I will bring fire to you

Frost coats the windshield

your hearts gone icy cold

snow paints the green field

All your loves grown old

I don't bear a winning sword

I bring a gift to renew

this is my one reward

I will bring fire to you

I run over plowed soil

my heart pounds within me

through trees where men toil

lighting dark melancholy

look east through morning dew

I will bring fire to you.

Propitiation

Is it I that Lucifer, chained down?

falling from Heaven, feeding the fruit.

I am Jabez, though my prayer unanswered.

I heard a scream, whispered.

My father pushed us from the tent.

I was left to die, a bastard in the bushes.

Sheol, only a breath away, I saw the light

where the water gushes.

I ran to Christ for a moments embrace.

soon I left Him without a trace...

simply not ready to say my way was wrong.

I was esteemed wisest of all, a harem 700 strong

I refused to see the writing on the wall

I did not see the hand at all.

Wrestled the angel, til' the break of day

Forced myself a single step away

Carefully I soaked sacred fleece

and I soaked the withered grass

as time it continued to pass.

Lights fell, I know where I was found,

not with Elijah, Obidiah or even Ahab

but the one who's blood was licked by hounds.

I ran from Sophia to a strangers hand

I praise this distant skin as I drain the brides blood

I found this god sun baked in a foreign land

I ran from Zion, O my soul weep, weep a flood!

Jonah was swallowed for turning His head.

Saphira, lied and God struck her dead.

I smear the ash and tear the cloth

I swallow the golden water and close my eyes.

I'll follow Joshua to the Canaan land

I now drink from the strem with my hands.

Jericho has finally crumbled down,

the water soaked altar is in fire drown.

Bought from this tyrant, by Hosea

Victory of Esther, voices praise YAH.

Paul sang praises as the earth it shook,

the willing perfect Lam is what it took.

Now erased, the writing on the wall.

The hand is Gone, as if it were never here at all.

In a time of strife, confusion and despair...

Save me o God,

For the waters have come up to my neck.

I am sinking deep in this mire

Here there is no place to stand

I find myself in deep waters

Where the floods overflow me

I am weary with my crying

My throat is dry.

My eyes fail me : I wait for my God.

Those who strive, within their cause

have driven thorns, so deep.

Though I have stolen nothing Here I am to restore it.

O god, you know my foolishness

and my sins are not hidden from you

O lord of Hosts, be ashamed because of Me;

shame has covered my face, and to many I become a stranger.

But as for me, my prayer is to You

O Lord in the acceptable time

O God in the multitude of your mercy

Hear me, in the truth of your salvation.

Deliver me from this mire, do not allow me to sink from your love.

Let not these flood waters overflow me;

nor the deep swallow me up.

And let not the pit shut its mouth on me.

For I am in grief, Hear me speedily, draw me to your soul, and redeem it.

(Let the heavens and the earth praise Him. The seas and everything that moves in them For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah that they may dwell there and possess it.)

Rockology

I have had an interest like most people in recorded music since middle school. In the past few years I have taken this interest and thought about, where has the music I listen to come from, what are the roots?

It was this question that has expanded my musical horizons in regards to what I listen to and such. I would read small bio's of bands I liked on wikipedia, this would often list the bands that had been inspiration and I would then read their wiki page. Eventually I wanted more what was the basis for this music. From this I did a brief sketch of its history. From what I could gather, it was from the bluesmen and the jazz cats that any whiff of rock and roll came from, this came to a head in a man, who called his act muddy waters. Of course at this time Elvis and buddy Holly were on the rise as well. From there was inspiration for the Rolling stones and The Who, of course, the beatles were to explode in america. This now into the sixties, has such giants on the American front such as Jimi hendrix and the Doors. From these came once again a giant from across the Atlantic, Led zeppelin. From the influence of Led zeppelin Rock changed its for completely, until billy idol and the sex pistols arrive killing all that was. This formed in an unknown way the small scene taht was to out grow itself in seattle, Grunge: Nirvana, soundgarden, pearl jam and others. This was the final volume of Rockology, since there have been minor breakthroughs, with metal, screamo thrash an acoustic revival.

These bands lay the basis for all modern rock, in these bands I have taken an interest, I have read bios of several of the bands to see what the motives were how they worked etc. Why there music was important even when it may not seem impressive today. Take a look at your music, who inspired them why do you like it?

