Tagged
Was I really that good-looking? And what exactly is Abby wearing? 
Ok, here we go. My first tagging! Being "it" really has a mix of emotions. On the one hand, you're glad to be the center of attention. On the other hand, everyone's running away from you.
10 years ago...I was 15, living in Livermore, and sadly I was a wanna-be gangster and death rocker all rolled into one. I listened to hardcore rappers like C-Bo, smoked weed, dropped acid, cut school. We would drive around with my friend's dad listening to Pantera and hotboxing the car. I do not miss the lifestyle at all, but I do miss the people, you know? Why can't they just go the way you're going all the time? By the way, these were my Pre-Christian days. A collective "whew" emits from the audience.
5 years ago...My wedding was only about three months away. I was working construction in the summertime in Berkeley, and I commuted every weekend to Sebastopol (about an hour and a half away) so we could arrange our wedding. I was working out everyday, man I wish you could see me. I was buffed. On the weekend "Nancy's Fancies", a sort of party/gathering store, became our favorite hangout. We mowed the grass, moved out about forty old tires from the yard (I exaggerate not), poured cement, built fences, all for the reception that was going to take place at Alison's house.
1 year ago...We had just come back home to Sebastopol after 9 months at the Berean School of the Bible in McMinnville, Oregon. That was life-changing. I had just gotten hired as a cell phone salesman for Sprint, whose thievery of seven months of my life I will never forget. "Free phone? Free phone?" Abby was so fun at this age. We lived with my brother-in-law and his wife, and had goats. Yes, goats. Their main reason for existence was to get rid of the briars, but as a side attraction we would let Abby ride them. She particularly liked that.
Yesterday...I went to work at Grass Roots Software, and answered tech calls throughout the day. We have the best base of customers because we make church presentation software. They are not the most technologically savvy people, but for graciousness and patience you can't get any better. Went home around four-thirty and had to spank Abby first thing because she had been a bad girl all day. That's never fun, coming home to see your family and having to dole out discipline. Ah, such is the responsible parent's life, no?
Today...Having a rousing good time posting on my blog. There's some hot stuff down below, yeouch!!
5 snacks I enjoy: Strawberries, Goldfish, granola bars (with chocolate, mmm...), ritz crackers, popcorn
5 songs I know all the words to: Besides praise songs? Hmm...High Enough, by Damn Yankees; Everything I do, I do it for you, by Bryan Adams; Only in Dreams, by Weezer; Signs, by Tesla; Today, by Smashing Pumpkins
5 reality television shows I watch: American Idol (Bo Bice rocks!!!!!!!!!!!); that's it.
5 television shows I watch daily: Man, would I have any time if I watched 5 tv shows a day? We don't have cable, but if we did, I would watch Seinfield, Monk, Simpsons, that's probably it.
5 things I would do with 100 million:
1. Probably finish building the Missionary Training Center in Rameswaram, India (ohhh, I'm soooooo righteous). No, really, it will change and is already changing the entire country of India.
2. Buy a house, scott free.
3. Buy Abby a pony.
4. Buy everybody at my work a vacation. They work really hard, and they deserve it.
5. Buy advertising for my blog so everyone on the planet knows about it.
5 locations I would love to run away to...Nebraska, Hawaii, anywhere in Mexico, anywhere except Canada (come on, they have their milk in plastic bags!)
5 things I like doing...Hanging out with my wife and daughter, blogging, reading a deep juicy theological treatise, playing online poker (shame on me!), playing guitar
5 things I would never wear...Anything that belongs to a female, spandex, marilyn manson t-shirts, black socks (not even at a funeral), pocket protector
5 recently seen movies I like...Ocean's 12 (three words: the laser scene), Return of the King extended edition (over 4 hours baby), The Village, that's it
5 famous people I'd like to meet: Billy Graham, Ravi Zacharias, Michael Moore (so I can punch him), Carrottop (hey, he's coming back), Stephen King
5 biggest joys of the moment....anticipating the birth of my next baby, getting home from work, getting an email that someone has responded to my blog, looking forward to going home for the 4th, seeing my wife
5 people to tag....*sad face* I'm the last. There's no one left. I couldn't save them. Look at these hands. They look like big strong hands. But I couldn't hold on...
Whew, that was a lot.
Yosemite
Yosemite Falls
Now for something completely different...
