Tasered for not understanding why you were pulled over:
Gung-ho security tasering you for asking the wrong questions:
Tasered while ON THE GROUND IN A RESTRAINT:
Brutalized for skateboarding. SKATEBOARDING!!!:
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
My schedule today
Here's my work schedule today...
8am to midnight.
I know, it's a little much. But I could use some more scratch to pay the oil bill.
Someone please begin drilling in Alaska. Thanks.
8am to midnight.
I know, it's a little much. But I could use some more scratch to pay the oil bill.
Someone please begin drilling in Alaska. Thanks.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Seeking God in Due Order
"...the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order." -1 Chronicles 15:13.
"Note, It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well - not enough that we seek God in a due ordinance, but we must seek after him, in a due order. Note, also, When we have suffered for our irregularities we must learn thereby to be more regular; then we answer the end of chastisement."--Matthew Henry.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Oh, how time flies...
Life's been very busy. But that's good, now isn't it? When we're about our duties, it leaves little time for us to be involved in nonsense and wickedness. You know the saying about the idle mind and the devil's playground, right?
Blink, and another week went by without updating my blog. I'm worried sometimes that both my readers will get too upset to check back again!
It's time for the lightning round --
1. What has been growing in Jerry's front yard (having already grown in the back yard), which although it will bring more work to take care of, is yet a welcomed addition?
Answer: Lawn.
2. What unnecessary product, that almost everyone uses, has still has not touched Jerry's hair since late March 2007?
Answer: Shampoo.
3. What did Jerry get last night which he plans on wearing on ocassion for a long long time?
Answer: His Shureido black belt (obi), made in and shipped from Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate. It is of much better quality of most belts one wears as one is going through the ranks. This is the kind of belt that will get old and tattered with use, because it lasts so long.
4. What upcoming event is having the Waybrights very excited?
Answer: A visit from a Covenanter minister!
Ok, enough of that. In other news:
My wife may want to hold burglars at gunpoint on a regular basis, if you can make them clean up the house!
Blink, and another week went by without updating my blog. I'm worried sometimes that both my readers will get too upset to check back again!
It's time for the lightning round --
1. What has been growing in Jerry's front yard (having already grown in the back yard), which although it will bring more work to take care of, is yet a welcomed addition?
Answer: Lawn.
2. What unnecessary product, that almost everyone uses, has still has not touched Jerry's hair since late March 2007?
Answer: Shampoo.
3. What did Jerry get last night which he plans on wearing on ocassion for a long long time?
Answer: His Shureido black belt (obi), made in and shipped from Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate. It is of much better quality of most belts one wears as one is going through the ranks. This is the kind of belt that will get old and tattered with use, because it lasts so long.
4. What upcoming event is having the Waybrights very excited?
Answer: A visit from a Covenanter minister!
Ok, enough of that. In other news:
My wife may want to hold burglars at gunpoint on a regular basis, if you can make them clean up the house!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
The Importance of Gentleness and Kindness Towards the Wife
In the last post, I pointed out some helpful things from Calvin on anger in general. Continuing with adding to my thoughts (typing this stuff out helps me get it straight in my own head), I hope now to share some helpful material specifically addressing anger from a man towards his wife.
Sometimes your wife makes you angry, right? (crickets chirping)
It's ok, guys. This is a safe place. You just read, I'll take the heat for writing it.
It seems to me that women are somewhat like delicate flowers, which do not easily rebound once trampled upon. Now, no man would trample on flowers and expect them to bounce back to the same state in which they formerly were. And shall we emotionally trample our wives, and expect them to recover from that to their undamaged state, and be all lovey-dovey with us again? Sir, you might have more success bringing back those flowers you crushed!
I Peter 3:7 --
The Geneva Bible notes on this passage point out four arguments made here.
Argument #2 says that those same weaknesses that may make us mad sometimes, stem from her feminine nature, THE DIFFERENCES OF WHICH YOU CERTAINLY MUST APPRECIATE! Those "weaknesses" of a woman (when compared to a man) are beautiful, wonderful, ravishing, and are to be cherished, protected, honored, and cared for. No, a woman is not a man, but I don't want to be married to a man either. A flower is not a hammer, and is comparatively weak, but it's much prettier to look at, softer to touch, and smells much better. Verschte?
