Under Construction

I've decided to make a few changes to the blog. Blogger has made a ton of changes and I guess they want me to too. So I added a couple of things like labeling my posts and added some links to some of my friends pages. I may change some more.

Deep thought

So I've been thinking some about the idea that we cannot come to knowledge objectively. It seems that there is some wrestling going on between postmodernism and modernism in the Christian world. Some see it as a bigger struggle than others. It seems to be popping up in a lot of my reading lately. For instance I'm reading a book today that was given to me a couple of months ago. It is "Christ Our Mediator" by C. J. Mahaney. Before getting into his true subject Mahaney has decided to weigh in on this subject some. As the first chapter moves along he says some things that frustrate me. See I tend to be more of the thought that we cannot know things objectively. That we do subjectively filter them through the lens that we see the world through. He starts of by telling us that feelings and emotions cannot be trusted. "It would be fine to follow our feelings if we could always be sure they're faithful to reality. But they aren't; their perspective on reality typically has huge blind spots." I have no problem with that statement. Our feelings do tend to blur our view of reality. So he goes on to say that we should read the Bible and find the objective truth. "The humble are those whose first response to objective truth from God's Word is not to ask, 'How do I feel?' but to say, 'I'm not going to let my faith be determined and directed by the subjective and the experiential. Instead I confess openly before God that I will believe the objective truth of His Word, regardless of how I feel.'" Here's my problem. I believe that absolute objective truth exists. I don't think I can know it objectively or fully. I believe that I filter everything through my lens (culture, experience, sin...). I'm a little wary of some of the things he's saying but I can see some of his points. We shouldn't base what we believe on what we feel. I know he's trying to tell me that postmodernism and it's subjectiveness isn't where the Christian should be, but I'm used to that type of thing. He ends every chapter with "suggested words of prayer for you". Well, the ending of the first chapter pretty much has me ticked and thinking about just putting the book away. "Thank You, Father, for directing my attention upward and outward to objective truth, and away from self-centeredness and enlavement to subjectivity. I turn away from self-focused arrogance and toward You - to receive forgiveness for that arrogance. I direct my faith toward You and Your Word, for You alone are worthy."

What is more arrogant? To think that I taint truth subjectively through my worldview or to think that I can separate myself from all of that and think that I can know truth objectively?

Merry Christmas

Hey we had a good time down at the Weaver Plantation. Hope you had a good time! I just want to thank God for Christ and Christmas!

Bowl season

The college football bowl season started yesterday with a blowout. I didn't watch though. I was watching Rocky III. Me and a friend decided to watch all 5 before we go watch the new one. Laugh all you want. But I'm getting well versed in Rocky trivia.

Neat article

I know some people that read my blog aren't fans of the Mannings. This is a neat Manning story. I'm a wimp and all and get teary eyed at lots of sports stories. This one got me too.

Meteors

This is a picture of me last night between 11 and 12. I look scared and fat. Maybe I look scared because the flash was quite blinding. I was cold, well just my face. I went out and laid in the yard and watched the meteor shower last night. It was one of the best I've seen. The clouds cleared off perfect for it. I almost forgot about it and then the jet flew over. I never hear jets up here. There just aren't that many that fly over. But there seems to be one that flies over very regularly at about 11:00 at night. Very weird. Anyways it reminded me to check the sky and so I did. The wife and girls were asleep but I grabbed my sleeping bag and headed out into the yard.

Paralyzed

Yesterday Stephanie reminded me of this song by Sixpence None the Richer. It was perfect. Here's the story.

Last week I visited a man from our church in the hospital. He'd had some mini-strokes and was in the late stages of Alzheimers or dementia. Anyways he could no longer swallow and really couldn't communicate real well. He recognized me and tried to talk. He laughed some, smiled some, said a few things I understood and a bunch I didn't. I don't know how much of that was because of his brain and how much was that his throat and tongue weren't working right. His mouth was so dry that his tongue was scaly. His family talked right in front of him like he couldn't understand. I'm pretty sure he could. They were talking about how they were going to remove the feeding mechanisms. I'm not sure where I stand on the whole situation and I'm not writing to discuss that. Please if I'm ever in this situation do not discuss it in front of me. He had written out ahead of time that he didn't want a feeding tube or any of that stuff. But as they removed the bag of food I found myself in this situation. "I breathed in, I breathed out, Soaked the ground up with my eyes. It's hard to say a healing word When your tongue is paralyzed".

