Christ Animated

Spending a week with your children, when you don't get to see them every week, reminds you of certain things you have taken for granted.  Like silence. But one of the greatest sounds in the world that I know is the sound of my children's voices - their laughter, their "I love you, Daddy" comments, and all the noise they make!  They're spending the day today with 4/5 of their cousins on my side of the family, as I go to work.  Today is Good Friday. It is so very good! I asked my youngest daughter this morning if she knew what was going to make this day a very good day. She thought for a minute, and answered, "My attitude?" I was very happy with that answer! And she is so very right.  But other things that will make this day good for me include: * knowing my children are safe and well * knowing that all my yesterdays are over * knowing that tomorrow hasn't come yet, and so I don't need to worry  about it * knowing someone loves me * ...

What is "peace"? "World peace" is 'an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. [It] is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to refer to a cessation of all hostility among all individuals' [from Wikipedia, the always-trustworthy source. *ahem*]. Metta World Peace is an NBA pro-basketballer, with the LA Lakers. Before he legally changed his name in Sept. 2011, he was Ron Artest, Jr. Mr. World Peace is known by his reputation as an athlete (as one of the NBA's premier defensive players) as well as his reputation as a person (as a part of several controversial on-court incidents/brawls, as well as his somewhat eccentric, outspoken behavior). Interesting, Mr. Peace. "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no s...

Okay, I have asked my other daughter to give me a few words, so I can write a short story for her here. Her words are: beautiful, horse, blue, ocean, and dad. I have fifteen minutes to write the story. Here goes: Donovan was a beautiful blue horse. Though not the  'horse of a different color' in the Emerald City in the Land of Oz, he nevertheless was a horse of a quite different color than that of a 'normal' horse. I say 'normal' in those annoying quotation marks because the word normal  can mean so many different things to different people. Normal  can mean eating beans three times a day and living in a cardboard box with the words "Whirlpool" and "3.0 cubic foot capacity" on the sides. Normal  can mean being the most famous ballet star ever to have lived who can also play Chopsticks on the piano with her bare toes (very nicely). Normal  could also be the name of your pet gerbil. If you wanted to name it "Normal", that is.  A...

What a cute child!!  Not mine. I debate at times whether to share the names of my children and/or their photos. I tend to be pretty private about that. If you know me personally, you've more than likely met my kids and know their names, or at least have seen my updates on Facebook that pertain to them.  I don't particularly like to advertise my kids' names on the back of my vehicle, etc., even though I want them to know I'm proud of them and their accomplishments. I have written, "Congrats, [Child's Name]!" on my windows, have worn t-shirts with a child's name on it and their ball team's, and will likely do so again in the future, but ... I dunno. Online?  Timid about it. Anyway ... the point was my children. My oldest son is in college, but I will get to see him when he comes to visit me (that's the plan, anyway) the week after Easter! I'm really looking forward to his visit! My youngest son lives with me, so I thankfully get to s...

Why do people behave in evil ways, like those who murder innocents in high school cafeterias? Because of sin. That's why. I've said it hundreds of times, and will continue to say it: We can never expect lost people to act as if they are not lost. Period. Let me put an illustration in your head, if I may.  Picture a pizza, cut into 10 pieces. Let's say one slice of that pizza represents all of the people alive right now who have accepted God's free gift of grace through Jesus Christ, and are "saved" [Romans 10:8-10]. That means the other 9 pieces represent all the people in the world at this moment who have not accepted Christ Jesus as Savior.  No matter how you look at it, that includes Muslims, Jews who reject Jesus as Messiah, atheists, Buddhists, etc., etc., etc.  Take any sin you can possibly think of that a lost person may commit.  Pour those sins onto your 9 slices of "lost" pizza. Why do lost people commit those sins?  Because th...

I have recently finished a few books, some started recently, others begun a while ago. Some of them are as follows: Plan B : What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?  by Pete Wilson. Wilson does a great job of exploring what happens when believers expect God to do certain things, act in certain ways, when tragedy or unexpected change comes in our lives ... but God does something totally unexpected. Or He seems to do nothing at all. It's a great look at the struggle and a biblical approach to dealing with it all, no matter what's going on in your life. He makes no claim to have all the answers -- just some suggestions. If you think this even might be a book for you, it probably is. Lee Child's The Affair . I became interested in the character of Jack Reacher when the 2012 movie Jack Reacher  was first advertised. I borrowed this book, and though it was the newest of the series [#16], I didn't feel I had missed anything at...

Sorry. In advance. 1.      Would you rather have your obituary read at your funeral by Will Ferrell or Robin Williams? 2.      If you were literally starving to death, would you rather eat food you were allergic to and suffer a terrible reaction, or eat nothing and likely die of starvation? 3.      Would you rather have your most embarrassing moments posted by someone else on their Facebook page, or just keep doing it yourself? 4.      Would you rather be humiliated on a reality TV show or on a daytime talk show? 5.      Would you rather be mauled to death by a monkey on crack, or by a crack-head dressed like a monkey? 6.      Would you rather a doctor presented your newborn child to your family and friends in the waiting room in a manner similar to that of Simba in The Lion King , or have Adam Sandler claim to be the child’s father? 7.  ...