Useless Renderings

Photography Exercises

2007-11-23T02:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems as if that with any information application is the most important part of it and there are a few exercises that can help with mastering your photo-graphing. sometimes I like to limit myself to one picture per subject. That requires decision making on what would be the best. Using Digital cameras eliminates this decision making process to what ones to delete. look at your subject, Identify it and look at it's surroundings, look at it from multiple views and choose one. Remember to move outside of your comfort zone.

Another exercise I like to do is to devote one day to different Genres of photography. It will help you be more flexible and perhaps discover something you're amazing at that you otherwise wouldn't know. For example Buildings, People portraits, People Candid, Flowers, Animals, inanimate objects, landscapes, etc.

Take one picture in the same frame but keep changing settings and explore what your camera can do with different lighting settings and shutter speed.

More on Photography...

2007-11-04T22:31:00.000-05:00

My last post was on some very basic rules of thumb to improve your photography. Today I want to talk about the next step. Knowing more about photography will improve your photography. Over exposure, under exposure, aperture and shutter speed. These are the next few things that will help you understand how to control your shots, and make them your own. Most digital camera's take this away from you the user, however the more advanced and professional camera's give you the option to control these aspects of your camera.

There is something called the f-stop. the f-stop is the measurement of the size of the aperture. or how big the "iris" thingie is in the lens. Think of the human Eye, the more light it is exposed to the smaller the hole gets, or the higher the iris is dilated. in the same way the more light that your camera is exposed to the smaller the aperture needs to be and the lager the f-stop is. This is somewhat confusing for most people, because the larger the number on the f-stop the smaller the aperture.

over exposure is when the film, or image is overly exposed to light and you will get a white out effect. In Photoshop and in photo labs there is a way to control this exposure to over expose the exterior of the frame for a washed out effect. Under exposed frames will appear to be too dark. experimenting with these things may cause you to find something you can use artistically.

Shutter speed can also effect your exposure. the more light you let in through the lens the more exposed the shot will be. so the faster the shutter speed the less light allowed in. used in combination with the proper aperture, you will be able to find a good way to do more with your camera. You know those cool pictures of the person with the car lights in the background that are blurred across the picture. this can be done by a smaller aperture and a slower shutter speed. the longer the shutter is opened the more blurry a picture can get. Go to your favorite intersection at sunset and try this. By now you have already seen the results of all of this in the pictures you have taken, but now you will be able to do it more consistently and controlled.

These tips applied with those in the previous post can give you the edge you are looking for to get your pictures noticed. Remember Practice makes perfect. The most important thing you can do as a photographer is try new things, put yourself out of your comfort zone constantly. Try new aspects of photography, Portraits, stills, go downtown and take pictures of buildings, flowers, animals. every subject demands something new on your part. Buildings in the frame react different than flowers. By far Flowers demand more awareness of the photographer than almost anything else. in order to get what you want, you need to know what looks good in a frame, no overcrowding, good layout. hopefully this helps, if you have any specific questions about photography, maybe something you are trying to do etc. e-mail me.

Basic Photography

2007-10-31T13:58:00.000-04:00

Some things in photography go unsaid, such as f-stop and amount of exposure. there are plenty more things that don't have any meaning to those who are entering the world of photography. However I am writing this post for those who are interested, confused, and earnest about learning more. There is one basic rule that will take your pictures to the next level. Composition! Many film makers and professionals spend years in school learning about the perfect composition. Now you may ask what is composition. Well it is the layout of the subject in the area of your lens.

What draws you to the pictures you love? What captivates your heart in a perfect picture of you and your loved one? It is mostly always something you cannot see, but is still visible. Many great photographers have his impeded in their mind and they can see it before they snap the shutter. As a film photographer, I have learned what pictures will look good and those that wont, because I can't afford to waste an exposure. The other extreme is those who have gotten into photography digitally and can afford to amass a large number of photo's. I refer to it as the machine gun effect. I however have been trained in the sniper effect. One shot One Kill. Either way there are great, beautiful pictures to be had.

Many are frustrated with having to depend heavily on the amount of pictures they can take, composition will drastically reduce the number of pictures you need to take before getting the perfect one. There are about 4 principles that are key to composition. The easiest and most basic is the portrait composition. when taking portraits of people and/or things, weather it is a group shot or one single subject it is important to center them in the frame. keeping some head-room at the top but not so much that their face is in the center of the frame. This is the most basic composition that you'll see everywhere from your school pictures to magazine covers. most people I know who are into photography are not there to take portraits of their friends and family, however they are captivated by the artistic photos that they themselves try to emulate. That brings us to the rule of thirds. This is used in every aspect of motion pictures and in any, non-portrait, photo. In every frame you will have one subject of focus, by placing that subject in a certain part of the frame it will automatically become the focus of that picture. for example.

