It's A New Year

I was sitting here thinking of a New Year post to write.. I had three things i wanted to say.. but i typed them all and deleted them.. Instead of writing what I was going to which you prob would have loved.. but was way to personal and revealing.. I opted to copy Shauna's blog entry and fill in my own answers. So with my fingers crossed (this is hard to type like this) ok, i'll uncross my fingers.. and type:...


i am not: a penguin with shaved legs
i hurt: Other people when I only look out for myself
i love: the way you look tonight
i hate: that I screw up so much
i hope: you understand before it's too late
i hear: you from across the room
i regret: that I can't tell you how I feel
i cry: at sad things
i care: about my fam N friends
i always: notice your smile
i long to: be closer to God
i feel alone: when I am not
i listen: when you talk (most of the time)
i hide: my feelings sometime
i drive: fast sometime
i sing: like frank sinatra (almost exact)
i dance: when no one's looking
i write: when there is no one to listen to me talk
i breathe: God's air
i play: my music loud and bassy
i miss: my mom N dad but am honored I was their son
i say: somethings that I regret
i feel: like some things will never change
i succeed: when I put it in God's hands
i fail: to love people like I should and give them the credit they deserve
i dream: of animals and people I love in the same dream.. Where is Joseph when I need him.. he could tell me what it means!!
i sleep: but wake up tired
i wonder: when things will change
i want: to be loved and to love
i worry: about what people think of me and deny it
i have: many thoughts and feelings i want to tell someone special
i give: you my heart Lord , I give you my soul
i fight: back the tears and fears
i wait: for what God has for me
i am: doing what I dont want to do and not doing what I want to do.. Paul I know what you mean!!
i think: it would be cool to be invisible.. but only for a day or something like that
i can't: stand ppl not getting along
i stay:ed when I didn't want to because I love my family!

Why 'once saved always saved' could actually be correct

There is always a big discussion/arguement going on between the osas proponents and perseverence people. I've been thinking. The term "Once saved always saved" could actually be correct. It is a long stretch to get to it but deep down it may be correct. The way I see it is this; How does a person know when they are really truly saved? And do we really really know? The Bible says to confess and believe in our hearts... But can another person really know when someone else is saved or not? I would think it is quite impossible for the simple reason that we cannot know somone elses mind or heart. And do we really know our own, for that matter? Could we be included in the "Be careful if you think you are standing firm...." Warning. Why would we have to be careful unless we could fall. I think that falling isn't always from a saved position.. it could be from another place.. such as a 'standing firm' or think we are standing firm place. The problem I have with osas is how many pastors present it. They present it in a way that makes it 'ok' to sin now. Once you confess with your mouth in public and pray the prayer. You then are able to do whatever you want, no matter how bad the sin with no fear of ever missing heaven. That is exactly what i've been told by pastors who teach that doctrine. So even if it were the case that once you are saved you are always saved.. There is no way it could be accepted now because of how many church leaders have exploited it into (as the Bible says) "a license for immorality". There is no benefit in believing osas except the benefit of believing you can sin without eternal consequence. The pastors have beguiled the Word of any authenticity. They have made it a book of mere suggestions, because either way you still get to heaven. "If you love me you will do what I command". That sounds clear to me.

Platonic!?

A friend and I were talking recently and I was asked (paraphrased) "Do you think there could be such as thing as a platonic relationship [between a guy and girl]?"

I've been thinking about it for a few days and I still do not know. Which brings me to my answer: "Yes". and "No". Both yes and no.

Allow me to explain; Being that a man and a woman are both complicated to begin with not to mention very complicated to each other, how would we know if it was infact 'platonic'? What I think is that there are a guy and a girl who have much in common and let's say the girl completely honestly does not have physical desires toward the man. She never once had the desire to touch or hug him, or kiss him or whatever else desires could lead to. Now she is staying the path of a platonic relationship. But the man on the other hand has to use a snorkel in his dreams and thoughts because they are swimming with desire for this girl. There goes Plato's theory. But now you have to take into consideration something else. How would anyone know if the relationship fit the criteria? Well, you might ask each other. The only problem with that is not that one might LIE. BUT that one might not tell the truth. The reason being is that in that same relationship mentioned above, the girl approaches the man oneday and something like the following takes place between them;

Sally: Joe, I've been thinking about some of the things you say and do, and I wanted to make sure we understand each other in terms of our relationship with each other.

