Always Thinking, Nine

Nang tokx: Na'vi tuté

2010-12-10T10:28:00.010-05:00

Heather and I waited to see Avatar until almost everyone else had seen it in the theaters - then we decided to go. But we loved it all the same. I'm sure Owen enjoyed the sounds through mommy's skin because the sound effects were so loud it startled us! H and I loved the storyline, the graphic brilliance, and the skillful and tastefully designed fight scenes. (Maybe I liked the fight scenes more than H did - did you see the bows and arrows?!)

However, before we saw the movie, I was privileged to read an article in Wired Magazine (my newest favorite reading obsession) about how the planet Pandora, the Na'vi people, and how the movie Avatar was created. It's really a fascinating story in Wired. (For an abridged version of the article, you can visit it here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/11/ff_avatar_cameron/)

And between the article I read and the movie we watched we had the privilege of attending the baptism of our niece, Caroline. Traveling back to Carly and Jim's house to celebrate this occasion, I noticed this "Nang tokx" in the parking lot of the church. For those of you who don't speak Na'vi, that translated to a "Surprise Body" or as I would call it, a "Found Object." I snapped this photo of this "Na'vi tuté" (or Na'vi Female) quickly before I knew all the characters of the movie. Originally I thought this was Jake Sully or Tsu'tey, but the more I look at it I think it really the female character, Neytiri.

This is just a small part of a really special day filled with so much other activity. Caroline was baptized with waters from the Jordan River. The minister of the church had a friend send back water from the Jordan as a gift. Needless to say this made Caroline's baptism all the more special. So, in summary, to Caroline we want to say...
Ftxozari aylrrtok ngaru! Seykxel si nitram!
Nga yawne lu oer.

Found Objects: Tater Tots?

2010-11-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

So, I'm sitting in class and it's a little after 6pm. Class begins and I pull open BibleWorks 7 so I can follow along with whatever we are talking about that day. Upon clicking on the BibleWorks link, this screen pops up. "Tater tots?" I think to myself "why do I see tater tots?" In a psychedelic blending of worlds and space and time - Not only am I sitting in the lecture hall at seminary, but I'm also 12 years old eating tater tots with my parents and siblings on some summer Wednesday night, there's a slight sound of Green Day in the air and thoughts of trading baseball cards and playing hockey. I love tater tots and always did as a kid. But what do tater tots and Bioethics have to do with each other? This was the very question I was faced with last semester when I pulled up this program (it sort of felt like an out of body experience on some illegal substance - yet completely legal).

Now mind you these is an easy explaination for all this. This screen slowly changes throughout the day. There is a coffee and an open bible in the morning hours, a night scene with glowing text at night and a regular day screen. But apparently between 6pm and 6:10pm this is the Splash Screen or intro screen that pops up to celebrate dinner. In one word: Hilarious. In two words: Tater Tots!

Found Objects: Halloween Cont'd

2010-11-08T21:45:00.000-05:00

(my beautiful wife and handsome super hero son)

Super Owen says, "Evil doers, Beware!"

Found Objects: Halloween

2010-10-31T10:36:00.053-04:00

Believe me when I say this, I haven't always been fine with celebrating Halloween. I grew up having a lot of fun with Halloween - though I admit I was a bit scared by evil I didn't understand. We would always have the loud scary sounds CD going and have the doorway decorated for when kids would come to the door. My mom would take me out no matter what I was dressed like. Some years it was a football player, or a knife wound victim, a dead football player, and I think once I was Batman. When I got older, Behn (my long time best friend) and I would go Trick-or-Treating until we got too old and other parents started giving us the evil eye.

In my college years when I converted from Catholicism to Protestantism I could have been described as a bit Fundamental. Halloween is a very real holiday for Pagan celebrations both today and in times past. I was very strict and literal about what I thought the Bible said about having to do with evil. Regarding Halloween-it was out because I couldn't have affection for anything evil or do anything that could be seen as evil. Somewhere there was a turning point in my thinking. Many conversations with my wife and with close friends made me think about the other creative outlets of Halloween. It made me begin to think about the other attributes of the 'holiday' and/or lack thereof. But, having such a creative wife who loves dressing up like a hippie or a cat always makes the day very fun, creative, and certainly not evil. Above you'll see me dressed as a cow at Trader Joe's last year standing next to a pumpkin with a Trader Joe's logo- my costume was a reused costume from the summer when we attended "Dress Like a Cow and Receive a Free Sandwich" (Sponsored by Chick-Fil-A).

I can't say I have found complete resolution for all of my thoughts regarding Halloween activities and the possible presence of evil. But I have come to enough of a resolution that I can dress up like a pilgrim or as Moses when the situation allows. Though my study of Halloween is far from complete, as a family we are comfortable putting a wholesome and creative spin on the day. For Owen, we have a cute little outfit for him that we can't wait to show you.

So I guess, you ought to stay tuned!

Found Objects: Family Fall Festivities

2010-09-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

I suppose there are three found objects to this post...

1) Family: Our boy Owen was born on July 4th. He is just so darned cute and we love him so much. Everyday is a learning experience in what it means to be a parent and what it means to attempt to love someone (Heather and Owen) unconditionally. I have yet to figure out how a baby could survive without sleep-yet somehow he does. I think yesterday he slept for like 23 minutes all day. But he is such a sweet boy and really well tempered. He has a great smile and loves playing. We think he will be standing quickly because his legs, neck, and back are so strong. Oh, he also loves to walk the halls between 3 and 6 in the morning.

2) Fall: I'm not talking about when Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit. I'm talking about the season. I don't know when this happened, but, in my mind, the Fall became the camp ground for starting school and football practice. Since each of these experiences had their challenges and difficulties they somehow flavored Fall with a bitter taste. However, Heather's deep appreciation for the Fall has swayed me. That's what happens when someone you love loves something so much...you cant help but be won over. Over the past 5 years we have known each other (for 3 of which we have been married) she has pointed out reasons to love the Fall. I have come to appreciate the Fall season and love it as much as Heather loves it. So, knowing how much we love this candy corn laden Fall season, is it any surprise that we would celebrate it with our new little baby boy?

3) Festivities: Owen (a.k.a. Our Little Acorn) loved his first Fall Festivity-a trip to the local Russell Orchard. The sites, smells, and sounds were all enjoyable for us and were all new for him! We got to walk around the farm and play with pumpkins, see farm animals like a miniature horse, a humongous pig, chickens with feathery feet, and lots of fluffy bunnies (a family favorite). I can remember trips with my mom and grandparents to the orchards in Glastonbury, CT that reminded me how much fun Fall is! Seeing the apples getting pressed to make cider, smelling the animal food (which isn't pleasant in and of itself but has good memories attached to it!), and apple fritters. All these things remind me more and more why the Fall is a season to be embraced and celebrated.

Three cheers for Family Fall Festivities!

Found Objects: a chance to win a scholarship from Logos Bible Software!

2010-09-12T05:56:00.000-04:00

This is the suggested message to put up on my blog.
Let's go with it...
Going to Seminary is expensive. On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find this Seminary Scholarship website today. Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes. What is best of all is that if you're in seminary and apply for the Seminary Scholarship, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I!

We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library.

So, do us both a favor and go apply for the Seminary Scholarship today.

Found Objects: A Competition to Guess the Starbucks Coffee I Want!

2010-08-09T20:04:00.026-04:00

So two weeks ago, I posted a competition. Given my enjoyment of each of Starbucks eight bold coffees you-my loyal readers who I have been kept waiting more than two weeks for the results- were given the opportunity to guess which bold brew I would choose.

And the winner is: Alyssa Joy, Wethersfield who voted for Sumatra!

I will be rewarding her with a coffee themed prize.

Why Sumatra out of all the Bold Coffees? It was simply my favorite (alongside Komodo Dragon). Yet unlike Komodo Dragon, I had never had an entire bag of it before. I thought I would capitalize on this freebie and try Sumatra! Good guess, Alyssa!

Found Objects: A Competition to Guess the Starbucks Coffee I Want!

2010-07-25T18:37:00.003-04:00

I don't often get to do things like this on my blog...but I want to try it now for the first time.

We are going to have a contest! That's right- a contest!

You see, over eight weeks this spring I had opportunity to sample eight bold Starbucks coffees from around the world. Starbucks is going to reward me for taking this journey by giving me a free pound of coffee. Every week I received my coffee bean sticker for purchasing a coffee from the featured bold coffee of the week. Because I imbibed my fair share of bold coffees this Spring, and have the right amount of stickers, I qualify for the free java. So now I have a chance to choose from the eight bold coffees the one of which I would want an entire bag. But before I decide, I want you to take a guess!

Which coffee do you think I'm going to get? Since, I'm getting something free, the winner of this competition will get something free as well! The coffee I will choose is one of the eight I sampled, and there are eight blog posts to reread if you wanted to brush up on my impressions of each coffee. Leave a comment with your guess of which coffee you think I'm going to get, your name, and your location! Over the course of the next two weeks I'll keep my eye on the comments. Those who guess the right coffee will get some prize from me!