We went to Yosemite this weekend, just for a day. We tried to put our name on a waiting list to get a campsite but what are the odds of that? Have you ever heard of Yosemite not being booked? Needless to say, Yosemite is breathtakingly awesome. Some observations:
1. My wife, eight months pregnant, made it all the way up to the top of Vernal (Bernal?) Falls. It was 1.5 miles, and yes, it was straight uphill. How is that for awesome? Man, I was having a hard time getting up there. What a woman!!
2. I love the fact that everyone on earth recognizes the beauty inherent in a place like Yosemite. The relativist would have you believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and yes, in some cases that is true. But everyone is awed to silence by the roar of a nearby waterfall. I overheard at least five different languages, and saw many different state license plates. The fact that everyone comes to Yosemite is a slap in the face for those who don't believe in truth or objective existence. Or maybe I'm being too analytical.
3. When we got to the top of Vernal (Bernal?) Falls, there was a man up at the top who had had a heart attack. He seemed okay, as they were talking to him, but I was struck once more by our frailness, our mortality. "Why do you plan to live long when you are not sure of living even a day?" I know, I know, sheesh Simon, lighten up. But we truly do not know if today is going to be our last day on earth. Therefore, we should live like it is. Would we be ashamed of our actions, our thoughts, if this was to be the last day that we had? Would we want to hide ourselves from Jesus' penetrating glare or would we welcome his gaze as one who is not afraid?
4. I am out of shape! As I was carrying Abby down the hill in the baby backpack (thanks Levi and Susanne) I really felt that my legs would go out on me and I would roll down the hill. In fact, I was looking forward to it. Walking downhill is so much harder than walking uphill! Or which do you prefer?
That was my day in Yosemite.
And you shall know the truth...
...And the truth shall set you free. I came to the point once in my Christian life where I had to ask myself, why am I a Christian? Being a Christian, you see, is not very easy. Constant surrender is not easy. I fall a lot, and struggle a lot, with doubts and sins and not completely trusting the Lord. When we walk uprightly we often face persecution, and anger, and mockery, or indifference, which is often more hard to receive then outright hostility. So why had I chosen this path that often seemed more difficult than that of the world's?
Was it that I wanted to believe in something greater than myself? "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' " Acts 17:26-28 The Bible speaks of our explicit knowledge of God, that is, deep inside all of us there is a "God-shaped hole", as Pascal put it. But was that it?
Was it fear of death that led me to becoming a Christian? "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14-15 Fear of death is something that the Bible speaks of, something we were released from by Christ's sacrifice. But was that all?
No, the reason I am a Christian is because I believe it is the truth. Jesus' statement above is indicative of that belief: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Think of the power that is given to truth in Jesus' words. The truth has the power to break bonds, to set free. In the Bible we are encouraged again and again to seek the truth. Proverbs 23:23 says "Buy the truth, and do not sell it." Truth has a redemptive quality: "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:24-26
This is a very important thing to digest. If you believe in Jesus because your parents did, or because you get the warm fuzzies when you worship, or because you are afraid of death you will be surprised at how much your faith will be open to doubt. Grapple with the Bible. Expose its "contradictions." Wrestle with the difficulties that the Christian faith brings up (is one way the only way, are we judgmental, what about the devout Buddhists, is hell really eternal). Now, if you study these things, you might come up with a completely different answer than what might be considered "orthodox." I have in my studies. I have a different view of hell, and of the narrowness of salvation, than most "fundamentalists" do. But I only change my views through much study and prayer, and remain open to have my views changed again if they are legitimately challenged. I follow the truth.
One thing I've always asked myself is "if I could prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christianity wasn't true, would I still believe it?" The answer has been a catch-22 for many people. Let's try an easier one. If I could prove that evolution was true, would I still believe in Jesus? To which I say, of course. If evolution is true and the Bible is true there must be some way that we can reconcile the two. And that is what the "theistic evolutionists" have done. If evolution is true, I have no problem relegating the Genesis account to a mythological, symbolic status. If evolution is true, Christ still died on the cross for me. Of course, evolution has not been convincingly argued, so I can keep my views the way they are for now.
So...be a people of the Book because you are people of the truth. Be a people of Jesus because you are people of the truth. And do not be scared to change your mind if truth rears its ugly head against one of your coveted beliefs. God honors those who honor truth.
