Thursday, April 30, 2009

I HATE WORDPRESS (and spam)!!!


Okay, maybe I should preface this rant with the fact that I don’t actually hate [WordPress] itself, and even if I wanted to, I am not really qualified to do so. For I have never had a WordPress blog.

I am, however, most qualified to hate WordPress’ super-duper spam filter add-on [Akismet]. For it considers me to be a spammer.

Therefore, I suppose a more accurate title of this piece would be, I HATE AKISMET (and spam)!!!, but I want all of those creepy, crawly spider thingies(?) that search engines use to scour the Internet for good things to devour to catch a quick whiff of my ire. So, I figured that including WordPress in the title might do the trick faster than Akismet.

On the other hand, the rest of the title is completely accurate. For I do indeed hate spam with a passion, and to drive the point home to all with a brain at least as big as a gnat, the following is a post that I made on [FishHawk Droppings] around a year and a half ago. (Some grammatical changes have been made in the hope of saving me further embarrassment.)


Whodunit?

I would like to know who signed me up for all of the penile enhancement spam that I have been receiving lately. I’m serious. For I know that I live in the state of Misery, but there has to be a limit to the amount of indignities that a man can be subjected to!

Oh yeah, I’ve got something for you. Well, okay, maybe not anymore. For I am no longer like that, but my good ol’ bad self would have certainly had a valuable service to perform. Satisfaction guaranteed—take it to the bank! For a rusty pair of vise grips and a meat-tenderizing mallet in the experienced hands of someone with a blood type of Old No. 7 always leaves a lasting impression.

I bet you’re the one who signed my wife up for the same barrage a few years back—aren’t you? Didn’t you learn your lesson? For if she could not get me to see where there might be much to be gained before, what makes you think that I would want to be more like Smiling Bob now?

He ain’t all that—don’t you know? If he was, he couldn’t be racing no stock car!

Yeah, I’ve seen some other commercials with a bevy of buxom babes looking all googly-eyed over significant changes to a certain part of the male anatomy in heavy rotation with advertisements for Girls Gone Wild videos late at night on Spike. Be assured that those operators on stand-by are still a-waitin’ my call.

Come on now, can your emails compete with that? Now, I know that there is something to be said for quantity over quality, but you’re taking up valuable space. Space that is need for…um…other stuff!

Maybe I’m missing the point and not taking full advantage of all of the opportunities being presented? For new directives upon what is now good and bad for us are issued all of the time these days. I must have missed the one about drywall being an excellent source of fiber—especially when formed into a diamond shape and dyed a particular shade of blue.

Yeah, I suppose that it could be worse. By the way, does anyone know when the next drawing for the Internet Lottery is being held?

Alas, I don’t know which is worse—spam or some of the steps taken to prevent it? For according to [Smart Boy], all it takes to be permanently labeled a spammer by Akismet is for enough to mark you as being one in their opinion.

Be assured that I know that it doesn’t take all that many. In fact, it may only take one. For it was almost immediately after having some theological differences with someone with a WordPress blog a while back that I started noticing that my comments were being rejected by everyone with a WordPress blog—regardless of the subject matter. That is, of course, at least in the cases where some notice was given. For I have come across many a blog of all kinds that gives no notification of anything when a comment has been submitted, which compels me to go back and check until I am convinced that my comment was indeed rejected when email notification of follow-up comments is not available.

To me, that is just plain rude. For I would like to be told when I am unwelcome when I am not, but in all fairness, maybe the owners of those blogs just don’t realize what is going on.

Whoa, the thought just occurred to me that it may be all part of another evil [Illuminati] scheme to effect world domination. For the blogs that give no notice of comment rejection receive another page view credit each and every time I go back to check if my comment has been accepted yet, and the same applies to when no email notification of follow up comments is available. Subsequently, if I am not the only one who cannot just let it go, that could add up to billions of page views a day, and I don’t even want to think about where that could lead.

Anyway, if you are not a member in good standing of the Illuminati, would you please do something about at least the Akismet add-on on your WordPress blog? For there are a lot of blogs out there that I would like to leave what I would think would be most welcome comments on, and if you would start actually checking what has been rejected, you just might find that I am not the only one who has been algorithmically slandered!

Yes, spammers have become much more sophisticated, and some of their comments may also contain links to some really nasty computer viruses. So, it is understandable why many would not want to start digging through the trash, but doesn’t your anti-virus keep you safe when you are inadvertently surfing dangerous waters elsewhere? If it doesn’t, I highly recommend [Bit-Defender].

No, this is most certainly not a clever ploy to persuade the good at heart to open their comment boxes to my stuff. For I never had anything to do with anything even remotely spammy. That is, except for the real deal, of course.




Wednesday, April 29, 2009

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Tales of Wonder]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Vendetta
WhiteHeart

Count the locks
Upon your door
Guess Beaver doesn’t
Live here anymore
A gun for me
A gun for you
Now they’re killing people
For their tennis shoes

You and old
Share the fear
A violent streak
Is running everywhere
Ooh
It’s hard to say
How it got this way

Feel the anger burning
Holy anger rising
Up in you
What should we do

Vendetta against
The raging world
Vendetta against
The lies we’ve heard
Vendetta led
By love not hate
It’s the only way
The pattern breaks
No

Quietly
We lose the hope
While the media
Pushes the envelope
Hear the warning cries
The sirens blare
I wonder
Do we love enough to care

Care enough to stand
Heal this broken land
And love the lost
At any cost

Vendetta against
The raging world
Vendetta against
The lies we’ve heard
Vendetta led
By love not hate
It’s the only way
The pattern breaks
No

Vendetta
Vendetta

Ooh

Link: [WhiteHeart]

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Richter Studios


Richter Studios and their [Video Production Services] has just been brought to my attention, and all I can say is, “WOW!” I mean, “WOW!!

No, I don’t think you are hearing me. Hey, I’m talkin’, “WOW!!!,” here. For it is like a movie studio offering to make commercials for your company.

Come to think of it—they are a movie studio! For they produced [Following Deerpath], which is a documentary about the town of Lake Forest, IL. The following is a trailer to the movie, which should give you a good idea of what they can do for your company:

Too much for you? Well, Richter Studios offer a [wide variety of services]. For from basic photography to interactive web presentations—they can do it all.

Be assured that there are plenty of businesses around here who would benefit greatly from the [expertise] that Richter Studios has to offer. For so many of their commercials are downright awful.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is said that a product or service will sell itself, but the way it is presented also says a lot. For I am not about to go to a dentist who uses a rip-off of American Idol as the backdrop for an advertisement. Would you?

Yes, I must disclose that this is a paid advertisement through [ReviewMe]. For this is required for payment.

Nonetheless, I am genuinely impressed with Richter Studios. I think you will be too if you go check them out.

TWO FOR TUESDAY

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.



