Bible Study and Beer – Crossing the Line or What Religion Needs?
Posted on Aug 12, 2008 8 Comments
I have been fortunate to have a few experiences in the last couple of months that have lodged a strange idea in my head. Now that I have thought it through, I think it’s time to share my thoughts and see what happens.
It started with a dream I had. Under some strange circumstance I happened to meet up with an acquaintance of mine. He happened to be a fellow Christian and he had a six pack of beer and a bible. He suggested we have a bible study and a couple of cold ones. I recall it being odd, but I went along with it. I don’t remember anymore of the dream and I actually remember very few of my dreams in general. So the fact that this one stuck with me made me really think about WHY I had the dream and what it meant.
Fast forward a month or so and what do I happen to catch? A sermon by Perry Noble from NewSpring Church. They are doing a series called “You Asked For It…” and the topic of the week was called “Is it OK for a Christian to Drink Alcohol?” First off, I found the timing very interesting. Secondly, Perry really dove into scripture to tell the stories that address the issue and answer the question. I think it’s very important to answer these questions directly with scripture and unfortunately, far too many church leaders will quote one verse, interpret it incorrectly, and lead people down an unintended path. By the way, there are entire books on that topic, so I will leave it at that for the moment… Anyway, I really took a lot away from that message and actually think it might be a good idea to hear it again.
Here is the link if you are interested… You Asked For It – Is is OK for a Christian to Drink Alcohol
The third and final event that brought me to this moment was a baseball game I went to with the guys from my church last week. I am still new at Redemption Hill, but have found this infant church to be delivering exactly what I need to be hearing and considering on a weekly basis. Nothing particularly special happened that night, but almost everyone attending our little baseball meetup had a beer or two. This is not common, at least not where I come from. Church people don’t kickback with other church folks and have a brew or two. A lot of them sit up straight in their chairs and try to keep the picture clean straight and narrow, even though it is rare that the image created is accurate and true. My point is this, I think the situation illustrated to me that these guys were normal people like I, that also happened to be lacking the stiffness that comes along with many church/religious settings. The situation AND the beer was refreshing in it’s own right.
So that’s the story, those are the events that have convinced me that a Bible Study + Beer is not just some stupid idea that I came up with to rebel against the stiff religious types. It just might serve a real purpose in some peoples lives. So much so that the beer would become secondary very quickly, I would actually expect this to happen to anyone attending more than a coupe of times. Sure, this isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of guys out there that have the maturity and self control to kick back with buddies from church, have a couple of beers, and talk through scripture.
So is this edgy? Uh, YEAH! But edgy with a proper intent can be a very powerful way to get people involved that would have otherwise never considered attending a bible study meeting.
I have plenty more to think about regarding this “crazy” idea, but I thought it was time to throw it out and see what peoples thoughts are. Let me know what you think internet…
Money and Perks, Not Root of Happiness
Posted on Jul 29, 2008 5 Comments
Like most of Americans, I have a job. I guess you could call it a career even. But I have this gut feeling that it’s not MY career.
If you know me from the internet, you might guess that I am somehow intertwined with the computer industry in some way. As much as I would love that, it is in fact false. I am in the low voltage electronics field. I got started in this industry about 7 years ago as a field tech and for the last year or so I have been all of the following…. at the same time. Project Manager, AutoCAD Design and Layout Guy, Nurse Call Sales Person, and still a Field Tech. Some days I enjoy the work. It seems like I can go a solid month without doing the same thing, which keeps me from getting bored, but the constant change occasionally makes me feel a touch psychotic.
What does that have to do with Money and Perks? Well, for starters, lets just say that the house that my wife and I bought last year was only made possible by good things that have happened to us in our respective lines of work. It doesn’t end there though. We both have work provided laptops, Blackberries, and random other things that come in handy on and off the job. Oh, and I have a brand new truck… Not new to me, but brand new. It had 19 miles on it when I picked it up the other day. I really like my new truck and I feel appreciated by my company because of their decision to replace my very decent truck with a new one. The decent one, by the way, goes to someone else in the field.
This is where my head spins around though. Despite perks and very decent pay, I find myself hungry for more… but not more money or more perks. I am hunting that elusive thing called Happiness. Don’t get me wrong, I have a goal to double my income to allow my wife to stop working when the time is right, but the money based goal is not consumerist in nature. I want to make enough money to keep our house in order, pay for kids in whatever capacity they come to us, set some aside for later in life, and have a little left over to enjoy on vacations and non-essentials. I realize that most everyone is chasing this goal, problem is this. I truly believe that this is an attainable goal. The most uncomfortable bit is that I am pretty sure I will feel unsettled until these goals are achieved in some capacity.
