Lynlea and I cooked the most amazing dinner known to humankind. Yes, we did. You will all see pics of it and desire our food. But you can't have it. It's being digested in our bellies over a period of 10,000 years. Yes. Just like that sand thing in Star Wars. Well, behold:

(It's better than Ian's silly salad)

I have never really spoken about this on the internet. I was reading today and I felt I may as well let you know that yes, I am baptized, but I do have problems with how exactly I did it (or rather, re-did it) and you'll get a few thoughts along the way.

I was baptized (by immersion in the Trinitarian formula) at about the age of 6. I'll admit, it was a fear motivated baptism but as I have now come to know it was valid nonetheless. I had made a "profession of faith" and the "Holy Ghost" seemed to be evident in my life. I am not denying that a work of the Spirit was present in this as I honestly believe I was then initiated into the communion of the church catholic but the theology present within that particular community led me to subsequent years of doubt and fear. No one should have to suffer that. No one.

I went through a phase which I interpreted at the time as rebellion and what my pastor called apostasy (I didn't believe in the Trinity or the resurrection) I was a bad charismatic/Pentecostal. I felt like I had lost my status in Christ; I was the branch cut away to be burnt. I was going to be spit out of his mouth.

I entered a Southern Baptist church rather haphazardly and I have yet to see whether or not any good has come out of it. I learned how to lead there. I learned that I must be re-batized there also. And so I did. They felt it to be godly to baptize in what is termed "believer's baptism."

What do I think of my re-baptism? I think of it now as glorified hot tub time with a really nice man from Oklahoma. I don't give it much credence. It wasn't a significant time in my life. I regret it, to be honest. It may have been a terrible mistake which caused me even more doubt as to when I was "saved" or what not.

I think that the Holy Spirit actually does something at the time of baptism. I think that there is really a shift in one's eternal destiny at that sacramental moment. It's something Holy and it's not of human origin. God does something to change what was once at enmity and brings it (in a constant journey of discipleship) back to his peace. My first baptism was valid and holy. I will acknowledge it as the one where I was truly welcomed into our Mother, the Church.

I would like to now offer one or two observations, having undergone the pain which such destructive un-theologies can bring (this isn't a rant against credo-baptism but the poor counseling which often accompanies it)

1) All infants ought to be baptized, as our faith tells us.
2) Children under 15 ought not be baptized if they weren't as infants.

(oops... looks like three)

3) Proper preparation ought to be offered to the those about to enter communion.

Please. Don't cause another to doubt like I and countless others have. Ministers, perform your duties with purity and love. Don't do to your congregants what has been done to so many in our nation (as well as other places though perhaps not as bad) Preach peace and security not doubt and instability. Be Christ on earth.

This is the computer I am planning on buying here soon. Look at it and love it.

Hey everyone! I am here at the BSU dorms just getting all dressed up and lovely. I smell wonderful. Lynlea and I are about to take off for St. Michael's Cathedral out by the capitol. I am very excited. I still need to put o m socks and do something with my silly hair. Hmmmm... I sold some of my stuff. The amp is sold. Emachines may go son also and I almost got rid of the laptop... just not quite. Well, yah. You know how that goes. I need to do some reading tonight then maybe later on I'll work on my chapter. I;m still not very far. At all. It's fairly depressing. This week has been pretty hectic and right now Taking Back Sunda is my only comfort.

Well, peace and such.

I haven't been on here as much for a while... I can only use the computers at the library for a while. I'm selling my house comp. and my laptop (which you should have already known) and that means I will be a bit sporadic these next few weeks. So, please be patient with me as I go through this time... it's really emotional for me.

:'(

Yah. I need love.

I have several items I need to sell. I think that my asking prices are fair. I couldn't pay for shipping, that would need to be handled by whoever purchases them. If you know anyone looking for any of these things please let me know.

Guitar equipment:

The Legend TEC-80G
80 Watt Guitar Amplifier

• 1 x 12" Eminence USA Speaker
• 2 Channels
• Channel 1 Controls: Gain, Voice, Low, High, Volume
• Channel 2 Controls: Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, Volume
• Gain Switch

$200, or best offer

Computer equipment:

Emachines T3985

• 2.93 GHz
• 256k L2 cache
• 8-in-1 media card reader
• 7 USB ports
• 80 GB Hard Drive
• 256 MB Graphics card
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM
• 17" monitor
• Keyboard and Mouse
• DVD+/-RW 16x double-layer drive
• Perfect condition!!

