How long can this go on???

WARNING: The information contained below may be too much for some to handle. You might call it TMI (Too much Information) or you may just call it gross, but if you are easily grossed out, do not read any further.

Ok, now that I got that out of the way.

Ok, for the last week and a half I have been sick. On Friday, August 28th I came home from the football game with a little bit of a scratchy throat. I thought to myself, "Well I guess I just yelled too much." Apparently the yelling had nothing to do with it. I woke up Saturday morning with an even worse sore throat and a VERY apparent cold.

As with most colds, my head filled up with SNOT and I couldn't breath out of my nose. I decided to use this wonderful thing called nasal spray. That stuff is absolutely awesome. I also took ibuprofen for the sore throat. After a few days I started to feel a little better. I stopped using the nasal spray after a couple days and had to deal with the side effects of the nasal spray, but after that I was feeling a little better - definitely not 100% but I was better.

Then, that cold decided to move around my body a little bit and settled into my chest. So for the next few days my cough sounded like a barking seal. I started taking Tylenol Cold and Sinus which helped some. Last night I ended up sleeping on the couch so I could be propped up and not keep Tracy awake.

Then this morning a crazy thing happened. That cold decided to move around a little more and settle right back into my sinuses. SO, I have been blowing my nose like crazy today. I keep asking myself - how much snot can really be in my sinuses. It seems the more I blow my nose, the more snot there is to blow out. So for the past few hours I have been blowing my nose almost non stop and I ask myself - HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON????

There you have it - I told you it was probably too much information, I told you you might get grossed out. But there it is - my blog entry about snot.

Disney XD

Ok, so I was surfing the web early this morning from my home computer. Tracy had just taken Keaton to school. In the morning Keaton likes to watch a variety of shows. This morning the TV happened to be on one of the Disney Channels - Disney XD. As I sat there checking my facebook, and checking the news sites - I heard "H E Double Hockey Sticks". Now growing up anytime someone said that we knew they wanted to say the word HELL without actually saying it - probably because they didn't want to get their mouth washed out with soap.

After a few moments trying to figure out if that was what I really heard, I decided to investigate. I decided to rewind the TV (gotta love DVR). Upon rewinding the TV, I found what really disturbed me. Disney is releasing this made for TV movie called H.E. Double Hockey Sticks. It is about some kid who will do whatever it takes to be good at hockey. This greatly disturbed me.

1. I find it troubling that Disney would think it is ok to promote such a thing to kids. The younger kids (like mine, age 4) probably don't understand the whole H.E. Double Hockey Sticks thing, but I can guarantee that older kids know what it means. They seem to be promoting this idea that using the word HELL is ok.

2. The idea behind this movie is apparently that this kid signs a contract with the devil in order to be good at Hockey. I again find this troubling that kids watching this movie will be exposed to such a dark spiritual issue. I haven't seen the movie, so I can't make a judgement on how it all turns out - but I think making a "selling your soul to the devil" movie for kids is absolutely outrageous.

So, my child will most definitely not be watching H.E. Double Hockey Sticks.

Let me know what you think.

Climate Change Debate

Ok, so I really think the whole Climate Change stuff has gone way too far. The House of Representatives has already passed Cap and Trade Legislation and the Bill must be approved by the Senate. This legislation is supposed to curb the CO2 emissions, and help with "Global Warming". I have personally thought for quite some time that "Global Warming" was a farce brought to us by liberals. It is the same people that are promoting this "Global Warming" scare that are also traveling in personal jets (producing tons more CO2 than any of us) to talk about it.

Today I read this article: Climate Change Con-trick

Apparently a geologist by the name of Ian Pilmer has done some extensive research into global warming. While I don't agree with his timetable (age of the earth), his conclusions are great. Here are a couple quotes that I love, that should have some implications for our lives

"The hypothesis that human activity can create global warming is extraordinary because it is contrary to validated knowledge from solar physics, astronomy, history, archaeology and geology"

"Eco-guilt is a first-world luxury. It’s the new religion for urban populations which have lost their faith in Christianity. The IPCC report is their Bible. Al Gore and Lord Stern are their prophets."

I am really interested in reading this guys book Heaven and Earth. It seems to me that our current administration, and the administrations of European countries are feeding us a line of garbage. Even the current EPA did a study that found that the earth is not warming, but cooling - a study that was suppressed by the current administration.

All of this is being done in order to force through taxation legislation. The cost of this Cap and Trade legislation will trickle down to each of us, we will pay more at the pump, we will pay more to heat/cool/light our homes.

We were promised no increase in taxes for those with less than $250,000 annual income - it looks like all that is going to change.

Let me also say, I believe that it is our responsibility to be good stewards of our earth. God gave it for us to use, and we need to be good stewards of it - but I also think that some are making this earth their God. They are bowing down to the almighty earth instead of THE ALMIGHTY. This too is WRONG!

What do you think? Is the climate really getting warmer, or is it just a way to milk you for more $$$ ? Has this "Global Warming" mentality become the religion of American/European Society?

Your Best Life Now game?

Ok, So Tracy and I made a trip to Tucson last Thursday to get Karis' pictures taken. They are absolutely adorable, but that is not the point of this post. After her pictures we walked the mall for a while. We came across this store that sells all kinds of games - board games, card games, chess etc... As we walked through this store we came across this:

Your Best Life Now game

Ok, So, I don't think it is news to anyone that I am not a huge fan of Joel Osteen. I won't go into detail about it - I will just say that I think he is a good motivational speaker, but that is about it. Anyway, my initial reaction to this game was, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME". I personally think if you write a book that is about having a better life, and that book can be made into a board game - it sure seems like I wouldn't really put much faith in that book. Can you imagine taking your 'life cues' from a board game? Just think of what your life would be like if you played the game of 'LIFE' and then decided, "YEP, now I know what to do with my life". Or what about Monopoly, can you imagine what your investments would be like if you made them according to how you played Monopoly. It is absolutely crazy, and just further diminishes the credibility of Mr. Joel Osteen.

What are your thoughts?

Layoffs and Worship

So, I am reading this book, Inside Out Worship, in preparation for a continuing sermon series on Worship. Last night I made a blog post about the layoffs that are soon to take place in Morenci. As I went to bed last night I read the next few chapters from Inside Out Worship. It is amazing to me how often, whenever something is going on, God leads you right to something that speaks to that circumstance.

Here is an excerpt from the book:
It's easy to praise when everything is going according to plan. It's more of a challenge when everythign around us is falling to pieces. It takes great faith to say, "You are good" when life is incredibly hard. But God is good and forever worthy of our praise. This is not dependent on our feelings. Day and night, alwyas the same, God deserves our highest praise.
- Tim Hughes

Freeport to lay off 1550 employees

To everyone in Morenci this is not a secret. Just the other day Freeport-McMoran released a statement that they would be laying off 1550 employees between March 16 - 29 with most of those affected going on paid leave starting February 2nd.

It is hard news to hear within the community. Almost half of the current employees will be laid off in this move. Everyone within the community is nervous and stressed out because of this news.

While going through the hard times it is important to realise that through it all God is still there for us. We must realise that provision doesn't come from the Mine; provision doesn't come from the government; provision comes from God.

In Genesis 22 Abraham describes God as Yahweh Yireh (Jehovah Jireh) the God who provides.

In Matthew 6:26 Jesus says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

It is God who is our provider. While things look bad now - remember that God knows exactly what you are going through and he will provide. He doesn't say that he will give us everything we WANT, but he does say he will take care of our needs.