Psalm 137, or By the streams in exile, or longing for the King who is at such a great distance. Or feelings of remorse when we turn away, or...

We sat by the waters flowing out in the distant, Babylon and wept as threw all our guitars , amps and ALL,

To the rapids, weeping for You and ALL, crying "GOD we've been carried from YOU!"

Our pregnant memories of praise we rested against the willows,

Those who took us away asked for a song, (one we sang for You)

Sullen eyes filled our faces as the Babylonian sail billows

How can I sing away from you? (this do not let me do!)

Fervently we pray not to forget Your call,

. . . next to the water of Babylon we threw away our, synths, tambourines and ALL. Crying and weeping for you, for ALL. . .

We recall You, oh, Lion.

We know what dwells in Zion.

We ditched all our odds and most of our ends to the willow trees and the swelling seas of Babylon.

But in memory as we would sing a psalm of Ascent in the shimmer of dawn,

God you had asked for ALL.

WE WANT THAT ROARING LION!

aspiring to Holy Zion.

Stripping down and piling clothes at the base of those willows,

Lord, we dove in the river, swimming back to give you ALL.

wanting, longing to leave the Babylonian sail that billows.

but God these waves are so tall!

at a rivers edge in Babylon, happened ALL.

(Shhhh, daughter of Babylon,

I hear the purring of Lion

but in this blood red dawn

He is roaring out from Zion...)

Slush, Snow, and Swiss Chalet

I was not walking on a beaten path, that is of course many people had walked this way before just not his evening. Two, I would say two people had walked this way in the last three or four hours, that was number of sets of prints in the slushy snow before me. The seemingly all powerful weather system forced me to keep me head bent down chastising me with stinging hail if I raised my eyes to look longingly at the horizon. I continued walking and soon the hail ceased giving away to merely a driving rain. In this new found grace I was able to enjoy the walk a little more although slowly began to feel the consequences of wearing my Chuck Taylors on such a day. I jammed with my headphones blasting red hot chili peppers into my ears which helped greatly to take my mind off of the current situation and was able to make it back to my comfy dorm room.

This was all on the way back from Swiss Chalet, I was not out for a late evening meal a forty minute hike away but rather this past week I was blessed with the employment at this restaurant. Not too surprising this Swiss Chalet is quite different from the one back in Simcoe, with complete different quantities and styles of service. So here I am submitting to people telling me how to the most mundane tasks I have been doing for five years and also being assumed to know where everything is and how it all works in minute detail in this foreign building with its own oddities as a franchise. Non-the-less here I am employed and provided with an opportunity for exercise walkign to and from work.

This week I also read the motorcycle Diaries a story of Che and Alberto leaving Argentine and traveling north toward North america. On the journey they undergo some hardship including the breaking down of the motorcycle but witness much worse hardship, the most heartbreaking to Che and Alberto was the poor conditions found in some of the hospitals that were visited having not enough room of instruments to treat those in dire need of medical attention. Next to this was the mines, south america is very rich in mineral resources and the system is set up so that the poorest of the peoples move to the mines to work for pennies which would sustain them until they almost certainly perish from the conditions of the mines. it was from these events that Che gained his inspiration. I did not realize this at first but the Che in the motorcycle diaries is the Che Guevara who led the revolution in Cuba, along with Fidel Castro. Now Growing up in a capitalist country the communists are often pushed aside from view as being the bad guys but looking into the heart of Che can be seen what it is he was fighting for, while we can simply see socialism or communism is a system that establishes a few at the cost of many, it was Che who saw captialism doing this to the people in south America, this was caused often from the decisions from leaders put in place through USA backed coups (especially where they had holdings on the mines that yielded high paying results.

In the end the system that Che helped set up failed, and can be seen by the poverty in Cuba today but what he desired was a land of equality of sharing the load, Che perhaps is not the villain he is made out to be. Is capitalism the right way since the more powerful countries ascribe to it?