In this picture the area of focus is the lighthouse. By having it in the left third of the frame your eye is drawn to it. the reason is, is that by placing the light house in the left 3rd the pier and the decking are like visual arrows guiding your eye to the light house. Also notice how the horizon is in the bottom 3rd, this give the viewer a mental spacing so it doesn't feel confined or squished. I know I know you don't even know what the 3rd's mean that I'm talking about. so here you go. You split your frame into thirds vertically and horizontally. Most digital cameras have this already as a display option. It may feel weird to use at first but it'll be key to getting your eye trained to see this automatically. This is what the rule of thirds looks like and in application.

The Green Dots and red lines are what you want to line your subjects up with. The lady bug is lined up in such a way, and the natural lines in the branch draws your eyes to it. Do a google image search for "rule of thirds" and you'll see many more examples. when you watch a movie take note of where they put the subject in the frame.

The third composition guideline is your point of view. Any good photographer will move around, bend, stoop, climb and get a good feel of things to get a better composition. This effectively skews the subject to get a not so eye-level view on things that we are so use to.
Sometimes it even means having to lay down on your stomach to get a good shot.

The fourth and final guideline to good composition is the clutter factor. This is one of the hardest things one can do. Having to many things in the frame or in the wrong place inside of the frame can ruin the picture. When used inline with the rule of thirds you can be very successfully, but keep in mind where your eye automatically goes when looking at the frame. Tho painters paint artistic masterpieces they use these same concepts to get the looker to focus somewhere on the canvas.

To review we have the;
- Portrait Composition
- Rule of thirds
- Point of View
- Clutter factor

When all are used properly your pictures will become 10 times better. Remember that this is just the basics. One more rule of composition is space. When dealing with people or animals, keep some buffer space in the direction they are facing. For instance you do not want to take a picture of someone in a field looking into the distance with them facing left and have them on the left third of the frame, rather have them on the right third. You get the picture. When doing close up shots or face shots it is ok to skip the rule on head room. To get a feeling of coziness and confinement you can cut the top part of the head off, and it will give the viewer that same feeling. Done wrong it will make the viewer claustrophobic and un-easy, unless that is what you're going for, and is done in a lot of horror films.

That is all for this post if you have any questions e-mail me

Bluetooth headset for your computer!

2007-09-07T03:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I hated it when I had, as it seemed, a million cords wrapping around each other and me, as I talked online on my messenger. doing internet video chats was annoying and a pain in the butt! I recently purchased a usb bluetooth adapter for my computer, thanx to a bluetooth keyboard and mouse set that was given to me. I wondered if it was possible to use the popular bluetooth headsets seen on everyone who talks to themselves a lot, to chat online. I asked all my friends who know everything, and no one ever heard of the idea. I searched online to find someones comment on it, and found only one, and it at best was vague. We came to the conclusion that in theory it would work, since both are bluetooth devices. So I picked a headset up at a store and played with it for a couple hours untill I figured out how to use it! here are the step by step insturctions that will make it easier for everyone else who wishes to do this.

1. After following the manufacturers instructions on downloading all the software, for your Bluetooth usb adaptor, follow these instructions. (note; make sure there is a desktop icon or one in your task bar for the blue “Bluetooth places” it is needed to acquire a connection when you turn your headset on.”

2. Open up the “control panel” located in the start bar.

3. Open up “Sounds and Audio Devices”.

4. View the “Audio” tab in the task window.

5. Underneath the “sound playback” and "sound Recorder" box select the Bluetooth audio. (note; do not select the high quality Bluetooth.)

6. Next go to the Voice tab and do the same thing with the voice play back box as you did in step 5. for the voice playback and recorder.

(note; if you wish to use your computer speakers to hear still, keep the playback settings to the default. also if you wish to just use it for chat and wish to use your computer speakers for all other programs, just change the Voice tab options. Also, Check your Instant Messenger settings for further set up. Windows Live Messenger will have to have you change your voice and speaker setting separately.)

7. Click apply and then double check that those boxes are still selected as Bluetooth audio, if not the make the corrections, then click ok.

8. Turn on your Bluetooth headset (see headset instructions to make sure your headset is turned on) and open up blue tooth places from your desktop.

9. Double click on the headset icon that appears, you computer will try to make a connection. When it does you will hear a ringer in your headset. Answer the call and you are connected to your computer. You are now able to hear all audio from your computer through your headset.

