Monday, October 7, 2013

Monday Medley: A Song of Faith: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - National Episcopal Cathedral, October...



Today being the Monday following Communion Sunday, I try to share a song or hymn of Faith. Don't always post it but I try.  Today I am sharing an old hymn titled "Love Divine All Loves Excelling" 

Hope you enjoy.  Next week a current song oof choice will be back in its place! 

Friday, October 4, 2013

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

True Love knows no boundaries.  Love does not fail, life ends but love goes on. Sometimes we do unloving things, perhaps on the spur of the moment. Still love is there, be it Agape, Phileo, Eros,

 I believe love will always win in the end. 

1 Corinthians 13

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [b]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of [c]prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I [d]became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror [e]dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the [f]greatest of these is love.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday Medley: Womanizer - Britney Spears - With Lyrics



Happy Monday, Here is a oldie but a goodie. 

Pray for Congress to get its act together! No government shut down.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Sin or...Something Else?

 
 SIN OR WHAT? The cartoon below was in the paper a few days ago, and I thought I would share it along with some thoughts.  I am always struck by how closed and judgmental some religious groups are. Notice I said religious, not just Christian.  It runs through all religions I think.  Whenever some disaster, disease,  or some other crisis befalls us, there is some person of faith who makes the statement, this happened because YOU did some bad thing.  Its  God's judgment and punishment for something.  Well I say NO. 
 
 God did not make the fire burn down your house, God did not give you cancer, or some other negative thing because you are a bad person, did something bad. I have come to understand, these things happen because we live in an imperfect world. They happen as part of life lived in what a Christian calls a fallen world. True there often is a cause and effect if a person smokes for 60 years it most likely will cause some kind of health issue, but God did not cause it.  60 years of smoking caused it.  You drive 90 miles an hour in a 55 zone you might get arrested.  Now I also believe in God's protection, often times I am protected even though I did something stupid.  god did not cause the storms, tornadoes and such to destroy property because people did bad things.  its a weather pattern.  This is not to say God might not use it to bring about something in one's life. The Biblical principle here runs through the entire Bible.  Something might be evil, or negative, but God brings something good out of it. Sure its hard, but there are many examples in Scripture of the hard things bringing something better about.  Jesus talked of the wine press, Peter talks of trials by fire, James even talks about facing trials with JOY! Knowing the result will be something good, better, and there is a reward.  In the old testament, we see it when Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and others experience trials and end up bringing something good about.  Hence the statement the world means it for evil, but God means it for good.
 
Another point,

Matthew 7:3-5

New International Version (NIV)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
 
 
I think these verses say it plainly, the people who like to point out with such judgment the sin of another, should pay more attention to their own problems and sin. Before they try to call attention to others troubles. 
 
To break it down farther:  When anti gay people start judging the gay community and spewing hateful venom, especially in the form of invoking god's judgment, beware!  Think of Matthew 7:3-5.
 
 
Finally, when someone says this happens because of God's judgment, think of the Peanuts cartoon  and smile! 

Monday, September 23, 2013

Monday Medley: Capital Cities - Safe And Sound (Official Video)



Well my birthday weekend is over and its time for another Monday Medley. Today I selected a song I enjoy hearing on the radio, I hope you enjoy.

Report of my birthday celebration, I had a meeting of the Chaplain group I belong to, I don't attend too many of these, I'm usually covering one of the Hospitals, I was able to go.  I went on call and hoped for no calls Friday night, alas I had four.  The highlight is always a birthday dinner, this year a friend went with me to Outback where I had the rack of Lamb, salad, asparagus, and a brownie wit ice-cream YUMMY! I enjoyed it! 

I take a walk for exercise each day, I found an app for my phone by Google called Tracks.  It works very well, measures distance, speed and time. Even provides a map of my route. If you run or walk I suggest you try it.  Next I need to get back to some weight training, been wanting to o that for a while problem is when do I have time to squeeze that in.  Wish my text book came on audio books! 

Happy Monday everyone!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Happy Birthday to this Blogger!