Which coffee do you think I'm going to get?

Bold Coffee: Sumatra

2010-06-28T22:36:00.001-04:00

Week #8: Sumatra

Earthy and unpredictable – our most popular single-origin coffee.

This is the most likely coffee our baristas will choose when it’s time for them to sit back and relax. It has a full body with virtually no acidity, so the coffee’s intensity and flavor simply lingers on your tongue. When you feel like taking a bolder path the concentrated herbal notes and earthy aroma of Sumatra won’t let you down.

Well, this time of the semester the papers are in, verses have been memorized, tests have been taken, and all that remains is to finish up assigned reading. And boy, oh boy, is there a lot of reading! What could be better to help you read through a huge book than coffee with a tiger on it? Not a thing could be better!

Don't get me wrong- I love to read. This is one (of many) areas in which GCTS has pushed me academically. In reading more pages than ever before I have grown to read faster. In writing so many papers I have been forced to learn how to write a paper so that it makes sense and has proper grammar. I also have been forced to face the facts that I'm not that great of a writer and have much to learn. One specific tendency I have had to weed out is my tendency to include non sequiturs. A non sequitur is a conclusion that is drawn but is unrelated to the facts given. Thus, because I have much room to grow in my writing skills white tigers are mostly found in Asia. But reading so many books has helped me refine my paper writing ability. My dilemma through my GCTS career is that it's hard to enjoy so many books and digest them quickly when the end of the semester approaches and deadlines are ready to pounce-much like the white Asian tiger.

My hope is that after seminary I will be able to continue growing and learning and reading. I want to maintain a structure of continuing education. I have so much I want to read now and so much I want to learn-but you can only do so much in your time on God's green earth.

Some post-seminary goals include relearning my high school spanish, keeping up on my Greek and Hebrew abilities, reading the Harry Potter series, and reading recently published theology books. But all goals aside, white Asian tigers make really good coffee!

5 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: Gold Coast

2010-06-21T17:38:00.021-04:00

Week #7 Gold Coast Blend

This is our biggest, boldest blend – a coffee with "big shoulders".

The source of Gold Coast Blend's bigness is a secret recipe of Latin America, Asia/Pacific and dark roast coffees. Created to celebrate the big city of Chicago, the interplay of these very different coffees weaves a deep and densely rich, sophisticated taste. A style all it's own, this coffee is truly one in a million.

I like knowing Starbucks is human too. By my account, that tag line has a typo at the end-"big shoulders". I may need to review my punctuation rules regarding quotes and punctuation inside or outside the end quote, but for now I am comforted to know that nobody-even Starbucks-is perfect.

Well, with my spring finals coming up, I needed a strong coffee! This one was definitely strong enough to keep me studying. I needed some caffeine to keep my eyes on the prize. But the prize this year was a few papers, two finals, and a bunch of reading. I had this coffee during my week of exams and deadlines. The most notable of which was my Sexual and Bioethics class, taught by the president of the seminary.

This is one incident that deserves a blogging report and it occurred during my Sexual and Bioethics final exam. After I was done with the multiple choice and onto the essay, the lights in the lecture hall flickered. Fifty or sixty students sitting in a lecture hall that could hold two hundred were sitting for a final exam with less than an hour to go. All of a sudden the power goes out and everyone just stayed silent. Of course I had to laugh because it was just so silly and a few others joined with comments of their own about how hilarious the timing was. I was able to fire up my back lit keyboard for my laptop and polish up my essay (but I felt bad for anyone who had a laptop without batteries and were just plugged in-they would have lost a bunch of their essays). The teacher and the teacher's assistant figured out how to handle the situation while campus security came by to tell us the power outage was from the town and ought to come back soon. The power did come back on before the end of the exam period and we all had a good laugh. Besides for the exam, I was glad the power came back because it enabled Heather to finish baking some celebration brownies (though unbeknownst to me at the time of the exam). Though it has nothing to do with the Gold Coast Blend (except chronology), this story will stick in my mind as a fun seminary memory.

3 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: Café Estima

2010-06-14T20:59:00.005-04:00

Week #6: Café Estima

Full of rich bodied flavor and great respect for the farmers who grew it.

Café Estima is 100% Fair Trade Certified coffee. Its name means "respect", and its goal is to do good things for the farmers growing it. This is a full-bodied, well-balanced coffee with great versatility. From Latin America and East Africa, this coffee shows just how delicious it can be to turn beliefs into action.

This was a really good coffee. I had one early in the week to get me through a little Hebrew studies. Haha get it, He Brews! I had another one on Tax Day. They offered a free coffee in celebration of Earth Day (or maybe it was Tax Day-I wasn’t really sure). But if you brought in your own reusable travel mug, you would get a free coffee. So I broke out my Christmas-themed Starbucks travel mug that my parents got me three or four years ago for Christmas and I headed over there! I got a free coffee on my way to Trader Joe's. It was really yummy and a good way to start off the work day with a jolt of caffine. It was a good day.

4 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: Caffè Verona

2010-06-07T21:56:00.001-04:00

Week # 5: Caffè Verona

If Cupid used coffee instead of arrows, this would be his weapon of choice.

Caffè Verona is a seductive blend of beans from Latin America and Indonesia, with a gentle touch of Italian Roast lending depth, soul and sweetness. Because this delectable combination pairs so very well with chocolate, it has become a Valentine's Day favorite. For all those who want to love like they mean it, you've found your match.

Well, as soon as Starbucks invokes the name of Cupid, you expect to develop a crush on your next coffee. I expected this affectionate little brew to warm me up as I stressed over my paper. My paper was a Christian response to Euthanasia and there is nothing that gets you through a paper as tough as this one better than a pipping hot cup-o-Cupid's brew. Well, though I wasn't enchanted with this Joe, it was a good coffee, don't misunderstand me. Let's just say I wasn't head over heels in love. Also, my wife isn't a connoisseur of coffee, so I'd probably get a punch in the stomach if I tried to serve this with chocolate on Valentine's Day.

It was a regular old bold coffee. Nothing to write home about... Not that I typically write home when I discover a good coffee. It's just that I wouldn't write about this one if I was going to write home. It would bore my parents if these were the kinds of letters they received from me. Anyway, long story short, if it was a-brewing next time I came in I'd be happy with a cup. But I wouldn't be disappointed if it was something else.

3 out of 5 Refills

Bold Coffee: Komodo Dragon

2010-05-31T20:51:00.019-04:00

Week #4: Komodo Dragon

Spicy, herbal and earthy, each sip evokes the lushness of Indonesia.

Like the remarkable Komodo Dragon, this coffee is bold and surprisingly snappy. Until recently, it was just as rare as the elusive and endangered animal. Initially sold exclusively online, it became so popular it was unleashed in stores as well. It’s an assertive combination of several Asia/Pacific coffees: part bright, biting acidity and part earthy, loamy smoothness.

When I worked as a Laboratory Technician at Metal Management Aerospace, I had a good friend whose girlfriend at the time worked at a Starbucks. Being familiar with my coffee obsession, they were nice enough to give me a free pound of this blend. I was very grateful to my friend, JL. Boy oh boy was it good!

This visit, I liked it even more! I had a huge Starbucks cookie, my dragon coffee, and a pastoral ministry book. Does it get any better than that? Beyond the great flavor of the coffee, dragons are fierce, medieval creatures. Those sorts of things have an appeal that I enjoy as well.

Look what some crazy person posted on the Starbucks site about this coffee:
"My favorite so far of all the Bold coffees!" Daniel from South Hamilton, MA

5 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: (STARBUCKS) Red

2010-05-24T23:38:00.007-04:00

Week #3: (STARBUCKS) RED
A good coffee will change your day. A great one will change the world.

This incredible blend of East African coffees delicately balances a gentle acidity with complex floral notes and brown spice. But even more special than the striking flavors it displays is the impact it makes. For every cup of (STARBUCKS)RED coffee sold, Starbucks will contribute $0.05 to the Global Fund to help people living with HIV in Africa. The purchase of a 1lb bag will also provide a $1 donation. Start your day with one and you’ll be making a difference.

My least favorite flavor so far. I do wonder what a "Brown Spice" is. Whatever it is, it doesn't taste that good. After all there was no "Brown Spice" Girl as far as I know (and nothing surpasses my knowledge of the Spice Girls). Besides being the flavor I liked the least, I also had this brew on a bad day. I forgot my free pastry coupon for which I was denied the freebie. I also broke my umbrella while walking in the heavy rain to where my car was being worked on. When I got there, I paid for the new tires and found out I was in dire need of new brakes on my car. What a day! At least this coffee supports a good cause.

Stupid Brown Spice Girl.
1 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: Italian Roast

2010-05-17T21:01:00.002-04:00

Week #2: Italian Roast

This sturdy dark roast is a sweet, bold cup of coffee.

