They are.
Ever had that person that is a friend, you like them, you go way back, but you have a hard time forcing yourself to answer the phone when they call. You'd rather just let them leave a message to find out what they want. Why? Maybe they fall into these categories:
1. Prosecutor: "Oh, you finally answer your phone!" - this is the whole start a conversation off with a prosecutor bit. It doesn't matter when you actually spoke to them last, it's the same song every time. Maybe they say, "Too Hollywood now, huh?" or "I wondered if you were alive." Whatever it is, who wants to start a conversation with being attacked?
2. The Unnecessary Forever Call. Who? What? When? Where? and maybe Why? That's what we want to know. What could have been easily done in 3 minutes turns into a 30+ minute time-consuming conversation we could have had in person.
3. The whiner - nuff said
4. The Begger - if they call ... they need something ... and not something like a buddy to grab a beer with or someone to catch a game. No, their neighbor's aunt is moving into the 3rd floor of her apartments and they just need help with the last few "awkward" things (a.k.a. washer, dryer, sofa). They need somewhere to crash for 2 weeks. The need a ride to the airport Monday morning at 5am. You get the idea.
5. The Guilt Tripper: Combine a little of #3 & #4 and mix it with a little "it's all your fault" or maybe some "I would do it for you."
6. Mr/Mrs Over-sensitive. Get over yourself! Grow some balls - or at least some thicker skin. Newsflash: People (all of them) will disappoint you at some time - especially yourself. AND ... you will misunderstand people's intentions. Remember most people don't spend their time thinking about you or what implications or assumptions you may draw from something they've said or done. Move on!
7. Overly Super Nice - like they have ground to make up. They act like the degenerate father who left you and your mother when you were 7-years-old. Now he's trying to make up for lost time and lack of memories. Almost like they're trying to convince themselves that your friendship is real.
I'm sure there are some more, but geez people it's not that difficult.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Neglect
If I'm gonna have a blog, it would probably be a great idea to blog ... novel idea.
At least life hasn't been boring lately. Ups n downs, aspirations and disappointments ... what a rollercoaster lately.
I'm ready to chase my dream. I'm willing to take the risk and the plunge.
But I also need acts of faith from people who always said they had extreme faith in me. The problem is, when it comes to "money where the mouth is" their faith seems to waiver and suddenly they are communicationally challenged. But then again ... I've always known even my closest most trustworthy friends and family would let me down ... as I would them. Here I see that knowledge realized.
Big picture: My life is not in their hands ... it's in God's ... and I need to act that way.
At least life hasn't been boring lately. Ups n downs, aspirations and disappointments ... what a rollercoaster lately.
I'm ready to chase my dream. I'm willing to take the risk and the plunge.
But I also need acts of faith from people who always said they had extreme faith in me. The problem is, when it comes to "money where the mouth is" their faith seems to waiver and suddenly they are communicationally challenged. But then again ... I've always known even my closest most trustworthy friends and family would let me down ... as I would them. Here I see that knowledge realized.
Big picture: My life is not in their hands ... it's in God's ... and I need to act that way.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Lost
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered; "a lost child"; "lost friends"; "his lost book"; "lost opportunities"
confused: having lost your bearings; confused as to time or place or personal identity; "I frequently find myself disoriented when I come up out of the subway"; "the anesthetic left her completely disoriented"
spiritually or physically doomed or destroyed; "lost souls"; "a lost generation"; "a lost ship"; "the lost platoon"
incapable of being recovered or regained; "his lost honor"
not caught with the senses or the mind; "words lost in the din"
bemused: deeply absorbed in thought; "as distant and bemused as a professor listening to the prattling of his freshman class"; "lost in thought"; "a preoccupied frown"
baffled: perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment; "obviously bemused by his questions"; "bewildered and confused"; "a cloudy and confounded philosopher"; "just a mixed-up kid"; "she felt lost on the first day of school"
doomed: people who are destined to die soon; "the agony of the doomed was in his voice"
helpless: unable to function; without help
There is far too often justification for the charge that religion is nothing but "the opiate of the people." For many people ... it is merely a form of dope. Their idea of the house of God and worship is just a place where they can forget their troubles for the time being. They are not interested in an exposition of the truth. They just want their daily dose of "feel good".
The Bible is a revelation of God's ways with respect to man. It is meant to give "understanding". If our practice of religion does not give us understanding, we should be better without it. There are many ways of giving temporary relief (most unhealthy), but the question is ... Do they give understanding? Do they really help us see through our trouble? The gospel does not merely give us an experience; it enables us to understand life. I can give a reason for the hope that is in me.
The Earl of Oxford & Asquith once remarked that the greatest gift a man could ever have is the capacity for "cubical" thinking ... the ability to see all sides of a subject. Prejudice is a power that pre-judges issues by shutting out all aspects of truth except one. It will not allow you to see the others. Prejudice holds you to the one facet and will not allow you to move. Result: you are blind to every other side. Anyone who doesn't really know God ... anyone who cannot "see" spiritually ... is really in this position because he doesn't see the whole situation. An eye-opener for me is the drastic contrast between the last days of Christians vs. Non-Christians.
