This is up off of Rocky Point, Oregon. Overlooking the valley towards Scappoose. I believe that is Mt. Rainier just above the cache.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Prophecy in Tongues. (repost for Chinese New Year)
In the year 2005 I found myself in India for a year. Throughout that
year I saw, experienced, and learned many things that helped nourish my
faith in Christ, but at the same time helped me question what I actually
believed.
One of the adventures that I went on was a month long journey with a group of students from the college I worked at. This was a time for the students to put into action what they had been learning for the past few months, we called it Practical Training. Basically a hands on experiment to see if the students could put into motion what they had been learning over the past few months.
We stayed on a church compound that was right next to a temple. Many strange things happened while on the property of the church. One of these things was a visit from some foreigners all the way from New Zealand. They were quite eccentric and even for me a little over the top. The church however was packed with villagers from all over the area, many were gathered outside peering in open windows. During this, I was somehow offered a short opportunity to share my "story" and sing a song I had recently written on guitar.
The guitar was new for me. I picked one up in India and began plunking out tunes. And soon was writing my own. I played the first song I ever wrote with a guitar that night. Later in the session, one of the New Zealand folk gave a main sermon and then the pastor of the compound also shared a few opinions he had on the topic as well. Towards the end of the evening, there was to be a time of "prayer" and healing. The healing wasn't what I was worried about. I had seen a good portion of this already happening in my travels. It was the "prayer" part that was a little iffy to me.
You see, it was more like praying over people in tongues. I was a little insecure and unsure about the whole speaking and praying in tongues situation. So, I lowered my head and began praying for my own peace and God would be glorified that evening. I prayed for everyone in the room. I prayed for spiritual healing. I prayed for my students that they would be used somehow that evening. And then I felt this hand on my shoulder, a woman's hand, a New Zealand hand.
The two of us began talking about the situation. We talked about speaking in tongues. then she asked if I had ever been prayed for in tongues? I said, "No...not that I am aware of."
"Would you like to be prayed for?" nudged the woman.
Some small voice inside of me said, "Just go with it Ben." I really didn't want to offend her and really did not see any harm in her gentle gesture.
"Sure?" I offered. And then she began to pray in a "language" that I didn't understand. (this being funny as I was in a country where I didn't understand the language and needed a translator already. She may have been speaking Greek for all I know.) However, every few moments she would say a random phrase or a few words as if in translation. For the most part, she was hitting home on some of the things she was saying. Then out of the blue she says something about China and me involved someway with it. I immediately brushed it off and thought I don't have a desire for that...ever. I don't want to go to China. I shrugged off the situation and actually called my father a few hours later. Dad and I talked through the situation and I had some peace after our conversation ended.
I had forgotten about this experience and and the specific things said until just recently. I was sitting in church when a connection was made that goes back to that New Zealand woman with the thick accent and I believe "good" intentions. You see, in the end of September of 2010 I took a job working with Chinese Youth here in Oregon. I was slow to believe that the woman praying over me was telling the truth, today I think she was partially right. Although I do not live in China, and have never been, I am currently working with the Chinese people group, especially the youth.
For me it is a constant reminder that God is always laying the ground work of our current stories and our future ones. I didn't understand it back then, but today, I realize how God is constantly (even though it feels so slow sometimes) working in our lives. All in His time of course. Funny how HE reveals himself to us and we don't understand it until later. I love that about this adventure we are on!
One of the adventures that I went on was a month long journey with a group of students from the college I worked at. This was a time for the students to put into action what they had been learning for the past few months, we called it Practical Training. Basically a hands on experiment to see if the students could put into motion what they had been learning over the past few months.
We stayed on a church compound that was right next to a temple. Many strange things happened while on the property of the church. One of these things was a visit from some foreigners all the way from New Zealand. They were quite eccentric and even for me a little over the top. The church however was packed with villagers from all over the area, many were gathered outside peering in open windows. During this, I was somehow offered a short opportunity to share my "story" and sing a song I had recently written on guitar.
The guitar was new for me. I picked one up in India and began plunking out tunes. And soon was writing my own. I played the first song I ever wrote with a guitar that night. Later in the session, one of the New Zealand folk gave a main sermon and then the pastor of the compound also shared a few opinions he had on the topic as well. Towards the end of the evening, there was to be a time of "prayer" and healing. The healing wasn't what I was worried about. I had seen a good portion of this already happening in my travels. It was the "prayer" part that was a little iffy to me.
You see, it was more like praying over people in tongues. I was a little insecure and unsure about the whole speaking and praying in tongues situation. So, I lowered my head and began praying for my own peace and God would be glorified that evening. I prayed for everyone in the room. I prayed for spiritual healing. I prayed for my students that they would be used somehow that evening. And then I felt this hand on my shoulder, a woman's hand, a New Zealand hand.