Somewhere beyond the caramel notes of our Espresso Roast but short of the smokiness that identifies our French Roast – that is the sweet spot held by Italian Roast. What is created after the coffee cools is a sturdy and sweet blend, potent and intense. Sit back, relax and enjoy La Dolce Vita.

Remember how I said caffeine can give me the jitters sometimes? Well, depending on other factors, it can also make me itchy. After one, I was shaky and itchy. It had a great and potent flavor which I loved, but after one and a half I felt as if I was covered with creepy-crawlers. I was trying to avoid shaking my notebook right off the table while trying to learn a verbal stem for Hebrew. After my one and a half coffees, I had to call it a night and head home. How long do you think it took me to fall asleep that night?

Great flavor, enough caffeine to wake the dead.

1.5 out of 5 refills

Bold Coffee: Yukon Blend

2010-05-10T21:43:00.044-04:00

Week #1: Organic Yukon Blend
It’s hearty, rugged and well-rounded with deep and spicy flavor notes.

Gutsy, robust and ready to face the untamed northern reaches, this coffee has a tale as old as Starbucks itself. Created for the captain of a fishing fleet who wanted to keep his crew happy in chilly sub-arctic seas, this coffee will get you going in the most difficult of times. Even if that difficult time is motivating yourself to get out and walk the dog.

Let's hit the ground running! I enjoyed a chilly Friday night out at my favorite local Starbucks. My wife, her sister, and her cousin had a weekend planned together, but the rain kept them in our apartment. So I enjoyed getting out of the house to work on some school reading. This grizzly of a coffee and a Bioethics book kept me company on my trip. This brew was a great way to get this coffee marathon started. It had a great flavor that really did take the rainy chill off. It was enjoyable and didn't give me jitters- which some coffees tend to do (especially after a few refills).

Here, I'd better make up some random scale in order to rate these coffees...
3 out of 5 refills.

Found Objects: Something Bold Is Brewing

2010-05-03T20:52:00.001-04:00

Starbucks recently promoted bold coffees with their campaign, "Something Bold is Brewing." It was a pretty good idea and I was excited to try it out. Over the next eight weeks Starbucks would be featuring all of their bold coffees for you to try. This was marketed as a trip around the world through all of their bold coffees. This idea of travel was supported by the need of a "Passport" to participate. You needed to obtain a "Passport" from your Barista to use over the next two months. Every week when you would try a new bold coffee, they would give you a sticker. After you tried all eight bold coffees, and attained all eight coffee bean stickers, a pound of the bold you enjoyed the most could come home with you for free! As established in a previous post, I cant find too many things better than free coffee.

Lets just ignore the logistics of it all...

Well, maybe we'd better think this through because curiosity is getting the better of me.

You could purchase a Tall (Starbucks smallest size) coffee for $1.50 (or $1.60 with MA sales tax). After collecting your 8 stickers (that's 8 multiplied by $1.60), you were entitled to a free pound of the bold you liked the best. So you would end up paying just under $13 over the course of the eight week promotion thereupon you would be entitled to a free pound of coffee. Now remember that a pound of Starbucks coffee would go for anywhere between $8 and $12. Doesn't exactly seem worth it financially-you could just wait till Starbucks coffee goes on sale at the grocery store and give it a whirl in that way.

However, when you are a seminary student needing a place to read (or study Hebrew), with a Starbucks gift card burning a hole in your pocket, and a penchant for coffee-you'd be eager to participate in this voyage. So in order to chronicle my adventures around the world via coffee, I will share my experiences with you here. Stay tuned and see what happens and see if I can be consistent enough to collect all eight stickers, try all eight bold coffees and then get the gold-and by gold of course I mean free coffee.

Found Objects: April Fools

2010-04-30T20:03:00.044-04:00

If we haven't had a chance to talk in person about it yet, this Mini Cooper Post was an April Fools Joke. Throughout the month of April I tried to find a photo of the real Trader Joe's Mini Cooper, but to no avail. I promise, a Mini Cooper with a big ol'Trader Joe's logo does exist. There was a photo of that car when it was at the Topsfield Fair in my store when I began working there pinned to a board with other photos. At some point it was taken off the break room cork board and then somehow disappeared. With the disappearing picture disappeared my chances of adequately tying up the loose ends of my April Fools post.

That emblem was a real found object though. One late and rainy night after work I came across it in the parking lot. I was pretty excited about finding it because I was thinking of all the cool posts I could write about it. I even began to talk about this blog to a friend and all my ideas for topics I could write about. But the joke post won me over because of the date I found it.

If you google "Trader Joe's" and look through the Images, you can find the above picture that I found online. It is of the West Hartford, CT store. I thought this would give you a flavor of what Trader Joe's stores look like, though it isn't a carbon copy of own my store. For the record, you aren't supposed to take pictures inside the store. I found this picture online and didn't take the photo myself. Under photo credits you would not see my name. In other words, this is not my photo, I copied it from someone else online. Anyway, a big thanks goes out to the dirty rotten thief who took this photo (which wasn't me) and then posted it online so I could then take it from you. I'm sure you meant no harm. Without it, my April Fools joke would have gone without a proper closure.

Found Objects: Mini Cooper

2010-04-01T03:25:00.029-04:00

As some of you may be aware, I've been working at Trader Joe's for almost two years now. It's been such a great experience so far and I've appreciated everyone I have worked with. The company is so good to us in many ways. One such way is that they purchased a Mini Cooper with a Trader Joe's logo on the side of it that they use to advertise at fairs and events. While not in use for those business-type events, they let the employees of the highest grossing store in the region use the car. It's a pretty sweet thing. I have heard it can be reserved for weekends, and all share the use.

Well, we aren't the highest grossing store in the region, but our manager, Erik, spoke with the managers in the Cambridge store, and they agreed to let our store have a month with the car. Since there are so many employees, we had to split the days and have a lottery to see who would get to use the car. I was one of the 15 employees who got to use the car over the month of March. It was really cool to drive around campus and feel like such a big shot in the Trader Joe's Mini Cooper!

However during the two days I had the car, there was a lot of rain. So much rain that as I was driving to Starbucks to do some reading for class, a mini van hit the Mini Cooper. I was rear-ended at an intersection at the bottom of a hill. The van just couldn't stop in time, and it hit me at about 20 mph. I'm fine, but the car is a little banged up. I'm glad no one was in the back seat, as the car is so small that they may have been seriously hurt.

Anyway, all is well with Trader Joe's. My insurance will handle this accident and Trader Joe's said they would cover the rest because I was so clearly not at fault. Ahh, life goes on and I'm thankful for my safety.

Found Objects: Free Coffee

2010-03-19T15:39:00.002-04:00

What's better than coffee?
What's better than free?
Go get some!

Found Objects: Brazilian Sandal

2010-03-13T00:46:00.001-05:00

Heather and I found a lost little sandal whilst combing the dunes of Salem Willows. This delightful little locale was recommended to us by my long time friend, Diane, who lived and worked in this area for some years. We found this lovely location to be quite enjoyable. It has been our destination for many sunny day expeditions (and maybe a few rainy day expeditions too!).

I stumbled upon this little sandal during a search for some treasures. I dont know exactly what enticed me. It could have been any number of things really-the potential of finding an aluminnum can to recycle, a glass bottle to break (which I like to call "recycling into future sea glass"), or finding something rustly that Heather will want to take a photo of. This sandal was far up in the rocks, so I figured it floated in on high tide and hit land when tide went down. However it landed, I decided this find was good enough to be a bloggable Found Object.

My tradition is well defined when I discover a Found Object. I usually take it home and let it sit around our studio space for months. After months pass, Heather wants to throw it away (and reasonably so). At that point I beg her to photograph it (in artsy style) and email me the files under the impression that I'll get rid of it. I don't intend it, but disposing of these items is probably the carrot on the stick that gets her to photograph all my objects. Lastly, I'll bring the item to a parking lot and set it free in a place where the next character can find and enjoy this little treasure.

Well, this sandal never made it home, but it did get photographed! I couldn't bring myself to touch it (you know, it was on someone else's foot...eww).

Well, we had fun that day at Salem Willows. We always have fun on our beach adventure days. I can just feel it, with the warm weather coming upon us there will be many adventures and Found Objects just waiting for us around the corner!

Found Objects: Granola Bar

2010-03-07T23:18:00.003-05:00

Doesn't this look delicious?
You probably answer, "No." (So would I)

I found this beauty as I was walking to class one morning. She was sitting along the side of the road near the terminator between asphalt and snowy grass. I tell ya, I nearly scooped her up and ate her as my mid-morning snack (Not true).

