Ring Around The Rose....Me

Although I don't want to admit it I have built a ring around me that keeps me in me. Confused yet? It really isn't that complicated or maybe it is.

I remember some teaching I heard a while ago by a man I really respect. One of the things he spoke of is how we as Christians make our lives so complicated so we can justify not reaching out. Our lives have become a lot more complicated recently, pregnancy, job situation, funding requests, house purchasing, mortgage, renovations, the list goes on and on. And you know what? These are the same things that are continually on my mind. To the point that I just don't have any thought space for anything else.

Am I fulfilling my mandate to go out and make disciples? Am I serving my Church? Am I reaching out to those God has brought into my life? No!!! Who has time for any of that stuff? Do you know what I have on my plate?

Am I making my life complicated? Well no, not really, these are just the things God has given us to deal with. But the choices as to how I deal with them are mine. I think that is what is making me the most frustrated with these situations is that there are other people making these decisions for us. Will we get a grant for a van, can we buy our house, will we get a mortgage? Notice that I am completely powerless in all these situations? So why do I put it on my shoulders. Somehow I think I can think my way through, but really I have to lay them down.

I can remember how envious I one was of the farmers. I know, not many people envy farmers but I can remember thinking about how much faith a farmer must have compared to the rest of us. They put their crop in the ground and the rest is up to God. Is there going to be rain, frost maybe drought? They never know, but those situations are out of their control. That’s faith!

I told this to a friend once and he said how is your life any different? The only difference is the commodity. A farmer may but wheat in the ground hoping to reap a harvest; you may put extra effort into your job in hopes of reaping a promotion. Neither situation is more "holy" or "spiritual" than the other, only the illusion of control over the situation. It would be silly to think that a farmer could do anything to make his crop grow faster or better, he realizes he is not in control. He is still going to fertilize and spray for weeds, but those are just the things he needs to do.

The other side effect of thinking you have control over a situation is that you start to think you deserve it. I know my heart needs a check up immediately if I start thinking I deserve something.

Well I am glad I sat down to write about this, things are a lot clearer now, I would appreciate some prayer that I would be able to lay these things down. Thanks for reading.

MXC???

The Second Chance

WWII Historic Sites

WWII buffs will love these pictures I found on the "Day Of Defeat" website forum (Day Of Defeat is a WWII computer game mod based on the Half Life 2 graphics engine). There are many guys that play this game that are big time WWII fans, and one of them was able to tour Europe and see these incredible historic sights. One day I dream of doing this.

Bayeux, is a small town in Normandy, northwestern France. During the Second World War Bayeux was one of the first French towns to be liberated during the Battle of Normandy. There are many pictures of this colorful little town, and the many historic sites located there. Take a browse through these pictures here.

These next set of pictures are of the beach fronts in Normandy, where the allies mouted their invasion on D-day. All kinds of pictures of old bunkers, transports, museums and memorials. Very cool, check them out here.

These next pictures were the ones I thought were the best. These are the pictures of Eagle's Nest also known as the Kehlsteinhaus. Eagle's Nest is a level I have played in Battlefield 1942 many times, it is really neat to see the real thing. This mountaintop hideaway was a gift to Hitler from the Nazi party. Ironically due to his fear of heights and migraine head aches as a result of his service in WWI he only visited the site a handful of times. The pictures are here.

This last set of pictures you may find a little disturbing, I know I did. These pictures are of the Daucau concentraion camp, similar to the famous Auschwitz. Many pictures of the inside, memorials, gas chambers disguised as showers and ovens where the millions of bodies were disposed of. I feel it is important for us to remember these terrible acts so that we will never repeat them. These pictures are located here.