"God helps those that help themselves" is a phrase that is found in exactly ZERO verses of the Bible. It is often used as the rallying cry against welfare programs, social security, etc.
We are to help others while working to sustain ourselves and our faith.
"He who is not willing to work, does not eat."- 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Notice the word WILLING. The Bible does not say those who do not work. It says those who are not willing. Many are willing, but cannot (physical reasons, unemployment reasons, etc).
Of course, the main argument is one of semantics: "help themselves." How does one define such a thing? If I need to improve my financial situation and I am a hard worker who asks the boss for a raise, is that helping myself? In a way, of course. If a single person seeks companionship and they go out looking for someone, is that helping themselves find mate? Again, in a way, yes.
The Bible mentions that if draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us. This is often seen as a "meeting halfway" kind of thing, and often serves as the "biblical basis" for perpetuating the phrase and concept. The Bible also says "Faith without works is dead (faith)."
I believe we are not to sit around and be lazy about things. And, in a way, that is helping ourselves. But, I think the bigger picture is that we are not to help ourselves in the sense of a "name-and-claim-it" mentality nor a "snatch and grab" one. I also believe that the Lord helps plenty of people who CANNOT help themselves. Heck, the Bible is full of examples - healings, miracles, etc - where the people could not help themselves. Ah, but they were WILLING.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Isaiah: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." They that wait... I have always seen this as a double meaning. On one hand, we are to wait, as in pray and listen and allow God to help us in our needs, our desires. On the other hand, we are to wait on the Lord, as in a waiter/waitress. That is, we are to work for God.
God's Grace is unwarranted, unmerited, undeserved. We get it not because we "help ourselves" and so He gives us some kind of reward. Rather, He gives it to us despite anything we try to do, and often in spite of the mess we often make of thing BECAUSE we try to help ourselves.
If we are only out to help ourselves for selfish reasons, the Lord is not going to help us.
The best way to find this out for yourself? Read the book.
As a side thought: one of my favorite (and most difficult) courses in college was Western Civ to 1650. In that class, the professor showed the historical ties between many events in the Bible and those documented in other forms. It was the first time I was shown the Bible as a historical text (as opposed to a purely spiritual one).
Another side note: The phrase is all-too-often misattributed to Ben Franklin's coinage. While he did USE the phrase, he did not COIN it. It's been around a lot longer than that. Look it up - that's a pretty good story, too.
Jul 16, 2012
Jul 12, 2012
Remember when superlatives were ... super?
I am guilty. I use superlatives the way some people use the "Like" button on Facebook. I need to stop. We all need to stop. Is EVERYTHING "incredible," "amazing," or "absolutely the best ever?" No. But, because we throw those words around, we have actually deflated the meanings of those words to the point that they are sometimes just words. Heck, we might not even "see" them when we read something - we have become so accustomed to having them thrown into our everyday language that we simply ignore them.
I don't even remember how I found the page I am about to share with you, but the entire reason I clicked on it was because I knew I disagreed with the headline even before I read the story. The story? "40 of the Most Powerful Photographs Ever Taken."
Now, much like I do myself, at least the author had the good sense to off-handedly qualify the article. "Of the" has become the universal cop-out. A helper phrase, if you will. Even I recently shared a link in which I said, "This is one of the funniest... I have ever read." I actually used two qualifiers there: "of the" and "that I." "Of the" gets me off the hook period. There could be billions of funny things (or in the care of the article I am going to share, photographs) out there, but with a little "of the" thrown in, you can agree or not - but really, how could you disagree? It says that out of all the (whatevers), here is a selection, a handful, ONE of the (superlative) of those.
My other out, and one I actually condone, is the use of "that I." That phrase communicates my OPINION. Without it, I thrust myself out there like some authority figure on a particular subject and immediately people are going to raise up their shields. With out "that I," an article offers an immediate challenge to potential readers. The challenge? Or the response? The same I one had regarding the photographs: "Oh yeah, I bet I don't think so." Or, perhaps a softer, "Well, maybe they are SOME of those (whatevers) but I know of others..."
Think about it: 40 of the BEST love songs. 22 of the greatest quotes.
The real downfall to superlative overuse/misuse comes with words like "EVER!" Ever? Really? In the history of time, these are the (superlative) (whatevers) EVER?! I doubt it. And, yes, I am fully aware that I used the word when I shared a link adding "funniest..I have ever read." I told you I'm guilty.