But this granola bar did get me thinking about my weight. When I began Weight Watchers in 2005 I was very successful. With the help of home cooked meals from mom, rigidly structured lunches and breakfasts, I kept myself in line for the most part. I relied heavily on fake sugars and chemicals from Diet Coke to Sweet & Low to the occasional Splenda in order to eat enough to maintain a "full" feeling. In reflection, I wonder if I relied on fake sugars too much and what it could have done to my body.

I was (am) very proud of my successes and I have granola bars like this one to thank. These three point beauties sustained me for many mornings until lunch could roll around. I'm also thankful that I didn't achieve my goal weight at that point. If I had, I would have lost out on some very big lessons I have learned over the last few years since I stopped counting points and we moved away from home.

First off, I realized (through numerous blood tests and doctors visits) that I have an under active thyroid. This contributes to my appetite and weight gain giving me a predisposition to overeating and gaining weight.

Second, as I mature as a adult, I appreciate the disciplines of self-control and sacrifice. I'm thankful for this body (even with the bum thyroid) and I want to care for it. That may mean sacrificing the comforts of excess food so that I can maintain a healthy weight.

Third, there is the very real lesson and reality that I need to trust God and do this as an act of worship. As I have come to reflect my perspectives on food, I have come to reject the idea that I can seek comfort from it. In fact, the Bible calls finding deep heart comfort in something other than God "Idolatry."

Since I don't want to be an idolater, I don't want to find my deepest comfort in food. Thus, I'm thankful for this Found Object: Granola Bar, in that it reminds me to take care of my body as an act of thankfulness towards God and to seek my deepest heart comfort from God alone.

Vote for Higgins Armory!

2010-03-02T09:37:00.001-05:00

Found Objects: A New Job!

2010-02-09T10:32:00.004-05:00

No, not really a new job. I still work at Trader Joe's. In fact, my job at Trader Joe's provided me with the opportunity of coming across this funny little pamphlet for a local construction business. It was placed right on top of my cash register as if someone either wanted to spontaneously advertise or dropped it out of their pocket accidentally. Either way, I found it and wanted to share it here.

I used to work in construction. It was a brief position where I was most often put in charge of "Controlled Demolition." That's resume language for "I was the new guy and the only thing I could do by myself was take things down and clean things up!" It was a good place for me to be shortly after I graduated college and waited to decide what I would do next. Somewhere in that time I decided to begin classes at Gordon-Conwell.

My fervor for building and taking apart was excited to the point where I told my parents I wanted to put extra insulation in my bedroom and take out the second closet to change the location of my bed. What would possibly go wrong? I thought to myself, I had been working in construction for an full year (which seemed like a lot to me). Of course, at this time, I didn't really know how to make an entrance like my new friends at D&H Construction. I just thought I knew how to make an entrance (or closet).

Well, I didn't install anymore insulation, nor did I take down my second closet, but I did learn a lot about contentment during this stage of my life. I also learned how challenging it could be to work so physically and how creative construction workers need to be to complete the tasks before them. Having a job where you work with your hands gives you a sense of self respect and honor for what you have created. My sense was that respect for physical laborers is denied because by those who sit in cubicles with so called "respectable jobs." I gained this feeling mostly from walking into stores with all my messy clothes on and seeing (and feeling) the looks from men and women in suits. But if we love our God-given jobs and they support us financially, why would I look down on someone who gets messy during their day? My answer is that I shouldn't, but I should appreciate diversity. Someone needs to know how to build houses and pour cement because you can't do that from behind a desk.

And, those were good experiences for me to have because it provided a much needed challenging experience while having the support of my close friends. There were times when it was very unpleasant, and filled with long, hard days. But, I'm thankful for it because it shaped me in many ways.

Found Objects: Bowling Pin Water Bottle

2010-01-04T14:11:00.002-05:00

This is Evan. He and I work together at Trader Joe's. Every once and a while we are assigned to tracking down carts in the parking lot. (You may remember how fun the TJ parking lot is by my previous posts for the cat magnet and the belly dancer post card.) It's not a terrible duty to have, unless there is snow. When there is snow it certainly is a terrible assignment!

One winter day last year Evan arrived with this water bottle which resembled a bowling pin. I made sure to snap a picture so I could post it as a found object. Though I didn't personally find this object, it is one of the most random things that has been "found" by me or that my friends have shared with me. I don't know if he ever used it. But come to think of it, who would ever use a water bottle shaped like a bowling pin?

Books of 2009

2010-01-01T00:00:00.010-05:00

Thielicke, Helmut, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians
Koester, Craig R., The Word of Life: A Theology of John’s Gospel
Metzger, Bruce M. and Bart D. Ehrman. The Text of the New Testament (4th Ed)
Ronald J. Sider, The Scandal of Evangelical Politics
John Jefferson Davis, Evangelical Ethics
Dennis P. Hollinger, Choosing The Good
Van Engen, Charles. Mission on the Way
Escobar, Samuel. New Global Missions: The Gospel from Everywhere to Everyone
Wilson, J. Christy. More to Be Desired than Gold
Wells, David F. Above All Earthly Pow'rs: Christ in a Postmodern World

This is beginning to be a tradition. I have begun to track the books read in each year. My hope is that by doing so I will challenge myself to stay consistent with my reading. There is such a connection between my reading and personal growth that by staying in a book I feel like I am enabling myself to grow.

Last year, my first year in tracking my book totals, I had 19. That exceeded my goal of one book per month. This year I topped out at only 10 books, I spent a majority of my time studying biblical Greek and Hebrew. Learning a language can be quite labor intensive. They take a lot of time to study and because they are taught by a work book, I need to revisit these things again and again. So I guess I came pretty close to my goal. This coming year I look forward to enjoying many books - even though I will grow tempted as the spring rolls along to throw down the books and venture outside for a game of catch with seminary friends.

Let's hear it for twelve books in 2010!

Found Objects: Family

2009-09-05T00:00:00.003-04:00

Well, this bead is not my family. Actually we were only recently acquainted. This navy blue and plastic bead was found on the shelf one night at Trader Joe's. Nestled snugly between the iced tea and the pomegranate green tea I spotted it and rooted it out. When I looked closely, I saw it was a bead to a necklace or a big bracelet. Whatever it originally belonged it, it was now another found object to post on the blog. Since it immediately reminded me of my jewelry making wife, I thought the timing was perfect with her birthday right around the corner to post something a bit more profound than a found piece of a necklace.

I don't often wear jewelry that that has beads on it like this. No, my jewelery is typically confined to an occasional necklace, my glasses, and my wedding ring. But speaking of my wedding ring, I already mentioned that this plastic trinket reminded me of my crafty wife. She is a diligent artist always working on sketches, jewelry, illustrations or invitations. So, on the occasion of her birthday, I thought I might use this specific Found Object as a tribute to my lovely wife, Heather.

We met at the Bible study I was leading at church. When people ask what we first thought when we saw each other I laugh and say "I can't marry her-she's taller than me!" Why did I think this? I don't really know. It wasn't a habitual pattern I had of rating women as to their marriageability on first sight. But there it is...

Anyway, as soon as we started dating I knew something about this lady was different and I had to scoop this little treasure right up - before she realized what a kook I was!

She inspires me to be imaginative and creative- two things I struggle with.

Speaking of creativity-I love her surprise notes! She always tries so hard to make me feel special. For which I'm grateful.

I love being able to call her any nickname I can think of (even if it is odd) and she thinks it's cute.

She has such a great memory and I really admire that characteristic.

She makes me laugh so much. We have lots of fun together. She even laughs at the same jokes that I tell over and over and over...

I love our deep conversations. Because I value her opinion, I always feel more comfortable getting her opinion on things (big or small) because I know she thinks of things I forget about.

She keeps growing. She inspires me to keep growing. In loving God and loving people. Her strength is seen in other areas of growth...ethically, emotionally, financially, faithfulness (to me, to her jobs, to her friends), trusting, in her desire to serve others, organizationally, spiritually, creatively, blog-a-tive-ly...

I love traveling with her and exploring new locations and look forward to many years of exploring the wonderful creation God made. (With a stop at every beach along the way!)

Because I think she is such a wonderful lady, she makes me want to be a better man-in all areas of life-big and small.

One word- PROOFREADER!

I think she will make a terrific mother someday and I hope I can keep up with her mothering skills.

She is more humble than me and that makes me jealous.

Her ability to teach "creativity" is superior to any art teacher I experienced while growing up.

I love her courage and her desire to take risks.

I love being with her and miss her when I go to work. We look forward to sharing stories from our nights before we say goodnight.

I'm so thankful for her and her desire to do marriage the right way. I appreciate all her hard work towards making us a stronger family (and I am eager to add some little ones to this family).

Proverbs 18:22 says it this way, "A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD." I am very blessed to have married this woman.

She is my favorite friend and my best friend.

Happy Birthday, Heather!

I love YOU!

