// BarryBlog //

2013-06-26T23:53:00.004-05:00

i miss you

All good things do come to an end

2011-12-14T13:14:00.000-06:00

Well, I hope you think it's been good. I've very much enjoyed sharing my dreams, passions and experiences with you since August 2006, and I thank you for reading my blog either once or often. I hope something I’ve posted has had value to you, especially if it's drawn you closer to God. I have decided to wrap it up, having reached the end of my voice, in this particular regards anyway. I haven’t actually ran out of observations, questions, or things to contribute, but may at some point have more to add elsewhere.

God bless you, your activities with family, and with your friends. And in so doing, may God receive all the glory.

This photo makes me smile. It reminds me of my cats peaceful lives. Thought it would be a good one for my last post.

Even Ice Cube's feelin' some Charles and Ray

2011-12-08T11:29:00.000-06:00

Herman Miller furniture passes the test of time. I know this because I work every day in a 1960's Herman Miller Aluminum Group, Executive Management chair, also known as the Time-Life chair. I also have 6 more at home. It is so cool to learn that rapper, actor, and producer Ice Cube also shares the Herman Miller love.

Dig.

Christmas Ideas

2011-12-04T13:56:00.001-06:00

If you're still looking for Christmas gifts for your friends, and you think your recipient has similar tastes to my own, you might start by looking through my ETSY favorites.

studiosmith Christmas ReMix A

2011-12-02T18:04:00.001-06:00

studiosmith Christmas 2011 by Barry Smith on Grooveshark

studiosmith Christmas ReMix B

2011-12-01T14:17:00.001-06:00

Christmas 2010 by Barry Smith on Grooveshark

Forgiveness

2011-11-29T00:08:00.001-06:00

Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me.

Pride: The Utmost Evil

2011-11-29T00:03:00.001-06:00

The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.- C.S. Lewis

Hope

2011-11-25T00:39:00.001-06:00

Lord Jesus, failure and disappointment sometimes lead me to despair. I hide behind my pride and self-pity, withdrawing from you and others. Give me the hope I need and help me never to be afraid to begin again.

Catvertising

2011-11-19T09:35:00.000-06:00

No one wants to see ads any more.

I bet you think this song is about you

2011-11-13T23:01:00.001-06:00

Facebook is not evil. But this guy has a point.

The Straight and Narrow

2011-11-13T22:29:00.001-06:00

To Thee I Pray

2011-11-09T08:02:00.000-06:00

Ironically, this is the wedding song I picked for my first dance with my bride.

HowardHewitt-ToTheeIPray by studiosmith

God is Love. God is Judge.

2011-11-06T15:34:00.001-06:00

As I look at my life, and try to honor God in how I live, and in how I treat others, I recognize that on the subject of broken human nature, all sin has consequences. I also recognize that we're called to repent from those sins. This is a choice we are given. Once we acknowledge our sin, we are to turn from it, and reconcile those choices with God, and with anyone our sins may have injured. Born with a fallen nature, we are given new life in Christ. Where on one hand we are saved by His grace, on another hand we are given a choice how to respond to God, and whether we allow ourselves to go on sinning. We can humble ourselves, which often times is the hard road, asking God for our forgiveness—or we can neatly package our sin as not sin at all, and blame others for our bad choices.

I had a conversation with a friend recently on this subject of sin. Not the sin we recognize in ourselves, that we confess to and turn from, rather the sin one enters into before it is committed, fully aware that it is sin.

We discussed how in certain cases, after repeated sin, God will turn from and abandon this individual, and allow them to continue their sinful desires to their heart's content. The idea of being abandoned by God is frightening. How at some point in someone's life, or lineage, God will turn His back on them. Abandon them. And yet they will be living their life with the false sense that they are in God's grace. They will be enjoying the pleasures of the world, and, as Charlie SHeen would say..."Winning! Duh!"

But what did God say about those who go on sinning? Those who profess a faith and acknowledge their Savior Christ, but refuse to turn from these sins, repent, and reconcile these poor choices? Worse still, what about those those who knowingly enter into sin exclaiming Christ's grace is sufficient to relinquish them from judgement, because He is love, and because he forgives sin?

Can one be in the light and in the dark at the same time?

It's clear that when you make a decision to lie and deceive, and to dishonor promises you made to God, you separate yourself from the light. In fact, God speaks of His anger at such sin in Romans 1:24, where he says...

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.

The idea of being abandoned by God is sobering. It's never great to sense that you might be experiencing God's discipline in your life, but it is something to be grateful for, just as children whose parents don't discipline them often crave it in their adult life, sensing their parents didn't love them. Like their parents had abandoned them. But the idea of having God turn His back on you? That's a frightening thought.

After all...God is love. Right? He will not judge people for their sins? Once saved, always saved, right? Even those with cursory level faith acknowledge He is the embodiment of Love. He modeled it for us in Christ. Christ understands our trials, temptations, and the injustices we face in the world, while being blameless and holy Himself, Christ saw the world from our human and sinful perspective. So then–why not go on sinning, and let everyone know that God will forgive you?

God's word is clear on this. And while His word is intolerant to many, it's quite clear on how God feels about sin and broken promises.

Understanding and Obedience

2011-11-06T14:09:00.000-06:00

(Kind of the) 4 Corners

2011-11-03T23:10:00.002-05:00

Zero 7 - Somersault (alt video)

2011-11-03T06:34:00.000-05:00

This song is a cure for anxiety.

Goodbye

2011-10-31T16:58:00.003-05:00

Goodbye Janel. I will always love you. I hope you find the happiness I was not able to provide to you. You have made me so happy for the 12+ years we were together. I thank God for bringing you into my life and can't imagine growing old without you. You were the perfect wife.

Winning. Duh!

2011-10-31T13:08:00.000-05:00

Did you ply the love light call?

2011-10-30T18:03:00.001-05:00

Some couples have trouble communicating. And then, some don't communicate. This sort of reminds me of a few conversations I have had in the past.

Sline for me display the joe drink all around the maspertation town, while I fo mast the po for cream, and, and and once for why I chose for ean and all? Once for all I bleed for all the whole chase patrene? You wanna gat? You wanna gat for what?

When will I see you again?

2011-10-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you thought of me? Or have you completely erased me from your memory?

I often think about where I went wrong. The more I do, the less I know.

Don't you remember?

Juan and Jackie. And God.

2011-10-22T22:34:00.004-05:00

My friends Juan and Jackie. I love Juan for his transformed heart and how nice he has been to me. And Jackie for honoring God by staying by Juan in good times, and bad. Thank you for modeling for me what it means to choose love, and not be a quitter.

Celebrate: Changed Lives (Ramos Teaser) from Crossroads Community Church on Vimeo.

I'm beyond gravity. Because I have a new reality.

2011-10-22T22:28:00.002-05:00

I've freed up my mind. Now I see so clearly.

Dewy Sinatra - Free Mind from Geeboy on Vimeo.

ANW Augmented Reality

2011-10-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

If Love Were Just A Feeling

2011-10-16T14:30:00.003-05:00

I Corinthians 13:3-9 (The Message)

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.