The two of us began talking about the situation. We talked about speaking in tongues. then she asked if I had ever been prayed for in tongues? I said, "No...not that I am aware of."
"Would you like to be prayed for?" nudged the woman.
Some small voice inside of me said, "Just go with it Ben." I really didn't want to offend her and really did not see any harm in her gentle gesture.
"Sure?" I offered. And then she began to pray in a "language" that I didn't understand. (this being funny as I was in a country where I didn't understand the language and needed a translator already. She may have been speaking Greek for all I know.) However, every few moments she would say a random phrase or a few words as if in translation. For the most part, she was hitting home on some of the things she was saying. Then out of the blue she says something about China and me involved someway with it. I immediately brushed it off and thought I don't have a desire for that...ever. I don't want to go to China. I shrugged off the situation and actually called my father a few hours later. Dad and I talked through the situation and I had some peace after our conversation ended.
I had forgotten about this experience and and the specific things said until just recently. I was sitting in church when a connection was made that goes back to that New Zealand woman with the thick accent and I believe "good" intentions. You see, in the end of September of 2010 I took a job working with Chinese Youth here in Oregon. I was slow to believe that the woman praying over me was telling the truth, today I think she was partially right. Although I do not live in China, and have never been, I am currently working with the Chinese people group, especially the youth.
For me it is a constant reminder that God is always laying the ground work of our current stories and our future ones. I didn't understand it back then, but today, I realize how God is constantly (even though it feels so slow sometimes) working in our lives. All in His time of course. Funny how HE reveals himself to us and we don't understand it until later. I love that about this adventure we are on!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Somebody that I used to know-Walk off the Earh-Cover
This may be one of the coolest things on YouTube right now!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening-Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost-1923
Thursday, January 12, 2012
"God gives where He finds empty hands." - St. Augustine
I recently came across this quote and quickly fell in love with it. The thought of us having to empty ourselves to receive what God has to offer us is quite compelling really.
I think of a party I'm at and I am holding a glass of half drunk OJ that the host has so graciously given to me, it being a breakfast party after all, and then this Jesus fellow comes along and says "Hey Ben, you want a sample of this Living Water that I am giving away for free?" I look down at my glass and hold it up for him to fill. Jesus just shakes his head and produces another glass from somewhere inside his many pocketed robe. "Here," he says to me as he fills the glass, "drink this". I look at my glass and then to his. "Shiny" I think to myself. "I really want a drink of that, but I haven't finished my OJ yet. What would the host think if I didn't finish his juice? I mean he must have freshly squeezed the oranges this morning, right?" It takes everything in me to set down the glass of OJ and accept the glass of water that Jesus is offering to me.
OJ analogy aside. I think we as humans carry around this heavy weight of what we think matters in life. We walk around with all of this junk and the crazy thing is, we keep it close to us. We hold on to every little thing, every little word spoken, every moment, every stupid memento from our lives, and the truth is that it really doesn't matter. We are like the raccoon who gets his paws stuck in the trap because he is unwilling to let go of the food inside, but his paws are too big to get out of the trap and he will eventually die holding onto something that he will never be able to have in the end. We as humans hold onto stuff that we should just let go of as well.
Just like the OJ above, we like drinking it, but the matter of the fact is; Living Water trumps everything! We have to set aside the OJ to enjoy it though. Same thing with God's provision, we have to set aside our goals, thoughts, dreams, and short comings to then receive God's blessings and gifts for us.
Christmas was just a few weeks ago, so let me go with this thought. Many of us receive multiple presents at Christmastime. We hold it up for everyone to see, (like Ralphie is holding up his gift to the left) we wear it, use it, play with it, (sometimes just to make others happy) and overall just try to show others how happy we are with our shiny junk. And yet, the whole point of Christmas is Christ's presence here on earth. How can one receive or be in His presence with our hands full? I know that I should drop everything to commune with Him. I am not saying gifts are bad, I am saying how we carry them in our lives can potentially be harmful to what God has for us. Often times when our hands are full and we meet someone for the first time we just smile and give a nod and say "hello." We should be shaking hands. We should be embracing them. Same thing with Christ. Are we embracing Him or are we smiling and nodding and looking utterly stupid while trying to fool Him into thinking we are interested in what He has for us?
Emptying my hands has been on my mind a lot lately. I am no master at it and most certainly will not ever perfect it. I do however want to be ready to receive what God has to offer me. I will try and set down my OJ and engage more, not just with God, but with the people around me as well. I want to live a life filled with presence not presents. A life filled with open arms to help others and receive others around me. A life filled with opportunities and absolutely no barriers. A life where I let the ultimate guide lead me up the mountain to the wide open vista and wonderful view He has for me.