Top it off with this… I happen to think the only way to be happy in my work is to work for myself.
No wonder people end up in therapy and on meds after life has beat them about the face for a handful of years. I’m about to turn 30, shall I make an appointment?
It’s a strange place to be in. I can change nothing and continue on in my line of work, slowly working my way up the pay scale. I will continue to wonder what things might be like if I only chased my goals and dreams. I will never be able to provide enough income to completely support the household. I will hit a quickly approaching ceiling in the company I work for. So on and so forth…
So what? Do I flip a coin? Pray? Think? Wait? Hurry Up? What?
Do I choose one or try to somehow smash the two together?
It amazes me how each human that lands on this earth starts at zero… absolute zero. And though they learn from their parents and peers, everything that matters has to be learned one painful step at a time.
If You Can Dream It…
Posted on Jul 29, 2008
Ok, so maybe this isn’t the classiest of jokes, but shift your paradigm and find the humor.
Jim Gaffigan – W00t!
Posted on Jul 14, 2008 3 Comments
A mere few days away from the Jim Gaffigan show and I have been catching myself thinking about it several times a day. I guess that means I’m exited. Oh, I also quote him a lot…probably more than I should, but those that are usually in my imediate surroundings appreciates the Gaf-Man and laughs with as opposed to rolls eyes at.
Here’s a clip I pulled from his DVD Beyond the Pale…the famous Hot Pocket bit…
Somehow this video clip has been seen over 1/4 million times….! Awesome right!? This guy has quite a following.
I will be sure to do a full report on the awesomeness that willbe Friday night. What I want to know is when will the DVD will be out because I am certain I will leave that place laughing my a$$ off, but won’t be able to remember any of the jokes…
National Arts Program, I Got 2nd!
Posted on Jul 6, 2008 12 Comments
“Southern”
I recently entered a couple of photos into The National Arts Program amateur category and as it turns out people liked my work! “Split Rail” ended up in the front lobby of the show at Pine Camp and “Southern” won second prize in the Amateur division! I was not expecting anything and had even heard that most photography gets passed over for paintings and such, which actually makes sense when the entries are grouped together by age and ability, not medium. It turns out that the above image made enough of an impression on the judges that I came out in second place. I went to the awards ceremony last week knowing that I had been selected for and award, but was not told what place I had won. Could have been an honorable mention…but t wasn’t!
I am really glad I entered and I guess the award, if nothing else, really affirmed that I should continue shooting and since both of my entries were from a shoot organized by The Richmond Photography Meetup Group, I should keep showing up. Actually, these images were from the first and only Meetup I have attended so far.
I did win some money, not enough to recoup printing and framing fees, since I printed 12×16 and framed the images in 18×24 frames, but it was cool anyway.
So thanks National Arts Program and thanks Richmond Photography Meetup Group!
I Am Potpourri, In a Miscellany Kind of Way
Posted on Jun 28, 2008 2 Comments
20 Days… I took a 20 day reprieve from all things blogging, even stepped away from Twitter. Now it’s time to dust things off a bit and get back at it, but not in the same manner as I had previously been “getting at it”. Daily blogging and constantly updating Twitter became distracting and was taking up too much of my daily time. It’s not that posting a YouTube video takes very long, but I was thinking about posting everyday and HAD to find something to post everyday.
I have been considering “what’s next” for my site now that daily blogging is off the table. Part of me wanted to focus my efforts on one purpose or plan for my blog. A single stream of thought as opposed to a mishmash of everything I guess. I tried to settle my mind on that idea and it never would. I couldn’t come up with one part of me or my thoughts that would be a good singular theme for my blog. I guess I just don’t work that way, besides, I like some of the viral goofy stuff and want to share it with my readers when the mood strikes me.
Such as my life, I am potpourri, my palette of interest reaches far and wide. A jack of all trades, master of none in my abilities and in my interests.
Kamen Lee Dot Com is here to stay, but the focus will remain Miscellany.
It’s good to be back…
-Kamen
Warehouse Sprinkler Accident
Posted on Jun 28, 2008 10 Comments
In “my work”, I hear a lot of stories about broken sprinkler heads, but I never get to see it happen. I imagine all of them to be something like this. Best sprinkler break ever!
Watch until the end…
Warehouse Sprinkler Accident – Watch more free videos