I haven't posted here in a while because I wanted all visitors to see my post about my school's grant campaign and vote. However, we were not among the top ten vote-getters. So that campaign is done...and these posts return.
I have also decided to leave facebook for an indefinite period of time. I used to post links to this site on my wall, but that was all I was really using it for. This makes the communication process better for me by not replying to comments in two places and better address what I feel is my target audience: you.
Not all of my friends appreciate my faith. They have been told about the Good News from me and countless others, but reject it. These posts have never been intended to convert as much as to encourage. They were not to encourage those I already know (and already encourage in other ways), but to encourage those that I felt God was telling me were out there and needed to hear what I felt he was telling me write.
On that day the Lord called on you to weep and mourn, to shave your head and put on sackcloth. But you feast and celebrate. You eat meat and drink wine: "Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" This reaches the ears of the Lord - You shall not be pardoned this wickedness till you die, says the Lord.
-Isaiah 22:12-14
One of my good friends, who does appreciate my enthusiasm for my faith, told me I go deeper with my reflections. The problem with that for me is that I see things as simply as I put them. I don't have any deeper to go. My faith is accurately reflected in my actions.
Deep debates surround a lot issues between Catholics and Protestants like whether Mary was the mother of God or the mother of Jesus. Catholics prefer the mother of God, while Protestants prefer the mother of Jesus. Either way, it doesn't change how I live my life.
I believe you should do what God tells you to do. If he tells you it is time to mourn, you should mourn and not party. I realize parts of scripture use figurative language and are not to be taken literally, but other parts are to be taken literally. The Church fathers and Biblical scholars can provide more thorough reasoning for why it should be interpretted one way or another, but my reflections, as simple as they may be, don't contradict what they have to say, but provide a bridge for those unfamiliar with such sources.
I wish I could be all things to all people like Paul, but that's not my role to play. Others have deeper insights that are necessary for their faith journey and others' journeys as well. There may come a time as I mature in my faith that those deeper insights will be able to fill a void that I don't even realize I have in myself right now. In the meantime, I feel I have been given a gift of putting things simply and bridging the gap from where some are to the next step they are to take.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Refresh Everything
"Woe to the complacent, to the overconfident, those favored from the first!"
-Amos 6:1
When I go over the Biblical readings for the day, it's hard to say whether what I read makes me think of something that relates to my life or whether what's going on in my life makes something I read jump out at me. My intent is to read with an open mind, but I have a feeling that some of my posts stretch to find an reflection that best fits what I want to say versus being open to what God wants me to write. This is where complacency and overconfidence come into play.
After drumming up as much support for a book on faith last week, now I am drumming up as much support for a Pepsi Refresh Everything grant for my students that is voted on by the public this month. The book, which had been posted since March, tripled its audience in one week from over 200 to over 600. My students will need more than those 600 votes to secure the grant, so no one is being complacent or overconfident about promoting our cause: http://www.refresheverything.com/oblock.
So, in this case, even though I naturally want to promote the cause, I don't feel it's at the cost of denying what God wants me to say. I often pray that my will be united to his because I want to want what he wants. Of course, I have to be vigilant in discerning whether each of my desires is one from God or from my own human ambition. In this case, I feel like praying for the success of my students' cause is like praying to win a football game. It's okay to pray for success, but we won't be upset if another worthy opponent is successful over us. We even partnered with four other organizations (http://www.refresheverything.com/mobilelearninglab,
http://www.refresheverything.com/sandyrollman,
http://www.refresheverything.com/middlecreekareacommunitycenter, and
http://www.refresheverything.com/roboticslearningcenter#)since individuals get 5 votes a day, but only 1 vote per idea a day. Hopefully, we'll all win, but doing your best will always make you better down the road whether you win this particular battle or not.
-Amos 6:1
When I go over the Biblical readings for the day, it's hard to say whether what I read makes me think of something that relates to my life or whether what's going on in my life makes something I read jump out at me. My intent is to read with an open mind, but I have a feeling that some of my posts stretch to find an reflection that best fits what I want to say versus being open to what God wants me to write. This is where complacency and overconfidence come into play.
After drumming up as much support for a book on faith last week, now I am drumming up as much support for a Pepsi Refresh Everything grant for my students that is voted on by the public this month. The book, which had been posted since March, tripled its audience in one week from over 200 to over 600. My students will need more than those 600 votes to secure the grant, so no one is being complacent or overconfident about promoting our cause: http://www.refresheverything.com/oblock.
