Long time no blog

It dawned on me how long it had been since I blogged. I've done one here and there on Facebook but not on here. What to talk about? Well, let's catch up here. The summer went along rather quickly. I had the chance to play an acoustic gig at a coffeehouse in Salisbury MD was was a ton of fun. I was reunited with the two closest friends I have ever had from my youth. I have started taking Systematic Theology at church. My understanding of God has grown so much as of late. I still have so far to go and I know that I will never know God completely and inexhaustibly. But I'm grateful for what has been revealed to me. I pray as I continue this class that it would help me in writing new songs that speak of God's grace in my life and show how awesome God has been in my life.
It's not much to start with for the time being this will do. I hope I can get back to blogging.

Vinegar

"Have you ever tasted vinegar? I mean, plain, sour, yucky vinegar?" These 2 lines were to something that I had a chance to do for what was called 1st Communion. I was in 5th grade at Good Shepherd Lutheran church in Kreidersville PA. All of us in the class got to serve in some way shape or form. For some reason, I chose a children's sermon. See, us Lutherans had a step by step process. In 5th grade, we did 1st Communion. Through 7th-9th grade, we did confirmation/catechetical classes. In 9th grade we were "confirmed" as members of the church. And if you were bored with the whole church thing by that point, in 10th grade, you went when you wanted to go. There was no reason to go to church. At least, that's how I saw it. The people I went through those years with for the most part I have lost track of with one exception. And even that person,thanks to Facebook, I've made a few connections with but not anything deep. I was wanting to dig out the "confirmation" picture out and scan it and post it but to dig that out of the vortex that is the closet in my house is going to be a project where I have nothing better to do with my day. But, back to Vinegar. I had listened to the tape again and thought, this needs to be transferred to a CD so I never lose this precious memory. So, I gave it to a good friend who has a studio in his basement and he converted it from tape to CD. I listened again and thought, wow, this is REALLY good. It talks about how vinegar, by itself, tastes pretty nasty. But, when you realize that pickles are made with vinegar and that vinegar is an ingredient to a lot of things, it's not so bad. When living the Christian life, there are many components to it. It says in the Bible we are to rejoice in our sufferings. Who wants to rejoice in our sufferings? Job didn't. I'm sure Jesus didn't enjoy the beatings He took. The disciples as they faced horrible deaths. I know in my own life I didn't enjoy the fact that my life was going down the toilet and I was there with the plunger forcing it down taking other people with me. But God has given me reason to rejoice knowing that He was there with me. He hurt along with me and He comforted me and showed me Himself. I pray that for the people I have hurt, that Jesus will come along and comfort those. Now, I can rejoice in the fact that Jesus died on the Cross and rose from the dead three days later. I can rejoice that He lives inside of me! That I can take this life, as scarred up as it is, and through the story that God has given me, and show the world that Christ lives in me. I anxiously await the day when I meet Jesus face to face and I fall on my knees and worship at His feet. I have no clue when that day is but while I'm here, I pray that my life is a representation of Him.

Romans 1:18-32

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Just take time to read this passage. This passage was written 2000 years ago. Paul dealt with it then and we're still looking at it now. When I studied this passage, it convicted me on many levels. One, if this had been 13 years ago, and something would have happened where I would have died, I would be facing an eternal damnation because while I knew God existed, that isn't enough. To know the love and grace given to us by His Son and to believe that Jesus will lead you through all things. I gave my mind over to foolish things, idolatry, and the laundry list of sins that is mentioned in verse 29. God is all around us. There is no excuse for anyone not to believe in Him. But, yet, we put our football teams, baseball teams, music groups, 401k plans, etc., before Him. I'm just as guilty of this. I look at the results of the elections and I pray that God doesn't take a back seat. Or, let me rephrase that. That our country doesn't PUT God in the backseat. God will never be a backseat driver. I also think of the results of the vote to ban same sex marriage in California. For once, the people of California did something right! It's clearly written in the Bible that same sex marriage is an absolute no-no. I was reading this passage in the King James version and it stats that God gave the people to uncleanness. The first thought that came to my mind was back then if you were unclean you had leprosy and had to announce it to the world so no one would come near you. What do you think today's "uncleanness" is? II'm thankful that God came into my life and I got to truly know who Jesus Christ is. Jesus is not some made up fantasy. He's the Son of God who was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life. He healed the sick, brought the dead to life and made the blind to see. He died on a cross and rose from the dead 3 days later. I pray that He becomes even more evident in my life. Today and the rest of my days.

Fireproof-a review, thoughts and memories

Just got back from watching Fireproof. It's from the people who brought us Facing the Giants. The football movie with a major Christian influence. So major that the only reason basically that it was rated PG was because it mentioned Christ in a positive way. So, Fireproof. The movie that has people talking about Kirk Cameron again. The only person he'll kiss is his wife. It's a shame that the story had to come out with the movie release.
As for the movie. It was good. Tells of a story about a firefighter (Cameron) who seems to go out of his way as a firefighter but his marriage? Well, needless to say, the sparks could be put out with a drop of sweat. He's willing to fight for it but he needs help in the matter, basically. I would recommend this movie to anyone. It's well done and the characters were portrayed well. The acting was better this time than in Facing the Giants where the acting was a bit stiff.
Now, for the thoughts and memories. How ironic that the day I go to see this would have marked 16 years of marriage had my ex and I still stayed together. There were a lot of scenes in the movie that rang home to me. I threw the marriage away. Any futile attempts of trying to save it were far too late. Problem was, I was selfish. I had too many other addictions that kept me from loving her. She was robbed of what being a wife should be. I didn't give her the opportunity of being a loving husband to her. Not the way I've come to learn what that is. I've come to learn so much of what the Bible teaches on marriage, love and relationships. And while it has helped me in my marriage now, times like these, it puts a strain on it. I still have a lot to learn. I don't want to mess things up again. And I want to ask forgiveness to the ones I've hurt along the way. I don't deserve an ounce of it. And I don't know who will read this. All I ask is that you pray for me. I feel so alone and worthless even though I truly know that I'm not. The weight on me is heavy. And while I know to give it to Jesus, it's still there in my memory. Like He is saying this needs to be taken care of and laid to rest. You've laid it to rest with Me, but now, for the tough part.
Pray for me. That's all I ask.