Semi-Monthly Apologetics

Tonight is our apologetics study. For those who don't know, apologetics is the defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. And stems from the Greek word απολογία or apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah) meaning a plea (“apology”): - answer (for self), clearing of self, defence. We do it every two weeks. It's a study where we sit in a group and talk through our questions. It's awesome. If you're reading this and would like to come, email me and let me know.

Other Experiences

Institute for Creation Research of San Diego. We went for a tour through their museum and I didn't have enough time to read everything there. It was cool though. I gathered tons of literature on everything, so I'll be busy reading that for a few days and the website is filled with educational articles too. It was cool to go because it's been awhile since I've looked at creation and the science behind it. It brought up a few new questions that I have to consider, like the methods used to geometrically gauge distance in the universe, the speculated expansion contrasted with entropy making a big bang theory unlikely, and the order of organization of the celestial bodies. All kinds of cool stuff to consider.

Getting lost. Our journey into downtown San Diego for the first time this weekend proved a navigation headache. We wanted to find Horton Plaza, but the mapquest instructions we printed out were wrong and where they left off, we were lost. It took about an hour to find it finally. We'd been driving around it without knowing it the whole time, but then I happened to be going down F and it led straight into the Plaza parking garage. We were extremely relieved.

The Panda Inn. Once inside the Horton Plaza we hunted around and found the Panda Inn. It's a restaurant owned by the same people that own Panda Express, but it's actually a sit down and the food is of much higher quality. Maggie had chicken fried rice and I had Kon Pow Son Yun or something like that. It was basically Kon Pow with chicken, beef, and shrimp. We got fortune cookies at the end of the meal, but these weren't normal cookies. They were dipped in white chocolate. ::taste buds begin to water again:: The funny thing though: Maggie's cookie didn't have a fortune in it, so I guess her future remains unknown. We made an appointment to see a fortune teller next weekend to clear things up. At any rate, it was a satisfying experience for my taste buds. I would recommend it to anyone looking for some good Chinese food.

Wedding Date. The movie wasn't so bad that I had to walk out, but it wasn't edifying. A few good lines, but not recommendable. It'll leave the box office, get rented by a few people, and be forgotten.

Little Italy. The next day we found ourselves in Little Italy. It was a cool place. Tons of Italiano restaurants. I told Maggie we could make a year out of going to the restaurants there. Lots of shops with weird stuff in them. Artsy expensive shops. We ate at Fillipi's: a restaurante specializing in pizza. Have you ever had pizza that was so cheesy that you could feel your arteries clogging while you ate? That was this pizza. After being defibrillated and checking out a few shops we went over to Horton Plaza again cause now I know where the heck it is. We stopped in a few stores, Sharper Image, Sam Goody, and Bath and Body Works (FOR MAGGIE).

Ben & Jerry's Ice cream. It was mint chocolate chip CHUNK on a chocolate and sprinkles covered cone. I felt sick when I was done eating it, but it was the good kind of sick.

Fish Market. That night we went to the Fish Market across from out hotel. I had Alaskan King Crab, which is wonderful. We went there and I was still feeling full and a little sick from the Ben & Jerry's, but by the time the food was laid before me, I was ready to be eating. Crab is probably one of my favorite foods, if not my favorite. I love eating it, but its only downside is the time it takes to crack it all open and extract its meat. I'm getting faster though and King Crab is pretty easy to crack. Maggie had really good New England Clam Chowder, but she left all the clams in the bowl.

Shark Tale. The movie with the fish and Will Smith doing the voice. We went back to the hotel and decided to pay $12.99 to watch this movie. It's less than a movie out would have cost, but geez! Thirteen bucks for a movie on a little TV? After I was defibrillated again, we watched it. It wasn't the funniest movie ever, but it was alright. I told myself that after spending so much, I couldn't have regrets.

Horizon Christian Fellowship. Sunday morning, to finish off our weekend, we went to Pastor Mike Macintosh's church. I listen to him on the radio all the time and love his sermons, so we looked it up and found where it was. It was a good sermon on the attitude we bring when coming to God. It's not God who turns us away, but us who turn God away. We enjoyed it. Worship was amazingly refreshing. I loved the songs we sang. It was a nice change from the hymns we normally sing. Nothing wrong with hymns, but I enjoy worship music more.

Then we came home. It was a lot of fun and needed to be explained in greater detail, so I took a few minutes this morning to write more down and share with you guys. To cap it all off, we came home to our little doggie. We missed her a lot. At one point in our trip we passed a "doggie beach" where everyone was out playing with their dogs. It reminded us of Sandie. She really is a part of our family. We love her and are happy to be reunited again. ::tear:: Now, on our Monday off back at home, we're out of milk and planning on waffles for breakfast. So, I leave you now as I go to buy milk.

