Rain Reading and Writing

rain |rān|
noun
moisture condensed from the atmosphere that falls visibly in separate drops

read |rēd|
verb ( past read |red|) [ trans. ]
1 look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by mentally interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed

write |rīt|
verb ( past wrote |rōt|; past part. written |ˈritn|) [ trans. ]
1 mark (letters, words, or other symbols) on a surface, typically paper, with a pen, pencil, or similar implement


So. I thought it was about time to get back to my blogging roots. If you are one of my loyal followers, you will know that the words I have spoken hold no real meaning. You know that my blogging roots aren't that deep, as I have a grand total of 13 posts. So, lets see what we can do to end this blogging recession. Let me raise up and run back to the blog'o'sphere.

Today I write about a few thing that seem to have taken over my universe. Firstly, is rain. Rain came upon us in East Texas last Thursday. Sometimes the drops have been very visible, but other times not so. We have only seen sunshine for a few hours since last Thursday. It feel really dreary, and although it is not that hot, it only adds to the ridiculous amount of humidity here. Is this the darkness of the Day of the Lord?

I kind of feel like it is. You know, they say that "it never rains but it pours." That is how I feel when it comes to reading and writing this semester. I have to read 10 commentaries, 4 books for classes, hundreds of pages of professors notes, and lots of research to do.

If that was where the craziness stopped, I just might be OK, but alas, it is not so. A 3-5 page summary paper is due over each of the commentaries. Depending on the size of the commentary it is either due weekly or bi-weekly (the last commentary was 250 pages). I have to write additional book reviews for each of the 'books for class' (two books require a two part review) usually around 5-7 pages. I also have a research paper to write in 3 of the classes hat will be anywhere from 10-13 pages. So, I'm going to read lots of pages this year and write 19 papers...ugg

I don't say all this to complain. I don't really want sympathy (that won't help me get this stuff done) but an outlet for my frustration and a place to tangibly understand my task. It never rains, but it pours.

I want to leave you with this piece of awesomeness that I saw on David Crowder's twitter. Its an amazing website called animalswithlightsabers.com

Here is a mere sampling of the goodness

 



















 In a non-related note.  I've been working on a new church website for Crossroads.
 You should check it out and tell me what you think.  http://www.crossroadsbcfamily.org

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What is God doing about evil?

So, it has been quite some time since I have blogged. I have deduced that it is, now, 'a time' to blog. Realize that this is not intended to be a 'funny' blog, an interesting blog, or even an informative blog. We have an essay question in my Christian Ethics class that will be on our test tomorrow. In grappling with the question, I told myself, "self, what better way of studying for your test AND providing some fodder for the blogging community. You shall bear an answer and you shall call this answer 'blog,' and you will post this on your blog.'

So here we go...let's start with the question, to be followed by the answer

Be prepared to write an essay discussing and detailing response to the question, “What is God doing about evil?” Be sure you give attention to each of the six elements of the answer to the question as presented in the text.

Through his work of redemption, God is creating and shaping us to be people who constantly live in obedience and are engaged in lifestyles of worship towards him. Through this, we bear witness to the world what God’s true purpose of creation is.

In Dr. Joseph Holloway’s not-yet-published work, “The Poetics of Grace,” he answers this question about theodicy (What is God doing about evil?) using six characteristics of “Christian Ethics.”

Firstly, a theocentric ethic uses Ephesians 1:2 and 6:23-24 to demonstrate that God uses grace and peace in route to achieving reconciliation for a fractured world. The life God calls believers to exhibit is made possible by God’s grace and peace.

Secondly, a redemptive ethic highlights that in the center of God’s redemptive work is God’s triumph over evil. Through Christ, we are called to live a life that is free from the destructive powers that threaten God’s intent for humanity (justice and a restored [redeemed] world).

Thirdly, the ecclesial ethic. The community of faith (the Church) should be involved in the center of God’s redemptive activity among a world that is engaged in a conflict with evil. God employs the Church to witness the power of the Gospel and its ability to reconcile. In turn, the Church is to be a witness to the world of the power of a collective group of those who have been reconciled.

