Sunday, December 17, 2006

Isn't There A Line?

Santa Claus, kneeling, his eyes fixed upon the baby Jesus.

The head of Santa Claus, on a pole.

A Helicopter, propeller moving, carrying Santa Claus.

Two snowpeople who appear to be ... attempting to create a third through natural methods.

A giant snowman, standing in a balcony, hands stretched out like the Pope giving an imporant address to the people.

What do these things have in common?


... I'll give you a moment to ponder your answer



...



...



...



got a guess?


...



...



...




If you guessed "Things scene in Northwest Ohio in people's front yards" you win!!!!

"Elf Puke" has simply gone too far. And has stopped making sense. I love houses who compiment their beauty with simple white lights on their porch, or even running across their house. I love a nice display in a front yard that is well done. I really enjoy driving down the street and seeing a wonderful and festive display.

What I don't get are people who feel the need to cram a decoration on every square inch of their property. People who mix and match with no need or desire for a theme. People who spends what i have to estimate at thousands of dollars in lighting bills (not to mention the cost of the decorations themselves).

Isn't there a line? Isn't there a point where common sense should kick in?

How I hope that I never join these people in elf puking my house. I've decided to enact a "Betts Law" (think man law, only ... just me and Rachel). Any external decorations we buy and put up, we have to give matching time and money to a charity.

I hope that will keep us from losing our senses and going overboard on the decorations.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Need This, We Do Not

Left Behind: Eternal Forces

That's right. A video game about the prohetical-fictional end times.

And not just any video game. A video game where you kill non-believers who refuse to convert to Christianity.

Because I know how I'd react if someone told me I had to covert to Christianity or die.

Wow. I'm pretty speechless when it comes to this game. here is a nice article about the game, highlighting some thoughts, and giving viewpoints from some people way out there.

I'm just left with one question ...

Seriously, who thought this was a good idea?

Thursday, December 14, 2006

My Hope

So, as I mentioned previously, we went to see "The Nativity Story" last week. While there were a few things that went counter to what is in the Bible, there was nothing that was major among those, and I think they did a really good job painting the story, and the few things they took artistic liscense with were good things to do so with.

The major theme of the movie, to me, seemed to be the desperation among the Jews for their Messiah. The despair among the people, the opression of the Romans, the cruel living conditions ... all made them cry out and call out for their King to come and save them.

I've been reflecting on that. How desperate have I been for my King? How many times have I honestly said "You are my hope" or "nobody but you can rescue me?"

A couple, for certain, but not often enough, I think.

Anyways, it brings to mind another Skillet song ...

Times are hard, times have changed, don’tcha say?
But I keep holding onto you
It’s hard to keep the faith alive day to day
Leanin’ on the strength I’ve found in you
You’re the hope of all the earth

You are my hope
You are my strength
You’re everything, everything I need
You are my hope
You are my life
You are my hope
You are my hope

Far beyond what I can see or comprehend
Etching your eternity in me
Nations dream and angels sing “Jesus reigns”
And every knee bows down
You’re the hope of all the earth

You are my hope
You are my strength
You’re everything, everything I need
You are my hope
You are my life
You are my hope
You are my hope

Carry on and I sing of how
You love and I love you now
All the times that I start to sink
You come and you rescue me
You are my hope
You are my hope
You are my hope
You are my hope


And my prayer is now that my hope truly be on the shoulders of my King. That I yearn to see him rescue me from every pit of despair I find myself in, regardless of the circumstances that bring me into that pit.

Friday, December 08, 2006

We have good friends

So, yesterday, I'm at home working on a few things (chief among them, I believe, was Kansas clinching the Big 12 North title on my current season of NCAA Football 2005 for the Nintendo Gamecube with a thrilling come-from-behind 36-35 victory over rival and then-#5 Missouri), and Rachel calls to talk to me about Small Group. Our Small Group meets on Thursday evenings, but a few of our members had other obligations last night, and it was supposed to be myself and my wife, Terry and his wife, and Karen.

Karen had a scheduling mishap, which was what Rachel was calling to tell me. So that left us with a choice, to either cancel group for the evening, or just have a really small group with just the two couples. I thought it would be good to see Terry and Caddie, but we ultimately left it up to them.

A call came while Rachel was still at job #3, and Caddie asked that we refrain from eating supper until Small Group, so we could have a meal together. So that was fine, as we usually don't have time to eat until after Small Group anyways. What happened next completely blew me away.

The door bell rang at about 6:15, and Terry stood on our door with a box, and asked the simply question "do you have room in your fridge for a ham?" I could only mutter a simple yes, as astonishment took over my mind at the love being shown to us in this simple and small way. This was followed by a trip around the back roads of Findlay to Tony's Restuarant, a local place, where Terry and Caddie treated Rachel and I to dinner (mmm ... steak sub was excellent, and Rachel tells me the chicken pot pie soup was, too).

