I have been thinking about what I will do after this deployment, and more specifically, after I leave this unit. It's no secret I struggle to find significance or satisfactions with my current job and field, so I have been looking at other options once we re-deploy. Most of them involve school of some kind. The most imminent upcoming is a basic psychology class needed for medicine. One thing I have considered is going into nursing, but with my current undegrad I have several deficiencies, psychology being one, biology another. I can take them both here, so I hope to take Biology in the Spring. Also an EMT class when they get the instructors lined up, although that is seeming to be a problem.
I have a meeting with the COL later today to talk about job issues and my immediate future with my current assignment. I hope it brings about a change, that will allow me to, if not get into a more fulfilling position, than in a more logistically relevant one. Watching little truck icons move across the screen from A to B and then telling other people about it has nothing to do with logistics, and if I can't get out of this career field, I'd like to have some knowledge of what it's all about before I leave this logistics unit for the real world. I am signed up for platelet donation today. Platelet donation is an every 2 weeks thing, so it means twice a month, I can at least leave the office for 2 hours and be away from the misery.
It snowed Saturday night and all day yesterday. We have about 7 inches. This is nice, and reminds me of home, although the sun came out this morning and it is starting to melt it into slush and ice. Not fun when you walk everywhere on either rubber soled boots with worn treads or summer weight boots with good treads. I have yet to fall down, except for a few almost slips. Our Safety person in the unit (yes we're required to have a civilian safety "expert") is too anxious about "slips, trips, and falls" so I try to avoid it as much as possible to avoid his annoying lectures.
I am recovering from 2 weeks off from working out due to shin splints in my right leg. It is very frustrating, because I get into a schedule and rhythm, then have to stop or interrupt it. I enjoy the time away from everyone while I am running or doing a road march, so being cooped up with nothing to do is a real bummer. I have a short tun (2-3 miles) tomorrow, so I will get back on track for my 50 miler in April.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tim Tebow vs God
A recent survey (before the Broncos-Patriots game) found that 43% of Americans believed God helped Tim Tebow. The study implies since Tim Tebow is outspoken about his faith and so public about it, God helps him in his job/life/whatever. This shows that, at least for the group surveyed, almost half this country has been deceived by incredibly dangerous and false doctrine.
Follow the train here. Why should God help Tim Tebow? What has Tebow done to make God serve him in this way? God helps each one of us through the Holy Spirit indwelling us. The Bible says in too many places to count God chose us and selected us for this gift before even our parents were born. It is not because we pronounce God's name or publicly confess Him that we are given special ability or power, as Tim Tebow clearly has physical and athletic ability most of us never will. God predesintes us to have ability or power or skills or "help" so that we will use it to further His glory, not our own.
What is disturbing about the study is the implication about our perceived relationship with God. it turns God into a quid pro quo entity who is, if we prove ourselves good enough, has no choice but to to "help" us with football success, big checkbooks, and beautiful women. Nevermind the fallen concept of what blessing is or defining successful, God is not a quid pro quo anything. If He chooses to strengthen us in some way in this world, it is not because we merit it, but because He ordained it for His glory before time began.
This dangerous and heretical doctrine can destroy the very foundation of our relationship with God. It undermines the entire concept of God's Sovreignty by putting us on par, on a bargaining level, with God, as if we have something to offer God in exchange for cosmic superpowers. If we can bargain with God, He isn't absolute authority, cannot be trusted, and is therefore irrelevant in our lives as a deity. We render God to nothing more than a self elected political leader who is too powerful for us to de-throne, which is merely a reflection of our own fallen world. Attempting to replace God's perfect holiness with sin and deceipt is extreme heresy and deadly poison and must be stamped out at all cost.
Indeed, God has blessed Tim Tebow with incredible ability, but God doesn't help Tim Tebow any more than He helps you or I or any other Child of God. Tebow is part of the body, but no more important than anyone else, despite the publicness of his faith. God doesn't owe us anything, no matter how hard we try. It's best then for us to live to serve God with gratitude and obedience. Tim Tebow is trying to do it, now we must all follow suit and join the huddle.
Follow the train here. Why should God help Tim Tebow? What has Tebow done to make God serve him in this way? God helps each one of us through the Holy Spirit indwelling us. The Bible says in too many places to count God chose us and selected us for this gift before even our parents were born. It is not because we pronounce God's name or publicly confess Him that we are given special ability or power, as Tim Tebow clearly has physical and athletic ability most of us never will. God predesintes us to have ability or power or skills or "help" so that we will use it to further His glory, not our own.
What is disturbing about the study is the implication about our perceived relationship with God. it turns God into a quid pro quo entity who is, if we prove ourselves good enough, has no choice but to to "help" us with football success, big checkbooks, and beautiful women. Nevermind the fallen concept of what blessing is or defining successful, God is not a quid pro quo anything. If He chooses to strengthen us in some way in this world, it is not because we merit it, but because He ordained it for His glory before time began.
This dangerous and heretical doctrine can destroy the very foundation of our relationship with God. It undermines the entire concept of God's Sovreignty by putting us on par, on a bargaining level, with God, as if we have something to offer God in exchange for cosmic superpowers. If we can bargain with God, He isn't absolute authority, cannot be trusted, and is therefore irrelevant in our lives as a deity. We render God to nothing more than a self elected political leader who is too powerful for us to de-throne, which is merely a reflection of our own fallen world. Attempting to replace God's perfect holiness with sin and deceipt is extreme heresy and deadly poison and must be stamped out at all cost.
