Happy Birthday

This one is for the little girl that has stolen so many hearts! How is it that just yesterday I was placing her in her bed every night and now she she runs with endless energy?
This is for the girl that makes me and my wife laugh so much. How is it that she used to barely be able to smile and now she makes everyone she pass smile?
This is for the girl that has change my life and given me so much love. How is it that the time has passed to be already five years?
This is for the girl that is growing older. How is it that she continues to make me so proud!
This is for the girl that is growing to be a beautiful wonderful daughter. How is it that I don't have any ammo to fight back future men who would take her from me?
How is it that I am so blessed?
I love you Jessa. I am so proud of you. You carry the light of Christ and everyone knows it and sees it in you. Keep shinning, keep growing in Him as we continue to grow with you.
Happy Birthday,
Dad

I am Alive

I am still alive. Crazy how fast the weeks have gone by. I am having so much fun at school and enjoying every class. I am reminded everyday of why the Lord has brought me here. I have always wanted to be in ministry and knew that I would, yet this training I am getting now is so worth it.

This last week I have learned so much on just establishing ministries/programs in the church. It has been so rewarding going to this particular class and learning how to establish long term or goals for ministry whether it be for the youth, adults or children.

One other thing if you have time please check out this website: Chrisskinner.org. Chris has become such a good friend of mine and we have been tracking through this first semester together. He is a great inspiration to me and my family. God is using him in so many ways and I am blessed to know him. So please check his website and his gallery and be blessed.

Again thanks for your prayers. We love you.

This One is For You

For those of you out there who go home everyday and run to your computer to see if I have posted a new blog, this one is for you. Yes I know that it has been a couple weeks and probably longer then that, but I have been busy with all the new aspects of my life.

School has been so much fun and challenging. I have enjoyed school so much and am looking forward to every new class. Greek has been so much fun! LOL. If you think I am joking, I will let you decide. Just to let you know though, my professor has been known and feared by many students. At one point before the semester one student told me to take a different teacher because he was extremely hard. With that important info I thought, "I wanted a challenge and the very reason I came to DTS was because of the school's fantastic teachers." So far so good. As for all my other classes, they are also wonderful.

Work has been much better, too. I think that I have figured out the coffee world. Although every once in a while someone comes in and really tests my knowledge or speciality in coffee making. One great aspect about the job is the free drinks! Just because of that I may consider a full time career in Starbucks. LOL. Although God has bigger and better plans.

Thank you to those out there that pray for all of us everyday. We love you very much. Please pray for us if you haven't been. Please pray for me and my classes as I work to make quality papers. Pray for my family that we would have plenty of time together. Pray that God would lead me to a wonderful ministry/internship. Pray that my family and I would glorify Him in such a way that would bring Him the honor that He deserves.

The Beginning of School Again

This last week has been amazing for me. I have just been overwhelmed. Thursday we had school orientation and we were able to see all the professors. It was amazing for me to see all the wonderful teachers that I have listened to on the radio, watched on tv, or even read about. DTS is so blessed to have leaders that have stayed true throughout this century to the Word of God.

It just reminded me of why I came here. DTS's perspective of the bible being the authority we live by was the very reason why I wanted to come here. I have always believed that truth has never changed even when culture tells us it has. God hasn't changed, He doesn't care about what is in or out, He remains the same throughout time. Having the privilege to go to a college that believes in the eternal truths of God is such a wonderful gift.

Now, with that said, school starts on Tuesday for me and my tone may change in a couple of weeks. Being a part of such a wonderful college does require many challenges. Challenges that are intended to help me understand the Word of God better and to be able to handle it correctly.

For those that are out there and know my family, I ask that you would pray for us. Pray for my wife to be able to handle the girls as I am working and going to school. Pray for my daughters so they grow to be just as Christ intended. Yes, please pray for me to be there for my family first and then to my education. Pray that I will not only read my books for my classes but remember what I have read. Pray that I will be faithful with my time and not fall short in what God intends me to accomplish.

I know your prayers are there for us, cause I feel them everyday! Thank you so much and don't stop.

