JINGJOK - a little gecko blog » 2007

March 2007
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22
March
2007

Shipwrecked Faith

Most people don’t know it, but shipwrecking your faith is much like a car wreck. You are sailing along blissfully, thinking everything is wonderful, when, BAM, something hits you broadside. Maintaining saving faith in today’s world is HARD. We will all face challenges to what we believe, especially when it comes to those who think seriously about eternity. Jesus, our perfect model, had to face Gesthemene. Hard times indeed, and no escape or evasion. We believers / followers/ disciples of Jesus are no greater than our Master and must face the same kind of trials and difficulties; daily.

Ever thought about WHY Jesus prayed? He was, after all, a part of God Himself, yet Jesus chose to pray. We must also be left alone at times so that we can find out that God wants us to find Him. In our most honest moment, that moment of choice, the free will, that begs us to seek Him out when something happens to us that we don’t understand. It has to be you alone with God–totally surrendered, vulnerable and abandoned to what God has to offer. It must be “His will be done” not ours. When Daniel prayed earnestly, seeking an answer from God, it took the angel messenger two weeks to reach Daniel to deliver the answer. We are under spiritual warfare and must face courage under fire to truly understand what free will is and making our own choices means, when we ask God, Why?

We must perceive what God wants us to do. Sometimes we have to use “loud cries” like Jesus did in Gesthemene. All of our self-made crutches must be cast aside. We must decide to stand with our answer and never quit. Falling on one’s sword, giving up, taking the easy way, is cowardly. God builds our character, and faith, by placing us through trials; circumstances that are beyond our control, because that is the only way we will find the path into the light. There can be no victor unless someone surrenders. Someone has to submit, belly up, humble. God cannot direct us through His Spirit and Jesus’ example until we do. We must realize that sometimes God operates in a “ministry of absence.” He wants us to find him of our own free choice. “Some days the Dragon slays you, and some days you slay the Dragon.”

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18
March
2007

Science Fiction, Oh Yeah

Everyone watches lots of movies and loads of people read books. What your best friend told you about Science Fiction is completely false. The discussion around the water cooler is also unbalanced. True, real, born and bred Science Fiction is not: gore and monsters; ray guns and alien battles; space ships and corny sets; nor, anything to do with horror. What? No aliens, no ray guns? No monster chasing the pretty lady? No Captain Kirk to save the day?

Right O! Good honest science fiction , whether in films or in books is a major flavor different than what you have been led to believe. "Indiana Jones’ adventures in another place" is a bit nearer to a better definition. Truth is, no one definition could even come close to the marvelous worlds, cultures, people, objects, places, etc. that await the intrepid adventurer! Horror movies, vampires, magic swords, evil robots hold no place in the genre of really good sci-fi. The best way to understand great science fiction (or what should be called "Robinson Crusoe in space") stories is to recommend a couple of really intriguing stories that you have never heard of. Read these and decide for yourself if they are worth mentioning to mom.

(in no particular order and anything by:)

1. Earth Abides
2. Andre Norton
3. Mercedes Lackey
4. Poul Anderson
5. Robin Hobb
6. Julie Czerneda
7. Jack McDevitt
[more]

Explaining a really good story that happens to be in the vein of science fiction is just like any other really good story you like to read. Little Women, Robinson Crusoe, David Copperfield, Sherlock Holmes, or Tarzan, are timeless. They are timeless because they are wonderful stories. Great Science Fiction (and a little Fantasy) stories are just like these; wonderful, full of perfect descriptions of marvelous places. They romp around in our heads, long after we have read them, when we least expect them to: memorable, enjoyable, just plain fun. And this came about all because you read a "good" Sci-Fi book. Now, go watch "Matrix" again. That is really good Sci-Fi. Forget Horror…Sci-Fi is the way to fly!

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10
March
2007

15 reasons the story is true

Fifteen proveable reasons that the Bible is true and Jesus is alive. Believing the facts is one thing. Acting upon them is faith. You are what you Do. You are what you choose.

Intelligent design and irreducible complexity

5
March
2007

Prescribed by the Great Physician

The next time you feel like GOD doesn’t answer, just remember…

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer

Job went bankrupt
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow

Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Timothy had an ulcer
Paul was too religious
Lazarus was dead!

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it’s Me.
3 Growing old is inevitable .. growing UP is optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.
6. Do the math .. count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day, it’s like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, you didn’t pray . If you pray, don’t worry.
10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
12. The most important things in your house are the people.
13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

3
March
2007

Get a little lost

Try NOT to get lost. These creative pages and interesting places to visit will keep you entertained for hours.

we warned ya!

Thomas Campbell-Sing Ding A Ling at Giant Robot Gallery show

All art and images are copyright of the orginal owners.

1
March
2007

Just be creative

Just take an urge and get creative. These few spots on the internet ought to get you
started.

Artitude Zine Sarah Fishburn Carleton Wing Silver Moon Tracy Roos Becky Kelly Wee Lad Studio Claudine Hellmuth Mark Ryden Ray Caesar LaLas Land The Secret Window
	Altered Book Artists Pat Street WarpArt Brothers Clayton David Ho Winston Smith Simply Janet Paintings of Vermeer JUXTAPOZ Karenann Young pesky apostrophe Tracy Roos
halfgeek.net Planet Janet Spiralmoon Yarn-A-Go-Go Nancy’s World Scrubbles.net Wendy Knits! Sugar & Spicy Upliftingarts ARTchix Studio Folderol Design Tuscan Rose Glima

All art and images are copyright of the orginal owners.