Theology Evolved?

Waste Oil Recycling vs. North State Rendering Update

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:49:00 +0000

It would appear that Mr. Stedman has approached North State Rendering's Attorney saying he is willing to do 2 things to soothe the situation regarding the "Grease Rustling" that occurred last Monday.

1) He will cease pumping any oil from North State Rendering's containers despite have the restaurant owners' permission in order to avoid any further "turf feuds".

2) He is more than willing to show all documentation regarding his licensing and insurance.

My Take:
Apparently Mr. Stedman is just wanting to be in fair competition. A competition I am sure he wants to win.

Waste Oil Recycling fighting the Monopoly!

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:38:00 +0000

It looks like the little guy is stepping up to the big guy in the classic David and Goliath archetype.

But this is not the territory of God's land.

It is over the territory of... Fryer Oil?

Record Searchlight of Redding, CA reports this. (Click Link for Full Story)

Joshua Lee Phelps, 27, was detained, cited on suspicion of petty theft, and released after a driver from North State Rendering Co. spotted him sucking grease from one of the Chico company's tanks behind Casa Ramos Mexican Restaurant on Hilltop Drive, Cpl. Eric Niver said.
But Phelps' employer said the incident was "a big fat misunderstanding" and nothing more than strong-arm tactics by rival North State Rendering in an effort to quash new competition.

How much of a misunderstanding is there?

The law that Cpl. Niver appears to be stating is that of "possession is 9/10ths of the law". However WOR is contending that what is on restaurant property is still restaurant property and thus to be distributed by whomever is in charge of said restaurant. If this was North State Renderings oil depot that Phelps was pumping out of they might have a case for this theft. But since the container is on the restaurant's property as a waste receptacle, it would also be deemed that if the receptacle ever leaked, it would be up to the restaurant to clean up not NSR.

Supreme Court Case 486 U.S. 35 Greenwood vs. California is the case in which waste and property are determined when in legal matters. Waste being defined as the unwanted products being discarded by a property owner, and property being determined as what land they have right and responsibility toward in legal issues.

Also as a note of interest. Technically WOR was simply taking the fryer oil, they do not take "grease" which is typically lard or animal fat buildups. They leave all that collection for NSR. WOR is only interested in the oil that can be turned into biodiesel.

Feeling Better Already

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:38:00 +0000

So I know I asked you to ask me last night. But I have to say I am feeling so refreshed now from my quiet times. Not because I have managed to do them for 2 consecutive days (which is an accomplishment) but because I have managed to not give them a time limit.

Twice now for 2 hours I have sat listening to my ipod, studying my hebrew, journaling... (no reading this morning, waiting for Karina to catch up, she started a different book on accident) and praying. And the vast majority of this is definitely the hebrew. Even though it is just relearning the alphabet (which was still in my head for the most part) and the vowels (those too), my transliteration is feeling better then it did when I was a 4th semester Hebrew student translating text. So I am really stoked to see where these studies go. I will try and share what I am studying as far as Hebrew.

Anyways, going to check out Karina's folks church today with them. Time to wake her up now I think... pray for me.

btw... I still love Kenya coffee from Starbucks

Getting back on track

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:27:00 +0000

I suck at quiet times. I get them started, then I fall off. Normally I would make excuses about how busy I am, or how I can never find something to study or be worth my while. Etc. etc. etc... It is very lame. So I have started again. And I need your help.

I am employing mass accountability. I need you to ask me what is going on with them. I can tell you what I am doing in general.

I am reading "The Power of a Praying Husband". I am journaling. I am praying. And I am relearning ancient Hebrew.

And I am doing it every morning at 6:15am.

So please, help a brother out. Ask me about it so I can give you an answer.

31 hours till you can save a life

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:33:00 +0000

Or more... and the best part is you can choose which lives to save.

Better yet, you get to do that and get lots of sweet mac software. Check em out!

That's right go take a look at MacHeist and help save a life.

I have done this for the past 2 bundles and I always end up using enough software to justify the 50 dollars spent. Even if I didn't use the software knowing I was saving a life somewhere always seemed enough to me.

God as a Product

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:22:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel like when I am trying to explain who God is, I am the stereotypical East-Indian customer service representative trying to speak what I think is perfect English to someone who is hearing it with extreme difficulty and irritation.

Its like I have a Christian accent... and it is thick.