Link: [On YouTube]

Going Under
Evanesence

Now I will tell you
What I’ve done for you
Fifty thousand tears I’ve cried
Screaming
Deceiving
And bleeding for you
And you still won’t hear me

Going under

Don’t want your hand this time
I’ll save myself
Maybe I’ll wake up for once
Not tormented daily
Defeated by you
Just when I thought
I reached the bottom

I’m
Dying
Again

I’m going under
I’m going under
Drowning in you
Drowning in you
I’m falling forever
Falling forever
I’ve got to break through
I’m going under

Blurring
And stirring
The truth
And the lies
So I don’t know what’s real
And what’s not
So I don’t know what’s real
And what’s not
Always confusing the thoughts
In my head
So I can’t trust myself anymore

I’m
Dying
Again

I’m going under
I’m going under
Drowning in you
Drowning in you
I’m falling forever
Falling forever
I’ve got to break through

So go on and scream
Scream at me
I’m so far away
I won’t be broken again
I’ve got to breathe
I can’t keep going under

I’m
Dying
Again

I’m going under
I’m going under
Drowning in you
Drowning in you
I’m falling forever
Falling forever
I’ve got to break through
I’m going under
Going under
Going under
Drowning in you
I’m going under


Link: [On YouTube]

Bring Me To Life
Evanesence
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I’ve become so numb
Without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there
And lead it back home

Wake me up
Wake me up inside
I can’t wake up
Wake me up inside
Save me
Call my name
And save me from the dark
Wake me up
Bid my blood to run
I can’t wake up
Before I come undone
Save me
Save from the nothing I’ve become

Now that I know what I’m without
You can’t just leave me
Breathe into me
And make me real
Bring me to life

Wake me up
Wake me up inside
I can’t wake up
Wake me up inside
Save me
Call my name
And save me from the dark
Wake me up
Bid my blood to run
I can’t wake up
Before I come undone
Save me
Save me from the nothing I’ve become

I’ve been living a lie
There’s nothing inside
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love darling
Only you are the life among the dead

At this time
I can’t believe I couldn’t see
Kept in the dark
But you were there in front of me
I’ve been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without thought
Without voice
Without a soul
Don’t let me die here
There must be something more
Bring me to life

Wake me up
Wake me up inside
I can’t wake up
Wake me up inside
Save me
Call my name
And save me from the dark
Wake me up
Bid my blood to run
I can’t wake up
Before I come undone
Save me
Save me from the nothing I’ve become

I’ve been living a lie
There’s nothing inside
Bring me to life

Link: [Evanesence]

Lyrics From: [elyrics.net]

Monday, April 27, 2009

Come Monday...Lost Generation?

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

My wife received a link to the following video in an email, which she forwarded to me, and now I pass it on to you. Since it is at least well over a year old, it may be old news to many, but is this message not worth repeating over and over again for one reason or another [James 4:13-17]?


Sunday, April 26, 2009

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.


Link: [Enquiring Daily Tribune]



Saturday, April 25, 2009

Bittersweet Refinements: XVII

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.


Chapter XVII
Sheltered Lives

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. [1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NAS]
With all of the “stuff” hitting proverbial fans all over the place, it is hard to imagine that any of us are leading all that much of a sheltered life. In fact, it would not be all that unreasonable to naturally think that it seems much more likely that most, if not all, of us were created to be the objects of our Heavenly Father’s wrath—certainly not His affections. For what has not reached out and bitten someone today will surely take a chunk out of their children tomorrow[1].

Nonetheless, there is more to our lives than what naturally comes to meet our physical sight[2], and it is in this regard that all of us lead much more sheltered lives than what most are willing to even consider[3]. For we were all created to be our Heavenly Father’s children by faith[4], and He has no desire to see any of us perish[5].

In other words, it is in regards to our eternal lives that we are sheltered, and it is about this that 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 is referring to. For it is written: “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” [John 3:18 NAS]

Yes, many have been led to believe that 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 addresses something much more tangible to the here and now. For it has been widely taught that our Heavenly Father will not allow His children by faith to be tempted to lie, steal, cheat, fornicate, murder, and all of the rest of those things beyond what they can withstand.

There is certainly plenty to support such a doctrine. For all in Christ are allowed and enabled to participate in His divine nature[6], and there is absolutely nothing sinful about that[7].

There is, however, the matter of just how much we are allowed and enabled to participate in our Heavenly Father’s divine nature while we are still a part of this world that should not be ignored[8]. For the more highly we want to think of ourselves—even in His only begotten Son, the more in danger of eternal damnation we become[9], and this most definitely applies to righteousness—be assured[10].

Alas, is this not something that the Apostle Peter was made all too painfully aware of? For even after being delivered from the humiliation of his denial of Christ[11] and restored to his position of leadership[12], was he not made to suffer even more[13]?

Yes, it can be argued that the Apostle Peter brought all of his own misery upon himself. For he had a tendency to be quite impetuous at inopportune times[14], and the density of his hard-headedness is beyond compare[15].

Nonetheless, is it not to miss the point to hold such a position? For if our Heavenly Father is truly able to shelter us from being tempted to sin by the devil, should He not be able to also shelter us from the wickedness of our own heart[16]—naturally-speaking, of course[17]?

No, none of this will make any sense to those who have not been given ears to hear[18], but the implications will be undeniable to those who have. For many have suffered so very much so very unnecessarily[19] because of being accused of not truly being in Christ because of false doctrines based upon the premise that no one who is truly in Him sins[20].

Yes, it is written: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. [1 John 3:6 KJV]

Just like it is also written: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. [1 John 3:9 KJV]

On the other hand, could it not be that what is being addressed in 1 John 3:3-10 is a different kind of sin? For it truly is as it is written: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. [1 John 1:1-10 KJV]

No, I am not here to dispute the fact that all wrongdoing is sin[21], and that the one who sins is subject unto eternal damnation[22]. For it has been personally revealed to me that this is indeed true[23].

Nonetheless, is there not another side to this that we would do well not to ignore? For it is written: All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. [1 John 5:17-20 NIV]

Alas, does that not serve as a further explanation of what 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 and 2 Peter 1:1-4 is actually addressing? For who from amongst us could stay firm in the faith without the shelter that is provided by our Heavenly Father[24]?

Yes, around and around it could go until the very end. Therefore, may we all make a close examination of ourselves. For who from amongst us can honestly say that there is nothing about ourselves that is not perfect in the same way as our Heavenly Father is perfect[25]?

Certainly not the Apostle Paul after He came to truly know our Heavenly Father in a very close and personal way[26]. For it is written: We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. [Romans 7:14-8:11]

{1}Hosea 4:1-14; {2}2 Corinthians 4:18; {3}John 3:19-21; {4}Romans 8:16; {5}Ezekiel 18:30-32; {6}2 Peter 1:3-4; {7}Psalms 18:30; {8}1 Corinthians 13:12; {9}Proverbs 16:18; {10}1 Corinthians 4:7; {11}Luke 22:54-62; {12}John 21:15-19; {13}Galatians 2:11-16; {14}John 18:7-11; {15}John 21:20-22; {16}Jeremiah 17:9-10; {17}Isaiah 45:9-12; {18}1 Corinthians 2:14; {19}2 Corinthians 10:1-12; {20}1 Timothy 1:5-11; {21}1 John 5:17; {22}Ezekiel 18:4; {23}Galatians 1:11-12; {24}Mark 14:38; {25}James 2:10; {26}Galatians 1:11-17.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.







Wednesday, April 22, 2009

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Highlands]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Excuse Me, Forgive Me
WhiteHeart
Kerry says to me
That I really don’t see
I’m making too much of all this morality
This could never offend
Your Heavenly Friend
I’m not committing crimes against humanity

Excuse me
Forgive me
I’m certain that you do see
Excuse me
Forgive me
Not the same thing in my mind
It’s one or the other
No they’re not together
They both have got their own place in time
So excuse me

I know some things are wrong
I’ve heard your righteous song
But a lot of these things
Are only indiscretions
Gotta play it loose
I’ll be the one to choose
You can’t believe that this
Would ever change my redemption

Excuse me
Forgive me
I’m certain that you do see
Excuse me
Forgive me
Not the same thing in my mind
It’s one or the other
No they’re not together
I’ll decide which one to use next time

Kerry
In your heart and mind you lose
‘Cause something’s dying every time

It’s one or the other
No they’re not together
Do you really think
That you should choose this time
To excuse me
Or forgive me

It’s one or the other
No they’re not together
No they’re not together
Do you really think
That you should choose this time

Oh you gotta let it go

Excuse me

Nanananana

Forgive me

Link: [WhiteHeart]


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

TWO FOR TUESDAY


Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.


