Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Twelve - The Twelve Days of Christmas

A lot of people have heard of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and have heard the song, but do not know what it is actually referring to. Originally, it started out as a Scandinavian solstice festival that lasted for twelve days. After Europe became Christianized, this festival became incorporated into Christmas, and the twelve days became counted as the days from Christmas to Epiphany.

The celebrations of the twelve days largely took place at night, starting Christmas night. A lot of Saturnalia themes snuck into the twelve days in the Middle Ages. The days would be filled with feasting and merrymaking, much like the old Roman festival, and the festivities would climax on the Twelfth Night.

These days, there are several holidays that take place during the twelve days that are recognized by different countries around the world. Among these are Boxing Day, St. Stephen's Day, and Feast of the Innocents. Some people still give gifts on the Twelfth Night, some give gifts each night.

It appears that the song originates in France and could very well have been a part of the Twelfth Night festivities. In such a festivity, singers would have had to remember all parts of the song correctly. If one of them made a mistake, they would have to pay a good natured penalty of some sort, like a kiss.

According to PNC, the price of all the items in the song would cost $21,080 this year, and $86,608 if the items are literally given as the song suggests.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Eleven - Commercialization

After the mid-1800s revival of Christmas, a larger emphasis was placed on its celebration. The idea of spreading peace and good will towards one another became a must. In fact, not enjoying or taking place in Christmas festivities might very well make you into a "scrooge".

One of the major ways people spread good cheer was by the giving of gifts, a tradition rooted in the holiday since before it was established. With so many people buying gifts for one another, it didn't take long before the economic significance of the holiday season became apparent.

As soon as people began to purchase Christmas gifts for each other regularly, the fear of the holiday becoming commercialized started to spread. Many were worried that the true meaning of the season was being overshadowed by how much money people felt they needed to spend on gifts.

Today, Christmas is the largest economic stimulus in many nations. In the U.S., the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas mark the rat-race time of year to go shopping. This race is jump started by "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving, where many retailers promote sales on items. This year, a man was trampled to death while opening the doors at Walmart on Black Friday.

Many companies, such as Coca-Cola, use Christmas images to sell their products during this time of year. Car companies and jewelers promote their products much more heavily in hopes that consumers will spend money in order to show their love to one another. Just about every advertisement this time of year has changed a traditional Christmas song to sing about their products or sales.

To some, going to the store decked out with Christmas decorations and purchasing gifts for loved ones is a favorite part of their holiday. To others, it is a stressful time that they have to get through every December. But every year, the question is always presented. Has commercialization ruined the true meaning of Christmas? And every year, the same routine persists.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Ten - The Debate

Ever since the its inception, Christmas has seen a great deal of debate over whether or not it should be celebrated. Early theologians made the case that only sinners celebrated the birthdays of gods, and the Christian God should not be treated likewise. This school of thought was defeated when Christmas became a was declared the official Christian holiday.

And over the years the holiday suffered more disagreements about the way Christ's birth should be celebrated. The church did not look too highly upon Yule trees, logs, singing secular songs, or even gift giving. But there always seemed to be a church leader that incorporated the traditions into the mass, eventually allowing the acceptance of these traditions in Christianized fashion.

But the Christianization of the holiday meant that it was a Catholic holiday, and when the reformation stuck, not celebrating the Lord's birth was another way to rebel against the overpowering Catholic church. Protestants were known to call Christmas "trappings of popery" and "rags of the beast".

During the English Civil War in 1647, British parliament outlawed Christmas. Many Catholics responded to the Christmas ban rioting all over the country. Rioters even occupied - and decorated - Canterbury for several weeks. Charles II removed the ban in 1660, but there were many in the church who disapproved of the celebration of Christmas.

Similarly, it was widely disapproved of by American Puritans too. Many places outlawed Christmas, while German settlers celebrated Christmas just as they had in Europe. After the American Revolution, it was seen as a British custom, and therefore not celebrated as much.

Many writers in the 1800s began to worry that Christmas was dying out, and began to write stories based around these holidays. Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843, and helped to revive the holiday probably more than any other book. He presented Christmas as a time for goodwill and family and the traditions caught on once more.

President Ulysses S. Grant declared Christmas a Federal holiday in 1870, making the celebration of Christmas in America an national past time. It also opened up another debate about Christmas: commercialization.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Nine - Caroling

As with most things Christmas, caroling started out as a pagan ritual. Singing to spread good cheer was part of the Roman festival of Saturnalia, as well as a way to commemorate the return of light in the celebration of Yule. Many Christmas carols started out wassailing, or drinking, songs. People sang them to spread good cheer and happy tidings.

While singing songs to celebrate Christ's mass began as a pagan tradition from Christianized peoples and therefore looked down upon by most church officials, latin songs singing of our Lord and Savior's birth eventually became commonplace in church masses. Saint Francis of Assisi is often credited for starting the tradition of latin carols in church services in the 13th century. These carols were upbeat and energetic, vastly different from the usual church music used in those times.

There are a few stories as to how the tradition of singing at people's doors began. Some stories state that carolers began roaming from door to door in order to receive food or drinks in exchange for songs and tidings. Other theories include that carolers had to go door to door because the songs were not yet allowed in church or that people sang for charity.