So, in this case, even though I naturally want to promote the cause, I don't feel it's at the cost of denying what God wants me to say. I often pray that my will be united to his because I want to want what he wants. Of course, I have to be vigilant in discerning whether each of my desires is one from God or from my own human ambition. In this case, I feel like praying for the success of my students' cause is like praying to win a football game. It's okay to pray for success, but we won't be upset if another worthy opponent is successful over us. We even partnered with four other organizations (http://www.refresheverything.com/mobilelearninglab,
http://www.refresheverything.com/sandyrollman,
http://www.refresheverything.com/middlecreekareacommunitycenter, and
http://www.refresheverything.com/roboticslearningcenter#)since individuals get 5 votes a day, but only 1 vote per idea a day. Hopefully, we'll all win, but doing your best will always make you better down the road whether you win this particular battle or not.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Blame
"Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; each one shall die for his own sin."
-2 Kings 14:6
You only have yourself to blame may be one of the tough-love lessons to take away from this verse. Too many children (and adults) blame their parents for everything. Parents are certainly influential. So if a parent is one who leaves the mother with the kid, there will be an effect on the kid. If the mother gets involved with another man, who fathers another child, and then also leaves, there will be an effect on the children. If that mother leaves the kids with the grandmother, only to come back into their lives periodically, raising their hopes, staying long enough to undermine the grandmother's authority, and leaves again, the children will have a lot to deal with. All of this may explain why the child is the way he is, but the real world isn't going to excuse him for being a jerk because of it. He needs help to overcome the obstacles that have been put in his way and avoid the path of his parents. There's no glory in being a failure and being able to blame your parents for it. It would be much better to become a success and be able to take credit for it (or give the credit to God).
Tonight marks the end of my summer. I return to school tomorrow to get ready for my junior high students on Wednesday. We were able to get kid number one through successfully last year. His brother starts the junior high this year. Hopefully, my prayers and others' will continue pay off for him and his family.
-2 Kings 14:6
You only have yourself to blame may be one of the tough-love lessons to take away from this verse. Too many children (and adults) blame their parents for everything. Parents are certainly influential. So if a parent is one who leaves the mother with the kid, there will be an effect on the kid. If the mother gets involved with another man, who fathers another child, and then also leaves, there will be an effect on the children. If that mother leaves the kids with the grandmother, only to come back into their lives periodically, raising their hopes, staying long enough to undermine the grandmother's authority, and leaves again, the children will have a lot to deal with. All of this may explain why the child is the way he is, but the real world isn't going to excuse him for being a jerk because of it. He needs help to overcome the obstacles that have been put in his way and avoid the path of his parents. There's no glory in being a failure and being able to blame your parents for it. It would be much better to become a success and be able to take credit for it (or give the credit to God).
Tonight marks the end of my summer. I return to school tomorrow to get ready for my junior high students on Wednesday. We were able to get kid number one through successfully last year. His brother starts the junior high this year. Hopefully, my prayers and others' will continue pay off for him and his family.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Right Pride
"Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power."
-Ephesians 6:10
The last time I went to Confession and the priest helped me make a better examination of conscience, one of his questions to me after I shared the sins I could recall was whether I had a problem with pride. Some of the other questions he posed I answered with a simple, "No." But with this question, I added, "No, but I make a conscious effort to keep that in check because I am good at a lot of things, but I know all good things come from God, so my confidence lies in Him."
The priest responded with, "Praise God."
The fine line between sinful pride and healthy confidence doesn't lie so much in the amount of self-esteem a person has, but where that self-esteem comes from. If you think you can do anything because you're all that and then some, you're wrong (sinful pride). If your faith tells you that you can do anything because all things are possible with God, you're right (healthy confidence). God will help you do anything to accomplish his plans. If your plans are different than his, like if you want to play for the Celtics in Boston instead of teaching 7th grade math, you probably won't get to take the easy road and play for the Celtics, but he'll give you an even more amazing experience in a small classroom in the Plum suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Of course, a lot of you are anxious to read my book when it comes out, but the road to publication could take three or more years for one like this. We are trying to drum up as much buzz about it this month as we can by getting as many reads at http://www.scribd.com/doc/50323329/Chapter-14-Praying-for-the-Dead by the end of this month. So you can go there now and I hope to see you back here again. God bless you.
