Every great wedding has bubbles!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Road to North Carolina
These are the eyes of a child addicted to Cracker Barrel Peppermint Sticks
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I'm no longer keeping up with time or dates
I did leave for our trip to North Carolina with the full intentions of keeping a daily log of what we were doing, but somewhere after kicking off our third day after my retirement, I decided I would save that for after we start the cross country trip this summer.
The final driving leg of the trip on Friday was good and despite finding a great Fabric and Pottery Discount shop in which we loaded the back of our Vue with 5-gallon clay planters and bolts of colorful fabric, we still arrived in Boone, NC ahead of schedule. We visited with other family members who had arrived for the wedding at the Green House Inn, a historic inn from the early 1800's, and managed to get Liam to take a nap before the wedding.
I had a great time meeting lots of Heather's cousins I had never met before and the bond was great enough that most of us went out for breakfast the next morning before heading on our ways home, but the greatest thrill for the trip came just a few minutes later when we vered off the main road and found a gorgeous little shop called GREEN MOTHER GOODS, where we discovered a great, environmentally sound community nestled in the Smoky Mountains. Heather spent 2 1/2 hours talking to one of the owners, who also happens to be a midwife. It was a great connection for her and Liam even walked away with a new pirate ship.
We returned and I spent Monday at a training session for LOVE AND LOGIC, so today, we took Liam on a trip to see the National Zoo. He is completely exhausted after a long metro train ride and hours in the park jumping with amazement at all of the animals.
The final driving leg of the trip on Friday was good and despite finding a great Fabric and Pottery Discount shop in which we loaded the back of our Vue with 5-gallon clay planters and bolts of colorful fabric, we still arrived in Boone, NC ahead of schedule. We visited with other family members who had arrived for the wedding at the Green House Inn, a historic inn from the early 1800's, and managed to get Liam to take a nap before the wedding.
I had a great time meeting lots of Heather's cousins I had never met before and the bond was great enough that most of us went out for breakfast the next morning before heading on our ways home, but the greatest thrill for the trip came just a few minutes later when we vered off the main road and found a gorgeous little shop called GREEN MOTHER GOODS, where we discovered a great, environmentally sound community nestled in the Smoky Mountains. Heather spent 2 1/2 hours talking to one of the owners, who also happens to be a midwife. It was a great connection for her and Liam even walked away with a new pirate ship.
We returned and I spent Monday at a training session for LOVE AND LOGIC, so today, we took Liam on a trip to see the National Zoo. He is completely exhausted after a long metro train ride and hours in the park jumping with amazement at all of the animals.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Day Twoish of Retirement
ROANOKE, Va. -- Day two of retirement was spent servicing the Vue and packing for the roadtrip, leaving on time, and turning back at the next exit to get a forgotten blanket and pillow.
We made it as far as Roanoke, Va. on our trip to the wedding near Boone, N.C. We stopped at a hotel to sleep, but Liam obviously thought it was a Playover instead of a layover. This of course meant jumping on the bed, running rampant, clicking through TV shows and wanting to wrestle. The idea of sleep took a lot of convincing but he woke up this morning ready to roll, so off we go on day three.
We made it as far as Roanoke, Va. on our trip to the wedding near Boone, N.C. We stopped at a hotel to sleep, but Liam obviously thought it was a Playover instead of a layover. This of course meant jumping on the bed, running rampant, clicking through TV shows and wanting to wrestle. The idea of sleep took a lot of convincing but he woke up this morning ready to roll, so off we go on day three.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Retirement Day One
If I believed in Karma I could surely trace the downfall of my working life to someday in my late teens when I scoffed at someone who was living on disability. This would have made sense, given the fact I am 37 and am beginning the second period of my life post-retirement-for-life-changing-injury.
To catch new readers up to speed, I was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 after failing to recover quickly enough from a hip injury, then a couple of years later, I was well enough to join the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office where I have served for 2 1/2 years, but due to an in-the-line-of-duty injury, I am now limping away with a busted ankle and another meager pension.
But as I said, I don't believe in Karma, and thanks to the Grace of God, I get to stay at home and be with Heather and Liam all the time, and we are thus planning a Cross Country tour. We'll be leaving in June to go to Maine, then making a u-turn and heading South to Alabama. From there, its a cross country trek to the Grand Canyon, ending in Oregon then down to Yosemite National Park. On our final leg, we will stop over in Las Vegas for my best friend's wedding the we'll follow US 50 back to Maryland.