So everything I say, though well-intentioned, comes out muddy and garbled, and all I get in response is "What...? Can you say that again?" And that is what I do, I say it word for word again, and it just starts a vicious circle till someone throws their hands in the air in frustration.

And the problem is, I don't look at the problem from the angle of the consumer. The one who is checking out the issue. I don't think about the fact that the problem isn't what I am saying, but that I am not thinking to articulate it in a way that the consumer understands it. I am just trying to put the right words out that I have been told to say and that by all accounts should work.

But it does not work. They do not understand a word that I am saying.

They don't get the product I am trying to sell them, or to help them understand the problems they are dealing with it.

I mean if you think about this seriously. We live in a consumer era, and people are getting very frugal, very picky about what they buy. Things are expensive. And God is a product that we not only have to sometimes make a cold sell on, but also demonstrate he is worthwhile for those who are skeptical. So when we attempt to show them how great this product is, in this case God, we don't think to come at it from their perspective. Yet somehow with everything else as Christians we love, we can portray it with crystal-like clarity.

I am as guilty of this as anyone. I can dictate the dessert list from the restaurant I work with in such a way that those who were not interested in a chocolate souffle are suddenly craving it. The sad thing is, I don't like desserts, much less chocolate. Yet I can be more informative of these desserts than I can be about God who I am very passionate about.

NOTE: I know I am passionate about my God and His message of salvation.

Now what I am going to say sounds crazy, but I have a theory. I have to sell God like I sell a dessert to someone who already feels like they have everything they need. I actually have no idea if this will work or not, but I am going to try anyways. I have a good feeling though.

I am going to actually get to know the person I am trying to share God with. Then I am going to think about them and pray for them and their needs. Then I am going to think about how I should show them God in such a way that they might see as pragmatic or atleast allowable. Then I will encourage them, then I will hopefully make the sale.

Because that is what I do with desserts. I talk to the people and find out how their feeling. Then I pick a dessert I think they will like based on how hungry they are feeling and what they might pair with their meal so that is something agreeable to their stomach. Then I ask if I can share a method to enjoy something that they might not have earlier considered (maybe they just want peaches and yogurt because the souffle seems too rich) and then I go for it.

And they say no alot. And they say yes alot. It's hit and miss, but they are not confused about what I am offering them. They are informed and have made an informed decision.

So what you should get out of this Christians... Is that these people may not be understanding your well-intentioned message. So stop, look around, and listen. yes listen to your friend/colleague/family/complete stranger. Find out what they are looking for and make a clear connection to what you have to offer. And when they are understanding offer to help them have the ultimate dessert.

New Addition to the Family... of sorts

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:41:00 +0000

Back when I was a freshman in college, I was studying music and was realizing my PC was having a lot of issues. It was a custom built HP tower and it had started crashing atleast once a day. So with the help of my parents I ordered my first mac... a 15" Titanium Powerbook G4. And I totally fell in love with mac.

Then one day I did not realize the zipper had broken on my backpack and when I pulled my bag off my top bunk and as the bag came down the powerbook slid out and hit the tiled entrance to my dorm and pretty much busted the powerbook to near unusability. So I had to suffer two losses, one of my dear powerbook, and then another 1k or so and purchased the cheapest laptop I could... from mac... a 12" iBook G4.

I mamanged not to destroy that one, and when I graduated from college my family purchased me a Intel powered 20" iMac, and I was in computing heaven.

Then there was tragedy again, during my time house-sitting for a friend, the house was broken into and my iMac stolen back during thanksgiving. But grace visited me again in the form of a monetary gifting that Karina and I both decided to put towards getting a desktop computer again. So now we have a 20" iMac Intel Core Duo 2. Woot!

Something new is coming.... Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:53:00 +0000

I went to check an order on a product I have coming from Apple and this is what I was greeted by.

I knew there was a convention going on but what could this mean?

thoughts?

What's your bank teller like?

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Michael is my bank teller... Easily 9/10 times I show up he is the one who handles my transactions. He has heard me talk of my engagement, marriage, and my hopes and dreams. And always keeps me assured that I am financially okay with his tiny little print-outs.

Michael is moving away to Ohio to continue his education soon, and I have to say I am gonna miss the guy.

So as we were discussing his upcoming move, and how I had lost his e-mail, he gave it back to me and gave me the url to his blog Transparency.

So here's to you Michael, my bank teller, confidant, and I dare say friend. May your travels be safe and your education amazing. And above all may God bless you and Mikaela richly.

