Does God Serve You?

The Gospel of the King - There are No Rules

2015-07-10T01:06:00.001-04:00

I have discovered somethings about my faith in the last 2 years that have begun to shock me.

1) There are NO rules. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is punctuated by Jesus himself saying, John 14:16 - And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. That's the promise of direct and permanent communication with the Spirit of God. We don't have ANY rules. We have God.

2) Christians spend more times talking about the rules we don't have, but really want, than about the Gospel or living the Gospel. Jesus warns us about following the doctrine of man, the rules we all assume are right, when he says: "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?"

3) We tend to spread the rules; telling people what we hate, what we fear, what is wrong with the world, instead of keeping calm, and showing our Love for the Lord.

How can we share that love for the Lord?

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As it turns out, these cards, shown above, are 2.75" x 4.25 inches, and shiny card stock, and were designed to pass out to people who ask about Jesus; who complain about pretty much anything and are Christians, and to explain to people who express interest or ignorance, that one of the benefits is to "Keep Calm."

If you want your Name or Website on the front of the card, the Keep Calm side, then enter it on the order form when you order. Please allow for 14 days after proof approval for delivery.

Gays and Jesus - A Different Christian View Point

2015-06-24T18:28:00.001-04:00

Back when AIDs was still a plague that was killing all it touched, I was wrapped up in trying to learn how to deal with my own issues brought on by my still existent TBI, and what was said about AIDs didn't effect me, and was not part of my world. After all, I have always been heterosexual and I am still married to the same awesome women I married in 1979.

Not my monkeys, not my circus, so to speak.

Then my wife and daughter took me to see Rent right off Broadway in New York City.

I have learned much since then about my own prejudice, institutional prejudice, societal pressure, about my own discernment of the scriptural text and most importantly what the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of God, wants me to do and understand.

All of that, however, was not enough for me to write this blog entry, until my recent family trip to watch my nephew receive his baccalaureate from the University of Oregon in biology.

Caveat Lector - The Truth Shall Set you Free, but it will Hurt.

We arrived in Eugene Oregon at 6:30 in the morning and went straight to bed, after 12 hours of traveling. When we woke up, this was the view from the porch. Pretty awesome that the home my sister had rented was in such a fantastic setting.

It was a Sunday early afternoon, and we were in a house with 5 females and 12 males, all pretty much relaxing all over the place. The numbers of people would also fluctuate radically during the day, as friends of the family and the graduate came by to enjoy the company and the celebration of my nephew's accomplishment. It was, even for me, a paranoid anti social person due to TBI, a joyous time.

We went shopping as a team, went to Starbucks as a team, came home and cooked and ate as a team, or at least what passes for a team in the Northwest, where personal freedom of action is not just a nice concept, but a reality of every day life.

After dinner, it started to get cold, so the groups got tighter and the fire on the porch was ignited. As it turns out, one of the genes from my nephew's other side of the family was music, so many of the people there were musicians. And then, most of the older attendees, and by older I mean old enough to remember JFK, rather than remember who he was, were sitting around the fire swapping stories of my sisters' (Both of my sisters live in the northwest and were there) and my life, since none of them had ever met me (the friends that is - I knew my sisters).

Off hand, one of them said, "I would have died from aids way back then if Robin had not been there."

Alarm bells rang in my head, but not at first from the "I would have died" part, but from the AIDs part. That meant that they were probably gay. Wait a minute, I was already informed that they were gay, and was taking a low profile on my faith, because the gay community, as a rule, pretty much distrusts Conservative White Christians. Me. They distrust me I thought, so I avoided any apologetics for the first day of our trip.

Yet, even so, it had not really occurred to me that people I knew actually had AIDS.

I stupidly said, as it sank in, "Then you must have seen many of your friends die?" I meant it as sensitive, and fortunately they took it that way, but in retrospect, it was loss of impulse control, as the real fact that these were gay men, looking around, most of them were gay men, that had AIDs.

I then heard stories of just how my sister had "saved" them, and it was those stories that prompted this video.

I heard story after story of personal encounters with who I know as God, but they called "Higher Being" or "Spiritual Encounter." Everything they said was in line with scripture and had the feel of genuine encounter with the Spirit of God.

Everything they were told in their encounters showed the Love of the Lord.

This did not confuse me because of the assumption that they were an abomination, according to a tight and blind reading of the scripture, but it did confuse me because of the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, as they did not profess to know Jesus. To be sure, I was jealous.

But, the Power of the Love of the Lord overwhelmed me non the less. I have felt this a couple of times in my life. At Church on Christmas Day a few years ago; when my daughter accepted the Lord, though at the time I had not; when I was baptised for the 3rd time; When I decided to give up on using TBI as a crutch and a few times when my wife ran "Run to Homebase" for others with TBI. I'm prone to emotional events, but these events were not emotional but rather total life altering extra vision, on your knees noticing the Power of God spiritual. I recognize the Spirit of the Lord when it moves now, and this was one of those events.

Suddenly I saw God working in these people, and in one of their encounters with the Holy Spirit, God told them they "were ok, just they way they were."

I could give you dozens of reason why many read the "clobber" phrases in the bible as a condemnation of homosexuality, but I won't. That's the wisdom of man, rather than the wisdom of God. I will just say this. Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as your self. Love is an action, and it does not have condemnation or judgement in it. Condemnation is God's job, not ours. We are called to the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. That is Love in spite of Sin, to obliterate condemnation. Do that. Just Love people.

Be the Little Christ that Christian means, rather than the little demon in other people's lives.

So I crossed the line that day. Before Monday June 15, 2015, I supported Gay Rights, because I "thought" and my biblical research supported Gay Rights. I had long ago stopped saying "life style choice," because I am a physicist, and science has shown without doubt it is not choice. Just like it has shown that the earth is not the center of creation and that African Americans are NOT inferior to anyone. All of these bigoted choices have at one time or the other been supported through selective and gymnastic interruptions of the Bible. I had already crossed that line, but on Monday, I crossed another line. I felt that I had been called to stop living in the shadows, performing random acts of love. I had been called to make a stand.

This scarred the heck out of me. I had not idea what I could do, or what would happen.

Then the rest of the story happened. Anne and I spent the rest of the week at my sister Robin's house in Seattle Washington. I told her what some of her friends had said about her work with them.

She then told me a little more about what she had done in the last few decades. She called the early years of HIV a plague, and if you remember, 100% of those with HIV were supposed to die, and most actually did. She and her colleagues created a group, I believe it was Team Quest, in Portland Oregon, and it's purpose was to create protocols that would keep the gay community with HIV alive, against all odds, until medication was invented that would keep them alive. Fortunately, that day has come, which was also news to me. However, keeping people alive against a virus that is 100% fatal seems like a fools quest. It was not. They not only keep people alive, but they are one of the primary reasons that people are not afraid to be tested for HIV in the northwest. They provided the love, the care, the concern and the counselling that was necessary and never before done for a community that was being obliterated by a plague and shunned by the people of God. They became God's hands. The were Love. There is far more to the extent to which Robin personally went, but this is enough to see the Love. Love is sacrifice, and it only come from God.

So, this is my call. To bring God, though Love, to this community. They already are more spiritual than I. Many have talked directly to God. But our bigotry, our hate, our fear has caused them to turn for the Lord, and approach him from a different angle. How can we let that stand. Salvation and Love is the gift of God to all people, and we are called to be bring the gospel of Love and Forgiveness, not the gospel of Hate. Examine what you believe, about the gay community, then ask yourself, what would Jesus do. I can't see him with posters saying he hated gays. I can't see him trying to get the Romans to execute, disenfranchise and destroy them. I can't see him not selling them cake.

I can see him walking into their community, as he did with leapers, who were believe to be sinners in their time, and Loving them, touching them, feeding them.

We have been playing for the other team. Stop it. Be Gods light, not the darkness.

I'm a Fake Martyr

2015-04-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

I am reading a series in science fiction and I am on "book" 72. Actually, it more like booklet, and it's on amazon, but if I don't read every day, thanks to my Brain Injury, I rapidly forget how to read, or, as I am told, lose the focus to read. So every day I read. This morning, at 4am, I read a line in the Swarm: Star Force Series #1 "The truth doesn’t mind verification. Only lies want you blind to other possibilities.”

