Friday, March 28, 2008

I have to admit. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by my own failures and failings, and when looking at the Bible, can feel nothing but condemnation and guilt. I open the pages sometimes and think" where do I begin?" How do I handle this situation, or that problem or this person? And then I remember the simplicity of the command: Love. It fleshes itself out in a myriad ways, but it all comes back to that one commandment. Love. May I continue to ruminate on how I can love with all of my actions and words. May I be more concerned with how my actions and words will affect others before I concern myself with how they affect me. I think that will not solve problems as much as it will give me a clearer understanding of how Christ commands us to approach them. Then I can leave the results up to Him.

Love for God. Love for man.

posted by Marcian @ 10:44 AM 0 comments

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Excellent post by Mark over at Bluecollar.

posted by Marcian @ 2:21 PM 0 comments

Sometimes you just have to remember what to be thankful for.

A job I do enjoy.
Co-workers who are enjoyable to work with.
A strong Bible-teaching church.
Eyesight.
Opportunities to go biking.
A car that runs.
God's protection.
Good friends.
Air-conditioning.
Clean water.
Hot showers.
Income.
An apartment.
My camera and all its appendages.
Wise mentors and friends.
The reproof that comes from the Word of God.
The means to go on vacation.

And I will continue to be thankful even though the forecast isn't looking good.

posted by Marcian @ 11:06 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Why church history is so important.

posted by Marcian @ 10:22 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

My vacation, and getting it all done

My vacation to the lovely Lake Murray in Oklahoma starts this Friday at noon. I am looking forward to this with great anticipation, and hoping the weather forecast keeps the rain at bay. I am looking forward to sitting outside my cabin with the Bible in my lap contemplating Him and His creation, all His marvelous attributes as He graciously brings forth another day. I am looking forward to hopefully being hit with some strong and wise words about staying with a job that sometimes drains whatever motivation I have left in me to work hard. Hopefully I will be recharged enough to come back ready to get back in the game with a greater focus on the important things, and less of a distracted mind. Those unfinished projects that never quite get done, those books that never quite get read. It bothers me. Not quite sure what to do about those. I hope, though, to come back with some strength to get it all done. I am amazed, though, at God's ability to give me strength just when I need it most.

So, here's to the vacation, and ruminating on getting it all done without dispensing of the indispensable.

posted by Marcian @ 2:15 PM 1 comments

Monday, March 24, 2008

On the continuing debt to love

Romans 13:8 tells us to owe no one anything but love, to let no debt remain outstanding but the debt to love one another. I have been considering how we pay our debts. For instance, I owe the government a lot of money for my schooling. There are two things about paying that debt back that are true: it must be repaid in a currency they recognize, and it must be added to until paid in full. As much as I'd like to pay them back with my Indian beads and dried corn wampum, they won't accept that as a valid form of currency, and I will still be in debt after shipping them large volumes of the stuff. That is a good picture of our debt to love one another. Are we paying that debt with a currency the other person recognizes? Will they just watch the Indian bead wampum stack up in the corner while they wait for our valid form of payment to come in? It was just at thought that I had.

Another thought I've been mulling over is Ephesians 4:29. We are to speak only what is helpful for building OTHERS up according to THEIR NEEDS that it may BENEFIT THOSE who listen. My words are not my own, but being that I am first about pleasing myself, I naturally speak words that benefit and please ME first. But the Bible is clear that those words are to be used ONLY for the benefit of OTHERS, to build them up. Our words are to be a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. Our ACTIONS are also only to be used for the benefit of others.

It really is imperative that we look at our words that way.

posted by Marcian @ 11:01 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 22, 2008

I am about to shoot my very first wedding in four hours. I'm probably more nervous than the bride and groom....

posted by Marcian @ 12:37 PM 1 comments

Thursday, March 20, 2008

I am learning that the Lord can use sinful broken vessels that, to their own owners, seem incapable of being used for anything good. But this isn't a matter for despair, but rejoicing, because when I am weak, then He is strong.

posted by Marcian @ 4:27 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Thinking about those tests. I tried re-scheduling one just to see if maybe it would take my bait (or maybe even my money) but alas, the testing center does not currently recognize my testing authorization number. That is a good sign. But the fact that I haven't heard anything in, well, I'm into my eighth week, that just stresses me out. Monday, the 24th, will begin week 9.

back to the grind...

posted by Marcian @ 2:46 PM 0 comments

Sunday, March 16, 2008

My idea; stay back

I'm on my way to the copyright/patent office. And here's why.

My clothes don't fit.

Now, if you're a girl, you've probably experienced this same dilemma. Your clothes work well in the dressing room. But those first impressions can be deceiving. You buy something made for a long torso, when you've been gifted with a rather diminutive one. Your shirt behaves itself in those first introductions, and you decide it's worth keeping. But you're disappointed after you've let go of your money, and you're not going to stand in line at the WalMart service counter over a shirt.