Rescue - Uncle Kracker
Link: [On IMEEM]

Rescue
Uncle Kracker

I stayed out late last night
But nothing I could drink
Could help me drink you off my mind
Everywhere I looked
Oooh
I saw your face
And I wonder
And I wonder
If there still might be
A little space in your heart for me
‘Cause I’m so cold
I’m so alone
And I miss you babe

So won’t you come to my rescue
Shake this pain from my soul
And take this fool back into your heart baby
I’ll go crazy if you don’t
‘Cause I’m a mess here without you
Ain’t no pill for this pain
So please
Please come to my rescue baby
Make it right away

I was a fool to leave
Leave behind everything that meant everything to me
Every day and night
Mmm
My heart pays the price
And I’m out here
Stranded out here
On this lonely road
I’m so lost
Won’t you lead me home
I need you back
Need one more chance
And I miss you babe

So won’t you come to my rescue
Shake this pain from my soul
And take this fool back into your heart baby
I’ll go crazy if you don’t
‘Cause I’m a mess here without you
Ain’t no pill for this pain
So please
Please come to my rescue baby
Make it right away

I’m drowning baby
I need you to save me
Yeah
Don’t leave me like this
Don’t leave me like this
Don’t leave me like this
Throw me a line baby
One more time

So won’t you come to my rescue
Shake this pain from my soul
And take this fool back into your heart baby
I’ll go crazy if you don’t
‘Cause I’m a mess here without you
Ain’t no pill for this pain
So please
Please come to my rescue baby
Make it right away

Make it right away

Make it right away


Follow Me VIDEO (Mike Bradford ReMix) (No Conga) - Uncle Kracker
Link: [On IMEEM]

Follow Me
Uncle Kracker
You don’t know how you met me
You don’t know why
You can’t turn around
And say good-bye
All you know is when I’m with you
I make you free
And swim through your veins
Like a fish in the sea

I’m singin’

Follow me
Everything is all right
I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

I’m not worried ‘bout the ring you wear
‘Cause as long as no one knows
Then nobody can care
You’re feelin’ guilty
And I’m well aware
But you don’t look ashamed
And baby I’m not scared

I’m singin’

Follow me
Everything is all right
I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

Won’t give you money
I can’t give you the sky
You’re better off if you don’t ask why
I’m not the reason that you go astray
And we’ll be all right if you don’t ask me to say

I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

You don’t know how you met me
You don’t know why
You can’t turn around
And say good-bye
All you know is when I’m with you
I make you free
And swim through your veins
Like a fish in the sea

I’m singin’

Follow me
Everything is all right
I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

I’m singin’

Follow me
Everything is all right
I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

I’m singin’

Follow me
Everything is all right
I’ll be the one to tuck you in at night
And if you want to leave
I can guarantee
You won’t find nobody else like me

Link: [Uncle Kracker]

Lyrics From: [Sing365.com]

Monday, April 20, 2009

Come Monday...Chicken a la Carte

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else that may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

[Culture Unplugged] invites any and all to spread the message of the following video far and wide, and to do something about it, of course.



Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. [James 4:17 NAS]

[Ettarose] is another who has been doing the right thing. Will you not follow their examples in whatever way you are allowed and enabled to?

Sunday, April 19, 2009

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.








Saturday, April 18, 2009

Bittersweet Refinements: XVI

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.


Chapter XVI
Demonic Possession


They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. [Mark 5:1-10 NIV]

Yes, the fictional accounts produced by the entertainment industry of demonic possessions really do have some basis in fact, but it is an extremely rare occurrence—be assured[1]. For it is usually in a much more sinister way that a demon takes control over a person[2].

What happened to Judas Iscariot serves as a good example of that. For it is written: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. [Luke 22:1-6 NIV]

No, that is not something that you will hear coming from most pulpits[3]. For Satan has been quite successful at convincing such a great, great many that Judas Iscariot acted out of his own freewill, and even from those that you might hear otherwise, the spin will be towards Judas causing this to happen to him by inviting Satan into his heart for one reason or another[4].

Yes, many of them would point to what was said about Judas by the One[5] who would know who would be spending all of eternity in Heaven or Hell[6]. For Christ Jesus said that it would have been better for him to have never been born[7], and this is something that would never be said of someone who was not being held accountable for such a sin[8].

The absolute truth of the matter truly is, however, that it is on account of how Judas reacted to his betrayal of His Lord and Savior after he came to his senses, and not what he had been a party to[9], that is the reason for why that was said of him—be assured[10]. For unlike the Apostle Peter[11] after his own fiery trial[12], Judas refused to have full and complete faith in the grace of our Heavenly Father[13].

Yes, there appears to be a discrepancy between the accounts of Judas’ death given in Matthew and Acts that should be addressed before proceeding any further. For in Matthew, it is written that he hanged himself[14]. Whereas in Acts, it is written that he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out[15].

Be assured that this came as a great mystery to me for many years, but then our Heavenly Father explained that there is actually no discrepancy at all[16]. For Judas did indeed hang himself, and it was after being cut down that his lifeless body was dropped headlong, which resulted in his belly bursting wide open.

Alas, what happened to Judas was a indeed great tragedy, and what is happening to far too many is just as great[17]. For the devil has convinced them that they have the authority to cast out demons wherever they may be found[18].

No, this is not to deny that our Heavenly Father will sometimes cast out demons through one of His chosen servants[19] for the benefit of all concerned[20]. For it is written: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." [Mark 16:15-18 NIV]

Such miracles are never independent of Him[21], however, and even in regards to those who do claim to be working with the full authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is by their very own words[22] that they attest to just how deceived they are[23]. For it is written: In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion. [Jude 1:8-11 NIV]

{1}James 1:5-8; {2}2 Timothy 2:24-26; {3}2 Timothy 4:2-4; {4}2 Peter 1:20-2:3; {5}John 10:30; {6}2 Timothy 4:1; {7}Matthew 26:20-24; {8}1 Timothy 1:12-14; {9}John 7:24; {10}Luke 8:17-18; {11}John 21:15-17; {12}Mark 14:66-72; {13}Matthew 27:1-10; {14}Matthew 27:5; {15}Acts 1:18; {16}Jeremiah 33:3; {17}Ezekiel 18:30-32; {18}2 Corinthians 10:13-15; {19}Acts 16:16-18; {20}John 11:11-15; {21}John 15:5; {22}Matthew 12:37; {23}Matthew 7:15-23.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.







Thursday, April 16, 2009

To All Entrecard Advertisers

My wife and I do not have any discretionary funds at this time. In fact, we do not even have enough income to pay for all of our prescribed medications.

Hopefully, that will change soon—just like it may for many, many others, and this is what you should be paying attention to. For whatever you may be offering just might be what we are looking for when we do have a little extra in our pockets.

Just in case you are curious, this post is in response to an article that I read yesterday on [impNERD.com] about how advertising on [Entrecard] was not very cost-effective in comparison to other internet mediums. Granted, I could feel my brain cells start to liquefy when I tried to follow the formula that was presented to make such a conclusion, but even if it was correct, an extremely critical point was missed—if not blatantly ignored.

The extremely important point has to do with the ad being actually seen. For everyone who makes an Entrecard drop will see the ad that is displayed at the time.

[Google AdWords] cannot make a promise like that to their prospective advertisers, nor can anyone else that I am aware of, except for [Adgitize]. For no one in their right-mind visits a blog to look for advertising.

Be assured that your ad being actually seen is a value that will pay-off in the long run, even if it does not appear to being doing a thing at a particular time, if you are offering a quality product or service. After all, are there not times when you go to a store to buy one thing and then decide to buy something else because of seeing or hearing an ad for it days (maybe even months) before?

Again, everyone who makes an Entrecard drop will see the ad that is displayed at the time, and this is where Entecard has an advantage over even Adgitize. For Adgitize droppers only get credit for 100 blogs a day while the Entrecard limit is 300.

