All posts by Guests and Former Contributors

Man Cave, Relationships

Last Minute Ladies, I’m Your Man

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OK last minute ladies, after today, you only have two days left on the calendar to buy the perfect Christmas gift for the men in your lives. Don’t worry though, M&M is here for you just in the Saint Nick of time. Think of me as your very own procrastination destroying Elf on the Shelf.

For those of you deliberate last-minute shoppers who already know what you’re buying but for some reason get a rush out of braving the mall madness the last few days before Christmas, this post is not for you. In fact, I feel you on the last-minute shopping bidness. While I merely dabble in it personally, I do enjoy myself some serious people watching each year at the mall come December 23rd and 24th. It’s like the State Fair, only they don’t charge admission. The only thing that would make it better would be if I could chow down on a corn dog, a funnel cake, and maybe some fresh squeezed lemonade while watching the freak show that is last-minute shopping madness. And though that’s not the point of this post, a guy can dream can’t he?

So it’s December 22nd and you’re at a loss for what to buy that special dude. Maybe he’s your boyfriend, maybe your husband or brother, or maybe he’s your dad. Don’t worry, I’ve been all four at one point or another in my life and I’ve got you covered on all fronts. However, if you’re looking for a specific list of concrete suggestions, this post might not help you. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for general advice to get your own gift-giving juices flowing, then read on my deadline defying friend.

Continue reading Last Minute Ladies, I’m Your Man →

Cents and Sensibility, Relationships

The Truth about Santa (Spoiler alert)

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Kyle at age 2 and "some strange old dude"

Editor’s Note – Because this is a holiday week, our Relationships post has been written by our Sense and Centsibility author, Jenn Wallis.  It’s a Christmas parenting story. About Santa.

For years, we went to great lengths to make sure my oldest son Kyle kept believing that Santa is real. After he would go to sleep on Christmas Eve, my husband Justin would get out one of his Doc Marten’s boots from the 90’s (that he still wears – but that’s fodder for another blog) and imprint the sole into the fireplace ash and on the hearth, as proof that Santa had come down the chimney.  Justin would even go out into the driveway and make a few muddy reindeer hoof prints.  We’d take bites out of the cookies and pour out a little of the milk to look like Santa had sipped it (it had been sitting out for hours, after all).

Continue reading The Truth about Santa (Spoiler alert) →

Homestead and Garden

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Some People Just Don’t Get It

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In the ‘80’s, I saw millions of lights transform Ski Island in Oklahoma City into what I thought was the most spectacular light show I had ever seen.   I remember waiting in line behind hundreds of cars while people snapped photos of the lights reflecting off the water.

In 1993 I saw first hand how my childhood park, Shannon Springs Park in Chickasha, Oklahoma, was transformed into the Festival of Light.  I had to walk through that park to catch the school bus when I was a kid.  I remember city workers with guns shooting water moccasins after a major rain and kids fishing off the white bridge.  To see it enhanced with millions of lights was truly spectacular.

These two communities clearly get it.

The year I moved to the country I was amazed at how many people along the 30 miles of highway decorated their homes with outside lights.  It was nothing like the light displays I had seen in the past, but somehow the simple lights that outlined a barn or front door against a completely black night void of street lights or business neon signs made me smile.

Continue reading Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Some People Just Don’t Get It →

Man Cave

My Sports Wish List

Only a week til Christmas, so its a little late for wish lists.  I won’t be asking for anything extraordinary from my family and friends at this point.  Get me the sweater, the book, the DVD, and I’m a happy guy.

But let’s pretend for a moment there is a sports Santa Claus.  A sports version of St. Nick who is very interested in making the wishes of sports fans come true.  Well Mr. Claus, I’ve been pretty good this year and I have a few requests.

Here is what I want for Christmas:

I WANT A COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

Don't the unbeaten Horned Frogs at least deserve a shot at a national championship? Maybe one day they'll get that chance. (courtesy realclearsports.com)

I know Santa, you get this one a lot, but I’m never going to stop wishing for this.  I’m thrilled with an Oregon/Auburn matchup in the title game, but the BCS continues to get lucky and that can’t last forever.  I’ll even admit TCU probably isn’t as good as Oregon or Auburn, but shouldn’t that be decided on the field?  The Horned Frogs did absolutely everything that was asked of them, but won’t get a sniff of a championship simply because of discrimination toward smaller schools and non-traditional powers.  I don’t care how big or small the playoff is, I just want a level playing field here.  And spare me the excuses of extra games, protecting student-athletes, and preserving the bowl system.  The bowl system is a middling mess of mediocrity.  You mean we might miss out on Florida International vs. Toledo in the Little Caesar’s Bowl?  Good, I’d rather watch curling anyway.  Trust me Santa, if you want to stop receiving these letters, you’ll find a way to make this happen for me and the countless fans who hate seeing this sport’s champion be crowned by ignorant human voters and soulless computers.