Sunshine

I started to feel a shortness of breath as I began to take the concrete steps two at a time, heading up the lighthouse steps, realizing I had descended to far when I noticed an Icon of Jesus healing the centurions servant on the wall to the right. I didn't have to go too badly but I wanted to find the washroom that was "I believe on the 7th floor" of the lighthouse, according to our questionable tour guide who had imparted this knowledge to me while we were at the top level. I finally found it, nestled in an unassuming corner that I had mistaken for an electrical room as I had been descending. I did my business in the somewhat questionable washroom and began heading up once again, at more of a calm pace (partly because I did want to enter where the rest of the group was huffing and puffing) Light filled the spiraling staircase from large winding in the lighthouse allowing sunshine to spill in and illuminate the Gold-leaf Icons on the outside wall of the stair well. There was at least fifty Icons that began with the birth of John the baptist on the first floor of the light house and ended with an icon of the new heavens and new earth in the pinnacle of the light house. It was an interesting experience walking upwards seeing an iconic expression of Christs ministry and seeing the landscape from the top floor of a light house. After this we road down on a cramped elevator and went into the sanctuary of the Church to see all the eastern design, a memorable experience of other traditions in the faith.

Reading break and birthday.

It has been awhile since I have posted, I have been doing many wonderful exciting things in this time off of the blogosphere. This past week was my reading week and went to Melissa's home in Haddo Ontario, for those who are not experts in the location of tiny communities consisting of 10 houses this is about 1 hour from Ottawa and 15 minutes from the St. Lawrence seaway. We arrived there on Saturday, and spent the evening chatting with her parents, who are helping with a church plant and turns out that the bass player was MIA that week so I was able to fill in! That was exciting being able to play in their church that is held in the gymnasium of a small public school (they graduated from the library). Through the week we spent time adventuring there 80 acres, feeding horses, and watching it snow. I was able to get sic pages into my theology paper, one highlight would be when we went to Ottawa to visit Melissa's sister, and we visited the National Gallery, I had been once before but had forgotten how amazing some of the art was and of course there are new exhibits (I saw a Van gogh and a Monet). That night I was also able to visit my brother who attends a college not far from Melissa's house, he told me about an illegal hamster he keeps in his dorm room which he named "Artorious Voldemort Prime".

Back to School, Sunday was the big hockey game which seemed as if it would have been impossible to avoid hearing about, which of course was a great point of interest even for those who do not know what a Power Play is. This was followed happily by my simple birthday celebration which was 6 friends and I going out for dinner.

Monday was may actual birthday, I had several people purchase coffee for me, and I was lucky enough to find a few Cd's in the thrift store across the road which were worth buying, For eight dollars I got Smashing pumpkins and Jason Mraz, (Who doesn't like 'i'm yours'?), That night for Care group my whole floor and one of the girls floors went to a place called Mount. Trashmore for an evening of sledding. It was astounding standing at the top of the mountain above the city skyline and witness the flour-incandescent lights below rival the stars and moon in the heavens above, then without proper warning flying down that mountain on a plastic mattress loaded with 20 people briefly considering whether or not last rites was a doctrine that could have been afforded more consideration.

When on my way back to school with Melissa, on the train, I had to return a call I had received to Swiss Chalet, in Kitchener. It was to confirm an interview, which I had yesterday, and can I say, "Nailed IT!" well I was hopeful that I would as I have much experience in a Swiss Kitchen, it was refreshing to discover that the Manager seemed to consider the fact I was in Bible school as equal credibility towards the Job as my experience in a Kitchen. With that I leave this vague spotting post to the readers to do with as they wish.... or whatever.

Orthodox

On Friday morning I went on a field trip with my history of worship class to an Antiochian Orthodox church. This was a great experience , I was exposed to a different form of worship that I have never experienced before. We entered into the church by a doorway from the parking area and entered into a room with tiled floor and tiled ceiling with fluorescent lights humming to brighten it up. Our professor went upstairs to find the priest who was named Father Christopher and he shortly came down, He was dressed in a long black robe with a black cap that bore a small red cross. At first I wasn't sure what to think but he interjected any thoughts that those of us in our group may have been formulating in regards to the unfamiliar situation by saying,: "Well I don't know about you but I can't think straight with a cup of coffee in me." with that he turned to the small kitchenette that was off to the side and began making a pot of coffee while offering us any if we would like.

After this we sat down in the entry way to the church sipping coffee and he began to give us the scoop on Orthodox Christianity. For a faith that in movies often is represented scantily and in strange scenarios I was unsure what to expect. I knew some of the ontological implications from church history readings and I understood the basics of the theotokos belief but was in a listening mood as I knew there was much more I was ignorant of.

From this time sitting and speaking (mostly listening) with Father Christopher We learned some of the basics of the Orthodox church. The Church holds to all of the early creeds, the canon of scripture and recognizes the church fathers, that western churches do. Interpretation differed in some areas, for example the Writer Augustine while largely accepted in the western church is not held in such high esteem in the eastern church, I think this may be due to Augustine using Platonic argument while the eastern church held more to Aristotles formulas.

After this we were shown the worship sanctuary, differing was the presence of Icons for saints along with relics, contrary to some belief the saints are not worshiped. Everything that the devout Orthodox does in a day is blessed, several times Father Christopher paused to whisper a prayer over whateever he was doing, This as well being a difference. In the west everything in our church is very intellectualized, a strong example could be the Suma Theologica written by Aquinas, to current debate on theological aspects. The Orthodox church recognizes mysteries as often not worth attempting to discern as putting labels to all of God would be demeaning to Him.

Refreshing to see was in the root of the faith, that is their, belief on salvation was similar to the west, Believing salvation is by faith in Jesus through his sacrificial Substitution. The orthodox church has some good things to say, and we should have the courtesy to listen. While our belief's are set and we believe them there is no harm in taking a new perspective for a while, how else will you test you theology?

Yurt

Like most sane people, I have a dream. I want to one day live on a piece of property about 20-30 acres in the country with a bush lot. I want to grow most of my food in a hand tilled garden, I want to have a wind tower to supply all my power. I want to work as a self supported missionary, in northern Canada. And something that I have recently added to my dream is something that may seem a little odd. The contraption is called a yurt, when I first heard of them I only knew them as a thing taht Attila the Hun had lived in, but it is a legit living space here in Canada. The yurt is a circular structure that can be moved ina few days if the mood takes you, can be added to for additional size, as more children come along. and serves as a house does. Of course to accomplish living in one of these one must do away with things that are not needed for living. Well one can dream anyhow.

Here as an image of the inside of a yurt.

Job

This week in chapel one of my Professors, Olu Peters is preaching on then book of Job. This is significant as through the last year he has been on a road of recovery from a stroke that hit him suddenly and stripped him of many normal functions. Before the stroke he would run 10 kms several times a week, he had a PHD in theology and taught several classes at the college. After the stroke he had to be driven to cognitive testing sessions and be coached to walk.

He is very humble in saying that his experience in no way can grasp the suffering that was felt by Job but was drawn and directs others to find solace in the life of Job. When our world is upside down, we can find how to live right-side up.

Bass

Today was a full day, Bible study, chapel, class. But by far the zenith of my interest today was in my relationship with Ash. Ash is my bass guitar which is fittingly made out of ash and walnut. Ash has five strings that I change every few months, Ash has five knobs adjusting, gain, volume, volume bridge, lowend depth and the scoop. I play Ash with a hand wrought hemp strap, a piece of deer hide bearing the mark of the turtle clan tied about the long horn on its body and a strip of purple ribbon tied just below the chrome tuning pegs.

Over the past year I have grown to know ash better and better, exploring the different positions to sit in, the different dances we can do. The mystery of notes beyond an 8 step octave have been dabbled in, the slap of funk, the tap of classical music. Yet all of these were changed somewhat today.

There is one disadvantage a bass player has while jamming with a group, when a vocalist decides that a particular key is not comfortable they can change it and the guitarists throw a capo on the neck of there axes but the bass player rarely uses a capo thus comes the need to transpose on the go. Today in chapel two songs were in the key of A a comfortable key with lots of possibilities, but the vocalist had a hard time in the chorus, so the key was changed to F there goes the key of A so I slowly figured out how to play in F. Soon enough F wasn't working it was a little to low so F# must be the key. I can't think of any worship music in F# but we played through and I noticed none of my noted sounded right the second time through, on to G! Well thankfully I settled down into the key of G and did manage a few bass lines, transposing from A and trying to remember to play in G.

As exciting as transposing can be that was not the interesting part. The second set we played after Olu Peters delivered a message on the 1st chapter of Job. This song was called faithful one, a song I had played for the first time this morning. When the band and I went up the the stage instead of standing with my Bass as usual I sat on a chair rested the butt of the bass on my left foot and with a violin bow played my bass like one would a cello. The electric bass played with a bow sounds amazing as I was to discover. Wow the endless possibilities. There is one drawback because of the strings being level and not staggered as they are on a violin or cello you are only able to play 2 strings properly so this should only be done with simpler songs. Well, have to get on with some homework.