After the Reformation, many Protestants believed that caroling was another reflection of the Catholic church. Despite the encouragement of carols by many Protestant leaders, Martin Luther included, caroling suffered a large decline. In the 19th century Victorian era, caroling experienced a revival and the tradition has stuck ever since. Many of our modern Christmas songs were written during this time.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Eight - Candy Canes

Originally, these sweet peppermint treats were straight, white candy sticks that were invented in the 1400s by French priests. As to its now cane-like appearance, there are many theories and legends.

One legend says that a choirmaster in the 1600s bent the sticks in order to represent a shepard's staff. Another theory is that people hung them on their Christmas trees and bent them in order to make them functional. However it happened, it became a seasonal tradition to decorate Christmas trees with the peppermint treats.

Sometime around the turn of the 20th century, red stripes were added to the candy cane. Now, the flavor of peppermint reminds many of this time of year.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Seven - Stockings

One specific story of Saint Nicholas began the very common tradition of hanging large stockings on our fireplaces each year. The story tells of three young women whose mother had died. Their father squandered all of his money out of depression, leaving no possibility of a dowry, and therefor little chance of marriage for his daughters.

One night, the Bishop Nicholas was passing by their house and noticed their stockings hung over the fire to dry. He dropped some coins down the chimney and they landed in the girl's socks, helping them secure their futures and beginning a very curious tradition.

Over time, this became a standard tradition for Saint Nicholas day, and eventually Christmas. Dutch children would lay their wooden shoes in front of the fireplace and Santa Claus would fill the shoes with small toys. The tradition evolved, and now people everywhere hang up their stockings in hopes that Saint Nicholas will fill them with goodies.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Six - Santa Claus

In the fourth Century, a bishop by the name of Nicholas of Myra living in Turkey earned a reputation for giving gifts to children out of love and generosity. It is greatly due to this man, Saint Nicholas, that the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas continued on after Europe was Christianized. Many Europeans still celebrate his legacy on Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th, by giving gifts to one another.

In many places, it became custom to give gifts on Saint Nicholas' Eve. One such place was the Netherlands. There, they called him Sinterklaas. Sinterklaas was dressed like a bishop, with a cape and hat. He has a long white beard and often carried a book that told whether children were good or bad that year.

The Dutch brought Sinterklaas to America, where he became Santa Claus. In the late 1800s, a cartoonist named Thomas Nast depicted him as being a plump, jolly man dressed in fur and smoking a pipe. This soon became the standard picture of Santa Claus for America, and the template was used everywhere.

The American version of Santa Claus eventually came to Britain, where he was mixed with traditional Anglo-Saxan ideas of the man. In England, he is called Father Christmas, and is not simply the gift giver, but the personification of Christmas itself.

In Germany, another gift bringer, the Christkindl, was created in response to the secular celebration of Saint Nicholas/Father Christmas. Christkindl was German for "Christ child". It was described a sprite-like infant with wings, supposedly the incarnation of the infant Jesus, that brought gifts to children. Over time, it simply became another version of Santa Claus, and Americans mispronounced it as Kris Kringle.

Over time, several more details fell into place: the North Pole, the elves, the reindeer and sleigh, the milk and cookies, etc. Today, children everywhere wait for Santa Claus to come at midnight on Christmas eve to bring them presents and Coca-Cola uses his image to sell their product.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Five - Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows just about anywhere birds take its seed, and its berries are poisonous if eaten. So why do we kiss underneath this plant?

Because of the fact that mistletoe seemed to spring out of nowhere, it was yet another symbol of fertility to ancient Anglo-Saxons. Due to this symbolic nature, and the thought that mistletoe was an aphrodisiac, it was said that if a woman were kissed underneath a sprig of the plant, she would be married in the next year. Proper tradition says that after kissing, the man should plug a berry from the sprig. After all the berries are plucked, the fertile nature of the plant is gone, and the kissing is over. It is also considered bad luck not to observe the tradition if caught underneath the mistletoe.

This tradition seeped its way into many different cultures. It was practiced in Scandinavia, Greece, France, and may even been a part of Saturnalia and Yule. Today, people put mistletoe in their homes to observe a fun tradition that many either take part in or seriously avoid, depending on who ends up standing with them underneath the plant.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Four - The Yule Log

The burning of the Yule Log is another tradition from Northern Europe. The Yule Log was a large log that was burned on the winter solstice to represent the survival of light in the dark winter. Wine and spices were often poured over it and it was thought that burning the Yule Log kept the house free of spirits and brought luck to the home. People often saved the splinters and unburned parts of the log to start the next year's log.

When it became a Christian tradition, the fire changed from a symbol of the sun to a symbol of the light of Christ, the savior, although many of the same superstitions still held.

Around the turn of the 20th Century, a Yule Log desert was created out of rolled up cake and frosting in order to resemble the actual logs. It has now become a traditional Christmas desert.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Three - Christmas Trees

The ancient Germanic festival of Yule is probably the source of even more modern Christmas traditions than the Roman Saturnalia. The name Yule is descended from the old English word geol, which may have meant "feast" or "wheel", and it may have been an ancient name of the god Jul. Again, it was a celebration of the winter solstice and the beginning of the end of the yearly darkness.

