Pondo Poverty

While wiping down the desert bar the other day at Pondo, a very obese man came up to me and said, “it’s a shame all this food goes to waste seeings how there are hundreds of thousands of people starving to death in China.”

…

I said, “There are also hundreds of people starving in America.”

“You’re right, as soon as you said it I realized I had mispoke.”

“No, you’re right, but that doesn’t seem to stop Americans from wasting now does it?”

 

Calling All Peacemakers

Rob Bell has been doing “tours” over the last couple years.

These tours are prophetic, teaching tours in which he is bringing his great speaking, deep thoughts, and emerging Christian philosophies to a broader listening audience.

He is the best Bible teacher I have ever heard, hands down.

I own his Everything Is Spiritual tour on DVD.

Evidently he is just finishing up one called “The Gods Aren’t Angry”.  DVD due out in July.

While speaking at Mars Hill (see Communities) he did a series of messages entitled “Calling All Peacemakers” which in classic Bell-style he uses prophetic distance to call Americans to peacemaking in the world through poverty relief.

One thought that he shared has gripped me lately as I re-listened to his messages on the subject.  He touts that financially the money it would cost to install proper sanitation and irrigation systems to the people without such would cost as much as Americans will spend on Christmas presents the day after Thanksgiving this year!

Pondology

This customer came in with this sticker on her shirt today which said, “I’m Chosen”.

I asked, “You we’re chosen, huh – what were you chosen for?  Did you win something?”  Now, I knew what her sticker meant – that she was one of the Chosen of God, the Elect, one of those who Jesus died for (did you know he died for some and not for others – sorry, you just might be out of luck in the hereafter…).

She smiled, and said she didn’t win anything, and looked at her husband, and they smiled, and I said, “Well, have a nice day,” and I heard her saying, in laughter, “He doesn’t get it.”

And, she’s right.

I haven’t “gotten” the doctrine of election as touted by Calvinists for several years now.  I am a reformed Reformer!  I began to question the validity of this system of belief while pastoring Pigeon River Baptist Church some years ago.  Once I began to research it,  I found Calvinism severly lacking, and a system (like many others) that was built upon certain presupposed ideas that if one of them was removed the whole crumbled.

Comparing this to Rob Bell’s trampolene theory I found I would rather be jumping than building a brick house.

(please note I’m not linking all this, do your Googling, or type in some key words on the search option to the left on this blog to see what I have said about all this through the last couple years).

17 years ago…

…I graduated from Grayling High School with a 2.5 GPA.  I flashed the crowd after I received my diploma.  I was a logn haired rocker who was about to meet Jesus through a Independent, Fundamental, KJV Bible Believing Baptist Church, and rebel girl who went there.  I would start a job at Wendy’s, working with my buddies. 

Has it really been 17 years!?

My how the time has flown by!

Carmelo or McGrady?

The rumors are flying since Joe D (trust Joe!) said everyone but Stucky was trade ready!  Wow.

So, many sports writer’s heads are spinning with possible trades to improve (?) upon the Piston’s roster to get them to the finals in 09.  Among the most logical trades are:

Billups & Prince for: Carmelo Anthony

Or

Billups & Prince for: Tracy McGrady

I pray that we do NOT get McGrady, especially if we have to give up Billups AND Prince.

Here’s the link.

Any Day Now

Laura’s ultrasound due date is June 28th.

At her last appointment she was dialalated to 2.

Baby’s heart beat was 139.

They said to count the kicks/hour.  Less then 10 and we call.

I counted for three hours this morning while Laura slept next to me.

He got to 10 in the first 20 minutes or so.

He kicks alot.

Any day now we’ll be able to see, hold, feel, be with what our love made!

Big Ticket Festival

Big Ticket Music Festival is in town this weekend.

This festival is growing like wild fire, drawing over ten thousand to the Gaylord area.

It is also drawing many to our Ponderosa.

It’s a huge Christian Music festival.

One girl who works here got her wallet stollen at the concert.

She said, “I don’t even f’in believe in Jesus and I go to this Christian concert and someone steals from me!”

Nice.

 

Update: Can’t Write

For some reason every time I try to write something on here it wont go through.  I don’t know if it is the work computer…?

Anyway, from the library I am able to go to wordpress.com, login, write, and do all the dashboard stuff I want, but view my site?  Nooo…

So, I just wanted everyone to know that I’m still around, somewhere.

Laura is due in 13 days…*cue Eye of the Tiger theme music*

We are spending our time getting everything ready.  Our kids are gone this week, which will give us more time to get our collective house in order. 

I just turned 34 last week.  Fun.  Laura and the kids got me this sweet AC/DC DVD collection, to go with our new surround sound!  My mom got me a gift card to Home Depot to buy a chain saw and whatever else I needed.  Greatness!

Had a fun Father’s Day last night.  Got out of work at 3 instead of 4 (sweet).  Laura was off (she usually works) and I picked up the kids and we went out for ice cream and China One buffet.  Scary enough, I saw about 10 people that I had served at Ponderosa earlier that day eating Chinesse buffet!  Pack it on, boyie!  Josh and I battled it out on PlayStation and we watched some Lakers/Celtics game 5 (but seriously, who cares about this series…I just want to see it end), and then Laura and I watched The Bucket List (she got it for me for Father’s Day along a book called “The Last Lecture”).  The Bucket List was HILARIOUS and well worth watching.

So anyway, hopefully whatever is messing with me being able to take care of business here will clear up and I’ll be able to post more often.