But, change is not easy. We must first recognize the fact we are doing something that needs to be changed. Then, we take little steps to correct the action. Finally, we wean ourselves from it.
So, the article that started this whole train of thought? 40 photographs. Are they the MOST POWERFUL EVER taken? Sure, most of them are likely to evoke some kind of emotion, but are they the top 40? I don't think so. Of course, the author made sure *NOT* to use the word "THE" in the headline. These aren't THE 40 Most Powerful, they are just 40 of the most powerful. And what about "powerful?" What does that mean? How I define a photograph to represent something powerful will surely be different than what you use as the benchmark of a "powerful" photograph. Just like my own use of "funniest" - you may have a completely different sense of humor than I do (and, most likely you do, since mine is pretty warped).
In any case, enjoy the photos and decide for yourself just how superlative they are:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/most-powerful-photographs-ever-taken
And "one of the funniest posts I have ever read?" It's right here:
http://cartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com/2012/07/calculated-fun.html
Feel free to comment. If the goofy comment gadget is working.
I don't even remember how I found the page I am about to share with you, but the entire reason I clicked on it was because I knew I disagreed with the headline even before I read the story. The story? "40 of the Most Powerful Photographs Ever Taken."
Now, much like I do myself, at least the author had the good sense to off-handedly qualify the article. "Of the" has become the universal cop-out. A helper phrase, if you will. Even I recently shared a link in which I said, "This is one of the funniest... I have ever read." I actually used two qualifiers there: "of the" and "that I." "Of the" gets me off the hook period. There could be billions of funny things (or in the care of the article I am going to share, photographs) out there, but with a little "of the" thrown in, you can agree or not - but really, how could you disagree? It says that out of all the (whatevers), here is a selection, a handful, ONE of the (superlative) of those.
My other out, and one I actually condone, is the use of "that I." That phrase communicates my OPINION. Without it, I thrust myself out there like some authority figure on a particular subject and immediately people are going to raise up their shields. With out "that I," an article offers an immediate challenge to potential readers. The challenge? Or the response? The same I one had regarding the photographs: "Oh yeah, I bet I don't think so." Or, perhaps a softer, "Well, maybe they are SOME of those (whatevers) but I know of others..."
Think about it: 40 of the BEST love songs. 22 of the greatest quotes.
The real downfall to superlative overuse/misuse comes with words like "EVER!" Ever? Really? In the history of time, these are the (superlative) (whatevers) EVER?! I doubt it. And, yes, I am fully aware that I used the word when I shared a link adding "funniest..I have ever read." I told you I'm guilty.
But, change is not easy. We must first recognize the fact we are doing something that needs to be changed. Then, we take little steps to correct the action. Finally, we wean ourselves from it.
So, the article that started this whole train of thought? 40 photographs. Are they the MOST POWERFUL EVER taken? Sure, most of them are likely to evoke some kind of emotion, but are they the top 40? I don't think so. Of course, the author made sure *NOT* to use the word "THE" in the headline. These aren't THE 40 Most Powerful, they are just 40 of the most powerful. And what about "powerful?" What does that mean? How I define a photograph to represent something powerful will surely be different than what you use as the benchmark of a "powerful" photograph. Just like my own use of "funniest" - you may have a completely different sense of humor than I do (and, most likely you do, since mine is pretty warped).
In any case, enjoy the photos and decide for yourself just how superlative they are:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/most-powerful-photographs-ever-taken
And "one of the funniest posts I have ever read?" It's right here:
http://cartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com/2012/07/calculated-fun.html
Feel free to comment. If the goofy comment gadget is working.
Jul 11, 2012
A matter of respect
As we get closer and closer to election time, more and more people are going to bad mouth the folks they want out of office. I don't see anything inherently wrong with that. Where I see things going too far is when people attack the individual(s) on a personal level. And, worse comes when folks just make things up to sling mud.
I disagree with a lot of things our President does. I disagree with a lot of things our national, state, and local officials do. I am very proud that, for the most part, we can freely express our dislikes (and our likes for that matter) in America. But, whether I like someone or not, I always respect the POSITION they hold.
