A Blast From the Past .....

When Christ came into my life , one of the first things I started listening to and trying to find was rock with a christian bent. Well one of the bands that rose to fame and rode the hair metal coaster was Stryper. They wore yellow and black flashy costumes, had the big hair and some great anthems. I mean who cannot bang your head to To Hell With the Devil. Anyway, yes much of it was cheesy but what wasn't in the 80's. The musicianship was stellar and Michael Sweet could belt it out with the best of them.

Well after long absence , they made a comeback album in 2007 aptly titled Reborn. Now they have just released Murder by Pride. I have to say its a fine piece of rock . It has infectious riffs , solid arrangements and Sweet is singing stronger than ever . Sweet recently lost his wife to ovarian cancer . So it had to be hard to record this album but in Christ , as he confesses his faith , he stands not alone. God bless him and his family.

Check out this fine slab of rock . Its well worth a listen.Stand out tracks ...Murder By Pride,I believe,4 Leaf Clover,Mercy Over Blame.

This album gets 9 stripes out of 10 .

Look out Spielberg ....

So my oldest son has become a budding movie director. For fun he has been doing some short videos and posting them on you tube . Pretty cool stuff I have to say . They are in the comedy genre and over all they are quite funny . He writes the scripts and using his friends and my other son , they a good job I think. Who knows where this could go .

I just glad they are having fun and making their own adventures. I'm proud of both my boys , they are turning into very decent young men . I pray for them intently that beyond all things , that Christ will be the rock and foundation they build their lives own .

One of Christians Most Controversial Figures 500 Years Later..

John Calvin(born July 10 1509 - died May 27 1564) , the very name within Christian circles will cause either feelings of admiration or absolute disgust. The Frenchman still casts a huge shadow over the landscape of the church . One of the original reformers after Luther had already started the reformation , he is known primarily for the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation. That is we cannot come to Christ apart form the electing will of God and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit on an individual. That salvation is all of God , not one spark is mans.

Even though Luther held to the same understanding , just read Luther's Bondage of the Will , it was Calvin in his Institutes ,that laid out a systematic overview . As any good Calvinist knows , these doctrines of grace have been formulated under the acronym T.U.L.I.P .

T= Total Depravity U=Unconditional Election L= Limited Atonement I= Irresistible grace and finally P= Perseverance of the saints

Much has been written about this man and the attacks are usually a straw man and any honest reader will find a devoted man whose heart was on fire for the gospel and the glory of God. Follow this link(http://www.calvin500.com/#) to find out more about this amazing man who loved his Savior and lived a life that understood the nature of God.

Cool Re-Boot

Usually when a movie gets a re-boot it can go either way . Really good or really bad. I had the chance to watch the recent Star Trek. Of course with any beloved franchise , the fans have much to say about the whole so called canon of Star Trek and how the movie played with the current history. To which I say , get a life . These are fictional characters in a fictional universe. Its entertainment not truth , not a religion .
So setting all that aside, it was a entertaining ride into a new universe that maintains enough of the old but launches into new possibilities. The actors that will replace the classic line up , I have to say are perfect . There is not one weak link. The dialogue , the action and the special effects combined to make this a perfect reboot! If you get a chance to see it , beam yourself up ...you will have a blast!

Is There a Light Somewhere......

Over the last 3 months I have been attempting to re enter the work force. So far I have had very little success. Granted I left my last job willingly , thereby forfeiting any chance of E.I. It was a decision that wasn't easy but between my legs,my back,my shoulder and my chest , it was a no brainer.I was close to a spot but wasn't given a shot. But that is the way it goes.

Oh I could be back at work in a flash if I wanted to return to cleaning but in general it is a dead end job market leading to what would be a early disability . So I have been trying to change my situation but it has been a struggle. What I have found is there is very little government support , very few night courses etc.. You get the picture.

So I try to remain positive and trusting in God's providence not in some mystical way but in trusting that what will happen is in His hands not mine. That doesn't mean I sit on my hands but keep knocking till the right door opens.

Why So Surprised?

Recently I read about someone who dumped off 4 kittens in a box. Fortunately they were found and placed in a shelter. Now this is simply wrong on many levels. Cruel and inhumane no question.Should the person be found if possible and punished , yes.

But while all the outrage is happening , a child has died in some poor country or a baby is being murdered in a willing woman's womb. I'm all for animal rights and the protection of animals but I wish the same crowd who get so upset over animals, would show the same anger and call for justice for humans.

We discard humans at a far worse rate than animals. The toll of death world wide of preventable disease or starvation , can be slowed if people would open up their wallets and sponsor a child. No only that , how many in North America with the economic downturn have suffered greatly . What of the many family's who cannot afford decent living conditions and feed their families , do we care .

What about the 100000 murdered babies in Canada or the million souls snuffed out in the US annually . Who will cry out for them . When we see a cat or dog poorly treated, we fume at the indignity but do we cry out , no more when a child is ripped limb from limb in the womb for what is in the vast majority of cases for convenience nothing more .

All I'm saying is I have found it weird so many who are all for animal rights etc.. seem to be conveniently silent about the indignity shown to humans. Animals were created by God for our enjoyment , to have companionship and we are to show them mercy and treat them as creatures created by God.As we are as humans , above them since we are created in His image and given stewardship over the earth and therefore we bare the responsibility to care for them.

But that care , if it doesn't start with your fellow human beings , then why so surprised when we see animal cruelty . Truly we live in a fallen and sinful world that has an impact on the whole of creation. But thankfully one day is coming when Jesus Christ will come and make all things new. May we look forward to that great and glorious day

Bad TV but Good Times..

Have you ever had a memory rooted in your childhood and you begin to think your imagining it. Well for the longest time I would tell people about this show that aired only 1 season. It was about 2 astronauts that went back in time . It was a goofy comedy and was chessy but as a kid I loved it. It was called Its About Time.

Well I finally remembered the theme song and low and behold thanks to Google I found a clip on youtube.Yes it was bad , but so bad it was good . It was done by the same people who did Gilligan's Island so you get the picture . But it brought back many fond memories and even if kids today reared on violent video games and sex filled videos thanks to MTV , would think it was a joke , there was an innocent feel to that time.I don't think that was a bad thing , do you?