That line kept me up the rest of the morning, because it combined with another line that I heard in the Joan of Arcadia - The First Season series. This one I can not quote, as my memory is not that good, but it was spawned when Joan was talking to God about a situation in her life where she had been studying Joan of Arc. She was studying Joan of Arc with A+ focus because God had told her to apply herself to her history class like never before. In the process, she became convinced that it was Joan of Arc that was the point of the exercise, and found her self in a situation where she was accused of cheating. She had not cheated, and the school gave her the option of taking the test again, with them watching, to determine if she had cheated. She refused, and a protest within the school was born defending the unfairness of the school accusing her without proof. She decided that this was her chance to stand up, as a martyr, as Joan of Arc did, and get expelled for the "right cause." God told her to stop. He said that being the martyr is seldom the easy path, as refusing to take the test was the easy path. She could be a Godly martyr if she bent her will, her sense of indignation, and bowed to authority, and took the test. God told her that humans get the martyr thing wrong all the time.

Speaking of myself, looking back at my life, and the difficultly my TBI has caused, and the friends I have lost, even the ability to teach Sunday School because I stood up for the right of something that they did not agree with; all these things were not about God, but about me, it turns out. I had twisted my view of the world to defend myself, the whole time thinking I was being the Godly martyr. It actually hurt me to see this side of myself. Was I right in my view of scripture that caused my church to freak out. Probably. Pretty sure I was more right they they were. However, that was the easy way. The hard way would have been for me to swallow my pride, and just skirt the issue all-together. But no, I had to take a righteous stand for God's sake. Like he needs me to defend him. Anyway, this one episode of Joan of Arcadia opened up my eyes to the possibility that I was being a dink.

Then, unbidden by me, I remembered something my wife had said that really "pissed me off." She had said, "It's always about you." "No Freaking Way," I yelled, "It's about what's right. I don't need to hear this anymore."

So, at 4am, right after my wife's cat jumped on my face, making sure I was awake, I read "The truth doesn’t mind verification. Only lies want you blind to other possibilities.”in the Swarm: Star Force Series #1;series,, book 72 I think.

Boom. Head ache. One of my pet peeves for Christians and non-Christians alike, is refusing to have their views challenged, as if God needs us to have a stiff back about interpretation issues in the bible. As if God is not powerful enough to exact his own vengeance, if necessary. Had I been guilty of the same thing. Was it about me, and I was afraid to verify what I thought and said?

So I ran though my head the things that really upset me.

All that I can remember.

It took hours.

I'm really that messed up.

And...

I was being a fake martyr. My wife was right. Worse, I was afraid of the truth.

Sometimes, God speaks to us in the strangest ways.

Sometimes I am wrong.

Today is the first day of me being a citizen of the Kingdom, but one who recognizes that God loves EVERYONE, even fake martyrs like me.

-Peace

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By the way, I recommend both the DVD set and the books, especially if you like Sci-Fi.

Living the Gospel of Jesus Out Loud

2015-03-29T19:32:00.001-04:00

1 Peter 2:21 ESV "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."

Jesus used every method that were common to Jewish teachers and prophets of his time, including mass meetings, bold teachings and circuit preaching from place to place. He lived his ministry unafraid and out loud.

From time to time, I see fellow Christians living out loud, but mostly obnoxiously, getting in peoples faces, condemning them to hell or failure or sadness, but not teaching them of the love of God, as our Lord did. He feed them, then preached, He healed them, then preached. We tend to preach, then condemn.

Today I saw an advertisement on a place mat at a restaurant my family was eating at for lunch. I was pretty cool, because it spoke of what was missing in peoples lives FIRST, and it spoke out loud in public. Here it is.

Don't Give Up - Don't Give In, The Best Days our Your Life are Yet to Come

Live Out Loud for the Lord by speaking to and loving the people in a way they understand, like these guys!!

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Products that Support this Message

Your Guide to Living Life Out Loud“A powerful story that reminds us that we serve a powerful God. I commend Dave’s … inspirational message.”
-Rick Warren - Author of The Purpose Driven Life

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A Book Review - Jesus Did It Anyway

2015-01-17T23:01:00.001-05:00

Jesus Did It Anyway (The Paradoxical Commandments for Christians) by Kent M. Keith is a book about how to live a life a faith in Jesus by coming face to face with the contradictory nature of being a disciple of God and living in the world. The very nature of the "commandments" that Keith draws from both the bible and observation of human kind were so astounding that Mother Teresa borrows them for her own work.

The book starts with a chapter that is titled "The Call," reminding us that God is asking us to follow Jesus. Keith then reminds us that following Jesus is NOT about doctrine, or about a list of rules or commandments, but about the Gospel of Jesus itself, and he does that by illustrating Good Friday and it's meaning. Then, mirroring the 10 commandments of God gave Moses, Keith draws 10 commandments summarizing both Jesus' actions and behaviors as he outlines how we too can follow Jesus' example and change the world us.

Keith's first Paradoxical Commandment is "People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY. Think about that for a moment. People really are illogical and they really do ask and expect us to do unreasonable thinks because they are more concerned about themselves than others. Narcissism runs rampant in our world today. It's all about the "Selfie." It would to me, seem must easier to be disappointed, angry and retaliatory to these mean people, to prevent them and others from taking advantage of me. But both Keith and the WWJD bracelet asks, "What Would Jesus Do?" Well, he would love them anyway. And so goes the other 9 commandments, all of them explaining to the reader how paradoxical Jesus', and his followers', behavior within the world really is or ought to be. It's actually rather shocking, as he not only says what we should do, but why, biblically, and how.

Keith's book is not only interesting, but for the last 5 years I have continually returned to it help me organize, recover and plan my reactions when I have been hurt or confused by the World's behavior. He has written it so well that you faith is stoked, you life is enhanced and Jesus comes deeper and deeper into your life.

It has taken me 5 years to write this short review, because I have not begun to be done with this book. Instead of it being something I have read, and enjoyed, it is still something I am reading, using and growing with, along with my bible. This is a 5 star book. Get it! Now.
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Want to Order Jesus Did It Anyway? Click the book cover below.

Jesus Friend of Sinners - Casting Crowns

2014-11-17T20:33:00.003-05:00

This entry is all about what this song means to me, the very first time I heard it.

"Jesus, Friend Of Sinners" - Casting Crowns - Lyrics

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing

A month ago I started play a local Christian Radio station whenever we were in range in our car. It was a hard thing for me to do, because the vast majority of Christian Music makes no sense or worse, is directly contradicted by a wide view of scripture. In other words, I would get a couple of lines into a song, and be confronted with something that invalidated the song, meaning I have to listen to it anyway, waiting for the next one. Never enjoyable and certainly not worshipful. So this was a bold move on my part.

This was the first song on the first day.

The first two lines, telling me that we "cut down people" in Jesus' name, and we were never meant to so so.

Yes. Yes. Turn the radio up. I thought I was the only Conservative Christian on the planet that was struggling with main stream faith ripping the heart our of people because they were sinners, especially ripping the heart out of other Christians.

We are all sinners, I thought, and here this song is starting with that, we are sinners, and that Jesus is our friend. Wow.

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me

Again, Jesus, friend of sinners. That's another reminder that we are sinners. And, there is ONE truth that matters, and that is the Gospel.

Yes, Loving this song. Then, 4 lines in, hit right between the eyes. People are headed toward him because that is the way they were made, but they are being stopped, slowed down, damaged by ....

wait for it...... ME. Oh man, not so cool anymore.

Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Then a pretty clear reminder that I am being human, and in my own power. Looking around in the world, using my own knowledge, rather than looking to the Holy Spirit. I Do have a plank in my eye, and I missed it.

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Again, Friend of sinners, a reminder of what we are, and who he is. And then, a bold declaration that we are pointing out the weaknesses in others and not worrying about them, other than there sin. More worried about their language, their behavior, their doctrine than we are about their state of grace. Hardly the sign of Love we are told should be seen in the church.

Then, the second most powerful plea in the song. Break our hears for what breaks yours. That means I'm not listening to the Holy Spirit, but, rather, seeing with my own eyes.

Yeah...

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand

Made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Again, friend of sinners, us. Then, what did he do to those sinners. I forgive you. Love. Not law.

Help us to remember we are all the least of these

Paul said this, and if he is the least, there is no way to describe where I am.

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded

How true is that. EVERYONE knows who Christians hate. I know, we say we don't hate them, just their sin, but get real. Bigotry is hate. Everyone knows who we hate.

If they don't know what I'm for, I'm not a follower of Christ.

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

To me, this is the most powerful line in the sing.

What if we did what Jesus did? If instead of hating some politician, we loved them. If instead of hating some people group of life style we helped them? If instead of fighting for our rights, we fought for theirs? What would that do?

Wow.

Guess I will be listening to more now that I get it.

God Rocks!

