The Truth is at War with the Lies

I think back to all the roads I have traveled down, all the people I've met around the world. So many places, faces, and decisions. At times completely out of control in so many different ways. All these decisions that I've made and life has brought me to this point.

I think most people look at everything in their life as a bunch of random events with good and bad results. I believe in an order in the universe. I'm not saying something was controlling me when I wasn't in control, but I believe our decisions are covered by the order. If the order doesn't cover one of our decisions I don't believe that decision can be brought into fruition. The order doesn't agree with all our decisions, it just allows them to take place with the good and the bad for reasons unknown to me, except in conjunction with my understanding of free will. Its just the way the universe was set up at the beginning of time. In my opinion I don't think the mind was created to fully conceive it, just respect the order and be content and at peace with it.

I think we were meant to learn and understand about the order to help us choose the intended paths for our lives. Many people will just say its all a bunch of meaningless random decisions and events that happen to us all, but i believe all our decisions matter. Each decision takes us down a different path. Each decision brings us closer, or further away from the truth. I believe the truth will set you free. But I thought the truth would be easy. The truth is difficult. The truth is at war with the lies.

Smoking

I've been meaning to post about this for awhile, but just never got around to it. At my work they decided to ban smoking 100 ft from all company grounds. HOORAY!!! Sorry, smokers. So anyways, I knew this would be difficult because patients don't care and I knew they would smoke no matter what, but what has amazed me is how all the workers not only light up right in front of the non-smoking signs, they get together as many as 9 one day, I COUNTED! It's common in one area for me to see up to 5 people smoking together. This is right out in the middle of our parking lot! I see all the areas where they are smoking, some of them try and hide as best as possible, but then others go right out in the middle of our parking lot where everyone can see them.

So I'm guessing that they must know my company won't, or can't fire them. Otherwise, I'm sure they would have been fired a long time ago and they wouldn't be so obviously rubbing it in my companies face that they are going to smoke on company grounds. So how strange is it to do something every day and know your company doesn't want you doing it, but you don't care because you know your company won't fire you, so you do it anyway. The crazy thing is I know these people wouldn't be doing it if they weren't nicotine junkies. I said the word junkies, I decided before I started writing this post that I wouldn't say junkies, but that is exactly what smoking is if you can't wait until you get home and your willing to take the risk every day of getting fired. I really hope these people are trying to quit. But that doesn't seem to be the case, I see the same individuals out there multiple times each day fraternizing.

Grandma

Backtime

1 Day Old

A Dependence on Love

One of my first emotions in the hospital after Asher was born was the feeling that I would choose to die in a heartbeat if it meant that my son could live. It was so strong. I keep trying to relate this emotion to how GOD had to sacrifice His only Son so that I could truly be forgiven for my countless trespasses against Him throughout my life. I can't, because all I can think about is how not worth it I am.

But at one time I too was as little as Asher resting in my father's arms and he too felt these same emotions in the hospital. Something tells me its an extremely common emotion with every new father and mother. I believe this is how GOD reminds us of his continual love and how it can't be based on actions, because all Asher has done is poop, cry, eat and sleep. Asher is completely dependent on Kim and I to keep him alive. From the day we are born GOD shows us how He wants us to be dependent on Him. He'll take care of us, but we need to continually ask for his guidance.

This whole time Asher has been sleeping in my arms. He's constantly been rustling around trying to either get comfortable or is slowly waking up as I go back and forth from one and two hands typing. He even managed to throw himself out of my arms onto the couch. I'm glad I'm sitting on the couch. I think whether we ask for God's guidance, or not, we're all infants throughout our lives and GOD is trying to type with two hands.

Asher Steven Newman

Asher Steven Newman was born on June 11th at 11:28pm. He weighed 7 pounds and 12 ounces. My last post "Anxiously Awaiting" was at 6:30pm on the 11th, I had no idea an hour later Kim would start going into labor. She wasn't even sure it was real labor until 9:30pm. And we didn't leave the house until 10:30pm. When we arrived at the hospital I was running through the halls pushing Kim in a wheelchair with one hand and the other pulling our luggage. Let's just say it was one crazy hour! Thank you Asher for not deciding to be born in the xB.

Anxiously Awaiting......

It's one day past Baby Kix's due date. Kim drank 3 tablespoons of caster oil today. We've been eating spicy foods for the last two days. Kim told me that some doctors believe that the baby releases hormones when it gets stressed out and that's what begins labor. We don't feel like trying to stress out our baby, that seems kind of mean. We really don't want to be induced. Anybody have any suggestions?

