My brother-in-law Andy subscribes to Popular Mechanics, also known as perhaps the most interesting magazine ever. The lastest issue is titled "The Self-Reliance Issue." It's full of articles about disaster proofing your house, living off the grid, building a chicken coop, etc.
One of the articles is titled "The Soul of an Old Machine." It profiles several people who have restored old things such as a gas stove, circular saw, guitar amp, and lawn mower rather than replacing them with new.
I consider myself mildly handy. I can change my oil, build a loft, shingle a roof, change a tire, paint a house. Additionally, I am quite thrifty. I love to not spend money. Reading this issue and particularly that article inspired me to work even harder to be self-reliant. I would like to be more intentional about fixing things myself rather than throwing them away or paying someone else to do it.
Fixing something myself can have at least two important effects. One, I get to feel more manly. Two, I get to save cash. That's what I'm talking about.
The first step? I'm flushing my radiator. As soon as I figure out what to do with the used coolant...
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Camp
I spoke at camp a little over a month ago (jeez, in some ways it feels like it just happened, in others it feels like ages ago). Laura asked over a week ago how it went. It's long past time for me to answer.
It went really well.
I loved it. Being a camp speaker is really fun. I've wanted to do it for a long time and feel blessed that the Lord saw fit to allow me to fulfill that desire. Speaking to Super Kids, I was convicted going in that I needed to be very basic and share the Gospel in a clear and compelling way. So that's what I did. I never spoke for more than fifteen minutes, I repeated myself often, and I tried to let the Gospel speak for itself. I know that I wasn't perfect, but for my first time speaking in that setting, I felt really good about how it went.
I was very blessed in that this was the most attentive and well-behaved group of Super Kids I have ever seen. I almost never had to tell them to pay attention or be quiet. I've spent enough time at Camp to know that it can be almost impossible to get some groups of Super Kids to focus. Glory be that this was emphatically not the case for the group I was given.
I went to the counselor meeting on Thursday morning (the last day), and the counselors were talking about how the kids had received my messages. One of the female counselors said that one of her campers told her "I understood what Josh said, I've been thinking about it, and I know what I need to do," and then she asked Jesus to be her Savior. I can't think of any possible reaction that could be better for a speaker. That was the best part of the week for me. God is good, and deserves TOTAL credit for that.
2 Corinthians 4:5-6 "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
In sum, I got paid to hang out at one of my favorite places in the world with some of my favorite people and to tell kids about Jesus. Words can't describe how much I would love to do that a lot more.
It went really well.
I loved it. Being a camp speaker is really fun. I've wanted to do it for a long time and feel blessed that the Lord saw fit to allow me to fulfill that desire. Speaking to Super Kids, I was convicted going in that I needed to be very basic and share the Gospel in a clear and compelling way. So that's what I did. I never spoke for more than fifteen minutes, I repeated myself often, and I tried to let the Gospel speak for itself. I know that I wasn't perfect, but for my first time speaking in that setting, I felt really good about how it went.
I was very blessed in that this was the most attentive and well-behaved group of Super Kids I have ever seen. I almost never had to tell them to pay attention or be quiet. I've spent enough time at Camp to know that it can be almost impossible to get some groups of Super Kids to focus. Glory be that this was emphatically not the case for the group I was given.
I went to the counselor meeting on Thursday morning (the last day), and the counselors were talking about how the kids had received my messages. One of the female counselors said that one of her campers told her "I understood what Josh said, I've been thinking about it, and I know what I need to do," and then she asked Jesus to be her Savior. I can't think of any possible reaction that could be better for a speaker. That was the best part of the week for me. God is good, and deserves TOTAL credit for that.
2 Corinthians 4:5-6 "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
In sum, I got paid to hang out at one of my favorite places in the world with some of my favorite people and to tell kids about Jesus. Words can't describe how much I would love to do that a lot more.
Monday, August 24, 2009
It's hard to be me
The best friendships have some of the strangest qualities.
I had lunch today with Guy. As we were discussing life, he sniffed out a mildly shameful secret of mine (this in itself is a great quality in a friend: their ability to figure out what you aren't telling them).
His reaction?
He laughed at me.
Coming from most people, I would have probably been a little hurt by his laughter. He had discovered one of my character flaws and proceeded to laugh at it.
Was I hurt?
Not in the slightest.
His laughter meant "Yeah, you're a fool. You know it as well as I do. But you know me well enough to know that I'm also a fool. I'm still in your corner."
At least that's how I interpreted it. He did apologize, saying he shouldn't have laughed. I told him he can always laugh at me. He said "Likewise."