As dinner was wrapping up, they asked if we had any plans. Rachel's big plan was to catch up on some of the ironing, and my big plan was to watch the Browns-Stillers game. Terry mentioned that if those weren't too pressing, they'd enjoy treating us to a viewing of "The Nativity Story" at the theatre. Blown away again by generosity and love, Rachel and I accepted, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the movie.

We have such great friends. And such a great God who has put us in position to live life with them. I literally was crying today as I was driving and reflecting on the agape shown to us last night. Love given without any expectation of a return. Thank you Terry, thank you Caddie, and thank you God.



Oh, and for those of you who have been praying about this, I have an announcement to make ...

I Have A Job!!!


Thursday, November 30, 2006

It Was Good

The show last night was good. It lasted almost three hours. But that didn't matter. All that really mattered was that I was able to enjoy an evening with my wife. For those three hours, financial pains didn't matter, struggles to pay bills didn't matter, medical worries didn't matter. I was simply able to enjoy time with my wife. And what a blessing that was.

By the way, if you live in Findlay and you get a chance to see the show, you should. It might not make you laugh, and it might not make you cry, but it will entertain you. And, you'll get to see eight very well made vests.

On another note, I had a job interview this morning. Took a computerized assessment of my ability for the position, and was told by the computer that the company would be unwise to proceed with me. At least this company didn't drag it out over weeks before telling me they didn't want me. I suppose now it's back to the old drawing boards. Anyone got suggestions or connections?

On a related note, this would usually bum me out, but I'm not really bumming today about it. I was driving home and God just inspired joy in me, to see happiness in the world around me, which is really odd since I'm driving home in a drizzling rain from a job interview where I got rejected. Odd, huh?

Anyway, He put this new song into my heart. I don't know how new it actually is, but I've never heard it before and just started singing it, so I thought I'd share the lyrics with anyone who reads this:

I know that I don’t always see the blessings in my life
I know that I can’t always see through the gloom and pain
I know that I won’t always sing about the work you do
I know that I don’t always look for the light in the dark

So, I want to thank you
Thank you for this day
And, I want to thank you
For the air I breathe
To thank you for the things I see
For all the warmth that’s around me

I know every blessing that I have
Is constructed by your hand
I know that all that’s within this soul
Was made by your great command

And I want to thank you,
Here and now
And I want to love you,
Here and now
And I want to praise you,
Here and now
And I want to be yours
Here and now

Here and now
Here and now
And forevermore

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Weightlessness

The sensation of being in zero gravity ... now that's something I'd like to experience. Wether in actual outer space (which would be very sweet), or some kind of simulation, I get the feeling it would just be a rush like no other.

But, I'd also like to feel another type of weightlessness. They type where you don't feel the heavy burdens on your chest and your life. Where you aren't weighed down by expectations, schedules, evaluations, and the such. Where you are just free to live life as it comes.

I think the last time I really felt that way was over a year ago. Rachel and I were on our honeymoon/one year anniversary trip to Denver, and we stopped just west of Denver by Mount Evans for lunch and located a pizza place called Beau Jo's. And we sat, and we enjoyed ourselves. We talked, and we didn't have to rush off. We didn't have to order from the menu based solely on price. We were able to try new things (like honey on our pizza crust). It was totally unplanned, but totally amazing. To this day, we still talk about how good Beau Jo's is, and how we'd return to Denver just to eat there.

And, maybe i'm romanticizing the moment. Maybe there have been other times since then, but that one really sticks out. But I'm hoping we can get some more of those.

I think tonight might be an opportunity. Rachel made some costumes for the local theatre and they gave her two tickets for tonight's show, so we're going. And there won't be a schedule to keep, or a bill to pay, or expectations. Just me, and my wife, and (hopefully) an enjoyable show that we had a small part in putting on.

Maybe tonight we won't feel the weight of the world around us.

I sure hope so.

Monday, November 27, 2006

I don't know how to swim

This is true. In a very physical sense. Never learned how. Don't really float either. I can sink pretty well, though.

Also true on a less physical sense. No idea how to swim and not be dragged under by currents. Never learned early in my life how to deal with setbacks and disappointments, failures and shortcomings. I always succeeded. So I never learned how to swim.

Reminds me of a Superchic[k] song ...


Help me out God I need a little something
Turn the brights on I can't see where we're going
Cause I don't know when things'll work out just fine
Or if this road we're on leads us up
Or is leading me on down to my wishing well
Where I might drown oh I might drown
Cause I can't swim without you God


On a non-related note, I'm looking for a list of movies with some hidden spiritual meaning. Nothing *blam* in your face like "Passion of the Christ", but some stuff with more hidden, secret almost, spiritual undertones. I've got a good list to start with, but I'm always looking for more. Let me know what you got to add to this list:

  • The Three Lord of the Rings
  • The six Star Wars
  • Toy Story
  • The Incredibles
  • The Princess Bride
  • Transformers: The Movie

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Dear Sir, You Suck

This is getting old. And I'm sick of it.

"You Suck" letters coming in from companies I've applied to.

You know the type. They say, Dear Sir, You suck. Now, leave us alone. Thanks, Management.

