BigJolly says…..

This is one of the best videos that I’ve seen using Todd Agnew’s My Jesus as the soundtrack. YouTube is pretty awesome this way, allowing people to interpret songs and make their own music videos. I’m old enough to remember when there was no MTV!

Anyways, Todd was our youth minister for a while and helped give my girls a strong sense of who Jesus was. It’s pretty amazing that Todd has stuck to this now that he has hit the “big time” as an “artist”. He truly has a heart of gold and I thank God that he was a part of my girls lives.

changes on the site today. Seeing as how it’s raining and the mobs are at the stores, I figure it’ll be a good day to upgrade stuff and change the website in general.

Already updated to Wordpress 2.3.1, moved directories on the main domain, etc. Seems to be working okay – did have a few text encoding problems. Not sure why but they are too minor to worry about. Used UTT-8 on the import, should have gone smoothly. Oh well.

So as of now, the site is redirected to bigjolly.com/wordpress. Guess I just like to play and waste time some days to clear my head. I should have left the root clean to begin with, can’t really go all the way back now but it’s a start.

Now to start the other part of the project…..

brine, the stock is reducing, the pork loin thawed, oil purchased, beans soaking, wood seasoned. Almost ready.

Took on another project last night, decided to hang a new light fixture over the new dining table. Total impulse buy, walking through Sam’s and saw a cheap Chinese model. Foiled again. This time I checked all the globes before hanging for cracks, none noted, proceeded on.

On this particular model, the base that holds the lights is held together by an all-thread nipple, screwed into a decorative middle piece. The middle piece was stripped – work stopped mid-stream. Now the hassle of returning it to Sam’s. When will I learn? SU is heading to Lowe’s to look for a better model but chances are it too will be a cheap import. Need to find a good lighting place but no time before the party. Me and my impulses.

Got a note from a Chron writer complaining about my complaining about his liberal bias leeching into a story. I think what reporters (and bloggers at times) fail to realize is that you cannot remove your bias from your thoughts, even if you try! In this particular case, it concerned illegal immigration and I objected to one of the images he portrayed. There was another one in the same article that I could’ve used.

We might have found a place to stay in Hawaii. Instead of a hotel, we’re looking at renting a house. It can be quite expensive but the plus side is that you are removed from clerks, maids and other guests. And that is a big plus in my book. We’re going to talk again tonight, maybe book it, maybe keep looking.

Gotta fess up so that I can remember this in years to come. Walked around the facility Monday and saw that a guy needed help, so I helped. Unfortunately for me, he was using a safety valve as a primary - when I went to release the hose, I was showered in acid. Scared the bejabbers out of me, I don’t see well anyways and this was an almost direct shot into the eyes. Good thing I was wearing safety glasses. Managed to shut the pump down before making my way to the eye wash, flushed my eyes for 15 minutes or so.

Man that burned. But mostly scared me. The thought of completely losing your vision is horrible. Still having a few problems today but not bad. My lips are burned, which is interesting. But no permanent damage, I think.

Now, about that guy using a safety as a primary? Adios.

an interesting day when your sister-in-law tells you she found a snake in the bathroom. Of your trailer. Upstairs.

I’m not fond of snakes. I hate snakes. I think it’s the whole tricking Eve thing. I see ‘em, I kill ‘em. In this case, SIL had already determined that the snake was dead. But how did it get into the upstairs bath? Who killed it? It’s like a mystery or something. Very weird. He was just a little guy, about 18″ stretched completely out. Still…..

Had a fantastic evening yesterday. Met up with several guys from LST at Taste of Texas for dinner. Very relaxing and very enjoyable. It’s amazing to think how the internet has pulled people from completely different walks of life together, something that could never have happened before. It truly shrinks the world.

for deep thought lately. Good thing too because stuff like this drives me nuts.

Some Christian congregations, particularly in lower income, urban areas, are turning to an unlikely source for help — the Church of Scientology.

Scientologists do not worship God, much less Jesus Christ. The church has seen plenty of controversy and critics consider it a cult. So why are observant Christians embracing some its teachings?

Unbelievable. The faith is getting so intertwined with the world it’s hard to tell them apart at times. I especially like the reasoning behind these moves.

Two pastors who spoke recently with CNN explained that when it comes to religion, they still preach the core beliefs of Christianity. But when it comes to practicing what they preach in a modern world, borrowing from Scientology helps.

“I’m looking for solutions, and the people that I help, they don’t ask me who L. Ron Hubbard is,” said McLaughlin, who works with addicts. “You know what they say? ‘Thank God.’ “

Reminds me of the churches that are buying Halo 3 to reach out to teenage males, the ends justify the means types of arguments. Or that church that hosted the nasty Holy Hip Hop Awards earlier this year.

Kennedy admits other pastors have criticized him, but the disapproval is not enough to discourage him. He insists that he has witnessed the changes “The Way to Happiness” has inspired in people. He also maintains that the Scientologists, many of whom he calls friends, are successful at outreach and getting desired results.

So was Jim Jones. Successful. Results. Guyana.

passed by. Turned out to be a very good weekend all around. Managed to get a couple of things done around the house, we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Need to purchase a new dining room set and a few decorating touches, install the shower door and hang pictures. Then we’ll tackle the upstairs.

Class was very good yesterday. We discussed finding God’s will and it went very well. At first I felt like I was bombing out but then the guys started picking up the slack. Didn’t come close to finishing the material but I think I was able to make the points that I thought were important.

We discussed six myths about finding God’s will and my favorite was the Misery Myth. Some people think that unless they are absolutely miserable, they could not possibly be following God’s will. Nothing could be further from the truth! God wants us to be happy and fulfilled. If we are following the lead of the Holy Spirit, we cannot be anything but!