Love and the San Diego Sunset

It has been some time since I posted last, so no complaints at having to actually stop and read mine now. You've had your break.

Maggie and I are back from San Diego and happy to be home, though welcomed by a drenching downpoor of rain. It was a good weekend away that served to calm us and relieve our stresses. It was our first vacation with just the two of us since our honeymoon two and a half years ago. It was very nice to go and do whatever we wanted, without having to worry about anybody but ourselves. The weather was, however, sunny one moment and pouring the next. Despite its sporadic nature, it didn't hinder us from having fun.

We went to all kinds of interesting stores with outrageously priced weird things. We ate excellent cuisine at very unique restaraunts: my favorite part, of course. And we walked around and talked. Lots of fun.

The trip also left time to write. My book is actually progressing well beyond the first pages I had such a hard time with. I'm encouraged also because I have the inspiration and ideas for so much more. I was struggling with a small bit of writer's block before the trip, but the new atmosphere cleared me right up.

So, all in all, this weekend was an enjoyable and memorable one. I look forward to many more like it. It is a beautiful thing when you are able to be with the one you love in a place set apart from the stresses and struggles of everyday life. I found fun, happiness, and inspiration. My favorite part of the whole weekend was yesterday evening. We parked and watched the sunset together. A gorgeous sunset over the ocean with the one I love; no other thing can be substituted to bring such a unique joy to my heart. I love you Maggs.

Differing Sensation

The darkness of the light eludes my sight. Our senses belie the obvious existence of the unsubstantiated. There are the things supernatural that evade observation. There also, however, exist different worlds to all people. We know not the perception of others because our knowledge springs from that which only we have seen. The profundity of existence is bound within the mind of man. Colors, lights, smells, tastes, and all sensations are only subjective. Obvious differences exist, which verifies that each of us has been blessed with his own unique perception of created things. Oh how much individuality we have in God to see each thing differently than all others.

Last Day

Today was my last day as a Youth Director. I've changed my profile occupation to indicate that very thing. It's a bitter sweet sensation. I'm sad that I'm leaving behind some great kids, I won't be teaching in the same way, and I won't have the responsibility to read the Bible to plan lessons twice a week. On the other hand, we're happy to be leaving behind some of the attitudes, we feel God's call in other directions, and I love to read what I want to read in the Bible without it being work. Maggie and I can go on vacations. Our vacation time won't be taken up by camps. We can sit in a Sunday school class and learn again. Stress load will take a dive. I don't like church to become a job and we headed that feeling off just as it began to set in.

There were three high schoolers there today, but they were three of my favorite kids: Cyndi, my most favorite (my little sister), Heidi, and Tyrel. These kids (and a few others) respected me and made me feel welcome. I appreciated that a great deal and always will. The lesson was on taking the things that God taught during my time and actually applying them, but it was a lot like preaching to the choir. Those kids have a great deal of spiritual maturity, love, and desire for God. They are the ones that made it all worth it. For them, I will miss the place of Youth Director.

Today, Pastor Larry asked me to teach a Thursday night adult Bible study. I accepted, though lacking in confidence. I know God will provide. It was a huge comfort to be asked to teach, because it let me know that my teaching days are not over. It's an amazing, exhilarating feeling to teach. I get to see God at work through the words he provides me.

I was actually a little afraid of the change, not knowing my future place in the church, but God is showing me new things now. I am certain that he will continue to take us and use us in his will wherever we go. There is life after Youth Directorship.

My faith and my fire are being rekindled, which came at the perfect time. Often, I would begin to lose sight of that passion while falling into the rhythm of planning lessons, delivering them, and never really trying to learn from them. I allowed myself to get caught up in the disappointment in the few kids that held no respect for me. That will hurt anybody if dwelled on. I wondered why some rejected my attempts to inspire them and beat myself up over it enough to put my fire down to a glowing ember. Now, however, I've learned some important lessons about relying on people to gauge my work. It's not about what the select few think, rather, it is about whether or not I'm doing God's will. If I'm in his will, it doesn't matter if the kids express dissatisfaction. In all likelihood, I've delivered the right lesson, but they won't allow themselves to receive it.

Though a rollercoaster, it was a moment in life that I will never regret. I love God and am excited to see what he'll do next.

The DERBIG Conspiracy

The year was 1945. World War II had diffused, Germany was in ruins, and Hitler's men were being tried for war crimes. Roaming and lurking behind disguise and shadow a society of Nazi scientists, named Der BIG (Der Berlin Intelligenzgruppe: The Berlin Intelligence Group), worked their way from Germany to the shores of America under the guise of the SIS.