Two Weeks In

I have been working at the wonderful well known Starbucks for almost two weeks now. I have found myself wondering why in the world it took me so long to finally apply there. The benefits working at Starbucks is fantastic. Medical, Eye, Dental, Tuition assistance, and even FREE drinks! WOW!

Free drinks are far the greatest blessing due to our present situation restricting us from having that privilege to buy them. If one is cunning enough one can find a way to break the system and I am cunning! Although it may come back and shoot me in the foot if I drink so much coffee that company goes under.

As for memorizing all those drinks, that is another story. I have come a long ways in two weeks but have a long ways to go. If your a avid Latte drinker could you keep it simple and just ask for the Grande Latte. Skip the silly stuff like Non-fat, Skinny Vanilla, half decaf, etc.... At least wait tell I get a handle on it then we will let it get more complicated.

The Consequences of Sin

Simply stated in Romans 3:23, we find ourselves falling short of the glory of God. Some may read this passage and lose hope, but praise the Lord He continues by saying we are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus", Romans 3:24

Does it amaze you that God created the opportunity for man to walk away from him (sin, Adam and Eve) and, even in that event, provided a way to come back to him? It amazes me on several levels. Have you ever considered why we have passage back to God while the angels (known as demons) that decided to follow Lucifer don't have that privilege? We did the exact same thing they did! We chose ourselves, not God! For some reason, we think {or thought} we were {or are} smarter then him. Yet, for some reason his hand reaches down, through Jesus Christ, to us and says come back my child. Why? It has to baffle the angels.

The most amazing attribute about Christ providing a way back to him is his love for us. I titled this the "consequences of sin" because the consequences of sin IS death and yes, even God's (Christ) death. Christ has paid my death sentence. Yes, God had the prefect world for us to live in and we went and screwed it up; but he doesn't give up on us or wipe us off the face of the earth, instead he provides a way back to him. He gives us the opportunity to exercise our freewill and return to him.

We all want freewill but don't want the consequences of it. We find ourselves today facing the consequences of our freewill. Free to do righteous acts or evil acts. Choose Christ or reject him.

Freewill causes us many problems, but it also provides us with the best relationship we can have with God. Let me explain real quick.

We see everyday where people take their freewill and torture others. The other day on the news there was a couple that was starving their children by only giving them a small amount of food a week and would not allow them to venture out of the bathroom for days. It tore at my heart to see children abused in such a horrible way. Those parents had the privilege to freely give so much more to their children, but decided instead to torture them. (Consequences of Sin)

They took their freewill and used it to benefit themselves and ruined other people's lives.

When we use our freewill as God intended we experience something beyond our imaginations. We get to experience "God" when we choose to freely follow him. It doesn't stop there because others around you get to experience "God" when you choose to follow his ways. God loves to see his children freely choose him instead of making us choose him. That is love and when we do that everyone benefits.

In closing, I want to say one more thing. God continues to allow us to freely choose him even after Christ's death on the cross. He didn't die on the cross and make everyone believe in him even though it provides everyone with the opportunity for eternal life with him.

Instead, we face the same trial that Adam and Eve had in the garden. Freewill to choose God and his ways. Adam and Eve chose their own way and we stand in a time in history where God provided, yet again another opportunity to choose his way through Christ. There will be those that don't and those that do. I do. I choose Christ and look forward to the day where we will no longer face everyday the consequences of sin. Non posse pecccare!

Thanks to those that have read this series of posts. These posts have been for everyone to read, but they have been more then that to me. They have been of great interest to me and my thoughts and I have enjoyed putting them into words. So these last several articles may have been more for me then for those that read them, but if you enjoyed them, all the better.

Why Sin at all?

Sorry I didn't think I would put so much thought into my last blog, but I can't help but talk on part two of non posse peccare. If we were at a state where we were able not to sin (posse non peccare) why didn't God just make it in the beginning where we were unable to sin (non posse peccare)? If God's intent for us from the very beginning was to be without sin, why do you think he allowed us to sin? Can I answer this quickly? No, but let's see how I do.

MECHANICALISM*

The greatest resolution found for answering the reason why God chose to give mankind the choice over sin was avoiding making us into machines.

