A Renaissance Man Wannabe

A legacy

2011-06-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching a mini-series on the Kennedy Family that primarily follows John but encompasses all the major events from his Dad and later his brother Bobby.Kennedy family was flawed in many ways and great in other ways. At the end I started to reflect on what kind of a legacy they left behind.then I began to think on my own families legacy.

My Grandparents are from the greatest generation and just so happen to be the greatest grandparents any grandson could have. They are creating a legacy for me to follow in that I am honored and humbled to have in front of me. They have a marriage of almost 61 years and have followed God in there everyday life just as simple followers of Jesus. My granddad served in WWII and is even a greater hero for playing catch with me in the front yard. While even in his 60s and 70s still crouching down in a catchers stance while I pitched him the ball on a warm Saturday afternoon. My grandma no matter how her health was still wanting to do our Laundry. My Grandad after the service worked the same job and retired and made very smart decisions with his money and has blessed our entire family because of his work and ability to honorably handle money.
I want to continue their legacy that they are still creating.

My mom and dad have been married for almost 30 years this November. My Mom and dad both have their masters. My dad has even changed careers many times and gotten more education to work in teaching. My mom has taught for over 30 years in elementary age groups and I have always heard from her students that she was one of their best teachers. I remember fun family vacations to the beach or the mountains and always knew I had security in their marriage and in their love. My mom would pray with me almost every night when I was little or read me Bible stories before bed. My dad would read devotionals before dinner and showed me how to appreciate Christmas lights when I was just ready to get home.They were at all my Baseball games and football games. I still enjoy discussions with my Dad on what I should do in ministry or even is trying to attain an Masters. I want to continue their legacy they are still creating.

So what I kind of legacy do I want to leave ? Pretty much everything above sums up what I wish and hope to become one day. I want to accomplish my masters to leave behind the value of a education. It will be in Bible which the world may say is myth or even churches say is unnecessary to teach the Gospel but I accomplish that to leave behind a legacy of not following the crowd or getting something the world would value.I want have the kind of marriage of both my grandparents and my parents combined that my future children can have peace in know me and Danyel Love each other. I want to raise kids rooted in Love, prayer and the Bible, giving them an example on how to live and when they ask why sharing with them cause Jesus first Loved us and that's why we follow him.
I want to leave a legacy.

My End of the World Prediction.....

2011-05-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

How would we live if God truly told us the day " the world was going to end"? Maybe there is a reason God does not want us to know ? People are always searching for codes, mathematical equations or signs in their Alphabets cereal for Jesus's return. Jesus said only father knows the day and the hour. Jesus was not going to tell the men on earth he was closet too for those three years ,who would eventually die for him, why would he tell us? Could we handle that kind of information?

When Jesus was about to leave Earth his apostles who still did not understand everything ask Acts1⁶ "Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
They had missed the point that Jesus was not going to establish a physical Kingdom on Earth and overthrow the Romans ( which the Messiah according to Jews was suppose to do.)I think many people are still looking into the sky or waiting for a physical kingdom.

Many people have missed the point its not about taking Revelation one way or the other Interpreting the signs that will reveal when Jesus return or even being afraid. For the Kingdom of God is here and now. People are so afraid of missing Jesus second return but what about missing the Jesus on the side of the road or in front of them ?

I have simplified my view of Eschatology: Jesus will come back,Live for the Kingdom here , now and the future. It does not matter if there is a "rapture" or interpretations of when the end of the world happens.
I hope that I will be a "virgin with lamp oil" waiting for the bridegroom return but I think our focus must always be finding Jesus and the Kingdom here on earth first and in the hearts of those who do not know they have freedom and a community that accepts them.

Denominations

2011-05-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Its hard to imagine "The Church" with out thinking, what kind of church ? Do they believe this way or do they do things like that ? Are they high church or contemporary? No one can remember a time or really get a true sense of what it was like without the presence of denominations .