In theory, the more blogs that one can get credit for dropping on, the more blogs they will visit, which equates to the more times your ad will be seen. This blog has been averaging over 250 Entrecard drops every single day, and I hear that others are averaging much, much higher. Personally, I don’t understand why, but that is another post for another day.

Getting back to the part about everyone who makes an Entrecard drop will see the ad being displayed at the time, it is like having an audience duct-taped to their seats with their eyelids stapled to their foreheads. In other words, they are going to see the ad—be assured!

Now, to all of the disgruntled Entrecard publishers—are you not forgetting something? For I would be right in there with you in your protests over paid ads stealing half of the time that regular adverts would be getting if Entrecard was going to keep all of the proceeds, but are we not being promised a 75% share?

Come on now, wouldn’t it be nice to make a little money from your blog for a change? Besides, are they not also promising to soon come out with a two-sided badge that would hold both kinds for the full 24 hours?

No, I have not seen a dime of it yet, but according to the latest estimates, I have earned around $350.00 on Entrecard so far. I’m willing to wait and see. How about you?

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Inside]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Speak Softly
WhiteHeart

Speak softly
Slowly
So gently
To my fragile heart
Come hold me
Tenderly
I feel like my world has come apart

Never thought that I would say this
But I just can’t be the strong man anymore
So hard to remember
A colder December
Now I’m knocking at your door

Speak softly
Slowly
So gently
To my fragile heart
Come hold me
Tenderly
I feel like my world has come apart

The icy rain keeps beating down upon me
Sometimes I want to hide or run away
Instead I’ve come to you
‘Cause I knew you’d want me to
Still it’s hard for me to say

Speak softly
Slowly
So gently
To my fragile heart
Come hold me
Tenderly
I feel like my world has come apart
Oh won’t you speak

Feel like I’m breaking apart

Speak softly
Slowly
So gently
To my fragile heart
Oh won’t you call me
Tenderly
I feel like my world has come apart

Speak so softly

Oh won’t you speak gently now

Can you understand I’m a broken man
Can you understand I got to find a way to begin again

Baby won’t you call to me
Baby won’t you call to me
Baby won’t you say to me that you love me now
Just say it
Softly
I got a fragile heart
Oh I got a broken heart

And I don’t even know how to go on now
I don’t even know how to dream a dream now

Link: [WhiteHeart]

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

TWO FOR TUESDAY


Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.


Kid Rock - Only God Knows Why -
Link: [On imeem]

Only God Knows Why
Kid Rock
I’ve been sittin’ here
Tryin’ to find myself
I get behind myself
I need to rewind myself

Lookin’ for the payback
Listen for the playback
They say that every man
Bleeds just like me

And I feel like number one
Yet I’m last in line
I watch my youngest son
And it helps to pass the time

I take too many pills
It helps to ease the pain
I made a couple of dollar bills
But still I act the same

Everybody knows my name
They say it way out loud
A lot of folks f#$% with me
It’s hard to hang out in crowds

I guess that’s the price you pay
To be some big shot like I am
Out-stretched hands and one-night stands
Still I can’t find love

And when your walls come tumblin’ down
I will always be around
Yeah

That’s it
Hey

And when your walls come tumblin’ down
I will always be around

People don’t know
About the things I say and do
They don’t understand
About the sh#$ I’ve been through

It’s been so long
Since I’ve been home
I’ve been gone
I’ve been gone for way too long

Maybe I forgot
All the things I miss
Oh somehow I know
There’s more to life than this

I said it too many times
And I still stand firm
You get what you put in
And people get what they deserve

Still I ain’t seen mine
No
I ain’t seen mine
I’ve been givin’
Just ain’t been getting’
I’ve been walkin’ that there line

So I think I’ll keep a walkin’
With my head held high
I’ll keep movin’ on
And only God knows why

Only God
Only God
Only God knows why

Only God
Only God
Only God knows why

Only God
Knows
Why
Why
Why
Only God knows why

Take me to the river
Hey
Take me to the river
Yeah


Lonely Road Of Faith - Kid Rock
Link: [On imeem]

Lonely Road Of Faith
Kid Rock
Up and down that
Lonely road of faith
I have been there
Unprepared for the storms
And the tides that rise

I’ve realized one thing
How much I love you
And it hurts to see
To see you cryin’
I believe we can make it through
The winds of change
Change
Change

God is great indeed
If you believe
In the everlife
Yeah we gotta
Make some sense of the pieces
That we’ve found

Oh no
Oh no

And if you just hold on
I won’t let ya fall
I won’t let you fall
No
We can make it through the storms
And the winds of change
Change

Though I walk through the valley of darkness
I am not afraid
‘Cause I know
That I’m not alone

And if the wind blows west
Would you follow me
And if the wind blows south
Would you count me out
And if the wind blows east
Would ya second guess
And if the sun don’t shine
Would you still be mine
And if the sky turns grey
Would you walk away
Would you say I do
If I say I’ll be
And walk this road
Through life with me

Yeah

On this lonely road of faith

On this lonely road of faith

Link: [Kid Rock]

Lyrics From: [elyrics.net]

Monday, April 13, 2009

Come Monday...Marcus Wilder's Israel & Palestine

If you are looking for something short and sweet to read, the latest edition of [Marcus Wilder’s Naïve & Abroad] series is just what you are looking for. For in [Israel & Palestine, Obvious Questions No One Asks], he takes brevity very seriously.

To be honest, I wish he had of went into much greater detail about some subjects. A good example of this is in regards to the question about whether or not Israel is a nuclear power. For the only thing that he said was simply: Yes.

As in regards to the sweet part, I suppose that it all depends upon which side you are on. For the book is clearly pro-Israel.

This is not to say that it is anti-Palestine, however. A good example of this is: Palestinians could have their own sovereign nation within weeks by calling a constitutional convention…writing a governing document…declaring a nation. There is precedent. Every nation in the world would recognize Palestinian sovereignty. Aid and investment would flood in from everywhere, including from Israel. Palestinian prosperity would be assured.

Getting back to the short part, I cannot really blame him for not wanting to add anymore fuel to the fire when dealing with such a controversial topic. For he has been catching enough flack for what he said in his last book about Mexico.

In fact, I was somewhat critical of some of his conclusions in a [follow-up review] of his [Mexico, Painted Mask], and this should tell you something about Israel & Palestine, Obvious Questions No One Asks. For I find nothing about it that should not be quite acceptable to everyone but those dedicated to the absolute destruction of Israel.

Three Crosses by Sandra Mack


Three Crosses
Sandra Mack

Remember sinner if you will
Three crosses standing on a hill
Remember too how selflessly
The Savior payed for you and me
Hanging there on cursed wood
Between two thieves why should it be
That Christ hung there on center tree
The angels looking down could tell
They knew the reason very well
The truth rang out from cherubin host
Now Christians with one voice can boast
The truth that day is truth still
It was the Heavenly Father will


For more poetic gifts from our Heavenly Father given through the delightful Ms. Mack, please go to: [Soul’s Release]

Sunday, April 12, 2009

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Bittersweet Refinements: XV

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.


Chapter XV
Spiritual Warfare


For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. {We are} destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and {we are} taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. [2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NAS]

Simply put, every thought that crosses our minds comes from either ourselves, our Heavenly Father or the devil. For even if a thought is actually of His only begotten Son[1], who truly is the Lord Jesus Christ[2], His Holy Spirit[3] or one of His holy angels[4], it is still of Him[5]. For He and His only begotten Son and His Holy Spirit are One[6] and the same[7], and His holy angels are His servants, who do nothing on their own[8].

Furthermore, the same applies to Satan, who is the devil, and his horde of rogue angels, who are also called devils and demons[9]. For they can do nothing unless they are allowed and enabled to by our Heavenly Father[10].

It is the work of the devil and his demons to convince us that none of that is true—along with many other things, of course. For they are our only true enemies[11].