Joe: What sort of things are you talking about?

Sally: I don't want to make a big deal about it, but just the way you talk to me and remarks that make. And sometime how when you hold a door for me you will put your hand on my back when I walk by. I'm sure it's nothing but I wanted to make sure.

Joe: Oh, that sort of thing. Nothing to worry about Sally. I'm just trying to be a gentleman. It's surely nothing to worry about.

Sally: Ok, good, I didn't want our friendship to end because one of us started having different feelings about the other. I mean you and I are great friends, don't get me wrong, but we agreed way back when that we were friends and nothing more. Because we weren't interested like that. And you know I love you to death, like a brother!

Joe: I know Sally, nothing's changed. I wouldn't want to mess up our friendship we've been through too much and need each other's support..

Blah blah blah blah blah.. etc. and so on!

Now Joe didn't necessarily lie, but he surely wasn't truthful with Sally. What happened there was Joe indeed did have more than friends feelings for Sally, he was falling in love with her. But he knew that if he were to tell her that, that she would either turn and run or it would seriously screw things up for them. So he chose the easy path. He agreed with her to avoid losing her altogether. Smart move on his part for not losing her but he just lied, uh er, untruthed her. (Remember what the Bible says about a woman's wrath, Joe)

So do I think there could be such a thing as a platonic relationship? I'm sure there are many of them out there. But I would think they would have to be few and far between. One of the definitions of 'platonic' is: Free from physical desire. So even tho there are alot of people that we know who are friends and both are 'not married', there is something that does not qualify them as platonic you all parties were to be honest. Some say they don't 'fall for a guy' until they know his intentions. In other words if the guy is just a pal and being friendly because of some common interest or whatever, the girl maybe would hold her feelings back until she is sure how this guy feels about her. Which would be 'guarding her heart'... BUT she would admit that somewhere inside her are feelings of a non-platonic nature. (out the window again Plato!)

So to answer the question: In the grand scheme of things I would have to say, It is possible BUT not usually the case, whether admitted or not. Now that does not mean that they want marriage or anything.. but just that one of the two usually has desires hidden away and would admit if they were honest.

So in conclusion, it can be, but rarely. So guys buy an extra snorkel if you want, but if she asks, BE HONEST. And same to you girls, BE HONEST. Sometime being honest can be the most painful thing for both parties but it gives you a much better feeling when you close your eyes at night thant that bad feeling in your stomach when you know you lied to someone who loves you!

Reality today

If you do not agree that the reality pictured above under the new Iraqi government is not a world better than the reality picture below under the former Iraqi government, I regret to tell you that you have your head firmly planted in a dark region of your body. That said, I do think the war is a wrong and a mistake. But in reality this good did come from it. Better quality of life for those who survived.

Reality under Saddam

Proud to be Humble!

I read a comment to one of Brandon's Posts over at BadChristian.com today. The comment read in part "False Humility is True Pride". Do people look at me and think "He is full of false humility" >. Well actually I don't think many people think that deep when forming an opinion on me. But for real.. I wonder ... well first of all do I even think of myself as humble?? I mean, I know we are all supposed to be humble and think not much of ourselves in comparison with person #2 but we are talking facts here.. not what should be, if ya know what I mean! It's like 'yes we should be humble, but in reality, are we? So in that context am I full of false humility which would indeed be true pride! Idk.. I'm not really sure. But I guarentee you that you could ask some of my family or friends and they could answer the question more accurately if they were to be brutally honest. Now we are at root an animal of sorts in the way that our first natural priority is self preservation, and in perserving ourself, we think more highly of ourselves than others sometime.

Wrap your presents to your darling from you

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue

Crowded street, busy feet, hustle by him
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
Hoping that you won't pass him by

Should you stop? Better not, much too busy
You're in a hurry, my how time does fly
In the distance the ringing of laughter
And in the midst of the laughter he cries

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue

ONE WORD

You know those emails going around that say something like "Describe me in one word" ? I was getting a bunch of them so I decided to send it on out to my address book.. A few ppl decided to reply.. THis is what I got back.