Found Objects: Advertising Postcard

2009-09-02T22:09:00.000-04:00

Heather recently decided we had too many unsent postcards. So we decided to send out some postcards once and a while to share the love with the friends and family we left behind in Connecticut. Well, this found object came from the parking lot of Trader Joe's. This parking lot is a great place to find some intriguing objects-as you may already see from my other found objects.
I decided this postcard was too funny to keep tucked away so I sent it to my brother, Derek. He got a kick out of it-even if he wasn't quite sure whether I was serious or joking about us taking belly dancing lessons together. I assured him I wasn't too interested in lessons, but if he ever did want to take belly dancing lessons-now we know where to go!

Found Objects: Cat Magnet

2009-06-17T14:58:00.001-04:00

I found this little kitty while doing a 'cart run' at Trader Joe's. A'cart run' is just what it sounds like-running around the parking lotcollecting all the shopping carts you can find. Someone must havepurchased this furry guy in a nearby shop because when I found him hewas still in his package.

Though the colors are off, it reminded me of my childhood pet, Teddy Bear. He was our family cat for a little over 16 years when he died.When we had to put him to sleep, he was actually older than my younger brother. That is such a bizarre fact to remember,I know.

Anyway, he was a fun little pet. Not only was he fun to play with,but when I would wink at him with one eye, he would wink back with one eye. He was my little pal. Sometimes, when he thought I had slept enough, he would wake me with a paw between the eyes. In his younger days, he would run outside even though he was an inside cat. I would eventually find where he went, wait, and grab him to bring him back safely.

Since he has been gone, my cat allergies have come back tenfold. My wife has strong allergies to little kittens as well. So, I doubt any kittens are in our future. Still, during a cold evening 'cart run,' I had fun thoughts to keep me warm as I remembered my cat, Teddy Bear.

Found Objects: Wooden Block

2009-06-14T19:59:00.004-04:00

Well, there isn't much to this little toy block. After a night of shopping, we found it outside of Trader Joe's last winter. Someone had placed it up on top of the trash can lid. At that time, with finals approaching, work being stressful, and time for school projects dwindling, being a kid again was very appealing.*

This block became a reminder to not become too stressed out with these little details. It also became a great addition to my selection of found objects!

*Speaking of wanting to be a kid again, around that same time, Heather surprised me for my birthday with a childhood-themed Birthday Adventure! Our activities included Chuck-E-Cheese for a morning of video games and the Boston Science Museum!

Found Objects: A (more personal) Biblical Perspective of Death

2009-06-08T15:45:00.003-04:00

A month ago, the doctor's discovered that my grandfather, Dominic A. Baio, would face his fourth battle with cancer. However, unlike the first three battles, there was nothing they could do to remove it or delay its advance.

This was the closest death that I've had to face, and it certainly was a new experience. At many points, I wanted to stop everything and shout "This isn't right!" or even more dramatically, "Life isn't supposed to be like this!" Something inside of me was angered by this experience. There is an aroma to death that was extremely unpleasant. The weeping, the sobs, the whole process took me some time to figure out. But I think I have captured a large portion of my agitation about this situation.

I wasn't angry at God or at Papa or at anyone else. I was angry at death itself. Let me see if I can explain myself. The Bible tells us that God created everything and it was good. He created everything, plants, animals, planets, stars, and lastly, humans. God says he made human beings in "His Image." What this means is that we aren't God, but we are made in such a way that we reflect him. We are God's creation and we bear the fingerprints of our creator, much like clay to a potter. Whether that specifically means morally, relationally, physically, creatively, etc., in many ways we bear the resemblance of our Father, God. With humans though, there was a special caveat. God said to them, "...You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV) Needless to say, they ate from the tree God said not to, and the penalty for their sin was a new element of life. An unknown phenomenon entered the world after those actions and it was called death. All creation (mankind to follow and all nature)was then subject to the curse of sin and death.

I was upset that cancer had afflicted him four times. I was upset that doctors could not stop it from killing him. But most of all, I was upset that he had to die, and to some extent that we all will have to die. Death was not part of the original intention for the world and we can see that in the Garden of Eden. It now comes to all people because of that first act of rebellion against God. It comes as an expected event to all life because of the curse of sin through the experience at the Garden of Eden. Also, death comes as a consequence to all because all sin (Romans 3:23)and all people express defiance against a righteous God. As the common Christian phrase goes, "Our enemies are Sin, Death, and the Devil." I don't deny the existence of any of them. I can attest to my own sinful rebellion towards God. History is littered with examples of sinful actions and evil. I have seen the effects of death. Now, in my family and in the lives of close friends. And I know the Devil is real because the Bible says so. In multiple places, the Devil or other evil spirits speak to Jesus or to his disciples.

But in this, I don't declare that death is evil. Just an unnatural door thrown in front of every life path. As the Bible says, the last enemy to be defeated is Death (1 Corinthians 15:26). God has a wonderful plan for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and whatever comes after death is surely in his control as well. My hope in life and in death comes from faith in Christ, the Messiah. He restores from the curse of sin and death. Because he is the only one who has conquered death, he alone offers hope for life after death. Only through the blood of Christ can we rejoice with Paul in saying:

"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17 NIV)

Found Objects: A Widget

2009-04-03T20:58:00.002-04:00

I saw this little bearing contraption on campus and I knew I had to scoop it up and post about another treasured 'Found Object!' What is a widget anyway?

When I was a young lad, I would take things apart and try to get them back together. My tools were limited to a screwdriver (the flat one and the plus sign one) and pliers. When I was in fourth grade, I made a machine family out of coffee cans, lots of electrical tape, wires from things I took apart (and probably couldn't get back together) and as many screws as I could find. Inevitably, I would stab my leg or arm with the screwdriver or pinch my finger leading to frustration. But despite those painful moments, I loved to discover and figure things out.

Suffice it to say, it didn't surprise my family when I decided to go to college for Physics. Many classes were devoted to calculating velocity, work, energy, wave-functions, positions, etc. The young Modernist in me was devoted to defining and developing our understanding of the world.
My days are currently devoted to more academic pursuits where I am confined to a classroom. I don't get as much time to do hands-on work. But I still enjoy tinkering once and a while.

I think I hear our toaster making noise. Maybe it needs fixing. Where are my pliers?

Found Objects: Blessing Card

2009-03-29T14:55:00.002-04:00

Well, with my second reading week of the semester passing, I turn the corner with finals in view. Seminary is quite a unique time in our live. Working, studying, reading and translating are just some of the many activities that are training us for the future.

With these realities as my foundation, I think about this little found Scripture card. This card (Front and back are pictured above) turned up in a book we grabbed from the Give and Take. Click on the cards and take a moment to reflect on these verses. It's good to slow down sometimes and appreciate the truths of the Bible. They are good reminders from the book of Ecclesiastes.

My preliminary conclusion:
There is a time for everything in our lives, and our current time is one that requires hard work!

Found Objects: Red Couch

2009-03-23T21:44:00.001-04:00

This sanguine sofa somehow made its way to the dumpster last summer. It was a weekend that Heather was in Connecticut for the weekend for some commitments. Since we had found a perfectly colored red shelf for our studio earlier in the month, I thought this could be another diamond. Time is of the essence in these moments. (Even if I have to throw on some clothes, I wanted to get down there and take a closer look!)

I've become quite a collector of used treasures since Heather has opened my eyes to their character. Since arriving on campus, my eyes have been open for useful little objects or discarded objects that could prove perfect for the right couple. Well, I have a great view of the dumpster from our living room window. Since I need to take reading breaks by starring off into space (lest I slip into a coma while reading) I tend to scan this section of the parking lot carefully. The campus security has taken action against people leaving too many things here because that could blow around and cause trouble in our frequent wind storms. You will even see a printed sign taped onto the No Parking sign that says something to the effect of "No Dumping Here."

My cell phone quickly recorded this image and I sent it off to Heather in CT. Where I hoped for hidden treasures, Heather sobered me with the realizations: A) We don't need a couch, B) If we did need a couch we would get one with style, and C) 1973 called and they want their couch back!

OK, she was right. I was blinded by the free-ness of the couch and I didn't see the down sides. Besides all the bad attributes of the aforementioned couch, I didn't know many people in the building and I wouldn't have had help getting it upstairs. All these minor details aside, we didn't take advantage of this couch. Walking up to class the next morning, I passed this red velvet sofa with alternating wavy lines. I used the rest of my walk up to class to thank God for a wise wife.

Meatless March

2009-03-01T23:20:00.008-05:00

With Spring right around the corner, Heather and I thought we would challenge ourselves to be more healthy. When she was younger Heather and her sister, Mandi, ate vegetarian for a whole year. They both enjoyed it and found it a wonderful experience. So in brainstorming ways we could challenge ourselves to be healthy we thought about going without animal meat for the month of March! Now that my birthday is past and we wont be eating out as much, we thought it a good time to focus on cooking new meals and seeing how we can eliminate animals from our diets. We don't eat meat too often anyway, so I agreed to this new lifestyle thinking it would be an easy switch. Since I work at Trader Joe's, I will be on the look out for all sorts of good food with this little leafy logo on it. I'm excited to see how it goes!