Needless to say, they have been very successful. For even amongst those who are willing to believe that they do indeed exist and are active in this world, so very, very few are willing to even entertain the possibility that they are actually servants of our Heavenly Father and working to accomplish His purposes[12].

Yes, it is written: Let no one say when he is tempted, " I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. [James 1:13-15 NAS]

It is not our Heavenly Father who is doing the tempting, however. For that is the role of the devil and his demons[13], and our Heavenly Father provides a means of escape so that only those who do not want to be saved will perish[14].

No, this is not to say that our Heavenly Father is in league with Satan. MAY IT NEVER BE[15]!!! For that would suggest a partnership when the absolute truth of the matter truly is that the devil has no choice but to do His bidding[16], and the same also applies to all of his demons[17].

Neither is to say that darkness really does dwell in our Heavenly Father[18]. For the reason why we exist in this world as we naturally do is in order to give Him opportunities to receive a very special kind of love, and the devil and his demons are unwitting participants in His plan[19].

Come on now, how could this not make sense? For is it not true that hardships tend to encourage those who want to believe in a Heavenly Father who is full of love and forgiveness to want to get closer to Him[20]? Therefore, if Satan and his horde of rogue angels really are at liberty to do as they please at this time, doing anything to cause us to want to get closer to God would be the last thing that they would want to do—would it not?

No, there is not a war raging between the forces of good and evil for our souls in the way that it has been so widely taught[21], but this is not to say that we have nothing to fear[22]. For it would not accomplish our Heavenly Father’s purposes to force anyone to spend all of eternity with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven as heirs to all that is His in glory against their will[23], and what breaks His heart is that so very, very, very many would rather believe in what Satan has to say and stay in the darkness of Spiritual ignorance[24] than truly walk in the Light[25] of His absolute Truth[26].

Alas, it is all just a continuation of what was started in the Garden of Eden. For the temptation was to be like God[27], and be in control of their own lives[28].

Therefore, let all who think that they are standing firm take heed before they fall[29]. For pride leads to destruction[30].

{1}John 1:18; {2}Matthew 3:16-17; {3}John 14:15-20; {4}Matthew 1:18-25; {5}John 6:45; {6}Deuteronomy 6:4; {7}Genesis 1:26; {8}Hebrews 1:14; {9}Revelation 12:9; {10}Luke 22:31; {11}Ephesians 6:10-12; {12}1 Timothy 1:18-20; {13}1 Peter 5:8-11; {14}1 Corinthians 10:1-14; {15}Job 34:12-15; {16}Ezekiel 28:18; {17}Job 12:16; {18}James 1:16-17; {19}Genesis 50:20; {20}Psalms 5:1-3; {21}2 Peter 2:1-3; {22}Mark 14:38; {23}John 3:16-21; {24}John 3:19-21; {25}John 8:12; {26}1 John 1:5-2:12; {27}Genesis 3:1-5; {28}James 4:13-17; {29}1 Corinthians 10:12; {30}Proverbs 16:18.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.







Wednesday, April 8, 2009

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Tales of Wonder]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Silhouette
WhiteHeart

I hear the rustle of the fallen leaves
Running through the autumn hills
And my heart is racing faster
Than the wind
I fell the beauty of it all
But still
Sometimes I’m overwhelmed
I seem so small
My breasth is fadin’ in the cold
Now the evenin’ sun is laying on the land
It covers all of me with gold
My shadow’s long and flowing in front of me
I feel like I can touch the world
As far as I can see

Silhouette
Silhouette
Oh I’ve been thinkin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
Now I’m believin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
With my Father shinin’ down on me
I’ll reach farther than my dreams

I stand before the world
On an open stage
Sometimes I feel so lost and small
Now a beam of colored light washes over me
I see my reaching shadow fall
So many times I’m worried over what to say
By if I’m standin’ in His Light
He will shine the way

Silhouette
Silhouette
Oh I’ve been thinkin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
Now I’m believin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
With my Father shinin’ down on me
I’ll reach farther than my dreams

See the image of a man
On a hill three crosses stand
His shadow covers all the land

Oh I’ve been thinkin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
Now I’m believin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
Oh I’ve been thinkin’
Silhouette
Silhouette
Now I’m believin’

Silhouette
Silhouette
I see Love shinin’
Silhouette
Silhouette

Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
See Love shinin’

Link: [WhiteHeart]

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

TWO FOR TUESDAY


Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

***WARNING***
Some may find the lyrics of the songs, and the imagery of the videos, quite disturbing. So, be prepared to close your eyes and ears at any moment, but please keep your heart and mind open.


eminem - stan - eminem
Link: [On imeem]

Stan
Eminem

Stanley
Open the door
I’ve got to go
Stanley
Open the door
Let me in
Stanley
Open the door
Open the door
Let me in

What?

Stanley
What are doin’ to yourself?

What the hell?
You don’t like it?

Stanley?

Like it?

Stanley?

You like it?

Stanley?

Don’t call me that!
Okay
Don’t call me that!

Don’t you think you’re takin’ this too far?

Stanley?

Stanley!

My tea’s gone cold
I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain
Clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could
It’d be all gray
Put your picture on my wall
It reminds me
That it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad

My tea’s gone cold
I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain
Clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could
It’d be all gray
Put your picture on my wall
It reminds me
That it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad

Dear Slim
I wrote
But you still ain’t callin’
I left my cell
My pager
And my home phone
At the bottom
I sent two letters back in autumn
You must not a-got ’em
There probably was a problem
At the post office or somethin’
Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy
When I jot ‘em
But anyways
F#$% it
What’s been up man
How’s your daughter
My girlfriend’s pregnant too
I’m ‘bout to be a father
If I have a daughter
Guess what I’m gonna call her
I’m gonna name her Bonnie
I read about your Uncle Ronnie too
I’m sorry
I had a friend kill himself over some bi#$%
Who didn’t want him
I know you probably hear this everyday
But I’m your biggest fan
I even got the underground sh#$ you did with Skam
I got a room full of your posters
And your pictures man
I like the sh#$ you did with Ruckus too
That sh#$ was phat
Anyways
I hope you get this man
Hit me back
Just to chat
Truly yours
Your biggest fan
This is Stan

My tea’s gone cold
I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain
Clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could
It’d be all gray
Put your picture on my wall
It reminds me
That it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad

Dear Slim
You still ain’t called or wrote
I hope you have a chance
I ain’t mad
I just think it’s f#$%ed up you don’t answer fans
If you didn’t wanna talk to me outside your concert
You didn’t have to
But you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew
That’s my little brother man
He’s only six years old
We waited in the blistering cold for you
Four hours
And you just said no
That’s pretty sh#$ty man
You’re like his f@#$in’ idol
He wants to be just like you man
He likes you more than I do
I ain’t that mad though
I just don’t like being lied to
Remember when we met in Denver
You said if I’d write you
You would write back
See
I’m just like you in a way
I never knew my father neither
He used to always cheat on my mom
And beat her
I can relate to what you’re sayin’ in your songs
So when I have a sh#$ty day
I drift away
And put ‘em on
‘Cause I don’t really got sh#$ else
So that sh#$ helps when I’m depressed
I even got a tattoo with your name across my chest
Sometimes I even cut myself
To see how much it bleeds
It’s like adrenaline
The pain is such a sudden rush for me
See
Everything you say is real
And I respect you ‘cause you tell it
My girlfriend’s jealous
‘Cause I talk about you 24/7
But she don’t know what it was like
For people like us growin’ up
You gotta call me man
I’ll be the biggest fan you’ll ever lose
Sincerely yours
Stan
P.S.
We should be together too

My tea’s gone cold
I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain
Clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could
It’d be all gray
Put your picture on my wall
It reminds me
That it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad

Dear Mister I’m-Too-Good-To-Call-Or-Write-My-Fans
This’ll be the last package I ever send you’re a$$
It’s been six months and still not word
I don’t deserve it
I know you got my last two letter
I wrote the addresses on ‘em perfect
So this is my cassette I’m sendin’ you
I hope you hear it
I’m in the car right now
I’m doin’ 90 on the freeway
Hey Slim
I drank a fifth of vodka
You dare me to drive
You know the song by Phil Collins
In The Air of the Night
About that guy
Who coulda saved that other guy from drownin’
But didn’t
And Phil saw it all
And acted as though he found him
This is kinda how this is
You coulda saved me from drownin’
Now it’s too late
I’m on a 1000 downers now
I’m drousy
And all I wanted was a lousy letter
Or a call
I hope you know
I ripped all of your pictures off the wall
I love you Slim
We coulda been together
Think about it
You ruined it now
I hope you can’t sleep
And you dream about it
And when you dream
I hope you can’t sleep
And you scream about it
I hope your conscience eats at you
And you can’t breathe without me
See Slim

Shut up bi#$%
I’m trying to talk

Hey Slim
That’s my girlfriend screamin’ in the trunk
But I didn’t slit her throat
I just tied her up
See
I ain’t like you
‘Cause if she suffocates
She’ll suffer more
And then she’ll die too
Well
Gotta go
I’m almost at the bridge now
Oh sh#$
I forgot
How am I supposed to send this sh#$ out

My tea’s gone cold
I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain
Clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could
It’d be all gray
Put your picture on my wall
It reminds me
That it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad

Dear Stan
I meant to write you sooner
But I just been busy
You said your girlfriend’s pregnant now
How far along is she
Look
I’m really flattered you would call your daughter that
And here’s an autograph for your brother
I wrote it on the Starter cap
I’m sorry I didn’t see you at the show
I musta missed you
Don’t think I did that sh#$ intentionally
Just to diss you
But what’s this sh#$ you said
About you like to cut your wrists too
I say that sh#$ just clownin’ dog
C’mon
How f#$%ed up is you
You got some issues Stan
I think you need some counseling
To help you’re a$$ from bouncing of the walls
When you get down some
And what this sh#$ about us meant to be together
That kind of sh#$ will make me
Not want us to meet each other
I really think you and your girlfriend need each other
Or maybe you just need to treat her better
I hope you get to read this letter
I just hope it reaches you in time
Before you hurt yourself
I think that you’ll be doin’ just fine
If you relax a little
I’m glad I inspire you
But Stan
Why are you so mad
Try to understand
That I do want you as a fan
I just don’t want you to do some crazy sh#$
I seen this one kid on the news
A couple of weeks ago
That made me sick
Some dude was drunk
And drove his car over a bridge
And had his girlfriend in the trunk
And she was pregnant with his kid
And in the car they found a tape
But they didn’t say who it was to
Come to think about it
His name was
It was you
Damn


White America - Eminem
Link: [On imeem]

White America
Eminem
Ground floor
Mr. Mathers
Welcome to
White America


America
America

Hahahaha

We love you
We love you

How many people are proud to be citizens
Of this beautiful country of ours
The stripes and the star for the rights of men
Who have died for to protect
The women and men who broke their necks
For the freedom of speech
The United States government
Has sworn to uphold
Yo
I want everyone to listen
To the words of this song
Or so we’re told

I neva woulda dreamed
In a million years
I’d see
So many muthaf#$%in' people
Who feel like me
Who share the same views
And the same exact beliefs
It’s like a f@#$in’ army
Marchin’ in back of me
So many lives I touched
So much anger aimed
In no particular direction
Just sprays and sprays
And straight through your radio waves
It plays and plays
‘Til it stays stuck in ya head
For days and days
Who woulda thought
Standin’ in this mirror
Bleachin’ my hair
Wit some peroxide
Reachin’ for
A T-shirt to wear
That I would catapult
To the forefront of rap like this
How could I predict my words
And have an impact like this
I musta struck a chord
Wit somebody up in the office
Cuz congress keeps tellin’ me
I ain’t causin’ nothin’ but problems
And now they sayin’
I’m in trouble wid the government
I’m lovin’ it
I’ve shoveled sh#$ all my life
And now I’m dumpin’ it on

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

Look at these eyes
Baby blue baby
Just like yaself
If they were brown
Shady lose
Shady sits on the shelf
But Shady’s cute
Shady knew
Shady’s dimples would help
Make ladies swoon baby
Ooo baby
Look at myself
Let’s do the math
If I was black
I woulda sold half
I ain’t have to graduate
From Lincoln High School
To know that
But I can rap
So f#$% school
I’m too cool to go back
Gimme the mic
Show me where the f#$%in’ studio’s at
When I was underground
No one gave a f#$% I was white
No labels wanted to sign me
Almost gave up
I was like
F#$% it
Until I met Dre
The only one who looked past
Gave me a chance
And I lit a fire up under his a$$
Helped him get back to the top
Every fan black that I got
Was probably his in exchange
For every white fan
That he’s got
Like damn
We just swapped
Sittin’ back
Lookin’ at this sh#$
Wow
I’m like
My skin
Is it startin’ to work
To my benefit now

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

See the problem is
I speak to suburban kids
Who otherwise woulda never knew
These words exist
Whose moms probably woulda never gave
2 squirts of p#$$
“Til I created so much
Muthaf#$%in’ turbulance
Straight out the tube
Right into ya livin’ rooms I came
And kids flipped
When they knew I was produced by Dre
That’s all it took
And they were instantly hooked right in
And they connected wit me too
Because I looked like them
That’s why they put lyrics up
Under this microscope
Searchin’ wit a fine toothed comb
It’s like this rope
Waitin’ to choke
Tightenin’ around my throat
Watchin’ me while I write this
I don’t like this
No
All I hear is
Lyrics lyrics
Constant controversy
Sponsors workin’ ‘round the clock
To try to stop my concerts early
Surely hip hop is never a problem in Harlem
Only in Boston
After it bothered ya fathers
Of daughters startin’ to blossom
Now I’m catchin’ the flack
From these activists
When they raggin’
Actin’ like I’m the first rapper
To smack a bi#$%
And say fa$$ot
Sh#$
Just look at me
Like I’m ya closest pal
A poster child
The muthaf#$%in’ spokesman now for

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

White America
I could be one of ya kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my sh#$
I go on TRL
Look how many hugs I get

So to the parents of America
I am the derringer aimed at little Erica
To attack her character
The ring leader
Of the circus of worthless pawns
Sent to lead the march right up to
The steps of Congress
And pi$$ on the lawns
Of the White House
To burn the casket
And replace it
With a parental advisory sticker
To spit liquor in the faces of
This democracy of hypocracy
F#$% you
Ms. Cheney
F#$% you
Tipper Gore
F#$% you
With the freeness of speech
This divided states of embarrassment
Will allow me to have
F#$% you

Hahaha
I’m just playin’ America
You know I love you

Link: [Eminem]

Lyrics From: [Sing365.com]

Monday, April 6, 2009

Come Monday...Darfur Slide-Show

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

Be assured that this is a rather bittersweet edition of this series to me. For on the one hand, I am so very impressed with the quality (both visually and audibly) of the following slide-show from [The Voices] was produced by Ettarose, who has become a very dear friend of mine.

On the other hand, however, her [Darfur] Slide-Show has left me with tears streaming down my face every time I have watched it. For it graphically depicts the intense suffering of so very many who have done nothing to deserve such treatment. That is, unless you want to blame them for being physically born into the wrong place at the wrong time, of course.


No, their suffering is not in vain—be assured. For it gives us another opportunity to give our Heavenly Father the full benefit of our doubts.

Nonetheless, be also assured that their suffering gives us another opportunity to have great compassion upon those in desperate need of aid and comfort, and woe be it to all who refuse when they are allowed and enabled to do so. For it is written: "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." [Matthew 25:31-46 NAS]

Sunday, April 5, 2009

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.