2007-08-09T00:28:00.000-04:00

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/stinkoman_level2.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/stinkoman_level1.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/duckguard1_theme.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/stinkoman_cutscene.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/trogdor_theme.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/rhino_music.mp3

http://www.videlectrix.com/songs/duckguard1_win.mp3

The First Day

2007-07-08T20:58:00.001-04:00

I wonder if God was nervous the first day of creation.... I say that because everything I've started in my life I was always nervous the first day. In less then 24 hrs I will start my first day at my new Job. I am indeed nervous, like the first day of school every year. I feel like packing a bookbag with everything but the kitchen sink, just in case. So please be praying for me! also, I have a interview Wednesday at 1:20pm for a photography place. So pray that it goes well.

that is all

New York, New York

2007-07-08T20:53:00.001-04:00

Dear Fellow Laborers,

First I would like to that all of you for your prayers and support, and for letting God use you in these ways. We left Jackson, Early Saturday morning, at 5:30. It took over twelve hours on the road to make it to New York, while traveling in a caravan of four vehicles; three minivans and a truck. As we arrived at CitiVision Camp, it was already dark and the consensus of the mood was a need of sleep. So late Saturday night we all moved in and crashed. We woke up Sunday morning to head out to Manhattan Bible Church. There, we worshiped together with them in their morning service. Located in the Hispanic part of Manhattan, we could hear the mumble of a translator in the background. A truly universal church was represented by every ethnic background imaginable. From there we headed out to take a tour of Manhattan, and New York City.
Monday through Friday, we worked good nine-hour days, up on a roof, in one-hundred degree weather, taking a break after lunch to avoid the worst of it. With two nail guns, four roofing shovels, and six guys, it tool the whole week but we finished the roof. We had to rip off two layers of shingles with about a million nails per square inch, at least it seemed so. That took two days to finish, and one day on replacing rotten wood and boards on the roof and the last two days to shingle it. All the ladies spent there time inside cleaning the walls and repainting them. The other guys in the group did drywall, and electrical stuff. I had my share of roofing for a long time!
On Thursday night we went to the Transformation Life Center, where drug addicts come to detox and hear the word, and be transformed by the word. It was amazing to hear these men shouting their lungs out to the Lord during the worship service, a huge contrast to our subdued, almost inhibited, services. To hear and see the uninhibited hearts of these men praise the God who saved them, put me to shame when I barely raise my voice in song in our services. To hear them shout, instead of sing. To see them cry and lift up their hands. It was plain to see that the Lord was working in them, and through them.
Tom Maharis, the founder and visionary of Citivision Camp, spoke with us on several occasions, and one of those he mentioned, “you are not here to do God’s work, he could have used others, but you are here for God to do a work in you!” That was so true. As we studied the book of James together God put on my heart many things in my life that were out of place. Studying how our faith should be genuine, and how mine is often stuttering, God laid on my heart that week what I needed to hear. There are many more things that I could tell you about that week, but I’d almost have to write a novel. So I will let this suffice.

God bless,
Rob Jordon

A Job!

2007-06-21T20:43:00.000-04:00

well, God blessed me with a Job! I will be a custodian at Davenport University, so I can only go to one week of camp. But that's ok. I understand the need of help there, but I have a better understanding of my responsibilities. to Praise the Lord!

Wow, it's been a while.

2007-06-18T22:30:00.001-04:00

Life has been crazy hectic for me this last year. I've felt that this last her after graduation, I've been stumbling around like a fish out of water, trying to find which way is up. Since then, I've became a member at Michigan Center Bible Church, Fallen in Love with Lyndsey and her family, and have somehow managed to keep my head about, because during this last year, a lot of changes in my life and myself have come about. God has been showing me amazing truths about himself and not so amazing truths about me and my life. How lazy I've been, immature, and sometimes down right selfish. I landed a few Jobs, tho only for a couple months, until I moved back to Jenison.
These last few weeks, I have weighed whats important in my life and seen the things that I have responsibilities for. The greatest is my financial status. Tho to some it may seem a selfish thing to focus on money, I once too thought that. However, I have seen that it is important to be financially stable, especially if I want to start a family, and I do! So needless to say the thought of me and Lyndsey getting married has in every way gotten me more motivated to be more diligent in my Job search.
I cannot count how many places I've applied, it seems to be into the hundreds, without any exaggeration, but for some reason those doors seem closed. Even after countless call backs, interviews, and hopes being given up, those doors have still been shut. It's about now that I start to question God's reasoning behind all of this. I ask him why he's done this to me, put me in this situation, but he doesn't answer. So I keep looking!