When we build machines for our benefit they have a desired role to perform. Usually, when the machine doesn't reach that desired intent we go and buy a new machine. For example, a blender that no longer blends needs to be replaced. Machines don't have a choice. They are built to perform and a specific result is expected. A coffee machine better make coffee, another example of mechanicalism.

God created all things to glorify Him. We see some machine type creations all around us that glorify His name specifically in one intention. An example may be true referring to a tree or a flower, their existence is always the same. They perform a specific role without any real choice and perform it beautifully. Yet, humans are different. We have choice, we are not locked into one set of expectation. There is one great expectation, which is following God, but we still get to choose.

CHOOSING

Unlike any other creation we have the right to choose. Adam and Eve were given the opportunity to choose God or something other than Him. We all know what they did but this illustrates my point that God created them to love Him through choice.

God knowing that He wanted a unique relationship with humanity created us with the ability to choose Him willingly, which sadly allowed the opportunity for sin. For we know that choosing anything besides God is sin and distances ourselves from Him.

"Are you saying that God made sin so we could choose Him?" If you're thinking that, stop for a second and let me rephrase. What I believe I am saying is "God allowed the potential for sin, so that we could love Him."* I believe in order for us to truly love God, as God intended us too and wanted, we had to have the potential to say no. With that potential there came great consequences for refusing His love because when you choose something other then God, you're choosing something that is against your best interest.

Later Part 3 -Consequences of Choosing

*Mechanicalism is not a word it is a JACOBISM yet I believe that its intent is self explanatory.

*I assert that I don't know everything so don't take this to the bank, it just makes sense to me.

Non posse peccare

We have been in our new home for a month now and have enjoyed the time here very much. Our days are full of laughter and rest. It has been different not having to go to work everyday but those days will come when school starts. I have greatly enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with my family. Swimming, puzzles, hide and seek, and many other wonderful events have filled my days. Often when the kids go to bed I have had the privilege to do some important and fulfilling reading, which leads me to this blog.

For those out there that don't like philosophy and start to go to sleep when the very word is mentioned please bare with me for a sec. I was forced to ponder on something that Augustine said as I was reading a philosophy book about our wonderful savior, Jesus Christ, and that statement is "Non posse pecccare."

When Adam and Eve were created their human nature was posse non peccare, which means able not to sin. I don't know if you have ever thought how that might have been, but I have. We face evil everyday, it surrounds us. Turn on the TV and you will see it. Can you imagine a time where people never tasted sin? News stations would be in serious trouble. What would they report?

"Again today everybody did what was right and nothing went wrong. Today in the weather..."

Instead, we see stories about rapes here, theft over there, murders far and wide, etc... People don't refrain from sinning at all. I must be honest and I find myself falling short of perfection and feel extremely discouraged at times which leads us into non posse non peccare where we are unable not to sin.

Trapped by our own lust we cannot ever go back to posse non peccare as God intended us in the beginning. Being born into sin we find it impossible to avoid sin. Trust me, if you disagree with me take my daughters for a day and you see the implications of being born into sin. Contemplate over this, you have never known a day without sin. Temptations everywhere we go force us to remember that we can't escape it, that is until Christ, one day we will face "Non posse peccare" which victoriously means will not BE ABLE to sin.

Imagine that! No really please stop for a second and think about it. For those in Christ we face a day where you and I will be unable to harm God or each other. Redemption is coming. We will live lives that bring about great things. At the time that which Christ redeems us we will face God's grace and only be able to do that which is HOLY.

No longer will you have to worry about talking about somebody behind their back because you WILL NOT do it. No longer will you be able to lie, cheat, hurt, or any other atrocious act. Can't! It will be, consider this, out of your very nature to do such things. A horse by itself can't fly because it is restricted by natural laws from doing so and so will we, by the grace of God, be from sinning.

Non posse peccare is a day that I look forward to enjoying. The peace, rest, and serenity will be a day, no an eternality, of worship to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am NOT DUMB!

You may have seen these little buggers at someones house and given this little game a shot. I did at one of the famous Cracker Barrel franchises on the way down to Texas. I understood the rules and gave it my best shot. On my first try I had three sticks left.

