College sucks.

I took an elective finance course and it should have had prerequisites. It's not that it's so incredibly difficult, it's just that I have no background in it. If I knew what they were talking about I could probably squeak by in this stupid class. Instead, I understand nothing of what even Chapter 1 says.



I'm dropping the class tomorrow. Although it will certainly cost me a lot of money to do so, I just can't keep on with it. I don't appreciate being so stressed out over something so stupid and trivial. It was an elective! It's not even a required course.

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Upturning Rocks - Biblical Questions

Recent conversations about my questions have put some things in perspective for me. In one instance, I brought up my questions about the validity of the Bible in apologetics. Everyone received the questions as a challenge worth searching out the answers for.



I was a little reluctant at first to drop my questions on apologetics because I didn't want to shake anyone's faith, but then it occurred to me that the Bible is supposed to be able to stand up under any scrutiny. My fear was unfounded then since, given the infallibility of the Bible, there is no disproving it.



In another instance, I was talking with a Christian co-worker. Upon hearing my questions he cautioned me that I might be obsessing over my own understanding and causing a stumbling block for myself. After taking him through a little of my reasoning he was pretty convinced that I might be unraveling my faith. We prayed and laid it at the feet of God. In this instance, I really saw the reluctance people have to actually really question their Bible and faith. I doubt I'm on uncharted waters, however, so I'm continuing on.



In another instance, I spoke with a separate co-worker who is about to become a pastor. His reaction was to listen and admit that he didn't know the answers, but he never said that the pursuit was wrong. In his mind, questioning the Bible is expected.



With him, I was able to fully voice my theories. One of the logical consequences is that the New Testament does not belong while the Old Testament does.



I'm going to write out my whole list of questions and line of reasoning. Hopefully in so doing I'll develop some answers to my questions. We all know that the Bible can stand the test, right?



Don't be afraid to upturn rocks in fear that one of them holds the key to the destruction of the faith. I'm sure that many have done this before me. I plan on consulting them as well.

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Testing a new editor

I'm just testing a new blog editor.

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Hey, It's Been Awhile

The blog world seems to have faded to the background lately. I haven't posted anything of worth in sometime. Why? No good reason. Really, I should be posting regularly just to keep sharp on my writing skills.

What have I been doing lately you ask? Not posting on my blog. I've been doing school work on my way to an Associate's Degree. What an accomplishment it will be when I finally get that piece of paper. Both my sisters are well on their way to being fully degreed and I'm really proud of them. Leah did a great job figuring out the system. I only wish I could have tried to figure it out a little more. I just didn't realize that getting into a class merely required bringing an add slip into whichever class I wanted to take. I thought that it was full when it said it was full.

Since then I've come a long way. I should be graduated by September or October of this year. I'm working toward getting a BS in business. I figure its kind of an open ended degree for the current job market. A business degree can be utilized in every industry.

What else is new you ask? What, that wasn't enough for you? You want more? Okay. I'm also learning a great deal about real estate, mortgage loans, and investing. Why? Because I can't be poor my whole life. Wait, you mean to tell me that you want to be rich? Yes, absolutely. But aren't you a Christian? Yes. Don't Christians try to avoid the pursuit of money and all that? I'm glad you asked. It just so happens that I've done a lot of soul searching in the midst of disliking my job, seeking better money, and planning for the future of my family. My current situation will not allow Maggie the opportunity to leave her job and be a stay at home mom without tremendous sacrifices to our standard of living. I also don't want to work for somebody else my whole life where I get paid what they think I'm worth.

Well, that's all great, but isn't money a root of all evil? I have one word for you: Amplification. Judging by the funny look I'd guess that I've lost you. Allow me to explain. Money is, in and of itself, neutral. It is neither good nor bad. However, the person with the money has the option to use it for good or for bad. Money provides the amplification of the character of that person. If you were somebody that wants to help others, that is generous, and that has a good heart, those qualities can be amplified by money. With money, you can help out people in need, you can ease the burden of the check at the end of the meal for your friends, and you can use it to make a difference. Amplification. If a person is greedy and evil, those traits would be more obvious with money as well. Does that mean money is good or evil? No, it means the person that uses it is good or evil.

So, being a Christian and working with money to make it grow so that you can do good things with it is not a contradiction. Being responsible and investing, growing your money, and moving up in the world so you can do things like have a stay at home wife are good things.

