oh yeah... and happy leap year day! My watch needs to figure it out... my watch thinks it is march 1, but I need to help fix it.

I forgot to say... friday, candi and I drove down to IKEA wow what a huge amazing place. They have really cheap stuff there, and it looks really nice how they have it... especially the lighting, I really like some of the stuff they have for lighting.

The only thing is that their stuff is really simple, and if you use all their stuff, it looks cool, but you can't just have like one ikea piece, and the rest of the house is normal... I just couldnt find nice stuff that would look good in our house... I guess our house is set up too traditional or something. anyway, so we came home without buying anything.

ok its late, and im blogging... i know it makes no sense, but its my determination to do a good job at the things I start. I realize that I really don't like things that are done half-heartedly.

ok... so my thoughts on the day

Danricc has nice house... His parents Dan and Linda are blessed to own a home like that... the best way I can describe it is as a humble mansion.

Some people live as slobs... I couldn't handle that... Are there successful people that live like slobs??? I guess there probably are... I'm not saying slobs are bad people. I just couldnt live with one. Candi is a pack rat... there is a difference - and shes not that bad.

I think the Minottos house was almost fakely clean... i mean, of course that it hardly looked lived in... It was beautiful but I guess thats how you do it when you are having an open house, and giving tours and such... also, its still sort of newly decorated and such. It was nice... I could definately live there.

If I was a young person looking for a mate, I would keep my room pretty clean. I thought about that last time I saw my friends place. It was a wreck, and I thought... no wonder no female could even think about hooking up with him.

wow... what a rant. anyway, everyone is different... Jesus loves slobs too. I think it also says something - when you take good care of yourself, it gives you confidence in yourself, and that shines through in lots of ways.

oh... keep your eyes on the new blog at http://marcandjulie.blogspot.com marc and julie hamer will be posting there once they get hooked up online.

I am glad to hear that the passion of the christ film is doing well at the box office. Sales arent extraordinary, but they are good.

I hope Mel Gibson makes some money off this piece, because He took a real risk in doing it. I would love for it too to send a message to Hollywood that it is worthwhile to do some good quality Christian films from time to time. Hopefully we will see even more good stuff coming out in the future.

despite what Jon says... comments rock... not that anyone has used them on my page yet, but they will - as soon as they realize im blogging again.

Secretly I think Jon is nervous/scared to have people post comments about his thoughts... maybe it is better for his blog that way. So much for the free exchange of ideas.

its freakin 2:41 am... i added a ton of pictures to my page, and some to a blog I am working on for the hamers. Now I remember why i stopped blogging... hmmmm time for bed

i just got back from seeing "The Passion of the Christ"

Words can't adequately describe emotions, so I'm not sure I will try. I have minor technical critiques about the film, but the whole experience of the film overwhelms them.

Phillipians 3 says [10] I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

We say we know Jesus... but how well do we know Him is the real question. After experiencing this film, I feel like I know his suffering a little more. This is not the first time I have cried when I picture what Jesus has done for us... and it won't be the last.

In our squeeky clean post-modern world, it is not often that I come face to face with the reality brutality, violence, and evil. Violence is not something I watch especially not in slow motion. But I realize that this kind of torture does happen to people. The mennonite heritage comes out of the Anabaptists who experienced real persecution, torture, burning at the stake etc. Those people could say that they "knew" the suffering of Christ.

Undoubtedly you may have read reviews or heard about the Passion film on secular TV or radio. It has taken quite a beating from the critics. I read a review last night that totally trashed the film... AND from the un-believing, i can totally see where they are coming from. The bible says that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1CO 1:18) so how can two people see the same thing, and get two different responses? The bible says it would happen this way. Many unbelievers will come away from this movie totally unchanged and it will make no sense to them. But to the seeker, who is open to believe, they will be moved to a richer understanding of what Jesus did for them.

Most Christians should really get out to see this film. I say most, because, some won't handle it very well. It is hard. But most should really go to see it. If you come away disgusted, and sick... well maybe thats ok. Maybe it will make you think next time reject God in your life.

This film really stands out as a beautiful and tragic work of art. As the song says,

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night

I've already surrendered my life to service of my Lord, but there are still areas of compromise. After seeing/experiencing in a visual way what He has done, how can I not surrender EVEN MORE of my life to Him?

tonight we went to my grandmothers place... she is 92 I think. Anyway, she seemed to be doing good, and it was nice to just hang out, and be entertained by maria. On the way back, we stopped at the MOM mall... which is a big joke. man furniture is mad expensive... especially for nice stuff.
unless you want to talk about Ikea... where I stopped in earlier today (on the way back from the philly airport) now that place has some cheap stuff... but it isnt as nice. Anyway, who wants to buy a $6,000 sofa? Im not kidding, there were chairs and couches up in that range. ridiculous.

anyway, we need one more chair in our living room to sort of fill it in, and make it more comfortable for conversation. It is nice to not have a TV... the arangement of the room can be designed for conversation rather than everyone facing one direction.

I need to fix my blog... i know it is ghetto. But ive been working at helping marc and julie get set up... at marcandjulie.blogspot.com - there isnt anything really there yet... they are still in the air somewhere over the pacific ocean right now.

just got back from the airport... took my sister Julie and family. They will be involved with YWAM Scotland starting in may... and for now training in New Zealand.

maria is napping... she is one year old today.

sure there were tears, but it is nice to know that they will be back for a week at the end of april.

well it sounds like that nap is over... I hear music playing from one of marias toys. peace

it is minutes till maria's first birthday... I first started blogging right around there, and I hope to get my archives up and running so I can reference back to that... Its been a pretty amazing year, maria is growing so fast and I know I sound cliche when I say it, but it just seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Here we are a year later. Wow. Its been a great year - learning and growing.

today my energies were going out to help marc and julie finish up some stuff at their house... I couldnt do that much, but just little things to help pack up... their house is empty now, and just needs a touch up cleaning job.

We will leave around 8am tomorrow for the airport. hmmm its gonna be sad to see them off, but the world is a much smaller place with modern technology and stuff... so I think we will be able to keep in touch ok.

ok... so its been since october... so what. I've been busy