Historically for this blog, I post Happy Birthday in  honor of my family and friends, its a fun thing to do.  Well today is my birthday! So happy birthday to me.  I am old enough, just old enough, no not gonna say how old.

Usually on my birthday I pause and reflect, today is no different. The difference this year is my I am looking more to my future with a positive outlook.  Grief, although still present and will be, does not have the hold it did.  I continue to experience peace with myself about my sexuality, and I am glad where I am with that.  I am still relationship focused which has been a downer, since it does not seem to be happening, and I am not trying as hard as I used to find someone. I am glad for the friendships I have be able to form!

My career is moving in the right direction, I still enjoy my work, although its hard and stressful at times being present in other folks crisis.  ( I say that having just finished a 24 hour plus workday)  I have a renewed vision for where I hope to be in a few years.

My health is good, I am thankful for the example and encouragement of a friend, I am changing some eating habits, and exercising more.  I want to stay as healthy as I can and its my responsibility.

As a person with faith in my life, in fact my career is closely related to my faith. I reflected on some
Scripture I use as life verses, thinking about the early days of my life. Here are a few of them...



5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 
 
  11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
 
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.  I Corinthians 15:10
 
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
 
These verses are a few that inform me as to who I am. I was born to be me, given the personality I have, formed to be a gay man, born to know and be known by God, called to serve the way I serve.
Thanks for reading!
 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Monday Medley: Jason Derulo "The Other Side" Lyrics



Another week is starting, new opportunities, new challenges.  Hope you enjoy the song!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

25 Years Ago Today My Nephew

Twenty-five years ago today, my nephew was born!  Hard to believe Nickarus is 25 years old.  Happy Birthday to Nickarus.   And many many more!

Tonight there will be a good dinner, and a piece of cake, perhaps a glass of wine in your honor!


 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

In Memoriam of 9/11/2001

Twelve years ago today our world changed dramatically.  Many lives were lost, those left behind had their lives shattered.  The loss of husbands, fathers, sons, daughters, wives, friends.  Today, Patriots Day, pause to reflect, remember, pray.




 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Fall Convocation!

Today I attended the Fall Convocation for the school I am attending.  it was a nice service of Worship, with music, prayers, and a Homily by the Dean of the Seminary.  During the service the entering students were recognized by receiving a piece of towel, a tradition at the school, it represents the towel which will be received at graduation.  The towel represents the servant hood of the minister. The example Jesus set by washing the Disciples feet.

The Dean's message this morning spoke to me, he has diabetes which he ignored for quite sometime and created a health crisis for him.  This crisis led him to a year of recovery, and reflection culminating in his call to the Seminary as Dean.  I can relate in a number of years ago, I had a health crisis which led me to change course in my life.

Today is the official start of the semester for me, I will be attending my first class tonight. It is Philosophy of Religion. 
Here are a few pictures of the Convocation Setting.


 

 
The above picture is of an electronic calendar outside a classroom, each classroom has one and it shows the classes, meetings for each day in that room. This new facility is high tech! 
 
Please pray for me as I embark on the journey to complete this degree.
 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Graduate School: The Adventure Begins!

Today I attended the new student orientation for the Seminary where I will be working toward my Master's degree. It was an interesting day, finding the places I needed to be at the time I need to be there was a challenge at times.  That part was stressful, I got lost once, but made it to the place just in time.

We started out at the Morton Library, with orientation to the Library, kind of boring but information will be useful in the near future. There were introductions to the Seminary President, Dean, Registrar and financial aid representative. There were a lot of pictures taken, one of all the attendees, these pictures are to be used for advertising and promotional material. 

There was a nice lunch, where we met our Academic adviser's, and fellow students. It was a nice time.  Then the drive home! Got stuck in traffic as usual!

This semester I will travel to campus once a week, and I am taking one class this semester to start off. It will be Philosophy of Religion, which should be an interesting subject, and lends itself to the work I am currently engaged in.  

Here are two pictures of the inside of the Library. from the top floor looking down over the main lobby. and the ceiling.