Original of the Species

Original of the Species by U2

Baby slow down
The end is not as fun as the start
Please stay a child somewhere in your heart
I'll give you everything you want
Except the thing you want
You are the first one of your kind
And you feel like no one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel because I want you some more
I want a lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you're not
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don't have to be shy about it
Some things you shouldn't get too good at
Like smiling, crying and celebrity
Some people got way too much confidence baby
I'll give you everything you want
Except the thing you want
You are the first one of your kind
And you feel like no one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel because I want you some more
I want a lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you're not
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don't have to be shy about it, no
And you'll never be alone
Sugar, Come on now, show your soul
You've been keeping your love under control
Everywhere you go you shout it
You don't have to be shy about it, no
Everywhere you go you shout it
And you feel like no one before
You steal right under my door
I kneel because I want you some more
I want you some more
I want you some more

A Study on Love - Edition #9

Thursday, January 12th, 2006

A Study on Love – Edition #9

The three things:

• Is there a fact to believe here?
• Is there a promise to trust?
• Is there a command to obey?

Midweek was good… but it always good to be with the brothers. I must confess, I didn’t want to go, but I went anyway. And I am glad I went. I was refreshed. And I found out that I am a journalist by taking a personality test. This is the findings:

I have a tendency to overextend myself in both my physical and emotional commitments. My proclivity to procrastinate and to overlook details complicates my circumstances. I often move on to new ventures without completing those I have already started. My charming personalities can show signs of irritability and over-sensitivity when I desire to please different people come into conflict. During times of stress, I feel alienated. I then engage in deceptions that serve to obscure what is occurring within me.

I find symbolic meanings behind the immediate circumstances. These meanings are construed as foreboding problems when I am under stress. Having a pervasive feeling of losing control over my own independent identities, I will feel virtually split apart by intruding circumstances. I will be "beside myself" and "just not all there" — as if something, or someone, has taken away the essence of whom I am. Not feeling like myself, I will become subject to my own feelings of shame for being a phony, a fake or an impostor. If stress continues to grow, I may attribute malevolent schemes to others in order to explain away my fears.

I will say that I agree to a good part of this. I do tend to take on more than I can handle at times. And I do tend to start things and move on before finishing them. I guess I need to work more on completing tasks before moving on to another task. Maybe that is why I gave up on reading the bible in a year. And maybe that is why I read four to five books at a time. I guess it makes sense.

Deuteronomy 7:1-26
1 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you- 2 and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 5 This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. 6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. 10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

11 Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. 14 You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. 15 The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. 16 You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

17 You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?" 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 20 Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. 22 The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. 23 But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. 24 He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. 25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

Detestable (adj.):

• Inspiring or deserving abhorrence or scorn.
• Offensive to the mind.

So many things in this world can be detestable. Eating worms and bugs, well, that’s just plain gross… and is definitely offensive to my mind, but it doesn’t make it wrong. John the Baptist ate bugs while in the desert. But for argument’s sake, wouldn’t it be hard to not take a nice are, a nice watch, or whatever if I had to “wipe” someone out? I am just glad those days of wiping people out are behind us, but I can definitely see how tempting it would be. And it simply boils down to keeping the covenant. Am I keeping the covenant with God? Am I living up to the promises I have made in the past with him? I know so many times before that I was coming up from a party and praying ever so much to get home safe. And the ever so routine promise “I will NEVER do this again.” And within a few weeks, the same situation would relive itself.

Covenant (noun):

• A binding agreement; a compact.

How strong is my word? I think it is much better than in days past, but who I am now is a reflection of the decisions of days long ago. Once a domino falls on another, the cycle is started. I am glad that God stuck his hand in there and stopped it before completion. I made a covenant with my wife, with my God, and with my fellow brothers. How strong is that covenant? When I say that I am going to do something, in my heart of hearts, do I live up to it? Do I want to live up it? Well, I want to live up it. But as the saying goes, the path to hell is paved with good intentions. I don’t want to be known as a guy who has good intentions; I want to be a guy that is not detestable to God. I want to be a man of faith and love.

10 Things to Help Keep a Child Drug Free

Here are 10 things you can do to increase the chances of raising a teenager who just says “no.” By Laura Broadwell

1. Be a good role model. Your child sees your own habits and attitudes about tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. These make a big impression on your child. Do not take the mindset of "Do as I say - not as I do"

2. Be prepared to discuss sensitive subjects. There is all kinds of information being passed around in your child’s world. Some o=is good, but much of it is misleading. Your children need to know that you are there for them and they can rely on you for accurate information.

3. Practice the art of listening. If our children do not feel that they are listened to, they are less likely to come to talk the next time. Their friends at school will listen to them. How much more should we as parents? Make sure your child feels comfortable bringing problems or questions to you.

4. Don't be media-naive. Our children spend many hours listening to the opinions and beliefs of others through media such as magazines, TV and movies. Know what they are reading and watch what they watch so that you will be prepared with answers and lessons. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.

5. Be straight on tough topics. Sometimes we as parents can be so vague so as to communicate nothing with our children. Make sure whatever message you give is clear and specific when talking about drugs of any kind, so your children know exactly what is expected of them.

6. Be aware. Knowledge is power. Know your child's friends, their parents, relatives and other family members. Be aware of their habits and attitudes toward drinking and drugs. Be aware of where they hang out and what they are doing there.

7. Cultivate a positive attitude. Many of our children need no help in feeling inadequate. Emphasize what they do right rather than wrong; self-confidence is their best protection against peer pressure.