1. Religious
2. Jeffryish
3. Wonderful-Friend (can I hyphen things?)
4. Laudable
5. Insightful
6. Interesting
7. Opinionated
8. Unpredictable
9. Unpredictable
10. Neat-funny-understanding (that's a new word)
11. Funny!
12. Male
13. Purple-beard
14. Cousin.....
15. Ambitious
16. Perceptive
17. analytical
18. enigma
    

Maybe I'll add the rest if I get anymore back! They are interesting to say the least.

Weekend fun

I had a blast this loonngg weekend. which is ending today at 1pm. I will be late for work if I blog it all now. My fun weekend is in thanks to melissa betsy mj phil pete cin jessy curt ned derek aonch shauna misty aunt ginny N fam and i'm prob forgetting some but i'm sure i'll think of them later.

Who's responsibility is it Anyway??

I guess i'm half asking and half telling. But isn't there some un-written rule about where to draw the line on what is taught in church as 'fact'? Well, this is totally going against the grain to take up issue with my church. But the way that I look at it is, If I just do what they say without question then I would be "Following blindly" And even the apostles didn't do that. Some of them actually left each other due to their disagreements on issues. Well that's getting off the point. I believe we as believers have a big responsibility to make right choices and to be in prayer and decide for ourselves what is right or wrong for us. I know that my church sometime teaches against certain things and they go to the extreme of the exact thing and completely leaving any room for arguement saying this is "WRONG" or "No true believer would even think of doing this" or "Have this" or "Take part in this" etc. etc. I don't mean to be bad mouthing my church I am merely making a point and cannot do so without and example. Now what happens if we have 15 people sitting in church who take part in a certain thing with a completely clear conscience and then we hear over the pulpit that "No true Christian would even think of taking part in that". What does that say about those 15? But on top of that, those 15 are in a pickle. Do they just stop taking part because it was denounced in church? That would be following blindly in my opinion. But what does a person do in that situation? You can't argue the point with the pastor. At that point you would be trying to justify what you do or change his opionion OR worse yet, get his approval.. All which are not noble things to do! You don't need to justify your actions before men, you don't need to argue with your pastor, and you don't need to get your pastor's approval on anything. You are both mature independent minds alike in God's sight. We need God's approval, not mans. Although having man's approval feels good most of the time. If we need to justify our actions to ourselves or others, if we need to convince ourselves its 'ok' then something is fishy there, maybe we better take a closer look at what we believe. Following our pastor's every rule and preached message to a T will not get us to Heaven, neither will pleasing our pastor by going by every rule or denouncement of certain things or activities. We need to evaluate our lives, take spiritual inventory-take a good look at our priorities and then ask God to give us wisdom and teach us the right way. A pastor is like a shepherd watching a flock of sheep. The sheep know what the shepherd wants but does not always do what he says. But the shepherd understands that sheep will do that, they will wander, they will get lost but the shepherd does not give up or say "I might as well never try to save you again, its no use, you wandered off even tho I said stay".. neither can a pastor say that "I may as well not preach another lessson because it's done no good, you fell into sin again". It is not the pastor's fault if a person falls into sin, they are only the shepherd. They have to realize their responsibility and it's limits. I'm not saying it's easy to see a long time member fall into seriuos sin and live the way of the world after that with no time for the Lord. I think that it is the church's responsibility to teach principles and truth from the Bible, but when it comes down to specifics on some ''controversial'' issues, if there are so many different opinions on the matter and each one is revealed somethind different.. Why would God reveal the truth to only one man?? Why not just teach the principles of truth relevant to the issues and leave it up to God and the believer (US) to make the decisions for ourselves! We are mature individuals.. Or is it that the church does not want us to make the wrong one? I really don't know. I think they have gotten too extreme in getting to the nitty gritty details of telling us what we can and cannot do! Where does our power of choice come in. Oh I know we can still choose. But when specific things are taught as factually wrong in church and we are doing them with a clear conscience, what then? Do we stop for the sake of following our pastor's teaching? Do we stop for the sake of not looking 'wrong' in eyes of fellow church-goers? Or was it wrong for it to be taught like that? There is a great amount of resposibility that the believer has to take and pray and search for the answers to the questions. If we are taught to an extreme what is right N wrong and all as fact.. what is left to pray for as far as answers?? We don't need to pray for the answer of 'is it right or wrong' because we were just told in church distinctly that it was "WRONG"!!! There needs to be that great responsibility on every believer to pray and make right decisions on controversial issues instead of the church hand feeding us all the answers we need. The church is no doubt a vital part of every believers life but there has to be a line between the church's responsibility and our personal responsibility.