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The Great Pumpkin and Jesus in the House

2014-11-03T13:11:00.001-05:00

Nope, not an oxymoron, though 10 years ago, most thought it was.

I could throw some scripture at you, but that is always suspect, since it's always out of context, so instead, I'll demonstrate how this church threw the Gospel at 600 kids and their parents.

Yep, that's right. Over 600 kids and parents showed up from

the community to High Pointe Church's Harvest Party, which had a pretty dead on Gospel presentation, BEFORE they went trunk or treating.

Let me break down the potential good and bad of it as I have seen it or had it explained to me.

Potential Bad

1) Halloween is about boiling babies in pumpkins or any of the the other neo-druid rites that are not Godly.
(Historically, there were no pumpkins in England, so this is false from the beginning, but "Druid" rites are pretty much a mystery thanks to Julius Caesar destroying 100% of the druids, and creating these stories in the process to scare his army into fighting harder.)

2) It is going into the world, doing worldly things, rather than trusting the Gospel.

3) If you act like a demon, you invite demons.

Potential Good

1) Halloween is a religious rite that is generally misunderstood and distrusted by the Protestant church because it is a Catholic tradition. Exploration of the truth is good, and knowing what the tradition is to begin with is also good. We are all the Church of Jesus the Christ.

2) You get the opportunity to provide a SAFE and NON-DEMONIC atmosphere for both your own children and families but also for those who don't come to church.

3) You get to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

4) You get to Love on people.

5) It's Fun.

The main building only holds 600 so the overflow was in the smaller building which only hold 200ish, I would guess. There, they sang to Lord, with the High School youth group leading them in the words and hand motions. No kidding. Everyone SHOWING the gospel, not just reading it.

At 6:15pm, in 40 degree weather, with the NE Patriots beating the tar out of the Broncos, 60 plus cars and not a few ministry groups showed up with simple to elaborate decorations just to pass candy out to kids. Not even,

necessarily their own kids. Just kids.

What struck me was that this is a conservative bible thumping evangelical, church building, fire and brimstone preaching baptist heritage church, doing Halloween.

They laid down their hard earned paradigm about Halloween for the chance to have the pastoral team bring the Gospel, the truth, to 100's of people who never would have come into any church, much less a Conservative one.

That's how much they believe .... sorry here comes the

scripture ...

Wait for it.....

Wait.....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. - Mark 16:15

That's Love.

Since I go to this church, I can assure you that Doctrine is preached, though not everyone agrees with doctrine. We have people who think many things are sin and many who think all things are lawful. We have many that think women can preach and we have women who preach, though not in the church. The superintendent of church schools is a women. That's a hard job, one that involves preaching even if it's not recognized as such. I once held that position in another church so I really know the difficulty. Very demanding. We have dress arguments and giving disagreements. We have music discussions about to much show and not enough show. Normal church, except....

No one disagrees that We are to Love the Lord our God and

Love his people, and the best way to do that is preach the gospel. Some do it with words and some with actions, but we all agree;

The truth will set you free, and Grace is more powerful than everything in the world.

So, we do the pumpkin thing, and bring the word to 100's that never heard it and 100's who never felt it.

I Invite Your Comments - I really love learning from other's hard earned view points. I challenge you to speak out.

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Books that will either add to your conviction, explain other's convictions or bring the light of truth and history to the discussion. Knowledge sharpens the sword, and it is sharpened well indeed if you are seeking it for the Kingdom of God.

The Conservative Christian View on why Halloween is bad:

The historical view on what Halloween is from a scholarly point of view:

You, Yes YOU, are welcome!

2014-07-03T20:38:00.001-04:00

Saw this driving with my wife today.

How easy it is to forget, that many are wrapped in shame, or anger, that they assume

that God and/or his people don't want them.

Those ARE the people who Jesus cam to see.

A Book Review for: Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

2014-04-28T22:47:00.001-04:00

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back is a Christian witness book written by Todd, Sonja and Colton Burpo. It is written from the perspective of a conservative Christian pastor, Todd Burpo, and it appears to have been written to bring into the world a rather remarkable witness of a young boy who has been to heaven, so that we, the readers, can either be comforted in our belief or have a reason to believe that heaven is real and what it looks and feels like. From my perspective, it is an interesting story that neither buttresses my faith nor detracts from it. It does, however, ignore some of the basic scholarship that those who seek facts rather than feeling, might be seeking.

It's basic story follows the now familiar line of a near death or out of body vision, this one from heaven. It offers a long list of supports from the vision, verified by third party observations, attempting to validate the thesis that Heaven is for real, and Colton's story, the child subject of the book, is for real. In the end, there is an impassioned cry to recognize the Glory of God and accept the free gift of heaven for yourself.

One of the most convincing aspects is an out-of-body or near death experience where Colton sees and remembers details that he was not conscious for or even in the room for. This strikes me as the strongest witness in the narrative, even though these types of stories are often written off as suppressed memory, brain activity while asleep or a whole host of other plausible opportunities for the subject to have gained the information even while they were unaware of gaining it. Even so, I believe this part because my father had a similar experience during the Korean war, when he was shot, abandoned behind the lines, and later recovered. According to the record, he died, and then revived. He too saw things that he could not have seen when he remembers being suspended over his body during the operation.

There are numerous other points of contact with the possibility of supernatural visions, including humans with angle wings, a picture of Jesus that is validated by a third party non-Christian and the meeting of long dead and never encountered family members.

Normally, in the modern age, anecdotal evidence is looked down upon by the new and sudo-intellectuals. I, being a physicist, tend to accept direct witness, if verifiable, with ease, and have long wondered why in the last few decades witness means so little to the modern skeptic. In that sense, this book is a disappointment to those who seek scientific fact. There is none. There is, however, a well written witness story about the power of God.

From the negative side, I have to tell you, as a Christian, I find the book neither beneficial or necessary. My faith is based on personal contact with God via the Holy Spirit. All the anecdotal evidence I have ever needed to support the existence of heaven is in the Bible or my own life, or the lives of those around me. My own witness story, Standing in the Storm, and the witness of Jesus' life, death and resurrection are more powerful to begin with, and the stories of those around me are easier to judge and consider, since I know the people and can see their eyes when they are telling me the story. The "power" of this story is that it is told by a Pastor who is gifted and explanation and leaves out nothing.

I would recommend this book wholeheartedly if you are already a Christian and are already secure in you faith; or, if you seeking knowledge in the modern age as to why and what Christians believe. If you are analytical and want more than anecdotal information, this won't do it for you.

In any case, I suggest you read what the Bible has to say about heaven first. It is not called the greatest story ever told by mistake.

Week 3/Day 21 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Saturday March 22)

2014-03-23T00:31:00.001-04:00

Day 21 - Saturday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. Up the repetitions in my required exercise to 30 reps today, and could still walk!

B. MAK's special team work out under the direction of our two demo team coordinators, did an awesome job at the workshop and at the Tri-County YMCA, as well as the SWAT and FIST teams under their directors. It is awesome to see the school, its instructors and students perform so well when my contribution is doing 35 reps on exercise and learning to walk up stairs

C. I got to teach the 4 hour Teen Men's night at MAK.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

A couple of times a year we run a teen encounter group where our teens get together, play games, do crafts, and do a sensitivity exercise where they discover the diversity of each other's lives, skills and fears. We do this so they can interact with each other, support each other and function in the world at large better as well. We have not done one for several years, and today was the first for this group of teens, and it was Teen Men's Night ...

I have not taught 4 hours since surgery, so I was experiencing a great degree of fear that I would not be able to keep it together for the whole event.

I planned it as I was asked to, and my family put the physical pieces together so I did not have to carry them, and both my wife and my daughter helped, so the event went off well, but it was still a blessing that I got to do it, that my wife and daughter helped so it happened, and that our teens rock.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Acts 1:4-5 (CEV) - "Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

It's interesting that at the end of John, Jesus breathed the spirit on his apostles, and here Jesus is telling them the will be "baptized with the Holy Spirit." It seems there might be two different levels of Holy Spirit.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

None today.

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Done

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Rules for 21 Days to a Positive Attitude Click here

Day 2: Click Here. Day 3: Click Here. Day 4: Click Here.
Day 5: Click Here. Day 6: Click Here. Day 7: Click Here.
Day 8: Click Here. Day 9: Click Here. Day 10: Click Here.
Day11: Click Here. Day12: Click Here. Day13: Click Here.
Day14: Click Here. Day15: Click Here. Day16: Click Here. Day17: Click Here.
Day18: Click Here. Day19: Click Here. Day20: Click Here.

