What does being a Christian mean?

That pic is Meghan - blogger, video producer, skater, Christ follower. My daughter just sent me the link to a YouTube Video that was written and performed by this 21 year old poet who has wisdom well beyond her years. I am astounded by the depth, insight, and truth of this young woman's words!

She has entitled her poem 'box', and anyone who has felt pigeon-holed because of the label 'Christian' will empathize and agree with her well chosen words. Please watch the Video - this is life changing stuff.

You can watch her heartfelt, moving, inspired video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez8kz0V9D54&feature=channel

And you can read her blog at the link below. Her name is Meghan, and her heart is for the Lord:

http://www.strawburry17.blogspot.com/

Censorship vs Free Will

Partial Freedom is an oxymoron - but that's just want some people would like the internet to be: "Partially Free". I am greatly disturbed by the censorship of the 'net that has been taking place in China, and is now in beginning in Germany. This censorship in Germany is being done under the guise of making the internet safe for children. In China the Government just admits that it wants to control the information being distributed to their citizens. While China's attitude is disturbing, at least their admonition is refreshing.

This subject took me back some years as I recalled the formation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. I remember the first time I read the Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace penned by the poet John Perry Barlow. Its inspiring words, shown in part below, brought tears to my eyes:

"Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants of flesh and steel, I come from Cyberspace, the new home of Mind. On behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather. ..."

"We are creating a world that all may enter without privilege or prejudice accorded by race, economic power, military force, or station of birth. ..."

"We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity. ..."

"We will create a civilization of the Mind in Cyberspace. May it be more humane and fair than the world your governments have made before."

---John Perry Barlow

Noble thoughts expressed over a sometimes ignoble medium. But the truth is that Cyberspace is no more evil than the world in which we live, although the anonymity of the internet allows that which resides in the hearts of men to surface freely. But we can not be afraid! Where freedom reigns the truth can always be found. Censorship does not eradicate evil. Wrongdoing is only further obfuscated by censorship.

Yes, there are nasty, and evil places on the internet. There are also places of goodness, justice and truth. I'm not willing to allow any Government to decide for me which is which. In China, for instance, some Christian Web Sites have been banned.

Our Lord gave us Free Will. I'm not willing to let any Government take that away from me.

I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,

--Psalm 119:45-46

Makeup your own mind about Cyberspace! Here is some software that can help:

• XXX Church
• Parental Control Software

Nothing ordinary about it...

The Church counts the time after Pentecost and before the Christmas Season as Ordinary Time. So between June 1 this year until November 28 life will be ordinary.

I discovered this because as a new Christian I like to study not only the Bible, but Biblical and Church History. I read the above article about Ordinary Time – which really just means 'ordinal' or counted time. But I highly object to that name!!

There is nothing ordinary about following Jesus Christ. Ever since I made the choice to accept Christ into my life I've been living an incredible adventure. Doors have opened that I never expected. People accepted me and my life is filled with those who not only love me, but stand beside me in times of crisis. I see miracles happen all around me every single day - evidence that the Lord works both ends of every situation. I have gained wisdom, and confidence that I never knew I could possess because all of these things were born of the Lord.

Sometimes I almost feel a little sorry for those who have known Jesus their whole lives because I understand that they will never get to feel the thrill of the realization that they are finally honestly FREE from the darkness, and pain in which they used to live. I'm going to keep the joy that 'thrill' gave me forever.

It may well be that the Church counts the time after Pentecost as 'Ordinary Time'. But my life after my own personal Pentecost is anything but ordinary. Life with Jesus is an eternal adventure!

My Prayer

Heavenly Father I ask that you never let me forget my life before I was saved.

I never want to forget the utter emptiness in my soul that I tried to fill in all the wrong ways.

I never want to forget the self loathing I felt for the way I was living my life.

I never want to forget the loneliness of my self imposed isolation.

I never want to forget the disappointment of opening my eyes to a new morning when what I longed for was death.

I do not want to forget the overwhelming fear that kept me from leaving my home.

I never want to forget the guilt, and the anxiety and the pain that filled my every waking moment because of how I had failed my children that I could not raise.

I never want to forget the lies, deception and the self denial of my decaying mind.

I am so grateful for your redemption, for now there is no condemnation, and I am free.

I will treasure these dark memories because only through them can I measure how far you've brought me. Through them I can know just how far I've come by your grace alone. And with these memories I can begin to fully understand how great your love is. You never let go of me Lord, no matter how deep I sank. And I never want to forget that.

Thank you Lord for these dark memories. They keep me praising you.

New Technology MUST HAVE

I just bought 10 of these for our Pastors!! It really blew my budget, in fact I had to take out a loan to get them but they are sure worth it! I'm saving to purchase the VR model for my own personal use!




These guys are hilarious.

New meaning for the "Handshake"

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been working on what they call 'Nano Skins' Which is not to be confused with the iPod decals. These nano skins are comprised of a tiny web of nano tubes and polymers that are thin enough to fit beneath your skin while retaining their ability to conduct electricity.

These nano skins would be linked to your WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network). Yes, we'll become wireless!!!! Oh Lord let me live long enough to see this research come to fruition!!!!

The applications for this kind of technology are only limited by our imagination - but I'd very much like to have in addition to a notepad, little display and keyboard. I'd never lose my PDA again!!!

I remember when we used to call establishing a connection from one computer to another a hand shake. Perhaps there will soon come a day when a real world handshake does the same thing.

Which may cause AVG to begin making hand sanitizer...

You can read a bit more about this new tech in this H+ article.

Green Data Center

That photograph is the Telehouse Dockland Facility - and they are doing exciting and innovative things!

I know how hot my little server room gets here at APC - and it's a shame to have to waste that energy. But greater minds than I have figured out a way to use it. They are going to put that kind of heat to work heating homes and businesses in London.

"The Greater London Authority has approved a plan in which waste heat from the $180 million Telehouse colocation facility will be used in a district heat network for the local Docklands community.

The project is expected to produce up to nine megawatts of power for the local community, and allow the 130,000 square foot Telehouse West to reduce its carbon footprint by 1,110 tons. “The energy savings will equate to boiling 3,000 kettles continuously,” the company said."

Wow!!! This is very exciting stuff! You can check out the full article here.

And you can check out Telehouse at their web site.