In Germanic traditions, many things in nature represent fertility and life. Evergreen trees were especially symbolic in that they were still green and full of life during winter. For this reason, and/or the fact that they may have worshiped the druids that supposedly lived in the trees, they cut one down every year, brought it into their homes, and decorated it.

These Yule trees eventually became part of the Christmas tradition when Germans became Christianized. Again, many church leaders looked down upon this act, and some still do to this day. But nevertheless, tradition stuck and Christmas trees were a seasonal celebration in Germany.

It is said that the tradition spread to Britain after King George III's German wife, Queen Charlotte, brought the Christmas tree into the royal family. Their daughter, the soon to be Queen Victoria, took part in these celebrations. After She married her German husband, Prince Albert, the tradition became even stronger, and in the mid 1800s, people all over England began to decorate Christmas trees.

This tradition gradually spread to America, mostly through German immigrants. Eventually, it became commonplace to decorate a fir tree in your home for Christmas. Would it really be Christmas without a Christmas tree?

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Two - Gifts

The nature of gift giving on Christmas takes its root in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. This festival was the origin of the "eat, drink and be merry" principle of our modern Christmas celebrations. Saturnalia lasted a full week and consisted of singing, gambling, feasts, practical jokes, and even the switching of slave/master roles in jest, although there was still an understanding of the usual roles. But also during this week long celebration, people would make and give gifts to one another.

Because Saturnalia ended on December 23rd, the traditions continued on as Christmas celebrations. Early church leaders did not like these traditions, as they were clearly pagan rituals. Many people continued on anyway, justifying it by the fact that the magi came with gifts for Christ. There was also one particular man who made the tradition famous (More on him later). By the Middle Ages, the giving of gifts was a generally accepted part of Christmas.

Eventually, the tradition of concealing the gifts in baskets and plain paper developed in order to keep the presents a surprise until they were opened. By the early 1900s, colored ink had become readily available and fancier wrapping paper could be printed and sold to gift givers.

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day One - Christmas Day

Nowadays, December 25th is regarded as the traditional date of Christ’s birth, and therefore we celebrate it as such. It is, of course, not the actual date of His birth - there are no records that show the actual date. But why was December 25th chosen?

Early on, there was a great deal of debate concerning whether or not the birth of Christ should be celebrated at all. It was the way pagan kings were honored and many church leaders thought that it would be wrong to treat the Lord in the same manner. Those that did celebrate His birth chose a multitude of dates to recognise it, from Epiphany (January 6th) to just about any given date in the Spring, all for various reasons.

Choosing the date of December 25th was an extremely controversial decision because it was already an important date for pagan deities. On the ancient Roman calender, the 25th was the winter solstice. Since this was the day that daylight began to increase, it was celebrated by Romans as the “birth of the unconquered sun” and was also considered the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian sun god. In an apparent attempt to make these pagan holidays holy, the Christian church began to observe the birth of their Lord on that day.

In 336, Emperor Constantine declared Christmas (or Christ’s Mass) the major holiday for Christianity. Although the Eastern church still celebrated it on January 6th, most conformed to the new traditional date of the 25th of December. These days, most Western churches consider January 6th to be the date of the Magi’s arrival in Bethlehem.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Christmas time is here again, and we're pulling out the decorations, buying Christmas trees, singing carols, and fighting people in department stores. What a wonderful way to remember our Lord's birth.

I joke, but do you ever wonder where these strange traditions came from? Why do we, in fact, stick a tree in our house and decorate it? Why do we give gifts and kiss each other under a strange plant that we're not supposed to eat?

This holiday season, I've decided to do some research into our Christmas traditions so we can better understand the reasons for them. So, I will present twelve different topics on this hodge-podge of a holiday we celebrate.

New Blog

I've created a new blog, Eve of Destruction. I intend for it to become my main one. I'll still post on Spiritual Reboot from time to time, hopefully more often than not.

What Every Christian Should Know #1

Here is the last of the ten part series from Keith Giles' blog entitled Top Ten Things Every Christian Should Know (but Probably Doesn't). I think that this topic has been the main driving force of Spiritual Reboot from the get go, meaning that in all my humble ramblings there has been an intent to get back to what really matters in Christianity.

What Giles talks about in this post is probably the most important issue in Christianity. I only say that because it's what Christ himself talked about the majority of the time.

Here's a few snippets:

THE TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't)
By Keith Giles

Number 1- "The Gospel Is Not About Going To Heaven When You Die"

If you read the words of Jesus you'll quickly begin to notice that all he ever talks about is something called "The Kingdom of God." In fact, the only Gospel that Jesus ever talks about during his entire ministry on Earth was the Gospel of the Kingdom. There is no other Gospel.

Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, Luke or John (the Gospels) will come away hearing all about The Gospel of the Kingdom from the mouth of Jesus. Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God was for here and now. This was the "Good News" in a nutshell- Anyone who wanted to enter God's Kingdom could do so on the spot. Jesus demonstrated what life in the Kingdom looked like. The Beattitudes are a picture of what life in the Kingdom looks like. Nearly every single parable of Jesus is designed to explain a particular facet of the Kingdom. His Sermon on the Mount declares the values of this Kingdom. His teachings are intended to show us how to live within the Kingdom, and His life was a blueprint for us to follow as we ourselves enter the Kingdom and learn from Him.

The only Gospel ever preached by Jesus is the message of The Kingdom of God. It was the new order where God's perfect will is always done in the lives of His followers. We do not need to wait until we die to enter God's Kingdom.

Many of us have been taught that the Gospel is about praying a prayer so that you can go to heaven when you die. This is false. Jesus never explained the Gospel in these terms. Instead, he talked about what it meant to follow him. He spoke about being a disciple. He described a way of life that was meant for today.

You can read the whole article here.

Change of Interest

It's been quite a long time since I've posted on this blog, and a much longer time since I've written anything original on here. I think that's because I'm becoming less interested in theology these days. As I continue toward the end of my college career, I find myself focusing mostly on subjects that fall into the more technical side of things.

That's not to say that I'm not interested in theology or Christianity at all. Of course I am. I always will be. But I've come to realise that I'm not studying to become a pastor or any major part of church ministry, save perhaps to help out in my home church from time to time. I believe that we are all called to be disciples, but only some are called to be leaders.

That being said, I will still post from time to time on Spiritual Reboot. But I've been considering the start of a new, more technical, slightly geeky blog (As if having a blog in itself isn't geeky enough). More to come on that, I think. But I may try to get back into my Old Testament studies again as well.

He Who is Without Sin

This is an excerpt from the book Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. It is a chapter prologue that I found very thought provoking and worth sharing. Incidentally, Card is an excellent author and I highly recommend his Ender's Game series.

A great rabbi stands teaching in the marketplace. It happens that a husband finds proof that morning of his wife's adultery, and a mob carries her to the marketplace to stone her to death. (There is a familiar version of this story, but a friend of mine, a Speaker for the Dead, has told me of two other rabbis that faced the same situation. Those are the ones I'm going to tell you.)

The rabbi walks forward and stands beside the woman. Out of respect for him the mob forbears, and waits with the stones heavy in their hands, "Is there anyone here," he says to them, "who has not desired another man's wife, another woman's husband?"

They murmur and say, "We all know the desire. But, Rabbi, none of us has acted on it."

The rabbi says, "Then kneel down and give thanks that God made you strong." He takes the woman by the hand and leads her out of the market. Just before he lets her go, he whispers to her, "Tell the lord magistrate who saved his mistress. Then he'll know I am his loyal servant."

So the woman lives, because the community is too corrupt to protect itself from disorder.

Another rabbi, another city, He goes to her and stops the mob, as in the other story, and says, "Which of you is without sin? Let him cast the first stone."

The people are abashed, and they forget their unity of purpose in the memory of their own individual sins. Someday, they think, I may be like this woman, and I'll hope for forgiveness and another chance. I should treat her the way I wish to be treated.

As they open their hands and let the stones fall to the ground, the rabbi picks up one of the fallen stones, lifts it high over the woman's head, and throws it straight down with all his might. It crushes her skull and dashes her brains onto the cobblestones.

"Nor am I without sin," he says to the people. "But if we allow only perfect people to enforce the law, the law will soon be dead, and our city with it."

So the woman died because her community was too rigid to endure her deviance.

The famous version of this story is noteworthy because it is so startlingly rare in our experience. Most communities lurch between decay and rigor mortis, and when they veer too far, they die. Only one rabbi dared to expect of us such a perfect balance that we could preserve the law and still forgive the deviation. So, of course, we killed him.

-- San Angelo, Letters to on Incipient Heretic, trans. Amai a Tudomundo Para Que Deus Vos Ame Crist o, 103:72:54:2

What Every Christian Should Know #2

Here is #2 of Keith Giles' series, TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't).

Here's just a bit of what he had to say.

Number 2 - "Belief Is Not Enough (Or It's Not What You Think It Is)"

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life"- Jesus
(John 3:16)

In the actual passage, Jesus is having a conversation with a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. In the conversation Jesus is not asking Nicodemus to believe that Jesus is standing there, or that he is real. Obviously Nicodemus believed Jesus was real and alive because they were having an active conversation together. So, to "believe" in Jesus is more than having mental knowledge of him, or an acceptance of a series of facts about Jesus as being true.

What does Jesus intend to teach here? I think it all hangs on how you understand his use of the word "Believe". If you think Jesus meant "to think that Jesus was an historical person", or even "to accept that Jesus was the Messiah", you’d be missing the real point.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE?
I believe that what Jesus was trying to communicate in John 3:16 is the importance of living out what you say you believe, not simply saying what you believe and then living any way you please.

One way to express this is to ask yourself what it is you do each and every day of your life. I would suggest that Biblical belief can be expressed in the statement "Show me what you do, how you behave, and that is what you really believe".

WHAT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE?
So, what do you really believe about Jesus? It's revealed in the way you live your life. It's revealed in the way you treat people. It's revealed in the way you think of yourself. It's revealed in the way you behave when you think no one is looking.

