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lsdiamondNaturally, there is a reason for all things.
I don't know if this is *the* reason we were supposed to stay past noon today, but it is definitely *a* reason.
Logan came by to visit this evening. Ian, +Kyle and I skipped out on church to visit with him, and it turned out to be one of the most incredible evenings. Of course, we had fun conversation, and remembering of good times. He seems to be in a strange place right now, and it's one of those places where we were about two years ago. He wants to move out, and he's old enough, but he's not quite sure he's ready to commit to such a big decision. He doesn't really seem to know what he wants to do, but did admit to having had a dream ever since he was a little kid: to work on cars, particularly restoration of old vehicles. I think he called it a frame build, or something like that. He wants to take old cars, fix them up from the inside out, and end up with a good product that he can point to and say, "I made that." We all exhorted him to pursue this desire. It could turn him to something he really wants to do, or it could show him that it's not really "for" him. +Kyle especially shared how he made a list (of things he thought he'd enjoy doing) two years ago, and began crossing things off one by one. The last thing left on his list was gunsmithing, and so he went with it. Now, he's almost out of school, and he's absolutely loving it, and looking forward to getting out there and *doing* something with it.
He feels this need to do what his parents want him to do, but he recognizes that he won't be happy that way. I was able to share that which I have struggled with for so long, and only after years of trying to please everyone else finally came to the realization that I was miserable. Be true to thyself, essentially.
Ian gave him the Calhoun course book, and marked some of the auto courses, just as something for him to look into. He's not sure that college is 'for' him either, but we assured him that he could simply take those courses he wanted to, and not worry too much about things like gen eds. He's so worried about not being smart enough to do what he wants to do. We did explain to him that there are different *types* of intelligence. For instance, +Kyle and I may be able to look at computers and fix them, but a car engine? Beyond us. Logan, on the other hand, fixed something in five minutes that would have taken his father an hour. He has a vast intelligence when it comes to cars, and we're encouraging him to use it.
He also mentioned a love of tattooing. He's done some work on his dad, and really enjoys that as well. He may have a combination of work in front of him if he'll commit to that decision to just decide.
As is our wont when we get together with Logan, the topic eventually turned to the spiritual. We probably talked about nearly everything, but some of the more poignant moments included things such as:
Perspective: the Truman Show allegory
Why are we here?
For as long as I can remember, the idea of "Why are we here" has been implied, if not directly taught, as, "God put us here to worship Him." End of story, right? For as long as I can remember, I've had a problem with that idea. I've always thought of God as being bigger than that, if you know what I mean. It's always bothered me that we put Him in this egotistical light of "I'm God, now bow down before me." It's never clicked, and tonight I found out why.
Yes, according to this passage, God desires that we would seek after Him, *but* clearly He does not *need* us. We don't...we can't...give Him anything worthy of His glory, no matter how hard we try. As I read this, we were created so that *He* could give to *us*. He's so big, and has so much to offer that He wanted someone with whom to share it all. Of course, there are the angels, who worship Him due to the jaw-dropping awe of, "It's really Him!" that those in heaven (those in His direct presence) naturally feel. One might even consider (though I'm not sure of the truth of the idea) that the angels were actually created solely to serve and worship God. As we discussed it, God wanted something different...something like Him, an entity of three distinct but united parts...something more like family, to whom He could bestow the infinite gifts He has in store.
This brings me to another thought: After creating one, the realization came to the created (Adam) that family was indeed a thing to be desired, hence the further creation of Eve.
If we're made in the image of God, and God is a spiritual creature, why are we spirit enclosed in flesh?
This was God's failsafe mechanism. Consider if you will that man is an eternal creature: spirit/soul/mind, made in the very image of God - perfect. Consider that man has free will - the freedom to choose to do or do not, to obey, or to disobey. Consider that the consequence of disobedience is not only damnation, but also decay. Now consider an eternal being in a state of disobedience. What a terrifying thought!
There had to be some way to ensure the possibility of salvation in the (inevitable) event that man would make the choice to not obey. The eventual death of man's physical body is only the beginning. Man's eternal nature (soul/spirit/mind) will continue in another plane of existence, and the where of it is determined by 'the state of his soul' as it were.
Lucifer: Before or After Creation?
Logan asked something about when Lucifer's fall actually took place - before or after creation? He believes there to have been one creation, the fall of the angels, and then a second creation. Unfortunately, there's nothing really to support that thought.