Pretty good right? Well not according to the wood block that holds those sticks. I was just plain DUMB! What? How can that be! Am I really!?! If that is the case then maybe I shouldn't be going to seminary. Man I wish I had this wood block a couple of years ago it would have saved me lots of trouble.

I sat at that restaurant for almost thirty minutes trying to figure out how to get rid of all of the sticks except for one, and failed every time. At one point I had two left which made me smart according to the block, but I wanted to be a genius with only one. Yet I failed every single stinkin' time!

My wife must of seen my frustration of falling short of perfection, so she sought one out and bought me that stupid little game. That was nice of her except now it just tormented me, laughed at me, and mocked me because I couldn't do it!

Well, I know you guys really care, but according to the block I am now a stinkin' genius! Yep, I finally did it and memorized how to do it so that if I went back to it at anytime of feeling or being stupid I would be reminded, according to the block, I am a genius.

I don't know if you have things in your life like this little block that will bug you until you get them right, but for some reason I find those things and have to figure them out. I was looking at the game for a bit after solving it and thought to myself, "That is probably how Christ wants me to chase after Him." I wanted perfection in that game and Christ wants perfection in my life. Which do I try harder for? A game made of wood or Christ? The little areas in my life where I have three sticks instead of one, being Christ, I should pursue with great ambition. Hmmm.

Far Away and Thinking

What makes a individual do things that don't make sense? What pulls them away to do the unreasonable? I had a really good job and was very comfortable where I was. I loved my job and yes even loved the people that I got to work with everyday. I had the insurance that I was going to get a pay check every other week and the peace that all my bills would be met. I had everything that I wanted in life, so why leave?

Call it a pull I guess. A small gentle compelling pull. Delicate, but convicting enough to understand that God wants me to move on. We all have chapters in our lives that need to be finished and new ones began.

It wouldn't be so hard to move on but I have loved ones. Family, my friends and my history was wrapped up in Washington. Moving has been a numbing experience. Sitting here looking out my window, I realize that those things are very far away from me. I miss them, long to be with them again.

With that said though, here I am grateful for all the things that the Lord has done for me. I love the fact that I am at peace with God by following his calling, and yet still at times wondering what am I doing? The Lord knows and the next few years of preparation for the future are going to be such a big eye opening experience. He knows what He is doing.

In closing I want to state that there is no place that I would rather be then here. I know He wants me here. He has made that clear. He has opened so many doors and when I look back through all of them I am reminded of His faithfulness and His blessings!

You have my attention Lord, lead the way...

Fun for ME

We have all seen that old lady that is driving with the well over sized sunglasses haven’t we? Well, a buddy of mine found a wonderful, priceless, artifact on the side of the road the other day. When seeing these well overpriced sunglasses just sitting in the road he had to retrieve them and put them to use.

I fulfilled their destiny at work last week wearing them almost all day. These glasses are incredible! They almost cover my whole face! They hide all the flaws on my face and provide a great source of protection for the eyes.

The only downside that I found by wearing them is the weird looks people give you when you wear them. Yet, I haven’t determined if they were looking at me because of the weird glasses or if it was just me in general. Anyways I had fun with them and when I get older I may look into get a pair for myself someday.

Those Little Things

You have them or at least I hope you do. I have them and see them everyday. Just awhile ago the little orange light on my dash constantly flashed at me. It would never go away! "CHECK ENGINE, CHECK ENGINE" over and over. Every time I got in the car it reminded me of the need to get whatever was wrong with my car fixed. It was like a little finger in my side poking me over and over. The day when I fixed it was such a rush of excitement from such a great accomplishment could never be understood unless one was there to see me at that historic event.

Then there was my daughter's bike. For over six months I walked by that bike and every time I did I remembered I needed to get a tire for it. I just always seemed to forget about it when I went to the store. Then the great day of my memory actually working came and I bought a tire for the bike. As any proud father would be at fulfilling what he told his daughter he would do I proudly replaced that tire just to find out that the other tire was also flat, prolonging the bike to be rode for another couple weeks. Finally the great day came and her first attempts on the bike were ones to be cherished.