Fourth, the narrative ethic. Christian Ethics looks towards matters of character and virtue and how that impacts our overall view of the world and how it should be. The world, however, is typically engaged in decisionist ethics. We take this overall view of the world and how it should be (referred to, by Berger, as the “Sacred Canopy”) and use it as a formula for decision-making. On the other hand, the Christian Ethic looks towards the overall narrative of our Christian walk. It contains the past, present and future. We do not let our individual decisions dictate who we are, but our overall walk (peripateo in the greek). Paul calls to “walk worthily” of our calling.

Fifth, the liturgical ethic. (liturgia, Latin for Worship) Worship is a central task of our moral witness. Paul urges us to orient our lives towards praising God. We must perceive the world as it truly is so that we might faithfully live out this life of praise.

Sixth, the eschatological ethic. This is where we find our promise and our hope. When we realize what God is ‘up to,’ we see that he intends to see a redeemed creation.

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Bach gave us God's Word. Mozart gave us God's laughter...

So, the summer is trucking along. It has, for sure, been a wild ride. Youth camp, Mission trip, game days, water parks, vacation bible school...and then Sarah and I leave for 'fish camp' (A pre-teen camp) on Thursday. In the upcoming month, we have a big back to school party-like week, and a youth conference to go to. There has been lots of drama, yelling, tears, growth and awesomeness. There is also still a chance I will be traveling to Nashville in the middle of August for a photography job.

While this may sound exciting (it was, is and will be), there are two more totally separate, yet fundamentally linked events that I would like to discuss. I am very excited about these events that once set in motion will create a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Firstly, Next Sunday evening starting at 9:00 PM, my life will be forever changed. Let me sum up my feelings with this quote: "Bach gave us God's Word. Mozart gave us God's laughter. Discovery gave us Shark Week." That is right my faithful followers. In 8 days, at 9:00 PM Central time, the Discovery Channel will be launching Shark Week. The planets are aligning, the time is near...prepare yourselves, my friends...you will never be the same.

So what else can possibly matter? What is the second tidbit of excellence? Well, My family and I are going on vacation in a few weeks to a favorite vacation destination of my families, Port Aransas, TX (on the beach). I very much look forward to the prospect of relaxing (or chilling [or chillaxing]). I plan on leaving my phone in our condo most of the week. There will be nobody yelling at me (well...except Sarah or Colin), nobody telling me of various dramas going on within our group...just me, my family, and fun. I can't wait.

How do these things relate? I hope you will have made the connection between my 2 exciting bits of news. I would have hoped that it was obvious. Well...shark week is awesome, and so is the beach. It doesn't stop there though. We must dig a bit deeper... perhaps it is the fact that sharks live in the ocean, and I will be swimming in the ocean? Perhaps I will get eaten by a shark? Yes...there it is, we have arrived at our destination.

Although I hope not, I am going to go ahead and make the call that I will be attacked by a shark. Not a huge shark, just a regular sized shark. It will bite of either a few toes or my foot. I am going to start thinking this way...that way, if I really do get bitten by a shark, I will be prepared. I will be ready to walk with a limp. I will be ready to be on Good Morning America...I will be willing and ready to recieve my new well-earned nickname, "Nubs McGee."

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And the winner is....Something Random

Well, the masses have spoken. Of course by masses, I mean all eleven of you who desperately cling to my every word and have unrelentingly checked my face daily for some hint of an update.

As I proclaimed from the rooftop a mere 24 hours ago, I will be updating my blog with regularity from now on. I will type with such motivation and fervor... I will, oh yes, I will.

So, the winner of the poll was something random. What can I say that is not random? Here is my current dilemma.

"random |ˈrandəm|
adjective
>made, done, happening, or chosen without method or conscious decision : a random sample of 100 households.
• Statistics governed by or involving equal chances for each item.
• (of masonry) with stones of irregular size and shape.
PHRASES
at random without method or conscious decision : he opened the book at random."