Well, actually, it's more like:


Dear //name//,

Thank you for your interest in becoming //job title// at //company//. We were pleased to get to know you and to interview with you. However, we are pursuing the opportunity with candidates who are //more qualified/more closely fit our qualifications/more experienced// than you.

Thank you again for your time, and good luck in your future endeavors,

//Interviewer//


Blah!

I hate these letters. I hate them like Anakin Skywalker hates Tusken Raiders.

I got one today. Not that it's anything new, but it came from American Family, a job I was really hopeful about, and optimistic about, and even got my hopes and dreams wrapped around.

The whole process sucks.

Why can't a motivated young man with a college degree get a job?

I'm done with the whole thing. So frustrating, so irritating, so depressing. I'm done. I'm just done.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Ugh

That's about the best word to describe me right now.

I got a head cold from my wife (thanks, hun), and spent the night last night at her mom's house in Columbus. After some rest, chicken soup, and some medicine, I'm back in Findlay and my head is still spinning.

Ugh also at the election. Most of the things and people i voted for (or against) didn't go that way. At least the ads are gone, for a bit. But I'm sure they'll start soon for the 2008 elections. I can hardly wait.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Is it Wednesday yet?

I hate politics.

I cannot wait until Wednesday. When the stupid political ads leave my television. When I no longer have to hear about how awful people are, how stupid people are, how people have voted (in a vacuum), and how people are (or are not) associated with George W. Bush.

And while I'm on the subject, can we get to a year when I can vote on a slate based on voting for candidates who are the most qualified and best fits, rather than the least bad or least unqualified? Or at least, can we have a year when candidates focus on their strengths and tout those, rather than trying to tell us how to vote based on who we shouldn't vote for.

I hate politics.

Is it Wednesday yet?

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Dreams

I'm not one who often remembers his dreams. When I do, it's quite the rarity. Even more rare is when I remember a dream that felt real. The type where you have no idea it's a dream until the next day you wake up, and the effects of the dream aren't there. Even more rare for me is to have a recurring dream like that.

So I'll share. Because that happened to me last night/this morning as I slept.

There's some sort of STE meeting taking place, but it's not a Fall Gathering or a Conclave, just a brainstorming meeting where all the chapters and national officers got together. It takes place somewhere almost directly south of Columbus, OH, but not in Ohio, although I was never quite able to pinpoint where exactly it was, but I do know it was on the campus of a large university.

Anyway, almost everyone is hating me at the meeting, and for reasons I cannot discern. I have a long list of ideas I'd like to discuss and throw out for discussion, but all the other National Officers keep giving me meaningless tasks to do to keep me busy and keep me from talking about anything productive.

Rachel is there, but is being very cold to me, and doing so deliberately, although she won't tell me why or give any clue as to why. In fact, the only people there who are doing anything nice to me at all and even listening to me are Kurt and Jason from the Beta Epsilon Chapter.

Anyway, the entire day is wasted on doing ... well, nothing, because everyone is forcing me to do meaningless tasks.

The first time the dream ended, I went to the bathroom, and then to bed, with a sick feeling in my stomach. Last night, when I went to the bathroom, I was exiting and Byron Leftwich stopped me and was getting ready to beat me to a pulp when I woke up.

(The Byron Leftwich appearance, by the way, is what tipped me off to this dream not being real)


Any dreamologists out there care to offer a take on a deep meaning for this recurring dream?

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Posting from Illinois!

This has certainly been a fun weekend ... I'm in Illinois for my Fraternity at one of our four Fall Gathering sites. The day was an absolute blast yesterday. From Alex and I umping a softball game from atop a band director's perch, to a really awesome time of bonding during a religious project, to activating new brothers at a new colony, to going out with 20 of my brothers for pizza and soda, just an awesome, awesome time.

But I'm done travelling on my weekends. I want a week off.

Seriously.

This is not only the third different city I've been in the last three weekends, it's the third different state.

Two weeks ago, my wife, myself, and my mother-in-law travelled down to Salem, WV for the apple butter festival. Last week, my wife and myself travelled down to Columbus for a "birthday extravaganaza" for me put on by my mother-in-law. And, now, I'm in Illinois, just outside of the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.

Not that I haven't had a blast the past three weeks. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed them all greatly. I just am sitting here on my hotel bed posting, and I'd much rather have slept on my own pillow-top bed last night, with my new non-compression pillow.

Plus, I haven't been to Five02 in almost a month now thanks to travelling ... and I really can't wait to go again.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

That didn't last long

So, Monday morning I went to work, and they told me that they had several machines down, and so I had the day off (since there was no work), and to check back the next day. That was fine, I hadn't really had a day off in two weeks, since the job was M-F and my weekends were spent travelling both weekends.

So, I'm thinking, sweet. I can do things I haven't been able to do. Like nap. And go to the five02 Monday lunch. And so I do. And then I get a message on my machine from the staffing agency that the factory I was assigned to was "reducing their force", and that I was a part of it.

