…Patience…
By Child of New Light | May 19, 2008
it is to his glory to overlook an offense
Over the last few days the Lord has been working patience into me. I seem to have set myself up for a crash course when I respeced my Paladin in World of Warcraft to "Holy" (I went from a damage dealer to a healer). The first thing I did was jump into a group for a dungeon and since then I've spent most of the last few days healing various pick up groups through various pseudo end-game dungeons in World of Warcraft.
As anyone who has played an online RPG knows healing a pickup group can be insane. People do crazy and sometimes, admittedly, stupid things that result in everyone dying; repeatedly. Being the healer it is my duty to make sure other's mistakes don't mess us all over.
At first this was frustrating. Very frustrating. To a degree it still is. But as I continued through I realized that if I'm going to devote this character to picking up after people I'm going to have to get another attitude to enjoy it. Save for a few rare exceptions I take groups where the people are insane as a challenge. Am I good enough to keep them alive even if they do something ridiculously stupid?
At first I complained a lot. I'm a complainer as you know. Being able to hide behind a screen and knowing most of them will never see me again left me to make some pretty sharp (at least for me) comments. But the Spirit convicted me. "How are you coming across?" "Are you bringing Glory to my name?" "Are you representing the Apostles Creed which you have adopted as your guild's name?"
I found that cutting back on the complaining and taking a more positive attitude not only made me feel better about obviously stupid mistakes of others but it also presented me in a better light. Placing me in a better position to get to know people and share to them something about the God I serve.
By being patient and healing us through. Sometimes pulling off near in-game miracles and when I obviously messed up myself yet kept a positive attitude. I found people thanking me and complimenting me.
The New Living Translation words it like this…
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
The vast majority of people will respect you for your self control and patience. To those who don't, you have a God who will reward you.
Taking this experience from game I've begun to apply it to my dealings with others in the clan. Sometimes someone asks a question that I feel should be obvious. After a certain number of times I begin to get annoyed. Or maybe someone says something to me that seemed rude or maybe even borderline mean. Applying this idea of patience involves treating others as Christ did.
The next time the spirit of impatience creeps in ask yourself this… with every stupid mistake you've made in your life… How patient has God been with you? Don't others deserve the same patience?
Please feel free to comment on our forums.
Topics: Personal / Life, Spiritual |
Another Easter. Same Suit.
By Child of New Light | March 23, 2008
I'm dressed up. The whole 9 yards. A black suit. Black tie. Fancy black dress shoes. Fancy white shirt. Unlike last Easter (or Resurrection Sunday?) I don't have the same feelings wearing this suit. It seems its original purpose was lost. Yet I still have that feeling. Defiantly. Maybe proudly. I feel attractive in it. I feel special. Last Easter I talked on here about how it hurt to wear this suit because it reminded me of a time when I was special…and now I have come to a point where just wearing it makes me special enough…I don't need anyone to make me feel that way. This is MY suit. I'm going to wear it.
Topics: Personal / Life |
Bear Eating a Trout in the Rugged Wilderness kind of Beauty
By Child of New Light | March 12, 2008
Branching on some earlier topics, its been mentioned by many professionals and ministers that the mans place in society has been under attack. In the last 20 years or so men have been demeaned and disrespected in society. It is evident in shows like Everyone Loves Raymond and other sitcoms, along with your average television and radio commercial. The man is always portrayed as stupid while the woman is portrayed as a know it all whom the man is just totally incapable of living without for fear of dying of his own stupidity. If you're a man you've probably seen this. Maybe not been able to verbalize it. But chances are you've seen it and felt a little off.
Then of course there is the OTHER extreme. Where man is the macho testosterone pig who is trying to get into every girl's pants, cheat on his wife at the first chance, drive a fast sports car, do daring stunts, pick fights, and altogether beat the living crud out of anyone who gets in his way.
I've personally had to deal especially with the latter example. Often times the parents of girls I knew would give me this weird look or just treat me like I was some monster trying to take away their daughter's virginity. Since I was a male I must be sex hungry. Since I was male I must have no manners. Since I'm male I must not have any self control. Since I'm male… you get the picture.
Well, honestly, I'm fed up with both of these extremes (maybe extreme isn't the right word because they can both coexist and are not opposites but im tired and I think you get the idea).
For the longest time I felt ashamed to be called a man. In fact I often fought with my first girlfriend over that title. I was indeed 19 years old but whenever she called me a "man" I'd just about flip. I could be "boy" or "guy" but never "a man". "I am no man!"
And I don't think I still am! (hold on, gotta an explanation coming up)
Growing up in a Christian household with parents who were very strict and sincere on raising a "gentleman" along with being an exceptionally obedient child (not so much teenager…but better than average) I grew up being very different from most boys my age and in teen years the difference gap only widened. Especially in the latter teen years I knew I was not the same beast I saw in my college classes and these guys from high school.
Every other word was a swear word and had to do with sex. I'd listen to these guys talk about women as pieces of meat and it seemed every waking thought was about sex (and usually something disgusting about it). I didn't want to be associated with these people. This was societies definition of a man and I wanted nothing to do with it.