Looking to Heaven
Billy Graham is gearing up to have his final crusade this weekend, in the place where almost fifty years ago he launched his first crusade: New York. Without Billy Graham, I think that we Christians would be in an entirely different cultural place. Simply put, he gave a kind face to American evangelicalism. In a time where traveling evangelists sucked money out of old widows, in a time where evolution was battering down the walls of our classrooms and driving religion out, in a time where the Bible was largely dismissed as "pre-scientific" mythology, in a time where evangelical were looked upon with scorn, he came upon the scene and presented a true Christian spirit. Billy Graham does not pull punches. He's not softened up the gospel in any way. Those who have heard him, who have truly open hearts, cannot help but be touched by the way he speaks and what he is saying. His message is simple: Jesus died for you, a sinner, so that you might be saved. People have tripped themselves up on that message for thousands of years. But that's expected. What Billy Graham allowed people to do was to wrestle with the message itself and not the messenger. He has not been caught in scandal. He has not sought the limelight. He is respected by all people, liberal or conservative, and served as a spiritual advisor to countless presidents, Nixon, Reagan, etc... even though his message remains as Christian and conservative as it could be. How could that be? How could people with such divergent viewpoints still respect a man who they entirely disagree with? He is not a hypocrite. He does not say one thing and do another. He walks the walk that he talks. And for that he is a great man, a great Christian. But isn't that what we're all to do? Suppose we were all like Billy Graham, and spent our lives a little differently than the world does. It doesn't mean that we have to all be evangelists, because we are not all gifted in that area, but if one looks at our life would they see any difference between how we live and the world lives? Well, we go to church on Sunday instead of sleeping in. But besides that. Take a look at your life. What is the difference?
Movies on Friday night. Television. Buying houses, new cars, stuff. Going to the doctor when you are sick instead of praying about it first. Health insurance. Public school. Birth control. Divorce. Gossip. Lust. Lying. Laziness. Seeking entertainment before the things of God. In what respect is our life different than that of the world's? Billy Graham is respected the same way the early church was respected. They lived different, continuing steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, devoting themselves to prayer, giving all the extra that they had to benefit the poor saints. And the Bible says that they had favor with all men. Why? Because they lived what they believed. Just as Billy Graham has done all these years. We, however, do not live consistent with what we believe. I will be the first to admit it in my life. And you know why? Because living like the world satisfies my flesh. Because it's hard to be a Christian, and easier to go with the flow.
I admonish you, and myself, to stop this dead madness. We are to be different!!!!!!!!!!
Another thing about Billy Graham: I can't for the life of me remember what denomination he is a part of. He never spoke of it, and from what he spoke you could never deduce it. Instead of denouncing those things which are not that important, he would meditate again and again on the cross. This is where a debate like evolution vs. creation, for all its importance, fades into nothingness. Where whether you should pour or sprinkle does not exist. A wise teacher once said, "All you can take with you is love and the things done in love." The more I live my Christian life, the more I have come to believe that that is the beginning and the end of our Christian lives. Charity. That's it. We either live in love, walk in love, or we do not. Billy Graham epitomized that simple life of faith and charity by doing what God had called him to do, with love and passion, and for that reason when he finally goes to Jesus he will hear those words that we all would do well to covet and seek after, "well done, thou good and faithful servant."
Gamble Ramble
When the fun stops........