So, back to being unemployed already, I guess.

But it's not all bad. I made enough to pay the bills for the rest of the month, and I was getting a little depressed working there.

So, now it's back on the trail, looking for something. Planning on going to the mall soon ... I'm sure this time of year *someone* there is looking for help.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Maybe not

I lie here lifeless
In this cocoon
Shedding my skin cause
I'm ready to

I wanna break out, I found a way out
I don't believe that it's gotta be this way
The worst, is the waiting
In this room I'm suffocating








... Sorry to be cryptic about myself right now ...

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Meant To Live

So, sorry about the recent non-updateage. Been adjusting to a new schedule. Finally got a job, and 7 am is really early to be at work, and I'm still adjusting. But, that's kind of the point of this entry anyways.

So, I'm streaming RadioU and listening to it, and "Meant to Live" by SwitchFoot comes on. Great song. And my first thought is, honestly, "I don't want to hear this right now, it's going to depress me."

But it didn't.

Sure, I've got a Bachelor's degree, and thirty plus hours of Master's work, and despite that I'm working an eight-hour a day job at a plastic factory through a staffing agency just to pay my bills. And that's why I thought it might depress me.

But it just encouraged me.

I'm not laboring for man. I'm not laboring for myself. For the first time, I'm actually laboring for GOD. I'm moving forward in an attempt to advance his Kingdom. And, apparently, right now that part of the plan is taking the job I have and working it five days a week so I can prepare to move on to the next part of my life. If I really want "more than this world's got to offer", then why should not having a great paying and high profile job matter? Isn't HIS approval all that really matters when seeking "more than this world's got to offer"?

And that's all I want.

more than this world's got to offer
more than the wars of my father

God be glorified in all I do

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Pumpkin Cupcakes

You never really know what you're going to take away from church when you go, do you?

Five02 is Rachel and my home church community. It's a fledgling community, being launched from within St. Marks UMC and only in its third actual week (after many months of planning and years of prayerful development). It's set up as a post-protestant (the term I like, others might call it post-modern) community, and the teaching is followed by discussion, which usually lends itself to a greater amount of knowledge, at least on my part. Something about hearing from other people and getting their POVs really drives it home for me, I guess.

Anyways, before each community worship gathering, we share a meal. It's a bring-whatever-you-have-in-your-cupboards potluck style meal. Ryan and Andrea typically make some kind of caserole (last week was super yummy apple-sausage-sweet potato), and others fill in with all kinds of deserts, soups, and whatnot. Tonight was almost completely filled with out-and-out dinners. There was a vegetable-ground beef-tater tot caserole, a lasagne, chili, chicken and bean soup ... and these amazing Pumpkin Cupcakes.

And, as we sat around the tables eating our meal, one-by-one it seemed that all of us tried a Pumpkin Cupcake and marveled at how good they were. They were light, but still filling, sweet but not overpowering, deserty enough to satisfy a sweet tooth, but still plain enough to compliment a meal.

So why do I bring this up?

Partially, because of tonight's teaching. We're going through the Lord's Prayer in our worship gatherings, and tonight we focused on "Your Kingdom Come" ... a simple, but loaded question. Ryan chose to focus on the word "Kingdom" and talk about what the Kingdom of God is, and how Jesus used parables to explain it to us.

Through it all, I came to realize that the Kingdom of God is more about restoration than reward. The Kingdom of God is where we are restored to what God's original plan was. That means we go away from the secular and into the spiritual. Our lives become completely Christ-centric. Everything we do is spiritual ... there are no lines between our "Christian" lives and the rest of us.

So, the Cupcakes, to me, brought this point home as I reflected later. How God-like is it to take something simple, add just a little bit of flare to it, and use it for glory? How many times has God done this? He took a sheppard boy, and turned him into a king. He took a fisherman, and turned him into a leader. He took a persecutor of the Church and turned him into a preacher most of us quote today.

And so what do we have? A basic box of yellow food cake, added to it 15 oz of pumpkin, a quarter cup of water and a quarter teaspoon of pumpkin spice.

And it's that simple.

And the way God wants to restore us, to allow His Kingdom to come ... are probably that simple, taken one step at a time.

And I think I'll pray "God, restore me in a simple step this day, so I may take another step towards Your Kingdom coming."

Amen.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The Internet and The Church

So, recently, I was catching up on Mark Cuban's Blog (one of my personal favorites to read), and he made some good points (as he almost always does). He talked about how the internet hasn't changed, simply the hardware and the price of the hardware we use to connect to the internet has. It's not that there's been a new discovery of ways to use the internet, it's that it's cheaper to do websites like YouTube, and more common to have homes with high speed internet.

And I couldn't help but think that the church is much the same way. Our God hasn't changed. But our means of communications, and the technology and methods we can use have. But are we? Are we using what's developing around us?

Can you imagine how foolish someone would sound if they said "I refuse to use YouTube, because it wasn't around when I bought my first computer"??? Yet, how many times do people in churches (myself included) do similar things? And, often times, it's not a matter of stepping out of our comfort zones, it's a matter of merging our comfort zones. Letting our "Christian" side mesh with the "rest" of us.