Argument #3 lets us know that though in regards to their feminine nature, and in regards to the subordinate nature of their duties, they are "weak," yet in the most important issue of salvation in Christ, we are equal. Shall we despise our equals in Christ for their weaknesses in this life? Shame on us.
Argument #4 tells us that all fighting with and yelling at our wives needs to STOP. It serves no purpose but to hinder our spiritual duties.
So let's be more careful to have this knowledge, this prudence, that Scripture would have us have concerning our wives. Let's learn to be gentle with them, and caring towards them, rather than harsh, loud, angry, nasty and unloving.
"Nothing destroys the friendship of life more than contempt; nor can we really love any but those whom we esteem; for love must be connected with respect." -- John Calvin.
Sometimes your wife makes you angry, right? (crickets chirping)
It's ok, guys. This is a safe place. You just read, I'll take the heat for writing it.
It seems to me that women are somewhat like delicate flowers, which do not easily rebound once trampled upon. Now, no man would trample on flowers and expect them to bounce back to the same state in which they formerly were. And shall we emotionally trample our wives, and expect them to recover from that to their undamaged state, and be all lovey-dovey with us again? Sir, you might have more success bringing back those flowers you crushed!
I Peter 3:7 --
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.Husbands must have a degree of knowledge to rightly dwell with their wives. Part of that knowledge is how to deal with those weaknesses that are of a womanly nature. I won't get into them specifically, so as to not provoke my female readers to anger! You think to yourselves what those weaknesses might be. In the meantime, let me quote some stuff I didn't write, so that I have an out. Well, let me quote it because I think it's good.
The Geneva Bible notes on this passage point out four arguments made here.
Ok, fellas. Argument #1 says that the more wisdom we have, the more careful we must be with our wives. As Calvin notes that husbands must "remember that they need prudence to do rightly their duty. And doubtless many foolish things must be endured by them, many unpleasant things must be borne with." Knowledge, wisdom, prudence, to walk circumspectly, carefully, to be understanding towards our wives. When they make us angry, even if we are right that the behavior which our wives are doing is squirrelly, or even outright bad, we must remember that they have weaknesses. They may not look like your weaknesses, men. But she's a woman and not a man, and that's to be expected. Don't get haughty, you have your own weaknesses and your own set of problems that come with those weaknesses. Just remember that you're dealing with a delicate creature in your wife.
He also teaches husbands their duties, that is, that the more understanding and wisdom they have, the more wisely and circumspectly they behave themselves.... The more wisdom the husband has, the more circumspectly he must behave himself in bearing those inconveniences, which through the woman's weakness often cause trouble both to the husband and the wife.
The second argument: because the wife nonetheless is weaker by nature than the man, she is an excellent instrument of the man, made for far more excellent uses: upon which it follows that she is not therefore to be neglected, because she is weak, but on the contrary she ought to be so much more cared for.
...
The third argument: for that they are equal in that which is the most important (that is to say, in the benefit of eternal life) who otherwise are unequal concerning the leadership and conduct at home, and therefore they are not to be despised although they are weak.
...
The fourth argument: All fighting and rebuking must be avoided, because they hinder prayers and the whole service of God, to which both the husband and wife are equally called.
Argument #2 says that those same weaknesses that may make us mad sometimes, stem from her feminine nature, THE DIFFERENCES OF WHICH YOU CERTAINLY MUST APPRECIATE! Those "weaknesses" of a woman (when compared to a man) are beautiful, wonderful, ravishing, and are to be cherished, protected, honored, and cared for. No, a woman is not a man, but I don't want to be married to a man either. A flower is not a hammer, and is comparatively weak, but it's much prettier to look at, softer to touch, and smells much better. Verschte?
Argument #3 lets us know that though in regards to their feminine nature, and in regards to the subordinate nature of their duties, they are "weak," yet in the most important issue of salvation in Christ, we are equal. Shall we despise our equals in Christ for their weaknesses in this life? Shame on us.
Argument #4 tells us that all fighting with and yelling at our wives needs to STOP. It serves no purpose but to hinder our spiritual duties.
