Star Wars vs. Star Trek

I would agree with this video. The Star Trek franchise is actually my favorite of the two. Sorry Ted. These nerds are pretty good with the special effects.

Dump Truck Dump Bed Dumps Body Onto Freeway

Ahh, make sure the dump bed is down. Check out the guy on the bridge who noticed the dump truck coming and stopped walking across the bridge, but still falls (probably to his death) when the truck hits. Scary.

About the iPad

First, it sounds like a feminine hygiene product. Gross. Next, everything I wanted to say is wrapped up in a commenter's comment on Engadget. "A giant iphone that can't place a call, can't take pictures, can shoot video, cannot multitask, cannot run Adobe Flash and is ridiculously expensive even before adding the cost of a 3G antenna. Yeah, I'll take three [/sarcasm]" Finally, it is actually the direction I think computers should go. The picture below is what makes me interested, with the attachable keyboard docking station. I also love that you can get iWork (Apple's Office like suite) on it. I believe, and posted about it in 2007 here (scroll down to "Here is a Rabbit Trail"), that computers should go the way of the portable do everything device. This is really a step in the right direction. It's too bad it's been apple-ized. If Apple got there heads out of their "apple cores" and added or fixed the things in the comments from the Engadget reader, I'd run down and buy 3 of them, for realzies. What do you think?

Hope In Christ, Listen to the Spirit

It happens so often that I should know by now that when I need ANYTHING I should just open my Bible. Today I have an interview for a different position with the bank. I'm very nervous about it because I really want the position. And, although my training and experience is right of the position, I want to do a good job in this interview of relaying that. I'm nervous and anxious about it. I've been praying about it a lot, but I think with a weak faith. So much is wrong with my spiritual life, that I can't just hope that God is listening to my prayers.

Well, Romans 15:8-13 reminds me of a greater hope. Christ. And from that hope comes joy and peace in believing. The power of the Holy Spirit is with us who are saved. Too often we ignore the Holy Spirit and drown out His comforts and the hope that comes from the Spirit with worries about life. Our purpose here is to bring glory to God, not to be successful in our worldly endeavors. Verses 11-12 are quotes from the old testament about praising God and rejoicing and hoping in Him (2 Sam. 22:50, Psa. 18:49, Deut. 32:43, Psa. 117:1, and Isa. 11:10). We must listen to to the Holy Spirit. We must recognize we are here for a short time and must strive to glorify God in what we do.

Praise God for His Holy Spirit.
Praise God for Hope.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

Romans 15:1-7

My title is sort of silly; I think Rodney King was the one who said it. But in the Christian world there are so many disagreements that actually lead to Christians not getting along with each other. Even in my own short experiences I've had disagreements with other Christians that led to a parting of ways. This is not productive or appropriate for Christians. We have the example of Christ who was selfless and giving to those who wanted Him dead. He died for the sins of all people. And, as Romans 15 tells us in verse 3 (as a quote from Psalms 69:9), "the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on Me." Christ took on the rebukes and blames from others for us.

We have a duty as Christians to work together in love and patience, welcoming one another as Christ has welcomed us. There is a saying that says something like, "a house divided can not stand." The church struggles against itself here because too often we are not welcoming of others. Although we may have disagreements about different doctrine, we should be constantly loving one another more than fighting about our differing views. "(The) strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves." If someone was to tell me that, I'd probably disagree. But that's verse one of Romans 15. It doesn't say rebuke them for their failings. It says bear with them. This is a way to show love. My current way would be rebuke, criticize, mock, and reject. I think that's a sign that I'm not one of the strong.

Bear with the weak. Love others.

Praise God for His Love.

I Can't Sleep

I'm so out of the habit of writing my blogs that I feel I'm losing the ability to write them clear enough to understand. I don't believe I'm really that good of a writer to begin with, but it seems like it's getting increasingly harder to do. I almost feel like there may be something medically wrong with me due to sleep issues. I think I'm having some major sleep issues that are causing all sorts of issues. My frustration with everything in life has grow to proportions that I can't handle. I have absolutely no patience and I can't focus on anything.