$500, or best offer

Dell Inspiron 8200

• 1.6 GHz
• CD writer
• 128 MB RAM
• DVD player (2nd port!)
• 15" screen
• 32 MB Graphics card
• 30 GB Hard Drive
• Case
• Good condition, "Tab" key missing...

$600

Hey everybody! I have finally completed my preliminary outline. I'm sure it will need to be revised but this is the basic form I am taking with my chapter. No, it won't be THAT boring, I promise. I still need a title. I was informed it was depressingly academic and that as an undergrad I'm not allowed to say things like that. Whatever. So, if you have any ideas, let me know.

I was thinking, "Why Protestants ought to become christians again," but I don't think many people find that as funny as I do.

Collect of the Incarnation (BCP)

I. Why liturgy?
A. Foundation of Christian Worship
1. Origin of term
2. Skeleton of our being
B. True worship
1. Orderly
2. Spirit-led
C. Essence of Christian Ministry.
II. What is the heart of the Liturgy?
A. Eucharist life
1. Grace by sacrament
2. Sanctified worship
3. True (organic) living
B. "Acting out" our redemption
1. Communities of Exodus
2. Stories of restoration
III. Liturgical lifestyle
A. Disciplined life
B. A life of freedom
1. Never a slave to liturgy
2. "Servant of the people"
C. Christian living
1. Identity
a. Immersion in story
b. seperate ethic
2. Meaning
IV. Conclusion
A. Importance of liturgical worship
1. Regular
2. Catholic
B. Liturgical re-discovery
1. Emerging communities
2. Traditional settings (mine)

Prayer for the unity of the church (BCP)

(Blogger keeps messiing up my outline. If you want to see it as it ought to be seen, email me at: potatocore@gmail.com)

Today's Pax Christi (USA) reading is a quote from Pablo Casals:

When will we teach our children what they are? One should be able to say to them: Do you know what you are? You're a marvel! You are unique! In all the world there is no other child exactly like you! In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been another child like you! One looks at your body, what a wonder it is. Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers. The way you move! You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaleangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything! Yes, you are a marvel, and when you grow up, can you harm another who is, like you, a marvel?

Think about that. Meditate on it tonight during your night prayers. Could you harm another who is like you, a marvel?

Hey kids! I am going to start the writing process today now that exams are over and I am all caught up with my school work. I hope to have at least five pages completed by the end of today as well as the entire outline... And no, it won't be as boring as some people may think. I think I have it a bit more nailed down and hopefully it will be clear and wonderful.

Moving on...

Have any of you been keeping up with this silly controversy involving the Pope reading (!) the words of a medieval scholar who was critical of Islam? I think it's stupid. The Pope was simply making a point that no war ought to be justified for religious reasons. Muslim extremists from all over the world became unreasonably enraged at this calling it a "Crusade against Islam." It resulted in the burning of two churches (Anglican and Orthodox, neither Roman Catholic) and the slaying of a nun. Ridiculous. Here are words from the holy Pontiff,

At this time, I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims.

These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought.

No way express his personal thought. Up until now, Benedict XVI has been seen as very charitable to both Muslims and Jews. I don't see any reason why that should be any different now than several months ago.

Perhaps it was a lapse in his diplomacy. There honestly could have been a better way to get his point across that the way to advance faith is not by violence. Lisa Palmieri-Billig,a Jerusalem Post correspondent, seems to think that as a theologian, the Pope may not have the same diplomatic abilities his predecessor did. The text he chose was poor, especially for its time period.

One thing that has been left out of so many articles is what he was actually talking about: the destructive affects of "progress" in western nations aside from faith and basically the resulting culture of death. Modernity brought us many things both good and bad. As inheritant of such a period we must accept what was good and leave behind the bad. As Michael Morrel just said to me, "...real events can't be reduced to soundbites."

Certainly our own faith has had its shares of evil equal to if not even more than Islam! Honestly. As a religion of peace we sure have killed many people... even today. A casual glance at the horrors of the crusade, to pick an obvious one, would do more than enough to prove my point.