Week 3/Day 20 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Friday March 21)

2014-03-21T18:22:00.001-04:00

Day 20 - Friday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. The car, all 150,000 miles of it, got a clean bill of health today.

B. I have gone up and down the stairs without cane, left foot over right foot, 5 times today. Killing my quad, or what's left of it, but awesome exercise.

C. PT goes to 2 times a week, however, Today we got another degree closer to straight and on flex we got another degree more bent! Yea.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

This is a boring entry, but today is a boring type of day. The one thing that lighted my fire today was that I had positive movement on the two measurable gains I am being asked to pursue during recovery from Total Knee Replacement. Flex, how far you can bend you knee, needs to be at 115 degrees before you can climb stairs, and ideally your leg should be straight and locked out when you want it to be, but after surgery it starts at maybe -25 degrees. My Knee was at -20 degrees before surgery due to injury and disease, and had been for over 5 years, so any gain is awesome. Today I got one degree of gain on both indexes when at Wednesday's meeting with PT I go no gain. Yea!

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

John 21:25 (CEV) - "Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books, I don’t suppose there would be room enough in the whole world for all the books."

John knew what he had written was not accurate history, in the "I covered everything in the order it happened and missed nothing so there," way. But rather, he covered the history of Jesus' ministry in a way that we got sufficient information to be saved and follow him. Here he points out with some hyperbole, that there is very much more that Jesus did. Wow.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

Gave a Friend a $5 Starbucks Card on Facebook. Someone who needed a boost. Someone who is remembering a loss of a loved one that can not be replaced.

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Week 3/Day 19 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Thursday March 20)

2014-03-20T21:02:00.004-04:00

Day 19 - Thursday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. I got to teach with Steve MacGregor and Barbi McCoy today for the Power Turtles and Tiny Tigers Class.

B. We have been having huge issues with out propane gas hot water heater. Brand new, keeps going out. Hard to find techs for it. Called the gas company to see if they could test the feed, just in case that was the problem. Turns out they have repair techs. Turns out the regulator was frozen. They replaced it for free.

C. I ran into the pastor of one of the three churches in the area that I really like. He was at Starbucks. 20 years ago, when I was a new Christian, I had an argument with him over the well being of one of my students. That student is grown and not really part of my life, but this pastor set me down the road to proper doctrine. It was the right meeting of the right man at the right time. Blessing indeed.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Teaching is in my soul and is the only gift of the spirit that I am sure I have and it has never let me down. I Love teaching. Long ago, a former pastor of my church said that I was not really teaching because I was not imparting the Word of God. I am not at all sure he was right, but I have gone into great depth since then to make sure that I am teaching God's word when I teach, though to be honest, it is more by practice than by word. Anyway, I love teaching. Today I got to teach the Power Turtles, 2 1/2 year olds, and Tigers, 4-5 year olds. Most people don't teach this age group. Too hard. Those that do consider it some type of income source that requires basic baby sitting. I don't. I get to teach these kids some of the most important lessons of the martial arts, and surprise surprise, I also get to teach the they physical art. It astounds me every time I get to teach them.

Today, 4 hours after teaching them, my knee is still screaming in pain because this is only 2 1/2 weeks since total knee replacement, but it was worth it. And I got to teach with two awesome teachers who teach for the same reason I do. (Again, to be honest, all the instructors I can say that about, it's just I got to teach with only two of them today.)

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

John 17:20 (CEV) - "I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me."

Jesus was literally praying for me 2000 years before I was born. Wow .. anyone who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me, he prayed. We can include people in this astounding blessing just by bring them the Gospel. Wow,

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

None today

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Week 3/Day 18 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Wednesday March 19)

2014-03-20T11:54:00.000-04:00

Day 18 - Wednesday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. One of my former students, a Black Belt and a school owner, reached out of the past to give me encouragement in life, and it was timely.

B. Got my SECOND replacement phone for my new(ish) LG G2, and it only took an hour to set it up this time.

C. A friend from my karate past, someone whom I have always respect but had been giving space, due to a conflict between his instructor and I, made contact, and in the first exchange I learned that I need more faith in human kind and received confirmation from a third party that the path we are following in Martial Arts is indeed the right path.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

I have for several decades taken as a witness of the Holy Spirit that I was once again teaching Sunday School at my church. I have taught before, and been a Sunday School superintendent of Sunday Schools at a former church as well, but I had given up at teaching Sunday School until the Sr. Pastor of my current church asked me to teach, about 20 years ago. It was easy. Mindlessly easy. The Holy Spirit put the words in my mouth, just as he does when I teach karate. I could spend all of my time focusing on the kids and none of it on how or what I was going to teach. For 20 years it was like that, and then I was removed, because one person stood in the way, and was offended that I could interpret the Bible differently than her. Such is life. It hurt, but I have greater things to do for the Lord, so after a few weeks of pain, I let it go, and moved on.

A former student from years gone by, knowing how much this avocation had meant to me, reached out with words of blessing and comfort. Did not expect anyone to understand, certainly not someone from so long ago, especially on the verses I interpret differently. But she did. The light turned on in my life that had been broken so long ago. Blessings come from God's people, if God's people listen to the Holy Spirit. She did, and my week changed.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

John 14:12 (CEV) - "I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father."

Greater things than Jesus? From the commentary that I have read, "greater" normally is translated to mean More, not better or bigger. According to Strong's lexicon, Greater is the Word meizōn, which means greater, larger, elder or stronger, and it is usually used in context to mean larger or stronger. I could not find a single time it meant just more, as in a larger number.

This explains why Jesus is so often telling us how awesome God is within us as the Holy Spirit. We can do what he did, plus more and bigger things. Wow. I have spent a good part of my life thinking the Bible was the major power, but Jesus clearly is telling us the Spirit is the major power of God in our lives.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

E-Birthday Cards - 2 people.

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Week 3/Day 17 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Tuesday March 18)

2014-03-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

Day 17 - Tuesday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

Click For Info

A. Starbucks. Anne, my wife, brought me Starbucks.

B. Caught the 24 hour stomach bug from my daughter yesterday. Even with that illness, I had enough energy to do my PT for the day.

C. Anne bought my daughter, whose house I am staying at during Physical Therapy rehabilitation, Frozen.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Today I want to talk about the little blessings that are really the larger blessings. This is the time period in this rehabilitation where I am caught between not being healed enough to function in my world, even at a reduced level, and not damaged enough that every day would bring gain. For example, there is hope tangible when you can measure the improvement at each Physical Therapy session. Yet, I am at the stage of improvement now where I will not see daily gain anymore but I am not well enough to attend class. It is depressing. Add that to my wife reaching the limit of her ability to endure making all the decisions without much or any help from me. Finally, add to that my TBI making every little thing into a major end of the world crisis. For example, I came down stairs and it suddenly hit me that when I was damaged (this very same knee over 20 years ago and the injury that cause the need for the knee replacement this time) and convalescing the last time, the church I attend visited me once a week, even the week that was a partial week. I started eating lunch with the pastor on that 3rd week as I recall. That started me down the road to knowing Jesus. I attended that church because that is what my family did. I do not know if I actually knew the Lord or not, because of my brain injury. I only know that the pastor figured out that I was analytical, and needed more that doctrine and rhetoric to follow. So he introduced me to his library that he started at seminary, and the library that the church also maintained, and guided my study so that I came to understand the seminarian side of faith. All that came from pastoral visits because I attended his church and was a member of his flock. From that, I eventually became a member of vestry and the superintendent of Sunday Schools for the Church. Then he retired, and we switched churches, to attend a church that preached the gospel of Jesus and the Holy Bible.

With all that in mind, I noticed out loud, to my wife, that no one from our current church had visited me at all. In fact, the pastor I had told about my surgery was surprised that I had it the first week I showed up at church. Now I get it. I have no position at the church, and the church is 1000's of people big. I am not starving or dying and I am coming every Sunday no matter what, so it's not like I am a high priority, and other's need their pastoral staff far more than I. But TBI doesn't work that way. It is selfish. So suddenly I am overwhelmed with depression because my church has not sent a pastor, a card, and email or a facebook note. Kids have from both the Sunday School I am no longer allowed to teach at and from my Karate School, and a family of Christians have (see Day 16), but no one from the church I now attend had even registered that I was injured, much less injured with TBI or in need of help spiritual with my family. It crushed me. I mentioned it too my wife, and she, being the practical person she is, immediately brought to bear all of what I just mentioned about the reasons I should not need a visit. The problem is, logic does not work with TBI.