So please be praying for me and with me through this hunt to find a needle in a jobless michigan!

God's Awesome Faithfullness

2007-05-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

Many of you who read this have heard of the trip to NYC. Well, unfortunately we were unable to be a part of the Next Level Training. This was due in part because of not that many teens were going. However we are able to join with rest of the church on their trip to Citivision Camp in New York. Just to clear things up, it's the same camp, we were just not going to be involved in the Next Level Training. This means that we will be working with the rest of those from Michigan Center Bible Church to fix up the camp. It's a lot like the work week for Ao-wa-kiya. It's so neat to see the whole church involved in this kind of ministry. Workers young and Old will be volunteering, actually raising support and Paying to work there, to fix it up. However, tho we may be spending most of the week working at the camp we will still get a chance to go into New York City. This will be an Awesome experience!
Because we are not going on the Next Level Training, our cost for the trip has gone down, however it is still a pretty penny. No longer $500, but $200. Still quite a sacrifice. God has been good to me though. Even though I had to quit my Job and move and am now facing quite a financial difficulty God has shown himself Faithful.
The last month has been difficult as hours at work dwindled, and the point of moving out was coming quick. For those that don't know, I was blessed to be able to stay with Lyndsey's(my girlfriend) Parents as she was staying at New Tribes Bible Institute. But as she got done, and was going to move back in, I needed to move. So between the Low hours at work and that whole moving thing, I moved back with my parents in good 'ol Jenison.
Like I said God has been good to me. I had given a $50 deposit for the trip and recieved $25 from a family towards the trip. I had contemplated on not going on the Trip as I needed another $125 that I didn't have. As the Deadline came closer, This Sunday the 3rd, I Prayed earnestly, and God proved himself Faithful through Jenison Bible Church. I received a letter from them with a check enclosed for the amount of, none other than, $125. God is Awesome!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support.
God bless,
Rob Jordon

Missions Trip

2007-03-20T12:28:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Lyndsey and I have been given a great missions opportunity this summer.
June 23 - 30 Michigan Center Bible Church is going to New York for a Missions project at the CitiVision Youth Camp. However the Youth Group has a great opportunity to be a part of CitiVision’s Next Level training. An intense week of training these young people to be pushed outside of their comfort level, and share the Gospel with those in New York City. The homeless, the unloved, the broken, the tired, the weak, the poor, and the abandoned, are the ones that Christ wants to join the family of God. Please be praying for them as MCBC Youth will have an opportunity to share with them, those who smell, those who are dying, those who are starving and thirsty. Pray that this summer they will revive the river of life and the bread of live. Please be praying, also, for me and Lyndsey as we interact with the teens and those on the streets of NYC. You can find more information about CitiVisoin Ministries at www.citivision.org/ministries/nextlevel . We believe God will move in the hearts of the teens and in our hearts as well.

Just as we need your prayers we ask you to prayerfully consider supporting us financially. It will cost $500 per person for this trip. Also please be praying for all individuals who are involved in this trip, including those who live in New York City.

We thank you for your prayers,
Rob Jordon & Lyndsey Matthews

Reminders

2007-02-20T14:59:00.000-05:00

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The Orderly Quaterly

2007-01-08T23:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it's about time I write something huh?

God is still working in my life, I'm struggling with some things in my life, but God has been showing himself in it all. I could use your prayers as far as my relationship with Him. Certain days bring certain struggles and it's hard sometimes to keep in a daily walk. So please pray with me that I'll be more consistent.
The Job I have right now is really good, I am enjoying it, plus it's a good workout lifting and carrying all of those salt bags. On a good day I carry and move about 1 ton of salt, this last Thursday I probably moved 2 tons... that made for a 9 hr day! Come pay day I'll be happy. Some more work is opening up to me there at the water store too, so that'll be nice.
Lyndsey and I are doing great. We're starting to prayerfully consider on what level we will serve the Lord this summer at Camp and possibly a small missions trip to NY with the YouthGroup here at MCBC.

Please continue to pray for us, for our purity before the Lord and for opportunities for him to use us.

God bless,
Rob & Lyndsey

Merry Christmas from Calvin & Hobs

2006-12-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

2006-12-06T16:59:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

Here we go...

2006-11-30T11:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I know it's been a while since I've updated, and a lot has happened. I got hired in to sell vacuums, excuse me the Rainbow, and it was ok had a good chance to make lots of $ but I just didn't jive with it. so, Now I'm looking into 2 other things which seem to be even more promising at getting $ for my work than that vacuum, I mean, Rainbow place. Well God bless and have a good holiday season.

