Ebeneezer (Stone of Help)

Perspective Suffering

noreply@blogger.com (McCrorey) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:54:00 +0000

showering
thinking of annoying stings facing me
facing another day

I have my
weaknesses
failings
sufferings
times when i cannot see

so do we
so do we all
so do we

inside my hall
a woman
clings to her cigarette
outside my walls
a man
telling his wife he got canned
again

working
annoying tasks keep me busier
then i would like to be
waiting for her to tell me how she feels
patiently
feel
how can I keep up
facing another day

I have my
weaknesses
failings
sufferings
times when i cannot see

so do we
so do we all
so do we

down the street
a single mother
holding her baby girl
wondering
how she gonna be
in the city
a troubled man
making his box his home

planning my life
my debts are not
disappearing
sins keep appearing
crushing in
i have my shit and its real

I have my
weaknesses
failings
sufferings
times when i cannot see

so do we
so do we all
so do we

nationwide
families divide
divorces splitting lives
worldwide
starving life
abuses running wild
children crying
wailing

so do we
so do we all
so do we

How to be a friend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Read awesome Post: What if I am Never Healed? by Brittany Bettger.

Oh, the painful words of those who assume it is OUR LACK OF FAITH that prevents God from "healing us". How we box God in! I think of Job's friends who came to him in his distress. At first they had compassion on him, but soon they blamed Job for his own suffering. What was God's reaction?

"After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: 'I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was.'"

Job was right. His suffering was largely unexplainable. It did not make human sense. But God allowed it still. Why? Perhaps for a similar reason that Jesus gave for the blind man:

"His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" (John 9:2)

Can it be that praise might be give to God because of Job's faithfulness in the midst of suffering? Cannot the process of suffering as well as the healing glorify God? I just rediscovered this verse:

"We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord's plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy." (James 5:11)

Job never got the answer to his "WHY GOD?" But God did answer. He answered with Himself. Job grew closer to God through his suffering. His Faith grew stronger. And I bet from that time on, he became a very compassionate and understanding friend able to comfort others in their distress. What's the rest of the story.

And So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning." (Job 42:12)

Let us remember too, as Paul says in Romans, that our second half of life (an eternal second half) will be full of infinite blessing:

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

Perhaps then, even the bitter moments may have a taste of sweetness. If nothing, if we allow them, our sufferings can make us more understanding and loving of our fellow sufferers.

Single Advice FAIL

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:03:00 +0000

This was a "How To" I stumbled upon on Valentine's Day. It made me laugh!:)

The how-to site had a "How to Enjoy Being Single" article featured. The ads however were all about finding dating partners, fixing romantic relationships, meeting singles . . . ..

Click to see larger picture.

God's transformation in my life.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:21:00 +0000

Today, I stand transformed by God. I used to be a shy, anxious, frightened, lost, awkward, and sickeningly nice person. I was a young man without a backbone. I had eyes, but no vision. And I doubted everything from life's meaning to my own salvation. I was desperate for love and acceptance, because I did not know how to accept that unconditional love that God bestows on us everyday.

I am confident, not in myself, but in God working through me. I'm confident because he created me (and all of us), with unique abilities and gifts so that we might share his love and truth in a specific and God-inspired way. I'm created by God's design and that gives me unbelievable confidence.

I am content, not because I am rich, which I'm not, or because I have great friends, which I do, but because I know that my worth comes not from people or possessions, but from God. Not only did he create me (and you), but he died for me ( and you). I'm worth that much. You're worth that much.

I know I'm loved, not because people say they love me, or need me, or think that I am great, but because God's love is unconditional and everlasting. No matter how much I screw up and fall flat on my face (which I do often, sometimes literally), I know God still loves me. His word says so.

I do not doubt my salvation, because like the great hymn says "I need no other argument,
I need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me. My heart is leaning on the Word, The written Word of God, salvation by my Savior's name, salvation through His blood. I do not have a righteousness of my own, but a righteousness that is a gift of God and is by faith.

God has taught me so much through his Word and through many tough life lessons. Through times in the desert, seasons of despair, pain and hardship, hours of joy, moments of truth, and the faithful prayer of Christians, God has truly transformed my life. And the great thing about it all: the transformation is not complete. Like Paul says in Philippians 3: "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Fox Faith: Fox's new distribution company

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:43:00 +0000

Learn more about the changing landscape of Hollywood and how Christian filmakers can cease this opportunity in the industry: Phil Cooke meets with Fox Faith. Also check out the
FoxFaith.com to see what movies they've distributed.

Christians Engaging Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 03:10:00 +0000

Check out this interview with Phil Cooke and the American Family Association: Engaging Beliefs

Phil Cooke is a Hollywood professional who is also a Christian. He works in both the christian and secular media world. His website is a great resource on integrating media and faith.

Biblical Fundraising

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:53:00 +0000

Learn the truth about ministry fundraising by reading Phil Cooke's Blog

Biblical fundraising should be different.

Is it wrong to ask for money to support ministry?

