Review of Obstacles Welcome

Never before have I picked up a book that I so expected to find boring, and found it so scintillating.

By way of explanation, I must tell you that this is a book written by the CEO of AT&T mobility, regarding success in business, and then making a parallel to one’s personal life.

Being one who is not necessarily interested in the workings of business – although I did enjoy stock market simulations in high school – I expected the reading of this book to be a trek through a boggy field to an undesirable end. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

De la Vega made the book interesting through personal stories and relevant, perspective-changing points. These are points that can be applied to my own life, as well as to anyone who gives time and attention to this volume.

Ralph de la Vega obviously put his heart into writing this volume, and it was easy for me to put my heart into reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for encouragement in their own struggle to success.

Review of The Noticer by Andy Andrews

He is one in ten who will look up to smile at a stranger as he walks by. He is one in a million who cares enough to stop and make that stranger's problem his. Jones is that one in a million.

Jones is wisdom personified, and also the main character in The Noticer. The book gives him plenty of space in which to voice his opinion, give advice, and share with others his point of view. It is those opinions, advice, and perspective that make the book so attractive to the thousands who have given it their time.

The Noticer was a fast read, not only because it houses only 156 pages, but also because it draws the reader in. It is relevant to the lives of anyone who read it, because it covers the scope of so many lifestyles and troubles. I certainly milked a good amount of imput out of it, perspective that I am considering at this time and will consider to mull over in the years ahead. I'm sure I will find myself reading it again from time to time, seeking wisdom and perspective.

I cannot claim that this book is without fault. I felt that the general writing style of the book was lacking, and there was some repetition (although purposeful). However, the content made up for the lack of unique style.

Overall, I would give this book a 4½ out of 5 stars, and recommend it heartily to anyone who is seeking change, or even just an alternate perspective on life. This could be what you've been looking for.

Review of Green by Ted Dekker

If you're looking for a laid-back time with a bowl of popcorn and an adventure story, this book isn't for you. Green will capture you and pull you inside, kicking and screaming if necessary. The complex plot will engage your mind as the relevent and sentimental characters engage your heart. The analogy is obvious, but still perspective-bending. Green is also one of the most intense books you'll find in the "Religion" section at your local Barnes and Nobel™.Green is actually the prequel and the sequel of a four-part series; that is, it can be read before or after reading Black, Red, and White. I hadn't read the other 3 books, yet this book was intricate and scintillating enough to draw me in. I enjoyed the fast-moving plot and the parallel drawn between the physical and spiritual realm.

There were, however, a few things that would have stalled a less-motivated reader, or one with a weaker stomach. There was quite a bit of violence and detailed description of what the author believes to exist in the demonic realm. There was much bloodshed as well, both through battle and self-mutilation.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18, or who is less inclined to understand the parallel drawn in the book. It is, however, a good choice for those who have enjoyed hard action books from a secular author and are looking for a Christian alternative, or for those who have previously read and enjoyed Dekker's books.

Review of The [Expanded] Bible

This is a review for The [Expanded] Bible for the Thomas Nelson Book Review web company. If you

want to know more about this Bible, feel free to

leave me a comment.

The [Expanded] Bible was a new experience for me. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I haven't owned or read any type of amplified Bible in the past. It was difficult, at first, to read the text through the "expansions" that are integrated into it. It took me 3-4 chapters to get used to the new kind of reading that it required. However, once I did get used to it, I enjoyed learning and exploring the new aspects and meanings of the word that were provided. One thing that I didn't like was that oftentimes, the words and phrases offered as "other meanings" were simply synonyms. This wasn't helpful to me. However, there is also background information included at times, and these short pieces provided a backdrop for the existing words. This was indeed helpful, as I hadn't previously studied the surrounding history in correlation with the word.

It might have been a simpler read if the notes were included as footnotes, although I realize that when they are it becomes tiring reading, causing one to look back and forth between notes and text. Instead, the notes are included as part of the text, allowing me to continue to read through the passage fluidly as my mind connected the scriptures in a new way. The reading was a bit choppy, however, and the Bible seems to lend itself more to study than to simple reading.

All in all, the combination of the living words and the author's text caused this book to be both an interesting read, and one that inspires life. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to study the Bible in depth, but not necessarily to newer christians, as it may be more difficult to understand and digest, as it were.

What I want to do, I don't do...

I have to say I know what Paul was saying in Romans when he said, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do... I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing...So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members...

And then, later:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Seriously. My life seems insane. I wish I should always do all the things I want to do, but the things I want to do aren't always the things God wants me to do... but that is the law of sin working in me.

So I do the things I don't want to do according to the law of God, but I don't do those things that I should do according to that same law. I sometimes want to do the things I shouldn't do, and then I do those things, and then I regret them.

