Laptop! Be healed! …… (rats. now what am I going to do?)
Posted on February 5, 2009
Filed Under A Geek's Guide to the Scriptures | Leave a Comment
In the wee, quiet, blurry eyed hours of the morning I got up and began my usual morning ritual: a warm coffee and my beloved laptop. 
She’s a Macbook Pro, elegant stainless steel case, gorgeous video screen, excellent track pad, and everything “just works.”
I love the sound of my MBP booting up in the morning. It’s the smell er… sound… of techno-victory. I can journal, I can read, I can research, I can webcam my buddy’s favorite beach (lucky stiff…). The world is my oyster! (as long as it has a valid URL).
But as I moved the mouse down to the dock to launch an application, something didn’t seem right. I blinked and rubbed my eyes–there must be something in them. I tried the mouse again. Hmmm. that’s not right, I thought as I absentmindedly took another hit of java. Read more
God Talks too much!
Posted on February 5, 2009
Filed Under A Geek's Guide to the Scriptures, All things Narnia, Generally Spiritual (few if any geek references) | 1 Comment
author’s note: this article was originally sent as an email to a prayer team on 9/14/2004, but for some crazy reason, I never put it on this site. So, here you go…
Verbose: adj : using or containing a great and usually excessive number of words; wordy.
I am going to guess that most of you are familiar with Dave Barry and maybe even Bill Bryson. I marvel at the humor and insight in their articles (although at times their works need some redemption). The circulation of their articles via major newspapers, books, and of course their blogs fits rather well into the category of “massively ubiquitous.” Their books are so successful that they have even achieved the pinnacle of literary success: being sold in airport gift shops.
They are a comfort to me in that their articles tend to run into the 1000+ word range. In other words, their rambling and verbose styles are never “to the point.” Hmmm… reminds me of a certain deity I know… Read more
The silence is deafening (rather like the Trees in Narnia)
Posted on December 10, 2008
Filed Under All Things Narnian, My Paper Jesus | 2 Comments
I don’t think I have had quite the non-response to an article as I have received with My Paper Jesus. It could be that some of my readers are just not into allegories. It may be that some readers are a little concerned for me. But are they only concerned for me or…. maybe down deep are they a bit anxious over their own relationship with Christ? maybe. Or it could be that my over abundance of words finally did some of my readers in. Ah, that must be it.
Whatever the case, the silence has been deafening.
All speculation aside, it’s a scary thing to realize that a faith founded primarily upon head-knowledge just won’t cut it anymore. It tends to rock one’s boat. It’s rocking mine, that’s for sure.
Take the other day. While looking through some applets posted on the “gadget” page of a very popular search site, I came across one generates a daily devotional thought. I was inspired! That is, until I read several of the comments left by visitors of this very popular search site.
Wow! Talk about venomous! Talk about hostile!
“Stupid! Ignorant! Backwords fools! God-people, go to H*ll!” and on and on the various comments went.
It was as if someone walked up to me, saw my Paper Jesus and decided to smash it head in. Read more
My Paper Jesus
Posted on November 10, 2008
Filed Under Generally Spiritual (few if any geek references) | Leave a Comment
Not so long ago I stumbled across the article “To write love on her arms.” What amazed me was the powerful love of the Christians in that true story as they reached out to a very troubled teen.
I made me think. It made me realize. It made me feel very empty inside.
It led me to reflect on the condition of my soul: what I believe and how I felt about what I believe. The following daydream is what I discovered about myself……..
It was a slow morning for a change, peaceful and rather pleasant. Perfect for letting a gnawing thought be heard. Sitting at the kitchen table I decided to spread out all my beliefs in front of me so I could look them over. Before I knew it, the table was completely covered with documents. I could not help but admire how good each and every one of my beliefs looked. I decided to gather them all up and almost by themselves they formed paper mache statue, about 2 or 2 1/2 ft. high.
At first it was a bit amorphous and crude, but in time I was able to add various details like a beard, sandals, a robe, a manly jaw, strong hands–and of course gentle eyes. Eventually, the statue became quite clear, very distinct. He was perfect. And I was proud of Him.
Quite satisfied, I drew him up into my arms and took him out into the back yard with me. What a beautiful day! Together, we enjoyed the sunshine and the birds and the flowers and the green grass and the cool breeze. But then something quite disturbing happened. Read more
I think I get it….
Posted on October 14, 2008
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I love the band Switchfoot, and “Awakening” is one of my favorite songs. If you find the Awakening video on YouTube, you might notice that several of the commentators say “I don’t get it…” In fact, if you click on the video below, you might also say “I don’t get it…” And that’s OK.
I gotta say, I think I get it. I mean, I think I always understood the point behind the song, but recently I think I get it, especially since my first ever “official” sermon (I’d rather call it a “talk” but so that everybody knows what I mean… I’ll use the S word).
Now I’m on a mission to make sure that I get it, and keep getting it. What is “it” that I’m starting to get? I feel like I’m waking up! I feel like now is the time more than ever to wake up my faith and trust God to do whatever He wants.
PS: With ”Dare You to Move” I get the same “I’m starting to get it” feeling. Another great song!
Thank you Jea-sus! (now if I could only do that with my soul….)
Posted on October 10, 2008
Filed Under A Geek's Guide to the Scriptures | 2 Comments
Recently my beloved Macbook Pro was acting a little peeked, sluggish, as if it were off its feed. Perhaps it needed another Cafe Mocha–or two. For instance, when I would run Keynote (Apple’s answer to Powerpoint), the machine would practically crawl. Being the rational person that I am, I blamed it on the Powerpoint presentations I was being forced to use.
But yesterday, while teaching a project management class, my poor laptop got so bewildered and forlorned that I had to shut it down, right there in the middle of my lecture, and go on without it.
Last night, I realized that I was in denial over this issue. I needed help. Read more
Beware what you pray for… you just might get it
Posted on October 6, 2008
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Warning… this one’s not too pithy, not too cute or interesting IMHO, just cathartic.
Most of my life I have been asking God for a lot of things, but recently I have been challenged to take the “Bono Route.” You see, one day I watched with wrapped attention as our pastor interviewed Bono (taped, not live … rats!) Bono noted that he was challenged to stop asking God to bless him, and instead ask what God is doing, then get involved in that. Read more
God is a Bluetooth kinda Guy
Posted on August 5, 2008
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Author’s note:
Today I came across the following article at a most interesting time—a time when, truth be told, I was feeling rather alone, in a “dead zone” as it were. If my soul had “signal bars” on it, they would be just about zero.
If I just lost you, read on. It’ll make sense soon.
This article was first sent as an email on March 3, 2004. So, the technological references are a bit dated. Ah, well. I could update it, but frankly, I just want to post it and get on with my quest to get a “stronger signal” with God.
Every time I crawl under my desk to untangle the keyboard cord from the mouse cord from the power cord from the network cord, from the lamp cord…. I think, “Lord! that Bluetooth were ubiquitous!”