"A pastor preaching our every move and decision can never get us into Heaven just as attending church cannot. It is our own choices that show who we truly are, not our pastor's"

Pretty? Ugly? or Pretty Ugly?

I was thinking about people and how some of them look pretty to me and some of them look ugly. And thought that someone who I think is beautiful could be considered 'not' in someone elses opinion. Well, then I thought of my self and that I am 27 and not married. (Not that I need to be at 27) not to mention not dating and no prospects either. Well none that I would admit on here. Anyway, I know alot of people from alot of places and some girls who are the most beautiful to our human eyes can be some of the ugliest people i've known. They can be coniving or have ugly motives or just be hateful, annoying or just depressing people. While there are girls I know who most of the world would say "They aint no Britney Spears" and I see them as genuinely beautiful people. When it comes down to it, it all depends on your own motives. I sometime think that it could be a negative attribute to be beautiful in the worlds eyes. What I mean by that is 'most' guys will take them for their surface beauty and never get to know them beyond what they see. And in return it could lead that girl to respond to that and in order to keep that attention will play the game of getting a response from guys. It would obviously make a girl feel nice to have guys always coming up to her and asking her for her number or hitting on her. But coming along with that could lead to vanity and pride. And that would be for the reason that many guys make her out to be more than she is in reality. But on the other side is the girl who those same guys would not go up to as readily or who would fall into the catagory of 'your average girl' or some even fall into the catagory of 'unattractive'. BUT I think that those last two catagories are important and pose the biggest oppurtunity of producing a truly beautiful girl. You see, the girl who isn't necessarily a head turner when she walks into a club, or down the street cannot play off of the vanity that it leads to, they have to work to be beautiful. But the great thing about that is that they become a girl who is beautiful for the rest of her life, and not just until she washes off the make-up or her highlights grow out.. or she gains a little weight that makes her lose her anorexic look she's been honing in for two years. It is something that those inner-beauty girls will retain for the rest of their life. They are the ones who will marry a guy with the same inner-beauty and raise a happy family and grow old together and still be happy and love each other! But those shallow outter beauty girls could end up being bar flys or divorced ... three times.. Just looking for happiness in guys instead of in God. Finding God at a young age and becoming happy and content in Him is a BIG step in having a happy relationship with anyone let alone a happy marriage. I am (i'm not sure the word to use) But I am the kind of person where I could hang out with a girl and think to myself "Lord this is the girl for me, she and I got along great, she is beautiful she loves You and it just has the be right". But then after a few days I will reconsider and think.. well is she really the one for me? And then I'm not sure, and even more glad I waited to say anything more that would lead her to think of us as just buddies?or friends. Granted that I don't know how she feels I could ruin a good friendship over something that may never be. And that is why I do not take other's advice when they say "Ask her on a date, what can it hurt"? Well to start with.. alot of drama if it is not to be.. Anyway, I met a girl the other night who I think about often, and have seen her most of my life, but the questions are still there, "When, God, when?" But I am comforted in the answer I give myself.. "When God sees fit for me to have a friend, that's when it will be". Until then I pray I fulfill my responsibilities on this earth and become a more beautiful person for my future wife, if God blesses me in that way. The beauty that we see if only skin deep, it is what lies behind that deceptive covering that matters the most!!

What's goin on?

I don't like to post and say I havn't posted. But here it is. I know I haven't posted ANYTHING in the last month! And I don't like making personal posts, BUT, I've been struggling with things and really trying to find out things.. How do I put it.. searching for answers and looking for it myself and not taking other's words for it. It's a rough road but I have to find the answers my self or they will not stick! I'm sure everyone can relate to that.. It's like trying to learn from our parent's mistakes.. It just don't work.. we need to learn from our own.. and the same with God, He has to reveal it to us, convict us.. NOt convict someone else and then when they tell us we are just supposed to fall into line.. But more-so to search and read and let God speak to us be open willing and ready to accept whatever it is He reveals!

If only!

My Early attempts of portrait photography

Copyright 2005 Jeff Myers

???

Probably because, "The focus and goal would be zoned in on that instead of preaching the full Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"There other places than a church for it".

