1896. That's a long time ago, right? Well believe it or not there's still someone living who was born in that year: Mrs. Besse Cooper. She even lives in the state of Georgia. I approve.
I was looking at some posts about her on facebook and an article on msn.com and wondered how much has changed in her time here on earth. Let's explore together. (Also, I am getting all my facts from Wikipedia so if something seems wrong, that's why. If you want to see more go to en.wikipedia/wiki/[YEAR you want here])
In 1896...
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens
John Philip Sousa composed "Stars and Stripes Forever"
William McKinley became President of the United States
In 1900...
New century
Hawaii became a U.S. Territory
Max Planck sparked the birth of Quantum Physics
Mr. Hershey introduced America to the wonderful Hershey's bar
Oscar Wilde, a popular writer, born
In 1914...
World War I began
Woodrow Wilson is President
Ford company continues to grow
In 1929...
Martin Luther King, Jr. born.
In 1930s...
Great Depression
In 1939...
World War II began
Manhattan Project goes underway
Batman appears in a comic book
In 1948...
Israel becomes its own country
Harry S. Truman becomes President
In 1954...
Civil Rights Movement begins to stir in the United States
Dwight D. Eisenhower is President
The first Burger King opens
In 1963...
Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his famous "I Have a Dream" speech
I'm going to stop here with the dates cause I think you get the point and I'm frankly tired of looking them up. At least I'm honest, right?
You get the idea. Women get rights. Colored people get rights. We go through many technological changes that I am sure I don't have to remind you of: computers, CD players, mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, etc. In addition, more tragedy has come upon us such as 9/11 and Katrina.
This woman has lived to see all that - the good and the bad.
Today is August 28th, 2012. 116 years from today is August 28th, 2128.
Imagine a child born today. Say they live 116 years and 8/28/2128 the world is celebrating their birthday. Imagine what changes and what all that person would have seen: good and bad. What are you doing to do to affect what that person knows and remembers when they are 116? How are you going to affect the world?
Oh, and Happy Birthday Miss Cooper.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Ready, Aim, Fire
Sin.
What does this word bring to mind for you? Going against what God wants? Doing something wrong? Or maybe the term seems antiquated and irrelevant.
In the original Greek the word sin means, "to miss the mark".
This past semester I took an archery class. For those that don't know, I have horrible hand eye coordination. The class was fun, but quite a challenge. It took weeks for me to actually hit the target! I tried and tried and tried. One thing I had to learn was how to aim. You hear people say "Ready, Aim, Fire", but sometimes when I shot it was more like "Ready, Fire, Aim"! Oh wait... Maybe I should aim BEFORE I fire...
Through the course of the class I did learn to aim and how to be in control of what I was doing. Am I a perfect shot? No. Not by any means. But I did make an A in the class.
Our life as a Christian is kind of the same way. We keep trying and trying to do the right thing, however, we keep missing the goal. The good news is the problem of sin is already taken care of. Jesus already died for my sins and yours and thank goodness he did! We, though, must keep in mind what Paul says in Romans, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (6:1-2 ESV).
So what does that mean? What are we to do? Simply live. Don't allow yourself to be bogged down by sin because Christ has freed you from it! Keep standing your ground and be ready to shoot. Sometimes, yes, you will miss. However, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. So simply be the person God called you to be. Make sure to be ready and aim before you shoot. You are bound to miss if you don't keep that in mind.
So?
Ready.
Aim.
FIRE.
What does this word bring to mind for you? Going against what God wants? Doing something wrong? Or maybe the term seems antiquated and irrelevant.
In the original Greek the word sin means, "to miss the mark".
This past semester I took an archery class. For those that don't know, I have horrible hand eye coordination. The class was fun, but quite a challenge. It took weeks for me to actually hit the target! I tried and tried and tried. One thing I had to learn was how to aim. You hear people say "Ready, Aim, Fire", but sometimes when I shot it was more like "Ready, Fire, Aim"! Oh wait... Maybe I should aim BEFORE I fire...
Through the course of the class I did learn to aim and how to be in control of what I was doing. Am I a perfect shot? No. Not by any means. But I did make an A in the class.
Our life as a Christian is kind of the same way. We keep trying and trying to do the right thing, however, we keep missing the goal. The good news is the problem of sin is already taken care of. Jesus already died for my sins and yours and thank goodness he did! We, though, must keep in mind what Paul says in Romans, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (6:1-2 ESV).
So what does that mean? What are we to do? Simply live. Don't allow yourself to be bogged down by sin because Christ has freed you from it! Keep standing your ground and be ready to shoot. Sometimes, yes, you will miss. However, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. So simply be the person God called you to be. Make sure to be ready and aim before you shoot. You are bound to miss if you don't keep that in mind.
So?
Ready.
Aim.
FIRE.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Resurrection Sunday!
Every year we get so excited over Easter because it is to celebrate the raising of Christ from the dead! Yes, I would say getting excited over that is fitting.
Think about it, most of the year we (or at least I tend to) focus on Jesus' death and what he did for us on the cross. He carried our sins and was the ultimate sacrifice so we could have life eternal. It wasn't an easy death either. It was painful. It was humiliating. It was the death of a criminal.
Humbling, right? That GOD did that for us?