You see, deliberately planning a 'random' act seems like an oxymoron. Is it truly random if you plan it? If you simply start typing, in hopes of attaining randomness, your mind will inevitably lead you to something that relates to the apparent random typing. How much more of this can I take? Let me put aside this truly mind-boggling quandry and proceed with the randomness.

I am getting to lead worship tomorrow at church. I really love leading worship, but I do know my limitations. I feel like my strong suit is the actual 'leading' of instruments...carefully planning song dynamics and transitions. This bodes well for somebody leading music. I also know, however, that my voice is my weakness. This does not bode well for somebody who is leading a congregation in worship.

We (we = the band) are performing a special that we learned at Youth Camp. It is called "Found" by the worship leader Aaron Ivey. Aaron Ivey was the former frontman of the worship band "Spur63." The thing that impressed me the most about him was his lyrics. They were honest, straight forward, and simple. Sometimes I feel like the words we sing in worship can be too poetic or too clever. I find myself just singing some random words that are supposed to lift up our Savior and Lord. At camp, I felt myself singing stories of grace and complete thoughts of thanks to our heavenly father. It was really one of the most amazing times of worship I've had in my life.

I am very excited about it...here are the lyrics:

"Jesus, healer of brokenness
Savior, fixer of troubled souls
Redeemer, turning my eyes to thee
Mighty God, you’re just and merciful

Chorus

Oh God of beauty and grace
You are my resting place
All of my life is found in You
You’ve taken my brokenness
Made me whole once again
All of my life is found in You
I’m found in you

Bridge:

All my security, my destiny
What lies ahead is found in you
All my hopes and dreams, all my thoughts unseen
All my wants are found in You
What I dread and fear, all that weighs me down
All my trust is found in You
My sustaining breath, all that gives me strength
All life-giving is found in You"

See you soon.

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T-T-Today Junior

Ok...

I'll admit, my presence (or lack of) has hardly been noticed with the bloggosphere. I will also admit, that this comes as no harsh blow to anybody. Thus far, my blog has consisted of 5 (arguably 6) separate and totally bizarre posts, only loosely related to each other. Well, my friends, it is time for me to take a stand...To step out and take it to the next level. The bar has been set low, but to quote the raven, "never more." For all of you oppugners out there who may scoff at my statement, I ask you to believe. Believe in something bigger than yourself. Believe in something bigger than Jeff's Face. Believe in a feeble young man with a feeble young mind who toils for days with hopes of a fruitful verbose harvest. Believe that words like 'great' 'awesome' or 'awe-inspiring' will one day be reattributed to this small space on the inter-web. If you write it, they will come. Believe...T-T-Today.

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Update coming soon

the title says it all

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Who wants to be done with school?

ME!

But seriously... I am so grateful at how much I learn in school. I honestly believe that I could NOT do a 'ministry' job if I did not receive the education that I have thus far. That being said, I have really been loving working at the church. I love teaching, building relationships...its a blast.

Today I got SO MUCH done at the church. I looked at my lesson for tomorrow, I got some stuff for the mudbugs game figured out (food and rented a van), got a mission trip planned and camp stuff worked out.

To do so, I completely neglected school stuff. I really cannot do both things well at the same time. I can either rock school while neglecting church stuff, or get lots of youth stuff done and let school work slip by...Its frustrating.

I just think of all the school stuff I have to do between now and the end of the semester (papers, tests...papers, longer papers, even longer papers, test)...ugg

But, I'll make it (I always do), it is just pretty overwhelming.

And with that, I'm going to free-style rap

I'm a' sittin', and typin on my blog
Wishin' I still had my pogs
Sittin', with my favorite tube of slammers
Watch-out, I'm a rollin' like a'M. C. Hammer

I don't know, do I waste my time
a'sittin here on my behind
Blogging, about my blah' old day
But when it comes to school I stay away
From the studies, I cant motivate
myself to get my educate...(boo) [/end rap]

I found this and couldn't stop laughing

see more pwn and owned pictures

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The longest week > Indolence

So, this has been a long week...and its only Monday. Much greatness has has resulted from this week already, but it has already proven to be a hard grind to work through.