The Importance of Belief Part 2: How can one be held accountable for something if they don't believe in it?

Google couldn't find me anything directly answering my question. But indirectly Google revealed Romans 1:19-20 and Romans 2:14-16 which I found quite interesting:

Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, beingunderstood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse

"Although the Gentiles had no written revelation, yet what may be known of God is every where manifest among them, God having made a clear discovery of himself to them. For his being and perfections, invisible to our bodily eyes, have been, ever since the creation of the world, evidently to be seen, if attentively considered, in the visible beauty, order, and operations observable in the constitution and parts of the universe; especially his eternal power and universal dominion and providence: so that they cannot plead ignorance in excuse of their idolatry and wickedness." -Adam Clarke Commentary

Romans 2:14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

"The expression they are a law to themselves is another way of saying that the demands of the moral law are written within a man. The point is this: the attempt to “accuse and defend” will be brought into broad daylight on the day when God judges the secrets of men. That God will judge men’s secrets is in keeping with the fact sin is often related to the conscience, i.e., the inward and hidden moral reasoning of a man (And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. ~Heb 4:13). That this judgment will take place, and that Jesus will be the judge, is in keeping with the gospel which Paul preached." -Adam Clarke Commentary

So I guess this scripture answers my question from a biblical point of view. We are accountable to GOD in all things. It doesn't matter whether we believe in being accountable, or not. We are all part of a system that was put in place a long time ago, an invisible reality. A reality I believe left unable to fully prove in order to leave the choice to believe, or not and most importantly the choice to love GOD, or not.

The Importance of Belief

I am again obsessed with thinking about our beliefs. We can give fake fronts about who we are and say what we believe just to fit in with our friends, but our true beliefs still lay dormant in the core of our being.

Why do we believe what we believe? What is determining those bundles of neurons to connect in such a way to form a belief? My beliefs have changed drastically over my 35 years. I've gone back and forth with some issues swaying from the right to the left on many occassions. In many cases the more I come to understand a certain subject, I really never understood the stance I originally took about the issue.

I believe when we go to the grave certain beliefs are cemented for eternity. Well, that is the question? Are we given another chance? Does it really matter what we believed, because GOD is all loving and he'll understand we were just ignorant feverish little clots. Is it all good? Our beliefs change over time, so that wouldn't be fair if we weren't privy to knowledge that would of changed our belief for the better. And if we did know it's not our fault that we chose the wrong belief beacause life is extremely complex with so many variables and influences. I can only work with the neuron's that I was given at birth. But what if only a few exceptions and no excuses are accepted in the afterlife. Who are we to judge?

Everything in this world revolves around responsibility and accountability. I have to believe that I will be responsible and accountable for how I lived this life. My belief system is the motivation for my actions. Yes, I'm going to make mistakes and go against what I believe at times, but there will always be that belief system in the core of my being administrating my everyday decisions making me who I am. It's amazing how one little belief can change how you see yourself in this world and how one little new belief can sometimes sprout a seed changing one into a completely new being.

Remembering Jorai Mae Newman

This was taken from a draft i found in my gmail back on 12/26/07. I was planning on posting this but it never made it........

"Today I worked on the printer that printed Jorai's picture at her birth. The printer actually only needed a new color cartridge, but at the same time I felt an attachment to this printer. If I wasn't able to fix it and needed to replace it, I know I would have brought it home. I don't know if this is healthy, but I find myself not wanting to part with anything that had anything to do with Jorai.

At home we still haven't taken down the pictures, cards, and Jorai's ashes that sit on the wood trunk in our living room. I wanted them up until the end of this year. I never understood when people would tell me after their loved ones departed from this world that they still felt them alive, or in some way felt that they were still with them. I do feel Jorai is still alive."

mingle-mangle

I saw a "never satisfied" bumper sticker and felt a sadness for the driver of that car.

The other day I saw a Ford commercial and they dropped in a line stating they now have the same quality as Toyota. So I'm trying to find out exactly when Ford was able to match Toyota's quality. Does this mean all the models of Ford were matched at the same time? America deserves to know when this quality standard was acheived so we know not to buy any Ford products prior to that date.

Dark Horse, my favorite brewery in Michigan has released another batch of Sapient BelgianTriple Ale. It is now available only at E. Lansing Oade’s Big Ten, or if you feel like driving
to the Dark Horse brewery in Marshall.

Go see Ben Stein's film "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." Amazing!

Are All Sins the Same?