I gave a dumb example but it was the only thing that popped up at the time. Lots of people take on tasks at the church that they are unprepared for, unequipped for and not called to do. But they take on these tasks because they see a need that is not being filled, or they think that they “should” be doing it or they see a little glory in it for them.

And they are completely miserable while doing it. We must remember that we are, as Paul described, members of a body. It is as if a hand were to jump into a shoe and be comfortable walking up a mountain. Eventually, you might get the job done, but it will be a chore and take far longer than if the foot was in the shoe and the hand was pulling a rope or something. Yeah, I know, dumb but I got the point!

After church we went to Monterey with Pop and B2 for lunch. They are now stocking Coca-Cola bottles from Mexico, they are so much better. It was a nice lunch and I like that B2 has now become the regular fill-in when the pianist or organist is out.

LB was called in to work on Saturday and we missed our normal time for the weekly recap. Made up for it after church Sunday night. We stayed and met in our classroom for about an hour and a half. These studies and the weekly recaps are great for us. I can see change and stability in each one of us. CH is doing very well and LB is learning a lot. I get the feeling that LB is being called to a bigger task within the church, just don’t know what it is.

This spider set up shop by our window Friday. SU wanted me to remove him and kill him but I talked her into letting me take a picture the next morning. As luck would have it, he was completely gone Saturday morning! Web and all. SU thought I went ahead and got rid of him but I didn’t. Then lo and behold, he was back Sunday morning in a different location, this time with a much bigger web. Cool.

When God Speaks: How to Recognize God’s Voice and Respond in Obedience

We met tonight at LB’s to recap the week and the study. First the week.

As we discussed the material for the week, two things struck me, neither of which was particularly about the study itself. First, how comfortable we’ve become with each other over the past six weeks and second, that we are each striving for the same thing, albeit from a different place in life.

It was uplifting to talk about our experiences at church and the people that influence us. I sang at a funeral today of one of the members of church and I related how we had formed a bond and that I had gone and sat with him as his life ebbed. What a blessing he was to me. I can still picture him in the old building being an usher as he carried his oxygen bottle in his left arm.

One of the things that CH mentioned was how he felt alienated or separate and apart from the people at any church he’s ever been to. I asked why and he said probably because of his background and the things he’s done, he didn’t think anyone would want to be around him. If he only knew.

It hurt to hear him say that because the very place we should be after a fall is around other believers. I realize that is not the case but struggle with the reason why it isn’t. Is it because of the believers not living the life? Or is it because of the fallen not thinking they are worthy? It really doesn’t matter as each reason leads to the same result.

And I think that is the underlying point of this week’s study. God still speaks through His people. For Him to speak requires believers to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them and for the fallen to allow the Holy Spirit to convict them. Only then can God’s words be heard and fulfilled.

Day 26: God Speaks in the Body

Day 27: God Speaks To the Body

Day 28: God Speaks Through the Body

Day 29: God Speaks In a Unified Body

Day 30: God Speaks to Produce Christ-likeness

It’s been a great study. I purchased another study, The Man God Uses: Moved from the Ordinary to the Extraordinary, and offered it to them if they wanted to continue to do this work. We decided to defer a decision on it until next Friday, giving them a week to read through it and think about it. Perhaps they will find a different one or perhaps we’ll go in another direction entirely.

I did this study on my own when I was finding my way back to God a few years ago. I especially like the moving from the ordinary to the extraordinary focus because that is what we can become when we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives. It focuses on becoming Christ-like, which should be our goal in all things.

^{Philippians 3:12–14} I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

Nobody’s perfect. That truth, which ought to make us tremble before a God who is holy, holy, holy, is usually invoked instead to excuse sinful behavior, to make us feel better. How often do we hear people brush aside their own wrongdoing with the casual words, “Well, after all, nobody’s perfect”? People claim they’re not perfect to boost their self-esteem, but it is another evidence of a vanishing conscience. There is accuracy in the claim, but it should be a timid confession, not a flippant means of justifying sin.

Scripture recognizes that we are not perfect. Even the apostle Paul wrote, “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12–14, emphasis added).

It is folly to think that being imperfect somehow provides us with a legitimate excuse to exempt us from God’s perfect standard.

We all fall short of perfection—way short. Paul teaches us that our own imperfection should only spur us on toward the goal of complete Christlikeness. When we begin to use our human frailty as an excuse from guilt, we are walking on dangerous ground. We must continue to press on toward the goal: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). It is folly to think that being imperfect somehow provides us with a legitimate excuse to exempt us from God’s perfect standard.

MacArthur, J., F., Jr. (1994). The vanishing conscience (Electronic ed.). Logos Library Systems (126). Dallas: Word Pub.

with the new software. I have a few guitars now, but frankly, none sound better than the first Martin that SS and BT chipped in on (of course, it was kinda expensive!). I frequent the Ovation fan club website , a forum devoted to Fender Jags and a few others.

I think I’m going to play in big church tomorrow when Ron and I sing (if he’ll let me!). He is supposed to come over this afternoon to practice, I’m sure he’ll have my fingers bloody before he leaves. If he says it’s a go, then it’s a go!

Sure do like the looks of the Blueridge BR-180. Haven’t sold anything lately, so I can’t think about actually purchasing one just now, but who knows?

Late.

I’m not sure that I have a really good reason to make the switch from my other blog site. I do have a couple of thoughts:

• One, I’m thinking it isn’t always a good thing to have my name so far out there.
• Two, I’m hoping to write about broader subjects.
• And three, I just like to play/learn new things!