In enters the store where your measurements ARE the store name. All the store sells is your measurements, in all styles. Store brand A caters to the ectomorph who just stepped off the cover of Vogue magazine. Store brand B caters to the less gifted in stature, perhaps to the petite. And the beauty of the concept is that no one is trying to hide it, and that once you get your measurements, you are directed to "Such and Such" store where you don't even really need to try anything on to see if you look absolutely ridiculous in it. Because more often than not, it's best to skip those first few deceiving impressions and get right to the heart of the matter. It's a fit, or it's not. And there's no sense shopping in Store F, for example, when you can find the exact same shirt in Store Q that doesn't make you look like you raided your kid brother's closet. Unless that's the look you're going for. In which case, well, you're not our target market.

posted by Marcian @ 10:30 PM 0 comments

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Late night at the office...

It's almost 12:30 in the morning and there's only one car in the parking lot. It would be mine.

I keep telling myself that I'm too old to be pulling all-nighters like this.

On the flip side, this should go by quickly.

I'm designing.

I don't design, actually. I am left-brained. I like structure, so much that I surprise myself. I used to be pretty go-with-the-flow, but I wasn't getting anything done. So I introduced structure into my life, and it's done a lot of good. But sometimes, structure doesn't mix with creativity. So, I had my coworker come over and sit with me while he explained how to put together a basic elevation from scratch. Augh. Talk about humbling. The almost-architect being schooled about how to draw a building elevation.

Doesn't anyone have any code questions????

note: this is also normally a catalyst for scanning the classifieds for code-related job opportunities. I'm not doing that this time, because I have to start accepting that life isn't all about me and what contributes to my immediate and unceasing happiness. It's about joyfully submitting to the authority of another, namely Christ (as His slave), and in this case, my boss.

by the way, I have in my possession conclusive evidence that the Starbucks cup when full of liquid content can only be microwaved three times before its structural integrity is compromised. *holds up coffee-stained paper*

posted by Marcian @ 12:21 AM 3 comments

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

One thing I learned at the Severe Weather Conference last weekend: tornadoes and sustainable master plans don't mix, no matter how good the intentions.

posted by Marcian @ 3:35 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

On being well known in hell...

posted by Marcian @ 2:07 PM 3 comments

O Thou Most High,
In the way of Thy appointment I am waiting for Thee,
My desire is to Thy name,
My mind to remembrance of Thee.
I am a sinner, but not insensible of my state.
My iniquities are great and numberless,
but Thou art adequate to my relief,
for Thou art rich in mercy;
the blood of Thy Son can cleanse from all sin;
the agency of Thy Spirit can subdue my most powerful lusts.
Give me a tender, wakeful conscience
that can smite and torment me when I sin.
May I be consistent in conversation and conduct,
the same alone as in company,
in prosperity and adversity,
accepting all Thy commandments as right,
and hating every false way.
May I never be satisfied with my present spiritual progress,
but to faith add virtue, knowledge, temperance, godliness,
brotherly kindness, charity.
May I never neglect
what is necessary to constitute Christian character,
and needful to complete it.
May I cultivate the expedient,
develop the lovely, adorn the gospel,
recommend the religion of Jesus,
accommodate myself to Thy providence.

Keep me from sinking or sinning in the evil day;
Help me to carry into ordinary life portions of divine truth
and use them on suitable occasions, so that
its doctrines may inform,
its warnings caution,
its rules guide,
its promises comfort me.

From the Valley of Vision

posted by Marcian @ 12:50 PM 0 comments

Monday, March 10, 2008

Something I've been ruminating on recently:

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many of those words are even accurate or correct?

posted by Marcian @ 11:34 AM 0 comments

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Martin to Me: If you can get through arch school taking the ham test is like doing a couple pushups. Sounds like you are preparing to crack a nut with a sledge hammer. Just buy the $10 study guide at RS, read the applicable section the nite before, refresh at test site and take the test. Its way over rated. You have no excuse not to have your license before St Patricks Day.

Me: *takes a while to realize that the 17th is only about 10 days away*

Me to Jenna: No pressure, right?

Jenna: He thinks pushups are easy???? I'm counting on you, Obi-Wan.

posted by Marcian @ 9:51 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Next Adventure

So what are you going to do now that you're done testing, Marcia?

Well, after the obligatory trip to Disney World, I think something that has been long on the back-burner ought to be finished. Time to finish old projects.

posted by Marcian @ 2:42 PM 2 comments

Monday, March 03, 2008

I'm finished

Hopefully soon I will be able to tell you I'm an architect. But right now, I just need a loooong nap.

posted by Marcian @ 5:14 PM 0 comments