Grebel!

Yesterday, My friend Trevor came to visit from Waterloo, where he lives in Dorm at Conrad Grebel. We had a good time together, catching up on different things and discussing our experiences of college. It was a good time to see a friend to reflect on our friendship in the past and currently, how we have both matured in ways and hold ourselves in arrested development in some areas. In some ways we are both the same person who met the other on a bus in the fourth grade, and others we have both developed to being the college students we are, seeking to set wrongs right, having a kindred spirit of justice and interests. In spite of some differences we are still friends which is awesome, yesterday we went to his dorm at grebel and he was reminded a project he had to do and got to work in his clear thinking, get the job done sort of way, and I was very distracting by cracking jokes. I'm hazarding a suggestion that both of these personalities may have helped him get the thing going.

Regardless it was a good time to see an old friend.

The Grist Mill

Last night, Nathan, Tim Stanley and I headed down to Waterloo for a concert. The folks playing I had not heard of since a few weeks beforehand but listened to a few tracks leading up to the show. We parked several blocks away from the mill, which in reality is a wooden barn, that has fluorescent lighting.

And we walked through the cold night air to the venue, when we arrived there was a number scrawled on our wrists to verify us as paying guests. We stood in the middle off the barn while in the corner different bands and artists did there sound checks, right in front of us. Slowly more and more people trickled into the barn. It was no tlong before noticing we were the only people who were wearing ski jackets, everyone else had on leather jackets or Fleece coats, mostly of a darker gradient. There the three of us are, standing in a circle in the middle wearing bright ski jackets, wearing glasses that were not after the Buddy Holly tradition surrounded by the purists of the music scene. Or so one may be impressed.

Into the act of the first artist, a local guy named Adam CZ, who slammed an acoustic and bellowed out lyrics of youthful confusion and unsure desires, the barn really started to warm up so we decided to ditch the sore thumbness of our outfits and partially assimilate into the crowd by having now exposed the ever popular plaid, baggy t-shirts and solid colours of our Shirts. Finally not to be held apart in the seemingly shrinking barn.

Whipping into the barn as Adam finished was the trio Lemuria who whipped through several songs, while still out of breath because having just arrived. , Lemuria was followed by the Cavaliers, who played huge instrumentals and intimate lyrics. The one notable aspect of this performance I believe was the Bass player who was very jumped up on something the way he smiled and dance around. Overall this band was a good surprise in having very good music.

Imagine heading to the deep south, going to he back woods, digging a hole to reach strata of past generations, compiling all the history of deep southness, sweat &blood, and sunburnt necks, than adding a spark of life to this pile of dust, the result would be Tim Berry .The guy killing his guitar and voice, wailing about life experiences he has had and advising the youth at the show was something to remember. Musically I think he killed the show, build, build, than downward spiral and a thirty something hick swearing by Whisky and caloussed hands played three chord epics of southern life and personal conviction.

Lastly Chuck Ragan accompanied by a talented Floridian on Violin, played out the house.

"We are the ones who carry the guns

to faraway lands with the blackened sun.."

Both lyrically and musically Chuck showed Waterloo in a little barn what music is, denouncing the huge industry and playing from his heart. There was full sound with his acoustic riffs, harmonica solos and Violin ringing. Over all a good show, regardless of the south pushing north.

Also, I reached into my pocket and my wallet was covered in gum from a piece of gum I had put there earlier in the day wrapped in tissue. You can't win them all.

River Day!

Three pounds of Jujubes, A container of coolwhip (No Name) 10 packs of Jello, 2 packages of plastic sea animals, 1 plastic pirate ship, 2 pizza boxes and 4 garbage bags.

Now you be asking "WHAT?" but this is simply a list of the things I encountered within my first hour of being awake today. At seven in the morning Tim, Heather and I met in the common area and put together the fabled river for appointed river day. As soon as we were finished putting it all together. We ran over to the campus centre where we had our 7:30 bible study.

Today was my day to lead the study, it was a longer chapter (10) and had a lot of information, as we read it and I verbalized my exegete of the passage I found myself having to stop and catch my breath. There was an image of the Assyrian world force in the chapter that was very interesting, It was the idea of Assyria (the only super power in the world at the time) being only a hatchet being wielded by YHWH as a tool, and the problems that would occur if the hatchet turned against the one who wields it. Too bad the Assyrian king did not get the memo that YHWH is not just an idol like the Egyptian gods.

