I passed my Network+ test on Friday. As of now, I am now unofficially officially certified. I just have to wait for the paperwork to arrive in the mail.
The Sharks won tonight. That new goalie they're using is putting in a good show.
A friend of mine turned me on to Bob Dylan's music recently. He's got some good lyrics, and some good messages.
That's all for now, folks.
bIsh
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Thursday Night
I went hiking on Saturday with a friend of mine, in a place called Quicksilver Park. We started hiking at about 7am, in a nice fog. After climbing a couple hundred feet we emerged from the fog. We hiked way up to the top of a hill and looked down on the valley below. It was beautiful - a thick blanket of fog was resting gently on everthing, and the sun was shining down on all. That view was worth getting up for on my day off. I'm glad I took a camera along. I am very thankful that I live in a place where I can get away from the city whenever I want to.
Yeah, we have some nice hills around here, and some nice wildlife. We (same friend as above) saw a bobcat a couple weeks ago. He was hiding in some tall grass, and I didn't see him until my friend pointed him out. We walked by him and he looked almost like a regular domestic cat. However, when he stood up and bounded away I could tell he was larger. He disappeared into the tall grass and trees. We saw a lot of deer that day, too - two or three of them had nice antler sets. I've noticed that I tend to see more wildlife toward late afternoon and evening. When we hiked up in the morning on Saturday we saw several rabbits. I've seen turkey up there, too. A few months ago we saw a large rattler in the same hills. They say there are mountain lions, but I've never seen one.
Get out there and climb your mountain!
bIsh
Yeah, we have some nice hills around here, and some nice wildlife. We (same friend as above) saw a bobcat a couple weeks ago. He was hiding in some tall grass, and I didn't see him until my friend pointed him out. We walked by him and he looked almost like a regular domestic cat. However, when he stood up and bounded away I could tell he was larger. He disappeared into the tall grass and trees. We saw a lot of deer that day, too - two or three of them had nice antler sets. I've noticed that I tend to see more wildlife toward late afternoon and evening. When we hiked up in the morning on Saturday we saw several rabbits. I've seen turkey up there, too. A few months ago we saw a large rattler in the same hills. They say there are mountain lions, but I've never seen one.
Get out there and climb your mountain!
bIsh
Friday, October 21, 2005
Friday Musings
Today is the 26th anniversary of one of my youngest sister's birth. She only lived about 8 days, October 21 to 26, 1979. 26 years have passed, and I still think of her sometimes, and sometimes I wonder where she would be today, what she would be doing. I have another sister, two brothers, and two parents. I wonder if they ever think about her, or what her life might have been - I've never discussed it with them. 26 years. So many possibilities, so many potentialities. I like to think that she's in Heaven, that all babies go to Heaven, but that's not really in the Bible. It's a nice thought, but there's not really any Scriptural support for it. I know that God is sovereign, and His will is perfect. I trust in Him.
I'm reading a biography of Crazy Horse. It's a fascinating story. In fact, the book is so interesting I'm reading it for the second time. It's different to see things from the perspective of the Sioux/Lakota. I never really saw the conflict from their side before. From what I've read, it seems that things would have turned out a lot differently if the Sioux had been able to remain united against the U.S. government. They might not have prevailed in the end, but the outcome would have been more favorable to them, I think. It would be interesting to write a story about what might have been.
Tomorrow is another day.
bIsh
I'm reading a biography of Crazy Horse. It's a fascinating story. In fact, the book is so interesting I'm reading it for the second time. It's different to see things from the perspective of the Sioux/Lakota. I never really saw the conflict from their side before. From what I've read, it seems that things would have turned out a lot differently if the Sioux had been able to remain united against the U.S. government. They might not have prevailed in the end, but the outcome would have been more favorable to them, I think. It would be interesting to write a story about what might have been.
Tomorrow is another day.
bIsh
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Lonely Thoughts
I've been feeling kind of down tonight - lonely. I spend a lot of time alone, but I only rarely feel lonely. Tonight, though, I was craving some social interaction, talking to people and interacting. This will pass. I know that I'm never truly alone - God is always with me. I would like to meet more people, gain some true friends. I have a lot of acquaintances, but only about 4 or 5 real friends. As I said, most of the time it doesn't bother me - I'm thankful for the friends I have - but sometimes I miss being around people. I like people - I just don't know enough of yet.
bIsh
bIsh
Saturday, October 15, 2005
One True Bible Translation?