I hope I would never disrespect the President should I ever get to meet him face-to-face and shake his hand. He is the President of the United States. No, I didn't vote for him. No, I don't care for automotive "too big to fail" loans. No, I don't think Obamacare is the answer. But, if I had the opportunity to meet the leader of our country, you can bet I would be there. I would smile, shake his hand, and have all the butterflies in my stomach as I would meeting a superstar singer, movie star, or athlete. It is the respect he deserves for the position he holds.
I have known Congressman Mike Ross for about as long as I have lived in Arkansas. I consider him an acquaintance and family friend. My mother-in-law used to work for him for many years and I've done computer/networking work for him in the past. When my family took a vacation to Washington DC and he met us to escort us up to the White House and then later we met in his office, it was like being backstage with a favorite group. Through it all, I respected the position he holds.
I grew up where were were taught the President should be addressed as "Mr. President." Elected officials at state and national levels should be addressed by their title and last name: Congressman Ross.
Respect is not always about the individual in a particular position, but about the position despite who holds it.
I disagree with a lot of things our President does. I disagree with a lot of things our national, state, and local officials do. I am very proud that, for the most part, we can freely express our dislikes (and our likes for that matter) in America. But, whether I like someone or not, I always respect the POSITION they hold.
I hope I would never disrespect the President should I ever get to meet him face-to-face and shake his hand. He is the President of the United States. No, I didn't vote for him. No, I don't care for automotive "too big to fail" loans. No, I don't think Obamacare is the answer. But, if I had the opportunity to meet the leader of our country, you can bet I would be there. I would smile, shake his hand, and have all the butterflies in my stomach as I would meeting a superstar singer, movie star, or athlete. It is the respect he deserves for the position he holds.
I have known Congressman Mike Ross for about as long as I have lived in Arkansas. I consider him an acquaintance and family friend. My mother-in-law used to work for him for many years and I've done computer/networking work for him in the past. When my family took a vacation to Washington DC and he met us to escort us up to the White House and then later we met in his office, it was like being backstage with a favorite group. Through it all, I respected the position he holds.
I grew up where were were taught the President should be addressed as "Mr. President." Elected officials at state and national levels should be addressed by their title and last name: Congressman Ross.
Respect is not always about the individual in a particular position, but about the position despite who holds it.
Jun 30, 2012
Best Michael Jackson songs radio forgot?
While trolling the interwebs, I came across an article listing the top 10 Michael songs radio rarely (if ever) plays (link at end of this post). Here's my take on their list:
"Maybe Tomorrow" - I can see why radio forgot it. Sorry, not a fan of this one.
"I wanna be where you are" - I hear this every once in a while. It would be nice to hear more, but when you have an artist with the sheer volume of Jackson's output, some songs are going to take a back seat.
"She's out of my life" - Here, I agree fully. I love this song and wish it would be played more on the air.
"Can you feel it" - UGH. Sorry, but I think the Jacksons as a group got stuck in the 70's and never let go. I hate this song.
"Say, say, say" - Again, I agree. Why is this not played more on the air? I love it, and have several remix versions to keep me singing along.
"I just can't stop loving you" - Agreed. More airtime deserved for this one. This is one of his best ballad-esque songs ever.
"In the closet" - While I would like to hear it on the air more, it is not "safe" for radio to play this one. Then again, what is "safe" anymore? Alas, like George Michael's "I want your sex," "closet" will have to remain, er, in the closet.
"Who is it" - This is one catchy tune. I'd like to see more airplay here, too. Granted, most folks won't catch the lyrics, but who cares about that anyway? I didn't know half the lyrics of the songs I grew up listening to.
"Will you be there" - I like the song okay, but with all the other ballads, I can see why this has faded from the airwaves. I think it got some more airplay after Jennifer's rendition, but that didn't last long. It would be nice to hear every now and then.
"They don't care about us" - Oh, I would love to hear this come on the radio. I'm not sure I've ever heard it on air.
Whats your take?
Original article:
http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=738683
Jun 21, 2012
Not doing a good job. Well, I am on vacation...
I had planned to post on my blog every day during vacation to let my non-Facebook friends keep up with our happenings. I have thus far not been very good at that. Allow me to catch you up (there will be a flood of photos at the end of this post, thanks to the weirdness of the Blogger app).
Sunday, we spent the day at my Uncle Bill and Aunt Patty's house with friends, family, and food! We had a great time catching up, eating, playing pinball, eating, talking, eating, laughing, eating... You get the idea.