I WANT THE NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TO STAY AT 65 TEAMS

College football may get it wrong, but college basketball gets it right.  There is no need to expand March Madness to 96 teams as is being discussed by the NCAA.  65 teams means the little guy still has a shot and that’s all the little guy is asking for.

Continue reading My Sports Wish List →

Homestead and Garden, Oklahoma culture

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: All’s FAIR in Love and War

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“You should enter some of your peppers in the fair.”

tenspeed
Julie with her bike at the Chickasha county fair

The county fair.

When I was in fifth grade I performed a baton routine at the Grady County Fair in Chickasha,Oklahoma.  That same night I won a ten-speed bike that I really wasn’t able to ride comfortably for about five more years.   It didn’t matter that my mom bought all of the tickets that she was supposed to sell.  I had won.  It was a fabulous night.

The memory of that fabulous night was all it took to peak my interest and begin a perpetual thinking cycle this past week.  Here’s what happened…

Our local extension agent and his wife were attending a party at my house, and we were touring my garden.  He innocently suggested that I participate in the local county fair.  My mind started spinning like a Ferris wheel.

Continue reading Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: All’s FAIR in Love and War →

Foodie Page

Crunch Time, Countdown to Christmas

This is our poor Christmas Tree we just put up!

With Christmas fast approaching I am going to deviate from our usual Stockyards City Cookbook recipe and share a favorite family recipe with you.

If you are like me you are close to panic mode. Christmas is just around the corner, there is shopping to be done, presents to be wrapped, baking, cleaning and in my case – decorating the house. Yep, you read that right! It is the 16th of December and this self proclaimed “Mrs. Claus” has not decorated her house yet. I waited too late to get a real tree so I drug the fake one out of the attic. My husband took it downstairs for me, put it together and plugged it in. Let’s just say it is going to take a lot of work to get that tree ready for decorations! So rather than work on the Christmas tree I decided to start my baking. I didn’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen so I decided to make a quick, easy recipe that my grandmother always made. I’m sure it has an official name but we call it Nana’s Graham Cracker Treats. If you need a quick treat to take to a party or even a cookie exchange this can be whipped up in no time at all.

Nana’s Graham Cracker Treats
Loyce Robinson

2 pkgs. of Graham Crackers (1/2 box)
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 3/4 sticks Margarine (1 stick plus 6 T of  margarine)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. chopped Pecans (optional)

Continue reading Crunch Time, Countdown to Christmas →

Man Cave

A Conscientous Objection to Fantasy Football

Each year I get at least two or three invites to participate in some new Fantasy Football league that’s just popped up. When I don’t sign-up, the question always comes up, “Why didn’t you join the Fantasy Football league?” My answer: I hate Fantasy Football. Loathe it. Not because of what it is, but because of what it does to so many otherwise intelligent and rational people. I liken it to heroine as it turns normal dudes into crazy-eyed, stat geeks who at some point inevitably cross the line into the realm of the one unforgivable sin of football fandom: cheering for an arch-rival because you need the points. It’s like being a University of Oklahoma fan rooting for Texas to score in the Red River Shootout because roommates Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley happen to be on your Fantasy Football team.

OK. Enough with the intro. Here’s my list of 10 reasons why I am a Fantasy Football conscientious objector.

Continue reading A Conscientous Objection to Fantasy Football →

Music Scene

Childhood Journey to Rock Heaven, Zeppelin Style

by Joey Rodman

I can’t quite remember what I got for Christmas last year. Or the year before.  And definitely not the year before that.

In fact, for the most part I can’t remember what I got for Christmas for the last ten years. (No offense to my husband I promise.) I can however, remember what I got for Christmas when I was six years old.

You see, those gifts changed my life.  I remember finding them in my mother’s closet…

I had waited until she was asleep on the couch to go poking through her room. I knew my presents were in there because she had forbidden me from setting foot anywhere near her small closet about a week before. I might have been six, but I wasn’t an idiot; something was hiding in there.

