Overload

The one thing I both like and dislike about the Easter holiday season…

SUGAR.

I am eating far too much sugar these days. I do not have any self control that way. πŸ™‚ I either eat sugar (and lots of it) or I just don’t eat any. There is no in between for me! πŸ™‚ I know that’s crazy, but it’s true.

And right now, I’m am eating sugar.

Might as well bust open a bag of the white stuff and just pour it on in there. πŸ™‚

Ha ha. I am probably posting this blog because I ate too much sugar just now…

What We’ve Always Thought

At times, I am still surprised these days at the little things I notice that might not be what I always thought they were. You would think I would stop being surprised when so much of what I thought was essential has become something I don’t even think about anymore. But there are still moments.

Like yesterday morning, reading the Bible with my boys. We’re in Matthew now. Just started not too long ago. This particular day we were reading the end of chapter four, and the beginning of chapter five. Yep! The Beatitudes. The Sermon on The Mount. A collection of very cool teaching from Jesus that has spawned countless sermons since he first spoke the words.

As we were reading in context, I noticed that Jesus may have acted differently than I have always thought he did.

News about him spread all over Syria, and people with every kind of sickness or disease were brought to him. Some of them had a lot of demons in them, others were thought to be crazy, and still others could not walk. But Jesus healed them all. Large crowds followed Jesus from Galilee and the region around the ten cities known as Decapolis. They also came from Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan River.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus’ disciples gathered around him, and he taught them: (Matthew 4:24-5:2)

We had been reading in chapter four about how Jesus was traveling all over the region, probably the size of one of our counties, telling people about the Kingdom of God. And more than that, he was healing people of any disease they could present him with. As the section above says, news was certainly spreading about this amazing carpenter from Nazareth.

But when I think of the Sermon on The Mount, first of all… I capitalize it. Then, I picture Jesus in his white robe and blue sash, arms raised, voice booming, as he addressed the great throngs that he had assembled by performing these miracles. Wasn’t that the point? Didn’t he do all of that so he could have an audience, so that people would know he was from God? That’s what I have been taught. But I think I’m seeing a slightly different Jesus these days.

Jesus never wanted to be the center of attention. He did not elevate himself above others, whether physically or hierachically. He was a teacher, so you could argue that in some way he did, but look at those verses above. He had a large crowd following him, and he could have taught these truths to so many people in one place, at one time. But he didn’t. Instead, in every translation I read (save the Easy-To-Read translation) it says that when Jesus saw the large crowd, he went up on the mountain with his disciples. Away from the crowd.

Jesus didn’t hate crowds. He loved people. But Jesus didn’t have this drive that seems to pervade current thinking throughout the church that we must “maximize” our time and energy by addressing the most people at one time as we can. To do less would be an inefficient use of our resources. It strikes me as odd that Jesus did not feel that way.

It was just a small thing, but for me was a neat look at who Jesus was. Who Father is. He wants a relationship with us. It’s why we exist. To live alongside him as his children, his friends. Read Romans chapter five again, if you have not recently. It’s a great reminder of what Jesus was doing on the cross, and the life we can know and live because of that.

I imagine more things that I have always thought will continue to fade into the past. And even “new” things that I think now will be revealed as “not quite right”. If my life were based on the facts that I know, or the knowledge I have amassed, then I would be very glum indeed. But my life is in Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and my Life.

Seems to me that’s the way it oughta be.

Pirates Of Silicon Valley

Purchase at Amazon.comI had heard through many websites and other places about the movie detailing the rise of Apple Computer and Microsoft. It is a sort of documentary, but more like a movie? Found a copy (on VHS, which was weird) at the Library, and watched it last night with Jen. There were some strange parts, but overall it was great. We loved it! Those are two strange guys (Steve Jobs (Apple) and Bill Gates (Mircrosoft)) with crazy stories.

First, Apple tricked Xerox into showing them all the tricks about this cool graphical user interface that they had developed. So Apple “stole” the OS from Xerox. Then, in a cunning move, Microsoft convinced Apple to let them help them develop software for the new Macintosh. Apple gave them three prototype computers from which the Microsoft guys pirated the Operating System, and claimed it as their own. And thus was born Windows.