Found Objects: Evidence...

2009-02-25T23:00:00.002-05:00

This is a follow-up on a "Found Objects" post a few months ago.

http://alwaysthinkin9.blogspot.com/2008/10/found-objects-series.html

Apparently, my mom had a piece of evidence (as I will call it) that I was quite a troublemaker when it came to passing the time anywhere near a copy machine. I'm not sure why the mechanics and production of this machine would intrigue me so.
"How could this machine make an exact image of my hands?" is the thought that must have passed through my analytical mind.

It's fun to see these two posts link up. It brings a happy moment from the past and the present together. I know it says something about me. Somehow these two occurrences describe something about me, though I'm not sure what.

Found Objects: Animal Toys

2009-02-18T10:00:00.001-05:00

Heather and I found these along a beach in Rockport one Sunday afternoon. We made the trip there one Sunday to visit a church in Gloucester and passed through Rockport because we were either lost or we stopped for lunch. I can't remember. But one thing I am sure of is that the beach we found had the largest supply of sea glass we have ever found! There was so much of it we had a hard time holding onto all of it. That was such a windy day too. The waves were pounding the beach, the wind was messing up our hair and spraying us with a mixture of sea water and sand. Boy, did we have fun!

The glass we picked up was smaller per piece than at any other beach we have visited. The treasures we found varied so much, they weren't limited to just glass pieces. We also found a guitar pick, some army men, a dolphin, a walrus and a pig.

Can you imagine these animals living together?
They are such a positive example of a cross cultural community.
We have much to learn from these little friends.

As a side thought: the piggy is one that fits into a Croc,
so if anyone is interested in taking it and add it as a Croc accessory, please let me know!

Found Objects: House for President!

2009-01-21T22:41:00.006-05:00

I don't quite remember where Heather found this website, but I had to post this picture on a blog with a recent obsession with found objects. For a recent gallery, check out:

http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/top_rated.html

It is a bit of presidential fun with a spoof on the Obama stickers. They take your pictures and create the image and words in a similar color scheme.

And Heather, being the thoughtful wife that she is, emailed me this hilarious photo. She is well aware of my ongoing obsession with House.

Gregory House, M.D., is a diagnostician faced with a mysterious medical dilemma every week. His philosophy "Everybody lies" and his dry, witty comments are very funny. Every week (or so it seems) on the list of medical problems is Lupus. But every week House says his one liner that has become a bit of comic relief..."It's not Lupus!"

So with all this in mind, my write-in vote for the last presidential election was Gregory House.

Found Objects: Thank You Card

2009-01-19T10:28:00.005-05:00

This was in a book I picked up at the Give and Take. The Give and Take is a free version of the Goodwill Store. You can bring things in for others to use and you can browse and find treasures you can give new life to. I have a few thoughts about this card, youth culture, and gift giving, but I will hold them back. Here, I choose to let this sweet and innocent Found Object speak for itself.

Found Objects: Fortune

2009-01-05T21:22:00.008-05:00

I rescued this little fortune one day while working at Trader Joe's. It was resting on the window sill and just waiting for me as I swept up the area around the registers. It didn't surprise me that there was a fortune lying around seeing that Trader Joe's is two doors down from a Chinese food restaurant. I just had to smile when I thought that this fortune was left in a grocery store and it taught the verb 'To Eat.'

"A day is a span of time no one is wealthy enough to waste" is an appropriate fortune for me. When I'm not a busy bee, I have to force myself to relax. But when I don't force myself to relax, and there is nothing on the agenda, I often have this purposeless feeling. That feeling that seeps into my thoughts often tells me I'm productive only when I'm doing something. When i'm working, reading, blogging, etc. I do just fine, but when I slow down and don't make the choice to relax I tend to get stressed out or sad because I feel like I am wasting time.

But I know that isn't true. I'm not purposeless. (As an added note, I believe we are here, where we are and when we are for a reason.) This struggle has helped me to grow. Dealing with this issue has forced me to see what the purpose of my life is. Living with a purpose, one in which I am confident, helps me to spend down time without feeling listless. Only in living with a purpose in my off-peak seasons have I found productivity in my busier times. When I focus outside of myself, and "look up" so to speak, am I able to find lasting contentment in my 24 hours.

Wealthy or poor, we all get 24 hours in a day. It is a great equalizer. All those thoughts from a divine appointment with a fortune cookie!

Books of 2008

2009-01-01T11:07:00.008-05:00

I love learning and I love reading. So last year, Heather and I were throwing around some ideas of New Year's Resolutions. I thought a resolution centered around reading more was right up my alley. Then I settled on pushing myself to read a book per month in 2008. It seemed like great timing, with us going off to Seminary mid-year. It was hard to balance Bible reading with other reading but overall I am glad I challenged myself. I even included all the books I had to read (in their entirety) for classes. Here are the books of 2008!

Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance, Donald Miller
Mission in the Old Testament, Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
The Neurotics Guide to God & Love, Dr. Lance Moore
A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality for the Rest of Us, Larry Osborne
Revolution in World Missions, K.P. Yohannan
Man In White, Johnny Cash
No More Christian Nice Guy, Paul Coughlin
The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers, Josh McDowell
The Psychiatric Study of Jesus, Albert Schweitzer
A Grief Observed, C. S. Lewis
Evangelical Truth, Revised Edition, John Stott
Explaining Inerrancy, R.C. Sproul
Evangelical Theology, Karl Barth
Foundational Issues in Christian Education, Robert W. Pazmino
Is It A Lost Cause?, Marva J. Dawn
Journey To Jesus, Robert E. Webber
A Many Colored Kingdom, Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, S. Steve Kang, Gary A. Parrett

Found Objects: Army Men

2008-11-17T18:00:00.009-05:00

These men were located protecting an important beach front (in one of our beach combing excursions) in Rockport. I was inspired by them having been beaten by the sea and sand yet still standing strong together.

Anyway, these little found army men reminded me of many things. I even remembered bringing these thoughts together when I talked about how I gave swords to our groomsmen for our wedding. They remind me that the Christian life is often compared to a war. All throughout the Old and New Testament the analagy of war is used. Whether it be between internal desires, natural powers, spiritual powers, and even principalities and powers. Paul states this idea eloquently in Ephesians 6:12 (HCSB), "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens."

But we don't walk around fighting people. I don't punch people in the face just because they aren't Christians. So in many aspects this training metaphore has to be individually appropriated. It needs to be understood that the idea may not lead us into a physical battle. The ways we wage war against our own 'flesh' will constantly be reforming the longer we know Jesus. Our methods and tactics will develop. We mature in our understanding of the Christian life. I appreciate the verse in Colossians 1:9-11 (HCSB) which states "(that you) may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing [to Him], bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy."

Found Objects: Guitar Pick

2008-11-17T17:45:00.009-05:00

I love playing guitar. But I am convinced that my love of learning has carried me farther in my guitar 'career' than my musical ability. My love for learning far exceeds both my musical talents and rhythm. In fact, I would say I am lacking musical intuitions.

Shortly after I became a Christian I decided to begin playing guitar. My intention was to lead music for our Campus Crusade group, Revival. Though I can't be certain, somewhere deep within me there was probably a desire to be a rock star. It all began back in the day...I was one of two or three third graders learning the upright bass. But it soon became too much trouble to continue. I do wish I had kept at it.

So when we were beach combing a few weeks back and I came across this broken, multicolored guitar pick, my mind was flooded with fond musical thoughts. Though I haven't played in a long time, when I do, I enjoy myself. I usually find my finger calluses too thin, my voice too weak (and pitchy), and my rhythms tend to drift back to the same mellow 'worship tempo.'

Nonetheless, I still love playing guitar. Whether it be an individual or corporate vehicle for personal praise or just an exciting hobby, I still love it.

A Series of Found Objects: Copy Paper

2008-10-13T21:31:00.011-04:00

I don't post enough. I have come to terms with it. I have grand plans to post quite often but them when I begin to flesh the ideas out in my mind I see those thoughts as relatively narrow or irrelevant. But recently I came across something that made me want to post again!

Heather and I were taking a walk around Staples moments before closing a few weeks back. We were asking for information about printers (shopping for technology is something that I truly enjoy). During our searches, I lifted up a scanner cover and found a paper with a copy of someones glasses on it (as pictured above).

When I was a young lad, I was notorious for making copies of my hands, face and anything else near the copier. I was so completely enthralled with the concept of a copy machine, I just couldn't get enough. [This could be the birth of my love of all things science related-but I'll leave that for further reflection.] It brought back some fond memories of playing around with copy machines and showing the masterpieces I had created to my mom. I was so proud of my work, I just had to show it off!

Finding this page brought a smile to my face and made me laugh. I could just picture some little one (or an older one) playing around in the store and having fun with the copiers.