If you followed that, congratulations. It was hard for even me. But I find myself saying thanks to the God who made me... like Paul said:

Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

I just need his help all the time, but I know that he's with me, and his grace is sufficient always. Praise God.

a spring poem

i wrote this on a whim; it flew out of my head while i was "chatting" on facebook, actually. my hope for you is that, today, you begin to see God in a new way, with the eyes and faith of a child...

branches and twigs and leaves
crunching, stepping, branching out
i find wisdom in the trees, solace in the sky
my Lord speaks to me through the things i see
he gives me pieces of himself through the grandeur
through the beauty of his creation he speaks
i feel his love again, like sunshine through the waving branches
its pure and light, and feels warm on my face
i've longed for this time, for this moment, and now it's here
i feel new again
i feel recreated and fresh
i know my father loves me, that he always has
and now i can see it
how good God is!

Change is hard... but good? [Part 2]

When I think about change, I remember this picture by Norman Rockwell... I suppose the caption would say, “Change isn’t always good”, playing off the commonly held opinion that "Change is good."

It’s a phrase that was put to use most recently by President Obama as he campaigned for the White House. He was promoting change: left, right, and down the center. He made promise after promise regarding the changes he would make, and has gone on to try and follow up on those promises. I guess to this I would say, "Change is good, as long as it's in the right direction."
The funny thing is, when I was a kid, some of my favorite books were about change: Peter Pan, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and The Velveteen Rabbit. I want to end this post by giving you a section of The Velveteen Rabbit, a story about a boy who got a toy rabbit for Christmas, and how the rabbit became real. As you read this, look for it’s correlation to life. I think it speaks.

“What is REAL?” asked the rabbit one day. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes.” For he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or who have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
The rabbit sighed. He thought it would be a long time before this magic called Real happened to him. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him…
Time passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit anymore, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real, shabbiness doesn’t matter.

Change is hard: according to Peter Pan [Part 1]

“I’m never going to change. I’m never going to grow up!” Peter Pan shouts from the inside of one of my favorite storybooks.
You know, of course, that Peter Pan is not the only one who’s ever resisted this seeming enemy called “change”. I mean, what about Calvin? Oh, you know, the legendary six-year-old spiky-haired kid from the comic “Calvin and Hobbes”. There’s a comic in Calvin and Hobbes where Hobbes asks, “Are you making any resolutions for the new year?” and Calvin answers, “Nope! I want everything to stay the same as it was this year.” Then he goes on to explain:
“This year was lousy, but at least it’s familiar… I hate change! It’s too disruptive! When things are different, you have to think about the change and deal with it! I like things to stay the same, so I can take everything for granted! …Besides, things keep changing for the worse! The longer I live, the more complicated everything gets! I say let’s stop here before life gets any harder! From now on, no more change!”
So he finally stops ranting, folds his arms and waits… but two frames later, he’s off and running, shouting to Hobbes, “I’m bored. Let’s do something different.” And of course, Hobbes is replying with “Some things don’t change.”
Ok, ok. So I have to admit that I was totally with Calvin at first. Several years ago, I had this conversation (more like a debate, actually) with a friend. My position was “Change is bad”, and his was a refutation of that. Actually, it took several weeks of ongoing conversation (if I’m remembering correctly) for him to reach his final point, probably because I was arguing so hard for my point that it was hard for him to get a word in edgewise. But he finally got around to putting in his final word, and that was “Change isn’t necessarily bad. It can be very hard, though.” And of course, I knew he was right. So did Calvin, apparently.
I’ve got a couple more examples, but I’m going to have to spare the detail at this point, in order to reveal the reason for this post. Straightaway then, I guess, to the reason that I have been thinking on this subject. You see, I heard news from two of my favorite bands lately that there is some big change coming. This upset me much at first. Anyhow, the news is this: that Delirious? is breaking up and will create no new records (unless some sort of compilation comes out), and will tour only a bit more, ending somewhere around the end of 2009… and that Peter Furler, lead singer for the Newsboys, will no longer be touring with the band, but will be replaced by Michael Tait, who used to be with DC Talk. As far as I know, Peter will still be recording with the band, but is giving up touring to be able to spend more time with his family.
Of course, these changes will be hard on the individuals themselves, and not only for myself. Still, I feel a twinge of pain as I lament the effect the changes will have. I used to count myself among the “rockers” (groupies, really), going to all the shows and hanging in the mosh pits, buying every new cd as it came hot off the line. Now I’m a 20-year-old college student, working each day and studying by night, seeing weekend after weekend disappear as each one is given to something more important that “rocking out” at the shows.

It was tough, to watch this change occur in my life. Probably one of the hardest things I’ll ever do in my life is to give up the things I want to do, in order to include the things that need to happen. But it’s a necessary difficulty, and will be rewarded, I’m sure.