Saturday, April 4, 2009

Bittersweet Refinements: XII-XIV

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.


Chapter XII
Revelations


For God [does reveal His will; He] speaks not only once, but more than once, even though men do not regard it [including you, Job]. [One may hear God’s voice] in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while slumbering upon the bed; then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction [terrifying them with warnings] that He may withdraw man from his purpose, and cut off pride from him [disgusting him with his own disappointing self-sufficiency].
From the contents of the last chapter, it would be easy to naturally think that I am attempting to diminish the significance of our Heavenly Father’s Holy Bible. MAY IT NEVER BE!!! For it is a very special gift from Him that should not be ignored[1].

In fact, it would do us all well to become as familiar with our Heavenly Father’s Holy Scriptures as He will allow and enable us to be. For it serves as written confirmation of He wants to personally reveal to each and every one of us, on an indidual basis and without exception[2].

In other words, the more familiar He will allow and enable us to become with what is contained in His Holy Bible, the easier it should become to recognize when our Heavenly Father is speaking to us. A good example of this occurred soon after He started making Himself to real to me while I was reading about Him forbidding Moses from entering into the promised land with the children of Israel because of Moses striking the rock twice, when he had been instructed to only do it once[3], in order to bring forth a flow of water in the wilderness[4].

As I was reading, a great wave of terror overwhelmed me. For I thought that there was surely no hope for me to ever be pleasing in His sight if He could be that harsh with Moses after he had been such a faithful servant for as many years as he had.

Almost immediately after being gripped with terror, another thought entered my mind that it was all part of our Heavenly Father’s plan to place Joshua in charge before they crossed over the Jordan. For He was not angry with Moses, but He did not want the children of Israel to take His commandments lightly[5].

So, He humilated Moses for their benefit[6], and then exalted Joshua for the same reason. For it is written: And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.” [Joshua 3:7 NIV]

Be assured that all of that was confirmed by the Bible verses provided as reference, along with many, many more[7], within just a few days, and the only reason why it took that long is because of how new it all was to me. For I am now aware of being given Bible verses to back up what He is telling me at the very same time as He is doing so when I am having some trouble accepting what He wants me to understand[8].

No, it is not that our Heavenly Father had never spoken to me before that it was all so very new to me back then. For He had been doing so all of the previous 35 and a half years of my life in this world, but since I did not realize it, hearing His voice in 1993 was as new to me as if I had never experienced it before[9].

Oh yes, our Heavenly Father still speaks—just like He has been since the very beginning of this world[10]. For He truly is the same today as He always has been and will be forever and ever[11]. AMEN!!!

The devil and his demons are also allowed to whisper sweet nothings into our ears at times[12], and this is another reason why it would do us all well to become as familiar with our Heavenly Father’s Holy Scriptures as He will allow and enable us to be[13]. For the witness of our Heavenly Father’s Holy Spirit will not contradict what was written for our benefit[14]. Whereas the devil and his demons will twist things out of context[15].

Alas, therein lies the crux of the argument against faith coming from hearing the Bible being preached[16]—does it not? For what does it matter if we memorize every verse in our Heavenly Father’s Holy Bible if we have no idea what they are really saying, and how could we without the witness of His Holy Spirit[17]? After all, are not our Heavenly Father’s ways much, much higher than our own[18]?

Perhaps it would be helpful to look at it in more worldly terms. For to some, love is best expressed by giving their loved ones a good beating on a regular basis, and how can we know sure that this is not what our Heavenly Father considers to be love without Him telling us so directly? For without that, all we would have would be our own opinions—even with His Holy Scriptures to go by[19].

{1}2 Timothy 3:16-17; {2}Romans 15:4; {3}Exodus 17:1-7; {4}Numbers 20:2-12; {5}Deuteronomy 9:6; {6}Numbers 12:3; {7}1 Corinthians 10:1-14; {8}James 1:5-8; {9}Isaiah 65:1-2; {10}James 1:16-19; {11}Hebrews 13:8; {12}1 John 4:1; {13}Acts 17:11; {14}John 16:13-15; {15}John 10:10; {16}Romans 10:17; {17}John 14:26; {18}Isaiah 55:6-9; {19}1 Corinthians 13:4-13.

Chapter XIII
Can You Hear Him Now?


“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” [Revelation 3:22 NAS]

Apart from some radical factions in the Christian community, it is generally assumed that everyone in Christ has been given an ear to hear, but that is about as far as it gets for most. For who wants to admit that they have never heard His voice[1], but if this is indeed true, how can they be so sure that they have not[2]?

No, it will probably not be a booming voice coming out of a storm that you will hear like Job did[3]. Neither will it be like a whisper on the wind, as in the case of Elijah[4]. For it is mostly through our thoughts that our Heavenly Father likes to speak to us[5].

Nonetheless, this is not to deny that our Heavenly Father will sometimes speak to someone in an audible voice that is most definitely coming from outside of themselves[6]. I have experienced this on a number of occasions myself.

The first time I was made aware of hearing our Heavenly Father’s audible voice was when He said, “Introduce Me,” but it has mostly been just calling me by name since. For I have had many doubts about being pleasing in His sight[7].

Furthermore, I have been allowed and enabled to also experience dreams that were vivid enough to be thought of as visions. For it was as if I was actually there[8].

Yes, there is a difference between visions and dreams. For visions are experienced while awake[9], but let us resist the temptation to get technical about things when it really does not really matter either way[10].

No, it should not be assumed that everyone has an ear to hear. For as it is with everything else about our Heavenly Father’s spiritual gifts, it all depends upon what He wants to accomplish in and through someone that determines when, and to what extent, they will be allowed and enabled to hear what He has to say[11].

On the other hand, are there not many references made about having a gut feeling about something? Perhaps you have had one yourself?

How about all that is said about one’s inner voice? Could it be that these are just borrowed lines from some ancient sonnet, or could it be that there really is something to it?

Scientific research has even been conducted upon the phenomenon of certain twins having a special bond between them, and are there not times when someone will have a thought about something at the very same time as another in their midst? Surely there is more than genetics and environmental influences to these things.

No, this is not to suggest that every thought and feeling that we may have is a message from God[12], but it would do us all well to not take too much for granted. For our Heavenly Father is much nearer to us all than what most would dare to even consider[13].

Utter nonsense? Perhaps, but if it is indeed true that we were all created to be His children by faith[14], why would He not want to have a great personal interest in every aspect of our daily lives[15]? After all, is this not what is naturally expected of our earthly parents, and are not our Heavenly Father’s ways much higher than their’s[16]?

No, it is not just in regards to what we would naturally consider as being spiritual matters that our Heavenly Father would seek to guide us. For even such supposedly trivial things as what we are going to eat and what we are going to wear are all part of His plan[17].

Not buying it? Well, consider this: Casting the whole of your care—all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all—on Him; for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully [Ps. 55:22] . [1 Peter 5:7 AMP]

No, you do not have to take “my” word for it. For it is for such a purpose as this that our Heavenly Father’s Holy Scriptures were given[18], but where have all the Bereans gone[19]?

Yes, the points and counter-points about this matter could make for quite a ping-pong match, and to be perfectly honest about it, I would not believe it myself if our Heavenly Father had not of made Himself real to me. For I was raised to believe that all anyone ever needed was a good church where the Bible was preached without compromise[20], but then everything changed[21].