Do your civic duty

2006-11-07T23:01:00.000-05:00

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures. This blog is set up for you, the readers, to comment on my posts. Giving feed back to a writer is like voting on the day that you vote. A Civic duty. SO COMMENT....Please!

2006-11-04T07:36:00.000-05:00

this one found here

36 Point Buck?!?!?!?!

2006-10-28T23:17:00.000-04:00

found here

Deer season is in full swing here in the south. The weather has been wonderful and the rut is just now kicking in.
I've been feeding a herd of them in my backyard. I've seen six does at one time and I know there are more. Yesterday evening, about 6:20, I had a young buck come to my corn feeder. I couldn't tell if he was a spike of a forked horn but he wasn't a shooter either way. I know I have a good buck hanging around because I've seen his track in my garden area and it's large and sinks in deep. I have a McKenzie deer target in the back that I use to practice my bow and it's been knocked down twice and there's a huge chunk out of it where a buck decided he didn't like the competition.
My leg has prevented me from hunting. I did have the chance to go one evening last week. A friend invited me to go with him to his hunting lease. Since I wouldn't have to walk as far, as I usually do where I hunt, I accepted the invitation. He told me about some scrapes he had found along an old logging lane and sure enough they were huge. I found another one about 40 yards into the woods and climbed a tree. My friend was hunting about 200 yards from where I was. At 6:00pm I heard him shoot. We were muzzle-loading. That got me fired up and I knew it was prime time. I sat in the tree until nearly 7:00, when it got too dark to see, and came down. I met my friend as he was coming back to pick up his deer on the 4-wheeler. He had killed a mature doe.
The deer you see in these pictures was killed in Ohio on September 30th of this year. It has an unofficial score of 36 points (over one inch), an inside spread of 25 inches and an outside spread of 32 inches. He was taken with a cross-bow.

If you're a hunter and that doesn't get you fired up then nothing will. I may try to get out this week if all goes well. So, if you want to go bow hunting then give me a shout!

Seen in my posts on missions

2006-10-27T23:12:00.000-04:00

How can you pray for missionaries if you dont know many?

When we talk about missions, there is one thing we all must do. Now, now, if you know me, I’m not going to say you must be missions or die, but pray for it. After all it is the main goal of the church. God didn’t say for us to go into all of our comfort zones preaching the gospel and baptizing those who are saved. He said to go ye into ALL the world, making DISCIPLES of ALL NATIONS…

Hmmm.. don’t get me wrong but hey, we’re doing pretty bad if we aren’t even making disciples in our own churches and “comfort zones” let alone all nations…(that should convict you, if it don’t, then pray hard)

But, you say I’m not the missionary type… Neither was Moses by his own words,

Exo 4:10 But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." 11 Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." 13 But he said, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else."

May I also remind you in the later half of Chapter 3 and the beginning of Chapter 4 God performs mericles, not just giving words, but turning wood into a snake and back, and giving him leprosy and healing him just as quickly and Moses still has the gull to say this…

So if you insist as Moses did that you are not the type to be used by God in extraordinary ways, then here’s what Christ still demands of you…

When talking to his disciples Christ’s words were..
Mat 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Who knows, Maybe God will send an “Aaron” into your life if you can’t handle what he has convicted you of. The Christian life is about service, not self… Christ, not self… Love, not self… hmmmm seems like a pattern…

my thoughts on prayer

2006-10-17T00:52:00.000-04:00

Prayer

What does Prayer Look Like?

Phi 4:6 Never worry about anything, but in every situation let your petitions be made known to God in prayers and requests, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God's peace, which goes far beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - ISV

“There is a care of diligence which is our duty, and agrees with a wise forecast and due concern; but there is a care of fear and distrust, which is sin and folly, and only perplexes and distracts the mind. As a remedy against perplexing care, constant prayer is recommended. Not only stated times for prayer, but in every thing by prayer. We must join thanksgivings with prayers and supplications; not only seek supplies of good, but own the mercies we have received. God needs not to be told our wants or desires; he knows them better than we do; but he will have us show that we value the mercy, and feel our dependence on him. The peace of God, the comfortable sense of being reconciled to God, and having a part in his favour, and the hope of the heavenly blessedness, are a greater good than can be fully expressed. This peace will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus; it will keep us from sinning under troubles, and from sinking under them; keep us calm and with inward satisfaction.” -Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, Philippians 4:6-7

“saints should not be anxiously, or in a distressing manner concerned for the things of this world, but be content, whether they have less or more; nor be over much pressed with what befalls them, but should cast their care upon the Lord, and carry every case to him, and leave it there:”