-Ephesians 6:10
The last time I went to Confession and the priest helped me make a better examination of conscience, one of his questions to me after I shared the sins I could recall was whether I had a problem with pride. Some of the other questions he posed I answered with a simple, "No." But with this question, I added, "No, but I make a conscious effort to keep that in check because I am good at a lot of things, but I know all good things come from God, so my confidence lies in Him."
The priest responded with, "Praise God."
The fine line between sinful pride and healthy confidence doesn't lie so much in the amount of self-esteem a person has, but where that self-esteem comes from. If you think you can do anything because you're all that and then some, you're wrong (sinful pride). If your faith tells you that you can do anything because all things are possible with God, you're right (healthy confidence). God will help you do anything to accomplish his plans. If your plans are different than his, like if you want to play for the Celtics in Boston instead of teaching 7th grade math, you probably won't get to take the easy road and play for the Celtics, but he'll give you an even more amazing experience in a small classroom in the Plum suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Of course, a lot of you are anxious to read my book when it comes out, but the road to publication could take three or more years for one like this. We are trying to drum up as much buzz about it this month as we can by getting as many reads at http://www.scribd.com/doc/50323329/Chapter-14-Praying-for-the-Dead by the end of this month. So you can go there now and I hope to see you back here again. God bless you.
Monday, August 22, 2011
College Peer Pressure
"So do not be associated with them."
-Ephesians 5:7
With a number of my former students heading off to college for the first time this month, this quote caught my attention. I don't know how many of them are considered followers of this blog, so hopefully they don't need to be told this, but a lot of smart kids do dumb things in college trying to fit in with kids dumber than they are because of peer pressure. Now I like to belong, maybe not as much as the next guy, but at some level I like to fit in with those around me. However, I've been fortunate to go to school and work in places with like-minded individuals and didn't have to try to fit in with those whose short-term priorities didn't mesh with my long-term priorities. Before leaving my high school summer job as a janitor, my boss's advice to us was don't be afraid to be a nerd in college. I told him that shouldn't be a problem. I found a few other "nerds" freshmen year, who were with me all four years as we saw the others disappear after first semester or freshmen year. Even today, I tend to associate with like-minded people who "pressure" me to be my best and let the others do their own thing if they don't want to join us. So whether you are starting college or somewhere else on your journey, I hope those you call friends are making you better.
-Ephesians 5:7
With a number of my former students heading off to college for the first time this month, this quote caught my attention. I don't know how many of them are considered followers of this blog, so hopefully they don't need to be told this, but a lot of smart kids do dumb things in college trying to fit in with kids dumber than they are because of peer pressure. Now I like to belong, maybe not as much as the next guy, but at some level I like to fit in with those around me. However, I've been fortunate to go to school and work in places with like-minded individuals and didn't have to try to fit in with those whose short-term priorities didn't mesh with my long-term priorities. Before leaving my high school summer job as a janitor, my boss's advice to us was don't be afraid to be a nerd in college. I told him that shouldn't be a problem. I found a few other "nerds" freshmen year, who were with me all four years as we saw the others disappear after first semester or freshmen year. Even today, I tend to associate with like-minded people who "pressure" me to be my best and let the others do their own thing if they don't want to join us. So whether you are starting college or somewhere else on your journey, I hope those you call friends are making you better.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Joel Osteen
"And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming."
-Ephesian 4:11-14
We all have a role to play in a plan as big as God's. We can't do everything ourselves. We need eachother and we need him. Otherwise, we may be mislead by half-truths.
The prosperity gospel preached by evangelists like Joel Osteen, who is coming to my town next month, is the truth, but it is incomplete. God does want to meet our needs, but he defines those needs differently than some of us do. I can't say I listen to Joel Osteen often because I read his book on a recommendation from a friend and it frustrated me more than any other book I can recall. The parts that stick out in my mind most is when God wanted him to have a bigger house and when he was embarrassed about not dressing up better to go to the grocery store and was seen by some of his followers. Physically, God wants everyone to have appropriate shelter and clothing, but once we use the money God has given us to meet our needs, perhaps we should use his money to meet others' needs and not meet our wants, even though our wants may not be bad in and of themselves. Which is the better good: buying fancier clothes for yourself or donating the money saved to charity to clothe others? I believe I should donate to charity to meet others' physical needs and help meet my spiritual needs, which are more valuable than the physical needs emphasized in the prosperity gospel.
