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Many things to think about right now.

I have been considering Acts 19:1-7 in great detail lately. I have several commentators and references on the floor by my desk. I have spoken to several people. I need to write a paper for my class and this is my topic. I intend to talk more about it later after I have written it so that I can offer my conclusive thoughts rather than something that perchance may change. I have changed my mind a couple times on this already. ;)

I have been introduced to an alternative to both Dispensational and Covenant Theology. I haven't had too much time to read into it yet. It is Promise Theology. So far, I'm not terribly impressed or disappointed. (Does the adverb "terribly" apply to both impressed and disappointed in the previous sentence with the current grammar? Or do I need to retype "terribly" so that it is understood that I am not "terribly" disappointed, but that I can still be minimally irked? Am I incorrectly using quotation marks in the previous two sentences? Won't some English teacher explain it to me?)

I spoke to someone who offered an interesting perspective on what it really means to "believe God." Abraham believed God. That was enough. Though it was interesting, it was not correct. There was too much logic and theological perspective rather than Biblical theology.

I have been debating, internally, what makes a good/effective teacher. Much to think about there. I don't know that I am a good teacher. People tell me I am. My boss tells all of us collectively that each of us is great at what we do. I don't know if that is so much an individual encouragement or her way of telling the every other person that the people sitting next to them DO know what they are doing contrary to what you may believe. /shrug So, what makes a good teacher? Is it the person that connects to the outlying kid, and gets him to partake and interact? Is it the person that connects, in a less personal way, to every person in his classroom? Is it the person whose kids leave his room having mastered completely the subject area, though they hate the teacher? At what point is the teacher to connect on an individual level? At what point does a teacher bend on the course material? The answer on that must be the curriculum designated by the state that the class must cover, but really, who honestly knows that curriculum perfectly (perhaps besides AP teachers)? Who knows what a state official would say is permissible to skip? Really, as objective a profession as this should be, it seems too subjective to me.

Of course, then I begin to think that a logical occupation would probably be one involving law. But really, can anything get more objective than Math? Law can be subjective, math cannot. There is a correct answer and an incorrect answer. Often, though probably not ontologically, Theology seems more subjective than Math. Theology is my passion more than Math. Math is fun. And I find myself telling the kids that. "This is a fun part." "This stuff is fun to do." etc.

But theology is better than "fun." It is fun, but it is life changing. It is glorious. It is amazing. And then I hear a friend's voice telling me that all Christians are to love God's Word. Theology -- the study of God -- is to be precious to all His children.

On my "future intentions" sheet I selected that I was planning on teaching another year, Lord willing. We shall see what God has for me in the future. As this school year started, I had high hopes that I would end up in Washington at the end of 2010. This was not a dream in the sky, but actual possibility. I'm sure its gone. Things change and plans move, and God closes and opens doors.

God is good. No matter what we encounter; no matter what our trials; no matter our tribulations; no matter our circumstances; no matter whether or not we believe it or accept it; no matter the calamity in the world; no matter the economy; no matter the ruination of all America; God is good. We forget this. This is fact. People tend to think that if God allows them tribulation He isn't good anymore. Or if God really does hate sin, He can't be good then. If God intends to send sinners to Hell, He can't be good. This is from faulty theological logic. Biblical Theology says God is good. It also says that trials come into our lives. It says that God hates sin, and that sinners go to Hell. /sarcastic-gasp! God is good. Accept it. Believe it. Live it -- thank Him for his goodness. We have too much to be grateful for. I am spoiled enough to have a pitcher that filters my water for me. Really? People all over the world that would love to have running water like we have, and then we have pitchers that further filter it. (I have a sneaky suspicion that the water is just better from the pitcher because we put it in the fridge and it gets cold. Cold water is better, am I right?) I am tired of people assuming that theological, historical, or experiential truths proof God is not good, or rather that the fact is no longer fact. These aren't just the lost apostates. These are believers. Shame on you! Let the Bible dictate your system, and not the other way around.

