Good Stuff

I was reading some of the bloggers I follow and came across this Brandon Scott Thomas post, this Trey Morgan post, and this Blake Bergstrom post. I consider all of these guys my friends and brothers, although I have very little relationship with either of them. If you don't read any of these guys, give them a try. They just might challenge you and make you laugh out loud all at the same time! And we need that in our lives lest we shrivel up and die!

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

Who Would Have Thought...

...that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men?


Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

Who Would Have Thought...

...that they would win 10-3?



























Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

My Book List

I have always enjoyed reading... except, of course, most of my textbooks when I was in school. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to get back to reading on a regular basis, so I have become zealous for the written word again.

I've got an interesting (at least, interesting to me) list of books that I am currently reading and planning on reading in the near future.

I am currently reading Wild At Heart by John Eldredge. I read it back in '05 or '06, so I'm re-reading it now and learning a lot about myself and how my life has changed since my marriage. I'm also learning how to love and serve my family better now; that's always helpful.

Once I finish that book, I plan on finishing Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs, finally starting His Needs Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr., and re-reading Every Man's Battle by Arterburn & Stoeker, and Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey. I know these books may sound boring to some of you, especially if there are younger readers of my blog, but these books are exactly what I need right now.

I am also in the process of reading through the Bible in a year again. This year, my translation of choice is the English Standard Version (ESV). My in-laws bought my wife and me matching ESV Study Bibles for Christmas last year and they have been extremely helpful to us in our walk with Christ. I've also been more interested in the Holman Christian Standard Bible and the New Living Translation this year.

How about you? What books are you reading or planning on reading? What Bible translations are you liking these days?

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

And I Quote... (a double-shot)

"I don't want excuses, I want performance."
-Roger Sharp to the Mustang High School drum line after having had enough








"I'm gonna try to say this in the most manly way possible, but you smell delicious."
-Zac George to a dude after a concert in New York









Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

I Want...

I've been hearing that phrase a lot lately, and it got me to thinking, "What do I want?"

Some people want security, some want freedom, some want easy, some even want difficult.
Young people want to be older while older people want to be younger... again.
Americans want the latest gadget, Africans want the next meal.
The wealthy want more, the poor want any.

Is there something you want that you "just can't live without?"
Is there something you want that will change your life?
Is there something you want that you know you can't have?

What do you want?

I'll tell you what I want later...

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

Grace Defined

Maybe this sketch will help explain the concept of grace a little better than I can. Although this video is almost ten minutes long, it's totally worth every second.

You're welcome.

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

Pray On, Sister!

I just read this blog and it made me feel really good... until I read some of the comments. There is a traditional belief in most churches of Christ that says women should not pray aloud if a Christian man is present. I'm gonna come right out and say it:

I OBJECT!!!

I may be way off base in my beliefs, but I honestly don't think I am. The Scriptures say that women should not have authority over men (1 Tim 2:12), which is another highly debated subject in and of itself. However, it doesn't say that women cannot pray aloud in the presence of men. As a matter of fact, doesn't Paul (the author of 1 Timothy) clearly state in other passages that we should pray for one another? I find it insane to think that he meant for us to be so legalistic as to not allow our wives or sisters or daughters to pray for us while we are present. Men, what happens when you're having a hard time with your faith and can't find the words to lead your family to God's throne in prayer? Does your family simply not pray? Somehow I doubt it. If that is the case, think about this: dads who have good relationships with their daughters who get married and move away want to hear from their daughters, regardless of whether their husband is in the room or not. When they don't, they feel slighted and unloved. Do you think our heavenly Father wants to hear from his girls on a regular basis, regardless of who else is there? I do. God always wants to hear from the women He created. It strengthens the Father/daughter bond that women need. It also promotes unity within families. That unity should spread throughout the Church and promote unity of God's family.

That's what I think about it. What do you think?

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate