Our Baby

Here are some pics of our sonogram.

This is Our Baby's Heartbeat!

A Great Weekend

This weekend was the Youth Evangelism Conference for the BGCT and since one of Shareen's best friends puts on this event we were invited with Backstage passes. We heard groups like KJ52, Barlow Girl and Tree 63 and worshipped with Big Daddy Weave. The best part was that Voddie Baucham preached on Friday night.

Let me give you a run down of the sermon. He starts by giving the illustration of a man purchasing a banana tree. As it is being rung up it says "Apple Tree" to which the clerk would not admit that it was a banana tree, even though it had bananas hanging from it. His point was that many Christians are walking around calling themselves Apple Trees while bananas are hanging from them. A great intro that inspired us all to make our calling and election sure.

He ended with a not so common ending for the YEC: no invitation. He said I am not going to call you down to the Magic space during a Magic time where you can say some Magic words. Spot on what we need to hear.

For those of you who do not realize it Christianity is more than a feeling. In fact Voddie said that we should not expect life to get better when we become a Christian, and a true Christian is fine with that. It could cost us our lives, and true Christian is fine with that. Great sermon. Great call to true faith. Great preacher.

Ayn Rand, Fever Pitch, and Young Love

This weekend was slightly out of the ordinary. I started a book and finished it. Signed up for Blockbuster's version of Netflix and had my niece and her boyfriend/fiancé spend the weekend.

First off, Ayn Rand is one of the most interesting writers I have come across. She is known for works such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, but is also a philosopher. I read Anthem this weekend, I know it was not a tough read, but it definitely posed some interesting thoughts for one to consider. I recommend it.

I also rented Fever Pitch. The movie about the fanatic Red Sox fan who falls in love. It is great. Not too chikie. If you are looking for movie for you and your loved one to rent this is it. Most of the other stuff at the store is trash.

Speaking of movies, tomorrow I will have three movies shipped to my door and I can return them via mail whenever I want. As soon as I return them they ship me another from my list. I know you have heard it before, but it really is great, especially if you live in the boondocks like TW. The advantage of Blockbuster is that they also give you a free rental from the store a week in addition. A great way to entertain! Forget the movies. My couch is more comfortable. My floors aren't sticky (mostly anyways) and the popcorn is cheap. Who could ask for more?

Have you met Flywheel?

Most of you have seen the site SBC Outhouse (at least you should, I told you to go to it a few weeks ago). However, if you are not keeping up you need to. Much news of Flywheel has arisen!

House

On my last post I received an anonymous comment that claimed that House, the hit doctor show on Fox is better than Lost. Upon hearing that strange strings were pulled within me. How shall I respond? On the one hand I am completely intrigued by Lost and on the other I have found such satisfaction in the sarcastic genius of Gregory House.

My answer: Apples and Oranges. These shows are two of the best on television. They are different shows with different goals. If you were to compare all the CSI's or Law and Order's maybe we could play that game (the original for both, and don't get me started on the horrible acting on CSI Miami), however that game must not be played my friends. Both these shows are excellent (minus inappropriate scenes here and there). If you have not seen House M.D. check it out. I am sorry to those who are already hooked on other shows, but this one is amazing as well. Maybe next I should check out Alias or 24. I here they are of the same caliber.

Lost

Season One done. What's next? No one tell me. Perhaps I will download season 2 from iTunes. If you have not caught on to the Lost craze you are missing out. thanks Matt. We really appreciate it.

Expand your vocabulary

I am typing up resources for the website baptisttheology.org and I came across a word that I have never heard of, maybe you have, but we all can use some education. Thank bartleby.com for the help.


terraqueous

SYLLABICATION:
ter·ra·que·ous
PRONUNCIATION:
tr-kw-s, -kw-
ADJECTIVE:
Composed of land and water.
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin terra, earth; see ters- in Appendix I + aqueous.

Blog Experiment

Well, for the few that visited yesterday I suppose my experiment was a bomb. Maybe it was destined to be so. I even tried to find my sight via search engines and it did not arise. It does not really matter any way.

Baptist Theology

For those of you who are interseted, a new site has been opened.

www.baptisttheology.org

On it you can find tracts about Baptist life from Southern Baptist scholars, primary baptist history sources, search through the Southwestern Journal of Theology, or ask any question about Baptist life.