It began with Crossroads' "Explosive Love" Marriage Conference. Bro. David facebooked that he was ready "To get Explosive Love all over me this weekend." Many of his readers did NOT know that Explosive Love was a marriage conference. As a staff member, I had a bit more responsibilities than the regular attendees (Nothing, however, compared to the work of one Ms. Pam Chisolm). It was a blessing, but a time consuming event...All night Friday and most of Saturday

Then Sunday came. The AM service was the conclusion of "Explosive Love," which was proceeded by lunch with the speaker, Ken Brumley from Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. Being Valentines weekend, Sunday, and Italian food meant a long lunch. Arriving home at 2:30 (with a stromboli-filled tummy) I began to prepare for our Youth Leadership meeting at 4:30. After the meeting, PM worship, and a Missions Meeting, I headed home...to study for a Biblical Interpretation II test. I studied until midnight.

Waking early this morning, I went to class. Luckily, I had a two hour break which I filled with studying interp. Following the test, I headed to Crossroads to continue preparing my first ever Sunday morning message for our morning worship...That's right...they're letting this goofy mug preach in a morning service.

I promised Sarah I'd be home at 6, and I made it! We ate, and I immediately began to study for my Philosophy of Religion test. I have been studying for HOURS, and am about to go to bed

Over the weekend, I received a letter 'inviting' me to join the national religion honors society, "Theta, Alpha, Kappa." I will join, and am excited to do so. Immediately following my interp test, I received a huge surprise. I was informed that I was selected by the Religion department as the one who will preach in the "Senior Preaching Chapel" on March 9th. I'm waay pumped. I don't want to brag very much, but this is a pretty big deal within the religion department. The thing I have to do is to remember that this is a honor and a huge responsibility not to be taken lightly.

It has already been a long week. I will have to skip a class and chapel tomorrow to study for my Philosophy of Religion test that is later that day. After finishing the test (for good or ill), is back to work on the sermon (or sermons).

I know this amount of 'busyness' is not healthy or glorifying to God, but I really have been blessed and encouraged at all the things I have learned and in all the areas I have grown. (Ok...I admit, tests and my lack of sleep are lame). The marriage conference was a huge blessing and encouragement. Youth stuff has been going great. The Youth Leadership meeting saw much accomplished. I've been really learning and growing in this time of sermon preparation...and I've been extremely encouraged at the amount of respect and trust I've been shown from both my professors and my fellow staff members at Crossroads.

And I leave you with this, for your viewing pleasure...My Philosophy of Religion Exam review questions!

1. Discuss Kai Nielson’s atheistic argument based on the “incoherence” of theism. On what basis does he describe theism as “incoherent”? What is your response to that conclusion?

2. Discuss the atheistic argument from “divine silence.” What is the essential claim of people who make such an argument? What is your response to this atheistic argument?

3. Respond to the claim that belief in God is nothing but a sociological phenomenon, that religion can be explained by recognizing that societies create religious beliefs and institutions that reinforce the stability of the society.

4. Respond to the assertion that the advance of scientific knowledge leaves no room for the existence of God.
5. On what basis is the plurality of religions evidence against the existence of God? Suggest a possible means of refuting an atheistic argument based on the plurality of religions.

6. How is the existence of evil the basis of an argument against the existence of God? Suggest a possible means of refuting an atheistic argument based on the existence of evil.

7. Distinguish between an ontological argument for the existence of God, a cosmological argument for the existence of God, and a teleological argument for the existence of God.

8. Present William Lane Craig’s causal argument for the existence of God, and explain how it attempts to avoid the objection raised by Bertrand Russell to causal arguments.

9. Present an argument for the existence of God based on contingency. How might an atheist respond to this argument? What counterargument can be offered in response to the atheist’s objections?