My Book of the Month: May

2008-06-03T22:20:00.005-04:00

According to a recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services, "Fathers play a unique role in fostering the well-being of their children, not only through providership, protection and guidance, but also through the way that they nurture the next generation." But there is a huge catch. "A father's involvement with his children...is powerfully contingent on the mother's attitude" toward him. Research consistently shows that the father-child relationship depends more on the quality of the parents' relationship than does the mother-child relationship.

This same report from the Department of Health and Human Services states: "Girls with active dads demonstrate higher levels of mathematical competence, and boys with more nurturing fathers display higher levels of verbal acumen. It is worth noting, of course, that girls tend to struggle more with math and boys tend to struggle more with language. Having an active, emotionally invested father appears to help children overcome the intellectual weaknesses typically associated with their sex."

Fathers are more likely to foster independent, exploratory behavior on the part of their children, compared to mothers....children raised by engaged fathers are more comfortable exploring the world around them....
A playful, challenging, and nurturing approach to fatherhood is associated with more self-control and pro-social behavior among children throughout the course of their lives....One study of seventh graders found that boys who had close relationships with their fathers were more likely to control their feelings and impulses, to obey rules at school and home, and to make good moral judgments....This same study found that boys with involved fathers had fewer school behavior problems and that girls had more self-esteem....
Boys and girls who are exposed to the nurture of a father, and who see a father being nurturing to their mother and other adults, are much less likely to associate masculinity with predatory sexual behavior and hyper-aggressivenes....Fathers help their children, especially their daughters, develop the self-control and the sense of self-worth that protects them from premature sexual intercourse and teenage pregnancy.

Paul Coughlin, No More Christian Nice Guy

Swords

2008-05-24T22:36:00.006-04:00

For the groomsmen at our wedding I gave them swords. I removed the pommel of each sword and had it engraved with their initials. I had to hand polish the brass on the swords to remove tarnish. It was quite laborious. But the endeavor was a labor of love as I found time to appreciate every guy in our bridal party.

"Why a sword?" you may ask. Well, swords represent many things to me. If you have ever read Wild at Heart you may already understand much of what I have to say.

Swords remind me of nobility.

A cause on behalf of a King. Remembering I am a son of the Most High King.

Swords remind me of battle.
A team of men fighting with common vision and direction for a common purpose.

Swords remind me of a princess.

A beauty to fight for.

"The LORD is a warrior; Yahweh is His name." Exodus 15:3 (HCSB)

"Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle."

Psalm 24:8 (HCSB)

As I have sought to clarify the battles in my life, I have found new strength to act as the person God created me to be. My ability to sense what God is doing in me has grown. I have sensed a new type of communication between my heart and the Divine is evolving.

Something in my heart is calls out for battle. A fight. Victory.

Addition to Addictions Post

2008-03-18T22:00:00.003-04:00

Destination Sickness

Another problem with the quest to use all our gifts and fulfill all our promise, no matter what, is that it sets us up for the heartache known as Destination Sickness. There's nothing worse than arriving where you wanted to go, only to realize you don't want to be there. We've all experienced it at some level-having left something good for what we thought was much better; only to find the greener grass was painted concrete. But perhaps the saddest part of the journey to bogus greener grass is that it almost always leaves behind broken relationships. Co-workers, family members, friends, and those who depend on us are devastated to discover that our deepest loyalty is not to them, but to ourselves and our potential.
Larry Osborne, A Contrarian's Guide To Knowing God

This quote gave me much to think about. It is a very interesting was to augment my thoughts from a previous post. I have been surprised at how selfish I am. I think destination sickness is very much related to that God-Shaped vaccuum.

http://www.puritansermons.com/

2008-02-29T16:21:00.001-05:00

"A man may be theologically knowing and spiritually ignorant."
Stephen Charnock

This quote knocks on a door in my heart and I don't yet know what is behind that door.

Thoughts of Addictions and Behavior

2008-01-18T20:16:00.001-05:00

I think everyone has addictions. At least a friend from work says everyone has them. The more I thought of it the more I agreed.

Cigarettes, Coffee, Eating, Not eating, Attention, Control, Internet, Nail biting

I think they are caused by gaps in our hearts.
Blaise Pascal said "There is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart."

I think addictions nest in that concept. Addictive things. Obsessive things.
Everyone has needs that tend to manifest in different ways. Depending on who that person is includes infinite factors: personality, temperament, grooming, environment, childhood and current situations, stress, feelings for the day, emotional maturity, etc...
Somehow 'connection' with God fills us so addictions have no hold.
It takes time for things to be dislodged. It takes time for God to remove things. God is the Counselor He says He is.

So everyone of us needs counselling?

For those with a more logical mind...
A) If everyone of us needs God.
B) God is the counselor
Therefore
C) Everyone of us needs the Counselor
Q.E.D.

Thoughts of the Day

2008-01-16T17:38:00.000-05:00

I read Our Daily Bread yesterday at work. It was about a man who reflected upon his life and he could see there was a time in his life when his walk with God could have been best described as 'side to side rather than face to face.'

Mose's relationship to God was often described as 'face to face.' I have even the translation better stated 'eye to eye.'

Heather and I have been reading the Experiencing God Day-By-Day Devotional [H & R Blackaby] we picked up free. [Thank you Scott and Erica.]

This devotional repeated the same message. Except it added the importance of loving one another. This has always been a challenge for me.
But it stated, more like reitterated what John often says in his Gospels and Epistles...Loving God also means loving one another.
Somehow loving people is an evidence we: love God and have matured in our faith.

How long had I avoided intimacy with people? In my CCSU days deeper relationships often resulted in hurting those I liked the most. The deeper the friendship was the more caustic I could have been with that person. The more judgemental, the more negative expectations, the more hurt I delivered.

Now that I'm married I often find I can be most critical of my wife.

But I press on hoping my fruit of loving God will be endurance to love people.

Christmas is a season of worship

2007-12-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a celebration of God.
Secular people often celebrate Christmas with zeal.
Could something resonate with people that makes them feel warm and fuzzy around that time of year? Not because they 'know God' or call themselves a follower of that "Saviour born in the city of David" but because that is how humans were made-to worship God.
Something intrinsic?
Just a thought.

The Theory of Relativity

2007-06-06T22:33:00.001-04:00

The Theory of Relativity states that systems in uniform motion will experience no deiviation in any physical laws. No law of physics will be violated. These types of physics problems usually fall in your first physics class where all laws of physics still are intuitive. A car hits a wall going 20 mph and then there is an accident. At no point do you expect otherwise.
But then something changes. You get into your second class in physics and everything you learned about 'the laws' change. Allow me to explain...
*In the theory of relativity one person on the moon ages less than the person on the earth. Another way to say it would be the person on the earth observes the person on the moon as moving slower than he is moving. If he could look at his watch on the moon he would notice it goes a little slower than his own. Time Dilation.
*You get your hot new car going up to...say 150,000 mph...and your friend takes a picture of you that was supposed to be life sized. Only when he looks at it he sees your car looks a lot shorter. From front to back he sees your car AND YOU have been squashed. Length Contraction.
*Your obsessive friend who just had to take your picture also noticed you may be gaining some weight. But when you slow down and weigh yourself you still weigh what you weighed before you went so fast. But the picture really shows you getting chubby... e=mc^2 energy to mass transition.
*and something else called Relativity of Simultaneity. That says when something takes place at the same time as another it may not look like it to both people watching.

The breakdown in intuitive physics leads many to believe that science is not only more complicated than we could have imagined [or planned] but also seemingly irrational!
All this math can be figured out and understood but none of this is what anyone would expect.
It is like there are frames or reference that can take the same event and slow it down, for others it can be stopped. Some see the same object as heavy or short and others see long and skinny.

There are so many ways to see each situation. So many points of view. So many facts to consider. Time being relative. Events being relative. Time...TIME being relative to people.

So God, being superior to creation shows different experiences on time in our own physical universe. Within our laws of physics. His laws of physics I would say. How much more is He not expected to be intuitive. Not subject to act within our laws of physics, not subject to act within our frames of reference. Not locked into human time or situation. But even free to act simultaneously in the past, present and future.

2 Peter 3:8
Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord
one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

oh that crazy Paul...

2007-04-05T22:00:00.001-04:00

1 Timothy 1:3-5

3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer

4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.

5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

At some point this week a few thoughts popped into my mind. Not so much a 'popping 'but rather a lightning effect. You know the one, the one where a thought is so outstandingly brilliant in your mind you can't think of anything else for a moment because the truth in this one thought is so vivid that it overshadows everything else.