Forgiveness comments

Interesting post, Jon, as always. Jon mentioned in his post;

"This would seem to agree with what Becky's saying, that forgiveness is available but only post-repentance. "

Correct me if i'm wrong, Becky, but I don't think that is what you were saying. I think you and I agreed that forgiveness is always available, repentance or not.. It is only 'obtained' post-repentance. And maybe that's what Jon meant but it was un-clear.

Jon mentioned something about forgiveing 7 times if your brother sins against you and repents. I think to make it clearer we must remember what Jesus said also about forgiving. Matthew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." I believe what Jesus meant by that is "No Peter, not seven times, but unlimited times!! " As my pastor said in church once after reading that verse, "if you stopped to add that up, you missed the point". And the same for God, he will forgive us unlimited times when confess and forsake, as Jon mentioned.

Jon's last question on that post read; "If this man (forgive the gender assumption) doesn't come to me and repent, do I still need to forgive him? If so, for whose benefit, his or mine?"

Now I can't really speak for Jon, but if this were the case for me.. My reponse would be, that I am not directly responsible for that mans salvation,, BUT I do want to say the Lord's prayer each morning with a clear conscious and peace about what I am saying,, "Forgive me my sins as I have forgiven anyone who has sinned against me". I'd say it would be for my benefit. If our salvation depended on being forgiven by everyone we harmed or sinned against.... we'd be screwed. The only forgiveness that is eternally necessary, I believe, is God's.

"*-But that's Just One Man's Opinion-*"

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BackTalk

My brother and sister are in a band, they call themselves "Toolbox". Why? you ask! I don't really know. Maybe for lack of a better name. Well they do 8 or so songs and alot of them are about what bothers them, or not conforming to the world's standards and not following the world and it's ways. They don't really make references to Jesus, literally, but it is a positive message kind of a band. WEll anyway.. to get to my point... I started to think about it today and suggested to him the name "BackTalk" for a new band name. Like for instance the world tells you how to dress, what to say, what to think, what to do, where to go, what to buy etc. etc. and alot of it would not necessarily be the best thing for young kids to follow. And the name BackTalk which could also be the name of a song... would be the kids are backtalking the popular culture, backtalking the media and what they push.. Just backtalking society as a whole since it pushes on them what is new, hot and hip instead of considering God's will for them and their peers. It's pretty amazing how one person can influence many.. even in just friends situations, with no platform to speak from. If one does wrong.. alot follow.. if one does right and creates the same peer pressure.. I would almost have to do some good, right? So anyway he liked the name and he is thinking about it..

Shut up and listen! (for once)

You ever talk to those people who just talk and talk and talk...... and talk? I have! I makes me wonder if they even know what they are saying or even know they are still talking! They repeat themselves several times for the sake of not shutting up (it seems). Or there are those people who when in a group will get into this match of saying the greater thing. Like they will pick the best line of a show or repeat something a speaker on stage said. It comes down to no matter what it is.. they just talk non-stop!! Haven't you ever just stopped and listened to someone else? Try it, it may surprise you, you may learn something! We can learn a heck of alot more when we are listening than when we are talking. Oh wait there is a verse in the Bible, "Be quick to listen and slow to speak". Maybe there is something to it.

Do you hurt?

And I thought I hurt! You ever think of committing suicide? And then tell about it? Over and over? If you attempt and fail without an injury maybe you need a sure fire way! I thought that in the past that I hurt and when ppl would talk to me I felt sorry for myself.. But when I started to hear kids stories of when they tried to kill themselves and ended up almost bleeding to death or gunshot wounds ...... I realized that maybe I didn't hurt as much as I would have liked ppl to believe. There are kids who hurt so much that they will cut themselves to make the real pain go away for a moment! The pain of the cutting will ease the pain of their reality! To make that more real for you take a knife and try to cut your arm, on the top between your wrist and elbow. It would take a heck of alot of pain to cause self injury! We are like animals and our instincts are to self preserve. I don't know what else to say, but compared to these kids that i've had the privilege of hearing their stories,,,, I haven't hurt yet in my life!

Vaca. at the Mts.

-I was at the mountains this weekend-It rained until Saturday-then it looked like this-
Copyright 2005 Jeff Myers

Me

-This is me at the mountains-
Copyright 2005 Jeff Myers