So:
This weekend, a few other people (we'll call them Dick, Jane and Sally) and I went to Reno for a night away. Unfortunately, many of us were too sick to enjoy ourselves, with one of our little ones throwing up in the car on the way up, and a few others having not so normal bowel action. But we pressed on. And yes, we gambled. For many Christians, gambling is synonymous with the other evils that are found in this world: drunkenness, violence, drugs, etc...and they imagine that if Paul were writing today, he would include it in his famous laundry list of sins that would exclude one from the kingdom of God (e.g. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). I am here to take issue with that mindset. Keep in mind I do not fault those who say that gambling is a sin, and I definitely think if you have a problem with addiction that you should call the number above (jk, actually you need to ask Jesus to release you from your bondage). However, those who call gambling a sin are creating a line in the sand that doesn't really exist. This is a human tendency, utterly forgivable, but ultimately wrong. Like the pharisees, we long to cut lines in the sand and create boundaries that others cannot cross. Like the pharisees, we live in the world of make believe "thou shalt nots" and not the biblical world of "all things are lawful, but not all things edify." My position on gambling has always been this: gambling is a form of entertainment, just like other forms of entertainment. Some people find entertainment in going to Great America, or whitewater rafting, or shooting guns at a range, or watching movies in the theaters. My question always has been, what separates gambling from these other activities? Is it improper stewardship of your money? I would say the contrary. If you go to Great America and blow $100 then, baby, it's gone. If you go to Reno and blow $100, then it's gone as well--but what if I win $100? Is that improper stewardship? Would you say gambling is supporting sin by pumping money into the casinos? That's a rounded argument. If gambling isn't a sin, and the money you lost to the casino goes to gambling, then it's still not a sin. If gambling is a sin, then we've gained nothing by the above argument. It won't prove or disprove anything. Is it because of its addictive qualities? I've met a lot more people addicted to movies than to gambling. Of course, because everyone loves movies, no one would ever denounce them as a sin. I'll ask you this: is it more of a sin to roll some dice with five bucks at stake than to watch adultery, murders, innocent people getting slaughtered, swearing, sex out of marriage? I'll let you guys answer that one; I think you're smart enough. Not that I'm banning the watching of movies or TV, oh no. See, I'm not a banning kind of guy. But if you wanted to ban gambling then you would definitely have to answer for your watching habits.Of course, I want to know what you guys think. Is it a sin to gamble? Is it unwise? Why? If it is a sin, where do we draw the line? Can we have a friendly game of poker with our friends? Can we have a game of poker in Reno? Online? I would like to clear up that I am not promoting gambling in any way. If you think it's wrong, that is awesome. I agree with you that it's probably not the best way to spend your time. Neither is watching dirty movies, however. I agree with you if you think that there is something better I could do with my time. Ditto with movies. Some men esteem all days alike, some hold one day higher than the other. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. The floor is yours.
Popular People
From A/V Geeks Educational Film Archive; "The Popularity Parade"; from the Focus on Filmstrips series, published A Guidance Release, produced by Popular Science Audio-Visuals, Inc.
It's tough being popular. Serious. Now that I am an infamous blogger, I have captured the hearts and minds of millions, er...thousands...well, maybe hundreds? Okay, scores of people. Ladies and gentlemen, our web popularity is astounding. To see just how popular we as bloggers truly were, I undertook to perform a google search of a few people, as well as myself, and here's what I came up with.
Levi Nunnink: The first thing that came up in Google was an amazon review of the Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons. Levi, I mean this in the most admirable way possible, but...you dork! Here's just a piece of Levi's "poetic" review: "He deticates pages of wordy prose to charachters doing nothing. Arragh." I'm sorry, Levi, this is just really funny.
Second for Levi Nunnink was his now infamous article in the Union about blogging. And yes, who could forget: "It's a good way to focus and learn about the writing process." Point Nunnink!!
Unforunately, we don't run into your blog until page two. Dude?! By the way, Google only found 92 results for Levi Nunnink.
Sadie Hartmann: Of course, your name popped up first for the Union article. Congrats to you Sadie, your blog came up sixth out of 10,600. What are the odds? Sweet!
Simon Kerbel: I am so proud that out of 8,570 entries my blog came up second. Yes! But something turned my joy to consternation. The first entry was, well yes it was me, but what the heck was it from? It was from a math problem I did in the tenth grade at my high school!!!!!!!
From: Simon Kerbel Grade: 10 School: Granada High School
Steve's house is 0.7 miles from the epicenter, and he is 5.049 miles from where the actual earthquake took place. I used the Pythagorean Theorem to solve this problem.
Weird! Well, that's it folks. Like I said, it's hard being so popular. But we'll get used to it, I'm sure.
Teddy Time
Remember Me?
Well, in recent days I have come to believe that Sadie Hartmann (of Sadico Junction fame) has prophetic powers. In one of her recent posts, lamenting the strange obsession that we have with robots, she used Teddy Ruxpin as an example of a "bad robot." Wasn't he bad enough, she asks? Didn't our previous flirts with robots fail, as seen in Teddy's lamentable fade into forgotten history? And yes, he was a bit sticky in his movements. His voice seemed to come from his chest and not his mouth, his lips moving completely apart from his words like some cheap overdubbed Japanese fight flick. Kids were simultaneously fascinated and scared out of their minds. But for all his shortcomings, it was he who ruled the roost come Christmas time, parents lining up at dawn for a possible chance to scoop up the ever elusive robotic bear.
