Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Faith or Science
By Nicky
Amy suggested yesterday that science and God go hand-in-hand. But, so often the world wants us to chose between our faith and science. I'm the kind of girl who likes to have my cake and eat it, too. What good is it to have cake if you can't eat it? I've gotta have my faith and indulge in every last bite of science that proves my God.
When I was in high school, my faith was constantly being challenged by peers and teachers. It sent me on a quest to find scientific evidence that supported what I believe. I found way more than I ever expected at the Center for Scientific Creation.
Look through the table of contents and click on the things that interest you. Then, when you have more time, go back and look at the other stuff.
Amy suggested yesterday that science and God go hand-in-hand. But, so often the world wants us to chose between our faith and science. I'm the kind of girl who likes to have my cake and eat it, too. What good is it to have cake if you can't eat it? I've gotta have my faith and indulge in every last bite of science that proves my God.
When I was in high school, my faith was constantly being challenged by peers and teachers. It sent me on a quest to find scientific evidence that supported what I believe. I found way more than I ever expected at the Center for Scientific Creation.
Look through the table of contents and click on the things that interest you. Then, when you have more time, go back and look at the other stuff.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
The Big Bang Theory
By Nicky
I was shuffling around in the dryer this morning and mumbling to myself about how the clothes needed folded when an idea hit me.
I know that the Big-Bang theory of creation is wrong. The Big Bang theory is similar (in concept) to throwing a load of laundry into the dryer, running the cycle, and it coming out neatly folded, exactly the way I like the clothes folded. If only once a complete load of laundry came out of the dryer perfectly folded, I would change my mind. It is impossible!
I was shuffling around in the dryer this morning and mumbling to myself about how the clothes needed folded when an idea hit me.
I know that the Big-Bang theory of creation is wrong. The Big Bang theory is similar (in concept) to throwing a load of laundry into the dryer, running the cycle, and it coming out neatly folded, exactly the way I like the clothes folded. If only once a complete load of laundry came out of the dryer perfectly folded, I would change my mind. It is impossible!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
We Do Not See
By Nicky
*Regarding things spoken to CFC-Rushville.
We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet,
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
Psalm 74:9 - An Instructive Poem of Asaph (NASB)
God has spoken to our church and told us of the things He has in store. Asaph's job was to praise God, but he was also a prophet. It just doesn't seem right to hear a prophet say, "There is no longer any prophet." Here is what Strongs says about this particular usage of "prophet":
H5030
נביא
nâbîy'
naw-bee'
From H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man
Here's what I think Asaph was saying:
Lord, You aren't doing anything in front of us. We can't see Your miracles.
None of us are inspired. You aren't speaking to us.
We are losing hope; no one knows how long this will last.
This sounds depressing to me. Asaph must have had Phil. 4:8 memorized, because He went on to praise God for all the miracles they had witnessed in the past. He built God up and said, "Hey, we know You can do this! Now, do it again!" Rather than act like humans do, Asaph against his own hope in hope believed that God would do it again.
I want to be like Asaph. God has spoken to us and I'm beliving Him.
Lord, I have seen You at work. I am a miracle. Where would I be without You? How could I live? I thank You for saving me and setting my feet on a solid rock to stand.
You have healed my sister. You uprooted her from the path of death and destruction and You transplanted her on the road of life. All through that I tried to believe You, but it was hard to see. I know that You are faithful and true.
You are the I Am. You have healed people in our church. You have torn down strongholds in my life. Lord, come and be big in our church! We have seen Your miracles. Come and do it again! I pray the words of Mary, "Let it be done to me as You have said." We receive Your blessings and Your outpouring. Be magnified in our presence.
(By the way, I was joking about Asaph knowing Phil. 4:8. It's my favorite Scripture, so I had to throw it in there somewhere. :)
*Regarding things spoken to CFC-Rushville.
We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet,
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
Psalm 74:9 - An Instructive Poem of Asaph (NASB)
God has spoken to our church and told us of the things He has in store. Asaph's job was to praise God, but he was also a prophet. It just doesn't seem right to hear a prophet say, "There is no longer any prophet." Here is what Strongs says about this particular usage of "prophet":
H5030
נביא
nâbîy'
naw-bee'
From H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man
Here's what I think Asaph was saying:
Lord, You aren't doing anything in front of us. We can't see Your miracles.
None of us are inspired. You aren't speaking to us.
