Thursday, March 13, 2008

Hero

open book face down in house at night
by Steve Taylor
from the album Meltdown


photo by megan @ flickr
When the house fell asleep
there was always a light
and it fell from the page to the eyes
of an American boy
in a storybook land
I could dream what I read

when it went to my head I'd see
I wanna be a hero
But the practical side
said the question was still
when you grow up what will you be?
I wanna be a hero
chorus:
Hero
it's a nice-boy notion that the real world's gonna destroy
you know it's a Marvel comicbook Saturday matinee fairytale, boy
Growing older you'll find
that illusions are brought
and the idol you thought you'd be
was just another zero
I wanna be a hero

Heroes died when the squealers bought 'em off
died when the dealers got 'em off
welcome to the "in it for the money as an idol" show
when they ain't as big as life
when they ditch their second wife
where's the boy to go?
gotta be a hero
(chorus)

When the house fell asleep
from a book I was led
to a light that I never knew
I wanna be your hero
and he spoke to my heart
from the moment I prayed
here's a pattern I made for you
I wanna be your hero


About The Song
From Clone Club News Flash Spring/Summer 1984:

"['Hero'] is the most personal song on the album. I remember as a boy I'd pull a book out from under my bedcovers after my parents had turned out the lights and read by streetlight outside my window. My favorite books were biographies of presidents or generals or kings and queens, but as I'd grow older and read more in-depth accounts, I'd discover that my heroes weren't all they were made out to be. Yet the more I read about Jesus, the more I realized that He was the one hero who wasn't going to disappoint me, and that I could pattern my life after Him."

"Role models may vary in quality and consistency, but all are ultimately born to disappoint. Jesus is the only hero worth having." - Steve Taylor

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Out of this World Desktop Wallpaper

Tired of using the images that came with your computer for wallpaper? Why not download some out-of-this-world pictures?


NASA shuttle sts123 launches at nightA rare nighttime shuttle launch (STS123 - Endeavour)


One fantastic source of high-quality high-definition images is the NASA - Image of the the Day. This picture of the recent shuttle launch was originally 3.11 MB , though you can download smaller sizes, as well. Their images include Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and pictures returned from various space probes. Wonderful!

NASA pictures are generally in the pubic domain with some restrictions.

Another great place to find space pictures is The Astronomy Picture of the Day. Pictures from this site include some NASA images, as well as spectacular images from other sources. Copyrights vary depending upon where they get the image. There is a new image every day and the archive goes back several years.


Space Shuttle Endeavor docked to the International Space StationShuttle Endeavor as seen from the International Space Station, but from a different mission as the picture above.


Click the pictures to see a wallpaper-sized image.

Have these images been a blessing? Leave a comment and let me know!

- Dave

Cracked Pots

woman carrying a water jug
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.


photo by Ajay in India Tallam

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Why is the World so Desperately Evil?

The following quotes have helped me to come to grips with the reality of evil in the world. While the world groans under wars, famine, violence, bloodshed, strife, I had never understood “why?” What is so wonderful about causing pain and suffering? What kinds of entity likes to see people cry? Even more incredible, what kind of entity likes to make people cry? Even more incredible, what kind of entity gets off on hurting people in a way that they never, never stop hurting? And just as incredible, what kind of entity draws strength from causing one person to inflict pain and suffering on another? I just could not wrap my mind around the motivation.
And then I read this passage from the Patriarchs and Prophets and it suddenly made sense. Don't get me wrong. I'm not justifying what this entity is doing – I only note that it has a logic of its own.



And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

Zechariah 3:1-5


The tempter stands by to accuse [God's people], as he stood by to resist Joshua. He points to their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer. He endeavors to affright them with the thought that their case is hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations, and turn from their allegiance to God.

Satan has an accurate knowledge of the sins that he has tempted God's people to commit, and he urges his accusations against them, declaring, that by their sins they have forfeited divine protection, and claiming that he has the right to destroy them. He pronounces them just as deserving as himself of exclusion from the favor of God. "Are these," he says, "the people who are to take my place in heaven, and the place of the angels who united with me? They profess to obey the law of God; but have they kept its precepts? Have they not been lovers of self more than lovers of God? Have they not placed their own interests above His service? Have they not loved the things of the world? Look at the sins that have marked their lives. Behold their selfishness, their malice, their hatred of one another. Will God banish me and my angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against them."

Prophets and Kings by Ellen G. White, page 588-589


So, why is there evil? Satan is quoted to say, "Will God banish me and my angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against them." Satan says that he has been banished from God's presence. (Luke 10:18;Rev 12:7-8) The way he behaves, it's no wonder. At the same time, Satan accuses God of injustice. Has not Satan caused the Human family to sin on the earth? even to do the same things that have caused Satan to be banished from God's presence? And if the inhabitants of the earth have done the same, aught they, too, be banished from God's presence and given over to destruction? How can God not destroy the inhabitants of the earth and be just in destroying Satan? We see here that Satan is fighting for his life. The only way, it seems to him, that he has any chance to avoid being destroyed by God's judgments, is to prove that God's law cannot be kept by causing the entire human family to sin. But, thanks be to God, there is more to the story.

But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves up to be controlled by the satanic agencies. They have repented of their sins and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. He who has been most abused by their ingratitude, who knows their sin and also their penitence, declares: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan. I gave My life for these souls. They are graven upon the palms of My hands. They may have imperfections of character; they may have failed in their endeavors; but they have repented, and I have forgiven and accepted them."

Prophets and Kings by Ellen G. White, page 589


Praise the Lord! Jesus demonstrates, by the efficacy of His own blood that He shed on our behalf, that God can be both just, in that the wicked will be destroyed, and also be merciful to those who have repented of evil and been forgiven. And to my own mind, it helps me to understand why the world is so desperately evil.

- Dave

Like the quotes you've read in this post? You can download a free copy of Prophets of Kings here.

Friday, March 7, 2008

An Empty Chair

written by Steve Dickerson
performed by Hand Picked

I could never hope to tell the joys of Heaven.
There are wonders more than I will ever know.
But the Lord wants me to live with Him forever.
It's the only place I really want to go.

Christ Church CollegeChorus
When the angels start to sing
Hallelujah to the King
It will be a chorus far beyond compare
Then the greatest and the least
Will be seated for the feast
But there'll be an empty chair
If you're not there.


photo by Shellylyn

I expect to meet the saints from all the ages
And I'll see the ones I've loved that's gone before
We'll forget the years of trial and tribulation
As we share in Heaven's joys forevermore.

Chorus

I'll explore the wonders of the new creation
As I'm looking for the friends that I once knew
And I hope that I will find you there in Heaven
There's a special place intended just for you.

Hand Picked offers several FREE Christian Bluegrass MP3 downloads of their music, along with more information about the group, on their website.

- Dave