So, out of all this make believe and real pain, how does a blessing arrive. Starbucks. Anne brought me Starbucks. It took 6 hours to register, but the the little blessings sometimes are the best. Starbucks from my wife is proof that God is alive in my wife and my life. Duh.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

John 13:10 (CEV) Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.”

If you are a literalistic, then you might actually wash people's feet at church or, as I have seen at least once, at your home. I, however, have become amazed at the way Jesus taught by analogy. Nearly everything he says is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a secret as Winston Churchill said about Russia in the second world war. He even explained why he taught that way, and I had missed it. So, when I read a statement that has no current context, I try to place it in context of the time it was said and then try to see if it really is talking about the spiritual world and its reflection in the physical world.

So, on reflection, I believe that Jesus is telling me that if we are his, already of the kingdom, then we do not have to continually repeat the process of entering the kingdom, for we have already been made clean. Yet, he warns, we walk in the world, and as we make contact with the world, we become unclean, and must confess that sin, or uncleanliness, every day. Further, me must do so with our brothers and sisters.

But this one confuses me, so I will revisit it again.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

none today
5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Week 3/Day 16 ~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Monday March 17)

2014-03-18T15:47:00.002-04:00

Day 16 - Monday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. Gifts from students - warms your heart and reminds you of the Love that is supposed to reside in our hearts always.

B. Daughter's Kitties love to play - watch the video, using the laser pointer pictured above. The red Mouse hunt!

C. Discharged from Visiting Nurse care - getting better and better.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Front of Get Well Card from the Morway Family - Kitty

Today both blessing 1 and 2 are tied together, proving to me that Grace, from the Lord or his people, all works together, when were respond to his call to love one another.

Inside of Get Well Card from Morway Family

Today just happened to be the day that the deepest depression due to TBI, pain pills and a particularly difficult PT day and an attempt to lower the amount of pain medication all overwhelmed me at the same moment. That is also the moment that the above card showed up. Imagine that. This family, tightly in touch with the Lord, picked today to do something they did not have to do. The card was awesome, though it played into my depression, because this was a random act of kindness directed at me, and it is my place to do this for others. But they solved that problem too. A gift came with the card. The laser pointer pictured above. I was in too much pain to put the batteries in, so my wife did it for me, and I immediately started playing chase the red mouse with my daughter's cats. Watch the video above ... Cats loved it. I loved it. Laughter solves a lot of issues. Thank you Morways for being you. Thank you God for allowing such people into my life, right when I need them. All Glory to the Creator God, the God of Life and my Lord, Jesus the light of the World.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

John 6:28 “What exactly does God want us to do?” the people asked.

Imagine for a moment what the answer to this question is. Most of us have been taught, over and over again, that Grace is the Gift of God. We know it to be true. We know that it is a free gift, and not of works. Yet, not only do this people ask what work, what they should do for God, but Jesus answers them.

Keep in mind, the context of this verse has already made it clear that if the Spirit of God has not already caused you to pursue Jesus, then you will never get to this point. So assume you have not yet accepted Jesus as Lord, and God has started you down the path.

What's the answer to this question. What work must you do to make God happy?

Jesus said, the work you must do is believe in him.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

none today

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Week 3/Day 15~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Sunday March 16)

2014-03-17T11:16:00.001-04:00

Day 15 - Sunday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. Today's Blessing. Pastor Fred, the Sr. Pastor, spoke on 1 John 3 and "We have a hope which facilitates Transformation into a Christ like person." Click the title to view the notes on this sermon. The main points were the Key s to Hope:

1. Right Doctrine on the Central issues about Jesus contained in the Nicene Creed, not the side issues like snakes, LGBT and denomination. Vs 22, 26

2. Abide in Christ as we all fall and slip away, but if you don't find your way back, you don't have this key and you need to know that your salvation may not be based of Jesus.vs 28. Vs 19.

3. Walking in righteousness. Vs 28 and 29.

It was point 1 that rung the bell. I know that I am within the body of Christ because of points 2 and 3, but it was point 1 that freed me from the fear.

B. Anne and I offered to teach Tai Chi as a staycation event at our Church. It appears as though they agree.

C. I have survived 2 weeks post total knee replacement. It hurts like )*&&())(** but it is getting stronger.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Today, after the worst night ever, due to the awesome amount of pain generated by yesterday's blessing of teaching Black Belt Workshop, I got to go to Church. You have got to know, that I HATE to go to church now. Why? Because they fired me as a Sunday school teacher because I dare to translate the Bible a different way, and I awakened some homophobia in the Sunday School director.

If I had been more aware, I would not have made the comment that allowed her to think I was a heretic, but for many years I have been studying the bible and all the "doctrine" that have been given to me that I am not comfortable with. I am never sure, when I am uncomfortable, if it is me being human, or the Holy Spirit within me convicting me. It is worse when the thing making you uncomfortable is a translation of the Holy Bible.

Let me be clear. I absolutely believe that the Bible is infallible. It is, after all, the Word of God. I believe that God does not change. So, in this case, when what I feel and what I read don't agree, I am in turmoil. In this case, after years of study, many many pastors, books, articles, prayer, more prayer, I, internally, took my stand. Externally, I began to talk about it in the open, to allow the Holy Spirit to correct and guide me through my Christian friends. For two years now that has guided me, corrected me, buttressed me and my wisdom grew. As I was becoming comfortable with my stance, in the name of the Lord, backed by the word and the Spirit within me, I was beginning to feel convicted to stand up against an injustice that 47% of Christianity in the USA believe. That is when I questioned the doctrine that insists that LGBT is a sin. That got me fired. I Love teaching Sunday School. I have a gift, from God, and I have spent 20 years glorifying Gods name through the actions of the children who come to Christ at my church, and I have been allowed to guide. The church, or someone in the church, has told them I am not teaching because I have had knee surgery. Perhaps that is too strong. They have allowed the myth to persist that the surgery is why I am not there, and I know this because both the parents and the kids have asked when I am coming back from the break forced by my surgery. (Never would have stopped because of the surgery by the way.)

Anyway, I go to the Oasis Room, the gathering & fellowship room for 50+ before service, so my wife can continue her service to Sunday School the half hour before the main service begins. I picked this room because there was zero chance the children would find me there. I was wrong. They found me, and come in every Sunday to talk to me. Blessing right? No, Curse. The adults there use that as a reason to point out to me what a blessing I am to the children. That hurts, because I am no blessing. Officially, I am a heretic. I can't tell them the truth, because that will bring dissension within the church, and I can't lie, because, well, its a lie. So instead I live in fear that I might have to tell one of the kids the truth. So I hate going to church. I live in fear. I shake. I sweat and I cry. I hate it.

But I go. The church is blessed beyond understanding. The Holy Spirit is nearly palatable within the walls of the Church. The pastors are all spirit lead in a way that nearly scares me. I learn, I grow and I change to be closer to my Lord every time I go there. So I go.

Point 1, the blessing of the day, overtook most of the pain from this bad situation, when the word of God spoke directly to my situation. God, my Church, my pastors, my family and my life Rock. Thanks be to God.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.

This verse is one of the Grand Daddies of misuse. In short, Jeremiah was talking to all of the people who were exiled, not to any individual. For an in depth look at Jeremiah without the Rose Colored Glasses, click here.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

Volunteered to host a Staycation at Church

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Done
________________________________________________

Rules for 21 Days to a Positive Attitude Click here

Day 2: Click Here. Day 3: Click Here. Day 4: Click Here.
Day 5: Click Here. Day 6: Click Here. Day 7: Click Here.
Day 8: Click Here. Day 9: Click Here. Day 10: Click Here.
Day11: Click Here. Day12: Click Here. Day13: Click Here.
Day14: Click Here.

Jeremiah 29:11 Without the Rose Colored Glasses

2014-03-17T11:08:00.002-04:00

Stop Reading The Bible with Rose Colored Glasses

Jeremiah 29:11 I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.

The prophet Jeremiah was talking to the people of Judah in Babylonia, at the beginning of the exile. He was left behind in Palestine and wanted to make sure that the people of Judah knew that God was with them and they were still going to face false prophets and false Gods. He wanted them to know that their God was not like all of the other ‘gods’, that he was the God of everywhere, and would help them right where they were.

One of the most often used ways to interpret the Old Testament books as guide in our lives today is to apply its message directly to our own lives. Straight up, apply this one verse, Jeremiah 29:11, directly to our lives would seem to be a magic pill. Hope, success and no suffering.

Before we do that, however, let’s look at what happened to the people of Judah in Babylonia. Knowing 2 things for sure; God does not lie and the bible is infallible, we should get a good understanding of what this text might have meant to them and what it might mean to us.

