I've started researching the concept of Duty as it pertains to the Christian Male lately. Specifically I'm researching the Duty of the Christian Male to defend himself and his family. Originally I had planned to write a monster article which would put paid to a lot of the things that really bug me about mainstream Christianity in this area. When I started outlining the article I realized it would be a better series than one monster read that chow down on hours of time all at once. The first Volume (or whatever ya wanna call it) is going to be on the Copouts of Modern Society. I expect these articles to go through several Refinements (re: me going through them with a blow torch and an axe) and edits. Sorry for all the rust on my writing skills guys. Hopefully my style will get better as it goes along.
I haven't really been writing much lately (with the exception of the post that precedes this one) so we'll see how keeping to a schedule and banging out a series goes.
16 April 2008
Happy Things
It occured to me when looking over the last few posts that I've been doing a dis-proportionate amount of whining. So here're a few happy things that have happened recently:
I've started Playing Silat again. It's a blast and with a decent training partner (finally) things are proceeding very fast indeed. I've almost got the last of the rust off of my old skills and am getting new stuff from PSP (Pencak Silat Pertempuran) ever time I train. We've also been blessed with having a guy named Anthony move down from Oregon. Anthony was involved with some Serak (Sera? don't wanna start another flame war) stuff up there and I'm getting exposed to a new art which I'd been interested in for some time. I'm looking to be testing probably the first weekend in May for my level three. A move ahead that's taken way too long.
On another front we've had a breakthrough in our Home today. We had been having some family drama and snarls with the landlord, %100 of which was miscommunication and fear. We were on our way to the House of Prayer today and waiting outside our house was the Landlord. We got to sit down and talk to him and clear up pretty much all the friction that's been plaguing us recently. This may sound like a small thing guys but honestly, I can't even tell you how much of a blessing that was. My head started spinning afterwards and has not stopped. The Lord is very good, especially today.
In recent days, weeks and months I've also been revisiting my relationship with God. This is probably my biggest Happy Thing. For awhile I had fallen deeply into cynicism and depression when it came to Him. Slogging through all the crap that my family and I have gone through I tended towards blaming Him. I blamed God for failed relationships, my Back trouble and the abortion that my military career had turned into. But recently I started looking back at what exactly has happened during those two years. I think about how much I've grown in maturity and experience and I've come to realize I wouldn't trade any of it. And now that I've come the point where I'm seeking God again I've started seeing good advancements in the problem areas of my life. These advancements are even bizarre to the point that nothing but the Divine could be at work. And they continue every day.
I've started Playing Silat again. It's a blast and with a decent training partner (finally) things are proceeding very fast indeed. I've almost got the last of the rust off of my old skills and am getting new stuff from PSP (Pencak Silat Pertempuran) ever time I train. We've also been blessed with having a guy named Anthony move down from Oregon. Anthony was involved with some Serak (Sera? don't wanna start another flame war) stuff up there and I'm getting exposed to a new art which I'd been interested in for some time. I'm looking to be testing probably the first weekend in May for my level three. A move ahead that's taken way too long.
On another front we've had a breakthrough in our Home today. We had been having some family drama and snarls with the landlord, %100 of which was miscommunication and fear. We were on our way to the House of Prayer today and waiting outside our house was the Landlord. We got to sit down and talk to him and clear up pretty much all the friction that's been plaguing us recently. This may sound like a small thing guys but honestly, I can't even tell you how much of a blessing that was. My head started spinning afterwards and has not stopped. The Lord is very good, especially today.
In recent days, weeks and months I've also been revisiting my relationship with God. This is probably my biggest Happy Thing. For awhile I had fallen deeply into cynicism and depression when it came to Him. Slogging through all the crap that my family and I have gone through I tended towards blaming Him. I blamed God for failed relationships, my Back trouble and the abortion that my military career had turned into. But recently I started looking back at what exactly has happened during those two years. I think about how much I've grown in maturity and experience and I've come to realize I wouldn't trade any of it. And now that I've come the point where I'm seeking God again I've started seeing good advancements in the problem areas of my life. These advancements are even bizarre to the point that nothing but the Divine could be at work. And they continue every day.
26 March 2008
20 March 2008
Oh, Oh, Oh God!
I haven't laughed this much in many, many, MANY years. I gotta admit though, can't stand most hippies.
Edit: There's something wrong with the embed code so here's the URL:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=163653&title=marines-in-berkeley
Edit: There's something wrong with the embed code so here's the URL:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=163653&title=marines-in-berkeley
19 February 2008
16 February 2008
Old at 20?
The last four days have been a wee bit difficult. I was doing so good with the workout schedule.
And then all my old man aches and pains started to bubble up. Every one has a story behind it. Maybe they've all gotten together to remind me of the past a little for the last few days.
A rib that pops into and out of cartilage on the front of my rib cage that contributes to painful pops between my right shoulder blade and spine. A legacy of not guarding my chest when sparing Nelson. I was so sure he would never throw a punch since all he had done on two seperate occasions and during multiple rounds each time was spazzy kick combos. What a surprise when the haymaker flies in from the rear field. Getting slammed in the chest. The rib still pops in and out when I lift something heavy or move wrong. I learned to guard that area and haven't been caught off guard in my upper chest since that day. Apparently that guarding is what contributes to that spot to the left of my right shoulder blade popping.
The lower left side of my back that has an almost constant dull pain which flares to a point where I can barely move sometimes. Picked it up during 30 days at Ft. Benning's reception (30th AG). 30 Days of cooling my heels and learning the ins and outs of a different world. The funny thing about it is that I can do an entire night of wrestling and not feel a thing, but then I can pickup a piece of paper wrong or stand up just right and not be able to move much for 6 hours a so. So far the ultimate medicine for this one has been Glen Livet.
