11011 - A birthday entry - 11011

Today, I turn 0x1B.

In our household, the celebrant is expected to provide a list of suggested gift items and select one restaurant for a dine-out meal, one home-cooked meal, and one dessert.

I didn't bother with asking for any gifts ahead of time; although, when pressed I gave a simply obtained suggestion. Let them be creative this time. They've given me some entertaining surprises at Christmas a few times. Like a card game called Three Dragons Ante. Or that set of neodymium ball magnets. Perhaps there will be another gem this time. We will see.

Mother also had to press me to pick the meals for the "birthday" dinners. The dine-out is going to be pushed off till Sunday since everyone is in-and-out all the time, myself included. The home meal will be today, but with a small complication to my enjoyment. I am scheduled to work all evening.

I do get to sneak home for dinner, but I won't have a chance to play a board game or anything else. (Earlier in the day doesn't work due to the other people having their own jobs and such, in case anyone is wondering.) And I have to hop in to bed once I do get home since I have a mid-morning shift tomorrow.

When will the presents and dessert be? I don't know yet. (I also haven't officially picked the dessert. *chuckle*)

Happy 033rd birthday to me.

(Does anyone know a good notation for base-12 numbers?)
  • cyber_space_cadet
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    Enjoy your celebration/s. :)
    by cyber_space_cadet at 04/04/13 10:59AM
  • sirtarin
    Happy Birthday!
    by sirtarin at 04/04/13 11:35AM
  • tryphena
    Happy Birthday! April 4 = good birthdate.
    by tryphena at 04/04/13 12:03PM
  • sirtorin
    Hope you had a happy birthday! Sad to say it that way, but, unless I'm mistaken, I only saw you at dinnertime. =P
    by sirtorin at 04/05/13 5:30PM
  • zsha_zsha
    Happy Belated Birthday! ;)
    by zsha_zsha at 04/22/13 3:00PM

The Land of Opportunity

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

(Daniel 2:21 NKJV)

As God's people, we know that God is in charge of the nations.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

(Romans 8:28 NKJV)

God Knows what we need, and he provides us the opportunity to get it.

"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.'"

(Jeremiah 24:5-7 NKJV)

What we need might be hardship. Here in America, we've had an easy life for decades.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.

(Hebrews 12:1-15 NKJV)

Make note of that last sentence. We need to be holy, dedicated to God, and we need to help others finish the race with us.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 NKJV)

I have little doubt that the United States are in for some rough times. I am not sure how fast the trouble will come down on us. This nation may not survive the next decade; the world itself might not.

When I watched Monumental, I came away with a realization: changing the course of this or any country is not about the election. It has always been about the people. We the people left the Bible, and this nation is dying as a result.

The life or death of nations is unimportant for God's people. We have an everlasting kingdom. The United States of America can return to prosperity or be ground into dust; this does not matter. God's people have a mission; we have had a mission since our founding.

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

(2 Corinthians 5:9-11 NKJV)

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

(Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV)

The nice part about being a Christian is that the worse the world around us, the greater our opportunity to grow in Christ.

  • cyber_space_cadet
    Quite Right.
    by cyber_space_cadet at 11/07/12 10:09PM
  • sallyanne
    I'm just glad that my King is ulitmately in charge :)
    by sallyanne at 11/14/12 8:16PM
  • cyber_space_cadet
    Exactly.

    Your observation about the election vs. the people is so very accurate and astute. When you think about it, the election is a reflection OF the people and where they are, so it always has to start with the people, not with making sure that an election goes this way or that. If the people are Right, the election will reflect that. Otherwise...well...we can all see what we end up with. :-/ (Not that I was an enormous Romney fan, but I definitely thought he was a better option than More of the Same but on Steroids.)

    A young lady who is a friend of ours and is a Christian but leans somewhat in the liberal direction said this (to Andrew and me) recently: "I'm almost convinced that, if Romney had supported abortion and homosexuality, he would have won the election." She said this in a somewhat disappointed fashion, which encouraged us that she is beginning to see the choices our nation is making for what they really are. On the other hand, the DIScouraging part is how correct her assessment really seems.
    by cyber_space_cadet at 12/27/12 1:34PM
  • bookworm14
    Interesting thoughts.
    by bookworm14 at 01/16/13 12:29PM
  • celiac
    Good points.
    When the USA collapses, the continent will (hopefully) still be here. We have our mission through our sovereign to fufill.
    It is hard to let it go, and we cannot shake off concern for our nation, or not mourn the passing of its constitution. But if we keep our eyes on the prize, we will help our brethren and children on the road of rightousness.
    by celiac at 03/14/13 12:34AM

Time to Discontinue my Five and One-half Months of Silence

First off, here is the painting that I didn't have ready before my last post.


Not Restful for the Weary
"Here we are. The finest inn on the Northwest Coast."
"I told you I wanted a sound night's rest. That looks quite the opposite."
"Now, ma'am, the Leaping Lemming is the finest inn in over twenty miles."
". . . The Leaping Lemming?"
"Well, it's really the only inn inside twenty miles, but still . . ."
"Are you even aware of what a lemming is, my good man?"
". . . and when the ocean -- um, say what now, ma'am? A lemming? Well, now, um . . ."
"Enough. We're moving on."
"But . . . ma'am! Twenty miles after sundown!"
"Sleeping under a tree would be more comfortable than a night in that disaster."


And for those who like reading, I found this article from Wired.com quite fascinating. That could be a mood quirk of mine, but I thought I'd share regardless.
Why Things Fail: From Tires to Helicopter Blades, Everything Breaks Eventually By Robert Capps
  • cyber_space_cadet
    I love the painting. There's a LOT going on there. I love the detail on the Leaping Lemming, haha.
    by cyber_space_cadet at 11/01/12 6:47PM
  • engelishgentleman
    Cool!
    by engelishgentleman at 11/02/12 11:40AM

It's here! Vaction time is here again!

I'm going to be busy from here on out, so I don't expect to be signing on my computer again until next month.

I was hoping to have one more painting done to share, but its not quite finished yet. If I'm really lucky, I'll sneak a chance wireless connection while I'm out and about and get it entered in the challenge.

So, I guess I thought I'd say "ta ta for now" to all the three to seven persons that look at this blog. Maybe I'll even see a few of you at the Spring HS Camp.

Another post with another painting

This isn't the painting idea I had referenced in the last post, but I did an entry for the (bi-)Weekly challenge, so I figured I'd post it in the meantime.


When Mother is Ill
- Not Entered in (Bi-)Weekly Challenge #134

The painting wasn't officially entered, because I didn't finish it until twenty minutes after the judge had selected a winner.
This doesn't bother me, since I'm going to the Spring HS Camp (departure May 19th) and not returning home till May 31st. I wouldn't be available to judge to results if I had won.
  • cyber_space_cadet
    Glad you're able to go to camp...enjoy!
    This is a very touching scene and it looks like you did a nice job with the painting.
    by cyber_space_cadet at 05/14/12 9:11AM