For now I find it in little snapshots of open handedness. Little jogs up the mountain side. Small adventures into His vast wilderness. My hope is that I will walk hand in hand with Him up there where the air is thin and very few have been, one day. Not empty handed, but hand in hand with Him.
"God gives where He finds empty hands." - St. Augustine
OJ analogy aside. I think we as humans carry around this heavy weight of what we think matters in life. We walk around with all of this junk and the crazy thing is, we keep it close to us. We hold on to every little thing, every little word spoken, every moment, every stupid memento from our lives, and the truth is that it really doesn't matter. We are like the raccoon who gets his paws stuck in the trap because he is unwilling to let go of the food inside, but his paws are too big to get out of the trap and he will eventually die holding onto something that he will never be able to have in the end. We as humans hold onto stuff that we should just let go of as well.
Just like the OJ above, we like drinking it, but the matter of the fact is; Living Water trumps everything! We have to set aside the OJ to enjoy it though. Same thing with God's provision, we have to set aside our goals, thoughts, dreams, and short comings to then receive God's blessings and gifts for us.
Christmas was just a few weeks ago, so let me go with this thought. Many of us receive multiple presents at Christmastime. We hold it up for everyone to see, (like Ralphie is holding up his gift to the left) we wear it, use it, play with it, (sometimes just to make others happy) and overall just try to show others how happy we are with our shiny junk. And yet, the whole point of Christmas is Christ's presence here on earth. How can one receive or be in His presence with our hands full? I know that I should drop everything to commune with Him. I am not saying gifts are bad, I am saying how we carry them in our lives can potentially be harmful to what God has for us. Often times when our hands are full and we meet someone for the first time we just smile and give a nod and say "hello." We should be shaking hands. We should be embracing them. Same thing with Christ. Are we embracing Him or are we smiling and nodding and looking utterly stupid while trying to fool Him into thinking we are interested in what He has for us?Emptying my hands has been on my mind a lot lately. I am no master at it and most certainly will not ever perfect it. I do however want to be ready to receive what God has to offer me. I will try and set down my OJ and engage more, not just with God, but with the people around me as well. I want to live a life filled with presence not presents. A life filled with open arms to help others and receive others around me. A life filled with opportunities and absolutely no barriers. A life where I let the ultimate guide lead me up the mountain to the wide open vista and wonderful view He has for me.
For now I find it in little snapshots of open handedness. Little jogs up the mountain side. Small adventures into His vast wilderness. My hope is that I will walk hand in hand with Him up there where the air is thin and very few have been, one day. Not empty handed, but hand in hand with Him.
"God gives where He finds empty hands." - St. Augustine
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Adventures of Tin Tin A Bember Review
The Adventures of Tin Tin PG
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Produced by: Peter Jackson and Weta Digital
Amber and I were excited to see this movie. From the moment we saw the preview in the theater we knew this would be a must see for the two of us. So, this past Sunday we splurged and used a Christmas gift card to go see Tin Tin.
From beginning to exciting finish Tin Tin does not disappoint in the departments of action and peril. I found myself enthralled in the story that was being told. The animation was brilliant and had both of us at moments asking ourselves if we were watching a real life action film or the handiwork of an artist.
I honestly had moments where I was thinking to myself no way that this could happen. Then it would click in again that I was watching a cartoon and not a live action film.
Bit of Story:
We are taken on a crazy world spanning journey with Tin Tin (Voiced by Jamie Bell) a young Belgian reporter and his dog Snowy. The two comrades are trying to solve a mystery involving Captain Haddock (Voiced by the incredible Andy Serkis) and three strange model ships. These ships hold a secret from Captain Haddock's past and Tin Tin is trying to help him figure out just what the importance of these ships are. In waltz's the bad guy Rackham (Voiced by Daniel Craig) who is determined to find, gasp, a great treasure that has something to do with these three ships. Duels, escapes, chase scenes, plane rides, crashes, deserts, pirates, ships, and more trace the story to the final scene where we the audience are left with a slight cliff hanger, where we ask ourselves could a sequel be involved?
Overall the film is highly enjoyable. Your children may not follow along with the story. Multiple chase scenes, flashbacks, fighting, gun shooting, swashbuckling, and a few key moments that help the story along will not make sense for a child or really are not appropriate for someone under 10.
You as the adult will surely be smiling towards the end of this flick. You will enjoy how our beloved Tin Tin has been brought to life and the amazing adventure that ensues.