Of course when we were finished the study the group of us headed into the building for the unveiling. I htink Melissa enjoyed the finished product!

Insulin

So there I was standing in front of the urinal in the community centre for the second time when I realized I had forgotten to take my insulin that morning, I quickly ran my fingers over the pockets of my pants and patted the pockets in my jacket : Pen, Ipod, Lifesavers, folded paper--No insulin!!!

There was nothing to be done but to return to our warm ups, with the ministry team Aspire from EBC we were Visiting the Pathway Brethren In Christ Church (Held in the priorly mentioned community centre), currently warming up hands to play instruments and lungs to sing songs. I glanced at the clock and it read a meagre 9 a.m. three hours until the end of the service and the chance of an 8 mm syringe to pierce my skin, releasing multiple cc's of insulin into my bloodstream allowing my bladder to cease its evacuation plan and my muscles to relax. I whispered a prayer that God would grant me the grace of being able to bear the symptoms of hyper glucoma for the meantime. Regardless of this thorn in my side, and the acoustics of the room being appalling the group was able to get through all of our songs!

It was my week (on a rotation) to share my testimony, due to my current situation I slipped in a ,mention of my Diabetes and how these negative things in our lives can be used to the Lords will and Glory. Often times I don't let all know that I am diabetic because many people, when realizing that one is diabetic feel it is the Lords will for them to be a diabetes Police officer scrutinizing your diet and health. Today was an exception to this rule of thumb I hold. Wouldn't you know after ward someone thanks me for mentioning that aspect in my testimony because they were undergoing a situation that related! Regardless I was very relieved when I was able to screw the syringe onto the vial, prime the cannister and plunge the needle into my arm, awwwwe.

Some forgotten evening in early January I promised Melissa I would build her a river on February first, so this afternoon Tim and I went to gather supplies for this mystery river that (I hope) will be presented tomorrow to Melissa who's last guess was a cardboard box filled with water. We shall see. It has just crossed my mind to some how incorporate our fish, I don't think it would work though.

Ah, yes our fish! Tim has a bluish Beta Named Brom taken from the Eragon trilogy, Melissa has a red Beta named Hernando I guess its a Mexican name possibly taken from her sojourn to Mexico last fall. Heather has a Beta Named Kooks after I have no Idea, I know this word from elementary school potty humour so I laughed when I first heard it but apparently that is unique to Norfolk slang, Lastly my skittish beta, who lives in an old glass peanut butter jar, named Augustine, after my favourite historical figure. Well I have to go to the wash room (Maybe I need some insulin:) .

Hezekiah Zombie Sonata

There once was a man, who had an appointment with his doctor that was the kind that no one wants to have. The news was not any good, the report was that the man would soon die. At this news he went into his house and turned from the world facing one of the walls in the home, in this posture he wept and prayed to God, realizing that only He could alter the future, only he had the power to change. After this day God allowed King Hezekiah to live fifteen years longer. There times when I am confronted with something in my life that I cannot change, sin in my life, I cannot take it away, Obstacles larger than my will, The decisions of other people, disease and tragedy. In times such as these I turn my face to the wall and give up myself crying out to the one who has the power to change.

Of course after the miracle of Hezekiah he sinned against God, which I feel I will as well.

Saturdays are the misfits of the weeks in the year. It is the day that I sleep in later waking up at some double digit time and start the day at a snails pace. Some time this morning, Tim Melissa and I went down to the local Tim Hortons for a little pick me up. Upon entering the building I saw the line was rather long, it included a Pastor from a local church who always go for the "hip" look (Like most youth pastors) several older men who are likely having an early lunch having eaten breakfast at some ungodly hour of the morning and, a few teenagers flicking zippos on and off. Tim and Melissa marched me forward regardless of my pessimism regarding the line up. In mere minues later we were rewarded with hot beverages and rather interesting conversation.

Imagine having a widows peak on your house in the country, only instead of the plain wooden railing in a square shape you had a ladder leading up to a Tie Fighter mounted on a pivoting platform! That would be awesome, you could sit in the cockpit and see all the surrounding landscape, Tim suggested having a great computer setup there, to play Video games that possibly include zombie apocalypse while yourself being in the best location, ready for take off just in case a real zombie out break occurs!