[I hate to say it, but this is going to have to encompass 2 entries, since I have more to say on this, but I’ve reached my self-imposed length limit. Forgive me; I’ll put the rest up tomorrow.]

A Cat Is A Wonderful Pet

Cats are absolutely wonderful. Would you like to know why? I wanted to know, too, until I got one for my last birthday, when I turned six. Now I want to tell you five reasons why cats are wonderful.
The number one reason that cats are wonderful is that they go to the bathroom in a box full of sawdust. I know, at first this doesn't seem so wonderful, especially when you have to clean it. But I can tell you it is wonderful, because when my cat went to the bathroom outside of her box, we both got spanked, and mom told me not to hold her by the tail anymore. Now she always goes to the bathroom in her box, and it's really good.
The second reason why cats are good pets is that they are afraid of dogs. It's a good thing, too, because Billy's dog was going to eat ours, and if she hadn't run up a tree, I wouldn't have got to see real firemen for the first time. They were great!
Reason number three why cats are the best pets is that they shed a lot. This makes my dad sneeze, but I think it's good, because then I can keep up my cat fur collection. It's getting bigger all the time, and pretty soon my pillowcase will be all full up and I'll have to find somewhere else to keep it.
The fourth reason why cats are really good is because they can meow really loud if they want to. Every night I listen to the cats of the neighborhood doing their concert outside, and my cat is the very loudest. I'm so proud of her.
The last reason why cats are wonderful pets is because they can just go away for one day and by the time they come back, they will have four little kittens with them. I don't know how they do this. I thought it was magic, but then my mom said that every cat knows how to do it. I wish I was a cat, so I could bring kittens home a lot.
All of these are reasons why cats are wonderful pets. If you don't believe me, go buy one for yourself. You will see it can do all these things I said, and even cooler things, too. You will love your wonderful cat pet, and you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Take my word for it.

10 Reasons

I hear, from my fellow blog-writers, that if one finds that he is no longer inspired, he may write a "top-ten" list.
Unfortunately, my inspiration has run out even before number 1. Therefore, this blog post is to show the absence of a top-ten list. See if you can figure it out.









11. lame
12. you didn't find it
13. not even
14. very very very
15. this is even worse.


Good Luck!!

Chicken Hats and the Power of Love

“Oh, sick!” John smirked as he looked me up and down before laughing and walking away. His jaunty step, brand-name clothes, and curly blond hair attracted my classmates to him like flies to honey, but I felt sick inside. The gavel had fallen, the verdict was set: he was popular, and I disgusted him. He was the new kid, from some novel place that was “cool” and distant, and I was simply fresh meat. He didn’t hesitant to show me that I was nothing to him.
This singular incident would set the standard for the next two years of my life. Every day, I braced myself for the attacks that I knew would fall unmitigated from John’s mouth, the glares and smirks that would mark his disdain for my presence. These things came to be such a normal occurrence that I began to block them out, to turn my attention to other things in hope that they might take my mind off of my misery. This seemed to be working rather well, until the day that John did something I simply could not ignore.
It was spirit week, when students would participate in the themed days by dressing up in costumes and competing against each other for small prizes. This particular day was dubbed “Animal Day”, and the school was alive with excitement and laughter that morning as each new costume was examined and critiqued. I myself was dressed as a groundhog, complete with tail and fuzzy brown ears that carried my outfit over the top. My younger brother had a chicken hat on his head, the product of a festival that had taken place in our small town months before. We made quite a pair as we marched in the door, and the day promised much hilarity.
For the vast portion of the day, I was in high spirits and expectations. Many people complimented me on the originality of my costume, and I was smiling by day’s end. As the bell rang, and the students flooded the hallways, I grabbed up my bag and headed outside to meet my younger brother. We stood outside the door and laughed together over our success. Then, like a dark cloud, John stepped out the door.
The words that advanced from his mouth were aimed to injure and, like poisoned arrows from an adversary’s bow, they were headed straight towards my brother. “What is that?” he asked, mockingly. “What has he got on his head?” The words were loud enough for all to hear. Some bystanders laughed at his words, but I felt my blood boil inside of me. Hatred welled up; more than that, an explosive fury. How dare he say such a thing to a 6-year-old, and to my brother! I could no longer stand silent. I stepped in front of my brother, and leaned slowly forward until I was breathing into the bully’s face.
“How dare you?! How dare you say that to him, my brother! Listen, I don’t care what you say to me, say whatever you want, but don’t you dare talk bad about him!” I was wound up; I didn’t care who heard. “You think you’re so big, that you can say anything you want, but don’t you ever be mean to him!”
My adrenaline pumped as I stopped talking and tried to slow my heavy breathing. I waited for the inevitable reaction, only to be surprised by what didn’t happen. He didn’t immediately lash out, he didn’t smirk and smile. In fact, seconds passed before he said anything at all. Instead of speaking, he simply looked shocked. I may have imagined the look of pain that crossed his face, but the hesitation was real. When he finally spoke, it was only to brush off what happened, deliver an anxious grimace, and turn his back to walk away.
I didn’t need to hear bells, chimes, or horns to declare my victory. My heart was pounding, my mind was reeling, and my spirit was leaping in my chest. I had done it! I had stood up to him, and he had taken notice! No one could say anything to me now, for I knew the power of my own voice, and I was no longer afraid to use it. I turned to see a bit of fright and puzzlement on my brother’s face, but it didn’t jar the feeling of victory I felt. The world was mine.
This incident didn’t mark the end of my troubles with John. He still bothered me, mocked me, and went out of his way to be unkind. Now, however, I felt less pain. My heart felt less like it was breaking. I knew that in some small way, I had defeated him, and that everything he said to me from that point on would be discredited by the reality of that defeat. I was glad.
There are few feelings like the one that comes from confronting and overcoming an obstacle that seems insurmountable, and I experienced that feeling the day I acted on behalf of one close to me. John never bothered my brother again, and I knew that he dared not. The day I stood up on behalf of my brother, he had heard the sound of something far greater than his hate. He had heard the sound of a sister’s love, and that sound is more powerful than all the insults and mockery in the world.