So let's be more careful to have this knowledge, this prudence, that Scripture would have us have concerning our wives. Let's learn to be gentle with them, and caring towards them, rather than harsh, loud, angry, nasty and unloving.
"Nothing destroys the friendship of life more than contempt; nor can we really love any but those whom we esteem; for love must be connected with respect." -- John Calvin.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Something on Anger
I KNOW I'm not the only man on earth who has ever struggled with episodes of sinful anger. Especially when I'm tired, or I have other things on my mind, or I feel overwhelmed by life, I can find myself being too too quick to anger -- especially with the kids. Anger with kids can be especially dangerous, as the boys could potentially learn to act in the same angry fashion as the father, and the girls can be emotionally crushed and damaged by a father's anger.
As a reminder to myself, and hopefully as a help to others, I'm going to post a section from John Calvin's Commentary on Ephesians 4:26. He writes,
So, to review... we sin in our anger when --
1). We are angered easily, by slight things. When we are too easily offended by a cross look, a smirk, a poorly chosen phrase, a sloppy job, an accident, a personal insult, and all these kinds of little things that ultimately are meaningless, and are only offensive to us if we think too highly of ourselves.
2). Our anger, even if justified, goes beyond proper limits. When we are inappropriately and disproportionately angry. When we are furious and explosive.
3). The anger is directed at the wrong target. Anger should be directed at a problem, not at a person. Sin is the problem. OUR OWN sin is the primary problem.
We are not sinfully angry when --
1). Our anger is directed at our own sin, and not at other people.
2). Our anger, when appropriately aroused with respect to others, is aimed at the sin of others, and not at their persons.
3). Our anger is aroused not due to personal offense, but by zeal for the Lord and His glory.
4). Our anger is allowed to subside without mixing it with sinful violence.
I thought this quote was helpful in understanding and controlling anger. I hope others find it helpful too.
As a reminder to myself, and hopefully as a help to others, I'm going to post a section from John Calvin's Commentary on Ephesians 4:26. He writes,
There are three faults by which we offend God in being angry. The first is, when our anger arises from slight causes, and often from no cause whatever, or at least from private injuries or offenses. The second is, when we go beyond the proper bounds, and are hurried into intemperate excesses. The third is, when our anger, which ought to have been directed against ourselves or against sins, is turned against our brethren. Most appropriately, therefore, did Paul, when he wished to describe the proper limitation of anger, employ the well-known passage, Be ye angry, and sin not. We comply with this injunction, if the objects of our anger are sought, not in others, but in ourselves, -- if we pour out our indignation against our own faults. With respect to others, we ought to be angry, not at their persons, but at their faults; nor ought we to be excited to anger by private offenses, but by zeal for the glory of the Lord. Lastly, our anger, after a reasonable time, ought to be allowed to subside, without mixing itself with the violence of carnal passions.
So, to review... we sin in our anger when --
1). We are angered easily, by slight things. When we are too easily offended by a cross look, a smirk, a poorly chosen phrase, a sloppy job, an accident, a personal insult, and all these kinds of little things that ultimately are meaningless, and are only offensive to us if we think too highly of ourselves.
2). Our anger, even if justified, goes beyond proper limits. When we are inappropriately and disproportionately angry. When we are furious and explosive.
3). The anger is directed at the wrong target. Anger should be directed at a problem, not at a person. Sin is the problem. OUR OWN sin is the primary problem.
We are not sinfully angry when --
1). Our anger is directed at our own sin, and not at other people.
2). Our anger, when appropriately aroused with respect to others, is aimed at the sin of others, and not at their persons.
3). Our anger is aroused not due to personal offense, but by zeal for the Lord and His glory.
4). Our anger is allowed to subside without mixing it with sinful violence.
I thought this quote was helpful in understanding and controlling anger. I hope others find it helpful too.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Our songs
Some people just know how to write our songs. That's a good songwriter, one that makes you go, "Hey, that's MY song!" Not that everything in the song matches something in our lives, but the whole gist is just so familiar.