Charles Darwin confessed at the end of his life he had lost the power to enjoy poetry, music, and even nature itself. H.G. Wells (famous, among many things, for ridiculing Christianity with its doctrines of sin and salvation) at the end of his life confessed that he was utterly baffled and bewildered.
The death of the ungodly is a terrible thing. Contrast this with Paul. In spite of tribulations, persecutions, trials, disappointments, ridicule, imprisonment, etc ... (2 Timothy 4:6-8) "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
The Bible urges us to consider our "latter end". Not a popular topic nowadays, eh?
Most strong opinions I hear of are formed without understanding, or even being aware of, all sides of the issue. The 1st step is usually based on either liking or disliking something or someone. It's based on feeling. We are governed by our desires. then we gather the "evidence" to support the unfounded opinion we've already formed. Now we appear to have carefully considered the facts and reached a logical, rational conclusion ... when the reality is, we simply blocked off anything that came against our desire. This is a non-biased disease. It infects rich and poor, intelligent and stupid. Genious minds are lead astray and made foolish by their own desires. Their end is tragedy - confusion - disillusionment - lost.
I saw the end of my father, a Godly man. I saw his life leaving him. I saw him humbled as anyone would be at death. He preached upon his deathbed the power, love, forgiveness, righteosness, and hope of an all-knowing - all-powerful God to whom he was soon going. And dad, in the end, was able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." And he received his crown. Oh that I can die well too!
confused: having lost your bearings; confused as to time or place or personal identity; "I frequently find myself disoriented when I come up out of the subway"; "the anesthetic left her completely disoriented"
spiritually or physically doomed or destroyed; "lost souls"; "a lost generation"; "a lost ship"; "the lost platoon"
incapable of being recovered or regained; "his lost honor"
not caught with the senses or the mind; "words lost in the din"
bemused: deeply absorbed in thought; "as distant and bemused as a professor listening to the prattling of his freshman class"; "lost in thought"; "a preoccupied frown"
baffled: perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment; "obviously bemused by his questions"; "bewildered and confused"; "a cloudy and confounded philosopher"; "just a mixed-up kid"; "she felt lost on the first day of school"
doomed: people who are destined to die soon; "the agony of the doomed was in his voice"
helpless: unable to function; without help
There is far too often justification for the charge that religion is nothing but "the opiate of the people." For many people ... it is merely a form of dope. Their idea of the house of God and worship is just a place where they can forget their troubles for the time being. They are not interested in an exposition of the truth. They just want their daily dose of "feel good".
The Bible is a revelation of God's ways with respect to man. It is meant to give "understanding". If our practice of religion does not give us understanding, we should be better without it. There are many ways of giving temporary relief (most unhealthy), but the question is ... Do they give understanding? Do they really help us see through our trouble? The gospel does not merely give us an experience; it enables us to understand life. I can give a reason for the hope that is in me.
The Earl of Oxford & Asquith once remarked that the greatest gift a man could ever have is the capacity for "cubical" thinking ... the ability to see all sides of a subject. Prejudice is a power that pre-judges issues by shutting out all aspects of truth except one. It will not allow you to see the others. Prejudice holds you to the one facet and will not allow you to move. Result: you are blind to every other side. Anyone who doesn't really know God ... anyone who cannot "see" spiritually ... is really in this position because he doesn't see the whole situation. An eye-opener for me is the drastic contrast between the last days of Christians vs. Non-Christians.
Charles Darwin confessed at the end of his life he had lost the power to enjoy poetry, music, and even nature itself. H.G. Wells (famous, among many things, for ridiculing Christianity with its doctrines of sin and salvation) at the end of his life confessed that he was utterly baffled and bewildered.
The death of the ungodly is a terrible thing. Contrast this with Paul. In spite of tribulations, persecutions, trials, disappointments, ridicule, imprisonment, etc ... (2 Timothy 4:6-8) "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
The Bible urges us to consider our "latter end". Not a popular topic nowadays, eh?
Most strong opinions I hear of are formed without understanding, or even being aware of, all sides of the issue. The 1st step is usually based on either liking or disliking something or someone. It's based on feeling. We are governed by our desires. then we gather the "evidence" to support the unfounded opinion we've already formed. Now we appear to have carefully considered the facts and reached a logical, rational conclusion ... when the reality is, we simply blocked off anything that came against our desire. This is a non-biased disease. It infects rich and poor, intelligent and stupid. Genious minds are lead astray and made foolish by their own desires. Their end is tragedy - confusion - disillusionment - lost.
I saw the end of my father, a Godly man. I saw his life leaving him. I saw him humbled as anyone would be at death. He preached upon his deathbed the power, love, forgiveness, righteosness, and hope of an all-knowing - all-powerful God to whom he was soon going. And dad, in the end, was able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." And he received his crown. Oh that I can die well too!
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