If you have really confessed and believed that Jesus is Lord, then your life will reflect that reality as you submit to the rule and reign of God in your life. It will be revealed as you search the scriptures for wisdom and in the way you apply it to your everyday life. If you have confessed it and yet continue to rule your own life as you see fit, then in reality it is you in control and not Jesus, therefore, Jesus is not Lord.

For more of this article, go to the link at the top of this post.

Good For the Soul

Laughter is good for the soul. So is a nice warm, hearty, meaty bowl of chili.

I try to indulge in both whenever I get the chance. I suggest everyone else does the same.

That is all for today.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

Goodbye Kenny

Last night I found out that a friend of mine had passed away. I didn't know Kenny Mohmand extremely well. I met him on a mission trip to Colorado last year at this time. This exact week, in fact. What I did know of him was that he was a very fun guy, a people person and a lover of God.

But yesterday, God decided that it was time that Kenny be with Him. His death comes as a shock and he will surely be missed by many, many people.

He leaves behind a wife and a six month old child. I ask that anyone who reads this will take time to pray for them, to help them cope with their loss.

We'll miss you Kenny.

101 Reasons to Own a T-101

After watching the first two Terminator movies again and in response to the new Fox television show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles that has its season finale tonight, I've decided to compile a list of reasons why it would be good to have a T-101 model Terminator in your possession. Here's what I came up with.

101 Reasons to Own a T-101

1. You’ll always get out of a traffic ticket. Always.
2. You are guaranteed to get the foul ball at baseball game.
3. You’ll have a role model to look up to.
4. That cool Austrian accent.
5. He can help you with any computer problem you may have.
6. He can stitch you up if you fall out of the shower or get hit by a bus.
7. You’ll look cool simply by being seen with him.
8. Fun weekends at the gun range.
9. He’s the perfect security guard.
10. He never eats.
11. He never sleeps.
12. You can cuddle with him whenever you want.
13. He’ll always remember where you parked.
14. He can reach the top shelf at the grocery store.
15. You can sit on his lap anytime (he may even bounce you on his knee).
16. He’s a great cook (Seriously, his chicken parmesan is AMAZING).
17. If someone is being loud in a movie theater, he’ll shoot them.
18. He’s a great listener.
19. When playing Twister, he’s always willing to spin.
20. He’ll always be willing to scratch your back.
21. He gives great body massages.
22. You’ll never have to do dishes again.
23. He can open a jar of pickles for you.
24. He can sing and/or rock you to sleep.
25. He’s a great conversation starter.
26. He can crush a keg on his forehead.
27. He can get you into any nightclub.
28. Two words: personal trainer.
29. You can save on books on tape by having him read to you.
30. He’ll be willing to wait on hold with insurance companies for you.
31. You’ll never get lost.
32. He’ll give you piggy back rides.
33. He always hangs up on telemarketers and sometimes threatens them.
34. He can take out the trash.
35. He can get the mail.
36. He’s good at arranging floral bouquets.
37. He’s a good DJ.
38. He gives great bear hugs.
39. He’ll let you cry on his shoulder.
40. He knows the Heimlich Maneuver.
41. He gives great sponge baths.
42. He’s a good mechanic.
43. You’ll have a chauffeur.
44. He can help you pick out sunglasses.
45. He’s always honest, sometimes brutally so.
46. You’ll have a good jogging partner.
47. You’ll have someone to weed your garden.
48. He can mow your lawn on hot summer days.
49. He’s a skilled bartender.
50. The prank calls are phenomenal.
51. He’ll do your homework.
52. He can calculate 15% of a check in .00000025 seconds.
53. He’s an amazing paintballer.
54. He’ll take the family picture without feeling left out.
55. He can operate any kind of vehicle, and you never know when you’ll need to fly a helicopter or drive a tank.
56. He knows the future.
57. He’s good with children.
58. He’s good with pets (except for dogs).
59. He can rescue you and your loved ones from a burning building.
60. He’ll remember people’s birthdays and anniversaries for you.
61. He can find the candles if the power goes out.
62. He does a great job putting coins into their paper rolls.
63. He always remembers to record your favorite shows.
64. He’s always a designated driver.
65. He would take a bullet for your any day.
66. He’s extremely good at making shadow puppets.
67. You can send him to the store to buy embarrassing products like Preparation H.
68. If there’s a problem with your neck or back, he can fix it with a touch of a finger.
69. He can change a light bulb, even if it’s still hot.
70. He’s sure to break out the guitar at a bonfire and start the singin’.
71. He’ll make sure you’re never late for work.
72. He’s a good line dancer.
73. He has great taste in leather jackets.
74. He speaks Spanish…sort of.
75. He can clap on beat.
76. He’s not afraid of terrorists.
77. Terrorists are afraid of him.
78. You’ll have someone to play catch with.
79. He can hold the antenna for you to get the perfect signal while you watch your favorite television shows.
80. He’s good at counting cards.
81. He can pick the kids up from school.
82. He can push the kids on the swing set.
83. He can reach to put the star on top of the Christmas tree.
84. He can put up a pretty good fireworks show for the Fourth of July.
85. You can impress your emo friends by having him cut himself.
86. If you get into a car accident, you won’t have to wait for the Jaws of Life.
87. He has a built-in carbon monoxide detector.
88. He has a strong handshake
89. He’s a great Guitar Hero partner.
90. He can play both parts of Heart and Soul on the piano.
91. He knows how to effectively use all the components of a Swiss Army Knife.
92. He’s great at starting fires for cozy evenings.
93. He knows the six degrees of separation to Kevin Bacon for anyone.
94. He’s good with a plunger.
95. He’s fun to go spelunking with.
96. He’ll act as a lifeguard at the pool for your kids
97. If you go skydiving and chicken out at the last minute, he’ll help you by pushing you out of the plane.
98. He’s equipped with the highest virus protection imaginable.
99. He can find the best deals at garage sales.
100. He can find the location of Osama Bin Ladin.
101. He can kick Chuck Norris’ sorry ass any day.