My Goal...however long it takes

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:05:00 +0000

It is 949.00 Refurbished... I am almost 1/3 of the way from replacing my long lost iMac.

1 Year ago today

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:51:00 +0000

I was wondering if I would be employed...

I was beginning the planning stages of asking Karina to marry me...

I was actually kinda depressed because I was unemployed on my birthday...

....

Today...

I work for the place that hired me on my birthday...

I am married to the most amazing woman ever.

And I am kinda depressed but not really because I am going to be at work on my birthday.

....

What will next year hold? I don't know I am just gonna live it up.

Incredible News!

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:16:00 +0000

Okay so I have heard 2 amazing things today.

the 1st relates to Karina. She doesn't enjoy her job, it stresses her out, and she has been wanting to leave for a while. And it turns out that a spa company "Dolce" wants her to be a sales associate working full time for them! That is awesome. So she put her notice in and will start working for them on Saturday training.

2nd relates to my sister. This weekend my family (mom and dad) were coming down for vacation and a belated b-day celebration, and I my sister couldn't come. Well she got the Friday off and now she and my niece are coming down as well!

So 2 awesome gifts in my life. I am stoked

6 Days till my B-Day

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:29:00 +0000

And all I want are Apple Store Gift Cards... When I get money it goes to bills or other stuff, I need gift cards so i can actualy start consolidating money towards a new computer. So if you read my blog and were planning on gifting me, you know what you can get me.

Yah this is truly a shameless plug for a birthday gift idea.

Yours Truly,

Zach

Authenticity

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:23:00 +0000

I read a book once called "Who You Are When No One's Looking" by Bill Hybels... It is a book on Character. About being real, to yourself, and to others.

I post a decent amount of stuff on this blog, but not about what is going on with me I think.

So here is the deal...

I am going to be real about myself to you guys. I am going to post 3 real things I think I need improving on, and three things I think I do pretty good.

So...

Improvements:

1) I bite my nails... I know kinda ridiculous, but I think it is a stupid habit and I need to kick it.

2) I try and get into every conversation within a 10 foot radius of me. It isn't my business so I shouldn't try to mind it.

3) I rush people, I try and put everybody on my timer, and the world does not revolve around me.

Things I do pretty good:

1) I will be your friend, not your acquaintance, your friend, I will care and I will bend over backwards to help you if I think I can.

2) I read really fast, I love it because I retain it too. So you want me to go over something you wrote, I can read it and get back to you quickly.

3) I have a big picture mentality 98% of the time. Occasionally I fall into my own microcosm but not often. I try and get everything to happen together.

So there you go a little bit about me.

And the other big reason I wrote this, I need prayer.

I want to be in full time ministry, ministering to young people... I want to be a Youth Pastor. But I need it to be full time. My mentality runs along the lines of once you get me past halfway I am all the way. I can do 3/4 I go straight to full.

So please, be praying that God will open the doors for Karina and I to minister to the youth somewhere full-time.

Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:37:00 +0000

Going to clean up the blog again, too much stuff going on on it. Need to make a new logo but that is gonna be a ways out.

What?

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:22:00 +0000

What is it about Christianity that makes you like it? Turn towards it? That gives you hope?

Mine?

There is nothing to profit in material gain on earth or after. It is the most humble faith. There are no virgins waiting for me, no planetoid, no sense of elitism, there is just worshiping God.

Christianity gives me a hope for a world beyond my own selfishness.

And a word from your sponsor...

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:50:00 +0000

okay not really, but how about a quote from the author of this blog.

"Whenever a church legislates rules/morality bylaws that are not clearly biblically-supported, they reinforce the spiritual celebrity paradigm." -- Zach Tanksley (me)

Your thoughts?

Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:46:00 +0000

"I say the future needs artists who are called to the church who love the church and who are in churches who know how to love and lead them." -- Rich Kirkpatrick

I heard this today, and it speaks to everything that I am. I love it because I am an artist. I adhere to it because I do love the church. And I pursue it as I pursue vocational ministry, because I want to lead the church in love.

My Ridiculous Shower Day Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:04:00 +0000

I was speaking with my buddy Matt "Supermatt" Anderson (who does some awesome psalms studies) and I was relating a crazy daydream I had while showering about a half hour ago, and i felt it blogworthy.