“with thanksgiving; for mercies received; for a man can never come to the throne of grace, to ask for grace and mercy, but he has mercies to bless God for, and so to do is very acceptable to God; nor can a person expect to succeed in the enjoyment of future mercies, when he is not thankful for past and present ones: in this manner therefore, at all times, upon every occasion, in a way of humble petition and supplication, joined with thankfulness for all favours,” - John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, Phil 4:6

“Be careful for nothing - That is, be not anxious or solicitous about the things of the present life. The word used here - μεριμνᾶτε merimnate - does not mean that we are to exercise no care about worldly matters - no care to preserve our property, or to provide for our families (compare 1Ti_5:8); but that there is to be such confidence in God as to free the mind from anxiety, and such a sense of dependence on him as to keep it calm; see the subject explained in the notes on Mat_6:25.”

“Let your request be made known unto God - Not as if you were to give him information, but to express to him your wants. God needs not to be informed of our necessities, but he requires that we come and express them to him; compare Eze_36:37. ‘thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.’” - Selected paragraphs from Albert Barnes’ notes on the Bible, Phil 4:6

Be anxious for nothing?
What does that mean for me?

Mat 6:25-34 "That's why I'm telling you to stop worrying about your life-what you will eat or what you will drink-or about your body-what you will wear. Life is more than food, isn't it, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you? 27 Can any of you add a single hour to your span of life by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Consider the lilies in the field and how they grow. They don't work or spin yarn, 29 but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better-you who have little faith? 31 "So don't ever worry by saying, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear?' 32 For it is the gentiles who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them! 33 But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well. 34 So never worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

If God knows everything, then why pray?

Mount Sinai:
Exo 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you." 11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'" 14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

Why does God want us to pray?
- To change our attitude into one that is learnable, teachable
- To Teach us about:
- His Character
- His Plan
- His Timing

How does Rom. 12:1-3 fit into this?

Does Prayer, then, in a way, prepare us for Christian living, or in other words, prepare us mentally, emotionally, spiritually for service?

So God uses Prayer to Change out Attitude into one of servitude, and teaches us his will through it.

Prayer is the key behind the Christian life. Weather it is victory over sin, facing rough times, or needing a payment for a bill. Prayer is more than a piggy bank of investment. It is God’s tool to change his people, to show his children who he is, and to get them to need him.

So what do un-answered prayers mean?

My Opinion

So, why do we worry so much? Because we don’t have anything in control, but when we come to the realization that God is in control of every aspect of our lives, not only realizing but Giving up our lives to God’s control, that is when God’s peace, through the holy spirit, fills our hearts and lives to the point of abundant joy. This Joy in return is what the world will see in our lives that shows Christ‘s Life in us.

I would like to suggest that God through his infinite sovereignty, knows our troubles far beyond what we can comprehend. And Dare I say that He sees them as miniscule, compared to the task of keeping the universe from self implosion. Then what is the great need of “repeating” these needs to God if he knows them more intimately then we do? It is not for his sake or benefit, but for ours. So that we may know him more in all things.

The importance of prayer is for our walk with God. With out it, we would not see our need of Him, our lives would be chaotically destroyed by hectic disasters. Without prayer we would not know God’s character manifested to us through his providential answers to our prayers, or the results of un-answered prayers.

Far too often we, as Christians, tend to focus more on the needs at hand in our prayers, than he Giver of Life. We tend to focus more on our situations than what God has to teach us. God always answers our prayers, and I’m not just saying he says; “yes”, “no”, and “wait” God, in my opinion answers prayers on a level of institute and spiritual growth.

Example; Relative is dying of cancer; we pray that God will heal them and get the cancer out. Relative dies, we curse God and say he never answered our prayer. God teaches us later that our relative suffered and died to get us to realize our need to share the Gospel with everyone, or that this relative died securely knowing the peace of God.

God always tends to see things on a much bigger plane than we do. We tend to focus so much on the here and now, physical world, that we miss, so often, God’s will and plan in it all. So much so that sometimes we even miss Him in it all.

So why does God tell us to pray? There are many answers, the biggest one to remember is that he wants You to know Him more.

How strong is your faith

2006-10-09T12:08:00.000-04:00

Another anti-Christ for sure, one who has deceived millions. How strong do you stand in your faith. Strong enough not to be led by a man apart from God? Click

here

to see a heart stopping video of this anti-Christ.

Life as we know it...

2006-10-09T08:37:00.000-04:00

I've been reading the Complete Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford, and here are some quotes that stood out to me.

