"Freedom to Worship - A blessing?"

I'm reminded how often churches preach this. It's said in prayers. God is thanked often for such a feat as freedom to worship God in a public place.

I don't necessarily think that is a blessing. I look at the persecuted Church and I don't see them as less favored. Being persecuted means I take my faith seriously. It means I love God with all my heart and suffer for Him.

This is a subject that you probably don't want discussed. One of my managers at work is not a Believer. I've felt certain persecutions comming from him. But what is a few verbal insults or some sleezy decision making compared to beatings and ultimately death? I was reminded this week that here in the U.S. people take for granted that freedom is good.

Understand me I'm not advocating we all live in totalitarian societies. Instead I guess the question I pose is "If you knew your faith would be challenged say in your neighborhood would you try more to make a difference?"

Or better yet "How far would you go for Christ?" It is something that I've been dealing with lately. How far would I go. Could I loose a finger for Christ? Could I loose a limb? Could I loose my life? Could I accept being beaten for my faith? The answer is as a child yes. Today I rethink my whole thought process on prioritizing.

Two reasons for this. One I was thinking about the "Jesus Freak" song from back when I was a teenager. The other is I read a testimonial about a 20 year old girl living in Iran.

Jesus Freak reminded me that I shouldn't really care what people think. That I should proclaim the Gospel of Truth. That I should live for Him no matter where I am. I'm praying God will show me when to talk to my classmates about Christ.

The girl from Iran... She smuggled a picture of Jesus into her appartment. She had friends who were beaten for talking about Christ or reading the Bible. I wondered to myself what it would mean to be cut off from my family if they disowned me for my faith in Christ. Something I don't have to worry about comming from a long heritage of Believers... But to put myself in their shoes I realize how small and how limited I have put my faith in Christ.

Oh Lord teach me to have faith like a mustard seed. To know You and be known by You. To face the mountains of life and tell them to move in confidence. Teach me the faith and love of my youth.

Mr(s). Right and Prince Charming - Myth or what?

--I wrote this in May of this year. Consolidating all my posts to this blog.

I often hear these crazy concepts these days - Mr. Right. The Perfect Man. The Perfect Woman. Prince Charming... Terms at least I would consider strange or at least to me a little bit foreign.

I recently looked at a friends dating service website to see what people my age were looking for. Being a guy, I obviously searched for females in their 20's... I was surprised to find the exact same thing on pretty much every profile I found. Here's how it seemed to me:

"Great girl seeking mature man. Loves spending time with me. Wants to build a family with me [optional] Would love someone who makes me laugh, has goals in life [to take care of me], and [basically] will make me happy by full filling all my needs..."

I would offer that people often project their desire for fulfillment [that can only be truly filled by God] onto other people. Wiser people than I have suggested that it is safer and more effective to look to other people to relieve our emptiness. In some cases when love is sweet and budding some would think they've found it. Sadly these feelings are misleading. This suggests or reinforces our sinful idea that people might be the answer to our needs...

So we pursue people as an obsession. The love that we desire can only be found in the living God - Jehovah creator of all things, Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins, and the Holy Spirit who moves us.

I guess I was deeply moved by reading in Hosea this week. You know... The guy who married a prostitute. Correction. The guy who God INSTRUCTED to marry a prostitute. Strange. A little perturbing even. But you see it's the clear example of how God loves you and me. You see Hosea's wife was into all kinds of crazy things. Her name was Gomer. She had many lovers and continued even after marriage in her lustful ways. But the story isn't about Gomer's short comings... Instead it is about Hosea's [and by extension God's] faithfulness.

God was saying to Hosea something to the effect "You and I are both going to give our hearts completely to someone who will utterly reject us. We will give all of our hearts, energy, time and money in pursuit of them. By doing this, you, Hosea, will understand my faithful love for you and your people. You see, I, myself am the husband. Your life will be about My love. Your pain will point to My own. And your faithfullness will be a replica of Mine."

It got to the point where Gomer was forced into slavery. I was trying to wrap my mind around this. A slave was a piece of property back then. It was like saying Hosea's wife was worth maybe a meal or a set of clothing. I can't imagine what Gomer went through. She was naked before all her kin. She was exposed. It was finally out. People didn't think she was worth much. But this is the part of the story that really gets me. Hosea bought her back and immediately covered her. He essentially said "I am your and you are mine. I belong to you alone, you belong to me and no other."

Amazing. Case in point. God is the only one who's perfect. God is the only one who can satisfy. The concept of Mr. Right or Prince Charming is just an allusion to a much deeper need - God.