Whether its the lawn needing to be mowed, or the cloths needing to be folded there always seem to be something needing to be done. Some of them usually get done while special projects never get done. Those that never get done, they are the ones that I am talking about. They sit there to bug us. Poke us. Remind us that we always have something to do.

The funny thing about those tasks is that when they are done it seems for me that I have removed one of those pesky fingers from poking me, allowing me to rest for a bit. Not for long because I know that there is another prolonged project on the way.

My Love

To My Love

Tomorrow marks the day of seven years of wonder for me. How did God line me up with you? You are so wonderful and I have enjoyed every moment. God has blessed us with many spectaular moments. I love the fact that you have always had fun with me. Laughed with me even when my jokes were dumb. You have made me feel very special and loved.

I remember telling you the very first date that we were going to have fun. I have had fun and I know you have too. The road has just begun and I am looking forward to the many days ahead.

Thanks again cakes for everything you have done for me. You have been such a blessing and I love the fact that we respect each other and love each other so much and it's known by everyone that sees us.

For those that are reading this and are single I hope you find that person that completes you. I have and she is worth more than anything in this world. A woman that stands behind you supporting you is so wonderful and gives me much courage to handle many difficult situations.

I love you so much and look forward to many great years ahead.

Loss for Words

This week has been really rough for me. A close friend of mine lost their son last week and it hit me like a ton of bricks. One wonders often why horrible things happen and how one could have helped to stop it from happening. Yet there are no answers sometimes.


I have found myself staring into space just wondering, why? A loved one has been given to us and a second later, taken away. We know that Christ has given us the words for eternal life but in situations like this it still is hard. Thankfully we have someone to help us through the "mud" of life.


Hug your loved ones. Love them. Be with them. Don't wait a day longer to resolve some misfortune that could be resolved. Be with them and don't let the material things of this world take you away from the things that really matter in life.


As for my friend that lost his son. I love you and I am so sorry.

A Good Job

This morning on the news Best Buy announced that they were going to be laying employees off due to the slower economic times. This has been a normal and too often occurrence. We seem to be living in some real unstable times, which brings me to this discussion.

There are very few people out there that can say that they enjoy going to work. As for me I can proudly say that I enjoy my job. God has been so good to me. There are so many aspects about my job that I have enjoyed. There is not a single individual there that I dislike. I love them as brothers and we treat each other as such. We understand the common goal of "work" and working diligently but there is a common bond between all of us that is respectful.

It saddens me that I know that the day of employment here is going to come to an end, which will be too soon, when I leave for seminary in a couple months. This place has been faithful to all my needs as an individual and to my family.

I guess I just want to say thank you to my employer and to those that I work with. You have been good to me and have been a major blessing to me. You have made me laugh endlessly. I will be eternally grateful for the time that I was able to spend with you. You will always be in my heart.

As for those that have lost their jobs, I hope that you find a place that I have found. A place that not only provides financial stability but also a place where you find pride in what you're doing.

Reasons

Hello everyone and welcome to my new website where you will hopefully find a lot of insight of what is going on in my life and my family.

What are the reasons for calling this blog Lifting Eyes? My eyes are flawed and often follow things that don't last. They are often impressed by the flashy things of this world. Whether it be in the cheap entertainment on our computers or whatever our eyes are drawn to on tv. Maybe even in material things I find myself wanting and desiring.

Yet these things pass away in the blink of an eye and I keep wanting something more. It's kinda like my craving for candy. I love it so much and find myself eating more and more, never fulfilling my lust for the sweets. I have only found one thing in this life that has been faithful to me. That is Christ. His water makes me never thirst, it is an energy that never dies. When my eyes are lifted on Him..."I can do all things!"

Peter once was asked by Christ after a hard teaching, and many followers of Christ left, whether he was leaving also and his response is even true to today, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68) He is eternal.

So with that said, I hope you enjoy my coming to the "blog world" as I write about the things that I experience in my world for you to learn and be a part of. May my eyes always be on Him for there is nothing greater, not on things that pass away.