-"'So often in the battle,' says Austin-Sparks, 'we go to the Lord, and pray, and plead, and appeal for victory, for ascendancy, for master over the forces of evil and death, and our thought is that in some way the Lord is going to come in with a might exercise of power and put us into a place of victory and spiritual ascendancy as in an act. We must have this mentality corrected. What the Lord does is to enlarge us to possess. He puts us through some exercise, through some experience, takes us by some way that means our spiritual expansion, and exercise of spirituality so we occupy the larger place spontaneously. 'I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out before thee, until thou be increased'(Ex. 23:29,30).'" pg 9

-"If I am to be like Him, then God in his grace must do it, and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner I will be delivered from another form of bondage. Throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from his likeness. What shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, you cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. You have been in the arena, you have been endeavoring, you are a failure, come out and sit down, and as you sit there behold him, look at him, don't try to be like him, just look at him. Just be occupied with him. Forget about trying to be like him. Instead of that filling your mind in heart, let him fill it. Just behold him, look upon him through the Word. Come to the Word for one purpose and that is to meet the Lord. Not to get your mind crammed full of the things of the sacred Word, but come to it to meet the Lord. Make it to be a medium, not of Biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. Behold the Lord." pg 16-17

More to come later

needs in america?

2006-10-06T08:51:00.000-04:00

"I have but one candle to burn, and would rather burn it out where people are dying in darkness than in a land which is flooded with lights." -Anonymous Missionary

is anyone out there?!?!?!?!

2006-10-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

well, um leave comments people! the word Comments at the bottom of each post, yeah um thats for you all to click on and comment. you can comment about anything... just be nice ok?

COMMENT!!!!!!

Blog Sale

2006-10-04T13:59:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to sell my Paintball Markers, anyone interested in it let me know.

Tippmann 98

olive drab, 3 position stock, custom designed and made drop forward, 14" 32* Night Stick barrel and the 6" stock barrel, rocket cock action cover. comes with 200rnd hopper, gun/equipment case, 12oz Co2 tank, anti-fog/dirt spray, barrel condom, tournament fingerless gloves, 10" barrel squeegee, 2-100rn pods with pack and military belt, 2 Allen wrench sets - metric & standard, Xtra O-rings, Tippmann 98 gun manual, spare parts.
asking $275

View Loader Revelation

With 200rnd View Loader hopper and 9oz tank
This marker’s air system does not work properly, needs to be fixed.
Asking $20

Amazing foot skills

2006-10-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

This kid can school us all!

I want to play like a pro!

To drink or not to drink?.....

2006-09-17T17:56:00.000-04:00

This weekend provided an opportunity for myself to see into the lives of others, an “in” as you’d say. This is a True story, told from my point of view, read it, enjoy it, but please learn from it.

The situation: Riding in a Limo with a wedding party who are drinking up a storm

The story: Well, it all happened like this….

As the wedding bells rung, and the choir sung, the bride and groom dashed out the door to the sight of the bridal party awaiting with a limo to whisk off the newlywed couple. Behind the lens of a camera I am a guest into their lives as they take me along for the ride. Accompanied by my amazing girlfriend, who was, by the way, a bridesmaid. As the ride started off, the mood was light and filled with laughter that cluttered the tightly packed limo. The first thing I noticed was a couple of liquor bottles emerging from the pockets of the groomsmen. A drink in celebration no less, was the next course of action. Soon as the Junior bridesmaid and groomsmen where departed a “necessary” stop was made at the local Polly’s. There was purchased two travelers of candy liquor and a large bottle liquor-wine, but remember this is all in addition to the 3 bottles that were already present.

As the photographer I hid snugly behind the camera with no one to see me, but no sooner did my best friend, who is my girlfriend get offered a drink of liquor. As she politely said no they taunted her again, and yet again she politely said no, adding I don’t want to. Like a production ballet, her poise and gracefulness, danced upon their ears as her words were heard. I could see what most cannot, the lives that are ridden by the bondage of alcohol. As the stench of drinks fill the stuffy air, the vulgarity grew even more. The Lightened mood shifted to one that was crude, and still they passed the bottles. Everyone joined in to taste a bit of each kind that was passed from hand to hand. No matter what the age all took part, but me, my girlfriend, and another. Drunken looks where plastered on faces, the fun the laughter, were quickly replaced.

From behind the camera I peered out, to see a stunning girl who remained faithful. Then she leaned over to whisper in my ear, something that everyone aught to hear.

“Thank you for not drinking”

My excuse was the lens in front of me, but she was as pure as the crystal morning air. An example to all, a blessing to me. What would you do if you where she?