Not only do I grind my teeth at night (and I do wear a mouth guard to help), I think I stop breathing anytime I fall asleep. Then, that wakes me up. I would bet I wake up over 20 times a night with this. I keep saying I need to go to a doctor, but I really think it is time to find one that helps with this.

I say all this today because I feel like not just my work life is suffering, but my personal life is too. I don't want to be like I am, and I pray about it all the time. I know that God can answer prayers, but at what point do I stop waiting for the miraculous healing power of God and go to a doctor? I'm only hoping this sleep thing is part of my issue. I constantly pray about my anger and frustration, but I don't feel like anything is changing. My dad says he thinks it has to do with me always wanting to be in control of everything. While that may be true, I'm so tired of these problems, I just want it to be fix. My wife says I still harbor a bunch of bitterness about losing my job with the county. That feels more true because I feel so unjustly terminated. But even that doesn't seem like something that would push me the levels of frustration I'm at. Some people say I should work out. Some say more prayer. Some say it is God building patience in me. I think all of these things are probably part of it, but I still do not want to be the crazy man I'm becoming.

Today's passage is going to have to wait for tomorrow now. I wrote all that I'm feeling and dealing with today. I'll call it a prayer request.

Praise God for His Faithfulness.
Praise God for the sins His Son bore for us.

Do All in Faith

I spoke to my friend Stuart yesterday morning about Romans 14:13-23 and we discussed the fact that in context this is about food, but that it's also about not finding fault with a fellow Christian who may not believe a particular type of food or drink is wrong. For example alcohol. There are many people who believe you should not drink any alcohol, and there are others who enjoy it responsibly and without sin.

It comes down to the reasons. If someone abstains from a particular food or beverage another may not have a problem with, not judgment on either person's part should be made. It comes down to faith, and not causing another to stumble. If a new Christian who may have participated in heavy drinking prior to salvation is now not comfortable with the consumption of alcoholic beverages, there should not be another who believes it is okay to drink alcohol pushing beverages on the one who has the problem. Why would we make someone feel like they are wrong or foolish or cause them to think they are sinning for something that does not build up that brother? Verse 23 ends with this: "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Do all things in faith. Know our great God. Understand His desires and the freedoms He gives in faith.

Praise God in Faith.

Serve God so No Evil is Spoken of You

"So, do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." - Romans 14:16-17

Romans 14:13-23 is, again, a hard passage to understand. We live with a set of rules that set things as right vs. wrong and what pleasing and not pleasing to God. Often, we live attempting to do all the things on the right and pleasing list so we are deemed "good" people. Too often we think of ourselves as good enough for heaven. I know when I was helping with youth and music ministries in my church, I felt like I was much more "better" and i "knew" I was saved. Now that I've been uninvolved, out of practice with my studies, angry with my job, frustrated with my financial situation, etc., I feel as though my salvation is not as sure.

I think this passage points to the fact that nothing matters because we all deserve hell, non of us can earn salvation or heaven, and everything we do in wrong/evil/sinful unless we are doing it in the belief that we are doing it for God's glory. And that is something I struggle with. I don't do much for His glory. Even all the ministry I used to do, I did it for my own glory most of the time. But God knows this too. Verses 18-19 almost read as God's way to combat this weakness. In light of verses 16-17 our self glorification, we have verses 18-19. They say, "Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."

Obviously, there is no excuse for sin. And if we are doing things for our own glorification, we are not living lives that are pleasing to God. But at some point we need to realize our sin nature is very present and until we get our new body in heaven, we will have to fight that sin nature. We need to be serving Christ and pursuing what makes peace.

I may have complicated these passages even more, but that's how I feel right now. I'm struggling with my Christian life, and my horrible witness at work, and role as the father and husband in my family. Even yesterday in church, I felt out of place. I feel like one of the people who says he's a Christian and then goes out and lives exactly like the rest of the world, going to church only to check it off on the list of things a "Christian" does. Of course, every week I hear amazing sermons from our pastor too. Yesterday I thought to myself, the pastor must be on something to be so happy and full of passion. How sad for me. I am so far gone right now that I can't be so full of the Spirit that I am on a high? God's grace is so huge, a proper understanding of what His love for us has done, should produce joy and passion. We have this gift from God that saves us from all the sin we live in. Despite our sin, God saved us for Himself. We are saved to glorify Him eternally in heaven. We are only here on earth for a brief moment. Eternity will be in heaven with our Lord and Savior.