Mom's song:
Dad's song:
The bedtime song:
Mom's song:
Dad's song:
The bedtime song:
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Before and After
I'm looking through my pictures, and it seems that I failed to capture in a photograph the way the yard looked when we bought the house. That being the case, the "before" picture below, is still sort of an "after" picture, as it is after I chainsawed two rows of Burning Bushes, a few trees, had some people come and take all the stuff they wanted to take, and moved a whole bunch of rocks and cement pavers. Nevertheless, Behold!
Before
After
Now we need to get the front yard done!
Before
After
Now we need to get the front yard done!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Black
Well, I did it.
It took me around twenty years to reach this goal (I took about 17 years off!), but I finally reached Shodan (1st degree black belt) in Karate. Getting my black belt means something to me. Part of what it means is very personal, and I don't expect everyone to understand it all, so I will not share that here. What I will share is that to me it means that I kept at something and didn't quit. And that feels GOOD.
The 2nd part of the test was harder than the 1st part. The 1st part was just an ordeal that I had to get through. But the 2nd part involved having to stay sharp, focussed, strong, alert, etc., even when I was exhausted and under much scrutiny.
And as I was presented with the symbol of my rank and accomplishment... I was reminded by those conferring it upon me the black belt meant that I have a box of tools, and that I really don't know how to use them yet. That is the aspect of training that lies ahead.
Still, I was feeling pretty good about it all until I got home and checked my email to find in my inbox something that made my stomach hurt. I don't care to go into any detail. But I will say that one thing that seems to me to be prevalent in Reformed circles, and perhaps especially in Reformed Presbyterian circles, is the tendency to shoot (the wounded) first and ask questions... alot of questions... grilling, relentless questions... later.
Why is it so hard for some people to just be friendly? Kind? Nice? Why do some have to be so jaggedly formal, cold, unfriendly?
Black... on my belt, makes me smile.
Black... on our hearts, makes me sad.
In other news: I had a migraine earlier today, and after it passed (as usual) I felt like I was dreaming for the rest of the day... in a fog. I feel much better now, thanks for asking.
Please pray that my friends don't move to Texas.
It took me around twenty years to reach this goal (I took about 17 years off!), but I finally reached Shodan (1st degree black belt) in Karate. Getting my black belt means something to me. Part of what it means is very personal, and I don't expect everyone to understand it all, so I will not share that here. What I will share is that to me it means that I kept at something and didn't quit. And that feels GOOD.
The 2nd part of the test was harder than the 1st part. The 1st part was just an ordeal that I had to get through. But the 2nd part involved having to stay sharp, focussed, strong, alert, etc., even when I was exhausted and under much scrutiny.
And as I was presented with the symbol of my rank and accomplishment... I was reminded by those conferring it upon me the black belt meant that I have a box of tools, and that I really don't know how to use them yet. That is the aspect of training that lies ahead.
Still, I was feeling pretty good about it all until I got home and checked my email to find in my inbox something that made my stomach hurt. I don't care to go into any detail. But I will say that one thing that seems to me to be prevalent in Reformed circles, and perhaps especially in Reformed Presbyterian circles, is the tendency to shoot (the wounded) first and ask questions... alot of questions... grilling, relentless questions... later.
Why is it so hard for some people to just be friendly? Kind? Nice? Why do some have to be so jaggedly formal, cold, unfriendly?
Black... on my belt, makes me smile.
Black... on our hearts, makes me sad.
In other news: I had a migraine earlier today, and after it passed (as usual) I felt like I was dreaming for the rest of the day... in a fog. I feel much better now, thanks for asking.
Please pray that my friends don't move to Texas.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Standing before God, clothed in Christ's Righteouness
May I by faith be enabled to enter within the veil, even through the rent veil of a Saviour's flesh. Give me to have full liberty of access through the Son to the Father. Clothed upon with His righteousness may I stand with all the security of my conscious acceptance before God. O may I delight myself in this abundance of peace, and be enabled to lead others, more especially those of my own household, to delight along with me.~Thomas Chalmers, Sabbath Scripture Readings (on Mark 15).
Friday, September 14, 2007
Part one, tomorrow
Part one of my Shodan (1st degree black belt) test that I've been spending so much time preparing for is tomorrow. At 8am tomorrow morning I expect I shall be doing the following (the Good Lord willing):
100 pushups
100 situps
75 tricep dips
5:00 minutes sitting at the wall like I'm on a chair, but I'm not on a chair, with my knees together.