We have revival services at church this week. We will have to leave immediately after I get home. The church is doing meals at 5:30 each day, but since I volunteered for the babysitting job, we will instead be rushing just to make the service. The evangelist is good though. Good preaching today; good preaching the last few weeks.

We ordered a digital piano. I used to play a little and I want to play again. My wife plays and I want her to be able to keep playing. I want Arielle to hear the piano as she grows up. I want her to learn to play it. I was recommended one from someone at school. We had considered buying an acoustic piano, but really, how many of you wanted to come help us move that up our stairs on some Saturday? Or maybe the question is, did we really want to have you at our place on a Sat? Ha! Just kidding. With everyone's schedules, it just seems hard to ask people to come by for something as simple as moving a piano up a flight of stairs.

It seems to me that favors were more common, and thus easier to ask for back before I was born. I would be happy to help people move stuff. I don't get asked. Maybe people still do this type of thing a lot; maybe it just has to do with the circle of friends you are in. I don't have a circle of friends like that. My close friends are spread around with a few here, and a few there. If we were all in the same town, I have no doubt I would have no problem getting them to my house to move a piano. Anyway, there was a bonus commentary on me.

We stopped by a music shop so Kaylynn could actually play the piano we were looking at. It was $50 more in the shop, and we had free shipping so we just ordered online. I am excited for it to get here.

Yes, we could have bought a Playstation 3 and pre-ordered FFXIII, but a piano is the more mature decision. This should not be misunderstood that I did not want the piano. I did. We are still thinking about a PS3 or an XBOX-360. I don't know. Its so much. But I know so many people who are going to be playing FFXIII. I would love to be one of them. When the last one came out, I had it in hand on release day. I waited a few days to play it when I went home on Thanksgiving break to play it with my siblings. It is one of the few games I try to keep with. I got behind on Metroid, Zelda, and Ninja Gaiden. No hope on catching up on those -- maybe Ninja Gaiden if I go Xbox.

A PS3 is the better machine. An XBOX I can play online, play Halo, and get Ninja Gaiden black. FFXIII comes out on either machine. Overall, I know inside that the PS3 is better, and yet I feel myself drawn to the Xbox. Of course, then I would be bugged to play COD -- Call of Duty, for those of you that don't sit with kids who talk about it all the time -- and that means the yearly subscription for $50. Either system, I need a second controller, for another $50. Games are about the same for either one. And really, even though I would probably get the new street fighter, who would I play it with? =( I wonder if my gaming life is coming to an end. Or, is it past coming to an end and its just ending now? /shrug

The thing is, that I often find myself looking for a game. In the past few months, I have played, won multiple times, and hacked KOTOR, and LoM2. Played Facebook games extensively, and then gave them up; started travian. Slow game by the way. Still waiting for book two in the King Killer Chronicles. I'm beginning to think the WoT series may finish before we get a book two. Go Sanderson! (~82% of the next book done. Each % representing 3,000 words.)

I was invited to a writing group. I'm started working on a short story and found I can't write. Phooey on me. I'm going to keep working on it. I would like to write a book, and that means I better be able to write a short story. My problem tends to be in the writing, not the plot. I can figure out an "ok" plot, at least in my opinion.

I recommended a movie with little qualification to someone to whom I definitely should have added qualification. For whatever reason I didn't. If I would have thought about it, I would have know she would not have liked the movie, yet I recommended it anyway...sorry mom; I'll be more careful next time.

Having a baby is great. Isaac always told me it was. It was just one of his things. He would say, "It is great! I can't describe it. It is the best thing ever. She's just the best." Every time I would see him he would tell me this. He advised we don't wait to have kids because they are just the best. She is. Arielle is just that -- great, perfect, adorable. She makes me speechless.

And while I had my suspicions, it is now confirmed that my great wife is also a great mother. She is fantastic. God has blessed me greatly, and I am very grateful. While I'm bragging, let me add that Arielle doesn't cry unless there is something very wrong. And usually, that is a just a whimper. She is so good. I don't know...if I didn't know the theological implications, I might assume that she didn't have a sin nature. Somehow it must have missed her. Just kidding... ;)