When people start talking about their church they go to they mention Church of Christ , Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Non- Denominational , Assemblies of God , or the countless others that are out there. It comes loaded with what that person has heard , saw someone else experience or heard of some pop or rock star who is far away from any resemblance of morality whose dad was a preacher of that denomination.

Then the debate comes up if denominations are good or bad? Some say they are good cause everyone is different . Some say they are bad cause they divide what is not meant to be divided. It does not really matter, because we have to wrestle with them.

A funny irony is when someone wants to unite the church and remove denominations from the equation. They then run off and usually create a denomination. Then have some type of rules or expression that makes sure you know they are not a denomination.

So how do we deal with denominations ? And what do you if you are looking for a church but you have grown up only one type of denomination ? Well I have come up with principles that I live by and that have shaped my church experiences when I have had to transition from one place to the other .

1. Do they believe the basics ? -Jesus died and was resurrected. That because of Jesus's death sin is removed and the gap that separated us from God is no longer there when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Do they believe in Water Baptism?Communion at least once a month or every week if your lucky? Do they believe that the Holy Spirit is alive and active? Do they believe that they are meant to do Gods work where they are planted and out in the world ?

2. Worship- This is where the debate gets difficult but I have thought about it and people need to learn something. Worship flows out of the heart and if your heart is criticizing...... Maybe its not the drums are too load or the girl singing is pushing her note way to high and is way out of key. It should not matter (do not worry I have to let go of theses things too) what type of worship. A lot of times people want an emotional experience from the band and atmosphere and yes you can ! But can you have that same experience in the complete quiet with just your thoughts and God? Is their a communal and flowing of worship and Love from your heart?

Sometimes you must let go of your ideals of what you think a good worship service is and be more flexible. Examine your self and see if worship is flowing out of the heart. If so you can learn to be in any time of environment or style of church service and be able to come face to face with a Powerful and Loving God. Just get out of the way and let God be in control.

3. Leadership- Follow the leadership. This is always the hardest cause our current generations, including me, have a very tough time following leadership. We are skeptics. We want to look for reasons to rebel or why we should not humble our selves and follow them. I am not saying be blind to corruption or true heresy ( not your opinion but true anti biblical teachings). If you have true God given grounds , then go talk to them about it face to face, or even if you just want clarification or discussion. Do not start a revolt or just leave.But follow their lead and do what they say. But do not get caught up in what type of hierarchies or boards or deacons or elders etc. Is there Godly leadership? That is trying to live out the Gospel ? Then follow and get to know them , you may see their heart.

4. Fruit - This is the final and most important point .Matthew 7:16-20 talks about bearing good fruit and by that you will recognize them. Are they doing Kingdom work ? Taking care of orphans and widows ? Not rejecting anyone and loving sinners. You will reconize Gods workings by the fruit that anything is bearing.

Those are things that I believe if you can get a good understanding you can fit it most protestant denominations. Cause a lot of times what you grew up as is not where you end up for whatever reason. Also we must work together as one Church body to reach this world. In spirit and in truth, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

4 Keys to Propering

2011-03-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

I listened to Robert Morris's sermon from Sunday online at work today. It was:

4 Keys to Prospering ( Not Health and Wealth Gospel)
- Prospering meaning Pushed Forward
-Following Life of Joseph in Potiphers House
1. Practice Pressence of the Lord
2. Practice Obidence in the Lord
3.Key to Obedience is Faith
4. Hearing the Word

Thought it was a Good sermon. Look it up at www.gatewaypeople.com/sermons.

Rob Bell's Love Wins

2011-03-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

It makes good questions about our current concepts of apologetics and theology. It’s not really Universalists but it does get you thinking about how we sometimes send people to hell. Do we really know who goes and who doesn’t? And really how much does the bible speak on heaven in hell and what does it really mean when they do? It raises a lot of good thoughts and questions. And it’s not heresy.

Be careful when reading that you are not taking his talking about others thoughts as his answers. His actual thoughts are very short. He does a horrible Job of tearing through all this theology and apologetics without any footnotes or sources. He does use the Greek and Hebrew a lot but I think if you are tackling those topics he needs to make one copy with footnotes and research. Cause if I were to write a paper like that in school I would be given a 0 for plagiarism cause he makes no references. But it’s an overall decent book. It gets you thinking about the here and now and how is the Gospel being portrayed are we sharing the real Jesus or our version of Jesus.