Well, the death would have been vain and pointless without today. Without Jesus' resurrection, he would have died just as all humans must die. But no, he rose again. We've seen Jesus raise people from the dead before. He raised Lazarus from the grave!
But he raised HIMSELF from the grave. Let that one sink in a minute. It's a lot "easier" to do something like that for someone else (I put easier in quotes because it's impossible without God but let's roll with it) than to do that for yourself. I can't even think of a good analogy for it. Just let it sink in. A dead man rose himself from the dead! Surely no one but God can do that!
So today, celebrate Jesus' resurrection which might just be the most incredible miracle of all times.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Goodness
As I was reading my devotions this morning I was struck by a common theme: the goodness of God. If you knew a lot of the stuff going on around me you would know that this particular theme is a little ironic, yet fitting. Sometimes it is hard to see God's goodness. Sometimes we look at ourselves or the world around us and go, "Really, God? Are you really good? Then why did [fill in the blank] happen?". Honestly, we are never going to know the answer to that question. We won't. That's the way it is. If you know me or have read anything I've written you know that I like answers and I like to figure things out. I'm a math major for heavens sake. I solve problems. Unfortunately, this is not one I can figure out.
However, I do know that I believe in Jesus Christ and in his promises. I believe that when he says that God is good, then it is true. I believe in the authority of the Bible in that it is the word of God (2 Tim 3:16). Therefore, when the Bible says that God is good, I believe it. I have faith in it. Since my faith is grounded in what I know and what I see around me, I know my belief is valid. My belief is valid not because I believe it, but because God has revealed his truth to me and HE validates it. All this to say, God is good because He says He is.
Sometimes life sucks and we can't see God's goodness. I get that. I've seen plenty of bad things that I don't wish to talk about on here (feel free to confront me about them, though). But even in the midst of them and in especially in retrospect, I believe God is good and he has a plan. He is going to take care of you. Don't take my word for it, take His.
I encourage you to read this following verse and devotions that I have quoted below. Have a blessed day.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33 (NIV)
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:22 (NIV)
From God's Daily Promises For Students: Daily Wisdom From God's Word from the Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. March 13, 2012.
"Many people picture God as a stern and vindictive, just watching and waitin for the chance to zap humans with bolts of misfortune. But this verse shows the opposite. God loves you and wants only good things for you. He wants your future - both in this life and in heaven - to be bright and hopeful."
From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. March 13, 2012.
"Learn to live about your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the One who overcame the world. Trouble and distress are women into the very fabric of this perishing world. Only My Life in you can empower you to face this endless flow of problems with good cheer.
As you sit quietly in My Presence, I shine Peace into your troubled mind and heart. Little by little, you are freed from earthly shackles and lifted up above your circumstances. You gain My perspective on your life, enabling you to distinguish between what is important and what is not. Rest in My Presence, receiving Joy that no one can take away from you."
However, I do know that I believe in Jesus Christ and in his promises. I believe that when he says that God is good, then it is true. I believe in the authority of the Bible in that it is the word of God (2 Tim 3:16). Therefore, when the Bible says that God is good, I believe it. I have faith in it. Since my faith is grounded in what I know and what I see around me, I know my belief is valid. My belief is valid not because I believe it, but because God has revealed his truth to me and HE validates it. All this to say, God is good because He says He is.
Sometimes life sucks and we can't see God's goodness. I get that. I've seen plenty of bad things that I don't wish to talk about on here (feel free to confront me about them, though). But even in the midst of them and in especially in retrospect, I believe God is good and he has a plan. He is going to take care of you. Don't take my word for it, take His.
I encourage you to read this following verse and devotions that I have quoted below. Have a blessed day.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33 (NIV)
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:22 (NIV)
From God's Daily Promises For Students: Daily Wisdom From God's Word from the Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. March 13, 2012.
"Many people picture God as a stern and vindictive, just watching and waitin for the chance to zap humans with bolts of misfortune. But this verse shows the opposite. God loves you and wants only good things for you. He wants your future - both in this life and in heaven - to be bright and hopeful."
From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. March 13, 2012.
"Learn to live about your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the One who overcame the world. Trouble and distress are women into the very fabric of this perishing world. Only My Life in you can empower you to face this endless flow of problems with good cheer.
As you sit quietly in My Presence, I shine Peace into your troubled mind and heart. Little by little, you are freed from earthly shackles and lifted up above your circumstances. You gain My perspective on your life, enabling you to distinguish between what is important and what is not. Rest in My Presence, receiving Joy that no one can take away from you."
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Add on to yesterday...
This is so cool. I went to Bible Gateway this morning and this was the verse of the day:
1 Peter 3:15
The Message (MSG)
13-18If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.
How cool is that? The day after I use that verse it ends up being the verse of the day. It's either a big coincidence or God having some fun, I would say. :)
How cool is that? The day after I use that verse it ends up being the verse of the day. It's either a big coincidence or God having some fun, I would say. :)
Monday, February 27, 2012
Love
This Sunday I went to a church in Cartersville, GA. While I was there a conversation with a friend ended up with me doing this on the way home. This was the bulletin from the church I went to. Now, it is a journal. I hope God speaks to you through it.
If you click on the picture you can get a bigger view of it.
If you click on the picture you can get a bigger view of it.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Beauty
My roommate and I made this. You are beautiful just the way you are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a-a41LKjYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a-a41LKjYU
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