Until Linux can get rid of errors like this (although Microsoft's errors are very little better sometimes) it won't be as assessable as Windows.

I had to share this picture though... I thought it was funny.


~B.

Labels: technical

Yesterday I was home from work because I was feeling nasty and in the afternoon I didn't take my normal amount of Tylenol. Shortly after the old batch ran out I started to get a fever. By the time we got a thermometer in my mouth (it was out of batteries) my temp was 102.3. We called the nurse care line and explained the temp, and the pains and the nurse said that her computer screen was telling her to "Call 911" and get an ambulance out to us to get me to the ER. I talked her down from that and told her that my wife was driving me to the ER right now.

On the way to the ER I was like, "Ok, what do you want to bet they do to me. I bet an IV and chest x-rays."

We got to the ER and there was no one there and they ushered us right into a room. I didn't have much of a fever when they checked it but my heart rate was going pretty strong and they didn't like that. So they pulled me into a room and gave me an IV with some fluids. While that was going the doctor came in and we talked about current issues, past medical issues, etc. Then she ordered some chest x-rays.

Good news, the chest x-rays came back 100% clean (so nothing like pneumonia, or any pesky cancer stuff), they also took blood and my white blood cell count is "normal" for the first time in 2 years at least. 8000ish. Wooo! She concluded it was a virus of some kind and recommended I keep up with the Tylenol for pain and stay home 24 hours after my fever went away.

So I am chilling at home again today. Thanks for all the prayers and support last night via twitter and Facebook.

~B.

Labels: medical

I hate to say this but I think aside from cancer the biggest causer of pain in my life has been video games. I killed my arm last year playing Wii Sports, and then this weekend I played Rock Band for the first time (I drummed) and the next day I thought I was going to die. This morning it's still pretty painful. Using muscles I don't normally use. Maybe I should have warmed up first. (And this isn't the "feels good workout pain", no this is, I really shouldn't have done that, type pain.)

Staying home today to catch up on emails and some projects. Our plane did it's thing and got us back to Denver without any problems. I'm just dealing with varying levels of soreness/ pain now.

More later.

~B.

As a classics minor in college I did all sorts of studying on ancient cultures and languages and the history of them. Something I always wondered about, but was never able to get an answer on, was, "Why did the worship of pagan gods drop off so steeply in the (western/ near eastern) world after Christ?"

You might think, oh, well that is fairly obvious, Christianity pushed them out. It was the whole, "You shall not have any other gods before me." commandment. (Exodus 20:3) That, while most likely partially true, never really seemed like it answered the question for me. That command, while applicable to Christians, was given to the young nation of Israel 800ish years before Christ.

Another reason I wonder about this that the Greek and Roman gods are effectively the same. And it's not just that, Ashtoreth (Ashera), to the Phoenicians, and Ishtar, to the Babylonians and Assyrians, is Venus to the Greeks and Aphrodite to the Romans. (She was the goddess of fertility) The point here being that some of those gods had a very long run as gods worshiped by man in the (western/near eastern) ancient world. It's not like some of them were "just worshiped by the Romans". (Which would explain them "dying out" as Christianity moved in, but they have a longer running history than that.)

I believe it comes down to power. In Exodus 7 Aaron "throws down" his staff in front of Pharaoh and it becomes a snake. Pharaoh is unimpressed and calls in his "wise men" and they do their thing, and throw down their staffs and they turn into snakes. The evidence here is that worship of these ancient deities (no matter what name they were worshiped under) was powerful. There was something to be gained and I think "magic" and elemental influence (weather, land, etc) was effectively the draw in the worship of these old gods. (People wouldn't worship something if they didn't think there wouldn't be a result.)

Because of the above I've always found myself wondering, "What happened?" to those gods and the ancient power. Why doesn't that translate after Christ? I finally think I have my answer. (I seriously have been thinking about this, off and on, for the past 4 years)

Lets start in Luke 4:

"And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." And Jesus answered him, "It is written,
"'You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.'"" -Luke 4:5-8 (ESV) emphasis added

Verse 4:6 is where I want to focus. In another translation: "And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish."" (NASB) Yes the devil lies, but partial truths are also just as damaging sometimes. Here in Luke 4:6 Jesus doesn't argue with Satan.

Now lets flash forward to the end of Jesus' ministry on Earth. After He had died and risen again He spoke to the disciples (right before the "Great Commission") and said, "... "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18 (NASB)) It looks to me what Jesus is saying here is that the Earth is no longer Satan's house. Things are going to be different now because of the ultimate sacrifice He made.

Now, don't get me wrong here, Satan still has power. I think though that the power he had back in the ancient world has been broken since the resurrection of Christ, which is why we no longer see wide spread worship of those ancient deities anymore. They lack the power they once had.

This is a working theory and rough at best. There is most likely a lot more supporting evidence in many different places, but I haven't dug it up. I'm sure someone could probably write a whole book on the subject. (If they haven't already) My little "disclaimer" is that this is an imperfect idea and there are bound to be general flaws in the thinking, it hasn't gone through any refinement. I feel like for me, however, that this is an answer to a question that I have been looking for.

~B.

Labels: God

Lisa and I have recently discovered the group Downhere. It seems they have been around for a while, but we didn't know about them. They have a pretty fun sound. The song we like most sounds a lot like PFR and Queen got together and wrote a song.

The song we like a lot is called, "My Last Amen" if you hit up their website up there you can listen to the full song (track 2 on their new CD, Ending is Beginning) via a little widget on the right hand side of the webpage.

Here are the lyrics: (via JesusFreakHideout.com)

From the corner of my eye
There's a tear I'm trying to cry
But the feeling can't be found

Like a note thrills in a song
When I play it again, it's gone
Cuz it was never in the sound

And it keeps me wanting
That mysterious thing
Like a night is waiting for a dawn

Every prayer I say (a little closer)
To my resting place (a little closer)
Where my final breath is the beginning
To never needing
And I will find my last Amen

I could swear I have two hearts
One to stay, one to depart
This sad, tragic kingdom

And it burns me down to the core
Because I know there's so much more
It's just a pale reflection

And it keeps me wanting
That mysterious thing
Like an outcast waiting to belong

And while the thrills are fading
The joy is in the waiting
Somewhere in the grand design
It's good be unsatisfied
It keeps the faith and hope a little more alive

----

I think the thing that I like so much about this song (aside from the very polished sound) is that it talks about the fleeting pleasures of life and real joy is in heaven. (after our last amen) Enough vagueness that you can listen to it a couple of times and still get stuff from it.

~B.

Labels: music