1) The Chaldeans doing what they always did, in fact what was common for the time and area, deported large chucks of the conquered nation back to Babylon and leaving many who survived the attack in the area. The king seems to have taken the leading citizens back to Babylon, leaving the poor and the farmers to famine.

2) The land that was Judah was no more, and absorbed into the empire, making those who left “homeless.”

3) It appears that they Jews, who were exiled, unlike those exiled from Israel by the Assyrians, were settled in a single community in their new home.

4) To these Jews, the exile was unexplainable. There entire existence was explained by God’s promise of the Land and to use them to shape human history as he protected them. Now there was no land, they were NOT protected. Their understanding of the scripture was evidently not complete, or the scripture was wrong.

5) We know from Daniel that the Jews were treated rather poorly if they set their faith above the other people living in the city.

On the whole, the Jews were ripped from their homeland, and their home land was destroyed. They were mocked and beat upon, and at times killed for their beliefs. The only strong point was that they had a sense of community, in that they were allowed to settle in the same area. However, history has not been kind to Jews who were settled in a community, and it seems to have played no better in Babylon than it did anywhere else.

Looking once again at the verse, “I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering,” it seems that on an individual basis, this was nonsense. They remained in captivity for nearly 4 generations, with not hope and no home land, the whole time knowing that the scripture they based their entire view of the world on was wrong.

Looking at it and taking the Long View, it has some validity, as I assume it was intended to. Jerimiah wanted them to know that for 70 years they were not going anywhere, but as a people, not to lose help. 3 or 4 generations hence they would go home, and that should be their hope of the future. That would be their success.

Not suffering is harder to understand. From the moment they returned to Judah until today, suffering has been a part of their lives. The only way I can make sense of it is to put it in contrast to what the average person of that age could expect. Historically, people had horrible lives if they were not in a position of power. As we discussed earlier, these were the privileged ones, or their descendants. They could expect some peace, based on temporal power, because of the return to their territory and kingdom.

Another way to see success, Joy, Happiness and no pain is to see that God’s original promise was going to be fulfilled in the body of Jesus. Jesus would deliver these things, to everyone. Heaven is the promise, and the kingdom of God has come, though not yet universally, and the promise has been fulfilled.

At NO time is he talking to YOU. He is talking to a nation, a group, not to an individual Jew.

Week 2/Day 14~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Saturday March 15)

2014-03-16T17:31:00.001-04:00

Day 14 - Saturday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. I got to teach Black Belt Workshop Today. Blessing in that I get to help people and enjoy their company.

B. Janet Mapes brought to us our Gourd Vases, Llama (Barbi), Phoenix (Anne), Dragon (Me). Blessing to have friends with such art ability.

C. I Took a shower by myself.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Teaching is a gift from God to begin with, so every time I get to use it, I know with no ambiguity that I am bringing glory to God, but it is particularly good when I have not business doing it to begin with because of my surgery, and I did, and it worked, and as usual, I was so involved that I did not know I went over the line and deep into I need pain pills zone. God is awesome. His people are awesome. Thanks also to the people, for without the Black Belts and Black Belts to be there would have been no one to hang out with.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Today's question. The word emperor when used for the first half of the 1st century, is an English and convenience title. Emparator was a military title, from whence the word sprang.

Octavian, later Augustus Caesar was the person, names for the same adopted son of Julius Caesar, the title or name Augustus being granted to him by the Senate of Rome. He was a "republican" ruler in that he worked within the rules of the republic of Rome and went out of his way not to be granted the title of Dictator as his father Julius Caesar had.

Not emperor by any means. Some historians claim that its was 300 years after Jesus before what we call emperor was an accurate title.

After Augustus,his step son was voted the exact same power to Tiberius, thus also not an emperor. Also, Caesar was not used as a title for the Emperor until long after the time of Jesus. At the time of Jesus, Caesar was the adopted name of the First Man of the senate, "ruler" of Rome. His real name, the line of Julian First Men - their names flowing from the line of Julius Caesar.

Yet. LUK 20:24-25 CEVUK00

“Show me a coin.” Then he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?” “The Emperor's,” they answered. Then he told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.”

So, if you are going to be ridiculous, we have a problem.

Jesus called him an emperor.
Luke called him an emperor.
The people called him an emperor.

He was not. So Jesus, Luke and the bible are in error.

No. Translation, temporal culture and Greek tradition of the time. If you know classical history, it is easy to see the point with out claiming the bible is wrong.

Question. Does anyone have a favorite" everyone says...." but that's not what it means, part of the bible? Leave a comment and expand our knowledge and understanding together.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

I got on the ground when I can not yet knell, and showed a technique, just because I was so happy to help. Need help getting back up.

Week 2/Day 13~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Friday March 14)

2014-03-15T10:20:00.001-04:00

Day 13 - Friday

Just Because It's Cool, and I got Pie

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. Today, during physical therapy, the PT person told me that the advances I was making were due to my training. That means karate is a blessing in the physical world, because it prepared my body for the work needed to rehab from a total knee replacement.

B. Karate training has given me the mental framework to push the pain, and therefore karate is a blessing in my perseverance.

C. My daughter is a blessing. She sent my wife home from the Karate School 2 hours early because I was "probably" lonely. No probably about it. It's driving me nuts.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Today we were stretching my hamstring and forcing the flex of my knee, and I asked the physical therapist why I have met so many people who have knee replacement who are still no where near full function. Admittedly, most people with knee replacements are 20 years older than me, but still, nearly everyone one has a story of a family member who goes up and down the stairs backwards. She told me that they reach a certain level of pain, then give up. My purpose is to return to full function before the disease took my joint. Less than that is a job 1/2 done. Karate has given me the ability to work through the pain for a greater purpose.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Philippians 2:12 CEV: "My dear friends, you always obeyed when I was with you. Now that I am away, you should obey even more. So work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved."

In different translations, this is translated as "working out your salvation." This translation is instead asking us to ask God, and that means the Holy Spirit, what it means to be saved. In other words, what are we supposed to be and do. This can be a scary thought, because if you listen to the Holy Spirit, put God in his place of leadership in your life, you will be asked to do thing you can not imagine and things you don't understand, and then, you will have to decide. Do I follow or do I not.
4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

not today

Week 2/Day 12~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Thursday March 13)

2014-03-14T15:53:00.001-04:00

Day 12 - Thursday

Barbi's Kitty Audrey Pawing my Knee

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. It dawned on me today that I have a friend who is a blessing to me. She has been fighting cancer for off and on for the last few years, and pretty much non-stop for the last year. It was trying to kill her, and she recently won. Why is this a blessing? Because maybe once or twice in the last 12 months did your strength or her attitude bend. The rest of the time, she has been 100% postitive. I have noticed that she is my role model in my recovery. If her attitude can stay strong when her life if being threatened, what excuse do I have for not giving it my all?

B. I am blessed that my wife and daughter have a karate school, and that I get to teach at it. With all that has gone against me, the Lord has seen fit to provide a place where I get to help others improve their lives. Today I got to teach there, but only for 1 hour. It was Awesome!

C. My daughter has cats. Some people hate cats and some people love cats. What matters to me is that my daughter's cars love me. They play around my feet. The mew at my knees and they greet the visiting medical people who come to take care of me.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

The power of helping other people is astounding. I got to teach for 60 minutes today, and even though it hurt badly enough to make me sweat, I was pretty much unaware of the pain until after I finished teaching. Granted, it took 3 hours to recover from that 1 hour, but the blessing of helping others has never been more obvious to me. It made pain and sorrow go away while I was doing it. Be a blessing, get a blessing. Cool how that works out.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Today I finished the book Forgotten God - Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit and it so impacted how I look at the holy spirit, that I wrote a review of the book, which you can read by clicking here.

If you would like to order the book, this is a collection of 4 books from the same author for the price of just 1 book ... good deal. click the picture of the book,

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

not today

Book Review: Forgotten God by Francis Chan

2014-03-14T12:30:00.000-04:00

Francis Chan’s Forgotten God, Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit is direct answer to my prays about relationship with Jesus, and it comes from a well-respected pastor who experienced all the various forms of Christianity, ranging from Sunday go to meeting all the way through practiced charismatic response. He, like I, wants to base his personal life at the direct disposal of the Lord, and found that the Holy Spirit had not just been neglecting in our relationship with God but most often ignored. Chan lays out the biblical support for learning to communicate with the Holy Spirit and then illustrates these truths with points and counter points from our own lives and times. At the end, I, for the first time since I invited Jesus into my life, have begun to understand what a personal relationship with the Lord is.