His thinking is that verse one is the first creation, and that verse two describes a second creation - as though the makings of the earth and water were already there from the first one. Dad explained it like this: These verses are like a scene from a movie. You see the big picture in verse one, and then it 'zooms in' on the picture in verse two and continues to describe what happened. It makes sense, and there's no need to read anything into the words. The problem with mankind is that we tend to make things a lot harder than they have to be, a theme that we pondered several times throughout the night.
So anyway, when did Lucifer and the angels fall? We determined from Isaiah (I think - have to ask Mom where she found it) that it would have been after creation, and logically had to be before the fall of man. An outside source (Lucifer - already fallen, and now Satan) was the catalyst that suggested the choice of disobedience. The power of suggestion is truly an amazing and frightening thing. Logan seemed to accept the timeline.
How big is the Universe?
Somehow the topic turned from creation to the actual size of the universe. Everyone had an opinion. Logan believes it to be expanding infinitely, so that we'll never reach the end. +Kyle has the idea that the universe is shaped like a Mobius strip. I believe there's an edge, but there's reason to believe it's expanding, especially under a big bang start to things. That said, it's likely that (if time goes on long enough) someday there will be a rubber-band effect, and gravity will cause everything in the universe to snap back on itself. Granted, it would be on a grand scale, and take eons to do, but it seems a reasonable assessment of things.
How important *is* baptism, and is it really necessary for salvation? AKA the "What if" scenario
We've all heard it...the "if someone asks in their heart to be saved, and dies before they get baptized, are they still saved?" question. The car crash. The heart attack. The operation. There are myriad scenarios, but Dad gave one simple answer. God knows the hearts of men: If a person truly believes, God will spare them until such time that they can follow the procedure set forth. Interesting. I'll have to study further on this particular matter, having had some questions raised by Brian as to the 'necessity' of baptism as well.
All in all it was an interesting night. When we had gone to bed, +Kyle said that when he first started looking at JC's as a potential job, he was really hoping for the Pennsylvania job instead...but now that he's spent so much time with friends and family, he has transferred that desire to the JC's job instead. I'm glad...relieved...to learn this, but also a little scared by it. After so long of wanting to get back closer to family, (but knowing we would probably be even farther away due to his work), I'm afraid to get my hopes up. Is this a lack of faith on my part? I'm not sure. I just know I'm nervous.
I don't know if this is *the* reason we were supposed to stay past noon today, but it is definitely *a* reason.
Logan came by to visit this evening. Ian, +Kyle and I skipped out on church to visit with him, and it turned out to be one of the most incredible evenings. Of course, we had fun conversation, and remembering of good times. He seems to be in a strange place right now, and it's one of those places where we were about two years ago. He wants to move out, and he's old enough, but he's not quite sure he's ready to commit to such a big decision. He doesn't really seem to know what he wants to do, but did admit to having had a dream ever since he was a little kid: to work on cars, particularly restoration of old vehicles. I think he called it a frame build, or something like that. He wants to take old cars, fix them up from the inside out, and end up with a good product that he can point to and say, "I made that." We all exhorted him to pursue this desire. It could turn him to something he really wants to do, or it could show him that it's not really "for" him. +Kyle especially shared how he made a list (of things he thought he'd enjoy doing) two years ago, and began crossing things off one by one. The last thing left on his list was gunsmithing, and so he went with it. Now, he's almost out of school, and he's absolutely loving it, and looking forward to getting out there and *doing* something with it.
He feels this need to do what his parents want him to do, but he recognizes that he won't be happy that way. I was able to share that which I have struggled with for so long, and only after years of trying to please everyone else finally came to the realization that I was miserable. Be true to thyself, essentially.
Ian gave him the Calhoun course book, and marked some of the auto courses, just as something for him to look into. He's not sure that college is 'for' him either, but we assured him that he could simply take those courses he wanted to, and not worry too much about things like gen eds. He's so worried about not being smart enough to do what he wants to do. We did explain to him that there are different *types* of intelligence. For instance, +Kyle and I may be able to look at computers and fix them, but a car engine? Beyond us. Logan, on the other hand, fixed something in five minutes that would have taken his father an hour. He has a vast intelligence when it comes to cars, and we're encouraging him to use it.
He also mentioned a love of tattooing. He's done some work on his dad, and really enjoys that as well. He may have a combination of work in front of him if he'll commit to that decision to just decide.
As is our wont when we get together with Logan, the topic eventually turned to the spiritual. We probably talked about nearly everything, but some of the more poignant moments included things such as:
Why are we here?