You see, God has put it hardcore on my heart to get back on the path he started me out on and start looking for a Youth Ministry position somewhere in the US. And as I was in the shower I thought about how much I like playing World of Warcraft (WoW), its my fun little escape despite my iBook's sluggish state, and how much I think there needs to be a balance of that with good ole fashioned outdoor sports.

So in this crazy little daydream, I was a youth pastor of a smallish church, and one of my students played WoW as well, and in order to better connect with that student I played a character and helped him out, and in return he would come out and play Ultimate Frisbee (UF) with some other guys in the youth group. It was a fun arrangement.

At UF, he eventually got a couple guys interested in playing WoW, and so I would meet with all fo them online and help out. Well needlesss to say, both our WoW and UF groups got pretty big, and in my day dream in WoW we formed a guild devoted to helping other people out, and being kind, and generous with what we had. And we gained quite the reputation and eventually we were honored by Blizzard, the makers of WoW for promoting a healthy WoW playing environment,a nd for showing a balanced way of life too.

The dream ended before my hooped for thoughts of kids coming to Christ through WoW though.... but I bet it happened.

So yah, my crazy little day dream.

I need a new comp... or a miracle

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:13:00 +0000

A well maintenanced mac can probably last around 7-8 years maybe even longer. I am sure the new computer bug hits pretty hard before that point though. A 12" ibook G4, used by a uncareful college student, running video editing, photo editing, and then also letting it fall of their car while driving is not so great. It is amazing this little white rectangle has even lasted this long, but yet I have come to find that it is beginning to fade away. I think I can stretch it out another year or so if I keep it on my desk 80% of the time, so lets keep praying for it.

Maybe one of those new macbooks will end up in my hands. Probably not. But I would settle for any bit of grace in the form of a better working computer. So this is just me, wishing out loud, dreaming big, that I will have a better computer that I can baby like I did the old missing iMac. Maybe you have my old iMac, and the guilt is building up. Send me a comment... They are all moderated, I am the only one who sees them. you can return it, no questions asked...

Once again, just wishing aloud. Hoping...

Potential new notebook design from apple?

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:01:00 +0000

I was just flitting around those wonderful "get your hopes all up" mac rumors sites and this article caught me attention. It seems ot be saying that the old ibook based concept for the macbooks might disappear and be replaced to look something like the old 12" powerbook g4.

My hopes are that multitouch will make it into the touchpad and even a better video card. It doesn't need to be incredible.... but 128mb would make for a pretty sweet basic machine, especially when you see 512mb and even 1gb video cards out there. Mac's have a reputation as a "for the artist" computer, so lets make those aspiring video editors a bit more amicable with higher video stuff.

Onward Christian Soldier 1.4

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:06:00 +0000

The Conclusion
So there we have it. We have seen that God has the amazing capacity to have victory regardless of how far (if at all) involved we are in his work. We have seen him work with Moses who feared that he was not an eloquent man in order to topple a kingdom. And despite the arrogance and pride of the elder’s of Israel we found that God could still defeat the philistines using an inanimate object. Finally, we have seen God work alongside his prophet Elijah to defeat the enemies of the faith and bring Israel into right relationship with God.
The last story is one God has tried to put forward on more than one occasion. It is the story of the faith of his soldiers moving forward and trusting in his ability to maintain them and bring about victory. We have seen this in the story of David and Goliath, Joshua and the battle of Jericho, and even the stories of the Apostle Paul. God moves with us, his victory is already assured. So with this I leave you with one final lesson.
The Lesson? God=Victory

The other lessons can be found at

Onward Christian Soldier 1.1
Onward Christian Soldier 1.2
Onward Christian Soldier 1.3

Onward Christian Soldier 1.3

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:05:00 +0000

Elijah at Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18)