Nobody is perfect on this earth. You will not find satisfaction in another human being. At least not the type your looking for. People will invariably reject you. People will threaten you. People will make you feel ashamed.

Well, that's not exactly great news... But here are three things that complete that thought.

Those who are rejected are accepted and glorified through God's glory. God's acceptance is not begrudging it is full of rejoicing and singing!

Those who are threatened are comforted and glorified through God's glory. Pain will be a part of a greater security in knowing that the creator and savior of the world calls us beloved one.

Those who are ashamed are covered and glorified. No longer hiding from the scrutinizing gaze of others are the gentle eyes of the King of Above All Kings looking lovingly at you through the words of Jesus "Come, Come!"Through God's Holy Spirit God gives His greatest Gift - Himself.

God's love is self-sacrificing. This is our example. This is what we are to become.

The focus isn't on finding that perfect one to love us but instead to love God and through Him love others around us. The answer isn't to love our inner child more or ourselves.

The Answer is to love God completely with all our heart, soul, mind.

Perhaps then loving another person whole heartedly would come easier and result in less divorces?

The calling isn't to allow our simple cup to be filled. You see there isn't enough of us to hold all of God. Our calling is to allow ourselves to be broken and remade into something that will fit into His plan - a specially molded cup designed to overflow into other specially molded cups.So maybe this is more about God than about that special someone. If or when God sees fit to allow my path to cross with such a woman perhaps my prayer isn't that she'll truly love me.

Instead my prayer is that she will love He who loves me. If she madly loves God maybe He can put it into to her heart to accept me for all my short comings, faults, flaws... Because she will see Him in me. And that will make it worthwhile to take a chance at this thing called marriage [which i hear takes a ton of work & patience] in the adventure some would call life.

Life sitting down... or being wheeled around?

--Another post from the past.

So I was injured about 5 months ago. The injury was to my left ankle which swelled up to about the size of a softball. It was a painful experience. That's not really what I'd like to talk about. Instead, I'd like to give a perspective as someone who's been in a wheelchair.

I went to Europe with my Dad in a wheelchair. Crazy? Yes. I learned a lot about the way people treat handicapped people. The trip was great but it gave me a whole new perspective.

First off when your in a wheelchair people often do one of three things: 1) your ignored as people look past you or 2) people feel compassion for you and help 3) people get mad and frustrated for the inconvenience you are to them.

I guess next I should give a little background... I've been seriously injured in my life. So this was a first... It happened playing ultimate frisby and a guy fell on me. I was unable to put any weight on my left leg for almost a month. The trip in Europe - I was in Spain for a few days. Only used the metro in Madrid as we had missionary friends in Barcelona. The rest of the time we, thankfully, were on a cruise of the Mediterranean Sea.

Europe isn't exactly handicap friendly. In Spain where we did most of the travel on foot (or in my case on 2 wheels ;-) people were very nice. I got numerous offers in the subway to assist me. It's strange the subway there has lots of steps. I've heard that Europeans weren't very nice to foreigners... I guess being handicapped made me more human than if I had just been a lost tourist.

Whatever the case I appreciated not being ignored. One time a man who must have been 70 years old asked if he could assist me. I almost laughed at him but was very appreciative of his concern. I would generally thank people and hop up myself. What I saw one time was a person in a wheelchair actually being carried by some Spaniards up and down stairs. There were 3 people carrying a guy in a wheelchair. Was an interesting site. You see I would get up from the chair and use my good leg to hop up the stairs. Dad would carry the wheelchair. But got to see the palace in Madrid and the museum as well.

Now back to my observation. The first observation was people would generally react by ignoring me. I guess I felt somewhat hurt by that. Many would not make eye contact... It was as if I wasn't there. That was very different. Especially when there's 10 people crowded in a little elevator. It's really sad not to be able to do basic things such as get up to get a glass of water or grab a plate in a buffet line.

The next observation are those who feel compassion and help. Now a majority of times at least on the cruise it was those payed to help who had compassion. I don't know what it is about money but the guests like I said for the most part ignored me. This as I wheeled myself around or my father pushed the wheelchair. On land people were sensitive somewhat to my situation. A couple gave up their seats on a bus at the front so I could extent my leg. It was a nice gesture.

The last observation was the group who actually got upset at me for being in a wheelchair. A British couple actually said something like "I can't believe they allow people in wheelchairs on this ship." Wow. An American lady turned to her daughter while passing me and said loudly "That really sucks!" while pointing at me. You see Dad and I were talking in Portuguese so I guess she assumed I couldn't understand her... I almost turned to her and said "No I really enjoy not being able to walk." or something.