Apart from homework this afternoon I took out my old bass guitar and slogged away at learning moonlight sonata, just going to say this once, it is much harder on the bass guitar than on the piano. yes well time to roll on to the harder music I suppose. Today was relatively quite, with alot of our friends having gone for the weekend, but in school quiet weekends are productive ones. Good thing I don't have pole mounted Tie fighter, there would never be weekend I wasn't out trying to hunt down and crush the rebellion.

Eating arms and carrying futons.

Its on rather chilly days such as today that the alarm at 6:30 seems rather uninviting. Regardless though I rose from my bed. In the last two weeks I have had the joy of waking up at this time to join my bible study group for 7:30, three days a week, we have been working our way through the book of Isaiah and I must say it has been a learning experience. While I have read the book in the past I have never slowly studied the content as we are doing in a group.

Today, we read the Ninth chapter and I was reading from the NKJV which translated one section of the passage that Manasseh ans Ephraim would eat the flesh from their arms! This was clarified in the NIV as to mean that the offspring would be devoured, I am glad that there were other there to help through this. Of course this followed with more than one person attempting to take chunks out of their own or a neighbours forearm. Certainly all of the tricky aspects and ominous doom in the chapter was wrapped about the promise of the Prince of Peace.

Conveniently there is a Thrift store across the road from the college where a few days ago I noticed a killer futon with a wooden frame. When Melissa heard this she was interested and so after lunch today with a group we headed over to check things out. Needless to say twenty minutes later six college students could be seen carrying a wooden frame and a rather large mattress across Fergus street to a dorm building. O, those college students.

Well six is coming on fast and i must leave for youth shortly, tonight we are focussing on the ten commandments and the need of obedience to them as well as the commandments or rules that parents lay down. To get the point across I love using dynamic teaching styles, So along with Kristy we will be having the junior youth play human checkers. Of course the thought of them co-operating with it is a hard one to believe. O, those junior youth.

Nature of Atonement

This being mt first post on my third blog, I want to set the stage. This first post perhaps will be a lens to interpret other writing through, a small examination of atonement. Atonement that I have experienced and appreciate. While I by no means plan on continually commenting on theological writings and concepts it may be important to see the deepest part of a person and there convictions before taking part in the reading of light hearted reading of articles. Now without further delay, a short survey of atonement as I comprehend it.

Why Atonement?

When Adam committed the sin of disobedience to God humanity fell. When Adam chose sin to be his master in place of God he would pass his master to his children and so on. Each person is born with the guilt of sin, an inherit sin from Adam. This of course is the base for all the sin that is committed in everyones lives. In this condition we are guilty and if justice was to be served to us in this condition we would be granted nothing lighter than damnation. (Romans 6:23) Now God is sovereign and did have the power to pardon all of there sin as perhaps some liberal universalist theologians may suggest but to work according to His own nature and set the example. If death is the just result of our condition only death could deliver us. it is here that Sacrifice comes into role.

Sacrifice

Under the mosaic covenant Jewish Priests offered sacrifices daily to cover the sins of the people but Jesus offered a better sacrifice than they priests could offer, the blood of animals could not remit the sins of man. But Jesus offers himself, the perfect sacrifice for sin and as the sin in the old covenant was put upon an animal that was offered so was all sin put on Christ. The difference being that with Christ his single offering was enough for all time.

Substitution

As it was our punishment to death it was Christ who bore the punishment. It is our place to have to die and be punished for our sin but Christ stood in our place of punishment for us. Ultimately the innocent took the guilt of the guilty. Apart from the reality of Christs substitution there is no way to God.

Propitiation

The punishment that sinners would have had to bear would have been from the wrath of God. This isn't a hot rage but a Holy considerate justice that needs to be met. When Jesus became the substitute he also became the propitiation, that is the full measure that Gods holy wrath called for. Jesus became what was needed to appease the Wrath of God. To do this it was as if as Christ was dying he became the greatest sinner and bore death as a sinner, death without hope, with the sting.

Reconciliation

By this work of Christ we are at peace with God without wrath directed towards us, if it is accepted. We are no longer at enmity with God.

Lastly

While Jesus was fully God he was also Fully Human. He lived in a way to set the moral example, he set the new humanity apart from the one that Adam blemished, one that can be entered through his atonement. And we are called to follow Him.