Time to Get a New Watch

Things are breaking on me. Last week, I leaned back in my swivel chair and the back went out on me. Luckily I had a spare (this chair had been dying for some time), but it sucked. I liked that chair. The new one's not bad. It's kind of growing on me now.

This morning I looked at my watch and noticed it was on the wrong time. Then I noticed it wasn't ticking at all. My guess is that the battery is dead and not the watch. I hope that's the case. I don't feel like getting a new watch anytime soon. I don't really have the money right now, and I don't have the time to find a new watch.

That last line was a joke.

After I got back from class today I tried turning my desk lamp on. That didn't go over so well. The switch wasn't turning the right way. I tried to force it and something inside it snapped. There's something else that died on me.

These things are annoying, but not awful. At least nothing important has broken yet.

Ryan: 0 Dumpster: 2

Joshua: The Crossing

Joshua 3-5:12

Joshua wakes up early the morning of the crossing and leads Israel from Shittim to the Jordan. They camp there and Joshua tells his officers to give orders to the people. They are to wait for the ark of the covenant, carried by the Levite priests, to move. Only then are they to follow behind it. They are told to keep a distance between themselves and the ark and that the ark will lead them into Canaan.

God will lead them into the Promised Land.

After three days, Joshua commands the priests to take up the ark and begin marching toward the river. Again, the Lord tells Joshua that He is with him, just as He was with Moses and gives him another command.

"You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

He has the priests do just that and they obey. He announces to the whole of Israel that they will see evidence that God is with them and that He will lead them to conquer all the tribes in Canaan.

"By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite."

The priests step foot in the Jordan and the water begins to recede where they stand and rise up in a heap up river near a city called Adam. The Israelites cross the Jordon on dry land, just as they had the Red Sea forty years earlier. 40,000 troops from Reuben, Gad and Manasseh cross over in full battle array and march into the plains of Jericho.

Per God's command, Joshua takes one man from each of the twelve tribes to fetch twelve stones from the river bed, near the priest's feet. They take these stones to the new Israelite encampment and set them down as a memorial of their crossing. Joshua also takes twelve stones from the river bed and piles them near where the priests stand with the ark as a second memorial.

After the whole of Israel has crossed, the priests are commanded to cross as well. As soon as they set foot on the far side of the river, the waters of the Jordan fall back again and flow as before.

The Israelites camp at a place called Gilgal. Here, Joshua sets up the memorial of the twelve stones and tells the people that it will be a reminder for their children that God allowed His people to cross the Jordan on dry land.

The crossing does not go unnoticed by the people of Canaan. The Kings of the Amorites hear of the Israelites crossing on dry land and they lose any hope that they may have had against Israel.

Now forty years before, after the exodus from Egypt, Moses commanded the men of Israel to be circumcised as a covenant before God. But during their time in the wilderness, many sons were born that were not circumcised. So Joshua commands all the men of Israel to be circumcised to renew the covenant for a new generation.

They stay in Gilgal to heal and celebrate Passover there. The day after Passover, they begin to enjoy the fruits of the land that had been promised to them hundreds of years before. They eat unleavened bread and grain from the new land. The manna that God had supplied for Israel to eat no longer comes after this day, as they can now be sustained by their promised fruits.

But the land has not been taken yet. Joshua begins to look toward Jericho.

Joshua: Preparation and Intel

Joshua 1-2

After the death of Moses, the Lord speaks to to Moses' servant, Joshua. He announces that it is time for Israel to cross the Jordon River and take the land that God has given to them. He tells Joshua to "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." The Lord instructs him to continue to keep the law of Moses and promised Joshua that He would be with him, just as He was with Moses before him.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

So Joshua goes back to the Israelites and tells them to get ready to cross the Jordan in three days. He instructs three tribes, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, to dress for battle and cross before everyone else and to fight until the lands of Canaan are taken and they can settle down themselves. They pledge their allegiance to Joshua saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go."

Across the river lies the city of Jericho: their first target. Joshua sends out two spies to scout out the land ahead of them and Jericho itself. When they get to the city, they meet a prostitute named Rahab and stay in her house. When the king of Jericho hears that there are Hebrews in his city, he sends men to Rahab's house to apprehend them. When they ask for the spies, she lies to protect them, saying that they left through the city gate before it was shut. The men quickly go to pursue the spies down the road leading out of the city toward the fords of the Jordan.