-----x--------x-----

So what is the point of this experience? Well I for one am determined not to ignore those who are handicapped. I guess I tried to be nice before but it wasn't a consistent thing. Next time you see a handicap person smile at them. Acknowledge them. A simple hello will brighten their day!

What is the deeper meaning in all this? What is the truth that is desperately reaching out to us? Christ told us to love the unlovable. My question to you when you deal with people is do you ignore them if they're not in the "in crowd."? Do you look the other way when you a see a need you could easily fulfill? Do you get mad at people for their circumstances? Or do you show compassion? When Christ died he suffered unimaginable pain. His death made the possibility of completion in our lives.

Are you compassionate? Am I compassionate? Do I pray for those who are hurting? Do I love those who are hateful? Do I pray for those who do me wrong? Life is one big test. Are you satisfied with barely passing by? Are you passing through? Or are you passionate about people? Are you passionate about loving God?

Shirking - what does it mean?

To shirk

–verb (used with object)
1. to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.). –verb (used without object)
2. to evade work, duty, etc. –noun
3. a shirker.

1633, "to practice fraud or trickery," also a noun (1639, now obs.) "a disreputable parasite," perhaps from Ger. schurke "scoundrel, rogue, knave, villain" (see shark). Sense of "evade one's work or duty" first recorded 1785, originally in slang.

www.dictionary.com


So what does it mean? What does it apply to? Well shirkers are those who are in a group but do not perform according to group norms. They are basically the slackers. It's a term that has become reborn in the twenty first century. Today people want to get payed to do nothing. People often want credit or take credit for group projects where they contribute little or nothing. As an example in my group project for a class a guy shirked as the rest of us did the majority of the work for the group for a good twenty minutes before he was confronted. The project at hand was to classify data data. There were five group members. Two were assigned to categorize data. One person was assigned to quantify and group the data. I was assigned to enter the data into an excel sheet. Soon we assigned him a project. The bigger the group the easier it is to shirk. A classmate said many people were shirking in a group project that a professor assigned that involved seventeen people. Please, a little common sense would be great.

Shirking is becoming the plague of the 21st century. Beware.

Rule Changes 4 Sports

I propose the following changes to sports...

Basketball - minimum requirement age to be changed to 21. There are too many immature players out there that get into trouble when they become millionaires overnight and have not a clue what to do with themselves due to immaturity.

Baseball - 3 Challenges per game added. Challangable calls would be base calls. This would mean 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and home bases along with double play or tripple calls could be challenged. Other plays wouldn't be challangable. A flag could be used by the manager to challenge a play.

To all: Stricter rules on drug abuse and breaking the law. It is shameful how many athletes commit crimes (including drug abuse) and never do time. This is a backwards rewards system where it is considered "cool" or "bad" (a good thing) to be involved with breaking the law.

Why Testing is Inefficient

You take a test. You get a score. Someone tells you (often a week later if your lucky) if you passed or failed. Simple. Sweet. Efficient.

Um... I think not. At least not the most efficient.

I've been a student now for almost 2 decades now. I can honestly say that I don't believe the system in place is the most efficient for learning.

Before I go into this I'd like to poin out that very successful people such as Bill Gates and Michael Dell never finished college. They pursued "alternative" learning experiences that allowed them to build incredible companies and support not only themselves but all the thousands of people who now work for them.

First of all let us discuss the reasons why this is a true statement. Students learn differently. Some students learn by reading a book and retaining the information. Other students learn from visual stimulus. Still other students learn through audio means. I'm sure there are others. And in general some students are better test takers than others.

I learn through audio/visual methods. Give me a book and I'll be studying a given subject for a day. Give me someone who knows the subject and I'll probably get it within an hour. Some people are good at multiple choice questions while other excel at essay type questions. Is one way superior to another? And what of the mulitple guess questions where you need to choose the "best answer" even though there are two very good ones out of say four to five possilble answers.

Second there's the issue of people who generally retain information better than others.

An example of this is a person who will go unnamed in college who could unnamed. This guy could read the book the night before the test and get a really good score. Other normal people like myself would have to study for hours. In general this is inneficient as neither of us really retained the information. If asked a year later neither of us could recall the details of what we learned.

Third there is the issue of mood. A person's mood affects their performance in any given situation. Test taking is no different. If said person had a fight with his or her significant other the night before and does poorly on a test then it could be argued the mood of said person affected his or her performance.