Monday, me, Shan, and the kids headed for Cleveland to watch the Indians play! Along the way, we stopped at Lucky's Cafe (if u go, get the mac n cheese. Period. Try the other stuff on your next visit, but start with the mac n cheese. Holy smokes!). We then drove around to the house featured in "A Christmas Story!" That was cool! Once we took a few pics, we headed to the Port of Cleveland to snap pics of Lake Erie and visit the Rock and Roll HOF!
The RRHOF is worth the trip and the admission fee. I loved it! Lots of memories, learning, and music!
After that, we found ourselves in a downpour as we headed to the game. We stood in the rain taking pictures in and around the stadium. I have a wonderful family to go through all that. The rain delayed the game by about ten minutes, so that was not bad! Our seats were covered under the overhear bleachers, so we were good either way. During the game, I met up with Jack, a fellow Indians card collector. I would venture to say that we are two of the single-largest individual Indians card collectors out there. Jack tried to find the woman that works for STO to interview us, but she was working elsewhere during the game. The Indians won the game in a great back-and-forth match-up against the Reds.
On Tuesday, we headed to Kennywood amusement park. Man, we had a blast! Tyler, Bill and I rode coasters. Everyone rode the Log Jammer. We all rode the Paratroopers (goes in circle in the air, Emily's favorite ride). The road race ride was closed for repair though. Bummer. But we found games to play, food to eat (if you go, you gotta get Potato Patch fries), and rides to ride! Watch out for Noah's Ark. It is more of a haunted house than anything else. Poor Emily has the wits scared out of her.
Wednesday, we headed for the Carnegie Science Center. We stopped at Red Robin for lunch beforehand! Good eats there. The Science Center was full of cool displays and almost everything was jnteractive and hands-on. We played the world's largest playable guitar, hung out with C3PO and R2D2 among other robots, watched fish play in a coral reef, toured a submarine, and sat in a diner during s 7.8 magnitude earthquake (er, simulated). Afterward, we chilled at my uncle's place and told stories about driving, getting lost, and having fun. It was a wonderful day!
Here are some pics from the past few days:
Sunday, we spent the day at my Uncle Bill and Aunt Patty's house with friends, family, and food! We had a great time catching up, eating, playing pinball, eating, talking, eating, laughing, eating... You get the idea.
Monday, me, Shan, and the kids headed for Cleveland to watch the Indians play! Along the way, we stopped at Lucky's Cafe (if u go, get the mac n cheese. Period. Try the other stuff on your next visit, but start with the mac n cheese. Holy smokes!). We then drove around to the house featured in "A Christmas Story!" That was cool! Once we took a few pics, we headed to the Port of Cleveland to snap pics of Lake Erie and visit the Rock and Roll HOF!
The RRHOF is worth the trip and the admission fee. I loved it! Lots of memories, learning, and music!
After that, we found ourselves in a downpour as we headed to the game. We stood in the rain taking pictures in and around the stadium. I have a wonderful family to go through all that. The rain delayed the game by about ten minutes, so that was not bad! Our seats were covered under the overhear bleachers, so we were good either way. During the game, I met up with Jack, a fellow Indians card collector. I would venture to say that we are two of the single-largest individual Indians card collectors out there. Jack tried to find the woman that works for STO to interview us, but she was working elsewhere during the game. The Indians won the game in a great back-and-forth match-up against the Reds.
On Tuesday, we headed to Kennywood amusement park. Man, we had a blast! Tyler, Bill and I rode coasters. Everyone rode the Log Jammer. We all rode the Paratroopers (goes in circle in the air, Emily's favorite ride). The road race ride was closed for repair though. Bummer. But we found games to play, food to eat (if you go, you gotta get Potato Patch fries), and rides to ride! Watch out for Noah's Ark. It is more of a haunted house than anything else. Poor Emily has the wits scared out of her.
Wednesday, we headed for the Carnegie Science Center. We stopped at Red Robin for lunch beforehand! Good eats there. The Science Center was full of cool displays and almost everything was jnteractive and hands-on. We played the world's largest playable guitar, hung out with C3PO and R2D2 among other robots, watched fish play in a coral reef, toured a submarine, and sat in a diner during s 7.8 magnitude earthquake (er, simulated). Afterward, we chilled at my uncle's place and told stories about driving, getting lost, and having fun. It was a wonderful day!
Here are some pics from the past few days:
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