And guess what? He's back. Our worst fears are confirmed.
In a story posted on Yahoo, the headline read "Teddy Ruxpin makes his return."
This comeback eclipses all of the others we have seen in recent years: stonewashed jeans, the Boston Red Sox, John Travolta. Why? Because it's a strange little animatronic bear!!!!
"We are definitely going to target parents who will remember Teddy from their childhoods, as well as grandparents who remember giving Teddy to their children," said Helen Hames, BackPack Toys director of marketing and corporate relations.
Indeed. Nostalgia is truly a powerful advertising weapon. But it's a strange little animatronic bear, people!
"MP3 cartridges have replaced his original cassette tapes, but Teddy Ruxpin's animatronic eyes and mouth will move in trademark fashion as he narrates a series of stories about the land of Grundo."
It's encouraging to see they've made some 'upgrades'. I'm sure the purists will revolt, but those who have open minds will see this as a right step toward progress.
By the way, I recently purchased a 2002 minivan, and was surprised to see something foreign looking lodged in my dashboard. Could it be...is it really....a cassette player? What are they thinking? I haven't even seen a cassette in years! Have you? Is it for us old 80's weirdos that still have MC Hammer and New Edition on tape? Very strange.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/adweek/20050614/ad_bpiaw/teddyruxpinmakeshisreturn
Aerial Photograph #2
Aerial Photograph
The light stuff. We took the girls to the pool in Alta Sierra on Sunday. It was very interesting to see how Abby and Autumn reacted differently to the water. Autumn was much like the picture you see above, very daring and fearless, head under the water, splashing. Abby was tentative, didn't get her hair wet, and only with much coaxing did she "jump" (more like lean into) the arms of another. If anyone knows these two, they would nod their heads and say, "yep, that's exactly like them." It made for a unique study in Autumn and Abby's personalities.
Just the Way it is
Now for something completely different:
As a hobby of mine, I mine the internet (no pun intended) for notable quotes from Christians or those who are contradicting a Christian worldview. These quotes definitely make for good blogging. Here's one I found about the ever-popular evolution/creation debate:
Kenneth R. Miller, a professor of biology at Brown University, is a Catholic and an ardent proponent of evolution and opponent of intelligent design. The author of "Finding Darwin's God," he is to be an expert witness for the parents in the Dover case.
"I think there is a God, and he is the creator of the universe," Miller said. "But the God of the intelligent-design movement is way too small. ... In their view, he designed everything in the world and yet he repeatedly intervenes and violates the laws of his own creation.
"Their God is like a kid who is not a very good mechanic and has to keep lifting the hood and tinkering with the engine."
Let these words sink down not just into your ears, but into your brains. Only then you will begin to realize the ludicrousness of this distinguished gentleman's statement. So, in my view, (oh, by the way, I am part of the most hated, despised group in the American world: a fundamentalist. It's a good thing I'm not white, too, or I would be completely cut off); in my view, God designed everything but he couldn't leave well enough alone, he had to keep intervening in the world. That's so true it hurts. He's hit the nail on the head. One little omission, however: God created the world perfect, and it was man's introduction of sin that spiraled the world into the fallen creation we see around us today (and even though it's fallen, it's still much more desirable than, say, Jupiter).
"He repeatedly intervenes..." This guys a Catholic, and he's faulting the intelligent design movement for the belief that God intervenes in the world? What did he think was happening when Jesus came down into the world and died for us? Was that not intervention? Maybe, though, he's a "progressive Catholic", who doesn't really believe in that "Jesus" stuff.
Thank God for being a God that intervenes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"He's like a kid who has to keep lifting up the hood and tinkering with the engine"
This is too funny. This was the same exact quote I was going to use to prove my case against evolution! After all, what is evolution but a constant tinkering process where through millions of years "God" (another name for "random chance") steered different species through millions of mutations that made some animals more fit to live than others, and through an endless amount of manipulation has arrived at the place where we are today. That would fit the quote much better than saying that God created every kind 6,000 years ago and nothing very significant has changed in those years. I'm not sure if this guy is firing on all cylinders. He better look under his hood.
