where are you going on vacation?

Next time you are in Orlando, why visit a mouse when you can visit your Lord and Savior. That's right, the Trinity Broadcasting Network brings you the Holy Land Experience.

Now you can not only walk in the footsteps of Jesus, you can walk with him and buy his crown of thorns hat to take home.

There is nothing like watching the crucifixion while enjoying a funnel cake and refreshing Coke, the official cola of Jesus.

Visit Calvary's Garden Tomb. Is it empty? It depends on if it is Saturday or not.

So the next time you plan a family vacation prayerfully consider a trip to the Holy Land, in Florida.

And for those of you who are not excited to go, you need to find Jesus. He will be greeting guest at the temple after the 10:30 parade.

the Bible is not an ethical textbook

I bought this book a while back with another. I read the other first and finaly got around to picking this one back up. It is not a very long book, but it is one I will likely read several times over, highlighting and learning new things each trip through. It is one of the best books about Christianity that I have read.

From the book
Our interpretations of the Bible must then be understood more as temporary shelters than eternal structures. We never finish reading the Bible, but always find ourselves standing on its threshold, ready to read again. Thus we can never rest easy, believing that we have discovered the foundations that act as a key for working out what we must do in different situations: for the only clear foundation laid down by Jesus was the law of love. This love demands that we use scriptures not as an ethical textbook but rather as a text that extrapolates the Christlike way of being in the world.

another stupid web trick

I often get mistaken for Meg Ryan.

http://www.myheritage.com

just finished reading

from the book
I asked him where he was going to church. With no hesitation he said he was not going anywhere. His life was full. His work was valuable. He spent his days with people of many faiths and no faith at all, who gave him ample opportunity to practice his own.

Still immersed in church life, I was skeptical. "Say more," I said.

"After a lot of listening," he said, "I think I finally heard the gospel. the good news of God in Christ is, 'You have everything you need to be human.' There is nothing outside of you that you still need - no approval from the authorities, no attendance at temple, no key truth hidden in the tenth chapter of some sacred book. In your life right now, God has given you everything that you need to be human."

currently reading

from the book
Sometimes known by its Greek name, this kenosis is captured best in the second chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, " he writes, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness."
The import thing to notice is that no one emptied this Christ Jesus. He willingly emptied himself, leaving his followers a baffling example of how powerful the surrender of all power can be. While my taste of this truth was admittedly no more than a drop on my tongue, I could still taste it. My new powerlessness in church gave rise to such a riot in my ego that I became freshly aware of how much emptying I had left to do. The wish to be in charge was, among other things, the wish to avoid the pain of not being in charge, of my life or anything else.

random photos

around the house

Here are some of the things that have been happening around the house.



We stopped by our local lighting store recently and found an entry way light that we both liked and was very reasonably priced, and when they included free instillation, it was too good for us to pass up. The only problem right now is it is not working, but they are suppose to come out this week and check it out.



We finally got rid of the wires running accross the wires running across the floor for the rear surround speakers. I found a good deal on amazon for some ceiling speakers.



For my birthday I got a audio tower to replace the old turntable stand that I had gotten free at a garage sale that was holding the equipment previously. I undid everything, rearranged, cleaned and then rewired the entire system. It was a lot of fun to do.



This is the new TV I bought when Valerie was in Canada. I didn't actually go and pick it up from CircutCity until Val was back and we talked about it. Up higher Lincoln cannot get to it and it has given us more storage space below.

Oh, Canada (or how I spent my Memorial Day weekend)

Friday:

Val left for a meeting at 7am and then straight to the airport for her weekend trip to Canada to see her sister and new baby Finley, who came quite a bit early.

Cooper was a little upset because it was grandparents day and none of his grandparents could be here. I told him I would drive him to school. I then noticed that Val had left her boarding pass at the house. I was able to get a hold of her and find out where she was parked in Buffalo and took it to her car. I packed up the kids and away we went to Buffalo. We have a spare key, but for some reason while it unlocks the door, it also sets off the alarm. I put the boarding pass in the car and we sat in the parking lot until the alarm stopped. Thank heaven for those things. If someone was actually stealing a car everyone would do nothing. It's great.

Then took Cooper to school. While Lincoln napped I put together my birthday present, an actual audio tower. What we had been using was something I got free at a garage sale.

The kids stayed up late, Cooper went to bed around 10pm. After the kids went to sleep I took everything apart and set up the equipment in the new stand and rewired the system. I then watched Glory Days, my free gallery rental.

Saturday:

In the morning I did some cleaning, laundry and hanging out with the kids. Cooper played some Shreck video game that we rented.

We went out for a very special Birthday lunch at McDonalds. We drove to Buffalo because they have a playground.

That afternoon we watched "Night at the Museum" which we got free because the last time we went for a family movie night the movie was all checked out and it was their guaranteed rental. We played and hung out and the kids went to bed early.

That night I watched another free gallery rental, The 40 Year Old Virgin.

Sunday:

Got everyone together and went to church Sunday morning. It was a really thin crowd. For those of you who don't live in Minnesota, in the summer half of the state goes "up north" to the cabin on the weekends. Especially the holiday weekends. I think people in Northern Minnesota must go to Canada, but that is just conjecture.

After a light lunch at home we went to a little carnival in town. It was REALLY expensive. I let Cooper ride a couple of rides and play a couple of games since we had packed up everyone and I wasn't going to drive to the Mall of America that day.