For as long as I can remember, the idea of "Why are we here" has been implied, if not directly taught, as, "God put us here to worship Him." End of story, right? For as long as I can remember, I've had a problem with that idea. I've always thought of God as being bigger than that, if you know what I mean. It's always bothered me that we put Him in this egotistical light of "I'm God, now bow down before me." It's never clicked, and tonight I found out why.
Acts 17:24-28
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.'
Yes, according to this passage, God desires that we would seek after Him, *but* clearly He does not *need* us. We don't...we can't...give Him anything worthy of His glory, no matter how hard we try. As I read this, we were created so that *He* could give to *us*. He's so big, and has so much to offer that He wanted someone with whom to share it all. Of course, there are the angels, who worship Him due to the jaw-dropping awe of, "It's really Him!" that those in heaven (those in His direct presence) naturally feel. One might even consider (though I'm not sure of the truth of the idea) that the angels were actually created solely to serve and worship God. As we discussed it, God wanted something different...something like Him, an entity of three distinct but united parts...something more like family, to whom He could bestow the infinite gifts He has in store.
This brings me to another thought: After creating one, the realization came to the created (Adam) that family was indeed a thing to be desired, hence the further creation of Eve.
If we're made in the image of God, and God is a spiritual creature, why are we spirit enclosed in flesh?
This was God's failsafe mechanism. Consider if you will that man is an eternal creature: spirit/soul/mind, made in the very image of God - perfect. Consider that man has free will - the freedom to choose to do or do not, to obey, or to disobey. Consider that the consequence of disobedience is not only damnation, but also decay. Now consider an eternal being in a state of disobedience. What a terrifying thought!
There had to be some way to ensure the possibility of salvation in the (inevitable) event that man would make the choice to not obey. The eventual death of man's physical body is only the beginning. Man's eternal nature (soul/spirit/mind) will continue in another plane of existence, and the where of it is determined by 'the state of his soul' as it were.
Lucifer: Before or After Creation?
Logan asked something about when Lucifer's fall actually took place - before or after creation? He believes there to have been one creation, the fall of the angels, and then a second creation. Unfortunately, there's nothing really to support that thought.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. - Genesis 1:1-2
His thinking is that verse one is the first creation, and that verse two describes a second creation - as though the makings of the earth and water were already there from the first one. Dad explained it like this: These verses are like a scene from a movie. You see the big picture in verse one, and then it 'zooms in' on the picture in verse two and continues to describe what happened. It makes sense, and there's no need to read anything into the words. The problem with mankind is that we tend to make things a lot harder than they have to be, a theme that we pondered several times throughout the night.
So anyway, when did Lucifer and the angels fall? We determined from Isaiah (I think - have to ask Mom where she found it) that it would have been after creation, and logically had to be before the fall of man. An outside source (Lucifer - already fallen, and now Satan) was the catalyst that suggested the choice of disobedience. The power of suggestion is truly an amazing and frightening thing. Logan seemed to accept the timeline.
How big is the Universe?
Somehow the topic turned from creation to the actual size of the universe. Everyone had an opinion. Logan believes it to be expanding infinitely, so that we'll never reach the end. +Kyle has the idea that the universe is shaped like a Mobius strip. I believe there's an edge, but there's reason to believe it's expanding, especially under a big bang start to things. That said, it's likely that (if time goes on long enough) someday there will be a rubber-band effect, and gravity will cause everything in the universe to snap back on itself. Granted, it would be on a grand scale, and take eons to do, but it seems a reasonable assessment of things.
How important *is* baptism, and is it really necessary for salvation? AKA the "What if" scenario
We've all heard it...the "if someone asks in their heart to be saved, and dies before they get baptized, are they still saved?" question. The car crash. The heart attack. The operation. There are myriad scenarios, but Dad gave one simple answer. God knows the hearts of men: If a person truly believes, God will spare them until such time that they can follow the procedure set forth. Interesting. I'll have to study further on this particular matter, having had some questions raised by Brian as to the 'necessity' of baptism as well.
All in all it was an interesting night. When we had gone to bed, +Kyle said that when he first started looking at JC's as a potential job, he was really hoping for the Pennsylvania job instead...but now that he's spent so much time with friends and family, he has transferred that desire to the JC's job instead. I'm glad...relieved...to learn this, but also a little scared by it. After so long of wanting to get back closer to family, (but knowing we would probably be even farther away due to his work), I'm afraid to get my hopes up. Is this a lack of faith on my part? I'm not sure. I just know I'm nervous.