After the coast is clear, Rahab goes up to her roof where she had hidden the two men and tells them what she knows. She tells them that she knows that God has given the land to the Israelites and that many others know this as well. The people of Jericho and the rest of Canaan are terrified of Israel. All their lives, they have heard of how God dried up the Red Sea for them and how the two kings of the Amorites from beyond the Jordon were completely destroyed by the Hebrews.

"When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."

She acknowledges the God of the Israelites and asks the two spies to remember her kindness and spare her and her family when they attack her city. The men agree and tell her that they will remember her and spare her household. Her house is within the city's wall and they instruct her to hang a scarlet cord out her window so the troops know which house to protect. And they warn her that if she says anything about her encounter with the spies they will be free of their oath and that if anyone leaves her house during the battle, they will not be saved. She agrees and lowers a rope out her window for the spies to climb down before hanging a red cord for them to see.

The two spies hide for a few days in order to slip past the men that are still pursuing them before heading back across the Jordon. They get back to the camp and report to Joshua everything they have found out.

"Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us."

What Every Christian Should Know #3

Here is #3 of Keith Giles' monthly series, TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't). This is a very serious and difficult issue to address, but I'm glad he did it. Here's a bit of what he had to say.

Number 3- "We Are (not) Called to Judge (unbelievers)"

Paul the Apostle, in his letter to the Corinthians, also provides great clarity for us within the Church on matters of dealing with this issue. "I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not 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. But 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. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you." (1 Cor 5:9-13) Here Paul clearly states that he expects that those within the Church would be discerning and would deal with those within the Body who call themselves Christians and yet continue to behave in a way that is inconsistent with someone who has truly surrendered their life to Christ.

Paul assumes that if someone behaving this way is confronted by the Church, in a loving and humble way, they will certainly repent and turn away from their sins and be restored to the fellowship. If they have not truly surrendered their lives to Jesus, then they will refuse to repent and will continue in their selfish, destructive behavior, and in that case Paul echoes Jesus (from Mathew 18) and commands that this person be removed from the fellowship and treated "as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

NOT THE EASY THING, BUT THE RIGHT THING
Many in the Church today take too lightly the idea of Church Discipline. Most of us would rather "Live and let live" than to confront another person about their ongoing sinful behavior. Many feel that to ask someone to repent of their behavior is destructive and cruel, however the truth is it's the most loving thing we can possibly do for them. If we love them, we will come to them and give them an opportunity to repent and to turn away from their destructive behaviors. It's not the easy thing to do, the right thing rarely is, but it's the most loving thing to do.

Over the last few years, I've had many opportunities to confront a brother or sister in Christ who was engaged in destructive, sinful behavior. I've always dreaded those conversations. I've never enjoyed the process at all. Many times the person's response is to run away, or to get offended, or to leave the church. Sometimes, (and I am sad to say it's rare), the person responds with tears and confession and repentance and moves forward into healing and restoration and wholeness. I wish that happened every time, but for those few times it has happened, I am very grateful.

REMEMBERING GRACE
The real test comes when that person does repent and turn away from their sin. This is the time when the Body of Christ has the opportunity to practice forgiveness and acceptance. This is where we are the ones who get to prove that we also have truly surrendered to Christ and remember the amazing grace poured out on us.

Joshua: Prologue

We begin at Joshua. At this point in time, the Israelites are camped on the east side of the Jordan River waiting for their cue to cross over.

Hundreds of years before, a man named Abraham lived in these lands. God met with Abraham and made a covenant with him. He promised that Abraham and his wife, in their old age, would have a son, and that his decedents would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. God promised a land called Canaan to Abraham and his decedents, and promised to be with them and bless them along their way.

Despite their lack of faith, Abraham and his wife, Sarah had a son. They named him Isaac. Isaac became a man and found a wife and they had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob took Esau's birthright and stole his blessing by deceiving his ailing father. Jacob then ran from his brother and found a wife (or two) in another land and had twelve sons. On his way back home to face his brother, Esau, Jacob wrestled God and was renamed Israel.

Jacob's son Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt, where he rose to the become its ruler under Pharaoh. Desperate for food in the midst of a severe famine, Joseph's family eventually moved to Egypt and Jacob was reunited with his long lost son. The family settled into an area of Egypt named Goshen. Over time, the families of the sons of Jacob had families of their own. Eventually, they became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrews. The Israelites.

They became so numerous that the Egyptians became frightened that they might take over. So the Pharaoh at that time enslaved them. For four hundred years the Hebrews were slaves to the Egyptians, forced to work under harsh conditions and treated poorly. Until one day God sent an escaped Hebrew named Moses back to Egypt to speak on God's behalf. Through Moses, God sent signs and terrifying plagues to the Egyptians until the Pharaoh, overcome with grief of loosing this firstborn son, set the Hebrews free.

Thus began the Exodus. The Israelites marched out of Egypt and started to make their way back to Canaan, the land of their fathers. The promised land. But Pharaoh's mind changed, and he set an army out after them. God provided an escape route by parting the sea for the Israelites and they passed on dry land into Sinai. The Egyptian army was not so fortunate, for when they made their pursuit across the parted sea, God closed it over them, destroying the army completely.