So what's my stance on the whole creation/evolution in the schools debate? I think we as Christians are asking the wrong questions, as we often do. Instead of "what is God's plan for marriage and family" we ask "is it ok to use birth control?" And so on. I paraphrase a quote I heard from Kent Hovind, "Dr. Dino" himself. He said instead of asking whether evolution or creation should be taught in the public schools, the question we should be asking is whether there should be public schools! I, for one, am confident of my answer to that question. Public education is something that I do not intend to expose my young children to. However, I am not a legalist about this. If my kids want to go to public school when they are older, and I am confident that their faith in the Lord and His word is strong, I will give them permission to do so. Unfortunately, the reasons for sending children to public school are often wordly and not God-honoring. The top two are:
1. We haven't paused long enough to think about how weird public schooling is. We simply accept whatever traditions we have been brought up with.
2. If the children leave the schools, then the mom will have to leave her job, and cut the income in half. We simply cannot afford to do that. To which I say, how much are you willing to lose to live the truth? Jesus said we better be prepared to lose our lives for the truth; what's a little paycut to that? I make $10.50 an hour, work 40 hours a week, and my wife is able to stay home with my baby. I'd work twice those hours for half as much to keep my children in the home environment and out of public schools. But...maybe that's just me.
Well, this posting will probably infuriate the heathen, anger some Christians, encourage others, and give food for thought for many. At least, that's my hope with these blogs. Let me know what you think.
Web Site Mods
Some people like to modify cars. Some like to modify motorcycles. I find my pleasure in modifying a web page. Come on, who's with me? So I added a "Best of the Web" section, and included in that category my favorite bible teacher, Steve Gregg, one of my favorite bands, Joshua Fire (not so much for their sound, although they do rock very well, but for their message and the character of the guys in the band), and my favorite church presentation software. I also thought I'd pick up some revenue while I blogged, and signed up for Google's adsense program. The problem is you don't really get to choose your ads. So the second ad on my site is a Christian ad, yes, but when you follow it you find out it belongs to a congregation that is Anti-Trinitarian. Now, I don't mean to be a buggedy-boo, but I think the Trinity is a relatively biblical concept, although I would modify a few of the statements in the Nicene Creed to have it fit what I think is a more biblical representation. I guess linking to a site I don't agree with is a grand show of Christian charity. At least that's how I'll have to justify it.
So follow the links. Listen to Steve Gregg. Blow your mind. And let me know how it goes.
PS In my web page creating fury I also included a poll for the most popular Bible translations. Please vote, and I'll give the results in a week or two.
One of my heroes
Anyone who knows Paul Legge, and the things he has gone through in the past 16 weeks, will not be surprised at the caption given below his picture. He is one of my heroes in life. He has gone through more in the past four months than I probably ever will in my life, and through it all has remained a loyal friend, husband and father. I have been prodded to write this because over and over again I was struck with the disparagement between Paul's life and my own. As we would wind down from our respective days, often sitting outside in the cool of the dusk, we would share what we had experienced. Our conversation would often go as follows:
Paul: How was your day, Simon?
Simon: It was normal. I answered phones, filled orders, sat on my duff all day. How was yours?
Paul: Well, first we ran three miles in full gear outside in the 80 degree heat. Then we practiced pulling 200 pound dummies down flights of stairs inside a smoke filled building, also in the 80 degree heat. Then we practiced carrying each other down the extended ladder, and took turns being the victim. If someone dropped us on accident, we would die. Our lives were literally in each other's hands. And tomorrow? We're going to do it all over again.
Simon: (Stunned Silence)
In my days, it became clear that the most imminent threat to my safety was a paper cut. In Paul's day, there was no end to the danger. Dehydration, smoke inhalation, falling, drowning, heat exhaustion, you name it, he experienced it. He finally had his finals on Friday, and passed, and now we look forward to the honor of attending his graduation on this coming Friday. I mean honor in the true sense of the word. And though he has made it through some incredibly intense trials, he has done so knowing that his journey is just beginning. Those sixteen weeks, after all, was just training! Now his real job as a fireman begins, with a whole new set of imminent dangers.
There is not a fireman in me. I know that. It takes a greater person than I to pursue such a calling. There is probably not a fireman in you. You know that. Paul is my hero because he is a fireman, yes, but more so because there is a fireman in him. So the next time you see him, be sure to congratulate him, to salute his courage and perseverance.
By the way, he did not encourage me to write this in any way. In fact, he has no idea I wrote this and probably never will. I have been prompted in my heart because of the intense admiration I have for him, the steps he has taken to secure a future for his family, to secure the safety of others, all at the expense of his own well-being and comfort. To find a better definition of a hero would be a futile search.