Now that I've explained myself, I'll fill you in on a little bit. We've got lots of options on the table because we bought our house early. Now we have a significant amount of usable equity that can be converted to cash for investment. This is where we have some different roads that we could take. We could sell this house and put a hefty down payment on a nice new house, we could take the equity out in the form of a loan, rent out this house, and put a down payment on another less expensive house as well. We may find a foreclosure (cause there are a lot of those lately) and fix it up a little. Who knows. That's why I'm learning everything I can right now. I want us to be as educated as possible so that we can be good stewards of the money God has given us.

That's it! Of course that's not everything that has happened during the months of silence, but that's what's happening now. If I were to write down everything you'd soon lose interest and eventually fall asleep. Then you'd wake up with asdfghjkl written across your forehead the next morning and I just couldn't do that to you. I will, however, try to post a little more so we don't have to do all this catching up all at once. Till next time, may you dwell on eternal things and daily choose to serve the Lord and Him only.

Osama Wants You!

Poe War

I found a really good site that deals with writing techniques and tools. I'm reading through it slapping my forehead at the brilliance of the exercises. The tips and activities that it suggests are really helpful. I'm really trying to get through this book that I'm writing, so any resource can be very helpful. Here's the site: http://www.poewar.com/

The Blessed X - Renewed

Muhahahahaha! I've done it! The Blessed X isn't annoying looking anymore. It's actually readable! Go over there and take a look. Click Here

Latest

This is what I've been up to lately. Below I've listed the hook for my book. It's a small excerpt from it, but I didn't want to list the entire thing for all to see without copyrights. I'm sorry that I haven't posted in forever. There's just been no motivation to do so for some reason. Anyway, let me know what you think mom.


My dear friend, I’ve undertaken to write to you and others like you in answer to all your questions. My silence isn’t changing the mail I’ve been receiving, nor is it helping me to move from place to place, they still find me, so I’m going to write to you answering all your questions once and for all. I plan to be as descriptive as possible and tell the story exactly as it happened. I’ve also included with this letter my journal entries from the time. Use them and my writings however you need.
My sincere hope is that you and others will stop asking me questions concerning what happened up there in Chochokpi. This should quell the curiosity.
-Michael



I was sitting at the top of a hill overlooking my small town beneath. The town of Chochokpi had been my home for three years. It was small and quiet, removed from the rest of the world cradled in the Rocky Mountains. Fog settled in every morning, which is why it was named Chochokpi meaning “throne for the clouds” in Native American Hopi language. One could only reach the town by one road or by air. I liked it for its seclusion and for its modest population just over two thousand. True, it was one of those towns where everybody knew everybody else, but I managed to stay out of that loop for the most part. I kept to myself except for a few friends. People noticed my reserved nature, but treated me with kind hellos nonetheless.
I looked down at my blank notepad and then back toward the town. I was a writer. My first novel had been published, unfortunately. Initially, it left me star-struck with the notion that I had natural talent for writing. I decided I wouldn’t have any trouble getting another book published, but I was wrong. It’s like going to Vegas and winning your first time. From that point on, you think you can win and spend more than you should when you go back. I’d submitted over a hundred pitches since my first book, but I didn’t hit a jackpot. My will waned as I watched my once robust earnings drain from my bank account. I would need to find work soon if I didn’t get published, so I kept searching for ideas.
The sun had set and a calm breeze filled the air. It was late autumn. Dusk brought with it the orange and pink painted sky accented by its glowing reflection off the treeless, snow capped peaks around the town. The mountains really could boast of its small towns and their beauty. It was here that I settled after the book signings and fame drove me away from the California coast. I was twenty-six when I moved here.
My perch was on a pronounced cliff that jutted out of the bowl the town was settled in, just about a mile behind my house through the woods and above the tree line.
The lights throughout the town were on and gaining more visibility with each darkening second, but as light drained from the sky and the stars began to show more prominently I noticed the lights in the city stop casting light.

November 22 2:30am

Tonight I had a lapse in consciousness and as far as I can tell, it was a significant amount of time. One moment I was looking over my town and the next I was knocked backward while a flash of light flooded the sky. That’s the last thing I remembered till I woke up. The breeze had been warm and calm, but when I came to, I noticed that it was cold and whipping at my face. When I moved, my joints cracked and popped. It was apparent that I’d been lying there for hours. I feel sick to my stomach even now. I stumbled back down through the woods and to my house, almost throwing up two or three times. I’ll keep a bucket near my bed tonight. I’ll think about all this in the morning.