We are losing hope; no one knows how long this will last.
This sounds depressing to me. Asaph must have had Phil. 4:8 memorized, because He went on to praise God for all the miracles they had witnessed in the past. He built God up and said, "Hey, we know You can do this! Now, do it again!" Rather than act like humans do, Asaph against his own hope in hope believed that God would do it again.
I want to be like Asaph. God has spoken to us and I'm beliving Him.
Lord, I have seen You at work. I am a miracle. Where would I be without You? How could I live? I thank You for saving me and setting my feet on a solid rock to stand.
You have healed my sister. You uprooted her from the path of death and destruction and You transplanted her on the road of life. All through that I tried to believe You, but it was hard to see. I know that You are faithful and true.
You are the I Am. You have healed people in our church. You have torn down strongholds in my life. Lord, come and be big in our church! We have seen Your miracles. Come and do it again! I pray the words of Mary, "Let it be done to me as You have said." We receive Your blessings and Your outpouring. Be magnified in our presence.
(By the way, I was joking about Asaph knowing Phil. 4:8. It's my favorite Scripture, so I had to throw it in there somewhere. :)
Sunday, May 15, 2005
The Best-Man's Toast
The single thing from my wedding day that gets the most attention was the best-man's toast. Jesse was the best man in our wedding. Saturday, it was Jason's turn to get back at Jesse for some of the things he said at our wedding. For those who may not have been able to hear the actual toast, here is a written version of it. It is not accurate as far as wording, but it's pretty close.
A TOAST FOR JESSE
To my brother, whom I've had the great pleasure of living with for many,
many years.
To the man who accused me of living like a pig when he had his own piles of
dirty laundry strewn throughout the house.
To the man who accused me of keeping a dirty home when he had his own
cultures of penicillin growing in his own dirty plastic cups tipped over on
the living room floor.
To the man that we thought would never get married because of his wild
dreams of traveling the world.
To the man who has explored every pro and every con of bachelorhood, but
who has recently proven that he is willing and capable of putting these
aside for the woman he loves. He has proven he can keep a clean house
(I've seen it with my own eyes).
To the man who truly has a heart after God and a heart for a godly family.
And to the woman who has captured my brother's love.
To the woman who is godly and virtuous enough to meet my brother's
exceedingly high expectations.
To the woman who was influential enough to transform my brother into a
man.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cupp, a toast.
May God bless you with an unbreakable marriage.
May the Lord prosper you with everything you need and everything your
hearts desire, especially love and happiness all the days of your lives.
A TOAST FOR JESSE
To my brother, whom I've had the great pleasure of living with for many,
many years.
To the man who accused me of living like a pig when he had his own piles of
dirty laundry strewn throughout the house.
To the man who accused me of keeping a dirty home when he had his own
cultures of penicillin growing in his own dirty plastic cups tipped over on
the living room floor.
To the man that we thought would never get married because of his wild
dreams of traveling the world.
To the man who has explored every pro and every con of bachelorhood, but
who has recently proven that he is willing and capable of putting these
aside for the woman he loves. He has proven he can keep a clean house
(I've seen it with my own eyes).
To the man who truly has a heart after God and a heart for a godly family.
And to the woman who has captured my brother's love.
To the woman who is godly and virtuous enough to meet my brother's
exceedingly high expectations.
To the woman who was influential enough to transform my brother into a
man.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cupp, a toast.
May God bless you with an unbreakable marriage.
May the Lord prosper you with everything you need and everything your
hearts desire, especially love and happiness all the days of your lives.
Jesse's Wedding
By Nicky
There is none like you
No one else could touch my heart like you do
I could search for all eternity long
And find there is none like you
My brother-in-law got married yesterday. It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to. As I was looking over the program, I began getting goosebumps. I wasn't exactly sure why...I thought I was just really emotional. As I noticed the song titles listed in the program, it grew more intense.
The wedding was very simple. The mothers lit the unity candles while the band played "How Great Thou Art". Then the wedding party came in while the band sang "There Is None Like You". At first I thought it was odd to chose a worship song, but the song crescendo'd as Jessica walked down the aisle and it just made sense. As Jesse and Jessica vowed their lives to one anther, again, I felt like crying. They wrote their own vows and I was honored to listen to them pour themselves out to one another. As if that wasn't enough, Jesse and Jessica invited their mentors, pastors, etc. onto the stage to pray over them. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. God's presence was thick.