Today, we began working on the house, replacing our stove and dishwasher, so if I don't eletrocute myself rewiring the kitchen, I'll be back tomorrow to tell you how Day Two is going.
To catch new readers up to speed, I was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 after failing to recover quickly enough from a hip injury, then a couple of years later, I was well enough to join the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office where I have served for 2 1/2 years, but due to an in-the-line-of-duty injury, I am now limping away with a busted ankle and another meager pension.
But as I said, I don't believe in Karma, and thanks to the Grace of God, I get to stay at home and be with Heather and Liam all the time, and we are thus planning a Cross Country tour. We'll be leaving in June to go to Maine, then making a u-turn and heading South to Alabama. From there, its a cross country trek to the Grand Canyon, ending in Oregon then down to Yosemite National Park. On our final leg, we will stop over in Las Vegas for my best friend's wedding the we'll follow US 50 back to Maryland.
Today, we began working on the house, replacing our stove and dishwasher, so if I don't eletrocute myself rewiring the kitchen, I'll be back tomorrow to tell you how Day Two is going.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Preparing for a solo flight
Near Ft Meade, there is an old Navy plane on display at an old World War II airfield. It was great being able to let Liam climb all over it after watching planes take off and land as students were preparing for their solo flights.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
The Devil from a Jewish Perspective
Ask anybody from Jerusalem where Gehinom is and they’ll probably point to the southwest of the city. Of course if you are in the religious sector of the city, you will probably prompt a discussion that will hopefully include an invite to sit, learn, and drink tea.
For those with the spiritual question, most Jewish scholars have pointed to Gehinom being a physical place, somewhere deep in the earth, where the souls of the dead are sleeping,, as in the Hebrew Sheol, and in the cases of a few sects of Orthodoxy, the wicked are being punished.
Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, of the 12th Century, wrote about a place with dimensions, while other sources in Kabbalah, Chassidut and the Midrash traditions depict it strictly in a more abstract, and ethereal term. Nachmanides, as Rabbi Nachman was known, also followed the metaphorical line, describing Gehinom in manifold layers of earthly and mystical proportions. Therein, those listening to Christ preach to them would have had an understanding of a physical place of the dead, where bodies decay jointly with a place where souls rest and either endure, or prepare to endure, a temporary, restorative cleaning of the soul.
This is likened to an impure metal, when exposed to the proper tempering of fire, will produce a sufficient, pure metal, stripped of impurities. To restore, the flame must be regulated, and temporary, and so the Jewish mindset sitting before Christ, whether gleaning the good news in his words or lurking with evil intentions, was that a soul, when deceased from this life, would be given a period of rest, before enduring a cleansing wherein all punitive accusations are released and the soul is ultimately awarded with reconnection to God. This, according to Jewish belief was the reward for all Jews and Righteous Gentiles, who observe the Noahide Commandments.
Now, for the issue of Satan.
To the 1st Century Jewish audience, and to today’s Orthodox Jewish community, Satan should more properly be reference as The Satan, or The Accuser. They accepted the Torah teaching that no spiritual force opposed the will of God and all things are of God and to God. To the Jewish mindset, and to which Christ never gave an opposition, Satan, the Accuser and Prosecutor of man does all for the sake of Heaven. To them, nothing happened outside of God’s plan, and everything was for eventual reconciliation with Him.
To this end, the Jewish listeners did not perceive Satan as an archetype to God, but rather a necessity to his plan. Only by enduring the trials issuing from him would the grace of God be made evident – without the problems of this world, how could the life after be fully realized. To that end, they did not see the necessity of an outside ultimate evil force when the inner being was wrought with a sinful nature. Satan’s design was to make us realize that inner frailty, and thus our dependance on God.
For those with the spiritual question, most Jewish scholars have pointed to Gehinom being a physical place, somewhere deep in the earth, where the souls of the dead are sleeping,, as in the Hebrew Sheol, and in the cases of a few sects of Orthodoxy, the wicked are being punished.
Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, of the 12th Century, wrote about a place with dimensions, while other sources in Kabbalah, Chassidut and the Midrash traditions depict it strictly in a more abstract, and ethereal term. Nachmanides, as Rabbi Nachman was known, also followed the metaphorical line, describing Gehinom in manifold layers of earthly and mystical proportions. Therein, those listening to Christ preach to them would have had an understanding of a physical place of the dead, where bodies decay jointly with a place where souls rest and either endure, or prepare to endure, a temporary, restorative cleaning of the soul.