New Life, New lessons

2006-09-17T17:32:00.000-04:00

Life with the Matthews has been a life long dreamed of, but still with it's surprises, mistakes, forgiveness. Today in church I was thinking a lot about the time I spent w/ the Matthews, thinking a lot about all the things that has been happening all around me these last few days, when I first started living here, and everything in-between, including today. God is using this family in my life to show me more about who he is. It's amazing to see God's forgiveness flow through these people, God's love shared with me, God's kindness and wisdom imparted on me. I think sometimes I'm not worthy to live here, to be with them, I have failed them so many times in so many things. But they ask nothing of me, maybe to drive them somewhere when they can't or cut the grass when incapacitated, still showing God's grace through it all. and Though I feel unworthy, it is not I who has earned this place among friends and family(that they have become to me), but their grace and kindness that has allowed me to stay. Just as We have not in any way earned what we have in Christ, but yet we have it all abundantly because of what Christ has done on our behalf. and nothing that we can do to change it, though there are some that I can do to receive a quick exit from this house. But still, Getting the picture? When i compare the similarities of this family to Christ, it makes me so jealous, and i seek to somehow "achieve" this excellence that this family is displaying in front of my eyes. But It is not they, but Christ himself, working through their lives, for ME!!! It amazes me when i see God use me in others lives, but yet even more when he uses my girlfriends family in a way where I feel that I am living with Christ himself.

with forgiveness, comes regret and opportunities to learn, desires to change, and a heart that yearns. hoping that I will use these opportunities to grow in Christ.

So as i was sitting in Church this morning, I had realized that God is so amazing that he goes beyond our scope of understanding to get at the impenetrable point inside of us, ME, to tap into our lives, to speak softly to our hearts so that with everything around us he may bless us abundantly, incredibly, and magnificently beyond our every thought or dream.

Yay!

2006-09-15T13:17:00.001-04:00

Ok, I figured out most of it, so i'm happy, the background pict isn't as big as i want it to be, but that's Photobuckets stupid retarded problem. well have a good day.

Updates

2006-09-14T14:18:00.000-04:00

Well, it's about time I updated my Blog. I can't decide on the template that i like best, because the one i like does not have a link section in the side bar, and the one i'm using now has the side bar on the right instead of the left...
well you know what they say, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Yeah um, not much else is new. Trying to find some part time work for some spending money.

complaints transform to prayers....

2006-09-05T01:55:00.000-04:00

soo, I'm so freekin frustrated(FF'd) right now. thinking of all the crap i need to sort out. Then (someone) thinks that she knows enough to tell me that I should wait(more than two more years) before i get married, and that if it were to happen in 3 yrs that its NTBI talk... GRRRRRRRR I"M FLIPPIN FF'd!!!!!!!! i just want to slap her(as a good loving friend would do)!!!!!!! She has no clue what NTBI relationships are... let me explain, boy meets girl somewhere at the first half of the first semester, engaged over winter break, married summer break, not even one whole year, get the picture, not meet, be friends for 6mnths, date a year, engaged for 4-5mths!!!! (2yrs) And I don’t and can’t wait another 2 yrs….

I have to do a million different things, and keep track of them all in high detail, meanwhile my brain is subtly going to overload and blow up!

So, ummm, please pray
-for my salvation,
-my sanctification,
-and my mental fortitude.
-For the $ and Equipment I need for my business.
-For patience as God is definitely trying to teach me something, and that I would be willing to learn what it is that he would have me to learn.
-For this job at U of M to come thru.
-For a vehicle so I can work.
-For a love so I can love others when all I focus on is my problems.
-For my love for Christ and his word.

So I say to you civilian, What do you think my life is about? Chaotic wreckage, or divine providence? You decide!

2006-09-04T20:24:00.000-04:00

Well today, we went to lansing and I picked up some pants and a shirt.
nothing exciting. Hey dave if you read this send me an e-mail.

God bless

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life....

2006-09-03T04:19:00.000-04:00

Well, as it seems, life is so interesting, except when it keeps you up all night. Frustration and no willingness for communication on the other end, are just a few of the things that flood my mind tonight, well this morning... feels like I’m being blackmailed, forced into complacency, into a mindless submission to what should be a personal transaction. so far from what I imagined, my business is turning into a nightmare. Without a willingness to ask and to negotiate unless done so like a pirating threat. Maybe I’m just thinking about this too much, but maybe, just maybe, I’m right.. So What do I do? What is to come of this? I do not want to make this into a big deal for the customer, for fear that I would be alienated, considering, that they are a family friend. They aren’t saved, so what effect should that have on my actions… My thoughts…
Well, these same thoughts mill over and over in my head, what say ye?

my art for you

2006-09-01T12:48:00.000-04:00