That night we had a special pancake dinner. One of Coopers favorite. I did not stay up and watch a movie.

Monday:

On Monday we mainly hung around the house cleaning in mommies anticipated return. We did grab some Arby's and head to the park for lunch. I had also been checking into a TV that Mom and Dad were thinking about getting from CircutCity. I ended up buying for our playroom because the deal was only through Monday. I don't usually make purchases like that when Val is out of town.

Val got an early flight from Toronto to Philadelphia, but was delayed from Phily to home. Although, from what I understand she had Chick-fil-a for lunch, so I don't feel too sorry for her.

I stayed up for her and in the middle of the night Cooper vomited. So when Val came home I was putting his sheets in the wash.

And that is how I spent my Memorial Day weekend.

quote

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
Albert Einstein

lost tooth

Cooper had early dismissal today and came home very excited and smiling.

"Cooper, you lost your tooth."

"No I didn't, it's right here," as he pulls a small envelope from his backpack.

Maybe the tooth fairy will come tonight.

quote

“I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.”
Jack Handy

Cooper's music

Here are a couple of songs that Cooper likes right now.

If Everyone Cared
Nickelback

Cooper's comments: This song makes me think about God.

Someday
Flipsyde

Cooper's comments: This song makes me think about making my dreams come true.

beat my margaret's monkey

Alright, it is time for some head to head competition.

It is a monkey kicking a ball.

One monkey, one ball, one button.

Can your monkey beat my monkey?

TRY TO BEAT MY MONKEY

wax on, wax off

I am looking for an adult size karate uniform to borrow for the first weekend in May. It is for KidStuf. If you have access or have leads please let me know.

Thanks.

Mom My Ride

yet more stupid web tricks

Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence

You shine in your ability to realate to and understand others. Good at seeing others' points of view, you get how people think and feel. You have an uncanny ability to sense true feelings, intentions, and motivations. A natural born leader, you are great at teaching and mediating conflict. You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

eeeeeeek

goodbye Chief

The University of Illinois has decided to retire Chief Illiniwek after his last halftime dance Wednesdays final men's basketball home game. This will immediately end the NCAA ban on the illini hosting postseason games.

If the basketball team ends up in the National Invitation Tournament, which is now owned by the NCAA, it will be able to play home games.

For me feelings are mixed. I grew up with the tradition. Chief Illiniwek visited our school when I was younger and taught us not only about the Chief Illiniwek tradition, but also about the native american culture.

So while I adore those memories and tradition perhaps it is time for the Chief to retire. Certainly the university has more to hang it's hat on than a mascot, and if it is something that is ultimately seen as offensive rather than respectful, then perhaps it is time to not use a race of people as an image for athletics.

However, as with anything, it is the hypocrisy of the situation that I find most disturbing.

So far two Illinois teams have been impacted by the NCAA sanctions. The men's tennis team was forced on the road last spring, and the women's soccer team had to play outside Champaign last fall.

Ironically enough, the soccer team ended up losing at Florida State. The Seminole mascot has dogged NCAA sanctions.

Here are some other mascots to consider; Fighting Irish, Rebels, Aztecs, Gauchos

Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz

It seems like I have seen a lot of Mac Hammond lately. Not intentionally, but it seems like every time I turn around he is there.

For those of you that might not know (I didn't until not that long ago) Mac Hammond leads a megachurch in Brooklyn Park (outside the twin cities) called Living Word Christian Center.

Mac Hammond seems like a sad case to me. If you ignore the at best fishy, at worst illegal financial transactions, the blatant politicing from the pulpit, endorsing political candidate from the pulpit and the "name it, claim it" gospel, the thing that really makes Mac Hammond seem like a sad character is he believes that without wealth the gospel cannot spread.

"It takes wealth, folks, to establish God's covenant on this Earth. You and I will never get so spiritual that we don't need money to get more influential in the world we're in."
Pastor Mac Hammond

It is amazing the people who were able to change the world without Florida vacation homes and Porches. There was Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi and, oh yeah, Jesus.

I think maybe the worse thing to happen to Christianity is it's success with political power. When you work from a position of wealth and power you really don't need God's help. A lot of people in the name of a lot of things besides God can get listened to with wealth and power.

But without those things, then God can really shine and show His strength.

"But his answer was, 'My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.' I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weakness, in order to feel Christ's power over me. I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So fly your private jet to your vacation home in Florida wearing your designer suits to meet with your political friends, but please don't pretended that it is actually needed by God to spread His message.

strange brew II

This message is NOT endorsed by Quarry Community Church, it's leadership or members

This is an idea I had last year. I talked to some people but didn't want to try to start anything right before the holidays kicked in. Now it is almost the middle of February and it may be time to start if there is interest.

What I want to do is get a group of guys (I say guys because that was my original idea, but I am open to changing that if people think it would be better) to get together regularly for Friday happy hour. I want to go someplace local, JPs has been suggested to me. I am thinking of maybe every other week. I want to go to one place where we can become regulars.

My idea is two fold. One is to fellowship and grow together as a group. To support each other, learn from each other and have a community of believers. I want to do this in a public setting to also meet people and start to make connections with them and grow relationships there as well.

So if you are interested, drop me an email I will set stuff up. If you have other ideas let me know.

"The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!
Luke 7:34