God led the Israelites through the desert appearing as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. There, he established the Ten Commandments and the law. He instructed the Israelites to construct the Ark of the Covenant, where God's Spirit dwelt with His people, and the Tabernacle, the temple prototype where the Ark was kept and offerings were made in atonement for sin. There, God established the Levites as the tribe of priests. And there the Israelites raised up and army that won many victories against formidable opponents, establishing a reputation that struck fear into the hearts of their enemies.

But they were human. And as all humans do, they complained. They griped and they yelled at God on several occasions. And because of their impatience and disobedience, God made it known that the generation the came out of Egypt would not live to see the promised land.

For forty years, they wandered in the desert, waiting for the word of the Lord to come. Year after year, they looked out over the Jordan River, yearning for their promised home. And one by one, the older generation died. Until finally Moses died after naming Joshua as his successor.

And so, at this point in time, the Israelites are camped on the east side of the Jordan River waiting for their cue to cross over.


And the Lord speaks...

New Reading Project

I'm cracking open my Bible again and beginning a read through and study of the history of Israel. I'll start in Joshua with the initial conquest of Canaan and read my way chronologically through the Old Testament. I've never really gone though the entire history before, but I'm very interested in this subject right now. I'll be chronicling my progress here on my blog, kind of thinking out loud to myself and getting the info straight.

What Every Christian Should Know #4

Here is #5 of Keith Giles' monthly series, TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't). This is one that may or may not be controversial, but I totally agree with him. Here's a sample:

NUMBER 4 – "SALVATION IS A PROCESS, NOT A POINT IN TIME"
by Keith Giles

One thing I find fascinating as I study the New Testament and the practice of the early church is that their concept of salvation was much different than mine. When I think of salvation, I usually think of that one day when, as a nine year old boy, I walked forward and prayed with my pastor to ask Jesus into my heart. However, Peter and Paul seemed to have a different view of salvation. In their minds, salvation was an ongoing experience, not a one-time deal....

...As I've said many times before, our question needs to be, "If you'd be alive tomorrow, who would you follow and how would you live your life?" and not, "If you died tonight, do you know you'd be in heaven tomorrow?” One question is about how you will die, the other is about how you intend to live. Salvation is about life, not death, and following Christ is about the life you're living right now, not the life you hope to live after you die and go to Heaven.

Following Christ, by definition, suggests a daily pattern of life modeled after Jesus and seeking His wisdom and guidance for daily decisions. It does not suggest a single event that took place years ago on a Sunday morning.

What Every Christian Should Know #5

Here is #5 of Keith Giles' monthly series, TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't). I've been slacking off for the past six months, so these posts should occur in rapid succession now. Here's a sample of what he had to say:

5- "Humility Is Essential"

"God opposes the proud, but gives Grace to the humble."
- (Proverbs 3:34)

This verse speaks volumes, doesn't it? We are handed a simple choice; To humble ourselves and receive Grace, or to continue in our pride and have the creator of the Universe oppose us. Sadly, my own pride has often been the catalyst in my life for failure, bad judgement and hurt feelings. I have learned to hate my pride and to keep a close eye on it, just in case it tries to rise up and do something stupid.

When Jesus went out and spoke to the people of his day, he centered his teaching on something called "The Kingdom of God". He told stories to illustrate what life was like in this Kingdom. He used everyday moments to point out Kingdom values. Jesus was almost always teaching his disciples, and anyone else in earshot, what the Kingdom of God was all about.

One interesting thing about the Kingdom of God is that to enter it you must first humble yourself, (see Mark 10:14-15). That's because the Kingdom of God is quite simply that place where the absolute will of God is done. This means that God is King, and that you and I are not. So, if we will not humble ourselves and submit to God's will in every way, we cannot enter the Kingdom. Better said, when we refuse to humble ourselves, we have left the Kingdom of God and entered our own Kingdom, where our will is done.

New Year, New Start

The Spring 2008 semester is about to begin here at Western and I've just returned from a three week vacation. It was the most restful three weeks I've ever experienced and it was probably the first time in the last year that I've felt relaxed at all. I needed that. Badly.

For the last few months I've lost the motivation to blog. Maybe I'm getting tired of it, maybe I'm boring now, or maybe it just takes a lot of time and thought to make post after post and I'm just too busy trying to focus on school to do it on a regular basis. Perhaps it is the beginning of the end for my humble blog, or perhaps it's just another phase. Who knows? We'll see I guess.

I come back from break feeling different, though I'm not sure why. It's a strange feeling. A kind of more mature feeling. A feeling that I'm growing up and starting to look to the future in a very practical and hopeful way. Perhaps it's because I'm in my last stages of college life and many of my friends here are slowly being phased out of my life as they approach the end of their college lives.

Maybe this feeling means something, maybe it's nothing at all. Who knows, this feeling could fade like so many countless others in past years. But then again, it could be the beginning of something new.

And if I am becoming different, if I am changing, I hope it's for the good.


Oh yeah. I'm digging Conan O'Brian's beard too.