And what's the problem with that? Why can't we use what we know about Star Wars, to try to explain God? Why can't we do a combination bible study football game party? Why can't we create "Christian" YouTubes and broadcast them (or video capture the pastor's message and YouTube that???)?

What is it about our faith that makes us want to segregate it?

I just don't get it.

I want to integrate, from here on out.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Hallowed Be They Name

The Lord's Prayer. Most of us know it, in some form or another.

Our Father
Who art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our tresspasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from Evil
For Thine is the kingdom
And the power
and the glory
Forever and ever
Amen


Well, at five02, we're kicking off our community launch by studying the Lord's prayer section by section. I missed the first teaching/discussion on "Our Father", as I got assigned child care duties (as an aside if you or anyone you know is in the Findlay Area and would like to volunteer to do Child Care for two hours on Saturday nights to help a ministry get off the ground, let me know). But, this week I got to participate.

Anyways, one of Ryan's main points was that part of God having a Hallowed Name is us keeping God's name above reproach (or at least this is what I heard/got out of it). So, the question is, how do we do that?

We can (easily) acknowledge with our lips, and even with our hearts, that God is mighty, pure, holy, above all, and hallowed. Is it our challenge to keep God's name holy and reverant? And if so, how?

I believe the word offers us to places to look:

O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.


We are required to do what is right. Not to attempt to do what is right. Not to try to do what is right. To do it. Just shut up and do it. Not to make excuses when we don't. To do it. (My thanks to Nike and Yoda for some of the insight there).

We are also required to love mercy. Not only to love receiving mercy, but to love giving mercy. Which is difficult. Very difficult at times. It's not fun to show someone mercy. But it's required. A good friend of mine once read this line as "love loving others". And that's stuck with me. It's a philosophy I like to keep.

And last but not least, in this passage, we are to walk humbly with the Lord. God has given us a role to play. But we must always acknowledge that it is Him giving us a role, not Him needing us to play a part. He could recast us as easily as a sitcom recasts a holdout minor character. That's walking humbly. Knowing that anyone else can be called to fulfill your role.

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.


If God has a hallowed name, and is to be our Father, others need to know this. But how will they ever see God? Through our love. When we love others, he is made fully expressed. No longer emulated or simulated, but replicated. We replicate God when we love others. What an awesome power.

And, so, that's my challenge. At least for myself. To keep God holy, to keep His name above reproach. And there's my blueprint. Do what is right, love loving others, walk humbly, and replicate God through my love of others.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Random Items

Fall Television

Survivor

Alright, so Rachel got me hooked on Survivor a little while back. I think I watched the blasted thing once before we started dating, and now it's a regular part of our life. So, it is what it is, and it entertains me, so it's something I watch now. Watched the unimpressive season premiere last night. Wasn't great, wasn't bad. I'm always amused by the contestants who seemingly have never seen the show and are so surprised by certain "twists" that always show up.

I'm pretty certain that I've never caught a full season. Last season, Rachel and I missed the first episode, and the season before we missed the finale (way to go, miss the finale of a reality tv show). Here's guessing what show we'll miss this season.

Still too early to call a favorite, at least for me.

Dancing with the Stars

This one is *technically* my fault. I wanted to watch last season to see my boy Kenny Mayne and to a lesser degree Jerry Rice. So that opened the floodgates for it to become a staple. I don't care too much for it this year, but it's entertaining to see A. C. Slater on television again (oh, wait, his name is Mario Lopez? Whoops). My money's on him, although we have a conundrum ...

Gilmore Girls


Another show Rachel got me hooked on. This is the first season we'll have a chance to see first-run episodes as they show (just got the WB this summer), but it's on opposite DWTS. So, which do we watch? The Reality Show with a recap/result show the next day, or the sitcom with reruns in a few months?

I guess we'll figure it out, but my vote is for Gilmore Girls, if only because Luke is the closest any television show has come to putting me on tv.

Sigma Theta Epsilon

Working with some guys from my home chapter to try to help out with rebirthing the chapter at Ohio Univeristy. We met tonight for dinner (Rachel made us meatloaf and mac-n-cheese ... yum), and it was a very good meeting. We left with what seems to be a good direction and a good plan. Let's hope God blesses it. Your prayers for it probably wouldn't hurt either.

This is an exciting time of year for the fraternity. With schools starting up for the year, a lot of chapters will start to have new members. It's always neat to meet new guys at my home chapter, and I really hope we get some new guys interested in Nationals who will interact with us on the Bulletin Boards. I guess time will tell.

Of course, that also means my work load goes up there. Which is a good thing. I love working on things for STE. Working on the newsletter, printing shingles, planning meetings, deciding my future plans ... all stuff I love.