When Jesse and Jessica took Communion together, Jesse broke down and began sobbing heavily. It was beautiful. At the end of the ceremony, the pastor made a comment about the presence of God being in the church and said that every wedding should be like that. It was the most beautiful wedding I've been to, but not because of the dresses and flowers...but because God was there. It was truly amazing. I am honored to have been a guest at their wedding.
There is none like you
No one else could touch my heart like you do
I could search for all eternity long
And find there is none like you
My brother-in-law got married yesterday. It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to. As I was looking over the program, I began getting goosebumps. I wasn't exactly sure why...I thought I was just really emotional. As I noticed the song titles listed in the program, it grew more intense.
The wedding was very simple. The mothers lit the unity candles while the band played "How Great Thou Art". Then the wedding party came in while the band sang "There Is None Like You". At first I thought it was odd to chose a worship song, but the song crescendo'd as Jessica walked down the aisle and it just made sense. As Jesse and Jessica vowed their lives to one anther, again, I felt like crying. They wrote their own vows and I was honored to listen to them pour themselves out to one another. As if that wasn't enough, Jesse and Jessica invited their mentors, pastors, etc. onto the stage to pray over them. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. God's presence was thick.
When Jesse and Jessica took Communion together, Jesse broke down and began sobbing heavily. It was beautiful. At the end of the ceremony, the pastor made a comment about the presence of God being in the church and said that every wedding should be like that. It was the most beautiful wedding I've been to, but not because of the dresses and flowers...but because God was there. It was truly amazing. I am honored to have been a guest at their wedding.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Hobby Searching
I have tried many hobbies, but nothing really seems to satisfy me. I have done scrapbooking, sewing, needlework, etc. Most of them are fun, but either too time-consuming or I don't have the patience. I really enjoy beading (making bracelets, beaded purses, etc.), but it is VERY time-consuming.
I have always loved web site design, graphic design and anything related to the two. When I was pregnant with Shepard, I also started getting into photography. I checked out nearly every photography book at the library and I loved learning new techniques and angles. I always feel fulfilled when I work on my web site and when I look at photos I've taken.
I have dreamed of combining my love of photography and graphic design together for quite some time. The only problem with doing this is that nearly all of my pictures are of people and would only be relevant to me for use on my web site. I want the content to be something that everyone can appreciate. My dream of bringing the two together has finally produced fruit. My first piece of original artwork is available on my web site. Please check it out.
I have always loved web site design, graphic design and anything related to the two. When I was pregnant with Shepard, I also started getting into photography. I checked out nearly every photography book at the library and I loved learning new techniques and angles. I always feel fulfilled when I work on my web site and when I look at photos I've taken.
I have dreamed of combining my love of photography and graphic design together for quite some time. The only problem with doing this is that nearly all of my pictures are of people and would only be relevant to me for use on my web site. I want the content to be something that everyone can appreciate. My dream of bringing the two together has finally produced fruit. My first piece of original artwork is available on my web site. Please check it out.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Lighthouse
by Nicky
My voyage has been one of heartache and pain, a lot of dissapointment and broken dreams, but my ship never really wrecked. I had my share of Titanic-sized glaciers, but God always held me together until one day I finally saw the Light. This song sounds a bit depressing, but it always reminds me that life isn't as bad as it sometimes appears.
Bouncing like a buoy
Drifting on the water
Singletary solitute man begins to holler
He says man overboard
I jump ship on the trip
It was a worldwide cruise
Trading riches for some fishes
I’ve got nothing more to lose
I’m a man overboard
I’m a man overboard
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a trip bound for nowhere
On a unforgiving sea
I thank God for the light
Legs and arms are burning
I swim against the tide
Keep an eye above the water
So I can see the light
I’m a man overboard
I dream about the saviour
I dream about the shore
I feel the sand
You take my hand
And we will walk forevermore
I’m a man overboard
I’m a man overboard
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a ship bound for nowhere
On an unforgiving sea
I thank god
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a ship bound for nowhere
On an unforgiving sea
I thank God for the lighthouse
I thank God for the light
I got to see this song performed live at an Audio Adrenaline concert with the OC Supertones way back when they were both really cool bands....I think Jennifer Knapp was there too. For this song Audio A had a spotlight that went around the room and it really looked like a lighthouse was on stage. It was awesome. Since that concert I have loved this song! Well, hope you like it too. Remember, life isn't as bad as you think it is. It's all in your mind!