Now a quick note from the Cathechism:

841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

Whatever your own position on this matter, we need to keep in mind that no one is perfect. We all have sinned and can never even approach God without divine grace. That means everyone. Let's pray that this situation will be resolved peaceably and that we can all live out the peace of the kingdom in our own lives.

Many of you know I have a little brother named Matt. Well, he's blogging now also! Fun guy. I'm sure he will always something fun to say to give everyone a much needed break from stricly religious topics. You'll like him.

(Warning: My brother is the shit. He will curse and include vile and disgusting stories. You will all love him for this. If it honestly bothers you, don't read it! I don't want any comments left chastising him for his whateverness. That won't be tolerated.)

Yes everyone, Lynlea Jayo is now blogging (by force) You should all go check out her fantastic wordpress and leave her some love. She loves to be loved. If she doesn't get comments she won't keep it up. And we all want to read her thoughts. They are good. I mean, she is my friend, some of my godlike intellect has to to be absorbed into her already fully capable noggin. Yep. Go ye therefore and inform her of her wonderfuleness.

Woot woot! Yes, yes, the Democrat Party welcomed me as I turned 18 with smiles and little donkey items. I feel happy now. This is the first year that my state, Idaho, may vote blue. The GOP isn't as popular and statistics show less that half of our residents like the current government and only 30-some percent plan on voting for them again. So, yah. We may actually be a point for the good guys! (I'm kidding, just not really...)

:)

Republicans and liberatarians, I love you still. Sure I think you're inferior but that's why I keep you around, now isn't it? J/k but seriously, I'm the least politically agressive person ever. So, don't worry about it.

I found this here.

1. Q: What is the chief end of each individual Christian?
A: Each individual Christian's chief end is to get saved. This is the first and great commandment.

2. Q: And what is the second great commandment?
A: The second, which is like unto it, is to get as many others saved as he can.

3. Q: What one work is required of thee for thy salvation?
A: It is required of me for my salvation that I make a Decision for Christ, which meaneth to accept Him into my heart to be my personal lord'n'saviour

4. Q: At what time must thou perform this work?
A: I must perform this work at such time as I have reached the Age of Accountability.

5. Q: At what time wilt thou have reached this Age?
A: That is a trick question. In order to determine this time, my mind must needs be sharper than any two-edged sword, able to pierce even to the division of bone and marrow; for, alas, the Age of Accountability is different for each individual, and is thus unknowable.

6. Q: By what means is a Decision for Christ made?
A: A Decision for Christ is made, not according to His own purpose and grace which was given to me in Christ Jesus before the world began, but according to the exercise of my own Free Will in saying the Sinner's Prayer in my own words.

7. Q: If it be true then that man is responsible for this Decision, how then can God be sovereign?
A: He cannot be. God sovereignly chose not to be sovereign, and is therefore dependent upon me to come to Him for salvation. He standeth outside the door of my heart, forlornly knocking, until such time as I Decide to let Him in.

8. Q: How then can we make such a Decision, seeing that the Scripture saith, we are dead in our trespasses and sins?
A: By this the Scripture meaneth, not that we are dead, but only that we are sick or injured in them.

9. Q: What is the assurance of thy salvation?
A: The assurance of thy salvation is, that I know the date on which I prayed the Sinner's Prayer, and have duly written this date on an official Decision card.

10. Q: What is thy story? What is thy song?
A: Praising my Savior all the day long.

11. Q: You ask me how I know he lives?
A: He lives within my heart.

12. Q: And what else hast thou got in thine heart?
A: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

13. Q: Where??
A: Down in my heart!

14. Q: Where???
A: Down in my heart!!

15. Q: What witness aid hath been given us as a technique by which we may win souls?
A: The tract known commonly as the Four Spiritual Laws, is the chief aid whereby we may win souls.

16. Q: What doth this tract principally teach?
A: The Four Spiritual Laws principally teach, that God's entire plan for history and the universe centereth on me, and that I am powerful enough to thwart His divine purpose if I refuse to let Him pursue His Wonderful Plan for my life.

17. Q: What supplementary technique is given by which we may win souls?
A: The technique of giving our own Personal Testimony, in the which we must always be ready to give an answer concerning the years we spent in vanity and pride, and the wretched vices in which we wallowed all our lives until
the day we got saved.