Random God Moment

So, I was driving home the other day, and had one of those wierd "God" moments. Where He brings to mind something random and then speaks to me through/about it. What he brought to mind is a television show Rachel sometimes watches on HGTV called "I want that". And it made me think, shouldn't I be reading the Bible and looking for things that make me say "I want that"? Shouldn't I be living a life so that others will see God in me and through me and say "I want that?" So, I'm going to be trying to make a list of "I Want That: Spiritual" for myself, and see what I come up with. But I'd also love to know what's on your "I Want That: Spiritual" list.





I think that's all for now ...

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I miss simplicity

I miss simplicity.

The days when every question had an easy-to-find answer. Or at least an answer. That wasn't subjective. That wasn't partially right, and partially wrong.

I miss the days of when I was confused, being able to find the answer ... the exact answer ... I was looking for. Without guess work. Without assumptions. Without doubt.

Where have they gone? Why did they leave? Why aren't answers so easy to find? If the truth never changes, shouldn't someone have compiled all the answers by now?

I miss simplicity.

Oh, where, oh where have you gone?

Monday, September 11, 2006

wow

God really does enjoy to make us work our way into His will, doesnt he? I finally publicly admit that I need to be just looking for a tide-me-over job to help Rachel and I get to our careers in ministry quicker, and boom ... I have a retail job Interview Wednesday at 1.

God's pretty sweet like that

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Still Here, Still Not Dead

So, here's a newsflash:

I'm not great at keeping my blog updated.

So sue me.

Nothing really of news to update on. Still looking for a job (more on this in a minute ... I'm going to provide actual thoughts on this), traveled a bunch last weekend (Findlay to Delaware to West Jefferson to Columbus to West Union, WV to Clarksburg to Salem to Athens, OH to Columbus to Findlay). All-in-all, a good, fun, and productive meeting. West Virgina was my family reunion, Athens was to recruit for STE on the campus of Ohio University, and the other stops were to see family, eat, and/or sleep.

Glad to see Pittsburgh off to a good start without Big Ben in the lineup. I'd talk more about that, but instead I'm going to do an all-sports blog, so I'll put thoughts up on that later. Check that out at: http://bettsonsports.blogspot.com

So, on the job front ... it's extremely frustrating that neither myself nor Rachel (my wife), two hard-working, intelligent people ... both with college degrees ... cannot seem to get a job to save their lives. Somehow ... the entire thing seems to be God's plan.

That's right. I said it. I think God wants us to be struggling through right now. But it's more than just the lessons in humbleness and dependence. It's trying to get through our thick (very thick) skulls that sooner, not later, we need to be starting our calls to Ministry. We need to stop looking for and seeking out career-type jobs that we'll hold for years to come, and instead look for jobs that will help us settle our feet, and let us get back on track to get into a Seminary very soon.

So, keep praying for us. Pray that we'll find the jobs to help us stand on our feet. Pray that we'll listen ... intently ... to what God wants to tell us. Pray that we'll accept the calls he placing in our hearts.

On the good news front, bills are paid this month, and the fridge and cupboards are full! God rocks!

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Open Wounds


How could you, how could you, how could you hate me?
When all I ever wanted to be was you?
How could you, how could you, how could you love me?
When all you ever gave me were open wounds?


This Skillet song has been stuck in my head recently, specifically the chorus (quoted above). It's so easy to remember the times people we've loved and emulated have given back to us something much less than love, even approaching hate. It's easy to remember the open wounds we have from those we've loved and trusted, those we still love, and those whom we believed love(d) us.

It's also pretty easy, for me, to remember the open wounds I gave Jesus. The way I try to say I want to emulate him, and sometimes live a completely different lifestyle. The way I say I love him, yet do the same things that helped to lead to those open wounds in the first place.

It's harder for me to recognze the open wounds I'm giving to those around me. Harder for me to recognize the love I'm ignoring from thsoe around me.

It's a lesson God is teaching me now. I just hope I can learn it, and with His help, heal my open wounds, and create far, far fewer.

Monday, August 21, 2006

:)

1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

12We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!


13But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.



Happy Anniversary Rachel.

I love you.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

More

Well, today the streak ended ... I guess. We got lunch, instead of dinner, at the church for free, just for helping out a little bit. So, *technically* the streak ended, but you can still totally see God providing at every moment.

Still, I say it technically ended because I cooked dinner at home. We had baked pork chops, baked with diced potatoes and a lettuce and cucumber salad. It was very yummy. And, very affordable. The taters were on sale, and we got the pork chops on a "we need to seel now" yellow tag at Wal-Mart. The lettuce was on sale, too.

But that's not the whole story of God's provision. You see, while yes, we had to use our food for dinner tonight, we still didn't pay for it. Saturday, a friend randomly gave Rachel fifty dollars to buy groceries, something we hadn't done in two plus weeks. So, we went to the store with a list of "needs" and some grocery wants (like produce and frozen pizza), got all our "needs" (like milk, eggs, rice) and a good number of our wants and still only spent $47.85 of the fifty dollars we were given. So even the meal we cooked ourselves was provided for by God's hand.

How amazing is He?