All right...who in their right mind did not like The Village, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan? Sorry, I don't mean to be talking about movies all the time, but I watched it last night for probably the fourth time with your friend and mine, Jen Legge, who hadn't seen it. She liked it a lot, of course, being the appreciative sharp-eyed movie buff that she is. I think all the themes in the movie (culture, society, love, fear, innocence) are beautifully dealt with. The scene with Ivy and Lucius on the porch is one of the most genuine scenes I have ever experienced. Sidenote: we were going to name our second daughter "Ivy", because we both really like the name (don't steal it if I know who you are), but Ivy sounds too much like "Abby," our first daughter. So we settled on "Eden." Ivy will be our third daughter's name, if we are blessed enough to have one. And yes, we love the "garden" motif.
Meaty Stuff
Today is a new day, with new hopes and dreams, but soon it will drift away from us and move on, never to return again. We must, with all of our hearts, latch ourselves onto each day. We will soon regret this day in the future unless we pursue Jesus with all that we have, in our actions, our thoughts, all that we are. If we truly believe there is a God, and truly believe He is as described in the Bible, and truly believe He is capable of the things we think He is, than we have no excuse when we let the days pass us by as they do. We cannot waste time! We should expect to see and do amazing things!! I have often found myself stray from the truth, and too often I've had to be brought back by sober and truthful words from a greater saint than I. I begin to quote Thomas A Kempis' thoughts on death so that you, if you are trapped in some mythical illusion, such as thinking this world is more important than the next, you too might come to the realization of the truth. I will quote the rest on subsequent days. May his words transform the life you live into that of perpetual sacrifice for the sake of Christ, who loved us while we were yet enemies, the most unbelievably good news in the history of the universe.
Thoughts On Death:
"VERY soon your life here will end; consider, then, what may be in store for you elsewhere. Today we live; tomorrow we die and are quickly forgotten. Oh, the dullness and hardness of a heart which looks only to the present instead of preparing for that which is to come!
Therefore, in every deed and every thought, act as though you were to die this very day. If you had a good conscience you would not fear death very much. It is better to avoid sin than to fear death. If you are not prepared today, how will you be prepared tomorrow? Tomorrow is an uncertain day; how do you know you will have a tomorrow?
What good is it to live a long life when we amend that life so little? Indeed, a long life does not always benefit us, but on the contrary, frequently adds to our guilt. Would that in this world we had lived well throughout one single day. Many count up the years they have spent in religion but find their lives made little holier. If it is so terrifying to die, it is nevertheless possible that to live longer is more dangerous. Blessed is he who keeps the moment of death ever before his eyes and prepares for it every day."
Thomas Kempis. 1996. The imitation of Christ. Logos Research Systems: Oak Harbor, WA
My beautiful daughter Abby. I just got a digital camera for my wife's birthday, and I just can't stop taking pictures. It's the ultimate disposable camera. I think this one came out really cute, though. I know, I know, she's cute. Not just baby cute, but put me on a box of huggies pull-ups cute, I know, I've already heard it all. Thanks, though.
One Hour Later...
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Therefore there's no reason to fret over the fact that it's been an hour and no one, I repeat no one, has been to my blog site. In the meantime, I've been busying myself with learning how to post pictures on the site and adjust my personal profile. I have run into a few pickles here and there, but for the most part it's easy and incredibly addictive. Which is probably why there are so many faithful bloggers out there in cyberspace.
Now, onto the main event, Pongo's review of "Revenge of the 'Lucas'"; er, excuse me, "Revenge of the Sith."
So, absolutely everybody I've talked to about this movie has said, and I quote, "it's better than the first two prequels." This is what we have come to, and it seems as if I am the only one to notice it. Our standards have been so noticeably lowered by the introduction of the first two prequels that anything that stands above those two movies becomes a film masterpiece. This is a Lucas conspiracy, no doubt (one of his many). Imagine this: I doodle a drawing that is just a shade above the level of stick figures, and as I show it to a friend, he says, "well it's no Picasso", to which I reply, "yeah but it's way better than what my two year old daughter can do." What I've just done is lowered the standard by which my artwork is judged. This is the true "Industrial Light and Magic."
"But," you may say (notice how I use Paul's style of argument), "the action scenes were cooooooooooool!"