Indeed, God has blessed Tim Tebow with incredible ability, but God doesn't help Tim Tebow any more than He helps you or I or any other Child of God. Tebow is part of the body, but no more important than anyone else, despite the publicness of his faith. God doesn't owe us anything, no matter how hard we try. It's best then for us to live to serve God with gratitude and obedience. Tim Tebow is trying to do it, now we must all follow suit and join the huddle.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Herding Tigers, Caging Kittens
The problem with working on a staff is many folks lose touch with the reality of the war around them, and most of them outrank you. Yet, you are given the task of keeping them in line and on task.
Before I deployed, I took the family to the circus in town, and we saw a man making Bengal Tigers do tricks. Tigers aren't social creatures, and it was exciting to see them take a swipe or growl at him, and he turned just fast enough to stare it down or crack the whip. Because of their lack of a pack mentality, the tigers couldn't figure out they could easily take the tamer down if they just worked together. Individually, he mastered them, but if they teamed up, they very definitely had the upper hand.
This is like working on a staff. Often times the most vicious are also the most isolated, and when you stand your ground and swing your whip, they'll get in line. They're so focused on themselves and their little piece of earth, they can't see beyond their own whiskers. So even though it may seem impossible odds, as long as you can keep the tigers isolated or focused on themselves, they're actually pretty harmless.
Domestic house cats are different. They will often work together against whatever foe they encounter, be it dog, canary, or house plant. This is because house cats start life as kittens, in a group, dependent on one another. If you don't separate them, they'll protect each other their whole lives. When you have a kitten, however, you don't need a whip, just a lap and a hand ready to give massive pettings.
This shows me the most dangerous animal is not always the most vicious or he who has the sharpest teeth. Try to pet a tiger and he'll eat you. Whip a kitten and his brothers will grow to hate you. The trick is to know who to whip and who to stroke. You must understand the language of the animal, and speak it, whether it's aggressive, alpha mentality, or supportive and loving.
You can always herd tigers, because of their inate selfishness. Use it against them and you will face no danger. However, you'll never see a kitten coming, so you must lock it behind bars of encouragement. In a way, kittens are the most dangerous creatures on earth.
So next time you hear about meekness, recognize it for what it is, or can be, both a great character trait but also a terrible weapon. How many times have we seen the shameful "private" lives in the fall of great men in the church, who presented such godliness and meekness, only to be revealed for the liars they were? God directs our designated church leaders (in one sense, all men are spiritual leaders, at the very least in their home) to be above reproach, to not lead others down into sin; for following such a charge, these men are given a great reward in God's Eternal Kingdom.
But who thought up the idea that meekness, one of the godliest traits, could be turned into something terrible? The Chief Liar, the Main Pretender, that's who. Such is the fallen world we live in, that reality can be so cynical, so pervertedly twisted. God has a reason when He tells us to test every spirit, to expect wolves to sneak into the flock. Because you can see the danger a tiger represents, but you'll never expect a kitten to scratch out your eyes.
Before I deployed, I took the family to the circus in town, and we saw a man making Bengal Tigers do tricks. Tigers aren't social creatures, and it was exciting to see them take a swipe or growl at him, and he turned just fast enough to stare it down or crack the whip. Because of their lack of a pack mentality, the tigers couldn't figure out they could easily take the tamer down if they just worked together. Individually, he mastered them, but if they teamed up, they very definitely had the upper hand.
This is like working on a staff. Often times the most vicious are also the most isolated, and when you stand your ground and swing your whip, they'll get in line. They're so focused on themselves and their little piece of earth, they can't see beyond their own whiskers. So even though it may seem impossible odds, as long as you can keep the tigers isolated or focused on themselves, they're actually pretty harmless.
Domestic house cats are different. They will often work together against whatever foe they encounter, be it dog, canary, or house plant. This is because house cats start life as kittens, in a group, dependent on one another. If you don't separate them, they'll protect each other their whole lives. When you have a kitten, however, you don't need a whip, just a lap and a hand ready to give massive pettings.
This shows me the most dangerous animal is not always the most vicious or he who has the sharpest teeth. Try to pet a tiger and he'll eat you. Whip a kitten and his brothers will grow to hate you. The trick is to know who to whip and who to stroke. You must understand the language of the animal, and speak it, whether it's aggressive, alpha mentality, or supportive and loving.
You can always herd tigers, because of their inate selfishness. Use it against them and you will face no danger. However, you'll never see a kitten coming, so you must lock it behind bars of encouragement. In a way, kittens are the most dangerous creatures on earth.
So next time you hear about meekness, recognize it for what it is, or can be, both a great character trait but also a terrible weapon. How many times have we seen the shameful "private" lives in the fall of great men in the church, who presented such godliness and meekness, only to be revealed for the liars they were? God directs our designated church leaders (in one sense, all men are spiritual leaders, at the very least in their home) to be above reproach, to not lead others down into sin; for following such a charge, these men are given a great reward in God's Eternal Kingdom.
But who thought up the idea that meekness, one of the godliest traits, could be turned into something terrible? The Chief Liar, the Main Pretender, that's who. Such is the fallen world we live in, that reality can be so cynical, so pervertedly twisted. God has a reason when He tells us to test every spirit, to expect wolves to sneak into the flock. Because you can see the danger a tiger represents, but you'll never expect a kitten to scratch out your eyes.
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