"Memories of Freedom" June (or maybe July) 2006

"... But She Never Came" August 2006

My wife had this on her blogspot.. so I figured, why not. It's been awhile since I put anything up anyway.
*Pick your birth month.
* Strike out anything that doesn’t apply to you.
* Bold the five-ten that best apply to you.
* Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months.

My Birth Month is AUGUST:

AUGUST:Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.


JANUARYStubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARYAbstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCHAttractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRILActive and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAYStubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNEThinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULYFun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST:Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBERSuave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBERLoves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBERHas a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBERLoyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Josephina Flynn, the mysterious mercenary, returns to her father's grave to pay tribute. This has grown to be one of my favorite characters.

"Sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name," but let's face it... sometimes you want to go where no one knows your name also. Still, there are other times when you just want to get away from EVERYONE, whether they know your name or not.
Is that such a bad thing??
I think not.
Sometimes we need to get away from all the "stuff" that gets us down. We need a retreat.
A retreat from what?
A retreat from the everyday. A retreat from the norm.
If you live in the busy life of the city... take a trip to the country side. If you labor hard on the farm... take some time to enjoy the luxeries of city life. Just get out of that rut you've been in. Get some new scenery.
Jesus also had to get some time alone. At various times in scripture we see Him going off by Himself to be with His Father. Of course, I should point out, that He did not stay there.
A retreat is not perminant. You do not retreat in defeat, but it is a tactical movement. A chance to regroup, refocus, and stregthen yourself for the next battle. And the battle will come.
We do not run away in fear, but instead, retreat to fill ourselves with power.

My lovely wife recently posted a blog on her site about not updating enough... well, if she hasn't, then LORD knows, I haven't. It's been months!!
So, what to say?
Nothing in particular comes to mind, although I am certain that many things have transpired since last I wrote.
I am getting back into doing artwork. It's been great to get back into it. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some on my picture site soon. (I'm in lack of a scanner) I've been very seriously considering doing commissions, but I lack one vital thing... customers. Oh well, if it's meant to be, then it will be.
I'm going to try to get back into blogging again (although that sounds a lot like "flogging" which I don't plan on doing.)

What good is a dull blade? It is less useful and actually more dangerous to the one wielding it.

We were taught when I was in the restaurant business to keep all of our knives sharp. Not only did it make the job easier, it was for our protection. With a dull blade, more force is applied in order to use it. With the additional force, more serious injury can occur.
This is not to say that sharp blades are not dangerous. I almost lost my finger to a sharp blade while working at the same restaurant. The blade was so sharp and made such a clean cut, I hardly felt it at all.
If in battle, you would defiantly want a sharp blade. How many knights do you think ran to the battlefield with a dull sword? A sharp blade is much more useful and can cause deadly, accurate, and quick strikes. A dull blade might hurt more, but would be much more difficult to use.
So, where am I going with this?
Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (NIV). We have a great influence over other people, just as other people have a great influence over us. We can use this to either “sharpen” each other, or dull each other.
We know the importance of a sharp blade. It is more useful, less dangerous, and a better weapon. The same is true for a sharp self. Being positively influenced by others makes us more “useful” in life. We have a better understanding and knowledge of the world around us. It makes us less dangerous to our selves by leaning from instruction and not having to learn the hard way. It makes us a better weapon as we struggle against this world and the evils within it.

So, we know this, but here’s the question; have you sharpened any blades lately?

The only difference between a stepping stone and a stumbling block is how you use it.
So many times we view temptations and trials as obstacles that lay in our way. Sometimes we even blame God for allowing these things to happen. I’m guilty of this myself. Perhaps we are just seeing these stepping stones as stumbling blocks.
God wants us to grow. He wants us to produce what the Bible refers to as fruits. “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It would be great if we were given these qualities, but it doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit gives these, it says he “produces” these. To produce is a slow process, just as it takes time for a tree to produce fruit. We don’t just wake up with these qualities.
So, how do we gain them? Rick Warren states, “God develops the fruit of the Spirit by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality.”
Huh??
For example, we produce love by having those people in our lives that are “unlovable”. Anyone can love a lovable person. God has called us to “love our enemies”. When we are tempted to express hatred or detest, God wants us to use it as an opportunity to express love.
We are tempted to be discouraged or depressed when trouble comes our way. God wants us to use this as a chance to grow in our joy that can go beyond our circumstances. Anyone can be happy when things are pleasant.
Peace is easy to obtain when setting on a quiet beach and watching the sunset over the ocean. What about when our world comes crashing down around us?
We don’t need patience if we get what we want when we want it. But what about those times when we don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Kindness is easy to express to those who are kind to us, but what about those who despise us?
Goodness is easy to live out when surrounded by those who are doing good and encouraging you to do so as well. Can we be good and moral when the world is speeding in an evil direction? When our friends want us to join them in their immorality, do we join them?
It is easy to be faithful to a God who is so evident and loving in our lives, but what about those times when we can’t see His hand? When it seems that God has abandoned us, do we stay faithful?
Are we gentle when those around us hurt us? When our bothers and sisters need correction, do we condemn them?
Is it really self-control when surrounded by those who wish us to do well? Self-control presents itself when we must live a moral life despite of what the world around us tells us.

Is this thing you are going through a chance to grow, or are you falling down the steps?

Basic Geometry

Rectangles, triangles, and squares.. oh, my!!
There are so many shapes in this world. And yet, we find ourselves trying to fit square pegs into round holes.
We are all shaped differently. No, I’m not talking about the short and stout tea pot or the tall and thin beanpole. I’m referring to our personalities, our talents, and our skills. God has made us each unique. Like a snowflake, we will all melt away.. I mean.. no two are alike.
You wouldn’t use a triangular tire for your car. You wouldn’t use a circle for your computer monitor (although I guess you could. That might be interesting). So why do you want to be able to do something that you were not “shaped” to do?
In Rich Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, he uses SHAPE as an acronym.
S = Spiritual Gifts
H = Heart
A = Abilities
P = Personality
E = Experience
Take a good look at these in your own life. What is your “shape”? How can God use it for ministry? How can it be used for worship? We all have a different shape, and so you shouldn’t feel poorly or jealous when your shape is not like someone else’s. We are designed differently so that we can work together to accomplish an even greater picture. Monte’ said that, “Many great things are accomplished by many small things working together.”
Did you realize that the possibility of you having the same DNA make-up as some one else is one in a 10 to the 2,400,000,000th power? (For reference, scientist believer there are about 10 to the 76th particles in the universe.) On top of that, add all of your experiences and lesions learned through your life. I highly doubt there is anyone like you, and never will be.
So, what does that mean? You are a unique shape, and you fit into a unique hole that God has designed for you. Again, why do you want to force a square peg in a round hole?
We must discover our shape and figure out what God has planned for us. We do this by discovering our spiritual gifts, listening to our heart, applying our abilities, using our personality, and employing our experiences.

“What you are is God’s gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God.” – Danish

Proverb
Romans 12:3- 8
1 Corinthians 12:12- 31
Job 10:8
Isaiah 43:21
1 Peter 4: 10-11