This is likened to an impure metal, when exposed to the proper tempering of fire, will produce a sufficient, pure metal, stripped of impurities. To restore, the flame must be regulated, and temporary, and so the Jewish mindset sitting before Christ, whether gleaning the good news in his words or lurking with evil intentions, was that a soul, when deceased from this life, would be given a period of rest, before enduring a cleansing wherein all punitive accusations are released and the soul is ultimately awarded with reconnection to God. This, according to Jewish belief was the reward for all Jews and Righteous Gentiles, who observe the Noahide Commandments.
Now, for the issue of Satan.
To the 1st Century Jewish audience, and to today’s Orthodox Jewish community, Satan should more properly be reference as The Satan, or The Accuser. They accepted the Torah teaching that no spiritual force opposed the will of God and all things are of God and to God. To the Jewish mindset, and to which Christ never gave an opposition, Satan, the Accuser and Prosecutor of man does all for the sake of Heaven. To them, nothing happened outside of God’s plan, and everything was for eventual reconciliation with Him.
To this end, the Jewish listeners did not perceive Satan as an archetype to God, but rather a necessity to his plan. Only by enduring the trials issuing from him would the grace of God be made evident – without the problems of this world, how could the life after be fully realized. To that end, they did not see the necessity of an outside ultimate evil force when the inner being was wrought with a sinful nature. Satan’s design was to make us realize that inner frailty, and thus our dependance on God.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Zechariah 2:1 – 14
My cup runneth over alludes to a measured, allotted amount and for the children of God their cup had long been half-full and topped off with the bitter results of their sins.
God had stretched out a measuring line against the sinful nature of Israel and had delivered an exacting punishment against that destructive nature. But, as with any loving father that wrath of punishment could not be sustained for long.
While the measuring line of judgment for sin had been exact, Zechariah saw a vision of a different measuring line being drawn out. This line was restoration – a call to the children to come home, the open arms of a father calling a child from a time of punishment and isolation, drawing them close and protecting them from their own rebelliousness.
There are elements of God’s nature I could never have imagined before becoming a father. I couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt to have to dole out discipline for transgressions, nor the joy of forgiveness afterward. I couldn’t have imagined wanting to give so much and never feeling like my gifts could measure up to the love I felt.
When God revealed his plan of restoration it was a call to his children to return to a New Jerusalem, filled up, shaken down and spilling over with humanity and provision. The messenger of that vision spoke with excitement at drawing out this immeasurable line over Jerusalem, calling all nations to be adopted into this family of God, and to partake of this outpouring of inheritance.
This messenger not only spoke of the coming restoration for the children of God but he also spoke of their position in the Kingdom – as the apple of God’s eye – a position at the focal point of God’s Love. For all of the wonders in the Universe, we are unexplainably, exclusively the center of God’s Love. May we cherish the Grace and Love of God as it pours out upon us and overflows.
God had stretched out a measuring line against the sinful nature of Israel and had delivered an exacting punishment against that destructive nature. But, as with any loving father that wrath of punishment could not be sustained for long.
While the measuring line of judgment for sin had been exact, Zechariah saw a vision of a different measuring line being drawn out. This line was restoration – a call to the children to come home, the open arms of a father calling a child from a time of punishment and isolation, drawing them close and protecting them from their own rebelliousness.
There are elements of God’s nature I could never have imagined before becoming a father. I couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt to have to dole out discipline for transgressions, nor the joy of forgiveness afterward. I couldn’t have imagined wanting to give so much and never feeling like my gifts could measure up to the love I felt.
When God revealed his plan of restoration it was a call to his children to return to a New Jerusalem, filled up, shaken down and spilling over with humanity and provision. The messenger of that vision spoke with excitement at drawing out this immeasurable line over Jerusalem, calling all nations to be adopted into this family of God, and to partake of this outpouring of inheritance.
This messenger not only spoke of the coming restoration for the children of God but he also spoke of their position in the Kingdom – as the apple of God’s eye – a position at the focal point of God’s Love. For all of the wonders in the Universe, we are unexplainably, exclusively the center of God’s Love. May we cherish the Grace and Love of God as it pours out upon us and overflows.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Looking for Judgement and only finding Love
"It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out."