Continue reading Childhood Journey to Rock Heaven, Zeppelin Style →

Homestead and Garden, Relationships

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Running Through the Ribbons

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wedding
Our wedding day....December 12, 1997.

When it comes to gifts, my husband has it pretty easy.  Even though I have received a few pieces of beautiful jewelry over the years, I don’t require these expensive gestures like some women do.  I got an upgraded wedding ring on our ten year anniversary.  It gets stuck in the fingers of my work gloves and it’s kind of annoying.   I prefer a card and/or  some quality time.  I already know that every day comes with its own gifts, and it’s up to me to “untie the ribbons”  (~Ruth Ann Schabacke).  Man, is this guy lucky, or what?

We had only lived in the country for three weeks when our seven-year wedding anniversary weekend began.  In our typical style, we decided to forgo “gifts”  (we were starting plans to build an entire house, after all), and we opted to go out to eat.  There were three restaurants from which to choose…

Continue reading Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Running Through the Ribbons →

Faith

Courage Under Fire….Good Movie

Captain Karen Walden portrayed by Meg Ryan in "Courage Under Fire." Years earlier? Jeremiah, portrayed by himself, in the Book of Jeremiah.

by Alfred Lamar Jackson

Good Saturday, RDC followers new and old. Another week has gone by and we are moving closer to the New Year. Many times a new year brings uncertainty and change. For some, a new year is a welcomed fresh start. To all those who have uncertainty and fear, I encourage you to make fast and anchor yourself in truth. God has you in His hands and in His plans.

This brings me to my journey through Jeremiah. This man has really amazed me! As a reader I sometimes feel like the book is redundant because Jeremiah is prophesying what seems to be the same message over and over again. To an extent it is, “Repent evil people and serve God again!”  God’s message was still the same and Jeremiah delivered it without fail. He had to have courage. It’s not a new concept of people with courage doing God’s will, but it means more when you read the whole story instead of someone telling you how courageous this man was.

In Jeremiah chapter 26 our hero faces the first written attempt on his life. I can’t put the whole chapter here so I’ll summarize. It starts as a normal day for Jeremiah: prophecy destruction, accuse leaders of evil, repent or die, and the Lord’s about to bring some pain. Normal day. However THIS day the priests, other “prophets” and the people in the courtyard reached their limit. They said, “YOU MUST DIE!” Then they snatched him up and brought him to the officials. Fortunately God was looking out for His boy and had wise people and a friend in the city’s high places. And, Jeremiah was released.

Just imagine yourself all alone amidst these odds; one person facing the murderous intent of more than a handful of people. I would surmise the crowd was in the hundreds because the temple courtyard was a pretty busy place. But Jeremiah showed resolve. He said that he was truly sent by the Lord and spoke His words. They could kill him if they wanted to but they’d have innocent blood on their hands. That’s intestinal fortitude.

Continue reading Courage Under Fire….Good Movie →

Man Cave

Don’t Be “That” Guy

Being a sports fan, I am a passionate person.  Most true blue fans might describe themselves the same way.  I appreciate passion, enthusiasm, emotion, and just plain good fans.  But I’m also annoyed with people.  There are lots of them in the realm of sports fandom who are really starting to grind my gears. 

Someone needs to tell these chuckleheads that their behavior is not appreciated and will no longer be tolerated.  Let’s face it; these are mostly men who have lost touch with reality.  So, in my ongoing efforts to make the sports universe a happier place, I’m urging you, pleading with you, and warning you: Don’t be these guys. 

THE “WEAR MY JERSEY IN PUBLIC” GUY 

We’ve all seen this guy.  He’s all too common and he needs to be stopped.  I’m not anti-jersey.  I own jerseys.  If you wear the jersey to a game, I have no issue with you.  If you’re a grown man wearing a jersey to Chili’s in front of your family, then you need a mirror and relatives with the guts to tell you how ashamed they are.  I’m no fashion guru, but even I know that sporting a faded Favre jersey and tucking it into your high-waisted jeans is sure fire female repellent.  And don’t tell me your wife doesn’t care.  She does.  A t-shirt, a hoodie, a cap, these are all viable options to show support for your team.  The jersey is not.  Spare yourself the shame and leave the jersey in the closet. 