18. Q: I'm so happy, what's the reason why?
A: Jesus took my burden all away!

19. Q: What are the means given whereby we may save large crowds of souls in a spectacular manner?
A: Such a spectacle is accomplished by means of well-publicized Crusades and Revivals which (in order that none may be loath to attend) are best conducted anywhere else but in a Church.

20. Q: Am I a soldier of the Cross?
A: I am a soldier of the Cross if I join Campus Crusade, Boys' Brigade, the Salvation Army, or the Wheaton Crusaders; of if I put on the helmet of Dispensationalism, the breastplate of Pietism, the shield of Tribulationism, and the sword of Zionism, having my feet shod with the gospel of Arminianism.

21. Q: Who is your boss?
A: My boss is a Jewish carpenter.

22. Q: Hath God predestined vessels of wrath to Hell?
A: God hath never performed such an omnipotent act, for any such thing would not reflect His primary attribute, which is Niceness.

23. Q: What is sanctification?
A: Sanctification is the work of my free Will, whereby I am renewed by having my Daily Quiet Time.

24. Q: What rule hath God for our direction in prayer?
A: The rule that we must bow our hands, close our heads, and fold our eyes.

25. Q: What doth the Lord's Prayer teach us?
A: The Lord's Prayer teacheth us that we must never memorize a prayer, or use one that hath been written down.

26. Q: What's the book for thee?
A: The B-I-B-L-E.

27. Q: Which are among the first books which a Christian should read to his soul's health?
A: Among the first books which a Christian should read are the books of Daniel and Revelation, and The Late Great Planet Earth.

28. Q: Who is on the Lord's side?
A: He who doth support whatsoever is done by the nation of Israel, and who doth renounce the world, the flesh, and the Catholic Church.

29. Q: What are the seven deadly sins?
A: The seven deadly sins are smoking, drinking, dancing, card-playing, movie-going, baptizing babies, and having any creed but Christ.

30. Q: What is a sacrament?
A: A sacrament is an insidious invention devised by the Catholic Church whereby men are drawn into idolatry.

31. Q: What is the Lord's Supper?
A: The Lord's Supper is a dispensing of saltines and grape juice, in the which we remember Christ's command to pretend that they are His body and blood.

32. Q: What is baptism?
A: Baptism is the act whereby, by the performance of something that seems quite silly in front of everyone, I prove that I really, really mean it.

33. Q: What is the Church?
A: The Church is the tiny minority of individuals living at this time who have Jesus in their hearts, and who come together once a week for a sermon, fellowship and donuts.

34. Q: What is the office of the keys?
A: The office of the keys is that office held by the custodian.

35. Q: What meaneth "The Priesthood Of All Believers"?
A: The Priesthood Of All Believers meaneth that there exists no authority in the Church, as that falsely thought to be held by elders, presbyters, deacons, and bishops, but that each individual Christian acts as his own authority in all matters pertaining to the faith.

36. Q: Who is the Holy Spirit?
A: The Holy Spirit is a gentleman Who would never barge in.

37. Q: How long hath the Holy Spirit been at work?
A: The Holy Spirit hath been at work for more than a century: expressly, since the nineteenth-century Revitalization brought about by traveling Evangelists carrying tents across America.

38. Q: When will be the "Last Days" of which the Bible speaketh?
A: The "Last Days" are these days in which we are now living, in which the Antichrist, the Beast, and the Thief in the Night shall most certainly appear.

39. Q: What is the name of the event by which Christians will escape these dreadful entities?
A: The event commonly known as the Rapture, in the which it is our Blessed Hope that all cars driven by Christians will suddenly have no drivers.

40. Q: When is Jesus coming again?
A: Maybe morning, maybe noon, maybe evening, and maybe soon.

41. Q: When the roll, roll, roll, is called up yonder, where will you be?
A: There.

42. Q: Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!
A: Praise ye the Lord!

43. Q: Praise ye the Lord!
A: Hallelujah!

44. Q: Where will we meet again?
A: Here, there, or in the air.

45. Q: Can I hear an Ay-men?
A: Ay-men.

Hey guys. I really have nothing to say right now but I wanted to leave everyone with an update. So, yah... I will leave you a lovely series of links. And you will adore them.

Pontifications, Is Catholicism Semi-Pelagian? - Well, I would have said no. Maybe because I read the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification... Good stuff. Read them both and learn a thing or two.

