Month: July 2010

It’s hard to believe, but there really are only two weeks left of camp.  Where did the summer go, and why do the summers seem to be getting shorter as I get older?  Today was a day.  I spent the morning doing facilities stuff and this afternoon in my office.  I guess that’s all I have to say about that.

Psalm 130:7-8 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

II Chronicles 29 The kingdom of Judah rose and fell basically at the heart of its king. If the king feared and obeyed God the whole country was blessed. If the king disobeyed God the whole country was punished. What were the people doing? Did they just blindly follow whatever the king did? How much power/responsibility do those in positions of authority have for the spiritual condition of those they are over?

It was a long day today. I spent all day trying to figure out this whole captive portal thing and I finally realized that I was not going to get it to work from our router. So I went and downloaded firmware for our wireless AP and updated that instead. I finally got it working this evening, so I’ll see if I can get the portal thing working tomorrow. It had better be worth it, is all I can say. So I guess it’s been a productive day, but not as much as I would have hoped.

I just had two totally unrelated thoughts.  1.  Most of the people I know will have no idea what this post is talking about.  2.  I think it’s time I got an e-reader.  I’m leaning towards a Nook, but I’ve got to come up with the money.

II Chronicles 27 I wonder why some of these kings get so little written about them. I find myself wanting more details. Especially the good kings whom God blessed.

Today was good. This morning was a bit rough, but God helped me through it. I asked Him for a new heart. He didn’t give me one (I won’t really be getting that till heaven) but He did give my current one a much needed boost. After that my body got a much needed nap, and even though I was still tired the rest of the day it was ok. This evening we had a small LAN party in my office and played UT 2004. It was glorious. I really do miss LAN parties. Oh well. Warren will be gone this week, so I get to keep the summer staff busy. He gave me a list. It might be a bit tough, especially since I’m going to have a lot of computer stuff to do this week. I hope my parts get here soon.  I would explain that last statement (which parts are coming and for what) but this is getting long already.

Psalms 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Proverbs 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

And so the battle lines are drawn. Two mutually exclusive world views, both to the other an abomination. Things will become more divided than they are now, and though I’m on the winning side, I will also be on the smaller one. Father forgive me, but I have no desire to be persecuted. Should it come please give me the strength to stand firm, but I would really prefer it not come at all.

II Chronicles 26 How often, we start well, God blesses us, is with us, and we let the success go to our heads and fall. I wonder sometimes if one of the reasons camp seems to always struggle with money/camper numbers is God knows we are not ready and could not handle “success”.

For a working weekend, today went really well. I spent all day getting an intranet set up for the Arrowhead students. I’m still not done yet. I’ll spend part of the day on it tomorrow as well. I had a good day, but I got a bit frustrated with the computer stuff. It isn’t working the way I think it should, and I’m running into issues that I don’t know how to deal with. I learned some things, but I haven’t been able to figure it out yet.

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

Why? God is truth. If I am seeking God, I will inevitably find truth. Truth understands lies. The light can comprehend the darkness, but neither lies or darkness can understand truth and light.

So I spent most of today working on computer stuff.  Mike couldn’t print to our copier, and I couldn’t figure out why.  I think I’ve got it now.  Then I spent all afternoon getting a server setup and wired for our college students/summer staff.  I’ll finish that tomorrow.  That is the short version of my day.  I’m still more tired than I should be (especially considering how early I’ve been getting to bed).  Oh well.

Psalm 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

This is comforting, I don’t know why, but I feel in need of comfort.

Today was good.  I had fun, and my tasks were enjoyable.  It is amazing what a difference that makes in my day.  I figured out that my work PC has bad memory (who knew two memory modules could go bad at the same time?), and the vga cable in the Bears tooth Dining hall went bad.  That took most of the morning.  Then this afternoon my facilities crew and I took down the big yellow tent we use for Super Summer, set up the Bears tooth for supper, and then helped the kitchen get supper out.  This evening a bunch of the summer staff and I just hung out.  We are all getting pretty tired, which makes for a lot of laughter.  I’m wiped right now, so when this is done I’m going to bed.

Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

What an incredible thing to try and comprehend.

Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

I usually am cautious about compliments, especially if they seem to come to often. A lot of times they seem to be empty flattery.

I weed whacked today.  I tried to re-install Windows XP on my work computer.  I tried to run SimCity 4 in wine.  I am still tired.  Johnson’s get back tomorrow, so this is my last night house sitting for them.  That is sad, but inevitable.

Proverbs 25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

Constantly trying to comfort and encourage people who are down is not always a good thing. I am convinced (and I could be wrong) that it really is ok to be discouraged or sad. Life is hard, any one who says different is lying. Heaviness of heart shouldn’t be a constant thing, but I’m not sure in and of itself it is bad (bad as in sinful).

Last week was Super Summer.  Long days, late nights, not much rest.  One of the biggest problems with doing devotions at night, is when you start work at 6:30 a.m. and don’t stop till 11 or 12 p.m. you tend to go to bed right away.  At least I do.  So the one week out of the summer when I need to spend time with God the most is the one week of the summer I don’t.  Very foolish.  Well, the week is done, and for a Super Summer I thought it went very well.

We went tubing down the Stillwater yesterday.   That was fun, but rather cold, and then in the evening we had home made ice cream at the Barnard’s.  As usual it was glorious.  I have to admit when it comes to ice cream I’m a glutton.

Proverbs 24:29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

How often in my heart I desire to do this.

I really had a bad day.  Nothing really happened, but my attitude has sucked.  Really really sucked.  The worst part is I’m not sure why.  I spent some time with God, and it got a bit better this evening, but this is not the way to start this week.

Proverbs 23:18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

There is an end. I will not be here forever. One day soon I will go home, and my hope will not prove false. Thank You Father.

II Chronicles 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise the beauty of holiness. I don’t think I’ve ever thought of holiness as beautiful. Huh.

Chapter 20 is such a beautiful example of letting God fight the battle. How often I meddle, thinking I know better, unwilling to trust. Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

So why, the week before our biggest camp of the summer do we have septic field problems?  In two days we will have 350-400 people here, and they are all going to want to use the bathroom.  Bummer.  Well, such is life.  Today was a varied day.  I peeled logs, moved sprinklers, fixed a battery powered electric fence zapper (that is the technical term for it), and worked on the septic field.  Family camp officially ended, and Super Summer people will start arriving tomorrow.

II Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

There is no one righteous, yet there are good things found in king Jehoshaphat (and to top it off he didn’t have the Holy Spirit). I really do believe that people can do good things. I believe that unsaved people can do good things. I don’t think the definition of good changes because of your eternal status. I also believe that while these good things please God, they don’t save us. As far as I can tell (granted my understanding is extremely limited) this isn’t an UN-Biblical belief.