Wife? Girlfriend? Seems unlikely. (courtesy cnnsi.com)

THE “FULL COSTUME” GUY 

 This guy is even worse than “jersey” guy.  This is the Raiders’ fan who wears black face paint and a spike collar.  It’s the Browns’ fan who wears a dog mask and chomps on a bone while barking from his seat behind the end zone.  It’s any liquored-up loser who thought it would be a good idea to spray paint his hair, and don a cape over the cheap, knock-off jersey he bought at Wal-Mart.  Clearly some synapses are not firing here.  Everyone in this guy’s section is embarrassed for him, and embarrassed that he’s on their side. 

This guy is probably thinking, “No one is as big a fan as I am.”  

Wrong, imbecile.  We’re all huge fans; we’re just fans with dignity. 

Continue reading Don’t Be “That” Guy →

Foodie Page, Stockyards City Cookbook

Stockyards City Cookbook Cookthrough: Amazing Asian Salad Toss Y’all

Mondays are one of my favorite days of the week. How many people do you know who can say that?! I love them because I am a hairdresser so I sleep in and stay in the house in my PJs until, well…I can’t tell you how long. I did accomplish a new recipe to share though and it did not require standing in the kitchen all day!

I present to you: The Ingredients. Easy!

The girls and I were getting together at April’s as usual. When flipping through the Stockyards City cookbook, deciding what to take to dinner, the Amazing Asian Salad Toss caught my eye. We decided to build the whole meal around the salad. April made her famous homemade chicken curry to add to the  mix. I must say this took all of 5-10 minutes to put together and all the girls cleaned their bowls, a few went back for seconds, and acted as if I made something from scratch!

Continue reading Stockyards City Cookbook Cookthrough: Amazing Asian Salad Toss Y’all →

Faith, Man Cave

Staring Fear in the Face

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I am not a risk taker.

I am Conservative Guy.  I am Mr. Play it Safe.

It’s to the point that I won’t even try new foods.  The other night someone offered me some asparagus.  I have no idea if I’ve ever had asparagus and I promise you I couldn’t tell you what asparagus tastes like.  I said, “No thanks, I don’t like asparagus.”

Not true.  To dislike something you have to try it first.

When I go to the grocery store I buy the same products every single time.  I even have my routine down.  It begins with the soap and contact lens cleaner, moves on to bread, frozen dinner section, cereal aisle, produce, beverages, meat, see you later.  There is never a variation.

Okay, sometimes I do it backwards, but that’s only if I’m feeling dangerous.

Food is only one example.  Growing up, all I ever wanted was to become a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.  I watched my ‘Boys every Sunday and dreamed of someday catching passes on the Texas Stadium turf.

My first chance to play real football came in seventh grade.  The gear was sweet.  I had never worn actual shoulder pads or buttoned up the chinstrap on my own helmet.  I took it all home, put on the uniform and went straight to the mirror.

Continue reading Staring Fear in the Face →

Man Cave

Real Men and Oak Trees

A comment exchange from a previous post got me thinking about an idea I first read in a book by Gordon MacDonald. I don’t remember the exact book and I really don’t even remember if it is, in fact, a quote by him. Nonetheless, the concept obviously stuck with me even if I don’t remember who actually said it.

A real man is, in many ways, a lot like an oak tree.

The wood of an oak tree is more dense than that of just about any other tree in the forest. This quality makes the oak tree one of the strongest and most hardy of all trees. Because oak wood is also high in tannin, it is extremely resistant to insect and fungus attacks as well. Without getting too deep into the science of tree hardiness, the gist of the matter is that oak trees are the mountain men of the tree world.

In its full glory, an oak tree is one of the most impressive looking trees in existence. It provides shade from the sun, shelter from storms, and it’s acorns are not only a great source of food for squirrels but they grow up to be mighty oak trees themselves.

The roots of an oak tree are extremely deep and extensive. A mature oak tree can draw up to 50 gallons of water per day out of the soil around it.

Because of the strength of its wood, the oak tree is one of the most useful types of timber known to man. Since the middle ages, people have been building impressive structures out of oak: palaces, naval ships, fine furniture, treasure chests… just to name a few.

However, despite the great strength of the oak tree and its hardy resistance to attacks from external pests, when an oak tree does fall, it is often sudden and without warning.

Continue reading Real Men and Oak Trees →

Homestead and Garden

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch: I’m Thinking Disney… Ranch

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When I found out I would be visiting Disney World for a work conference, I was happy but not really excited about the trip.  It wasn’t until my second or third day (I’m a hard sell) that I really embraced all that was magical about Disney World.  Some people are “dreaming of a white Christmas.”  I can’t get the World of Disney off my mind.  What would it take for my ranch to be more like this magical land?