It truly is a great resource and will continue to grow.

The Best Preacher in the Metroplex

Today I heard one of the best if not the best preacher in the Metroplex. No I wasn't in Plano. I did not go to the Village. It was not found in Fort Worth anywhere, it was in a small church in Southlake, First Baptist to be exact.

When one of the members, a friend of mine, asked me to fill in as a music leader I was a little apprehensive. I feel called to preach, but no one has called me to preach and God provided this opportunity to minister through song, so I could not refuse. Dr. Yarnell has told us time and again when given an opportunity take it. I think that is wise advice, not matter what the circumstances.

It is a most blessed and loving church. The people were kind, and unlike other places, I could hear them sing. However, when the pastor, Scott, got up to preach I soon was astounded. He preached a...spin the wheel of adjectives...phenomenal sermon. It was the last two verses of John, a completion of a five year series.

If you have time to hear this great preaching you should take it. You will not be disappointed.

A Restful Weekend

Everyone needs a break. It is natural. For many of us that break starts at 5:00 on Friday. So as Shareen and I were discussing the weekend we decided that we would just relax, really relax for a time.

The cravings have begun and we decided upon chicken fried steak from Grandy's. My first experience to that establishment. The jury is out on if I will return, at least to that location. In the midst of our conversation the manager comes around and turns the TV to BET and cranks it up. I am not a hater of the hip hop scene, but I do enjoy a meal where I can talk with those with whom I am eating. Our exodus came quickly.

Then we went o blockbuster, and found virtually nothing. So we rented Fun with Dick and Jane. Cute, but not great. I also rented the first season of Lost. It might have been a mistake, but I am now hooked. Please no one tell me what is going on. I need to experience this as the original audience did. Two episodes down, many to go. Maybe someone has the first season (Matt perhaps) that would loan it to me. I have the first season of House, maybe we could trade. Anyhow, it is a great show.

Before bed we sat up played Counting Crows songs and looked up their meanings at annabegins.com. Check it out if you like the Counting Crows.

Now it is off to Wal-Mart to buy food. We are making dinner for the Yarnell's tonight. Karen had her baby if you did not know. Elizabeth Joy Yarnell, a great name.

Have a good weekend. Spend time with your family. Stay off the blogs. Have a great worship time on Sunday.

Border Patrol

If you are concerned about our border. Check out this story http://www.nbc5i.com/video/9301852/index.html

Now buy your brick.

A Trampling

Maybe you have noticed that I am kind of a fan of St. Augustine. Of course I do not believe everything he does, especially in concerns to regeneration found in the baptismal waters. I do enjoy reading him and learning from this beautiful mind God has given to the Church.

Almost everyday I read a quote of his from an online devo filled with Augustinian quotes, some of which have made it here. Today's quote left me reading it a few times, especially this part, "He [Jesus] saw that their honoring him is useless if they trample upon his members who are here on earth"

This quickly caught my attention because I am not the first on the list with the spiritual gift of mercy. Often I tell my wife that my predominant love language is sarcasm. I am a cynic. I doubt people's motives. I do not believe there is much that is black and white. This leads me to have an attitude that is sometimes less than holy, so this quote completely caught my attention.

I spend many hours reading about what is going on in the Southern Baptist Convention. I do not comment on it often because I really do not want to get caught up in what is going on. I know that most of the controversies are less than holy, especially those in the blogospehere. From Wade Burleson to Tom Ascol and Marty Duren there is much on the web that is driven by less than holy desires. I admit I do not trust these guys when they say they are for integrity, honesty, "biblical principles" (however shoddy their definitions are). Behind most of them is not the glory of God, but some right of power in the SBC.

A couple of years ago the ninth grade girls in our youth group made a shirt that said "whatever" on the front. On the back was the Scripture that said "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Phil 4:8.

This passage falls more in line with what ole Augie was talking about. We should not shirk away from controversy. We should be able to boldly stand against it. That is our heritage. But let the fights be about false doctrine, about heresy, not about who is in power and who is not.

Prove that motive to me and I will stand beside you. Otherwise shut up, you are not honoring God by trampling the Church.