The Critic Speaks:
I only had two issues with this film-
One of the reasons for the rating is the lack of humor in this film. I came in expecting the characters of Thomson and Thompson (voiced by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) to bring a bit of comic relief. I was left disappointed however. The two actually come of as dull and rather idiotic. I know this is how the original characters were written, but these two actors are truly funny men. These men are not funny in the movie.
Second thing of note, is the fact that from the start to finish, this movie does not stop with Tin Tin being in some sort of peril. I mean honestly how much can one Belgian reporter take? How much can the audience take for that matter before we are left thinking, "Really? You went that direction with this? Oh, gee look Tinny Tin is in trouble again!" I know this is nit picky, but as I felt so strongly about how realistic the animation was in this film, the overdone action sequences almost become boorish.
Credits:
A few highlights of the film are of course are Peter Jackson's and Weta Digital's amazing technology that brought the whole film to the screen.
Snowy the dog is an adventure to watch for the entire movie. I laughed more at the dog than any other character. I also felt more emotion from the dog than any other person in the film. Pretty darn good for a pup.
All in all, go see this film, or rent it when it comes out on DVD you will be in for a great 2 hours of fun.
Monday, January 9, 2012
11 best albums of 2011
2011 Gave us some great new artists to begin new love affairs with, it also yielded some comebacks by some well known powerhouses in the industry. The list below is a fresh blend of the new and the old. Some of you may get on my case for not mentioning the new Coldplay album. In all honesty I am not a fan of the album, perhaps a few more spins and it might bump something off this list. Go ahead and give me your top 11 or fewer for the year in the comment section.
-Ben
In no particular order-click the links to get good music. Some of the deals wont last long.
1. Bon Iver -Bon Iver ($4.99 on Amazon as of this post)
2. The Civil Wars-Barton Hallow ($5.49)
3. Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between ($Free at Josh's website)
4. Sleeping At Last-Yearbook ($25.49 for 36 songs)
5. The Lonely Forest-Arrows ($11.99)
6. Elbow-Build A Rocket Boys ($5.00)
7. The Head And The Heart-The Head And The Heart ($5.00)
8. The Belle Brigade-The Belle Brigade ($7.99)
9. Fleet Foxes-Helplessness Blues ($5.00)
10. The Hawk in Paris-His +Hers EP ($6.23)
11. Switchfoot-Vice Verses ($14.99)
Bonus:
12. Paul Simon-So Beautiful Or So What ($9.49)
13. Ryan Adams-Ashes & Fire ($8.99)
14. Foo Fighters-Wasting Light ($9.99)
15. The Wilderness Of Manitoba-When You Left The Fire ($7.99)
It has been a great year of music folks...
-Ben
In no particular order-click the links to get good music. Some of the deals wont last long.
1. Bon Iver -Bon Iver ($4.99 on Amazon as of this post)
2. The Civil Wars-Barton Hallow ($5.49)
3. Josh Garrels-Love & War & The Sea In Between ($Free at Josh's website)
4. Sleeping At Last-Yearbook ($25.49 for 36 songs)
5. The Lonely Forest-Arrows ($11.99)
6. Elbow-Build A Rocket Boys ($5.00)
7. The Head And The Heart-The Head And The Heart ($5.00)
8. The Belle Brigade-The Belle Brigade ($7.99)
9. Fleet Foxes-Helplessness Blues ($5.00)
10. The Hawk in Paris-His +Hers EP ($6.23)
11. Switchfoot-Vice Verses ($14.99)
Bonus:
12. Paul Simon-So Beautiful Or So What ($9.49)
13. Ryan Adams-Ashes & Fire ($8.99)
14. Foo Fighters-Wasting Light ($9.99)
15. The Wilderness Of Manitoba-When You Left The Fire ($7.99)
It has been a great year of music folks...
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Cache of the week #1
We took our good friends Josh and Maddy Geocaching for the first time today. I was explaining to them how much fun this sport can actually be and in the process found a cache fairly close to their home. So we went out into the woods located near their home and proceeded to go on the adventure of finding the cache.
A quarter of a mile later we found the cache inside an old tree stump and plundered to our hearts content. We signed the log and soon were walking out of the woods with that amazing rush you get when one feels as if they have accomplished something wonderful.
Both Josh and Maddy will be Geocaching again soon!
Check out the photo taken by the wife as the two of them were escaping out of the woods.
A quarter of a mile later we found the cache inside an old tree stump and plundered to our hearts content. We signed the log and soon were walking out of the woods with that amazing rush you get when one feels as if they have accomplished something wonderful.
Both Josh and Maddy will be Geocaching again soon!
Check out the photo taken by the wife as the two of them were escaping out of the woods.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)