So I went off on a rabbit trail and found a wolf in the sheep den. I was trying to figure out how to equate not murdering someone because we don't want to go to jail, to not letting certain things slide that we know GOD doesn't want us doing. No, I'm not thinking about murdering anyone. Just trying to figure out how to stop doing those things I know GOD doesn't want me doing, but I do them anyway. This led to the question: Are all sins the same? That answer led to: Why don't people believe in Jesus?

Conclusion: We're just more physical than we are spiritual. Until it hurts us in the physical, the spiritual seems to be left by the wayside.

Africa's World War

(CNN) -- The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and armed groups in the country signed a deal Wednesday to end years of fighting in Congo. According to the International Rescue Committee the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Congo had taken 5.4 million lives since 1998, and 45,000 people continue to die there every month. This loss of life is equivalent to the entire population of Denmark, or the state of Colorado, dying within a decade. Even with the country's violence, the IRC found that most of the deaths were from non-violent causes such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. Nearly half the deaths were among children younger than five, even though they are only 19 percent of the population.

The reason why I'm speaking about this is that I didn't even know about this war until 2 days ago when I was listening to NPR. How can a war that is equivalent to World War II go so unnoticed by the media. Why haven't I heard any of my friends ever speak about this war? Why haven't I heard or read anything about this war until 2 days ago on NPR?

For an inside look on Africa's World War read:

http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=519&Itemid=1

Is America Addicted to Porn?

XXXchurch pastor Craig Gross and ex porn producer of 9 years Donny Pauling went up against Monique Alexander and Ron Jeremy in a debate at Yale on the harmful effects of pornography. Take time out to view this video, it will take about 45 minutes. Debates like these are rare and this gives a good look at how people in the pornography industry justify their trade. Pay close attention to what Donny Pauling says about the countless woman that are ruined from the industry.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/FaceOff

A great book to read about the pornography industry and the effects inside relationships of men and woman that view pornography on a consistant basis is Pornified by Pamela Paul. If you view pornography on a consistant basis, or want to stop viewing it, this book shows you the troubles you will have in relationships from couples that are extremely candid about their pornography habits and the connections that are made to the pornography that is hurting their relationships.

Money for sex

Kim and I just watched "Trade". This movie was based off a 9 month investigation piece The Girls Next Door from the New York Times. According to the U.S. State Department's report on sex traffic in 2005, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year, with 14,500 to 17,500 trafficked into the U.S.

The Girls Next Door stated that there are thousands of sex slaves right here in the U.S. Please watch this movie. Please understand every time you look at porn whether you pay for it, or not, your click of the mouse is recorded and used for keeping women on the screen with money and addiction to drugs. And worse of all, the promotion of kidnapping and enslavement of innocent children only to be emotionally and physically scarred for the rest of their lives.

Neti Pots

My wife tracked all the people coming to her blog and realized that most of them came because they searched for Neti Pots. She had Neti Pots as the title of one of her blogs. So I'm attempting to get more traffic. Sorry, I apologize for misleading you, but this blog has nothing to do with Neti Pots. The things we do for attention.

I notice more and more people seem to say, "this book is our bible". Today it was a reference to a database. On another day it was Wikipedia. I find this extremely fascinating, because whether you believe that the Bible is GOD's one and only collection of writings that He wrote through man, or not, it's interesting how we go to documents as our one and only source for specific topics of knowledge. Whatever the subject is we all have our bible's. It makes sense that GOD would leave a book for life.

New Identity?

Nobody I know reads my blog, except my wife. I kind of like it that way, but then what's the point of having a blog. At first I created Speepr McCree from Christmas Island as a joke. I got the funniest picture I had of myself and posted it. But my first entry in 2005 ended up being the only humor of this blog and I deleted it.

I still like my picture and enjoy being from Christmas Island, and I kind of like the name Speepr. So why do I think I want my real identity on my blog? Does it matter? What do I gain and what do I lose? If anyone is reading please give me your opinion.

The decline of the FDA

I read somewhere that the ingredient "natural flavors" can have monosodium glutamate (MSG) in it, and then I read another detailed article about MSG that didn't have natural flavors listed as an ingredient that might contain MSG. Does anyone have any knowledge regarding the vague ingredient of natural flavors? Why doesn't the FDA require companies to list the origin of the natural flavor? What about artificial flavor? I'm scared to look up what the definition is of artifical flavor in the Code of Federal Regulations.

The exact definition of natural flavorings & flavors from Title 21, Section 101, part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations is as follows:

"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

Switchgrass

This could be the replacement for big oil.......

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5183608