find that discernment is really difficult sometimes. It seems like I used to be sharper.
This morning, I was searching for information on the book Knowing God, and I stumbled on an article titled, "Zen and the art of not knowing God". It was a story about a man who practiced Zen Buddhism for 13 years and then found Jesus.
The sad part was that even though this article was published by the very suspicious Christian Research Institute who's main representative Hank Hanegraph was charged with fraud, I thought the article was pretty good at first.
I enjoyed the read so much, that I almost posted it on here, and then I did some further research and found another article that showed that the information about Buddhism in the story was wildly inaccurate.
I'm really lost lately with a shortage of discernment. I can't even tell if the Dominion Christian Centre that was featured in the W5 report is legit or not.....
I think that I used to be sharper... I must remember to pray for stronger discernment.
This morning, I was searching for information on the book Knowing God, and I stumbled on an article titled, "Zen and the art of not knowing God". It was a story about a man who practiced Zen Buddhism for 13 years and then found Jesus.
The sad part was that even though this article was published by the very suspicious Christian Research Institute who's main representative Hank Hanegraph was charged with fraud, I thought the article was pretty good at first.
I enjoyed the read so much, that I almost posted it on here, and then I did some further research and found another article that showed that the information about Buddhism in the story was wildly inaccurate.
I'm really lost lately with a shortage of discernment. I can't even tell if the Dominion Christian Centre that was featured in the W5 report is legit or not.....
I think that I used to be sharper... I must remember to pray for stronger discernment.
Friday, November 3, 2006
Dominion Theology
This wiki article on Dominion Theology was helpful in thinking about where the Dominion Christian Centre is probably coming from theologically.
I have been doing some further research and thinking about this Hamilton based group because I find it very interesting.
If they are working from a Dominion Theology perspective, then it makes more sense why they have a barber shop and a cafe running out of their church.
I have thought before that I like the idea of the perspective that history is moving towards a good time for christianity, because it's optomistic, but I had never thought of the possible logical consequence that that would mean an increase in Christian businesses.
I worked for an internet business once a long time ago who bragged to me about how a lot of the people running it were christian and then when they went out of business they tried to scam me for my pay cheque. I've never been entirely trusting of christian businesses since, although I've met some who seemed alright..... money is money.... and money is business.... and when push comes to shove people in business will try to grab all the money because they need it and end up making Jesus look like a bad businessman.
I vote that if Christians do some day rule the world, we should put non-Christians in charge of the businesses.
I have been doing some further research and thinking about this Hamilton based group because I find it very interesting.
If they are working from a Dominion Theology perspective, then it makes more sense why they have a barber shop and a cafe running out of their church.
I have thought before that I like the idea of the perspective that history is moving towards a good time for christianity, because it's optomistic, but I had never thought of the possible logical consequence that that would mean an increase in Christian businesses.
I worked for an internet business once a long time ago who bragged to me about how a lot of the people running it were christian and then when they went out of business they tried to scam me for my pay cheque. I've never been entirely trusting of christian businesses since, although I've met some who seemed alright..... money is money.... and money is business.... and when push comes to shove people in business will try to grab all the money because they need it and end up making Jesus look like a bad businessman.
I vote that if Christians do some day rule the world, we should put non-Christians in charge of the businesses.