8. Equip your child. Your child will go through many tough times. Teach them to manage stress and anger in healthy ways, such as seeking help from a trusted adult or engaging in a favorite activity.

9. Be honest. Help your child understand that he doesn't have to do something wrong to feel accepted by his peers, and that his real friends won't pressure him to use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.

10. Be your child's biggest fan. Children need your unconditional love and support, both in good times and bad, to manage stress, resist peer pressure, and thrive in their daily life.

A Study on Love - Edition #8

Wednesday, January 11th, 2006

A Study on Love – Edition #8

The three things:

• Is there a fact to believe here?


• Is there a promise to trust?


• Is there a command to obey?

Well, here it is… another day before me. My son is having so much fun right now, hitting and playing with his toys and making a ton of ruckus. I want to be right there with him playing. I meet with a friend today. I have been looking forward to getting back together with him. And last night, I was able to contact a friend from years ago… and that excites me to be able to get to chat with him. He was a great friend and I hurt him in ways that I can now understand. I just hope and pray that I can revive the friendship that I lost… I guess only time will tell. Onto the QT…

Deuteronomy 6:1-25
1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. 16 Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. 17 Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, 19 thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said.

20 In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" 21 tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. 24 The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."

Now, Jesus is awesome… he speaks this and the one from Leviticus in Matthew 22:34-40… if I love God with everything I have, with all my being, and take that love to my neighbor, then all is good. And this is something I am trying to change in my character. It is so easy to simply love myself and my selfish wants. I guess that is the world of an addict… to be “me-focused” and not “he-focused.” I have grown in knowledge over the last few years… I have tried to apply that knowledge to my life and I have grown more and more weary within myself. Not to say that I am wise by any means, but the knowledge I have gained has become something of a burden… Solomon had gained knowledge and wisdom, and switched to other Gods, tried other things, and came back to God. He said that through it all, it was meaningless. It is said that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. And if God is love, then that would mean God builds me up… and so the only thing that isn’t meaningless throughout all this is love. And that is what I need to chase after… because loving God is not a chasing after the wind.

Matthew 22:34-40
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Johnny Out.

A Study of Love - Edition #7

Tuesday, January 10th, 2006

A Study on Love – Edition #7

The three things:

• Is there a fact to believe here?


• Is there a promise to trust?


• Is there a command to obey?

Wow, yesterday was a great day. I end my tour of duty with yet another school and I get to CR for the first time in almost seven months. And it was stellar to be there again. Today I was supposed to have lunch with a good friend and it fell through, actually rescheduled to tomorrow. So then I go to get our oil changed and the place where I went appears to be closed. As in for good… so I took a situation from bummer to great and visited with Jenny’s family, since they were just around the corner and I used a good portion of gas to get there, I may as well make the most of it. And a ton of good news – but I won’t share… so, I am trying to make the most of a great situation, with midweek being on both Wednesday and Thursday this week… I am not sure what to do with all this. Maybe my wife and I will alternate every other week until we can figure the whole mess out. I guess it’s a conflict between wants and needs. I guess my motto of late has been “I don’t have to do anything, but I want to…” and it makes sense in my mind. It has been motivation for sin throughout the ages of my life. I don’t have to sin, but I want to. “I don’t have to help the guy stuck on the side of the road, but I want to.” Now, I want both my wife and I to go to midweek. I don’t know if it is necessarily a need, but I want us to be there. And the funny thing, I get emails day in and day out for people wanting my money, donate here, donate there… come preach in India. Let me use your bank account to transfer my money to the US so I can make a new life… I love the last one… I mean, really? My phone number is not unlisted… call me and let’s have a dialogue, really. They say for me to email my bank account number… really? I don’t know if it’s a scam, but if it is, I don’t have any money to be scammed out of…

Numbers 14:10-25
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."

13 Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O LORD, are with these people and that you, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 'The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'

17 "Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."

20 The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times- 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea."

WOW-E-WOW, Batman, that is some stuff. Contempt is a noun and can be defined as a feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior, base, or worthless; scorn and a state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace. Now the Israelites held God in contempt… they refused to believe in him, even after seeing one amazing thing after another. And even before Jesus came to earth and bat hit after hit for us… probably had more hits than Pete Rose… Moses was there going to bat for his fellow man. Now, if that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is. Moses’ love for the guys who, as noted, wanted to stone him, was so great that he was willing to look past that to save their very lives, or at least prolong it. He even got God to forgive them their sins… they still felt the punishment for disobeying God… but the thing that strikes me most interesting is the one and the same as what happened at the U2 concert last October. Moses had the guts to ask… the kid in the audience had the guts to ask Bono to play, Moses had the guts to ask God to forgive people who really weren’t seeking forgiveness. Do I love my fellow man enough to ask for forgiveness of such great sins? Acts 7 describes Stephen and his heart… but the part that gets me is the end of it all.

Acts 7:54-60
54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen, as he was being killed, asked for the forgiveness of those killing him. HOW BOLD IS THAT? I don’t know if I will ever be put in that position, but I hope that if I ever do, that I can have that kind of love. That is the love I desire… I may do this or that right, but I don’t do nearly enough right to call myself a lover of all people. I think God’s love is abounding (existing in abundance), but I don’t think that I show it as much as I should… maybe I am slow of heart or prideful of mind, but whatever it is, if I am to be an example (something to be imitated) of Christ, then I need to be loving more toward others or all types. Johnny Out.