The prosperity gospel seeks happiness. The gospel seeks joy. The temproal things of this world can bring temporal happiness, but they remain dependent on circumstances. True joy goes deeper than circumstance because it comes from God, deep within, which circumstances can't take away from you. No matter what situation you find yourself in, if you accept that Jesus died for your sins and you are saved, it's hard to be down over something so little as whatever earthly situation you find yourself in.
-Ephesian 4:11-14
We all have a role to play in a plan as big as God's. We can't do everything ourselves. We need eachother and we need him. Otherwise, we may be mislead by half-truths.
The prosperity gospel preached by evangelists like Joel Osteen, who is coming to my town next month, is the truth, but it is incomplete. God does want to meet our needs, but he defines those needs differently than some of us do. I can't say I listen to Joel Osteen often because I read his book on a recommendation from a friend and it frustrated me more than any other book I can recall. The parts that stick out in my mind most is when God wanted him to have a bigger house and when he was embarrassed about not dressing up better to go to the grocery store and was seen by some of his followers. Physically, God wants everyone to have appropriate shelter and clothing, but once we use the money God has given us to meet our needs, perhaps we should use his money to meet others' needs and not meet our wants, even though our wants may not be bad in and of themselves. Which is the better good: buying fancier clothes for yourself or donating the money saved to charity to clothe others? I believe I should donate to charity to meet others' physical needs and help meet my spiritual needs, which are more valuable than the physical needs emphasized in the prosperity gospel.
The prosperity gospel seeks happiness. The gospel seeks joy. The temproal things of this world can bring temporal happiness, but they remain dependent on circumstances. True joy goes deeper than circumstance because it comes from God, deep within, which circumstances can't take away from you. No matter what situation you find yourself in, if you accept that Jesus died for your sins and you are saved, it's hard to be down over something so little as whatever earthly situation you find yourself in.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Garage Sale Theology
"I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
-Ephesians 3:14-19
First of all, I wonder how many five verse sentences are in the Bible. But more importantly, I thought it was interesting that every family on earth is named after the Father. As such, we should make him proud in everything we do, public or private. When reading about online behavior, the article's advice was if you wouldn't want your grandparents to see your profile, make it private. Perhaps better advice would be to not do it at all if you don't want your grandparents to know. Although we may not think of it at the time, God knows everything, even if you never get caught (and you're going to get caught eventually anyway), so if it God would be upset by it, don't do it.
This could come into play today at our neighborhood garage sell. Most people put out some things that aren't good enough for them anymore. If it's not good enough for you, why would it be good enough for someone else. One example was one of those blinds that go in a car window to keep the sun out of a baby's eyes. The police told us those are dangerous in an accident, so we thought about selling it, but if we're getting rid of it because it's not safe enough for our kids, why would we want another family to have it (let alone pay to have it) just because they didn't know it wasn't safe like we did when we bought it. Another example was a pillow that we ended up with that had a saying that we didn't agree with and didn't want in our house. Again if we don't want it in our house, why would we want it in someone else's house? Of course, people that wanted such things could get them elsewhere, but at least we're not enabling them to do so. That makes God a little happier.
-Ephesians 3:14-19
First of all, I wonder how many five verse sentences are in the Bible. But more importantly, I thought it was interesting that every family on earth is named after the Father. As such, we should make him proud in everything we do, public or private. When reading about online behavior, the article's advice was if you wouldn't want your grandparents to see your profile, make it private. Perhaps better advice would be to not do it at all if you don't want your grandparents to know. Although we may not think of it at the time, God knows everything, even if you never get caught (and you're going to get caught eventually anyway), so if it God would be upset by it, don't do it.
This could come into play today at our neighborhood garage sell. Most people put out some things that aren't good enough for them anymore. If it's not good enough for you, why would it be good enough for someone else. One example was one of those blinds that go in a car window to keep the sun out of a baby's eyes. The police told us those are dangerous in an accident, so we thought about selling it, but if we're getting rid of it because it's not safe enough for our kids, why would we want another family to have it (let alone pay to have it) just because they didn't know it wasn't safe like we did when we bought it. Another example was a pillow that we ended up with that had a saying that we didn't agree with and didn't want in our house. Again if we don't want it in our house, why would we want it in someone else's house? Of course, people that wanted such things could get them elsewhere, but at least we're not enabling them to do so. That makes God a little happier.
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