Money

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about Christians and money. I'm not sure what started this thought pattern. I've been disturbed for a while about Christian radio and the amount of financial planning shows and advertising there. I'm willing to bet that there is an estate planning Sunday School class out there somewhere. I know there are enough seminars. I took a Jr. high boy that I don't spend much time with out for dinner the other week. He asked me why I was an assistant pastor. He said I was smart and could make a bunch of money in business or something. (Leaving the headaches and time schedule of being a pastor for more money and freedom somewhere else is a constant temptation for me.) I told him that money wasn't the biggest factor in my decisions. (I hope I mean that and it isn't just something I say) He was blown away that I was buying dinner for him at Culvers. Money and the problems that surround it are not new. Maybe how easy debt is now is new though. Steph and I are getting closer and closer to eliminating our college debt. But the temptation to take on new debt is always there as well. A newer less mileage car is something that I think about often. Do I need it? Do I want to get into needs vs. wants? And do I really want to change my views about money? I'm also wondering if it's really as wise as we think to store up our money for a time when we'll retire. I don't know. I don't do it as much as I'm told I should. I tell myself that I will save more when I get rid of my student loans. But will I or will I replace that debt with other debt? It would be cool to own a house...

This is good stuff

Oh man. That's good stuff. She should've just waited for someone to say something about the smell and then yelled "The smeller's the feller!"

The BCS

I've changed my mind. I've decided that the BCS is good. They follow figure skating and gymnastics lead by having votes determine champions. I've decided that this is great. Imagine how many Super Bowls the Colts would have been to by now. Bring the BCS to the NFL!

College football thoughts.

I've heard many theories on why Florida was voted higher than Michigan and given a shot at the National title. I haven't heard the truth yet. What is the truth you ask? You can only find it here. Here is the truth.

The voters had no choice. They could not give Michigan a shot at Ohio State. There is no other scenario that would cause more damage than Michigan beating Ohio State in a national title game. The Harris voters and even the coaches do not want to see the BCS blown up. If Michigan beat Ohio State in a national title game the BCS would have to change. Both teams would have one loss and their losses would be to each other. Confusion would reign. The public's confidence in the BCS would be even more shaky. That could not be allowed to happen.

You'll hear many other ideas on why Florida suddenly passed Michigan in the polls. Mark May will tell you the voters just realized that Florida was better than Michigan. Kirk Herbstreit will tell you that voters didn't want to see a rematch and that they forgot about Michigan in the two weeks. But you will only hear the truth on Weaveswrites. The voters couldn't vote for Michigan.

I personally would like to see Michigan and Florida play. The winner of that game could go on to play OSU if you really want to see that but I think, especially with the vote controversy, that Florida Michigan is a much more intriguing matchup. It will be fun to watch Michigan and USC in the Rose Bowl. And it would probably kill Michigan fans to lose to OSU twice in one year so it's probably best there isn't a chance of that happening. I'm worried about ND playing LSU in the Sugar Bowl. LSU seems to be fast and ND is definitely not.

It's obvious that Brian Kelly was using Central Michigan as a stepping stone. But why use them to step to Cincinnati? I would rather stay at Central another year with my phenom freshman QB than go to Cincy. Cincy will never out rectruit OSU in Ohio. They won't out recruit Louisville any time soon in Kentucky. Shoot they probably won't out rectruit Kentucky. Why go to Cincy where you have very little chance. I'd rather hold out and try for Rutgers even.

Bond

Ok Burrill you asked. I did not like the new Bond movie. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I was sick and fell asleep and that made it not make much sense. Maybe it was the lack of Bond gadgets. Maybe it's the fact that it was supposed to be before Bond was Bond and they talked about September 11th. Maybe it was the intro, the song was one of the worst and the crazy intro thingy was the worst one yet. Maybe it's because I was confused after he met the girl, the "money" who was "worth every penny". I was convinced that she was Miss Moneypenny. I'm not sure what it was but I was not impressed.

Snow

School cancelled. At times I can't see the trees on the other side of the parking lot. But who's at church? Not the secretary. Not the senior pastor, he says he's coming. Nope it's me. And I have a million calls about the ladies Christmas party tonight. Is it still happening? They are trying to not cancel it but I can't see how they can have it. We are supposed to get 8-12 inches. So I have to tell ladies that it isn't cancelled yet. I'd bet money it will be though.