Youth Ministry

2011-02-24T12:47:00.001-08:00

So finally understand the concepts of why I was at Ft Sill and what God was trying to teach me through my not so fun job. I am going to go back in youth ministry and was never able to learn good admin skills that really help a youth minister stay on top. So after the last year and still being overwhelmed by a data entry accounting job dealing with business of church and the army, youth ministry business will be easy comparatively which will be a blessing and Supplement my other gifts.

When I decided to go back in the direction of ministry full time I have a greater peace even with in my current job and what I can learn and apply in youth ministry. Also God provided in an area of my beautiful wife who is the complete opposite in giftedness than me but has felt the call to ministry for a long time. We did not realize this until recently and now it’s amazing to step back and seen what God has done and is still doing over these last several years.

It most likely means in a year we will have to move to where ever the church that God will open the doors for us. I am trying to be open to wherever God is calling but trying to stay within the Texas Oklahoma area. But we will walk by faith and it will be a stretching time for Danyel because she has never had to leave home. I on the other hand have been a Nomad for the last 8 years. But we will trust in God that he will provide every need and open or shut every door.

Its been awhile...Things have changed since my last Post

2011-01-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

Things that have changed:

*Not gonna stay in the army. I have one year left and getting out.

* Starting on my masters at Cameron University in Behavorial Science

* Bought a house

* Two new Dogs

* And the Most amazing , beautiful and talented Wife in the World.

Change is good : ) Praise Jesus !

True Relationships

2010-02-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

If we are in true relationship with God, does he have the fear of us breaking up with him? We have done it before in the garden. Israel, Gods chosen people in the Old Testament, has served other gods before or their own whines and complaints. In relationship you hear different women and men talk about how they just have a fear of the other person breaking up with them or finding something wrong with them. Maybe even they have been hurt or been hurt in the past. They might even feel a sense of regret at past relationships and ask why they deserve this new amazing person. People will fail and hurt you. How many times you think Gods heart has been broken over not so much our action of sin but rather running away or in essence breaking up with him?
The one thing we must remind ourselves and the book of Hosea completely illustrates this is no matter how many times we run away from God he will always take us back. That God will never break it off with us or find something wrong and say, “nope I am done with you, never come back.” We see the prodigal son or the search for the one lost sheep. We serve a God that chases us. It’s just a matter if we keep running from him. And he accepts us back unconditionally and is there even when we break his heart again.
Could you imagine a boyfriend-girlfriend /husband-wife relationship that looked like our relationship with God? Cause even in those relationships we have fear of being hurt or being rejected but we put ourselves on the line hoping that this person will return our affections and be committed to us. If we do these relationships on our own power we will fail. We will resemble all our bad and past experiences with parents, Exs, or friends. We must be committed to God first and bring our fears of rejection and hurt to the only thing that cannot reject us when we come to Him. We must allow God to show us his commitment to us and then do the same within our relationships. That is why we cannot be with unequally yoked people they have no true concept of Love and commitment. That is why many Christians break up is they get past the feelings, lack commitment and never learned that from God. Or they chose someone that never learned or understood the teaching or testing from God about commitment. Why do you think God hates divorce so much? It goes against everything he is as God. He is beyond Human compare but is the example of true love and covenant in our lives and in our relationships.

Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7-8

Invictus

2009-12-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

7 Habits Mission Statment

2009-11-16T16:48:00.001-08:00

My Chaplain got me into a & Habits of Highly effective people class to be able to teach the 7 habits . Here is my Mission statement I created for me.

I Will do my best to live in the confession : Jesus is Lord.

I Will always work for the Kingdom of God.

I Will act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

I Will Love my neighbor as myself.

I Will make disciples baptizing in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I Will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight.

I Will strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.

I Will lead from the front with humility.

Let me know your thoughts or good editing advice.