Francis Chan starts the book with a direct confrontation on everything I thought I knew about a relationship with Jesus, backed by the scripture and the direct words of Jesus himself. Once he lays down a convincing biblical argument for a relationship with the Holy Spirit, especially since we already confess Jesus, he then addresses that acid like response we all have when our understanding of theology and Jesus is challenged and when we ourselves may have missed an important point, in a chapter he aptly names, What are You Afraid Of? Chan then launches directly into the biblical and theological support for his understanding of the Power of the Holy Spirit, what a relationship with the spirit is, and before he concludes, as if you have always been walking in the spirit and being radical for the Lord, he tells you how to use it in your church, and why you should.

“I think the fear of God failing us leads us to ‘cover for God.’ This means we ask for less, expect less, and are satisfied with less…” This statement from Chan’s book cut to the bone of how I interact with God on any level. I have learned the Christian ease and have learned how to play the game, stating rightly that God is Love, and Jesus is Lord and that no problem is too big for Our God. Yet, I am afraid to pray the big prayer, because whenever I have in the past, it has failed. When I bring it to my pastor, and ask why, the normal response is “you were not praying in God’s will.” Just what, I want to scream, is God’s will? But instead, I am told to get into the bible more. That is hard to do. I am in the bible hours a day. Have been for decades. So I stopped asking how to determine God’s will, and had bought into the Open Door, Closed Door philosophy that teaches God will open doors he wants us to walk through and closes those he wants us to avoid. Kind of, “leave it in God’s hands while I continue in my life,” life style. Chan, instead, tells you how the Holy Spirit is how you know God’s will, and then tells you how to listen.

About the time you start thinking, I got this Holy Spirit thing, he writes: “When was the last time you were saddened because your sin pained the Holy Spirit?” What? I always referred that type of thing to God the Father, who I know separated my sin from Him as far as the east is from the west, or Jesus, who loves me so much he died for me. Problem is, Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father and the Holy Spirit is within me. I had been ignoring, hurting even, God within me. Think about that. I had never even though of the Holy Spirit as alive. I had really not even though of the Holy Spirit as anything but a part of God that was something like a spiritual communication line. A Wire. Boy was I wrong.

Then, as if Chan was my brother, he writes: “We all have to answer the question: Do I want to lead or be led by the Spirit?” I’m a control freak. I would like to think that I would do whatever God asks me to do, and I have done so on many occasions, but now that I know I have been ignoring the relationship I most needed, the one with the Holy Spirit, I realized that I was the main obstacle. I have always wanted to use My gifts My way for Jesus, not the Holy Spirits gifts for God the Holy Spirits way.

Now it gets scary. Chan lays down some awe inspiring details about the Holy Spirit, and how to recognize if the Holy Spirit is in you church. Then, near the end, he lays down the one thing that most of my Christian friends and I have been talking about for a year, but most Christians think of as nearly anti-God. “The church is intended to be a beautiful place of community.” Cool. I want that too. Everyone treats everyone with respect and caring. Well, actually, I don’t want that all the time, because I have TBI, and personal contact that is superficial sticks out like fire on water to me, and I physical get ill trying to avoid it. So I read that suggestion as “real community.” Ahhhh. Warm water, sunny days. The next sentence is a hard saying. “A place where wealth is shared and when one suffers, everyone suffers.”

Get it. Share your money. My mind went right to the women that Jesus noticed at the temple giving 100% of what she had to give. How many Christians, I wonder, share this image of real community?
If you ever asked, “what is a personal relationship with

God?” then this book is for you. Jump in with both feet. If you don’t like to have your understanding challenged, however, you will find this hard to read, because preconceived notions all die at the cover of this book.

If you want to buy the book, or read more about it, click here.

Or, when looking for this book at a lower price, I found I could buy many (4) of his books under one cover for 1/4 of their listed price separately.

(If you end up buying the book or books, and you use theses links, the blog actually gets paid. So if you are really interested, follow the links.)

(I mentioned that this book was a direct answer to a prayer, and this footnote is about that. I have been for months been wondering what people meant when they were talking about "personal relationship" with Jesus, as I can not find that anywhere in the bible, unless you happen to be an apostle. I see people with relationships with their bible, but not with Jesus or God. I had been praying about, complaining about, asking about it, and getting now where. So I asked Pastor Alex, the youth pastor at High Pointe Church in Thompson Ct, since he had mentioned this concept in a recent sermon. He suggested this book. He was right. Thank You Pastor Alex.)

Week 2/Day 11~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Wednesday March 12)

2014-03-13T19:05:00.001-04:00

Day 11 - Wednesday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. The Physical Therapist who is part of the in home rehab, trying to get me ready for full steam ahead physical therapy, has been the same one the who time, unlike the visiting nurse. She informed me, worked around my TBI symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are ever present, saw what I needed to do, and wrote the plan for therapy that would allow me to accelerate and not destroy myself. Individual care. Awesome blessing. Plus she loved on my daughters kitty's. What more can you ask.

B. My daughter has taken to my wife's and my Kenpo Instructor like water to a lake. She finished Short 4, the master form for Ed Parker Kenpo, today, and even understand that now the learning begins, as she fine tunes both the moves and their applications. It is a blessing when you students, and more so your daughter, take to something you hold dear, and then accelerate past you like you are standing in cement. I am blessed by good friends (and Instructors) and and Awesome Daughter.

C. Today I discovered how much has changed at MAK in the last 2 weeks, and the teaching team is not only making it ok, they are making it better. This blessing is from God's People who have happened, or chosen, to associate with us. I thank God for them, but more directly, I thank them for them too.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

I am a control freak, and yet I know my limitations. For other control freaks, that last statement is an anathema, as they can not conceive of any weakness they might have or limitations they might accept. They teach "You can do anything, if you want to badly enough." I agree, I can, but I am noticing during my rehabilitation that doing it, and doing it well are far different things. I have skills that I was gifted by the Holy Spirit and I have skills and talents that I have developed by my own effort, and I tend to want to use them all. This surgery is forcing me to notice that those around me also have talents and skills. Like the body, you would be in deep do do if your hands hand to do the job of your feet. You could make it work, especially if you had not feet, but if you have feet, your feet are your best feet. That is the lesson I am learning this month is seems. I need to focus more on my own talents and trust those around me, and that is point C above. I am blessed with awesome friends who also teach karate with me, and I am only now noticing just how awesome they really are. Thank you God, for putting me here, and I would like to thank them for choosing to be at MAK.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Today I was continuing to read Forgotten God by Francis Chan, and I continued to learn some of the things that a control freak like me can do to justify their behavior, rather than follow the Holy Spirit as we are asked to by Paul. The Holy Spirit is not for tomorrow, or next year; He is for here and now, and I have to lay my will down for him.

Galatians 5:16 (CEV):"If you are guided by the Spirit, you won’t obey your selfish desires."

Click the book picture for information on this awesome book.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

not today

Week 2/Day 10~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Tuesday March 11)

2014-03-12T13:31:00.002-04:00

Day 10 - Tuesday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. After the huge amount of pain, due to the vanishing pain pill debacle, I still managed to get sleep, due to the fast thinking of my Wife. Though, at the time, all I did was yell and scream in pain, I eventually did what she was suggesting, patiently and sometime not so patiently, but kept going. Finally I accepted her advice, took the drugs, changed my position, new ice, higher knee. ... Sleep. So you would think the blessing was sleep, but today's #1 blessing was my wife.

B. Knee scar keeps getting rave reviews from the medical people. It looks scary to me, but that's just me.

C. The Karate school continues to grow, due in large part to my daughter stepping into her gift of teaching. An an example to the rest of us. She uses her gift, with scary humility, approaching ignorance of the gift, to bring the love of the Lord into other peoples lives. Many of them do not worship the Lord, but Barbi is all about Love your neighbor.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

I have been married since December 21, 1979. When I got married, I had a very high IQ and a job in physics. I had an awsome potential for a top .05% intellect in the United States who had college degrees, Eagle Scout and documented business and non-business leadership ability. I had the cards and the gut to make it happen. That's what my wife married.

The the accident took it all away. According to my doctor, I should have been dead, divorced or in jail within a year of my brain injury. He forgot to factor in my wife. This is a women who has "Words" from God and vision too, but does not spread it around. Why, because the bible says they are for the benefit of the Church, and so she uses them that way. No fanfare. This is a women who could have walked away when I was hurt, and no one would have questioned it. Yet, she stayed. And last night she put up with constant neverending verbal abuse due to some outstanding pain, and got the job done. Then she went to bed. That, people, is called a blessing, and in this case, it actually and emotionaly made a bad thing go away. Thank you Anne.