10. Discuss the theistic argument based on “fine-tuning.” In what way is this argument superior to William Paley’s argument from design? On what grounds might an atheist reject the “fine-tuning” argument?

indolent ;)

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The door, the door...where's the door? (door = clever)

Last night I really Really wanted to update my blog, but I didn't feel too good. The previous night, I had taken some daytime Nyquil...that was a bad idea. I didn't get much sleep. Last night, I took some night-time Nyquil and fell asleep at 9:00, and woke up at 7:30. That was a LONG sleep.

I really wanted to post something clever, but all I could do was sit there and sulk at my non-clever self, so in place of some cleverness, I will hilight my day thus far.

There was severe weather last night. Watching the local news makes me laugh. The production is much different than what I'm used to in the DFW area. There were some strong winds in shreveport that did some damage. They were interviewing some people (which is always funny in itself), but over the interview, they kept showing random stuff...like shelves of food at grocery stores, and a freezer in a convenience store (seemingly unrelated pictures). Then the news guy kept saying stuff like, "look at this picture of the damage, heres another house." Then the all time great quote, "we have a really great photo here of a big tree in the road...it is too dark to see the tree, but it is there covering the road." It was funny.

On a totally different note. Today is Wednesday. Tonight, we are teaching Part 2 of 6 of "Supernatural." The Supernatural series is about the miracles Jesus did during his ministry here on earth. Part 2 focuses on Luke 5:12-15 where Jesus cleanses the Leper. I'm really looking forward to tonight, it'll be fun. As a leper, this man was completely cut off from all society...He wasn't just homeless, he wasn't even allowed to be in the city. His sickness would not only lead to a physical death, but to others, he was already socially dead.

Perhaps my cleverness will return tonight in another post. The youth always say funny stuff

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...I KNOW that's right (or the antiquity of Jeff's Beard) pt. II

...continued...

. .. ... .... v ...... ........ ......... ......... x: poem (meter or rhyme)

And yet thy beard so sacred blessed,
Without thee, mine face look distressed.
Enough of this, ye friend or foe?
So much I cut, so much thy grow.
Or better yet, I have to say,
"Mine face, thy home, beg thee to stay"
Extoll thy shape, thine chin-strap-folk!
Nary yet, so thick I'd hoped,
Except to thou, aged three or four.
So shall thy stay, I thee implore?
Should thy tarry forever more?

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I KNOW thats right (or the antiquity of Jeff's Beard) pt.1

Hello Blogging World! Looks like I've made it big.

My name is Jeff Stapleton....I KNOW thats right.

Many of you may know me... but my name doesn't sound that familiar? Well...let me give you a little refresher. I am the guy who single handedly brought the "arm-pit dance" to East Texas. You may have sang a song about it or read about it in the local folk-tales...its a pretty big deal. Does that make me more of a man? Possibly (*see below). Does that make me a genius? Probably. Does that make me a legend? Positively!

Here is a description of the man under the chin-strap:
I am 24 years old. I am a man (*I pee standing up). I have been married to Sarah Stapleton for almost 5 years (yeah...she's amazing!). I have a 18 month old son named Colin who loves to say "NO". I go to East Texas Baptist University in Marshall Texas where I am a religion major. I am the youth minister at the coolest church in East Texas...Crossroads Baptist Church. I am a semi-good musician/artist/photographer/video game pwner.

I'd love to type some more, but I've gotta run. In light of my exit, let me offer a five separate, but necessary, words of wisdom:

ahem *clears throat*

- Studies show that 10 out of 10 Americans will die this year from eating health foods
- New Mexico is better than Regular Mexico
- Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
- Thousands of mini-buffalo are killed every day for their wings
- Before you walk a mile in somebody else's shoes, make sure you pick up your own too...that way, when they realize you stole their shoes, you are already a mile away and they won't be able to catch you

*stay tuned for part 2 of of "I KNOW thats right (or the antiquity of Jeff's Beard)

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