Lately I've encountered some groups who claim that the 1611 King James Bible is the only valid Bible translation. I even read a statement on one website that said the 1611 King James is the "exact Words of God". When I read, or hear, statements like that my first reaction is, "Does that mean that God speaks 1611 King James english? Wasn't the Bible written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek?"Our God is above all language and nationality and time. The Gospel message transcends all language and nationality and time. In my opinion, people who focus too much on language are focusing on the wrong thing.
Why do some people insist that the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation? Is it because it sounds more authoritative and formal? What some people apparently forget is that in 1611, the KJV was written in the common language of the day. Is it because it's old, and therefore not corrupt like all modern things? Is it because of tradition? Do some people assume that the older a translation is the more pure it is? If that is the case, why stop at 1611? Why not go back to the Geneva Bible of 1560? Why not go back to Tyndale's New Testament, or the Great Bible? The Geneva was the Bible of the reformers, and it was the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America. Interestingly, in its day, the 1611 King James was considered a corruption of the Geneva Bible. It is, in fact, based largely on the Geneva Bible.
If the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation, what does that mean for people who don't read or speak English? Does this mean that they cannot hear God's Word in their language? I am reminded of what a missinary to Russia said in my church, "People ask me what version of the Bible the Russians use. I tell them that they use the Russian version. Then these people ask me which one? The Russian version. There is no King James or NIV in Russian. There is THE Russian version." In other words, there was only one Russian version of the Bible when this missionary spoke in our church. We Enlgish speakers are blessed to have many different versions of the Bible. Many other languages do not have this choice available to them. This blessing also brings with it grave responsibility. We must be careful that the Bible we read is a valid, accurate translation of God's Word.
Today there are a lot of English Bibles, and more are added as time goes by. It's true that there are some really poor Bible translations out there, and there are some that are really good. There was a new translation released recently called the SMS Version. It is intended for mobile phone and messaging services. Here's a quote from Genesis 1:1, "In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth." Hmmm... One tranlation that gets a lot of publicity is the Message. I advise you to steer clear of this one, and steer clear of those who quote, or teach, from it. The Message is, in my opinion, a watered-down paraphrase of a poor translation. It seems to have been written for the liberal preachers and feel-good easy-believeism of our day.
Right now I'm using the Holman Christian Standard Bible as my main Bible. It was well researched and it is in modern language. The messages of the Bible are not watered-down or distorted. As far asI can tell, and my research shows, it is a good, valid, modern English Bible. I also like the New American Standard, and I use a King James, also. I like the King James, but I am against the idea that it is the only valid Bible translation. I tend to stay away from the NIV, but I don't really have anything against it - I just don't prefer it. I do tend to prefer Bibles that are more formal inlanguage. On my PDA I have several versions of the Bible, includingthe ASV, Rotherham, Darby (considered by many to be one of the most accurate English translations), KJV, Literal Version, MKJV, World English Bible, Bible in Basic English, Weymouth New Testament,Young's Literal Translation, and part of the Geneva Bible. It is handy to have all of these available for comparison.
So what's my message in all of this? Choose your Bible carefully.There are a lot of good Bible translations available to us today. When in doubt, go with a trusted, respected translation of the Bible. And remember Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart."
Bish
A good resource on the Web for Bible translations is www.Biblegateway.com. They have Bibles in many languages and translations. However, they do not have the Geneva Bible. TheGeneva can be found at http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html .
Why do some people insist that the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation? Is it because it sounds more authoritative and formal? What some people apparently forget is that in 1611, the KJV was written in the common language of the day. Is it because it's old, and therefore not corrupt like all modern things? Is it because of tradition? Do some people assume that the older a translation is the more pure it is? If that is the case, why stop at 1611? Why not go back to the Geneva Bible of 1560? Why not go back to Tyndale's New Testament, or the Great Bible? The Geneva was the Bible of the reformers, and it was the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America. Interestingly, in its day, the 1611 King James was considered a corruption of the Geneva Bible. It is, in fact, based largely on the Geneva Bible.
If the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation, what does that mean for people who don't read or speak English? Does this mean that they cannot hear God's Word in their language? I am reminded of what a missinary to Russia said in my church, "People ask me what version of the Bible the Russians use. I tell them that they use the Russian version. Then these people ask me which one? The Russian version. There is no King James or NIV in Russian. There is THE Russian version." In other words, there was only one Russian version of the Bible when this missionary spoke in our church. We Enlgish speakers are blessed to have many different versions of the Bible. Many other languages do not have this choice available to them. This blessing also brings with it grave responsibility. We must be careful that the Bible we read is a valid, accurate translation of God's Word.