D-IVERSITY:  While at Disney World, I was able to sample all kinds of cuisine that I couldn’t sample any place else. I also interacted with people from all over the United States with differing viewpoints.  We have one Mexican restaurant, a Subway, a diner, and a barbeque restaurant in my town.    Dogs, cats, horses, goats and people live on my land. Is that diverse enough for Mr. Disney?

I-NTELLIGENCE:  The people in charge of various departments need to be skilled so that they appear intelligent at least in that one department.  There is no chance that my dog is going to learn to clean out a horse stall. She expresses no interest whatsoever and doesn’t even try to pick up a shovel.  That’s going to be my job forever.  I’m going to be the best “horse-stall-cleaner-outer” that I can be.  My dog can continue wagging her tail continually. She’s really good at that.  Mr. Disney likes this.

trashcan
Doesn't this just want to make you throw trash away? I think I can build something like this for the ranch.

S-POTLESS:  Disney World is the cleanest place on earth.  One afternoon on the Board Walk, I walked past a tiny piece of paper on the ground.  I was scared to turn around and look back fearing the street would open up and engulf the small item.  Very creepy.  The overall absence of trash encourages visitors to throw away theirs.  It can’t hurt that all of the trashcans are decorated with flowers.  Have you ever seen a plastic bag trapped against a fence in the country?  That drives me crazy!  I make sure every piece of trash is picked up out here.  It would be easier if our visitors would stop throwing their trash out the window.  I’ll work on trashcans with flowers at the top.

Continue reading Meanwhile Back at the Ranch: I’m Thinking Disney… Ranch →

Man Cave

UCO Sisters Beat The Golfing Odds

The game of golf is brutal.  It is a rage-inducing, mind-melting, often pointless endeavor.  The only thing worse than a bad round of golf is hearing about someone else’s good round of golf.

So if you are among the countless ranks of weekend hackers, or if you’re just the jealous type, read no further.

You won’t want to hear about the tale of the Bensch sisters from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Erica Bensch thought she had finally equalled her sister with her hole-in-one. They weren't tied for long. (courtesy bronchosports.com)

Erica and Lindsey Bensch play golf for the University of Central Oklahoma.  On November 9th, during a practice round at Kickingbird Golf Club in Edmond, Erica, a junior, and Lindsey, a freshman, each scored a hole-in-one.  Two sisters, two aces.

It happened for Erica on the 3rd hole, a 124-yard par 3.  The 20-year old stepped to the tee and hit a routine gap wedge.

“When it was in the air, my coach was hollering, ‘That’s in! That’s in!’, but I wasn’t sure,” recalls Erica.

Michael Bond is the UCO women’s golf coach and he is not to be doubted.  The ball landed on the green, took one hop and rolled straight home.

“It was shock,” said Erica. “I wasn’t expecting it.  My heart started racing, and a couple of guys lifted me up in the air.  There were lots of high fives.”

The excitement had barely died down when little sis grabbed her 8-iron on the 11th tee.  Lindsey, who already had a hole-in-one to her credit, remembered exactly what she was thinking as she sent the ball toward her target, 142 yards away.

Continue reading UCO Sisters Beat The Golfing Odds →

Foodie Page, Stockyards City Cookbook

If at First You Don’t Succeed! (Sticky Dough – Sticky Situation…)

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Sticky dough, take one. Okay - sticky dough, take two. Okay, let's do cheesecake! - photo from "Pinch My Salt."

I don’t know about you, but after all the food at Thanksgiving it is hard to get motivated to cook. I wanted to make Cattleman’s Hot Yeast Rolls for you so you could have the recipe for your Christmas meal. I have to confess, I wasn’t going to tell you about this until Julie admitted that her bread did not rise at Thanksgiving.

Take One

I mixed up the recipe and my dough, unlike Julie’s, did rise, but it was too sticky. The problem being that I could not buy yeast cakes so I converted the recipe for dry active yeast and followed the instructions on the yeast package to a T. Then I continued with the recipe as it was written, not thinking to cut back on my liquid to compensate for the liquid I dissolved the yeast in. I added some extra flour and realized that by the time I got enough flour mixed in, the dough would be way too floury. So, instead of wasting any more time I dumped the dough in the trash and headed back to the store for more yeast. Just the place I was hoping to avoid the day before Thanksgiving.