Proverbs 25:2 English Standard Version
For too long, I settled for looking at scripture and thinking I could never comprehend what it all really meant. I wanted to know, I wanted to read with passion for the word and prayed for understanding. I took pride in having read through the Bible three times from cover to cover, but felt like I was getting nothing more than a better grasp of names and places.
I tried out new versions of scripture, moving from the Old King James to the New King James to NIV and then the NASB, but didn't feel as if I had gained any more than just a more readable version. We've all been chastised to live a better life by preachers who say our English versions are nothing compared to the Hebrew and Greek and that scared me to think there were even more ways of going to Hell and finally figured I should start looking into that to make sure I was doing everything I was suppose to do.
I picked up a copy of the Tanauk, the Old Testament in its original Hebrew with a Jewish perspective on the literal translation; along with a literal translation of the New Testament from the Greek, but there on the pages I discovered something I would never have thought possible. I discovered a veil had been draped over my eyes by ever translation I had ever read before. I discovered words which were mistranslated to reach a certain conclusion far from the intent of God. I discovered something so frightening I could hardly believe what I was reading ... God is in control, God has a plan, God is absolute love and the Cross changed everything. I thought I was going to discover more heinous punishments for more subtle sins, but instead I discovered just how powerful the figure of Christ on the cross really was, and is, and is to come.
The Song of Songs tells of God the pursuer and his desire to be pursued. God doesn't just want us to follow the words and live the life, he wants us to find him in every thing. There is a reward in understanding what God is about and it doesn't have anything to do with following the 10 Commandments or going to church on Sunday - its about having a relationship with God. God is seductive and longs for us to reach out and discover him. It begins with becoming intimate with His word.
Are you ready to have your religious paradigm challenged? Try this on for size: Everywhere your Bible says "forever and ever" as in eternity, it actually says "eon to eon" as in a time span; everywhere your Bible says "Hell" its actually saying Gehenna - a valley near Jerusalem, Sheol - the grave, Hades - the grave, or Tartarus - a place of punishment for angels. Better yet, since I'm sure we all agree God is in control, and God has a plan, and God will win a dicisive victory at the end of this age, and since God obviously knit us together in our mother's womb, and since Ephesians says something about God knowing and planning our lives, as well as the cross since before the beginning of time, how can we reconcile a belief in free will? Especially when there is less basis for it in scripture than there is for Hell. At least the translators took the time to mistranslate stuff to fabricate Hell.
If you're not up for doing the leg work on it, don't worry, the writings to follow will give you all the proof you need that God loves you and there is nothing you can do about it.
but the glory of kings is to search things out."
Proverbs 25:2 English Standard Version
For too long, I settled for looking at scripture and thinking I could never comprehend what it all really meant. I wanted to know, I wanted to read with passion for the word and prayed for understanding. I took pride in having read through the Bible three times from cover to cover, but felt like I was getting nothing more than a better grasp of names and places.
I tried out new versions of scripture, moving from the Old King James to the New King James to NIV and then the NASB, but didn't feel as if I had gained any more than just a more readable version. We've all been chastised to live a better life by preachers who say our English versions are nothing compared to the Hebrew and Greek and that scared me to think there were even more ways of going to Hell and finally figured I should start looking into that to make sure I was doing everything I was suppose to do.
I picked up a copy of the Tanauk, the Old Testament in its original Hebrew with a Jewish perspective on the literal translation; along with a literal translation of the New Testament from the Greek, but there on the pages I discovered something I would never have thought possible. I discovered a veil had been draped over my eyes by ever translation I had ever read before. I discovered words which were mistranslated to reach a certain conclusion far from the intent of God. I discovered something so frightening I could hardly believe what I was reading ... God is in control, God has a plan, God is absolute love and the Cross changed everything. I thought I was going to discover more heinous punishments for more subtle sins, but instead I discovered just how powerful the figure of Christ on the cross really was, and is, and is to come.
The Song of Songs tells of God the pursuer and his desire to be pursued. God doesn't just want us to follow the words and live the life, he wants us to find him in every thing. There is a reward in understanding what God is about and it doesn't have anything to do with following the 10 Commandments or going to church on Sunday - its about having a relationship with God. God is seductive and longs for us to reach out and discover him. It begins with becoming intimate with His word.