Not Quite Getting It, Hospital Chaplains Worshipping at the Altar of Chemosh? - OUr RSV reading buddy JHearne talks about the chaplaincy. In my opinion, I think that Christian ministers (as well as other faith traditions) ought to be in the secular hospital. It only makes sense.

Mark Wallace, Attack of the Giant Horchata! - I love horchata. It is my favorite drink. He does too. And he has a picture of it. Mmmm...

Jesus Creed, Woman in Ministry - I think that the title is to say "Women" but whatever... Good little discussions. Read it. And convert, you complementarian people! :)


Wikipedia, Substitutionary Atonement - What do you all think? I'm not a fan of the Penal theory (as anyone who has read for a while knows... last November we discussed it in some deatail. No, I don't have the entry anymore...) Give me some thoughts AFTER reading the article. Anyone have a copy of Cur Deus Homo? I'll pay for shipping and stuff if I can borrow it.

Pleeeease?

So, I need money.

I am going to have a chapter published in a book!! I am very excited for that and grateful to be offered this oppurtunity. After taking some time to think about it, I am fairly sure of which way I want to go with my chapter. After we had the little exchange about Catholicism here (I am STILL not RCC for all y'all haters out there... baptists) Kyle gave us all a point about living a catholic theology in an evangelical (or mainline) setting.

Mike, to my mind, being a "catholic" among evangelicals means being the resident historian and ecumenist - a kind of resource guy. Some of the Church's challenges in this era are unique, but many are the same: how to I become like Jesus? How do we live together as Christ's body in a way that honors him? How do we call people into the Church and to Jesus, bringing them from death into life? Those are ancient and contemporary concerns that transcend any philosophical "moments" in history. I think it means being a voice for "keeping the main thing the main thing," and being the guy who says, "you know, the Church has always dealt with this, and some good faithful Christians who aren't ______s (fill your resident tradition in the blank here) also have some good things to say about it. Christians of different times and places have different answers to the same old questions. We learn to listen to them as we sit together and wait for the Lord to tell us our way forward in his mission in the world as well as our own life together.

I think this is a very good point and I have tried to make that my first thought whenever I think where I'm going witht his whole "church" thing. And I am going to write about me moving from a rigid evangelical stance (where I was a bit over a year ago) to where I am now and where I am going. It's not going to be preachy. It won't be particularly innovative or "pomo" or whatever... but it may be interesting for someone out there to read. I am going to need some help with the writing and editing of it. I have a list of people I want and hopefully they won't mind being elected by me to this. Haha! :)

Well, that's the chapter cummary in a nutshell. A very small nutshell but a nutshell nonetheless.
I need to rais 150 dollars to make sure everything gets published. And I need some help. If there is any way I could do some sort of work for any one of you and possibly get some sort of monetary earning from that I would be a very happy boy. Donations are VERY welcome also. I am not above asking... :P My email addy is "potatocore@gmail.com" and I would welcome anything, even just some encouragement or advice. Thanks.

I'm leaving comments closed on this one.

What say ye? The ESV reads well. Plus it may be a bit ahead of it predecessor in terms of scholarship but who am I to know these things? I am personally for the NRSV. I really like the way it flows and am a fan of gender-inclusivity. Plus its got the apocrypha and the deuterocanonical books.... woot! Well, I am off to Boise and expect some thoughts.

I am sitting here catching up on some reading. Puritans. To be honest, I hate the bastards. So does my prof so I don't have to worry about offending some 5-pointer John Piper pusher. Haha, you have no idea how wonderful that is for me. :) Well, now that I have so bluntly stated my position on those godless dissidents, what are your thoughts? I am writing a paper. Mostly on the subjection of women and children in a New England puritanical society to chauvinistic rule. Not so good... any good reading out there?

Hey guys. I guess I have not been writing too much interesting stuff for some time now. I'm so very sorry for all of that. I have been so confused these past few months... I think I have made some internal decisions and am confident that I am ok. Well, I guess I have had quite a few idea bouncing around inside my soul and I feel like sharing them with whoever reads this. I don't even know anymore. I added a hit count down on the bottom left side... About 100 hits in two days. Not bad. Well, here goes...