Regarding the first day of class...

"The students, like packhorses, plod slowly down the heavily trafficked hallways. They look as if they will steadfastly stand the burdens that will be laid upon them, with much courage and boredom. Stoic faces in each classroom, not enjoying, only waiting, seeking diversion from the weight that falls steadily upon their minds like a thick and heavy rain upon a soft bed of algae." (haha.)

A Fresh Perspective

Apples, oranges, lemons. I am surrounded by produce, which is in turn surrounded by sunlight. Of course, the sunlight helps the plants to grow, but it does something else, too. It fills me with delight,
with warmth that doesn't come just from the sun's natural heat. I feel as if my heart is growing in size, like the heart of the Grinch from Seuss's Christmas book.
I slowly turn, facing each of the fruit trees in turn, examining each peel and stem with amazement. What amazing planning, to fit each fruit with a colorful outfit to protect it from any harsh environment. And the vegetables, to think that they are the foundations of plants - the stems, roots, and leaves - and yet their nutritional value leaves nothing to be desired. When I think about it, later, it won't surprise me that these things are planned so well. I will remember that people, just like all other natural things on this earth, are created well, and positioned in a place that will cause them to rely on the thing that gives them life.
And so, as my plants and produce naturally turn themselves to face the sun, which gives them life, I will work to turn my face to my Father, who makes me whole and new.

today i am going to talk about... FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS!!! (and the word 'your')

Ok, well, maybe not so much the first part. Yes, It would be amazing if I had some wonderful words of wisdom for you all regarding dreams and everything, but that's just not how it's going to happen right now. Actually, once you watch the video below, you might get the reference; otherwise, it's fairly obscure.
But...
I do want to talk about the word 'your'. Yes, I was quite serious about that part.
I guess it just shows my english-major-ness, but one of the things that annoys me more than most anything is the misuse of the word "your" and the word "you're". I know that these words look alike - so alike, in fact, that they are often mistaken for each other - but they mean completely different things. Here's an example of a conversation that may come about because of the abuse and misuse of these two words.

Bill: Hey, what's up? Your looking good.
Me: My looking good?
Bill: What?
Me: Never mind. So I saw that you finally got a new truck.
Bill: Yeah, it's pretty neat. Definately cooler than you're bike.
Me: I'm bike?
Bill: What?
Me: You just said that I am bike. Why?
Bill: What? Your confusing me.
Me: If it's my confusing you, than why are you taking it?
Bill: What's going on in you're head? Are you crazy?
Me: I am head?
Bill: What?

As you can see, the mix-up of these two words can lead to confusion and dizzyness. Besides, who knows what you might say if you use the wrong words.
I must clarify, though. This is much more important in writing than it is in speaking. Obviously, others cannot see the misspellings you speak, although sometimes they can hear them.
Just for your quick reference, I have made a little chart for you, so that you may remember this rule in the future. You can print it out and frame it if you like, or carry it in your wallet.

You're = "you are"
Use if you are saying "you are", as in
"You're the coolest, ever."
Your = belonging to someone
Use if something belongs to someone, as in
"Your dog is so ugly, it deserves to be a cat."

Hope this helps.
Now, watch the video. It's funny, and has nothing to do with anything I just said.
I hope your day will be all you're wishing it will be.