I've found that I do poorly on tests when I know the material and am distracted by some event in my life. I've heard and helped people through similar situations. I mean when I just had a fight with my roomate I'm less likely to focus on my test. Even if only on the sub-consious level. Or if I got into some kind of accident. Or if perhaps the bank made a mistake that was not in my favor... The list goes on.

Fourth there is the issue of lack of sleep. Certain people can calm themselves down before the night of a big test. Others cannot. Does this mean performance for either individual will be different if sleep time or quality of sleep were equal? Intersting thought.

I was in a class today where we discussed SAT scores. It reminded me that I took the SAT two times before entering my collegiate experience. The first time I took a SAT prep course. I memorized many words and their meanings every day. I read books. But most importantly in my opinion I got an great nights rest before the test. I went to bed at 9:30pm and got up around 7am refreshed. The second time I took the test I didn't take the SAT prep course. But more importantly I didn't get but about 6 hours of sleep the night before. My score was significantly lower the second time around. If the test were valid all this considered my score should have been similar.

This of course brings up issues of economic social status where those who can afford a SAT prep class have a better chance of recieving better scores than those who are not able to afford said courses. Discrimination? Hum... My HR (human resources) professor says that many schools are now looking at a variety of things other than the SAT and that perhaps in the not so distant future a change will be made in standardized testing.


So what is conclusion? Well I would like to look into alternative methods of teaching. Research shows that homeschoolers are generally better educated than those who attend a public school. Unfair? Maybe. However, the reason I believe homeschoolers are better educated is that the environment allows for the student to pursue his or her intersts in a matter that structured schooling does not. I realize the need for a well-rounded education. But the methodology perhaps needs to be a bit more flexible.

Second Discussion - Word of Mouth and the Power of Influence

It doesn't matter what you think or have heard. Influence is all around you. You are influenced by who you hang out with. You are influenced by what you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. You are influenced by the data you take in. You also influence those around you.


The Law of Influence – The True Measure of Leadership Is Influence, Nothing More, Nothing Less.

This is the second law in John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Before I go further, I would like encourage everyone to head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of this wonderful book.


On a more personal note today I conducted several interviews with managers in the Arlington area. It was for a small business class I am taking this semester. All of my class was assigned the task due to the projected increase in business due to the opening of the new Dallas Cowboys stadium here in Arlington. Well, I went to the first place I thought most obvious - the bookstore for the campus. The objective of this project was to interview small businesses in the area. What occurred not only shocked me but made me think of the power of word of mouth.

What happened was I entered the store and was promptly told the manager was not on the floor but in the back. Red flag emmediately. In all management classes I've taken the indication is the general manager should be on the floor of the store. Delegation. Make sure your business is being run right when your there be involved with the customers. Well there were a few customers in the store. The manager was found a few minutes later. I introduced myself as a student at the university seeking a 15 minute interview. He promptly denied my request and said he had too much going on. I asked if I could reschedule for another day and he promptly said he was too busy.


A quick tip about PR - don't tick off your clientel. What could have cost him 15 minutes will cost him now the word of mouth reputation.

I will no longer recomend that store.

I'll admit I was upset. But the value isn't in the act itself but the experience thereafter. The value is in the lesson learned. When I own or run my own business (again) I will evaluate decisions a lot more carefully than I have in the past. I mean easy math.

Let's say I have 3 classes this semester with 40-50 people. I inform my classmates who inform their classmates who inform their friends... and so forth and so on. All of a sudden half the campus realizes that the management at this particular store doesn't really care about its customers but instead is just in business for money. The other store accross the street is looking really good at this juncture.

Now I'm actually not going to campaign for this stores demise. Instead I'll just dust my feet off and take my business elsewhere.

Point is: Be careful how you treat people. You never know they might just be your customers one day. Your reputation is a fragile thing. Guard it well. One bad customer tells at least ten other people of a bad experience.

I told 43 today alone. All simpathetic because they had similar experiences.

First Discussion - What I learned from Video Games

First let us begin at the beginning.

Part 1) Definition.

Video Game.
–noun
1. Any of various games played using a microcomputer with a keyboard and often joysticks to manipulate changes or respond to the action or questions on the screen.
2. Any of various games played using a microchip-controlled device, as an arcade machine or hand-held toy.