(I don't think I am good at this writing thing)

I have been reading through the Book of the Exodus recently. I was inspired to revisit this fantastic narrative by a traveling songwriter some time back (a member of the modern-day Psalters) He and I were talking about departing comfort and moving into the unknown. It was a good conversation and we were able to share many similar stories (particularly when I lived in Kentucky and was in communion with several homeless men) Our exchange resulted in me asking myself, "Would I leave the comfort of what I know to be in a constant state of mystery?"

Our faith (Judeo-Christian) has a history of Yahweh God calling his elect people (individual and gathered) into the Unknown. One needs only to survey the entirety of the Holy Scriptures to see this. God called Noah to build a gigantic boat in the middle of flat land and put animals on it. God called Abraham to leave his country, against all rationality, and follow him into a new land. God called Joseph to interpret strange dreams for the world's leaders, dreams that would decided the fates of both himself and countless others. God called Moses to challenge the highest political power in the world to let the elect people of God become slaves to a new master. God called the prophetsto do strange (even disgusting) things to bring his people back to their Lover. God called a young teenage woman to bare his imminence; to give birth to the anointed messiah! God called a radical, zealous, conservative pharisee to be the Apostle of an amazingly subversive, liberal, egalitarian gospel of reconciliation and restoration. And his calling never ended.

But do we follow that voice?

Do we build communities of exodus and resistance? Leaving the dead ways of our former selves (greed, pride, slander, despair, etc.) and following the still small voice of God (as heard in our liturgies, our prayers) into un-comfort: the truest humanity possible. Do we, in our faith-communities, resist the urge to return to our apathy, our sin of ignorance and un-care?

We have grown accustomed to not knowing what it's like to be compassionate. We have forgotten how to be human. We would rather be numb. We would rather not know what that bag-lady does for dinner and bed each night (even though we see her diving in the dumpster for recyclable plastic bottles and scraps of half-uneaten foods) We would rather not know what those methane bubble rising to the surface of frozen lakes has to do with our North American cities (even when we wonder why we are in such a crazy drought, at least in Idaho, and why the summer seems to get longer each year) We would rather not know how our sisters and brothers (they're only kids!) in third-world countries fare in light of wars, famines, and diseases (A dollar a month seems justification enough for our piggish greed) We would rather not know. It's better that way, right? Shit happens. Rain falls on all our heads. Right??

I ask myself, what can be done to make this place a better world? How can things be set to rights. Exodus. We must leave what we know and enter into a new mystery, a world of bold faith in the God who saves, the God who loves, and the God who desires reconciliation with the whole of his creation. We must side with those crazy hippies who want to put plastic in one bag and metal in the other. For God and the kingdom. We've got to fund the work of mission agencies to bring water to the thirsty and healing to the unwell. To heal ourselves. We've got to remind ourselves of our redeemer and dedicate our selves to that great love wholly as co-creators, slaves, and servants. To be fully human. Restored.

We must resist "every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God" and serve only the One. The powers of death and evil have already been taken care of by our servant-leader. They have no hold on those who are in Him. But they do their best to make it hell while they can. These powers are many (empires, propegandas, "technocracies," religions, politics, corporations, spirits, etc.) but one. And that one is the enemy of all who seek truth.

I don't have all of the answers. I have more questions than probably any of you who will take the time to read this through. But I do know this, our God does not let down. He will restore the world to what it once was and what it again will be. He will move his people into a new place. A world without poverty. A world without war. A world in which God and his creation are in perfect communion. Another world is possible. But we must act.

Pray with me that God will lead us out of wherever we may be that is not in line with his program for the restoration of all things. We must do this together, as the church. We are those who have tasted what a perfect reality could be. Pray that we will leave and never return to our sin. Our hearts must break at the sight of injustice. We can't remain calloused.

Until all things are restored; be the church.

1. Free Books. When he receives two copies of a book, one is given to you. You are also able to borrow any of the free books that he has obtained.

2. Your Name is a Link to Your Myspace Page. Many people read your name and know who you are even though you've never spoken with them or even done anything worth mentioning.

3. Hear About Interesting People. You get to learn about all of his blogger friends and hear amusing stories about many of them.

4. You Realize Just How Humble Your Blogger Actually Is. And yes... he is very humble indeed. :)

5. There's Always Something Interesting to Read. No matter how bored you get, it's very easy to find something to read. It could be written by your blogger, or by someone he has linked.



1. Lack of an Interesting Topic. Unfortunately, my life is very monotonous. No one would want to read about anything that happened in it. My thoughts and opinions are probably just as dull.