No, Paul did it frequently in the epistles. And He let Timothy know that ministers deserve to be paid for their work. I think marketing from a Christian world view needs to be focused on informing donors where there money is going and how it is being used. In the end, its not the ministries money, but the Lord's. 1 Corinthians is clear that we should not give out of impulse or guilt, but out of love and thanksgiving to God. Sure we need to communicate to our audience in appropriate and effective ways, but purposed manipulation should not be a method of fund-raising. Communicate the effectiveness of the ministry, share the need, and let God do the rest. Consider the following verses:

1 Timothy 5:17- 18: "Elders who do their work well should be paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain." And in another place, "Those who work deserve their pay!"

2 Corinthians 8:11b-12 "Give whatever you can according to what you have. If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have.

2 Corinthians 9:7 You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.

Getting Hired from the "Do not Hire" List or My Experience at Wonderland Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:40:00 +0000

MY TIME AT WONDERLAND CAMP

I served 21 months, four summers, and an entire year at Wonderland Camp. In those 4 summers I served under 4 program Directors.

MR. D

My first director was the famous Mister D ("D" standing for both Ditzler, his last name and Discipline, because you didn't even want him to think that you might be doing something wrong). Now, don't be too hard on Mister D because, though he can be a hard man to work for, he had a passion and love for at-risk youth that is unmatched and a work ethic that is unbelievable. Nobody worked harder than Mister D and nobody knew camp as well as Mister D. I had the privilege of working two summers, as a counselor and then a Unit Director, under a man with 18 years of camping experience. It was privilege, an honor, and a headache all at the same time.

MR. C

Then he resigned. It was a sad affair and handled poorly. In his wake came Mr. C. His name is unimportant. He accomplished close to nothing, but it was a fortunate thing for me, because on the summer staff he leaned heavily. Along with some great co-Unit Directors (Cathleen Himes, Christian, Tricia Burton) we basically ran the camp ourselves.

With knowledge and experience from working under the Ditzlers, I was able to make a tremendous impact that summer. I've always had an opinion about how things could be run. organization. training. devotions. chapel. discipline. etc. . . and always manage to voice my opinion too (I'm honest. It's a blessing . . . and a curse). Now, Mr. C, pretended not to listen to me. But after he failed to run a succesful camp his way, he eventually came around, with no credit to my advice, of course. But somebody paid attention. It just happened to be the crazy lady . . . before she went crazy. Anyway. I got a job working as an Intern for a whole year. And Mr. C, well, he was soon to be known as Mr. C - U - Later.

LIFE AS AN INTERN

So I was an Intern. It doesn't sound too glorious, but the experience was invaluable.

I had the opportunity do many things: teach low-ropes , boating, and archery; learn CPR and First Aid; drive tractors, gators, 20-passenger vans, and motor boats; trim trees; build fires; cater food; serve in the snack shop, the office, and the beach house; work with kitchen, operations, and housekeeping staff; represent Wonderland at camp fairs; host rental groups; and plan and lead a successful teen winter-camp;

I worked with almost everyone, I had the privilege to: Move chairs with Jack, mop floors with Lilian, make beds with Shannon, pull pranks with Greg, steer tractors with Peter, serve food with Don and Judy, answer phones with Carin, build websites with JBJ, understand networking from Paul, learn guest services from Julie, shut down cabins with Art, and sit-in on meetings with Eric.

I was able to utilize my God-given gifts. I used them to: shoot camp videos; design a promotional packet; snap camp pictures; make promotional videos; reorganize audio and video equipment , operate the chapel sound system, set-up multimedia systems for groups, and build a media pc; write curriculum; produce a camp newsletter; speak in chapel to children, teens, and senior citizens; and design an internship program.

MR. MRS. B

JBJ and I were the Program Department. And loved it, until camp finally replaced Mr. C with Mr. and Mrs. B. The 3rd and 4th program directors were husband and wife. I worked under them for a summer, but was extremely under utilized. I offered my help and support, but I soon learned that my knowledge and experience was not wanted. So I performed my duties and accomplished my tasks. I had fun with the staff. And my last summer as a Unit Director I had a blast.

WHAT NOT TO DO AT CAMP

I learned a lot lessons that summer about how not to run a camp, such as: don't yell at your staff, don't gossip about your staff, don't have a "naughty" list that means nothing, don't let everyone drive camp vehicles, don't wing it every day, don't undermine your spouses authority (especially if they're your're co-director), don't be a hypocrite, don't threaten people (especially if you're not going to follow through), don't surprise people with extra work and then laugh about it . . . oh and don't tell everyone that they're your favorite person, because by definition you can only have one favorite person.

THAT GETS YOU ON THE "DO NOT HIRE LIST"

When I left after their first summer as program directors, I gave Mr. and Mrs. B three years before they would move on, but after summer #2 they, um, "resigned". They lasted a little more than a year. go figure. But, before they left, I eventually learned from my good friend Kat, I was placed on the "do not hire list". I guess my advice was more unwanted than I ever imagined. Guess that's what happens when people feel threatened.