Officer Candidate School Packet

2009-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

So I have finished my packet. After months of trying to get recommendations and figuring out all the paper work, from my end it is complete. I just have to do a few edits and turn it in and my paperwork portion is done. Next it goes to a board, then they interview me and I write a one page paper on " Why I want to be an Officer."Then if the board of officers give me a stamp of approval it goes to the two star general of FT Sill.Then if he sings off on it, my packet goes on to PERSCOM and if they approve its off to Officer Candidate School. So its still got a ways to go but its nice to have this first step out of the way.

I had almost gave up on it being so difficult with paperwork, getting recommendations written from the two CPTs one MAJ and a COL ( the saying they would write them was the easy part but getting them in my hand took some time and a lot of reminding). But one day at PT we had finished running and my commander (CAPT Clark of the 40Th MPs) came up to me and asked how my packet was coming. I told him i was just about ready to give up cause i could not figure things out or get the recommendations finished or even no where to send it. He encouraged me to continue to work at it and that i should ask our XO ( executive officer ) cause she had done OCS. Since then she has helped me a ton and so has my 1SG ( First Sergeant).

So now on to the stuff that is really out of my hands and I could really use your prayers.

Airborne Airborne Infantry ! That is what I want to be!

Near Future Job Pursuits

2009-04-29T10:54:00.001-07:00

I have a newer focus on what I want to do with my life. I will try my hardest to get into OCS and be come an officer.

From there I would like to pursue my passion of education and helping the young adult. I want to start out teaching history, Poly Sci , Eco or just anything I can on a high school level and maybe even coach some. Then at some point i want to be a high school principal.

I think as a army officer the most effective role from commander of military to "commander" of a school.

I want to see young adults grow and to accomplish great things. And after the army I would like to do all of this with in Katy isd.

I need to get in OCS and I need to get my masters so it will take some work. But its nice to have a focused Goal that I am passioned about.

Why I Want to be a Renaissance Man

2009-04-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

After awhile of not blogging I am back.........I just have way to many thoughts, opinions and stories that my friends are starting to get tired of them.Much has changed since I last wrote a blog. I am now a soldier in the US Army , its not bad but I do not too much care for my job as a Chaplain Assistant and currently trying put in my officer candidate packet. I will probably never go into full time ministry for a church . If I do any official form it will just be as a volunteer or unpaid. I do not like the Idea of a church firing you just for reasons of pay.

This blog will be different that the past it will be a broader scope of subjects that just me , the church and the stuff I use to write about.

It will be about philosophy, politics , history , military , war , love , peace , the news and a lot broader range of topics. I am going to try and treat this more as an opinion column rather that an autobiography. I am going to try to bring more Facts and true stories of history to the table.

I want to be a renaissance man because I enjoy being well rounded. I do not want to be stuck in one type of thinking I want to look at all sides. I want to give my opinions and thoughts from many different foundations. Wikipedia defines and sums it up well (curious how would you format or give credit to Wikipedia?Forgive me plagiarism Police)

"A polymath (Greek polymathēs, πολυμαθής, "having learned much")[1] is a person whose knowledge is not restricted to one subject area. In less formal terms, a polymath (or polymathic person) may simply refer to someone who is very knowledgeable. Most ancient scientists were polymaths by today’s standards.[2]
The terms Renaissance Man and, less commonly, Homo Universalis (Latin for "universal man" or "man of the world") are related and used to describe a person who is well educated or who excels in a wide variety of subjects or fields.[3] This idea developed in Renaissance Italy from the notion expressed by one of its most accomplished representatives, Leon Battista Alberti (1404–72): that “a man can do all things if he will.” It embodied the basic tenets of Renaissance Humanism which considered man empowered, limitless in his capacities for development, and led to the notion that people should embrace all knowledge and develop their capacities as fully as possible. Thus the gifted men of the Renaissance sought to develop skills in all areas of knowledge, in physical development, in social accomplishments and in the arts."
And that basically sums up what this Blog will be about and who I want to be and leave a legacy as.