Here's How My Thought Process Works

I've always had a problem with some of the "traditions" attached to Lent. I've never quite been down with the whole "giving something up" thing. Nor, am I totally cool with the "no hallelujah" thing either. It seems to me that if there is any time of the year we SHOULD be singing Hallelujahs is now. I mean, come on, some guy who I don't know, and I've never met, took my place and let himself be NAILED to a piece of wood so that he could die, be buried in a tomb and then three days later be raised from the dead. Yeah, lets talk about that for a minute shall we? Can I get a "whoa, buddy" out there somewhere. I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that; its all about the faith, then, huh?

Let's talk about that crucifiction, shall we? I think its important to note that the word "excruciating" is an indication of the pain, why? That word was coined to describe the pain one experienced. It means, literally, "from the cross." Spikes were nailed just below the wrist. To us today, that is part of the arm, but to the Hebrews the hand went from the elbow to the tips of the fingers.The reason for that was simple: if they put the spike through the hand the muscles would rip and the victim would fall off the cross. The wrist bones were strong enough for the weight of a body. I have seen pictures of a body of a crucifiction victim that was found during an archioligical dig. The nails/spikes were still intact and by the wrist bone.

The scurging Jesus recieved from the Romans would of caused him to lose a lot of blood to begin with along with pieces of flesh and muscle. It wasn't unusual for bone to be exposed after such a scurging. No wonder Roman citizens weren't allowed to be flogged.

The heavy purple robe they put on Jesus would of been sucked into the wounds like a bandaid... when they ripped it off of him as it says in the Scriptures it would of been like ripping off a huge scab. You know how much it hurts when you take a bandage off a cut finger or knee... I can't even begin to imagine how gory this whole process was, I don't want to, though, Mel Gibson did the best he could with his snuff film a few years ago.

Jesus probably, though I don't know for sure, died from blood loss, exhaustion, with some dehydration thrown in for good measure. Most of those who died on the cross didn't die so much from the blood loss, but from the suffication. They legs would buckle (or be broken) and they wouldn't be able to stand up and the dead weight of their body would press down on to their chest cavity, they wouldn't be able to lift themselves and their lungs would be unable to get any air. In short, the victim wouldn't be able to breathe. I have read that some victims of crucifiction would lanquish for days. That's why the criminals legs were broken, to speed up the process. That was a gift.

Generally, victims of crucifiction were left on their cross after death to be picked over by vermin and birds. That was one of the reasons why crucifiction was done outside of the city walls, another reason was to kind of serve as notice to those coming into the city that should do the best they could to behave themselves. Call it a graphic warning of "this, too, could happen to you..."

Today, in church the Old Testement lesson came from Numbers 21 (Moses makes a bronze snake and any one who looks at it was healed from snake bites) and the New Testement lesson came from John 3:14-21. I have read those before and made the connection, but what struck me today was John 3:14 "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up." As a former English major I see symbolism in that, in one way you can read it as being lifted up to heaven, but in another its being lifted up after being nailed to the cross and being put on display. That is what got me. Jesus was put on display for a reason, to be mocked, but it was through that display that something much more important and fascinating happened. As I look at that broken, bloodied body that was nailed to wood I am healed and strengthened. My sin is taken from me and put on Him. I, a guilty man, am made innocent through the blood of an innocent man.

Explain to me again why I shouldn't be singing Hallelujah's during Lent?

Knock, Knock... Hello?

Its been a long time since I've written here. I haven't even done a very good job of reading other blogs. I've started spending too much time on myspace, my to my detriment. I've discovered some great groups over thre take much of time as I read various postings. I have also been busy with the beginning processes of training new booksellers for the new store that will be opening in the next few weeks (I am quite excited about that, too). And then there is school. That has started to take up time, again. I hadn't done much about school the last week or so (Spring Break kind of does that). I had all the best intentions of working on school work over the break, but of course I didn't do a blessed thing. So now, I should be working on a short "journal article review" for my Reference in the Humanities Class and yet I find myself here writing in my Blog and listening to John Coltrane on my cd player.

I haven't read much of Romans the last week, either, I haven't done much about self-edification of my faith, either. It has kind of been put on the back burner with all the other things going on; though, I have gotten a little more then three fourths through Genesis (nightly reading, a chapter or to a night before bed). So, that has been good and interesting.

Though, I must laugh a bit. It seems the Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord has run afoul of some of the folks in the Blogosphere. Funny, how just a few short months ago we were all singing its praises. I haven't any opinion on the matter, either way, maybe I should, but I don't. I'm not smart enough and I don't read it that closely (again, probably my detriment).

I've just been floating around in the great faith sea in my little rubber raft enjoying the subtle ripples. Haven't had too many waves lately, for that I am much thankful.

Blessings to all.

Karl

I'm Still Here and I'm Still Reading

My fingers are itchy. My mind is working. My faith is strong. There are words in there. I'm in the Word almost daily. Romans continues to kick me in the backside.

More later.

apology

I must apologize to all who stop by this blog. I haven't had a decent update in what seems like weeks. I have to be in the right mindset to be here and I just haven't had the time nor the energy to write here. I'll be back. Trust me. Be well and may the Lord bless and keep you always.

Peace.

Karl

Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris facts
God? No, Chuck Norris, good guess, though. God should accept that as a compliment. Today is what we mortals call Chuck Norris' birthday because we have no other way of describing it, but today is the day Chuck Norris BECAME. What does this mean? We should fear and love Chuck Norris...

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.

Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.

When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.

Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

Chuck Norris’ hand is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush.

There is no such thing as global warming. Chuck Norris was cold, so he turned the sun up.

Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.

Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.

Chuck Norris gave Mona Lisa that smile.

Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.

Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost

Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching a DeltaForce marathon on Satellite TV.

Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship

Don't Mind Me

Yesterday was a test for me. I almost walked out of church again yesterday when they fired up the band. It was so loud that I found myself covering my ears at times. Every other week my church has a "celebration" service, I'm not really sure hat that means other than to have loud music that no on knows.

It went downhill from there. One of the teachers (female) read the Old Testement lesson. She did a pseudo-dramatic reading that really rang quite hollow. I found myself just bothered by the whole affair, but as per usual it was good that I was the service. The sermon was one I needed to hear. It resonated with me and some of the struggles I've been having lately. The same struggles I always have, but for the last few weeks they have been more acute then usual.

As I drove home from church yesterday I found myself having a dialogue with me. I asked myself why do those kind of services really bother me and the best answer I came up with was this: it bothers me that the church has, in a way, moved to the "give em what they want" mentality, but its more then that; its this: going to church for me is a time to relax and be out of the world for an hour or so (more if I go to Sunday School) its a time for me to get my spiritual self recharged and ready to go for the week and the music plays (no pun intended) a big part in that. I don't need loud guitars and unfamiliar songs to get me excited about my faith. I need something concrete I can hold onto, the music we had yesterday was more distracting to me then anything else, I just wasn't able to connect to God the way I feel I need to make it through the week.

At least the pastors were wearing their clerical collars.

Words and words and words

alt="" /> I'm all about fads. Yeah, I fall for them from time to time. So, that's the reason why I have a
myspace account. It started out as curiousity, but the cat got killed. Then there's this wordcloud thingamahjiggydoohickything and I'm diggin on that, too. Ol'Aardie hisself gave it a thumbs up. I've seen it on other blogs and thought it cool, but I decided to jump the shark, I mean onto the bandwagon, and give it whirl, above you see the result.