THE VIDEOGRAPHER RETURNS

Thankfully, I was not around for summer #2. I spent the summer at NWC as a studio manager and videographer. With all the experience and knowledge I've gained while being at NWC, I decided I wanted to use my gifts again at Wonderland Camp. But nobody answered my phone calls. I later learned that Kat talked to the director. She decided to give me a second chance. After a lovely conversation, and talking about my experiences at Wonderland, I was offered a leadership position on the spot. Go figure.

TAKE IT AS A COMPLEMENT

I'm actually very glad I made it onto the "do not hire list". Besides it being a great story to tell my children someday, it just confirms that I was right all along; that I wasn't crazy, or ignorant, or just plain dumb. Everyone else was. :) So if you find yourself on some dubious "do not hire" list, consider who wrote the list. Check it twice. And unless it was written by someone you've truly admired, it might just be the list that gets you hired.

Tom Cruise: the New Christ of Scientology?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:09:00 +0000

The Sun reports: Tom Cruse is the New "Christ" of Scientology.

Are all "christians" lumped together?

Does secular Hollywood see Tom Cruise & Scientology, Mel Gibson & The Passion, Pat Robertson & the 700 club all in the same club of religious nuts? And are sane bible-following Christians seen in light of these people?

In other words, do they think all Christians are crazy because of these high profile personalities and/or cults? Or are most of them intelligent to know the difference between bizarre and authentic expressions of faith.

What Can we do about?

How can we influence these perceptions of Christians/ Christianity as professionals and consumers of entertainment? How can we show authentic Christ-like Christianity in the midst of the often poor publicity of high-profile personalities?

Insomnia Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:05:00 +0000

My first film contest.
On Nov. 10th at 4pm, Sam Hendry, Marcus Sonsteby, and Tim Ingold, and I decided to make a short film in 24 hours.

The brainstorming began. . . 10 hours later, after a dead bee. a trip downtown, and one chocolate chip cookie , we were on the brink of insanity, but we pressed on and decided to shoot Sam's Idea.

Jetlagged: A guy takes the girl he loves to the airport so she may fly out of his life forever. He's an emotional wreck as he goes home, but after falling asleep on the couch he hears a knock on the door. Is it it her?

We found Alex Amendriz in the Student Center at 2:00am and somehow convinced her to act in our film. We didn't do to shabby with a final placement of 14 out of 500 entrants. The biggest thing that hurt us was time. We really wished we could have edited just another hour. But that's what happens when you spend all night coming up with the idea!

Watch the film here:
http://edcommunity.apple.com/contest/item.php?itemID=142

A Fiddler on the Roof ( And a crazy Rabbi)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:51:00 +0000

We have recently finished our 10 show run of "Fiddler on the Roof". I had a wonderful time acting in the show and spending time with an absolutely wonderful cast. It was also wonderful to see how God united us and performed miracles in our midst.

There is a Blessing for Everything!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:20:00 +0000

One of my lines in Fiddler on the Roof is "There is a blessing for everything". I then went on to bless the sewing machine. I decided to use this authentic Jewish blessing that is supposed to be said when good things happen to others. While doing my research I realized that their really is a blessing for everything. Thus I decided to change the delivery of this line.

Me and My Beard Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 18:45:00 +0000

This a picture of me in my Rabbi costume with Sarah Lysaker (pronounced Lee-soccer). She was also affectionately known as my beard girl, because every night before the show, she would apply the spirit gum to my face and attach this beautiful grey beard created by our marvelous costumer. Thanks Sarah!

Meeting my brother's Fiancé

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:19:00 +0000

My brother asked Nicole Marsh to marry him over labor day weekend 2006. She's the one that has my brother's arm around her. Also in this picture is my sister Robin and Grandma and Grandpa McConnell. This is the first time that my grandparents had met Nicole. And we were a little suprised about the engagement too. Eric said he was serious about Nicole and that he thought he would marry her. But we didn't know that meant he would propose one month later. Of course, I talked to her for the first time after they were engaged, but I already knew she was good for Eric. Everytime I was on break, I would hear my brother talking late hours into the night to Nicole. Any girl that can get my brother to talk that much, must be good for him. Their wedding is June 9th in Wisconsin. Welcome to the family Nicole! Here's a another picture of the whole family at Chilis:

I Bleed!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 10:07:00 +0000

My wound is large!

I suppose should explain this picture (thanks Christina Johnson comment). I would like to say that I received this wound saving a beautiful girl in distress . . . and you should see the other guy . . . but the truth is I was playing an improvizational game called "freeze" and when we unfroze I flew over Micah Labovitch, I went down for a landing, I ducked, but I most definately didn't roll. I had horrible rug burn. It didn't hurt too much. But when I went to the nurse she had me put ice on my forehead and kept me captive for more than 20 minutes. She then placed this gigantic bandage on my head. (I then had some fun with photoshop).

I feel like a Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 03:07:00 +0000

I've attempted to develop a regular blogging habit before, but it's failed miserably (kinda like my attempts to lift weights). But perhaps this time will be different. This is officially my first blog! (since the last time I attempted blogging).