Moving On

I have successfully completed another stint in the world of the mover. I worked completely locally this time, which means that I didn't get to make quite as much money, but I was able to be at home every night, which was really good. What isn't so good is that I have walked away from this summer with a few more aches and pains than I have had in the past.

On my last day there I had something nice happen. Just a little bit of a complement from my boss. He pulls me in the office, grabs a piece of paper and a pen, and says, "Matt, how much could I offer you to get you to break that contract with that school?"

Now, I would never break a contract, once it was signed, and I would never try to work at a moving company year round again... I have been there, and it wasn't pretty, but it was flattering.

It was also reassuring that all of those aches and pains were worth it. You see, as I go into a new work environment, one of my goals is to be a salt and a light. And I have come to believe that salt and light doesn't come from your mouth and it most definitely doesn't come from trying to impose your morals onto those around you. Salt and light emanates from your actions and your attitudes. And going into a job being the best worker that you can be will shine as a light in this dark world. Especially in a world full of people who want to milk the clock, hide from the boss, and do just enough to get by.

But I am moving on now. I am headed back to school to be a teacher once again. The gears are having to shift in my mind because before I know it, I will be standing in front of a bunch of children. These children will also be in desperate need of salt and light, so the work will go on.

It will be a different kind of work, but the command is still the same, "...work heartily, as if you are working for Christ himself..."

9

He truly is the definition of his name, "asked of God." They told us that we would not have children, but like Hannah, we prayed for a child.

God provided this wonderful gift, more than I ever could have imagined.

Two great philosophers on the wall...

Calvin and Hobbes.

We decided to update the boys' room, and I ambitiously volunteered myself to paint a mural on the wall. (Never done it before, though once I painted a billboard for $100.)

Here are a couple of pictures of the (almost) final version. I still need to do some shading on Hobbes' nose.

Why I Love Jesus (Meme)

I haven't been tagged in quite a while, so I wasn't sad about getting tagged from truegrit.

Here are the Rules:
Those tagged will share 5 things they “love” about Jesus. Those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers. Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here with their name so that others can read them.

1. He loves us. I have to give this reason as number one, because the only reason why I love Him at all is because He first loved us.

2. He was one of us. I love Him because He walked the dust of this earth. I absolutely love that about Christ. He was a baby, a toddler, an adolescent... He was one of us, yet without sin. In every way He was tempted like us, but He did not sin. He maintained perfect communion with the father, even though He was a man. If that is not enough to win the respect and love of every man, I don't know what is.

3. He was moved with compassion. While He was on this earth, there are so many times that He looked on crowds of people, or on one beggar, and He was moved with compassion.

4. He died for us. He became sin for us, and took the wrath of God for us. He did it, and He did it at our hands. The very hands He came to save are the hands that drove the nails and held the handle to the whip. He knew all of this before He came, and still He came.

5. His name. I love the fact that one day every knee will confess His name as Lord. All of the doubters, all of the mockers, all of the people who believe that He is just one of many truths... One day there will be no more doubt. I love that.


Now I need to tag five people...
1. Joe
2. the gnarly dudette
3. Rick Boyne
4. Rodney Olsen (unless he has already done this one)
5. and even though she usually doesn't do this kind of stuff, my wife

crassus

I am currently reading the book titled, Not Even a Hint, by Josh Harris. It is a book that I have wanted to read for a long time, but kept putting it off in favor of other books on my reading list. I finally picked it up the other day and dove in. I am only through the first three chapters, and it has been good so far. I am sure that I will give a quick review of this book when I am done with it, but I read something today that I wanted to share with you. It isn't anything profound, but I thought that it was interesting and blog worthy.

I once read the true story of a duke named Raynald III, who lived during the fourteenth century. His sad life illustrates how giving in to our lustful desires -- the very thing we often equate with freedom -- actually robs us of freedom and true joy.

Raynald III had lived a life of indulgence and was extremely overweight. In fact, he was commonly called by his latin nickname, Crassus, which means "fat."

After a violent quarrel, Raynald's younger brother, Edward, led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead he built a room around him in the Nieuwkerk Castle and promised him he could regain his freedom as soon as he was able to leave the room.

This wouldn't have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald's size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent him a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way to freedom, Raynald grew fatter. He stayed in the room for ten years, till his brother died in battle. But by then his health was so ruined that he died within a year -- a prisoner of his own appetite.

Many men and women today are prisoners to their appetite for lust. Like Raynald, they look free, maybe eve happy. They're doing what they want. They're doing what feels good. But the sad truth is that every bite of lust's delicacies only makes them more of a prisoner. When we indulge in a life of sin and do whatever feels good, we're not free. We're slaves to our sin.

I just thought that was a really interesting, yet sad, story. It illustrates the point that Harris was trying to make rather well, but it also got me to thinking about this guy Raynald. What a tragedy to be known for your lack of ability to get out of your prison cell because you don't have enough self-control to stop eating. I know that I have some trouble saying no to a Big Mac, so I am not being judgmental towards him. It just seemed so sad.

It got me to thinking about what we are known for. When people see us, what do they think? When your name comes up in a conversation, what do people say about you? I doubt that I will be remembered for anything when I am gone, but if I am, I hope that, by God's grace, they won't remember me, but will remember how Christ has worked in me.

Christian School?

In 1893, the National Education Association had this to say about the role of God in the schools,

If the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all state schools – if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program – if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools – then the good of the State would be better served by restoring all schools to church control.

I could not have put it better. I have believed in Christian School for a long time, and it is for those very reasons mentioned in this quote. What is the purpose without God? Can we pull ourselves up by our own merits? Are we improving ourselves without Him?

Do I think that the public schools should be abandoned... ?

(Actually, yes.)

The Hobbit - Book Review

Ok, I know that I am a little late with a review of The Hobbit, but I just finished reading this with my boys. Their ages are currently eight and five, and I knew that the 8-year-old could handle this book, but I was a little worried about the 5-year-old. Those worries were soon quenched after I read the first few paragraphs.

Anyway, here is my review...

Summary: (Just in case you don't know this already...) This book is the somewhat autobiographical rendition of the journey of one Hobbit, by the name of Bilbo Baggins. The title that he gave to this book is There and Back Again.

Hobbits, as you know, are comfortable creatures. They enjoy their ale, their pipes, and their many meals each day. Adventures are not a part of their makeup.

This Hobbit finds himself in the middle of an adventure when a wizard, a dwarf king, and eleven other dwarves show up on his doorstep one night. Before he knows what has happened, he finds himself facing trolls, trekking mountains, fighting goblins, killing giant spiders, riding on giant eagles, fleeing wolves, hiding from wood elves, trapped in life-or-death riddle games, and (worse for a hobbit) missing meals. All of this while knowing that at the end of the journey is a dragon and a dwarf treasure.

My Thoughts: In my humble opinion, this book should be moved amongst the classics. I can't tell you how happy I was when I saw that my school has this book on their reading list. I guess that I am not the only one who thinks that it is a must-read. I am telling you, if you have never read this book, might I suggest that you do it.

Tolkien is an amazing writer. In fact, I don't know if you could find a book that is as detailed as this and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The histories that he wrote before he wrote these books just blows my mind. There was a book, called The Silmarillion, that was never meant to be published, of the history of middle earth. The way I understand it, he wrote it to get his facts straight before he started writing the other books.

You could also check out The Essential Tolkien Library for all of the books.