Best part of the movie… after Steve Jobs finds out that Gates and Co. have sold the Mac OS as their own OS, and are shipping computers using that software, they argue a bit. Both are apparently hot tempered guys. Finally, Jobs gives up. He admits defeat, but he says as Gates is leaving:

“We’re better than you, you know. Our stuff is better.”

Gates replies, “You just don’t get it! That doesn’t matter!

And Gates leaves, and the movie ends with Gates being the richest person in the world. πŸ™‚

I just thought it was classic. And so true. Apple is creative, original, and always pushing the limits of technology. Microsoft pilfers the OS and brands it, and knows how to create demand for their product. It doesn’t matter that Apple is better… Microsoft still won. For now. πŸ™‚

Ha ha. It was a fun movie for an Apple fan, and probably just a computer geek in general. I recommend. Click the link above to purchase from Amazon, if you are so inclined. πŸ™‚

Everyday in 2006: Missing Days

I have another blog where I detail the daily goings on in the Campbell home… I’ve been pretty good at keeping up. But the past two days were COMPLETELY INSANE. So, I posted a (rather lengthy, and yet somehow, not all inclusive) version of events at that blog site.

It’s worth the read, perhaps, so I thought I’d provide a link here. πŸ™‚
Everyday in 2006: Missing Days

New software lets Intel Macs run Windows sans rebooting

The other day, Apple released software called Boot Camp that allows you to run Windows (and OS X) on a Mac. That was cool. This may be cooler? It’s virtualization software that will allow you to run several platforms… without rebooting.

Check it out.
Macworld: News: New software lets Intel Macs run Windows sans rebooting

Apple Introduces Boot Camp

This will be a good thing. No more excuses. Just buy a Mac. Now you can have a Mac, and Windows, too.

Bonus is, the next release of the Mac OS will include this feature. Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) will be ready to boot either Mac or Windows OS. (You would have to purchase a full install version of Windows.) This is good, except, now your computer would be susceptible to all the things that plague Windows software – viruses, spyware, and other malware. Perhaps the drive partitions will protect the Mac side from the ugly Windows maladies.

We shall see.

But overall, this is a great move. Apple’s plan for world domination marches on…

How Many Computers?

I know God told David not to take a census of the people, but so far, he hasn’t told me not to do that with my computers…

From Oldest To Newest:

The asterisk means that we use them frequently still. The others are currently museum pieces. But we still love them!

Bonus…
3G iPod 40GB (non-click wheel)

Well, that’s about it …

For now. πŸ™‚

Healing

This morning I got up to go play basketball, as is my Wednesday morning custom. Today was different, or course, as it was my first time back in the gym since badly spraining my ankle two Wednesdays ago. And really, when I got out of bed this morning… I was quite surprised at how good it felt! I strapped on my shoes and felt pretty decent. Not 100% by any means, but pretty good.

Until I tried to do my first jump shot. πŸ™‚

Let’s just say we’re not quite 75% yet… πŸ™‚

But what amazed me is how well it really is doing. If you had seen this ankle two weeks ago, and felt the pain and discomfort for at least the first week and a half, you might be equally amazed. The swelling has not completely gone, but the nasty bruises have mostly cleared up. I have a pretty full range of motion, the ankle just feels “weak”. Not 100%.

As I drove home from shooting around and testing out the ankle, I just marveled at how our bodies heal themselves. Seriously. It’s incredible! How can our bodies so quickly (and with almost no help from me) repair themselves??? It’s so against nature. Natural things decay. Our bodies are constantly wearing down, over time, until they will finally give out. That is the nature of living things in a sin-broken world.

But within that progression toward decay are the moments of healing. You can really see it in younger bodies – like our kids. A cut from two days ago can be completely healed, and unnoticeable. My body certainly healed more quickly when I was a teenager, but even now in my 30s, my ankle is returning to normal at a fairly decent pace.

How incredible.

I’m just taking a moment to notice today the incredible workings that God has designed into our world, and especially our bodies. It is spectacular, to say the least.