True, they were cool, much as they were in the first two prequels, and they were groundbreaking too, but much like the first movies the story and the dialogue killed the movie.
If you want to see cool action sequences with a story, try Gladiator, or any Lord of the Rings, or even Armageddon, for crying out loud. Ben Affleck trumps Hayden Christiansen anyday. And he's so much more dreamier.
Besides, the coveted light saber battles were so badly filmed half the time you could hardly tell what was going on. Cool, General Grevious has four arms with four lightsabers, but when he gets busy with Obi-wan all you see are crazy lights flashing around (disco, anybody?) and then one by one his arms fall to the ground, and you're left to assume that it must have been Obi-wan's handiwork (no pun intended).
As for drama, Lucas needs to take some classes. At the end, Padame's dead, but who cares? I will produce $1000 to the first person who can prove that somebody cried during her death scene. Contrast that to Boromir's departure in the Fellowship of the Ring, or Gandalf's falling into shadow, Bruce Willis' last talk with his earthbound daughter in Armageddon (what's with me and Armageddon all of a sudden?) and you have it in black and white. No Contest. Anakin put on a better display of emotion hearing the news of her death in his Darth Vader costume than at any time during the rest of the movie. And you know what? I bet you it wasn't even him in that costume. And where, oh where, is James Earl Jones? Last I heard he put out the Bible on CD. Maybe he got religion and refused to perform in any more 'space fantasies' as the embodiment of evil. Well, I could go on. But I don't want to make enemies out of all you loyal Star Wars fans (you out there, Suze?)
Signing Off, Simon.
The Beginning (of the end...)
So...
Here I am, at the computer. I flex my fingers, crack a few knuckles, and off I go, posting my thoughts about nothing into cyberspace so that anybody can view them. I hope that this blog will be not only read but effective to those who read it. In other words, I hope that "you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hurl" when reading my various thoughts about everything from eternity to this...very...second. The creation of a blog is very much like a person: it comes into being with the same need for nurture, attention, and love as a human child (without the diapers, of course). It is my hope that I can nurture this blog and that I can be nurtured by it.
So...
About me (is it obvious yet that I have no idea what to write in a blog? What is a blog anyway? Do we want people to read what we write or do we hope that our thoughts are lost in cyberspace?)
Anyway...my name is Simon Kerbel, and I'm supposed to be working right this very moment. I have a great job (anyone who can blog on the job without getting in trouble for it obviously holds a very unique position), a great wife, a great daughter, and sure to be another great daughter on the way. I'm 25 years old and I feel every year of it. I am in love with Jesus, and hope to be for the rest of my life. I'm passionate about His word and His desires and plans for my life. Do you have any idea how manifestly great our God is? Sorry, I digress.
I live in Grass Valley, California, and work for Grass Roots Software (a lot of grass in my life at this point, no drug reference at all intended). It's a small company that makes church presentation software, SundayPlus. I am the office administrator (an incredibly fancy and undeserved term for 'receptionist'). My wife is a working mother, which means she works at home raising our daughter and managing the affairs of the household (which all moms should be doing--can I open a can of worms for anybody?) I love that she loves being a mom. My daughter is incredibly advanced, linguistically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, the veritable chip off of my block. I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in the truth, and it is my single purpose as a father to give my daughter a love for Jesus, who is the way, truth and life. What she decides to "do" with her life is second, whether or not she will go to college, what job she gets, etc.. is the farthest thing from my mind. As long as she loves God with all her strength, soul, and mind, even if that love is manifested in a completely different way than I would wish it to be, I will be a grateful and sucessful parent.
Well, I'm going to get going, and try to find a way to let people know that I now exist, albeit corporeally, on the internet. Stay alive, I will find you! Sure to get Levi's goat (and maybe the goats of others) is my next post, why "Revenge of the Sith" stunk and yet everyone seemed to be duped by the greatest Lucas illusion ever.
Here I go. By the way, I've named myself "foolish man" because of what Thomas A Kempis said in his completely unforgettable and earth-shattering chapter entitled "thoughts on death." It's in his classic "The Imitation of Christ." If you are a Christian, read it now, it will change your life, and convict you in a new and sharp way.
"Ah, foolish man, why do you plan to live long when you are not sure of living even a day? How happy and prudent is he who tries now in life to be what he wants to be found in death."