Also called "Electronic Game."

http://dictionary.reference.com/


Part 2) Background

But what is it really? First of all let me qualify what systems to play games are available today. Today there are computer games that can be accessed on desktops or laptops. These are often referred to as "PC games." Other games are accessed through "console games" such as Atari, Sega Genesis, Playstation, and more recently the ever popular Nintendo Wii. These typically involve a standalone station that can be plugged in through any television with the proper connections. A variety of games are accessible through these devices. Yet another type of game system is the popular "hand-held" devices such as the Gameboy, Psp, and Nintendo DS. These devices allow users to play a variety of games and have screens built in that can be used anywhere as long as the battery doesn't run out. Finally there are "Arcade" types of game systems which typically only play a single game and are generally retrofitted to a human size type box.

And secondly of course there are genres. There are first person shooter games where people generally control a single entity and blow things (or people) up to smithereens. Not commonly but on occasion referred to as “Shooters.” There are real time strategy games where people control vast armadas or armies. These are commonly referred as “Strategy Games.” There are role playing games where a person goes on an in-depth full emersion story line. These are often referred to “RPG’s.“ And finally there are massively multiplayer online games. These are often referred as “MMO’s.“

Ok Ok. I’m even boring myself here.

Now that you know a little background on them… Let me give you a first-hand look into what they have taught me. Now some of these may be good or bad. That is the case with most things in life. In any case here it is.

Part 3) The not-so-great or funny lessons I learned from video games:

a) If I don’t like the outcome of my game I just restart it or load it from a saved spot.
b) If someone dies they disappear.
c) If someone dies don’t worry they have a few more lives left.
d) It's OK to search random people's houses and take their stuff.
e) Save now. Save often!
f) If at first you don't succeed, level up for a while and then try again
g) Typing while clicking is a necessary skill.
h) Most of the laws of physics are just suggestions.
i) Shooting people is fun and no big deal.
j) People that are shot drop things often.
k) You will always be outnumbered... but it will never matter, because you're just that awesome!
l) Cheats make the game fun. They’re easily accessible through the internet on most games.
m) I can be any persona I wish online.

On a more positive note:

1) How you start exponentially affects your chances of success. It’s easier to start well and end well than to start bad and end well.
2) Don’t sit around waiting for a miracle. Be pro-active!
3) Try new things. If it doesn’t work one way try another.
4) Seize opportunities! Life comes at you fast. Be ready!
5) Evolve or die. Keep trying. Don’t give up. Try, try, try again.
6) Looks aren’t everything. Skill and technique are required to succeed.
7) From MMO’s: You must have a good, cohesive team behind you to succeed.
8) Networking makes your path at progress a lot easier.
9) Everybody wants to either rule the world or be the hero (in some cases the villain).
10) Don’t brag about what you do. Let your actions speak for themselves.

Further Subjects

I recovered the list of other topics I had decided to blog on... Here it is:

27) What I learned from video games
28) Astrology
29) "Freedom to worship" a blessing?
30) The God of the Bible - OT & NT the same?
31) Abortion and choosing
32) Post-Modernism
33) Compassion and Commandment scale 1-5
34) Why not to take yourself too seriously
35) Why marriage was established between one man and one woman
36) Mormonism - Who is the Church of Later Day Saints and are they Christ followers?
37) Jehovah's Witness - What they believe and such...
38) Word-of-mouth reputation building

Of course, the list goes on... And many more to a blog near you!

First Post

Well this is it. I've finally done it. This blog's purpose is to discuss various issues pertaining to life in the twenty first century. Welcome to the Parley.

This is not a limited list. I plan to add more topics as I go along. These are the topics I've decided to blog while at my various classes. Amongst the topics I'm going to blog are the following:

1) Texbooks in schools
2) The first week of classes graduate/undergraduate
3) Private Vs Stat universities
4) Homeschooling/private schools Vs Public Schools
5) Do Athiests have a belief system
6) The Walmart Factor
7) Texting - 21st Century Instant Communication
8) Credit Card Vs Debit Cards
9) Employee Evalutions - 360 Evaluations a must?
10) Team concepts & rewards
11) Punctuality
12) Debt in a Brave New World
13) Facebook, Myspace, Orkut, Blogging... How to keep up.
14) PowerPoint Presentations
15) Customer Expectations of companies and management - ridiculous or what?
16) Credit Scores
17) Abortion
18) Social Security
19) The effect of MP3's on the U.S. economy
20) The sanctity of marriage
21) Executive management teams
22) To buy or to rent a place - The American Dream?
23) Computers/laptops in the classroom
24) Sports - Modern day gladiators?
25) Self-Starters
26) Going Green? Does it really matter?

And more to come... To a blog near you!