Today there are a lot of English Bibles, and more are added as time goes by. It's true that there are some really poor Bible translations out there, and there are some that are really good. There was a new translation released recently called the SMS Version. It is intended for mobile phone and messaging services. Here's a quote from Genesis 1:1, "In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth." Hmmm... One tranlation that gets a lot of publicity is the Message. I advise you to steer clear of this one, and steer clear of those who quote, or teach, from it. The Message is, in my opinion, a watered-down paraphrase of a poor translation. It seems to have been written for the liberal preachers and feel-good easy-believeism of our day.
Right now I'm using the Holman Christian Standard Bible as my main Bible. It was well researched and it is in modern language. The messages of the Bible are not watered-down or distorted. As far asI can tell, and my research shows, it is a good, valid, modern English Bible. I also like the New American Standard, and I use a King James, also. I like the King James, but I am against the idea that it is the only valid Bible translation. I tend to stay away from the NIV, but I don't really have anything against it - I just don't prefer it. I do tend to prefer Bibles that are more formal inlanguage. On my PDA I have several versions of the Bible, includingthe ASV, Rotherham, Darby (considered by many to be one of the most accurate English translations), KJV, Literal Version, MKJV, World English Bible, Bible in Basic English, Weymouth New Testament,Young's Literal Translation, and part of the Geneva Bible. It is handy to have all of these available for comparison.
So what's my message in all of this? Choose your Bible carefully.There are a lot of good Bible translations available to us today. When in doubt, go with a trusted, respected translation of the Bible. And remember Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart."
Bish
A good resource on the Web for Bible translations is www.Biblegateway.com. They have Bibles in many languages and translations. However, they do not have the Geneva Bible. TheGeneva can be found at http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html .
Thursday, October 06, 2005
More on Joel Osteen
Well, I've done some research on this Joel Osteen character, and I have come to believe that he is no preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He preaches the all-too-common false gospel of self-esteem and easy-believeism. If you want to hear the Word of God preached, don't go to him. There's enough information on Osteen already that I don't need to re-create it all here, but here's a link to someone who has done some good research and writing about Joel. For more information, do a Google search.
Along the same lines, here's a link to a well-written article concerning the New Age Movement creeping into the Christian Church. Read and keep your eyes open, friends. More than ever, we need to stay in the Word and know what it says.
Peace to you.
bIsh
Along the same lines, here's a link to a well-written article concerning the New Age Movement creeping into the Christian Church. Read and keep your eyes open, friends. More than ever, we need to stay in the Word and know what it says.
Peace to you.
bIsh
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Second Post
Ok, here goes my second post. I guess I'll just dive on in. The Sharks lost tonight - season opener - 3 to 2. I was a bit disappointed, as they were ahead 2 to 1 when I was able to listen to the game. But that's the way it goes. It's just hockey.
I was reading an interview with Joel Osteen, reportedly the pastor of the largest congregation in America. Hmmm... From his answers in the interview, I've got to wonder how close he sticks to the Truth of God's Word, and how much he waters it down (or avoids it completely). I should do some more research on him.
The job's going ok, for a job. Don't get me wrong, I like the people I work with, but it's still a job. There are other things I'd rather be doing with my time.
I just got back from a trip to Long Beach, CA, for business. Traffic on I-5 was actually pretty good. It was possibly the smoothest, freeest-flowing drive I've taken on that freeway. The one annoyance I have is the way the truck drivers pass each other. I know they have to get where they are going - same as everyone else - but I wish they would not pull out suddenly into the fast lane when there's a lot of traffic. I know, that's just a part of life, and I can deal with it.
A good friend turned against me in late August; unilaterally cut our bond of fellowship. I still think about it, and it still hurts a bit. But I know life goes on, and I know that God is sovereign. He will never leave me or forsake me. Amen.
Until next time, I am Bish.
I was reading an interview with Joel Osteen, reportedly the pastor of the largest congregation in America. Hmmm... From his answers in the interview, I've got to wonder how close he sticks to the Truth of God's Word, and how much he waters it down (or avoids it completely). I should do some more research on him.
The job's going ok, for a job. Don't get me wrong, I like the people I work with, but it's still a job. There are other things I'd rather be doing with my time.
I just got back from a trip to Long Beach, CA, for business. Traffic on I-5 was actually pretty good. It was possibly the smoothest, freeest-flowing drive I've taken on that freeway. The one annoyance I have is the way the truck drivers pass each other. I know they have to get where they are going - same as everyone else - but I wish they would not pull out suddenly into the fast lane when there's a lot of traffic. I know, that's just a part of life, and I can deal with it.
A good friend turned against me in late August; unilaterally cut our bond of fellowship. I still think about it, and it still hurts a bit. But I know life goes on, and I know that God is sovereign. He will never leave me or forsake me. Amen.
Until next time, I am Bish.
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