Take Two

Upon arriving home I decided to call the Fleischmann’s helpline. Just what I thought, instead of dissolving my yeast in water like the package tells you to the nice lady at Fleischmann’s told me to heat up about 1/2 cup on milk from the recipe and dissolve the yeast in the milk. Again my dough was too sticky and to top it off it was the worst bread dough I have ever tasted in my life and I have eaten a lot of bread dough and cookie dough and cake batter. Sorry, back to my story. I decided to make the hot rolls just like the recipe said and see what happened. The dough rose just like it should have, but again it was very sticky. I kept telling myself that it would get better after I let it rise the three times the recipe calls for.

Continue reading If at First You Don’t Succeed! (Sticky Dough – Sticky Situation…) →

Faith, Man Cave

Deconstructing My Christianized Self, Part 2

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Editor’s note: Josh’s “Part 1” discussion began last week.  If you’d like to start at the beginning, you may go HERE.  Thanks.~

I want to make the disclaimer that I do not think I have cornered the market on the Truth with a capital T. I get nervous around people who talk a lot about the Truth, and I certainly don’t want to make you nervous as well. There is a strong possibility that after I die, I could discover that I was completely off from the get go. My guess is that some truth may lie somewhere between in the dialectical tension between where I am theologically and where I came from. Who knows?

Please feel free to test, probe, critique, agree, disagree, heck, even deconstruct my deconstructed ideas. What I’m looking for is simply a constructive dialogue. Conversion to my side of thinking is not the goal. Conversation is. So come join me and lets tell our stories and ask questions and dive into the divine conundrum together.

*********

I was six years old the first time I got saved. While helping my mother iron clothes, I accidentally burned my hand on the glowing red metal. As my mom wrapped a towel of ice cubes around my throbbing hand, she matter-of-fact said, “You know, Josh, this is what hell will feel like.”

Looking down at my blistering fingers, I immediately retorted in breathy panic, “Well, I don’t want to go to hell then!” Moments later, as ice cubes melted across my throbbing fingers, I prayed to ask Jesus into my heart. That night I slept soundly. The thought of heaven was like a medicinal balm that soothed and cooled my burning soul. And what I carried around inside of me for many years afterward was the notion that the Jesus story was about saving people from something bad after death and for something good after death.

Continue reading Deconstructing My Christianized Self, Part 2 →

Faith

You Shoulda Known

Greetings

Happy Saturday to you all. This is the month when everyone is getting ready to buy gifts for friends and family, put lights on the house, and decorate the inside to reflect the Christmas spirit. I encourage all who read this to reflect the Holy Spirit while you celebrate the birth of Jesus. Santa is not the only one who sees you when you sleep and knows when you’re awake.

I happen to come across a passage in James that I’ve always found to be that “anti-gray area” kind of verse. I wanted to share it because it reminded me of just how tough it is to reflect Christ every day. Surely I’m not the only one who knows that being a Christian is not the easy choice or a cop out; it’s hard work. I also hope you understand what I mean by work because some people might already by thinking, “well, works don’t save you.” James 4:17 reminded me of just how high God sets the standard.

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

I don’t think this needs any elaboration on my part. It’s pretty self explanatory. I also don’t want you to think I’m taking the scripture out of context so I encourage you to read the verses leading up to this and the ones after. If you have a difference of opinion, feel free to reply. As I said earlier, I know I’m not the ultimate authority on the Bible so if I need to be corrected in truth just let me know.

Wrap Up

In short, all those times I knew I should’ve done this or wished I had done that, I had sinned. I also believe, even before I ever read this verse years ago, that I had known deep inside and realized it. This verse just put it in stone for me. I also encourage you to really think about all those times this has applied to your life. Lets both try to not repeat our past mistakes and move forward spiritually.

This is the season to celebrate Christ’s birth. If you aren’t reflecting Christ this month and every month, well, you “should’ve” known better.

Keep each other in prayer.

 ~ by Alfred Lamar Jackson

Man Cave

Real Men are Philosophers

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A real man is a philosopher.

While it’s certainly important to be a man of action, a real man also takes the time to ponder the important questions of life.

Why am I here? What am I accomplishing? What’s important? How will I be remembered? How can we make the world a better place? Why is there suffering in the world? How is the world changing and how should we respond? Why is there a very distinct hierarchy (Taco Cabana, followed by Taco Bueno, followed by Taco Bell, followed by Taco Mayo) among fast food Mexican restaurants? What are the important ideas of my time?

Continue reading Real Men are Philosophers →