Click this Icon for the Story of God and my Injury and how Anne and I Stood in the Storm

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Luke 7:9 (ESV) - When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

Luke 7:9 can also be found in Matthew 8:10, and still uses the same word, "marveled."

A similar story, about the sick women touching his clothing, and drawing power from him, surprising him, is another example of Jesus be surprised. Matthew 15:28.

The word for marveled from a greek lexicon is G2296 and translates marvel, wonder, have in admiration, admire, marvelled. The primary use for the word is Wonder or to Marvel and the second use for the word is admire or admiration. It is translated in all versions I have access to as surprised or marveled, no where admire. So it appears that Jesus was surprised. That would mean that when he was incarnet, a human, he did not have the knowledge of all things unless it was granted to him, by the Father, through the Holy Spirit. In other words, he was human. Fully human. This question is most often asked about Mark 13:32 and most often answered the same way.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

not today

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Done
________________________________________________

Rules for 21 Days to a Positive Attitude and Day 1. Click here

Day 2: Click Here. Day 3: Click Here. Day 4: Click Here.
Day 5: Click Here. Day 6: Click Here. Day 7: Click Here.
Day 8: Click Here. Day 9: Click Here.

Week 2/Day 9~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Monday March 10)

2014-03-11T20:53:00.000-04:00

Day 9 - Sunday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. Today I graduated from the couch to the bed at my daughters home, because I could manage the pain generated getting into the bed a the lower level. This means I disrupt my daughter's life less that I have been.

B. On the the parents at the karate school sent home cookies for me!!

C. Physical therapist came by and reported that I was flexing my knee 20 degrees past 90, which is far past where I am supposed to be!!!! Yea.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Cookies. Cookies. Cookies. I am not very good accepting help from anyone on anything, and today was no different than any other day in that respect. No wait. Yes it was. I am in the 1st day of the second week, day 8, since they cut my left knee out of my body and place a new one inside. This turns out to be one heck of a lot more complicated than I had anticipated. The pain is far more manageable than a simple ACL repair, which I have had a couple of. However, it is far more enduring. By that I mean, the pain medication did not work for ACL, but does with Total Knee Replacements. But, and this is huge for today, if you let the pain get ahead of you, let the pain hit level 10, it takes 12 hours or more to get it back under control. Had that covered. Messed it up in the hospital, so I learned my lesson. So yesterday I had PT, did a ton of work to make my knee better, and was maxing out the pain meds, but I knew that was what my doctor had asked me to do, and I knew the pain meds worked, so we were good. At 4 O'clock I went to get my pain meds, and noticed there were 5 left, enough for the rest of the day, but no more. I called the doctors office, and got the "we need 24 to 48 hours," thing that they all say, but again I knew where I stood, and knew I was ok, so I took it. After all, I have TBI and they know it, so they really were wasting their time telling me the rules, and they knew that too. (As it turns out, I will not forget them again, as I remember emotional stuff, and this got emotional) She asked how long my meds would last, I said until morning, and she said she would take care of it. Then their office closed. Then my wife returned from teaching karate, and we discovered I did not have enough to make it through the night, and by 10pm, the pain was ahead of me. Way ahead, and there was no way back. I was wrecked, and I had destroyed the next day too. Errr.

That's when the cookies showed up. You know what trumps pain? Kindness. Kindness trumps everything. Thank you Mrs. Perry for the life saving cookies.

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Mark 12:42-43 (CEV) - "Finally, a poor widow came up and put in two coins that were worth only a few pennies. Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said: I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others."

Ever wonder why they church spends so much time on tythe? Of course its in the old Testament, and they have some verses from the New that confirm that giving 10% is good for you, but in light of this verse, have you ever wondered why they don't push this verse?

Because she did not give 10%, she gave 100%. It is NOT the amount you give, its the sacrifice of the thing.

Yet we have several places where Jesus tells us the God the Father does not want sacrifice. What then does he want?

Love. So it is the Love of the thing. She gave nearly nothing, but it was all she had, and that was still not enough. How's that? Jesus said she has put in more than any other. What MORE did she put in? Mere percentage? No, because that is legalistic. It was more LOVE. That is what the Lord wants. Your Love.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

Today my wife and I, feeling that we were wrecking our daughters sleep, using her house, monoplozing her kitties, drinking her drinks, eating her food, and making a mess as I recoperate from knee replacement, sent to my daughters office some flower. This picture came off of Facebook. We helped her day like the cookies helped mine. Kindness rocks.

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Done
________________________________________________

Rules for 21 Days to a Positive Attitude and Day 1. Click here

Day 2: Click Here. Day 3: Click Here. Day 4: Click Here.
Day 5: Click Here. Day 6: Click Here. Day 7: Click Here.
Day 8: Click Here.

Week 2/Day 8~ 21 days to a Positive Attitude (Sunday March 9)

2014-03-09T22:14:00.001-04:00

View This Starbucks Product.

Day 8 - Sunday

1) Every day write down 3 good things that happened that day for which you are grateful.

A. I went to Church at 9:00am, sat with my wife when she finished service, participated in the Lord's
Table and more.

Click for More Information

B. I did some traveling with my wife, adding up to some 3000 feet or more of walking, including: Movies (we watched Sherman & Mr. Peabody), Starbucks (Trinta Passion Fruit Tea), B.J.'s Wholesale Club (I did walking, Anne did the shopping.) Was Awesome on the exercise side though on the pain side it was also Awesome, combining into way more than I had a right to expect.

C. Did Tai Chi Quan 24 2 times without any physical support, like crutches, canes and cranes.

2) Journal about one positive blessing. One of the three, and explain why that good thing is better than the bad things that happened.

Today I have selected number A, as my Kenpo instructor says, to expound upon the power of the blessing, and NO I did not pick A because it has to do with Church, and therefore a more "suitable" blessing. If you know me at all, you would know that it is surprising that I picked to talk about church. Anyway, it bible is pretty clear that you are not support to share in the Lord's Table if you have unresolved sin between you and another brother or sister. I might. The director of Church School, the Jr. Pastor who has left my request to be of any service at all the the church and the person who complained were all sitting right in that room. However, from my perspective, there was no sin or anger between us any longer. I understand where the director believes she is protecting children and is not yet capable of doubting her interpretation of scripture. It says what it says, and it means what it means, and that's it. There is not room for translation issues or historical context, cultural context or downright bigotry. If there was an error, it was in me, so she did her job correctly, as far as she is capable today. That is, actually, a blessing. The Pastor doesn't understand TBI and it's not his job to, so he is just doing is job, waiting for the right moment and right service to arrive. Finally, the person who turned me in for being a biblical friend to Gays really is a bigot, though like the director of Sunday School, is unaware of it. Can't really blame her either. So I have fear that I might have to talk to them, and that would require me to Lie about what I believe, to prevent strife coming into the community, or explaining where I am actually coming from. In one case, that would take years; in the other two I lack sufficient education and skill to teach them and they lack sufficient theology to even begin the conversation. All I would do is Lie or Anger, and neither seems right.

So, I just went, hoping, praying, that God would show up and do his thing, if I just did mine. Mine is to worship, study, obey and spread the word. So I came, and only good came from it!!

3) Meditate and detach from multi-tasking, by focusing on scripture~ read it, research it, think about how it might impact your life.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 - The best thing we can do is to enjoy eating, drinking, and working. I believe these are God's gifts to us.

This is one verse from today's sermon by Pastor Fred Massie on Learn to be Content - The Year of Change.if you want more on this sermon, click HERE or above, to be taking to my notes.

4) One random act of kindness a week. You can do more. (Try one a day)

Today I hung out in the "Oasis Room," my churches room for old people like me to hang out in. Never been there before, but I wanted a place to hang out while my wife finished her Church School service. So, with my giant knee hanging out and pain at level 0 on a 1 to 10 scale, I assumed that my awesomeness would be shared or ignored.

Boy was my humility in need of being checked at the door. First off, they all knew my name and they knew me. Second, they came, greeted, small talked, even prayed over me. Today, God decided to send me some random acts of kindness in my continuation of learning how to accept help from other.s

5) Pray. Lay down the hurtful things and gather strength.

Done
________________________________________________

Rules for 21 Days to a Positive Attitude and Day 1. Click here

Day 2: Click Here. Day 3: Click Here. Day 4: Click Here.
Day 5: Click Here. Day 6: Click Here. Day 7: Click Here.