There is something about confrontation that bothers people. It bothers me. It aggrivates me. It forces me to be assertive and possibly even hurtful to someone if I am insensetive with my word choices.
Though I don't like to hurt people's feelings, I rather like to protect myself. It's a struggle I have dealt with for a while. I think it can be part of every human's desire but for me it is more so rooted in insecurity.
I would, proudly, tell you that I have become strong in my confrontation skills.
But is it always right to confront others? Paul seems to advocate that it is good and godly if the goal of it is verse 5.
Do we always see all sides of things? There can be so many internal and extrenal factors that are sewn into the fabric of everyday situations that it can seem easy for a physicist, such as myself, to feel like I have the whole situation understood. But when someone explains the emotional context of where they are to me I can often be put to shame for my assumptions.
Perhaps confrontation is one of those little understood dilemas in the Christian life.
It's similar to church discipline. My small group talked about that topic in 1 Corinthians 5 for a while with only minor revelation within the text. Mostly because life is messy. Imagine where we would be without the text!
I'm sure God uses our sincere attempts at confrontation to correct each other in a meaningful way.
But there is this strange thing that happens with confrontation- When you are forced to confront and you do so with a humble, heavy heart: You grow in character and you trust God more. When you seek what is God's best in a situation your desires are altered [growth] so you try to see situations and people the way God sees them. When you confront in a godly way you often build a stronger relationship with the confrontee. 'You have won your brother' is a common this is said. You have loved God by loving your brother and you have loved your brother by confronting out of love (that comes from the heart).

There was more to the thought in the moment it occured, but for now it is just food for thought...

The Vine and the Branches

2007-02-26T19:04:00.001-05:00

John 15 has got to be one of my favorite New Testament passages to study. When we came to these verses in the First Church bible study, On The Rock, I typed up my notes for it.
Working on these bible studies is typically a long process for me. This set of notes was probably the last version. Not all notes have been checked for theological accuracy but were thoughts and concersation starters. Just something I thought I would like to post.

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Picture the image-God is the gardener, He planted to garden, he selected the spot of it to grow, he planted the seeds, He did this and that, all the work for you to grow has been done!
Great image that God takes such specialized care growing us.
2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
When we don’t bear fruit we get attention from the gardener. Whether to be removed or to be lifted up. But we know God’s motive is to have us bear more fruit.
Why would God want us to bear more fruit?
What is this fruit we bear?
What does FRUIT mean?
You can still bear fruit after being pruned. So trouble doesn’t mean the end for the person who abides in Christ. Realistically it’s the beginning of a deeper place of intimacy with God. Good news for us walking along rocky roads, they don’t mean the end!
3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Our cleanliness is related to the position of the WORD in us.
Hypothetical: Can we ‘sort of’ abide without being cleansed by the word?
High on religion- low on salvation?
Does the importance of the Word in our life give us an indicator to the temperature
of our faith and our priorities?
4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
How do we bear fruit? ABIDE
Well, what does ABIDE mean? It’s so important.
Conduit, Pipeline, Extension cord
The can’t run without God, Laptop or Light-The Power Source.
Because our growth, maturity and depth as Christians is so related to our abiding in Christ.
How does this indicate our priorities? What gets the majority of my time?
What gets the majority of my thoughts? What gets the majority of my money?
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him,
he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
I think it’s called a conjunction- The opposite of
Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
When you don’t remain, you aren’t bearing fruit. Bad branch- not fulfilling the only purpose to be on the vine!
Can a person abide then un-abide? Are you really saved?
Does this speak of losing ones salvation?
Does it speak to the unsaved?

John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament
"I do not doubt that this relationship, in principle and in a general analogy, still subsists. Those who make a profession, who attach themselves to Christ in order to follow Him, will, if there is life, be cleansed; if not, that which they have will be taken away. Observe therefore here, that the Lord speaks only of His word-that of the true prophet-and of judgment, whether in discipline or in cutting off. Consequently He speaks not of the power of God, but of the responsibility of man-a responsibility which man will certainly not be able to meet without grace; but which has nevertheless that character of personal responsibility here."

7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
Remember last time? There is a change or personal desires that occurs quite naturally as we are abiding with God! What good news! We cant force it the fruit just develops!
8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
God’s glory is for us to bear fruit that we may share our discipleship with others.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Milk jug filling an 8 ounce cup
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
As if that wasn’t clear enough. Note that this is also a reference to the extent of His love for us. Meaning he knew he was to die for his people. Knowing the future usually means a CTD! [Claim to Divinity-a subtle way Jesus claims to be God]
14You are my friends if you do what I command.
15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
The proactive friendship of God in our lives!
Proactive love reached down, Grace means getting what we don’t deserve. And we certainly aren’t good enough to be considered friends of the God of the Universe!
16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
WE ARE CHOSEN BY GOD [Adopted], not only that but we are chosen to bear fruit!
17This is my command: Love each other.
A personal relationship is what God desires. Salvation is just the beginning. We mature as we abide in God and that relationship. It’s a complex but good process.
Even when the brokenness of our existence weighs on us the process is still good because when you get past that time you will be able to recognize God’s sovereignty in your life and how you were able to draw nearer to God in those rough times.

a real letter I really sent

2006-10-09T23:30:00.000-04:00

Dear Jered and Julie,
You may find it strange that I decided to send you a ‘Happy Birthday’ card rather than the traditional ‘Happy Anniversary’ card. But allow me to explain.
Three hundred, sixty five and one quarter days ago the two of you- Jered Murphy [JM] and Julie Anthony [JA] were joined together before God. Genesis 2:24 gives us reasoning:
“…and they shall become one flesh”.
Though I don’t quite understand the process, I must confess that it is a God idea and worth our contemplation.
But this would lead any good physics student to wonder if God follows the laws of conservation of energy and mass. Since we don’t know this vital information, from here on out we will be purely speculative. If we assume God follows the conservation of mass and energy then we are led to believe that He will take the individual spirits and bring them together to form something twice as large as original. This idea is illustrated by sewing two pieces of fabric together. They will either be twice as long or twice as thick. But we must consider the following equation:
1JM + 1JA = 2JMJA

Is the resultant 2JMJA volumetrically double the individual volumes of 1JM and 1JA? What significance does this volume have? Would the combination hinder the individual activity and is the combination as efficient as they would be if separate?
But the trouble with this equation is that it forms a resultant unity that changes the overall distribution of spiritual proportion before God.
Let us consider the following equation assuming God does not follow conservation laws:
1JM + 1JA = 1JMJA

We can clearly see that this equation does not follow the conservation of mass and energy laws. But what it does keep intact is the spiritual proportion before God of all His people. But if the two become one then we are led to think you become half of the resultant spirit. We would be wise to consider where the missing volume of spirit has gone but will not do so here. We may also wonder if the lost volume means a loss of any specific trait.
When you look at this latter equation you see that you could remain fully individual and yet fully comprised of the other as long as the volume occupied were the same. And of course we will ignore the Pauli Exclusion Principle from here on out. Then the entity and personality that exists is a homogenous fusion of Jered and Julie. Thusly we could consider them one before God neither defying mass and energy conservation nor volumetric differences. This would be similar to storing one box within another of same volume and mass.
Heretofore the creation before God is new. It is a spiritual creation that had not previously existed in the reality of God. It was a unity that was created one year ago. We now celebrate its first year of existence. Existence in the sense that it was planned by God but remained hidden from the eyes of men until it’s time had fully come.
And so, one year ago today a new creation was formed before God and men. A spiritual entity that God has bound together, blessed and nurtured. So for this reason I forsake saying a typical ‘Happy Anniversary’ and instead wish you a Happy Birthday!
Sincerely,
Dan Warriner

2006-08-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

Portrait of a Sunday
I went to Church at First Church. I introduced my good friend Jon to my girlfriend. It was a great sermon. I went to Scott and Erica’s to chat about jobs with Scott while Erica and Heather talked in the house. We went to Middletown for beads, and here is the interesting story... We walked around and went to Javapalooza. After deciding on our drinks, which t ook a long time because the menu is a bit different, I walked over to the pick up while Heath went to get straws. An older man, say late 30's, looked at me for a few seconds and as I made eye contact asked me “So, are you a doctor?” You see, I was wearing my Dr. Pepper T-shirt. I made a few friendly comments, one of which was "I'm not a doctor" and another was a question if he was. He said he was a photographer. Heather scooted up to me and tucked in to make sure he could see her. He didn't even look at her but instead focused squarely on me. I remarked on how Heather is an artist and I'm a physicist. I announced her by name for some reason so to even it out I said goodbye by introducing myself. He stood to shake my hand and I said nice to meet him. We speculated that he may have been hitting on me and that he may have been gay if, in fact, that was what he was doing.itting on me. I never know how to react in those situations. Was he really flirting with me or were his actions just creating a friendly but awkward atmosphere causing me to jump to this false conclusion? When we were walking out and I said how I am a Doctor...or maybe it was Heather... but it arose that I am Dr. Adventure, bringing fun and excitment to all those in need.
And think, we just went out for beads. Getting hit on was an added bonus. I dont even remember his name. But I'm glad he didnt ask me for my number.

2006-07-19T22:31:00.000-04:00

Hello, My name is Daniel.