Over these last few years God has brought me into an understanding that I am not a man… I am His man. I am a man of God. And that being a MAN of God is a NOBLE and respectable creation. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Society, Spiritual, The Church |
Man Down…
By Child of New Light | March 11, 2008
So I had a bad day yesterday. I had tennis class which has left my entire upper body including write arm super sore. Then when we though we had to go pick up Aly from her RAD class I went to switch seats and Joe didn't see me leaning over and he jumped up trying to adjust in his seat. Direct hit to my left eye socket. Its bruised. Vision was blurry. I've felt like crap since then. I don't know if its exhausted or because of how hard he hit me. I may have to go to the doctors if I don't start feeling better…
Topics: Personal / Life |
Share the Hallway
By Child of New Light | March 11, 2008
So walking to the library I had to squeeze by two or three people who decided that they owned the hallway. These people wonder why people look down on them and get indignant. Its because you're not courteous of other people!!!
I feel like holding my position and plowing right into them. I shouldn't have to squeeze against the wall to pass by them. They don't own the universe. They don't own the hallway and I am sure as heck sick of having to move out of the way so someone can continue to act like they own the place.
Two girls in my class were the same way. Up front talking to the instructor. They stood right in the walkway through to my desk. How many times do I need to say "Excuse me." before they move? I finally just pushed my way through. Its ridiculous.
Be considerate people.
Topics: Personal / Life |
Anti-War Activist Bomb Recruiting Station
By Child of New Light | March 6, 2008
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335435,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335828,00.html
According to this FoxNews.com article some anti-war activist used a low end (yet still dangerous and deadly) bomb pre-dawn hours to blow up an Army Recruitment Center in Times Square.
Now, I am unabashedly in favor of military action in Iraq and elsewhere against terrorist (in fact I think we should have done it sooner). But at the same time I respect others rights to disagree. I try to even hear them out and at times accept some of their viewpoints and begin challenging myself and the government to provide answers or correct problems.
But when you're shouting out violence isn't the answer and BOMB an Army Recruitment Center aren't you kind of being a hypocrite? How can you be demanding peace and yet blow up your "enemy's" recruitment center? Thank God nobody was hurt…
Topics: News & Politics |
English Please
By Child of New Light | March 4, 2008
So, I'm logging in at school for a few minutes and I go to Meebo.com (nifty IM anywhere with MSN, AIM, Y!, ICQ, etc) and it comes up in Korean.
Now I go to a school with many foreign students who don't know English. It is not uncommon for me to come to a computer and it all be in some foreign asian language that I couldn't even begin to decipher.
I was just thinking about how frustrating it is when they leave it set to their language when 95% of the people who will be using the computer will be English only speakers. At least be courteous and change it back to a language I can understand! Even Spanish!
To make it clear, I can understand them wanting it to be in a language they are more comfortable with. The computer has that option. Go right ahead. BUT BUT BUT when you are done switch it back! PLEASE!
Topics: Society |
Boycott: Hell
By Child of New Light | March 3, 2008
So yeah, I'm sick of Hell. I'm sick of Satan. I'm sick of Sin. The oppression and the agony and people burning in misery for rejecting the truth of Jesus Christ.
In the spirit of Newsboys "Boycott Hell", I'd like to start a movement. Lets boycott Hell!
Boycotting hell requires salvation. To be saved you must confess your sins to God, believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. From there to enforce the boycott you need to put your best effort into fulfilling your membership vows and living a life that is glorifying to God.
Just getting into heaven isn't enough. Denying hell of souls is good. But we will not be satisfied with simply hurting hell, we want to put it out of freakin' business. To make hell hurt you need to do your best to follow God's will. Put your faith in God. You don't need to be perfect. In fact chances are you'll mess up. You're imperfect. You can't do it alone. That's why God has given us the Holy Spirit to live in us.
See, when we're weak God is strongest. When we don't have the right words, God gives them to us. When we don't have enough faith, God gives us it. When we're falling, He catches us. When we mess up and ask God to give us His grace and sincerely try. God doesn't let us down.
None of us can score a perfect 10. That's why Jesus died. He gives extra credit for effort.
Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]–
To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all the ages of eternity). Amen (so be it).
Jude 24-25 (AMP)
An added side effect of boycotting hell will be encouraging others to boycott hell with us. They'll see the living God living in us and they'll see how our lives are different and full of freedom. They'll want it. Be ready to tell them how to join the boycott.
So are you with me? LETS BOYCOTT HELL!
Topics: Spiritual, The Church |
Homosexual Pastors = Good…? What…?
By Child of New Light | March 3, 2008
My response to a line from “Three Days With the Mainlines” by Michael Spencer which I originally heard about from this ThinkChristian.net post.
“And there were probably some gays and lesbians present. No one brought it up and it wasn’t my business. No one decided we needed to talk about it. Good.”
Ehh…excuse me?
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast-as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people- 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (NIV)
Topics: Doctrine, Society, Spiritual, The Church |
I’m going to fall in love with you. You don’t have to love me back. I’m gonna give you my heart.
By Child of New Light | March 3, 2008
He leans over and embraces her. You see his back. He begins to cry.
She puts her armos around him. Unsure of what or why.
“Are you crying?” she gently asks.
Sniffling, he nods his head which is now tightly resting into her arm,
“Oh ok.” She holds him tighter.”ts’s okay. Mmm.” She takes a deep breath and exhales “I’m going to fall in love with you. You don’t have to love me back. Im gonna give you my heart. Ok? Ok.”
–
The 60 seconds of a film I’d never watch… that made me cry and remember what I’m waiting for… Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies, Personal / Life, Relationships |
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