5:00 minutes at the wall with the legs apart.
2 mile run.
That might seem easy to some of you, and that might seem impossible to some of you. For me, it is neither easy, nor impossible. It'll be very difficult, and I'll be in pain. But I aim on getting it all done. I've done too much work end up failing this test.
Part two (actually demonstrating my stuff) is next Saturday.
I'm having some serious test anxiety today, and feel a bit funny in the stomach. I'm also very excited.
Thank you for your support.
100 pushups
100 situps
75 tricep dips
5:00 minutes sitting at the wall like I'm on a chair, but I'm not on a chair, with my knees together.
5:00 minutes at the wall with the legs apart.
2 mile run.
That might seem easy to some of you, and that might seem impossible to some of you. For me, it is neither easy, nor impossible. It'll be very difficult, and I'll be in pain. But I aim on getting it all done. I've done too much work end up failing this test.
Part two (actually demonstrating my stuff) is next Saturday.
I'm having some serious test anxiety today, and feel a bit funny in the stomach. I'm also very excited.
Thank you for your support.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
Michael Jackson is dead!
Sad news.
Michael Jackson is dead -- No, not the Michael Jackson with four famous brothers and two famous sisters.... I mean the BEER HUNTER is dead at 65.
Michael Jackson is dead -- No, not the Michael Jackson with four famous brothers and two famous sisters.... I mean the BEER HUNTER is dead at 65.
Like such as and.
It's been a while since I've done the deadlift. Somewhere around January of this year, I laid the weights aside to work on calisthenic stuff (pushups, situps, dips, etc.) to prepare for my shodan test, part one of which is only about two weeks away now. Well, I was deadlifting today, in the yard, pulling up 2'x2'x2" concrete pavers, that I'm guessing weigh about 100 lbs each... 28 of them (just a small sampling of the kind of stuff that filled my new yard leaving no room for... oh... I don't know... maybe... GRASS!!!). A nice morning workout. We're paying a guy to come into our yard with machines to tear it up and level it down, and get it ready for a lawn. We're all very excited about having a nice yard for the kids to play in, blow stuff up in, throw a ball, set things on fire, or whatever.
In other news: We're gonna spend a few days at the seashore soon. I love the smell of the ocean air. I hope I can smell it, because I have a cold.
Oh, in case you missed it... recorded for posterity, an excellent example of the dim, shallow, empty generation that "U.S. Americans," is, along with "the Iraq," and "like such as and." --
In other news: We're gonna spend a few days at the seashore soon. I love the smell of the ocean air. I hope I can smell it, because I have a cold.
Oh, in case you missed it... recorded for posterity, an excellent example of the dim, shallow, empty generation that "U.S. Americans," is, along with "the Iraq," and "like such as and." --
Monday, August 20, 2007
Feeling good, feeling anxious
I had a good Lord's Day yesterday. I feel refreshed spiritually, which is just what I needed. I also had some good private worship this morning, reading some Proverbs which I will be trying to recall to mind and think about throughout the day.
I pray that the Lord will help me to be a better dad than I have been so far.
In other news: It's getting down to it. I have a few weeks left to get whipped into enough shape to pass my Shodan (black belt) test. I'm getting older, for sure. I'm sore all over today from the things I did Friday and Saturday. You know what though? I appreciate that I go to a school that requires hard work to earn Shodan, rather than a school that hands it out to just anybody. I get such test anxiety, and I'll be glad when this part of my training is done.
I pray that the Lord will help me to be a better dad than I have been so far.
In other news: It's getting down to it. I have a few weeks left to get whipped into enough shape to pass my Shodan (black belt) test. I'm getting older, for sure. I'm sore all over today from the things I did Friday and Saturday. You know what though? I appreciate that I go to a school that requires hard work to earn Shodan, rather than a school that hands it out to just anybody. I get such test anxiety, and I'll be glad when this part of my training is done.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
August 15th
August 15th is our 15th Wedding "University" (Daniel said that). I think what I'm going to do for my wife is haul all the yard trash to the local green waste drop off. Then have some champagne.
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