So, anyways, tomorrow I finally get to *officially* start my job. I'll be in Dayton training tomorrow and Tuesday (I think that's it, but I guess we'll see). Wish me luck!

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Dinner (cont)

So, God's provisions continue in amazing ways.

Friday night saw Rachel get invited out to dinner (again) and I was fed through the leftovers from the cookout Thursday night which they sent home with us (mmm ... bratwurst ... I love it)

Tonight (Saturday) saw us get fed by Ryan and Andrea after we helped them with some work on their new home.

God's provisions truly are amazing

Friday, August 18, 2006

Dinner

So, I still haven't had a paycheck since May. Still playing the waiting game to hear back from my soon-to-be-employer so I can do training.

In the meantime, God is doing amazing things. Simply amazing.

As we all know, food is an essential requirement to live. We can go without it for a bit, but we really, in the end, need it.

So how does God provide for his servant who hasn't gotten paid in 3 months?

He arranges for dinner. Every night of the week so far.

Monday night we had dinner over at Kim and John's, two members of our Thursday Night small group at St Marks. (btw, I just learned Wednesday that it's St. Marks, not St. Mark's. Oh well). Kim called in the morning to see if we had plans, and when we didn't, we had dinner plans.

Tuesday night, we visited my brother in Cleveland. We went to a Chineese Buffet and his wife grabbed the check before anyone else had a chance too (mom was visiting, too). So we don't even know exactly how much dinner was, but it was free.

Wednesday night, we had book club pretty much directly after Rachel got home from work (we're reading Church Re-Imagined, and I recomend it to ANYONE who wants to know if they can live in a better Christian community, or just wonder if there is a different way to do "Church") so we didn't get to have dinner before we went. As the time went by, my hunger increased, and I sat there thinking "we haven't gone to the grocery store in 2 weeks. We don't have anything complete at home to make dinner. I wonder if Rachel would be ok if we went to Wal-Mart and spent two dollars on a frozen pizza for dinner?" Unbeknownst to me, Rachel was thinking "I wonder if he'd be ok if we went to Wal-Mart on the way home and got frozen pizza?". Neither of us was able to ask the other one, because as we were preparing to leave from Coffee Amici, Becky (a member of the Book Club) says to us "why don't you two come over, and I'll have my daughter throw a frozen pizza in the oven?" So that was pretty sweet.

Last night was Small Group, and we met at Kathy and John's camp ground, where they grilled up some Bratwurst, and other brought chicken, potato salad, fruits, vegitables, and a desert. So that took care of last night. Rachel usually can't make it to small group (because she works on Thursday nights), but because we went late she was able to come out and fellowship and eat.

And we left with some leftovers, some of which became lunch today.

How awesome God is to provide every need at just the right time!

Monday, August 14, 2006

Wilderness

So, I was listening to my "Loud and Clear" Supertones CD on my way to and from the testing center this morning. Got stuck, once again, on the song "Wilderness". This song has spoken to me in so many ways over the years. Usually, the lines that get me are either the chorus:

Have you ever held in doubt
What this life is all about
Have you questioned all these things that seem
important to us
Do you really wanna know
Or are you a little scared
You're afraid that God is not exactly what you'd have
Him be
What should I hold to and what should I do
How do I know if anything's true
I'm somewhere in-between Canaan and Egypt
A place called the wilderness
Or the bridge:


God do you really understand what it's like to be a man
Have You ever felt the weight of loving all the
things you Hate
Have You struggled have You worried
How can You sympathize
Today, it was the start of the second verse:

I'm not one who always trusts their feelings
I don't believe in what you'd call blind faith
But faith that you can do all that you promised
And you said it all works for good

What an awesome promise! It all works for good! Everything the enemy throws at us, every attempt he makes to bring us down, every time he trips us up, God is using that, refining it, and making good come from it. He is using Satan's own plans and temptations and not only foiling them, but using them to work for good! I came to tears looking at some of the things the enemy has thrown at my life recently and in the lives of some of those around me, and just realized how amazing and all-powerful my God is that he would take these setbacks and these mistakes and these challenges and work good out for them.


I'm working on a dramatic monologue for the next five02 service, and this song is really helping to shape it. I just can't help but feel awed by the immense power of one who turns darkness into light, setbacks into advancements, and sin into glory!

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

C-Bus

So, I'm in C-Bus for the week, taking pre-liscensing courses for the job I'll be starting soon.

The pros of being in C-bus:

  • RadioU (new Skillet, Demon Hunter, and Pillar songs ROCK, and I get to hear LA Symph, something I NEVER get back home)
  • One step closer to employment
  • Access to Skyline and Chipotle (haven't had any yet though)
  • Mountain Dew in the fridge
The Cons of being in C-bus:

  • Rachel's not here :(
  • Classes are LONG and BORING (8 hours a day)
  • No money for Skyline and Chipotle, even though their pretty close
  • Traffic

Still, all-in-all not a bad trade-off. can't wait to get back to Findlay, but I'm really enjoying RadioU and really enjoying the thought of "hey, I could go get Skyline if I want"

Oh well.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Musing

Today was a very good day. I got to spend quality time with my wife and mother-in-law, picked up a new suit, a couple of new ties, and some new shirts. Plus, we had Red Robin for dinner (mmmm ... Red Robin's onion rings are sooooo good).