A Shoulder that dislocates itself so many times a day that it's no big deal anymore, or it might be absolutely fine for two weeks. Dunno where this one comes from. Dunno what triggers it. Quite funny when you think about it and something that I've occasionally used it to freak people out when grappling. They stop when they feel the *squish/pop* of the cap popping out of the socket, I don't.
A bunch of other little ones that I've had so long that I have to consciously think about them to notice them anymore: pinkies that look a little "crooked" because they've been broken so many times they tend to lock up during inopurtune times, knees caps that float around...dunno where those are from but they may be a family trait, others that I can't remember even when I think about them. Just too used to ignoring the littlest stuff I guess.
All these things have conspired to make me act and feel a lil' like a slug over the last few days. I can feel some of them ebbing a little now. Time to hit it hard again in the morning and stop being a whiner.
And then all my old man aches and pains started to bubble up. Every one has a story behind it. Maybe they've all gotten together to remind me of the past a little for the last few days.
A rib that pops into and out of cartilage on the front of my rib cage that contributes to painful pops between my right shoulder blade and spine. A legacy of not guarding my chest when sparing Nelson. I was so sure he would never throw a punch since all he had done on two seperate occasions and during multiple rounds each time was spazzy kick combos. What a surprise when the haymaker flies in from the rear field. Getting slammed in the chest. The rib still pops in and out when I lift something heavy or move wrong. I learned to guard that area and haven't been caught off guard in my upper chest since that day. Apparently that guarding is what contributes to that spot to the left of my right shoulder blade popping.
The lower left side of my back that has an almost constant dull pain which flares to a point where I can barely move sometimes. Picked it up during 30 days at Ft. Benning's reception (30th AG). 30 Days of cooling my heels and learning the ins and outs of a different world. The funny thing about it is that I can do an entire night of wrestling and not feel a thing, but then I can pickup a piece of paper wrong or stand up just right and not be able to move much for 6 hours a so. So far the ultimate medicine for this one has been Glen Livet.
A Shoulder that dislocates itself so many times a day that it's no big deal anymore, or it might be absolutely fine for two weeks. Dunno where this one comes from. Dunno what triggers it. Quite funny when you think about it and something that I've occasionally used it to freak people out when grappling. They stop when they feel the *squish/pop* of the cap popping out of the socket, I don't.
A bunch of other little ones that I've had so long that I have to consciously think about them to notice them anymore: pinkies that look a little "crooked" because they've been broken so many times they tend to lock up during inopurtune times, knees caps that float around...dunno where those are from but they may be a family trait, others that I can't remember even when I think about them. Just too used to ignoring the littlest stuff I guess.
All these things have conspired to make me act and feel a lil' like a slug over the last few days. I can feel some of them ebbing a little now. Time to hit it hard again in the morning and stop being a whiner.
29 January 2008
Still Swimming....
....and the water's getting a little warmer.
The amount of stress my family has been under this last week or so has been astronomical, as with any close family, some has leaked out onto me. Everything has seemed to pile on top of each previous event to create something that could almost be called a "perfect storm".
My Cousin's trial has taken an unexpected turn (for the second time in as many weeks) leading to more wasted time and trips over to the other side of the state. He's definitely worth it though. The strides in personal development and familial development he's made during his incarceration have been astronomical. We are all so proud of him and continue to pray for the outcome of his trial.
Last Thursday (24 January 2008) we were dropping my little brother's dog off at the home of the his "surrogate grandparent's" when he dashed out of the car door the minute it opened. Those readers who have had a puppy (or ankle biter of any sort) know how fast young things can streak away. Anyway, Skittles (the little pup's name) had seen a cat sitting right by the nearby road and like any puppy he dashed right out to chase it. The cat bounded off and made it across the road....the dog did not. Skittles was dead from a broken neck on impact. Fortunately he did not suffer, unfortunately that fact was the last mercy of the night. I was left with the job of helping comfort a heart broken 11-year old. Fortunately my little brother's "Surrogate Grand-dad" volunteered to buy him a new puppy when he was ready. So now, as of Sunday, our family are the proud owners of a new Mini-Daushund named Chloe. Who's chewing on damned everything!
The two examples above are just a few of many things that have come up in just the last week. I'm telling ya this stuff has just been nuts!
The amount of stress my family has been under this last week or so has been astronomical, as with any close family, some has leaked out onto me. Everything has seemed to pile on top of each previous event to create something that could almost be called a "perfect storm".
My Cousin's trial has taken an unexpected turn (for the second time in as many weeks) leading to more wasted time and trips over to the other side of the state. He's definitely worth it though. The strides in personal development and familial development he's made during his incarceration have been astronomical. We are all so proud of him and continue to pray for the outcome of his trial.
Last Thursday (24 January 2008) we were dropping my little brother's dog off at the home of the his "surrogate grandparent's" when he dashed out of the car door the minute it opened. Those readers who have had a puppy (or ankle biter of any sort) know how fast young things can streak away. Anyway, Skittles (the little pup's name) had seen a cat sitting right by the nearby road and like any puppy he dashed right out to chase it. The cat bounded off and made it across the road....the dog did not. Skittles was dead from a broken neck on impact. Fortunately he did not suffer, unfortunately that fact was the last mercy of the night. I was left with the job of helping comfort a heart broken 11-year old. Fortunately my little brother's "Surrogate Grand-dad" volunteered to buy him a new puppy when he was ready. So now, as of Sunday, our family are the proud owners of a new Mini-Daushund named Chloe. Who's chewing on damned everything!
The two examples above are just a few of many things that have come up in just the last week. I'm telling ya this stuff has just been nuts!
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