Legitimate TRUTH 2

On a previous post I had two articles that I found to be interesting and I have found more. I have only included 1 in this post while filling you in why I find the previous articles interesting.

Yet again there are more examples of Truth that people tend to put much belief in. Here is another from USA Today online (7.24.06) about a Dixie Chicks Concert. Can you catch the TRUTH this young lady has missed?

The crowd: In the past, the Chicks would have easily sold out Joe Louis Arena, but this time the hockey venue was about 80% full with a mix of standard-issue country fans, Chicks supporters wearing souvenir garments from the Fly and Top of the World tours, and a visible minority who viewed the event as a combination concert and political statement. Sarah O'Brien, 21, wore a "Not My President" shirt adorned with Bush's face and "idiot" stamped across his forehead. The crowd was notable for its range of ages — from elementary kids to grandparents.

This young women has a shirt that states "Not My President" shirt. A few things have to be in place for this to be true for her. 1.She is a citizen of another country 2. She has given up her citizenship to the US and has moved to France. Other than that Bush is her President whether or not she likes it. Just cuz we did not vote for him (if she even voted) he is her President. Silly girl! Mrs . Bill (oops Mr. Bill) was my President even though I did not agree with 95% of his doings as President.

Story #1 from past Blog:
Editor Todd says she has no problem believing McGowan's claim that she descends from a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. "Yes, I believe her. Her passion and her mission are so strong, how can she not be?"

What? Just because someone has passion and a mission does that make it right? Ugh!! People have believed that the Gate to Heaven was behind a meteor. Their passion and mission were so strong they killed themselve, are they right just because of their p&m?

Story #2
Those rumors are true, according to Surviving James Dean, a new memoir by Bill Bast, 75, the actor’s former roommate. “I helped Jimmy compose a letter that declared he was a ‘practicing homosexual’ and that won him a draft exemption in 1952,”

My Wife ALycia is right, he would have said anything to get out of the Draft. Being gay was a convenient way for him to get out possibly. His justification of him being gay is just ridiculus. If James Dean was gay then he is the only one to know but to use this example as truth is just crazy. Maybe there is more truth to it but the story only listed this on example.

What and why people believe things in this world are getting crazier. It scares me that Truth is being left behind for feelings and crazy reasons. Where is the world headed?

This past week

I guess I am of no interest to anyone anymore, OK not me but my Blog!! But that is fine by me it will go on with or without.

Well this past week was a busy one for me and the little lady. First we were @ Holly Lake for her families Family Gathering there. We met up there on Friday as I drove from Dallas the 2 hours there and she drove with her family from Houston. It was nice to spend the weekend with her and her family. Also to float away some time out in the lake was nice as well the sun this summer does not scare me. By the way her Grandma rocks at the game Phase Ten, we only got thru half the game but she rocked the whole game if I remember correctly.

Well this week we took a significant step in letting know the Missions Department at our Church our intentions to be out in the field as soon as possible. This is a great opportunity to share our desire of the Lord with those around the world. We are excited about the whole process with a large unknown factor. What direction the Lord will lead us and for me how much I need to learn such as Bible and Language skills. As a person who does not speak the best English, I know some of you are acting surprised, it will be hard for me to learn a possible new language. YIKES but with the Lord we can do anything he has asked. Help me to remember that, please!!

Friday we went North to Gainesville to visit her other Grandparents Farm there. It was a nice time to also see Alycia's Cousin Kristy and her husband Bobby. Bobby and Pop-Pop (Grandpa) are in the process of building a two Story home from the shell of an old dairy barn. The process has been slow for them but the house looks great. It will be a nice home for them made from their own sweat and Love from friends and especially Pop-Pop. I look forward to seeing how the final results of all of their hard work.

Saturday night was an awesome night for the two of us with the team that went to Costa Rica with us a few weeks ago. We invited all of the students over to have dinner and hang out reliving the trip. We encouraged a few of the team members by asking "Does Ministry end in Costa Rica?" Did we not pack it on the return flight for home or did we leave it there? The answer was NO!!

Leading into the night we thought we would not have one team member for the whole night and one we thought would not be there. But we had everyone walk thu the door to spend the night with their teammates. Does that answer the question "does Ministry end in Costa Rica?"

Secondly the Food Team organized dinner for the team. H. Talley (Heather) brought an awesome tasting Mexican Casserole while the others brought side dishes and desserts. Everything was awesome and there was plenty left over. "Does Ministry end in Costa Rica?"