Are you ready to have your religious paradigm challenged? Try this on for size: Everywhere your Bible says "forever and ever" as in eternity, it actually says "eon to eon" as in a time span; everywhere your Bible says "Hell" its actually saying Gehenna - a valley near Jerusalem, Sheol - the grave, Hades - the grave, or Tartarus - a place of punishment for angels. Better yet, since I'm sure we all agree God is in control, and God has a plan, and God will win a dicisive victory at the end of this age, and since God obviously knit us together in our mother's womb, and since Ephesians says something about God knowing and planning our lives, as well as the cross since before the beginning of time, how can we reconcile a belief in free will? Especially when there is less basis for it in scripture than there is for Hell. At least the translators took the time to mistranslate stuff to fabricate Hell.
If you're not up for doing the leg work on it, don't worry, the writings to follow will give you all the proof you need that God loves you and there is nothing you can do about it.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
More photos from "American Highlander" photoshoot
These are the last few photos from what will hopefully become the next album cover for The Rogues' "American Highlander" CD which will be coming out in a few months.
I always appreciate the time I get to spend with Deak. I feel lucky that Liam is getting to grow up with such strong men around him. I feel lucky to be in the company of such great American Heroes. They are warfighters and peacemakers alike, but their common good is they would lay down there lives for those they love, for those they are bound to by borders or fraternity, and even for those who have the priveledge of walking in their shadows.
To my firefighters - Shaun and Lance, to my soldiers - Deak and Carl, to my cops - Deck, Cal, Sarah, Cease and so many more, as well as all of my Marine Corps; I am thankful to have walked in your company.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Theological Damage Control
So, there we were, minding our own business, trying hard to be good Christians, but knowing we all sin, but God loves us anyway; sitting in a class to join our church; loving one another and patting ourselves on the back for having the intelligence to have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour, when from across the table, the chaplain's wife said the most fateful thing I had ever heard, "... hell is not real."
Suddenly, my theology callapsed.
Over the course of the next few weeks, our house church relocated to the chaplain's house and suddenly things began to reform. I re-read Ephesians with new eyes, I began to discover the downfall of the early Bible translators who translated from the Latin instead of the Hebrew and Greek; we learned that all those times the KJV says 'forever and ever', it really should have said ' from eon to eon (that's time not eternity); we discovered prior to its creation by the Catholic church, there was no concept of Hell - and how early translators translated three different words into that one-most-four-letter-of-words; we discovered God had a plan and we were in it and how perfect God's love really is ... Maybe I should start explaining all of this ... and I'm sorry if I broke you're theology, but trust me, it'll feel better when we put it back together.
Suddenly, my theology callapsed.
Over the course of the next few weeks, our house church relocated to the chaplain's house and suddenly things began to reform. I re-read Ephesians with new eyes, I began to discover the downfall of the early Bible translators who translated from the Latin instead of the Hebrew and Greek; we learned that all those times the KJV says 'forever and ever', it really should have said ' from eon to eon (that's time not eternity); we discovered prior to its creation by the Catholic church, there was no concept of Hell - and how early translators translated three different words into that one-most-four-letter-of-words; we discovered God had a plan and we were in it and how perfect God's love really is ... Maybe I should start explaining all of this ... and I'm sorry if I broke you're theology, but trust me, it'll feel better when we put it back together.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Saying bye to our first Matra
We are sad to say that after just two weeks, Matra is no longer going to be with us.
Despite the fact he was one of the most well-behaved and quickly becoming the most well trained dog I have ever owned, there were some rough spots with his personality, so we had to let him go back to Homeward Trails, where he was adopted from.
We were all really dreading him leaving us, but as I dropped him off at a Doggy Day Care this morning, he was all wagging tails over being with other dogs again. We hope he finds a great home with more dogs in it.
Lyn
Despite the fact he was one of the most well-behaved and quickly becoming the most well trained dog I have ever owned, there were some rough spots with his personality, so we had to let him go back to Homeward Trails, where he was adopted from.
We were all really dreading him leaving us, but as I dropped him off at a Doggy Day Care this morning, he was all wagging tails over being with other dogs again. We hope he finds a great home with more dogs in it.
Lyn
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Jeff, Ashley and the Carterman visit
Napping with Uncle Jeff
Our internet ends mid-month so postings will be sporadic until we get plugged in again after the first of the year, but I'll get out photos whenever I can for everyone to enjoy.
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