Alas, maybe I have spent too many hours alone. For no one in their right-mind[22] would ever even consider the possibility (let alone actually accept) that it was the Lord God Almighty who was singing to them when songs like Styx’s “Fooling Yourself” would come on the radio during times of great trial and tribulation. The same also applies to many other songs, but on the other hand, it is written: For with God nothing shall be impossible. [Luke 1:37 KJV]

{1}Isaiah 65:1-2; {2}John 5:37-40; {3}Job 38:1; {4}1 Kings 19:12; {5}John 14:16-17; {6}1 Samuel 3:4-10; {7}Exodus 33:17; {8}Genesis 28:10-19; {9}Acts 10:9-16; {10}1 Corinthians 3:3; {11}1 Corinthians 12:7-11; {12}1 John 4:1; {13}Romans 10:8; {14}John 1:12-13; {15}Proverbs 16:33; {16}Isaiah 55:8-9; {17}Matthew 6:25-34; {18}2 Timothy 3:16-17; {19}Acts 17:11; {20}Romans 10:17; {21}2 Corinthians 5:17; {22}1 Corinthians 2:6-16.


MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

FOOLING YOURSELF (THE ANGRY YOUNG MAN)
STYX
THE GRAND ILLUSION ALBUM (1977)

You see the world through your cynical eyes
You're a troubled young man I can tell
You've got it all in the palm of your hand
But your hand's wet with sweat
And your head needs a rest
And you're fooling yourself
If you don't believe it
You're kidding yourself
If you don't believe it
Why must you be such an angry young man
When your future looks quite bright to me
How can there be such a sinister plan
That could hide such a lamb
Such a caring young man
You're fooling yourself
If you don't believe it
You're kidding yourself
If you don't believe it
Get up
Get back on your feet
You're the one they can't beat
And you know it
Come on
Let's see what you've got
Just take your best shot
And don't blow it
You're fooling yourself
If you don't believe it
You're killing yourself
If you don't believe it
Get up
Get back on your feet
You're the one they can't beat
And you know it
Come on
Let's see what you've got
Just take your best shot
And don't blow it

Lyrics From: [Sing365.com]

Chapter XIV
In The Fear Of The Lord


Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
When I talk about our Heavenly Father making Himself real to me, the only thing missing is not being able to actually see Him. For aside from being in almost constant communication with Him in one way or another, which is all part of what it truly means to pray without ceasing[1], there have been times when I have felt Him actually hold me in His arms[2].

In fact, there have been times when His presence has been so intense that I have felt myself starting to shake as if very afraid. Hence, what it means to truly be in the fear of the Lord.

No, that is not what has been widely taught. For being in the fear of the Lord is supposed to be about being literally afraid to do anything to upset Him according to religious traditions.

It makes sense—does it not? For we are talking about the One[3] who can erase all memory of an existence[4] whenever He feels like it[5], but what about what He actually says? For it is written: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. [1 John 4:7-21 NIV]

Yes, the last part of that passage provides clear written confirmation of the absolute truth of the matter truly being that a great, great many really do have good reason to be very afraid if they continue along the path that they are now on[6]. For it is written: Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." [Revelation 21:6-8 NAS]

On the other hand: Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. [1 John 3:18-24 NAS]

The key to it all is truly hiding His Word in our hearts[7], which is to have and to hold the witness of His Holy Spirit[8]. For far too many in the Christian community are living a lie[9], and this grieves our Heavenly Father deeply[10].

{1}1 Thessalonians 5:17; {2}John 14:18; {3}Deuteronomy 6:4; {4}Exodus 17:14; {5}Job 9:12; {6}Ezekiel 18:30-32; {7}Psalms 119:11; {8}John 14:26; {9}Isaiah 29:13; {10}Jeremiah 5:30-31.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Attention All Entrecard Droppers



It has been brought to my attention that I should make it clear that I am not ignoring you, nor shirking my responsibilites, if my icon does not show up in your Drops Inbox sometimes after you have made a drop here. For there are times when the 300 drops per day limit on [Entrecard] prevents me from returning the favor to all the day after. Alas, such is part of the price that must be paid by someone so popular—not to mention breathtakingly handsome, brave, clean and reverent!!!

Let’s not forget about courteous and kind—okay? For it is because of how courteous and kind I am that I always go ahead and visit the sites that have dropped on me the day before even when I cannot drop of them.

Therefore, please do not abandon me in my hour of need. For the only thing I’m not is rich enough. In fact, even poor church mice feel sorry for me.

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.






Thursday, April 2, 2009

Big Daddy Richard's Link Thingy



To say that I am technically-challenged is an understatement. For when it comes to driving traffic to a blog, I only know how to turn on the car and head for a gas station if a red light starts blinking.

Suffice to say, I have no idea how [Big Daddy Richard’s] link thingy is supposed to work, but since I found the name of my blog already on the list, I figured I should be a good sport and play along. So, I stole the following off of the lovely [Ms. Drew’s] site, which is where I first saw it.


Great New Droplist Idea... Join Us

EC Droppers: Copy this list and add yours to the mix, then post it to your blog and we'll create big a list of reciprocating droppers! This will raise our backlinks, page rank and technorati authority as well as making an easy drop list to follow daily.

This great idea was from Big Daddy Richard over at Trader's Hub... he says that when the list gets to be around 400, he'll create a widget for it.

Nice work, Richard!

Start And Copy The List Below
70. One
138. Lisgold
148. Zero
168. Saxon
182. Puzzles
194. Sjeltur

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Top Entrecard Droppers For March, 2009

Have you ever felt like a complete idiot? Well, it is most definitely a new sensation to me. For I have always had complete confidence in the truth being that every decision that I have ever made has always been the right one. (Despite any and all evidence to the contrary.)

Well, it’s different now. For it has been brought to my attention that I should have signed on with [Entrecard] when Ms. Marcueto of [The Fearless Blog] and Ethan of [The Natural State Hawg], [All Arkie Army] and [Straight Shooting Real Estate] tried to convince me that it was a very good thing a year ago (to the best of my recollection). For at least 7, 450 visits have been made here through Entecard in the six weeks or so that I have been with them so far.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I have heard all of the “stuff” about Entrecard just being about “drop and run,” but I have gained several new friends who have taken the time to read posts and leave comments. I would think that it has something to do with the very high quality of the content here, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Oh my, I just realized that I may have experienced another couple of new sensations—grace and humility! Maybe I should be more adventurous?

On second thought, experiencing new things is really not all that it is cracked up to be. So, I’ll have to double the guard against that sort of thing in the future.

Anyway, I have learned that it is also a good thing to post a list of the top droppers each month. Therefore, I will do so without any further ado. Please click on the icon to visit their site.



Positive Men


Tech Blog


Sound of a Soft Breath


Change Your Mindset


The Fearless Blog


Metallman's Reverie


Brick For Jade


Hello Kitty Gifts


Enjoy Work As Leisure


PJ's Prose

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Nothing But The Best: Radio Classics]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

My Eyes Have Seen
WhiteHeart
My eyes have seen

My eyes have seen

My eyes have seen the glory
My eyes have seen the Truth
The bright salvation story
God of Israel
I have seen You

I stood on a mountain top
With the heavens all around me
And I’ve stood on the ocean shore
Felt the power of the thundering sea
But I’ve seen no greater sight
Than the beauty and the Light
The power and the might of You

My eyes have seen the glory
My eyes have seen the Truth
The bright salvation story
God of Israel
I have seen You

I’m still moved by the power and might
The wonder of this world around me
But nothing can touch my heart
Like love in all its majesty
And I’ve called upon that power
You were there in my needy hour
I’ve felt the mercy shower of You

My eyes have seen the glory
My eyes have seen the Truth
The bright salvation story
God of Israel
The chosen One
I have seen You

Through the window of my eyes
I have see You
Unveiled
Undisguised
I have seen You
Now I’m pushing for the prize

My eyes have seen
Open my eyes

Oh
I’ve seen
Yeah

Jesus the Light of Glory
Jesus the Star of Truth
The bright salvation story
God of Israel

I have seen the glory
Jesus the Star of Truth
The bright salvation story
God of Israel

Shine the Light
Shine the Light of Glory
Shine the Light
Shine

Shine the Light
Shine the Light of Glory
Shine the Light
Oh shine it

Link: [WhiteHeart]