My voyage has been one of heartache and pain, a lot of dissapointment and broken dreams, but my ship never really wrecked. I had my share of Titanic-sized glaciers, but God always held me together until one day I finally saw the Light. This song sounds a bit depressing, but it always reminds me that life isn't as bad as it sometimes appears.
Bouncing like a buoy
Drifting on the water
Singletary solitute man begins to holler
He says man overboard
I jump ship on the trip
It was a worldwide cruise
Trading riches for some fishes
I’ve got nothing more to lose
I’m a man overboard
I’m a man overboard
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a trip bound for nowhere
On a unforgiving sea
I thank God for the light
Legs and arms are burning
I swim against the tide
Keep an eye above the water
So I can see the light
I’m a man overboard
I dream about the saviour
I dream about the shore
I feel the sand
You take my hand
And we will walk forevermore
I’m a man overboard
I’m a man overboard
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a ship bound for nowhere
On an unforgiving sea
I thank god
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a ship bound for nowhere
On an unforgiving sea
I thank God for the lighthouse
I thank God for the light
I got to see this song performed live at an Audio Adrenaline concert with the OC Supertones way back when they were both really cool bands....I think Jennifer Knapp was there too. For this song Audio A had a spotlight that went around the room and it really looked like a lighthouse was on stage. It was awesome. Since that concert I have loved this song! Well, hope you like it too. Remember, life isn't as bad as you think it is. It's all in your mind!
Friday, February 18, 2005
Thinking About Getting a Fish Tank
Jason and I have talked about getting a fish tank for awhile, but we have only just begun doing the research. I have been surfing the net tonight looking at pictures of different species of saltwater fish to see which fish get along well together and which fish would bite each other's heads off (literally).
I am amazed at how many varieties of fish there are. I'm sure God enjoyed creating them...many have vibrant colors. Watching fish swim is quite soothing. I had a 10 gallon tank in my bedroom while I was growing up. The sound of the filter always lulled me to sleep. Tonight, I began wondering why God created all these fish in the beginning. I wondered why He would create all these beautiful fish and place them in deep seas and vast, salty oceans. He took the time to create them, but why hide them in the depths of the unknown?
With my brain set on finding the answers I read article after article about diving, swimming, etc. In 332 BC (Yes, BC!), the forces of Alexander the Great used something referred to as a diving bell to clear the harbor at Tyre (http://encarta.msn.com). So, thinking in those terms it was between 5,000-6,000 years before people could actually go underwater to see these beautiful fish. There were very few advances in underwater gear from the 4th century BC to the 1600's. Since the 1600s there have been major innovations for diving gear...including the underwater boat (submarine) introduced in World War II.
Okay, so with this educational stuff out there, I still wonder why did God make all these beautiful creatures and hid them where people couldn't see them in their splendor for over 5,000 years. And now, about 8,000 years later, I can create a controlled reef environment in my house and watch these fish swim without ever leaving my couch...but until then, I'll just put in "Fiding Nemo" and stare amazed at all the beautiful little sea creatures.
I am amazed at how many varieties of fish there are. I'm sure God enjoyed creating them...many have vibrant colors. Watching fish swim is quite soothing. I had a 10 gallon tank in my bedroom while I was growing up. The sound of the filter always lulled me to sleep. Tonight, I began wondering why God created all these fish in the beginning. I wondered why He would create all these beautiful fish and place them in deep seas and vast, salty oceans. He took the time to create them, but why hide them in the depths of the unknown?
With my brain set on finding the answers I read article after article about diving, swimming, etc. In 332 BC (Yes, BC!), the forces of Alexander the Great used something referred to as a diving bell to clear the harbor at Tyre (http://encarta.msn.com). So, thinking in those terms it was between 5,000-6,000 years before people could actually go underwater to see these beautiful fish. There were very few advances in underwater gear from the 4th century BC to the 1600's. Since the 1600s there have been major innovations for diving gear...including the underwater boat (submarine) introduced in World War II.
Okay, so with this educational stuff out there, I still wonder why did God make all these beautiful creatures and hid them where people couldn't see them in their splendor for over 5,000 years. And now, about 8,000 years later, I can create a controlled reef environment in my house and watch these fish swim without ever leaving my couch...but until then, I'll just put in "Fiding Nemo" and stare amazed at all the beautiful little sea creatures.