Hanner (Hannah) and Mega (Megan) brought T-shirts for each of us to design a 1+4=2 t-shirt for ourselves. It was a great idea and in some cases a great looking shirt. Others had more paint on their hands than on the shirts they were creating. They also shared a vision with us about how our Team can continue to share with others less fortunate than us here in Dallas and to each other. "Does Ministry end in Costa Rica?"

Alycia and I shopped a bit during the day for some great gifts for the team. It was a fun way to remember each other in ways that we may have forgotten. We gave each one of them a fun award and a fun ribbon. I believe they enjoyed it and had fun with the time and the goofy gifts we gave them.

From there we had some time to share with each other things we learned from the trip. Most of it of course was about ourselves. All in a way that I know made the Lord smile cuz he got his point across to each one of us. Some learned where our passion lies whether it is here in the States with family, friends and others around town or serving him overseas. Some found where they had found their identity especially when it was not in the Lord. Some learned how they deal with other people whether in a team format or just in life general. How awesome it was to hear each one of them share with each other, being honest with themselves and with each other. how awesome is HE.

I believe you can see the answer to my Question "Does Ministry end in Costa Rica?"

1 + 4 = 2

Well from there we ended the weekend in a spiritual manner of going to hurricane Harbor. It was fun to be there with my wife and enjoy the rides but I have experienced better parks. Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells trumps this park, no contest. Still looking for that time to go to the ultimate park south of here called Schlitterbahn!! Heard that one rules all others.

Who ever thought I could write (not that it is great writing) and enjoy it?

Legitimate TRUTH?

Here are two recent stories that I came across that I found some interesting “truth”.

#1 from July 18th USA Today online
Meet Kathleen McGowan, novelist and self-proclaimed descendant of a union between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. McGowan, who says she is from the "sacred bloodline" Brown made famous in his mega-selling novel, says she's ready to cope with people who think she's crazy or a heretic.

Editor Todd says she has no problem believing McGowan's claim that she descends from a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. "Yes, I believe her. Her passion and her mission are so strong, how can she not be?"

The title of the book, she explains, is taken from an ancient prophecy that tells of a woman chosen by divine providence to bring the real story of Mary Magdalene's life to the world.

McGowan calls this a novel but says it mirrors her own life. Maureen's visions, she says, are "verbatim" accounts of her own visions of Mary Magdalene. "Maureen is a fictional character," she says, "but there is a lot of me in Maureen. I know it will be hard for people to accept this, but it's true."
================================================
#2 From Parade Magazine July 16th
Q. What do you make of the persistent rumors that the late James Dean was gay or bisexual?—Mitch W., Wheeling, W. Va.A.

A. Those rumors are true, according to Surviving James Dean, a new memoir by Bill Bast, 75, the actor’s former roommate. “I helped Jimmy compose a letter that declared he was a ‘practicing homosexual’ and that won him a draft exemption in 1952,” says Bast. “Jimmy was ‘ambidextrous’—good at using people, men as well as women.”

Tell me what you think and what you find the most interesting parts of each of these stories?

I will let you know what I think in a future post, stay tuned.

Well off once again this weekend after a nice and quiet week by my lonesome at home. Alycia was away with her parents in Houston all week before she goes back to school in a few weeks. A few weeks? Wow where has this summer gone? OK it has gone many places like New York, Costa Rica, Houston and now east Texas this weekend. This one is their "Family Reunion" they have each year almost twice a year, summer and Christmas time. Oh well it is a losing fight for me on the whole Reunion word. Oh well they will do what they want I guess.

This week as I was alone I started editing the 5 hours of film that I have of our team from Costa Rica. Wow did I take too much video did I actually participate in the trip with the team? Hope they did not consider me AWOL while there. One thing I worry about is with all of this film I have to pick out the best and put it together in a nice to view format. What if I bomb with all of that footage? Ugh the pressure is too much.

Thanks dear for all of the Toby Time that i had this week. The only part of me that does not appreciate it is my tummy. Being a bachalor once again for 5 nights kills any weight lose that I had in CR. OOPS!

International Crisis/ Londons Trafalgar Square

I need to create some sort of a devise that will allow me to read into peoples minds and see how they come up with some crazy ideas and thoughts. Then to try and figure out why they want and feel the need to share them with the world? OK I have had some crazy thoughts and yes have shared them with others. But the one you are about to read about sticks out in my mind so clear of its clear stupidity.

Last week while watching the Today Show with the Katie Curickless program they had a story about pigeons in London. We all have seen pictures or movie clips with the Famous Trafalgar Square Pigeons flying around as someone walks or runs thru the large flock of pigeons.

Well the Mayor has called these feathered friends “Rats with wings” and a menace to the park. Bird droppings over all of the statues and well just about anywhere you can think that is in the birds zone of launch. So he has put into the books that you cannot feed the birds within a certain distance of the park. He is wanting to extend it a bit as well since it is not a large enough area.