The Federal Bureau or Investigation had created a Special Intelligence Service (SIS) Division in June of 1940 which dipped into the Western Hemisphere sending undercover FBI Agents purposed with finding and identifying Axis intelligence agents. Some 1,300 Axis intelligence agents were identified, but only about 10% were prosecuted. Because the FBI extended its hand so far, it was stretched thin. To balance the Bureau, men were recruited overseas. Intensive background checks were conducted and thorough interviews were undertaken, but that could not root out those residing within Der BIG. The members of Der BIG did not exist, therefore, they found it easy to become anyone they pleased. When President Truman ordered the program's end in 1947, several former SIS offices became the backbone of the FBI's foreign liaison efforts. This created the pathway for the members of Der BIG to come to American soil.

Infiltration of the FBI gave way to the group calling themselves Erpressung. They were known only to J. Edgar Hoover and his extremely close friend, Associate Director Clyde Tolson. The Epressung were rumored to have exploited Hoover through blackmail concerning a homosexual relationship with Tolson. Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity were waning.

The Legal Attaché (Legat) Program that stemmed from the SIS held offices in Canada. Members of Der BIG gave one of these offices their focus. Hoover was forced to allow them to take control of it. It was in the south east corner of Canada in Nova Scotia. Equipment, money, and manpower was channeled to them without question. Hoover made sure that future directors would not be able to trace the funding or equipment, and if they were able to, a small task force he'd created would utilize blackmailing techniques to bring a venturing director to cooperation. Der BIG brought in unknown contractors and built an underground facility just outside of Halifax in forest area to house their experimentation. On January 8th, 1947, the DERBIG facility began to function.

These men, trained and knowledgeable in the art of human experimentation, found themselves desiring the god ship once more. Possessed with the desire to take life and toy with it, they began the systematic abduction of Canadian and American people. Those that tried to oppose, those that tried to investigate, and even those that mistakenly wandered into discovery were silenced by death.

Men were trained and began to develop the same thirst for human experimentation as had the originating members. Experiments included the simplest of experimental muscular enhancement drugs to the worst experimentation of mind control. The DERBIG Conspiracy would have gone unnoticed if it were not for one mistake.

September 19th, 1948, an attempt was made on the life of Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, the CIA director at the time. DERBIG had undertaken to gather some of the most brilliant and established people in the world to experiment with. These included Nikola Tesla, Director Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter of the CIA, and others. Director Hillenkoetter was nearly kidnapped by a group of men on June 8th, 1948.

After this, he began receiving letters requesting his presence at certain meetings. The letters were filled with threats that his reputation would be destroyed if he disobeyed. Hillenkoetter did not respond favorably to blackmail and began to trace the letters with all the resources he could muster. July 15th, 1948, after receiving a finger print match, Hillenkoetter found a name: R. Hügel, a one time member of the FBI. Hügel had found himself residency in Van Buren Maine. Hillenkoetter trusted no one but himself, so he set out on his own.

July 17th, 1948, Hillenkoetter found a small cabin in Van Buren, owned by Hügel. Hügel, probably the least intelligent of the group, had kept a journal of all that he had done in Der BIG. Hillenkoetter understood the importance of this journal, so he took it, made copies of it, and mailed it to three close friends. Upon arriving home on July 19th, 1948, Hillenkoetter encountered two men waiting for him inside his house. Caught off guard, he ran from them, narrowly evading death.

He knew now that he was in over his head. Employing the resources of the CIA, Hillenkoetter created the top secret ADB (Anti-DERBIG Branch). This branch was given full access to all security areas, full rights to manpower, and complete availability of equipment. Their soul purpose was to investigate, create upheaval, and dismantle the DERBIG Conspiracy. Those within the ADB had no identity, no residency, and all the power of the CIA. Hillenkoetter made certain that the rest of the CIA was kept unaware of the ADB, to ensure its secrecy.

The ADB has been pursuing destruction of the ever expanding DERBIG Conspiracy ever since.

I say this so that you may all see and know the truth. My life is in jeopardy and only the truth can save me. Now you know.

~11847

One Ring To Rule Them All

I just sat through eleven hours of Lord of the Rings Extended editions. It was awesome.

Flu to the Cold

Well, I overpowered the flu, but then moved on to the cold. My suffering is longlasting. I haven't been so sick in a long time. By so sick, I mean frequency. I held apologetics last night, it was fun, but I had a heck of a time when reading cause my nose is so stuffed. It's not fair.

On the other hand, I always love being sick when Maggie is there to take care of me. She's the best.

Anyway, a short post, but I'm building up to a larger one. More on that later.