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.