The thing that caught my attention the most was someone holding a sign that read something to the sort that he is “Starving the pigeons”. Their birds!! Which by the way are scavengers so they are going to be able to move on and eat again. If they all die then good riddance to the whole flock of em’. Scavengers eat just about anything that you throw at them and will find food in your hair if you let them.

If it was not bad enough that they have signs stating this they have a web site that states it as well. It reads “URGENT: 1,800 BIRDS FACE NEW STARVATION THREAT”. If you are not believing me on this check out the site http://www.savethepigeons.org/index.html. Sorry I have no picture of the woman with the sign but I hope that the link to their website will suffice.

I wish I could make up stuff this good but unfortunately it is all to true. People die everyday from starvation but the pigeons in the park are more valuable? HUH? Where did we go wrong? How do we get people back on track of being smart once again? If it is just because the square with the pigeons is in itself worth while to save the icon it is then state that. Don’t just throw out some stupid statements that pigeons are going to starve to death.

Just to make clear I am not taking sides cuz I do not care either way of the issue. It just goes to show how people can use certain words to evoke feelings in people. Even though it makes no sense and people will follow them in the cause.

Well that is my fume for today, what do ya think?

Passion found again, 1+4=2

Unfortunately we made it back to Dallas.

Why say unfortunately? Is it that I do not like Dallas or the United States? OK Dallas is not my fav place in the world but the United States I do love.

Well let me try and explain. We returned on Wednesday June 28th and I had to return to work the next day. Well as I was walking into the office I realized so many things:

1st My office was empty since I arrived a bit early

2nd I did not want to be home. This meant that I was no longer around my team mates. Even though they gave us "credit" in dealing with them we could not have asked for a better group to be around for 10 days. I miss them all, it is not the same w/out their enthusiasm and their personalities around 24/7. (Picture is of our team behind bars)

3rd I realized my passion again as we were in Costa Rica. My Passion for His hands work returned for those 10 days in the field. Now being home I have a renewed vigor to get to the field as soon as my wife and I can. It is tough to be here in the US While my heart is with those around the world. I have had many "crazy" thoughts since my return. One of those being school. AHHH will the real Toby please stand up? So I will be looking into Bible Classes at local Churchs to learn more about the Lord. This way once we get to the field my knowledge of him will be further advanced to where it is at this time. I have more of the relational knowledge than of the our Lord.

4th the kids that we had the priveledge to meet and Love on. All these kids come from places that we cannot understand. Some of the kids even came from a Barrio that is run by Drug Dealers. Each day our van would enter thru Barracades set up by these dealers into the Barrio. First praise the Lord that these kids were allowed to enter our bus and into our lives so we could introduce them to hope in Jesus Christ our Lord. It was hard to drop the kids back off each day into this environment and know that we gave them 10 of their best hours in their young lives so far.
The 2nd photo is a packed van with 42 kids from this particular Barrio.

This trip did not have the "Spiritual high" we tend to always look for and want in a trip like this but it taught me tons of who I am and how strong my Passion for missions is. It was a trip that blessed me greatly in so many ways.

OK here is a little bit more info on our trip:
VBS - We started out the first day with about 60-75 kids and on the 5th and final day we had more than 150 kids in attendance. How awesome was that especially since they had school and some skipped school to attend. Mega and Hanner did an awesome setting up our VBS Program and then running the entire time. We had 2 hours with the kids each day in the Bible presentation, crafts and games and more games.
This picture is on our last day with over 150 kids.

Construstruction - We were given the task of putting up Drywall in two classrooms. The walls before Drywall were Tin so they were very hot for the classes being held there. We have given assistance to those within the classrooms by cooling it down with the Drywall so they can be more comfortable to learn more about him. We struggled at first and finished strong with a great team effort. This was the first time doing drywall for our entire team so it took a few struggles for us to understand and to get it right. I have to give props and a shout out to my partner in construction, H Talley word up!
Hanner and 1/2 of team H Talley in one of the classrooms we worked in.

Over the full weekend we were there we went to Manual Antonio National Park and had a great time at the Beach and in the Jungle. The cool thing is that the Jungle came right up to the beach were critters like Iguana's, Monkeys and other local creatures would venture out and try to get into bags that people had brought with them. On Sunday on our way back to San Jose we had an awesome time Zip Lining through the Jungles Canopy (Picture below in past blog). Congrats to Hanner and Mega for taking a Risk and going along with the team on the ZipLine.
Manual Antonio beach, Costa Rica