One of the many reasons I'm also in his corner.
I had lunch today with Guy. As we were discussing life, he sniffed out a mildly shameful secret of mine (this in itself is a great quality in a friend: their ability to figure out what you aren't telling them).
His reaction?
He laughed at me.
Coming from most people, I would have probably been a little hurt by his laughter. He had discovered one of my character flaws and proceeded to laugh at it.
Was I hurt?
Not in the slightest.
His laughter meant "Yeah, you're a fool. You know it as well as I do. But you know me well enough to know that I'm also a fool. I'm still in your corner."
At least that's how I interpreted it. He did apologize, saying he shouldn't have laughed. I told him he can always laugh at me. He said "Likewise."
One of the many reasons I'm also in his corner.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
He returns to the computer abashedly
A) Way too long since I last blogged. Sorry, devoted followers, I have mistreated you. Mea culpa.
B) A plan is in its infancy for a new blog this fall including me and a close friend and fellow blogger. Hopefully more to come soon.
C) I'm speaking at Camp this weekend for Super Kids 4. Pray for me. I need it. I very much want it to go well. Pray that I would speak the Truth clearly and that the kids would have ears to receive it.
I am trusting the promise of Psalm 139:4-5 "Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me." If that's true, and it is, I'm in good hands.
That's all for now, thanks for your prayers and for putting up with my nonexistent blogging.
B) A plan is in its infancy for a new blog this fall including me and a close friend and fellow blogger. Hopefully more to come soon.
C) I'm speaking at Camp this weekend for Super Kids 4. Pray for me. I need it. I very much want it to go well. Pray that I would speak the Truth clearly and that the kids would have ears to receive it.
I am trusting the promise of Psalm 139:4-5 "Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me." If that's true, and it is, I'm in good hands.
That's all for now, thanks for your prayers and for putting up with my nonexistent blogging.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Gospel, as seen in the Old Testament
Psalm 16
1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
4The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
11You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Verse 6 has been running through my head recently: "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance."
This is a preposterous statement, and is not born of comfortable prosperity theology. Verse 1 starts with the cry "Preserve me!" Verse 10 demonstrates a confidence that the Lord will not "let your holy one see corruption."
Nevertheless, in the Lord's presence "there is fullness of joy; at [His] right hand are pleasures forevermore." If this is true, and it is, then regardless of circumstance we are able to say that the lines have fallen for us in pleasant places, and that our inheritance is beautiful.
Mark 9:24 "I believe; help my unbelief!"
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
An abortion doctor, Dr. George Tiller, was murdered on Sunday in Wichita, Kansas. Abortion is wrong. Unspeakably wrong. Killing an abortion doctor is also wrong. Al Mohler (president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) wrote an article about his murder, explaining very well why this action was wrong and should be condemned as such. I recommend it.
One thing stood out to me about this event. Tiller was murdered in a church. Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, where he was serving as an usher.
Mohler described Tiller thus: For many years, Dr. George Tiller has represented the horrific reality of the abortion industry in this nation. Infamously known to the pro-life movement in America, Tiller was known as "Tiller the Killer" because of his well-known willingness to perform late-term abortions almost no other doctor in the nation would perform. Because of Dr. George Tiller, Wichita became the destination of choice for women seeking abortions in the late third trimester.
What does it say about that church that a doctor who performed late-term abortions served on Sundays as an usher?
Ephesians 5:11 "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
One thing stood out to me about this event. Tiller was murdered in a church. Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, where he was serving as an usher.
Mohler described Tiller thus: For many years, Dr. George Tiller has represented the horrific reality of the abortion industry in this nation. Infamously known to the pro-life movement in America, Tiller was known as "Tiller the Killer" because of his well-known willingness to perform late-term abortions almost no other doctor in the nation would perform. Because of Dr. George Tiller, Wichita became the destination of choice for women seeking abortions in the late third trimester.
What does it say about that church that a doctor who performed late-term abortions served on Sundays as an usher?
Ephesians 5:11 "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
Monday, May 25, 2009
Shakes his fist
I took a dose and a half of cough syrup in an attempt to stem the tide.
My incessant, unproductive hack merely glanced in my direction disapprovingly, insulted that that's the best I can do.
I wish he would treat me with more respect.
Let's see how he likes a steady diet of cough drops.
My incessant, unproductive hack merely glanced in my direction disapprovingly, insulted that that's the best I can do.
I wish he would treat me with more respect.
Let's see how he likes a steady diet of cough drops.
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