It would be yet later in the days, when Israel was well into its kingships, that there would come a time for God to reveal himself before his people again. It was a time when the king of Israel, Ahab, had gone off to follow Jezebel and the prophets of Baal, taking Israel with him as a confused and very sheep like nation. This Jezebel had destroyed all but one hundred and one prophets. One of which lived off the land, and the other hundred lived in caves being taken care of by a man who had great fear of the Lord. The one was named Elijah. God had taken him aside and let him know that there would be a serious famine in the lands, and had led him to a brook where he would continually be able to drink, and God commanded the ravens to bring him food. Ahab was very well aware of Elijah, and had a feeling that Elijah was connected with the famine, So when it did come time for Elijah to go meet Ahab and speak to him about his evil transgressions that Ahab was not in the best of moods.
However, a prophet, a soldier of the most high God, is still not someone to be trifled with, and when Elijah lays out a contest for Ahab, the cocky king cannot turn it down. So all the people of Israel are brought to Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal, for a showdown of godly proportions. And Elijah more or less just says he will allow the prophets of Baal to receive the kick off. He allows them to build their altar of wood, and take the choice ox, and then allows them to call upon Baal to light their altar and ox on fire. And of course being the amazing god that Baal is, he creates a giant pillar of flame consuming everything and Elijah as well… nope, nothing, not even after hours of calling. So Elijah feels free to encourage them reminding them that their God needs time to sleep, or even relieve himself so perhaps they should shout out to him. And they do so, mutilating themselves too because he delights in that, and this time the fire comes… again no.
So Elijah takes it upon himself to then rebuild the old altar of the Lord. Not only that but he also gathers 12 stones, one for each tribe of Israel. Then he cuts up the ox and lays it upon the altar. Following that he digs a sizeable trench around the altar. The he commands the people of Israel to pour out four pitchers of water upon the altar. And then to rinse and repeat. And then one more time till everything is totally soaked, and the trench is filled with water.
Finally Elijah prepares to call upon God time and time again. Only one real difference here though. He only needs to call once. Asking God to remember His people, and to help turn their hearts back to Him. And he does so. The fire falls, and it falls in power. The fire consumes, the ox, the soaking wet wood, it devours the wet stones, and not even steam is left where the trench of water was. EVERYTHING WAS CONSUMED.
And so when Israel realized their stupidity, they went back to their God, the almighty God, and worshiped him. And with this, Elijah commanded all the people to gather up all the prophets of Baal, and Elijah slew all the prophets of Baal.

One man, One God, One Faith, One Outcome

The Lesson? God+Faith=Victory

Onward Christian Soldier pt. 1.2

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:56:00 +0000

The Capture of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4-7)
It would be much later on when Israel has established itself as a people looking to God for direction through his priests and prophets that the next triumphant act of God would happen. It will however have been one to show that God has no room for foolish pride and arrogance when it comes to his leaders.
You see God had appointed a judge, Eli, to preside over Israel, and Eli had two songs… Hophni and Phineas. Both of these young men preferred little gods, and did not care to know the lord, but were both priests of him. And when those brothers brought a curse upon themselves, and Eli did not do anything to rebuke them God decided it was time for that lineage to end. And this is how it unfolded.
After a devastating defeat of Israel by the Philistines the elders decided it would be best if the brothers, Hophni and Phineas brought the Ark of the Covenant to the next battle site and proclaim shouts of praise in order to strike fear in the hearts of the Philistines and that God would give victory to Israel, because obviously God would not allow his throne to fall into the hands of the Philistines. However, the Philistines girded themselves and went forth to fight despite their fear of the God (or as they saw it, gods) who struck down Egypt. And… they had a victory… a GREAT victory… they slew 30,000 Israelite foot soldiers, two high priests (Hophni and Phineas), and ultimately in a three-two-one victory captured the ark of the enemies gods. When news was brought to Eli who was sitting on a stool, old and blind, he fell over and his own weight caused him to break his neck.
Now one would assume that God did achieve his goal but at a great cost, His throne was in the hands of the pagan enemies. However, this was to be a multi-faceted lesson that God was teaching. For the Philistines needed to learn that indeed the God of Israel was bigger then their own gods.
The first place the ark of the covenant was brought to was the house of Dagon, a god of the philistines. They placed the ark before the stature of Dagon in his temple that night. The next morning, the priests found the statue laying face down in front of the ark, so they righted it. The next morning the same statue was face down in front of the ark, except, on the altar its head and hands had been cut off so only the torso remained, and the priests knew they were in trouble. This was culminated when God afflicted them with a couple of plagues to remind them of how he regards being treated like a lesser god. The people were afflicted with tumors, and mice were sent to ravage the land. And what did the Philistines do? They send it to a different city of their own… And what happens…? The Rinse and Repeat cycle through another 3 cities until the Philistines finally relent and send the ark back to Israel with a guilt offering.

So with no help by Israel, God demonstrated his power to foreign powers and foreign gods.

The Lesson? God -You = Victory

One Awesome Animation

noreply@blogger.com (Zach Tanksley) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:39:00 +0000

Seriously, this takes dedication

David