Praise God for Jesus.
Praise God for His Faithfulness.

Pepsi From Canada

Ted brought this from Canada for me. Thought I'd share the can design.
I guess it's the Olympic design.

The A-Team Movie

I was watching reruns of The A-Team a few years ago, when I had 3 and 4 days off in a row. Man, that was the life. And now, they have a movie coming out. Although, I'm not holding out hope that his will be a good movie, I'll probably go see it as a fan of the old TV show. Here is the first trailer to be released.

It does have an All-Star cast (from IMDb) and some of the originals: Bradley Cooper ... Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck Liam Neeson ... Col. John 'Hannibal' Smith Sharlto Copley ... Capt. 'Howling Mad' Murdock Jessica Biel ... Lt. Sosa Patrick Wilson ... Lynch Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson ... Sgt. Bosco 'B.A.' Baracus Dirk Benedict Dwight Schultz Gerald McRaney ... General Morrison Brian Bloom ... Pike Omari Hardwick ... Chop Shop J Maury Sterling ... Gammons C. Ernst Harth ... Gilbert Raj Lal ... Private Silyman Neil Schell ... Army Meddac Hospital XO

Get That Commercial Audi Here

Audi made a commercial that may be considered to be in "bad taste" and has already been pulled from YouTube. My favorite automotive blogs, autoblog, found this copy for us to be shocked by. Please, don't try this at home.

Ewoks Lunchbox

This was my lunchbox growing up. Although I no longer have the
thermos, this box still holds all my old Matchbox cars. I've been a
Star Wars fan a long time. I don't remember ever liking the Ewoks, but
I guess at some point I must have.

Dear AT&T

Dear AT&T,

Your service sucks.

Sent from my iPhone

Google Nexus One

I actually missed the fact that Google was going to introduce their own phone. I started hearing about this for the first time at breakfast with some friends on New Year's Day. When I started looking into it, I found that Google was going to announce the Nexus One phone today. The Android software hasn't been out for too long, with phones on Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile, but there is a lot of buzz about it. Android is software written by Google for mobile phones. The G1 was the first phone to come out with the Android software. The latest and most advertised has been the Droid on the Verizon network. These are the first phones that seem to be able to generate some interest from the iPhone crowd and those who don't trust Apple and their "proprietary-ism". Because I can not do the phone details justice, and because Google did a pretty simple but detailed job of it here, check out the phone's specs. Better, better, better stats than the iPhone. Let's see if this prompts Apple to release the full potential of the iPhone. Heck, the jail-breakers have made the iPhone great and have shown Apple some things that need to be added or unlocked. They've offered Apple some help in developing other great apps, showing and pushing Apple to make the phone a better tool, and are still showing Apple they need to work on their phone.

The Ariel Atom (Top Gear Style)

I love people who think outside the standard box. This sports car's makers did.

Randomness to Start 2010

It's a new year and I don't yet have a 2010 entry. I've become a very busy person. We moved, work is still just great (he said sarcastically), and the holidays with family and friends have devoured my time as of late. So, how are all of you? 2010 treating you good so far? Good. Good. Not really listening. Okay, well I'm having computer issues again. The XPS is running poorly (time for a reformat), the desktop is just old and slow. I'm thinking about a new computer but I can't decide which direction to go in. Mac vs Windows. I started pricing out computers, Apple, Dell, HP. I tried my best to build them with the same specs, and it was very interesting, the outcome. All of them have Intel chips (quad core 2.8Ghz), all of them have 4Gb of memory (the HP actually had 6), all of them have 1Tb of Hard Drive space, and a bunch of other similar specs. Pricing...the Mac was the highest and the HP was the lowest. And Dell has been nothing but a pain for me in the past (my employer with its 50,000+ employees is moving away from Dell). iMac = $2,239.00 Dell = $1,272.00 HP = $1,195.00 To be fair to Apple, the iMac does have a monitor and the Dell and HP prices don't, but it's no $1,000 monitor. ARE YOU KIDDING ME APPLE? Time for family time, well, wife time. HELLO? No it's not what you think. TV and pretzels in bed. Our kind of closeness. (Edited for the kids)