2. Fear of Looking Stupid on the Internet. Too many people would see it. I know I would have some sort of grammatical or spelling error that would haunt me for the rest of my days. I couldn't live with that kind of humiliation. :)

3. Compassion for my Blogger. He has been doing the whole blogging thing for so long. I would hate to show up on the scene and outdo him. I just don't know if he could handle the fact that I had more readers than he did. :) haha

Go leave her some comment love at her myspace.

Lynlea (my girlfriend, for those of you who either haven't been told or haven't caught on yet) and I were having a fun discussion tonight. We were both kinda out of it and mostly imagining what it would be like if we found out we were actually related... That would be so akward! Hahaha! Well, our discussion finally moved off of that and I was saying something about her blogging and she said that Adam had been telling her to do it also. I guess that his idea for a first blog post could go something along the lines of the advantages of dating a blogger. Since we couldn't really think of any I decided I would post on the advantages of BEING a blogger:

1) You get to make new friends - I thought I should add this one so I look like I have some sort of emotion about me. Rest assured, that is not the case.... hehe. But seriously, I have actually gotten to meet some of these blogging legends in person. Even sleep on their couches, eat their fruits, and drink their tea. How cool is that?

2) You get invited to things - It's true. I get invited to conferences, seminars, and even asked to write sometimes! That's always good. I'm not the best at this "shameless self-promotion" others are so very good at but I'm working on it. I was once even invited to go to a conference all expense paid and would've stayed with a bunch of cute girls. Now that is fame.

3) People talk about you - I am so damn humble I make myself wanna cry sometimes. I am that good at being humble. It's true. So when people talk about me, I know I've done something right (usually they don't think so... Baptists) I'm pretty much amazing like that. And humble too. Did I say that?

4) You get free junk - Like books. Mclaren sends you books. Burke sends you books. People send you papers to review. You get bibles (Thanks Newell and Brian!) You get postcards. You get all sorts of free things. You get free food. You get free plane tickets (which you won't accept b/c your ex g/f thinks you are going to be naughty... which you may have been)

5) You get called HERETIC! - Now this is my favorite. I would have left this under #3 but I felt it deserved its own spot. Heretic isn't a light word to throw around. I have a list of heretics (culture warriors, you may be on there...) and other such "bad-Christians." People accuse you of things that never have ever even come close to happening. And it's all good. And you know it. Because they're jackasses. And you're humble.

That's all I could come up with. Anyone have some extras?

UPDATE: I am very ill. There's a very good possibility that I have West Nile. The only way to know for sure is to have blood samples taken and be hospitalized, which is too expensive for my tastes... They are treating it like WNV and I will be stuck at home for a while. This sucks. I ask that all of you who pray to pray that I will become well in a relatively short time. Thanks.

UPDATE 2: I may not have West Nile!! My sister and my niece are both sick as well. We all ate dinner together a couple nights ago while in Boise. This is good news for me. Well, not good, but better than it was.

Hey kiddies! I forgot to tell all of you that I was leaving Twin to go to Boise this past weekend for holiday vacation. It was fun. Didn't do too much. I went to several shows, ate, and slept. I got to meet some cool new people (specifically Erin, Alex, Eleni, Joss, and maybe one or two others I forgot) Stayed at Lynlea's new place. It's small. Reminded me of Boyce...

I saw Psalters play. Amazing. I don't know f you have ever heard of them but it is well worth your time. I believe they articulate a great statement of Christian politics and music. Great stuff. Music for God's sake. Weird, huh? David is doing his best to get them to play a show in Louisville. For all of you out that direction who still read my blog despite my dissent, check it out. It would be well worth your time.

I am off to bed now. I am sick and I need my rest. Oh, and for those of you who didn't keep up with the last little "What the hell should I do with my life?" post, I clarified there that I am not becoming Roman Catholic. That is apparently a little rumor spread about here and in other places. Strange... I am more frequently attending an Episcopal parish. After exploring it for quite some time now I think I could fit in here. Of course not entirely but I really enjoy their community worship and their adherence to the BCP. So let's not make sweeping statements against them... I did it. I stopped. Follow my lead, Baptists... ;)

Kyle says the only difference between a terrorist and a liturgist is that one can reason with the terrorist.

Hehe...