Tomorrow holds promise. Our church is having their annual outdoor service at the Park. That, in and of itself would be exciting. But there's more to it than that. Rachel and I have our dramatical debut at the church tomorrow during the service. We're doing a liturgical drama (with Andrea) to the song "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns. I think it can be real powerful. Then, afterwards ... POT LUCK! And we all know if Methodists are good for one thing, it's Pot Lucks!

Prayers would be appreciated for the service to go well. It's not only good outreach, but good inreach for a church that needs connection and healing.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Weddings

I love weddings.

And for a variety of reasons. I love to watch two people commit to a life of commitment to each other. I love to sit next to my wife and be reminded of the vows we took almost two years ago. I love to see old friends, and hear catch-up stories from people I haven't seen in months or years. I love being able to impart some of my new-found advice and "wisdom" and I absolutely love dancing with my wife.

We attended a wedding this past Saturday. I believe this was the first wedding we attended within driving distance of our actual home since we got married! Normally, we end up driving back to Columbus to stay with my mother-in-law for the night (she's a nice half-way stop between Pittsburgh and Findlay!), or we just stay with her for the entire weekend, since a couple of weddings are in Columbus. I mention this only because it gave Rachel and I a chance to reflect on weddings and have a good, serious discussion. And I think we came to the conclusion that we love weddings not because of the event itself, but because of the future it holds. We've seen first-hand the empowering nature of being with your spouse, and how it can improve your life spiritually, physically, emotionally, and so on. And not just your life, but the lives of those around you. Without my wife enabling me, I wouldn't be able to serve Sigma Theta Epsilon as a National Officer, and without my enabling of her, she wouldn't be able to serve on the board of our local Chrysalis. Neither of us, let alone both of us, would be involved with the planning of the new emergent worship service at our church, and, more likely, neither of us would probably even be involved at St. Marks!

As a result, we've started a prayer calendar. We've got five categories in some kind of progressive list, and each day we pray specifically for the designated entry in each category. The categories are STE (Chapters and Officers), Married Friends, Family, St. Marks (our church), and our Activities. I believe this will be a powerful tool to see God moving in each of these areas, and strengthening those around us, and those whom we love.

Yes, I love weddings. But I love the power of prayer more.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Inspiration

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.


From the first chapter of the book of Ephesians, in the Message translation.

Words I've needed recently, to remind me of the victory and freedom I have in Christ, my Savior.

I'm glad I have the close Christian fellowship to keep me on the right page, and to point me towards the passages I need to read.

Friday, July 21, 2006

A Boy and His Beard

Yes, yes, the rumors are true. My beard is no more. Let us walk down memory lane ... together

The last long stretch of time I went without my beard was the first summer I worked at
Camp Echoing Hills. They had a "no beard policy", and I stuck to it. This was, of course, the Summer of 2002.

After Camp, the beard and I were on-again, off-again, notibly off at the Kappa Phi Fall Formal of 2002, I was beardless, and my date was Rachel (although I still thought she hated me at that point in time).

The beard was there to stay starting around Thanksgiving 2002 (spent at the Kettelsens'). From that point forward, though it had differing sizes, the beard never left my side. Here is a highlight list of the things I did while having my beard

While in the passenger seat of a car, had the car I was in take out a mailbox.
Started dating Rachel
Became President of the Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Epsilon.
Met Dave Burden.
Attended my first Conclave (Conclave 2003 in St. Louis)
Was the best man at a wedding (Davebob!)
Worked another summer at Camp (so much for that no beard policy, eh?)
Lavaliered Rachel.
Helped my mother move to West Virginia.
Got engaged to Rachel.
Received the worst phone call of my life.
Watched my grandfather pass away from Cancer.
Got accepted into graduate school at BGSU.
Attended my Second Conclave (2004 in St. Louis).
Got elected National Secretary of Sigma Theta Epsilon.
Graduated from ONU.
Married Rachel.
Started graduate classes at BGSU.
Buried my grandmother (last remaining grandparent).
Got a teaching assistantship at BGSU.
Took my first plane trip (Conclave 2005 in Memphis)
Took summer courses for the first time.
Took my honeymoon in Denver.
Got a single-digit score on an exam for the first time. (yes, out of 100)
Attended Conclave 2006 (Indy, got reelected as Secretary).
Took a leave-of-absence from BGSU.


And that's just a chronological bullet-point of many highlights. Not even all of them. It was a crazy, fun couple of years with my beard. I have so many friends seeing me for the first time without a beard, and it's a very wierd experience. Even my wife's grandmother (with whom I am very close) didn't recognize me at first without my beard.

And now, I move forward ... sans beard ... the end of an era.

Tyler's Beard: Thanksgiving 2002 - Father's Day 2006.