tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167533012024-03-07T18:54:27.496-06:00Shadows Of Divine ThingsT.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-18573231737319367712008-06-19T13:04:00.003-05:002008-06-19T13:14:54.686-05:00The Wealthy and the Poor<center>These actual events took place in front of the Stock Market on Wallstreet in New York City. For a reference to the facts given in the video see the book referred to below (it is linked for easy access)</center><br /><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ETBMhEzYKU&hl=en"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ETBMhEzYKU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><center>I know this is true from direct experience - having worked at one of the largest financial institutions in the world which is privately owned by one of the wealthiest families in the world. For a detailed description of these events read Shane Claiborne's book titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FIrresistible-Revolution-Living-Ordinary-Radical%2Fdp%2F0310266300%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1213899057%26sr%3D11-1&tag=shadowsofdivi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical</a><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shadowsofdivi-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" border="0" />." </center>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-89695056166907756562008-04-16T11:49:00.005-05:002008-04-16T11:56:39.138-05:00I Still Have Books for SaleI am continuing to post theology, apologetics, philosophy, and other academic books for sale at Ebay. I will be selling about <strong>three hundred or more books over the next month or two</strong>, so keep checking back in. All but two of my current titles have sold, so be sure and bid strong if you are interested in a title.<br /><br />If you are interested, my Ebay user ID is Marzzhill, or you can simply go to this - <a href="http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=marzzhill">a link to my user profile page</a>. All of my books will be listed there.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-58909628719691876522008-04-06T07:30:00.000-05:002008-04-06T23:40:23.301-05:00Books for SaleIf you are interested in buying some theology texts, general Christian reading, historical texts, apologetics, etc. Then know that I am actually selling a very large portion of my library at Ebay beginning today. I will be posting books for sale over the next few weeks. The ones that do not sell at Ebay will be taken to the local used book store and/or sold at our upcoming garage sale this summer.<br /><br />To find my sales on Ebay - my user name is Marzzhill. You can search by member user name at Ebay - if you have trouble finding me at Ebay then here is <a href="http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=marzzhill">a link to my user profile page</a>.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-71419013655976424852008-03-23T15:30:00.002-05:002008-03-23T15:31:42.935-05:00Karl Barth: Recognizing the Righteousness of God“There is a fundamentally different way to come into relation with the righteousness of God. This <em>other</em> way we enter not by speech nor reflection nor reason, but by being still, by listening to and not silencing the conscience when we have hardly begun to hear its voice. When we let conscience speak to the end, it tells us not only that there is something else, a righteousness above unrighteousness, but also—and more important—that this something else for which we long and which we need is God. He is right and not we! His righteousness is an eternal righteousness! This is difficult for us to hear. We must take the trouble to go far enough off to hear it again. We make a veritable uproar with our morality and culture and religion. But we may presently be brought to silence, and with that will begin our true redemption.<br /><br />It will then be, above all, a matter of our recognizing God once more as God. It is easy to say recognize. But recognizing is an ability won only in fierce inner personal conflict. It is a task beside which all cultural, moral, and patriotic duties, all efforts in “applied religion,” are child’s play. For here one must give himself up in order to give himself over to God, that God’s will may be done. To do his will, however, means to begin with him anew. His will is not a corrected continuation of our own. It approaches ours as Wholly Other. There is nothing for our will except a basic recreation. Not a reformation but a re-creation and a re-growth. For the will to which the conscience points is purity, goodness, truth, and brotherhood as the perfect will of God. It is a will which knows no subterfuges, reservations, nor preliminary compromises. It is a will with character, a will blessed and holy through and through. It is the righteousness of God.”<br /><br />Karl Barth, <em>The Word of God & the Word of Man</em> (Harper & Row, Publishers: New York), trans. by Douglas Horton, 1957; 23-24.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-1162348840581144532008-03-20T23:05:00.000-05:002008-03-20T23:02:11.338-05:00Personality Test Number 2<div align="center">I'm not so sure of the results on this test, but it was fun to take nonetheless.</div><br /><div align="center"><br /><table style="BACKGROUND: #c9d1dc;color:black;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td width="250"><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:black;"><b><a href="http://similarminds.com/jung/intp.html">INTP</a></b> - "Architect". Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 3.3% of total population. </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://similarminds.com/jung_word_pair.html">Free Jung Word Choice Test (similar to MBTI)</a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://similarminds.com/">personality tests by similarminds.com</a></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />INTP personality types are best described as follows: </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">loner, more interested in intellectual pursuits than relationships or family, wrestles with the meaninglessness of existence, likes esoteric things, disorganized, messy, likes science fiction, can be lonely, observer, private, can't describe feelings easily, detached, likes solitude, not revealing, unemotional, rule breaker, avoidant, familiar with the darkside, skeptical, acts without consulting others, does not think they are weird but others do, socially uncomfortable, abrupt, fantasy prone, does not like happy people, appreciates strangeness, frequently loses things, acts without planning, guarded, not punctual, more likely to support marijuana legalization, not prone to compromise, hard to persuade, relies on mind more than on others, calm.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">favored careers:</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">philosopher, game designer, scientist, software engineer, freelance artist, research scientist, assassin, freelance writer, physicist, software developer, mathmetician, geologist, computer scientist, philosophy professor, webmaster, slacker, medical researcher, painter, mortician, systems analyst, comic book artist, computer technician, website designer, scholar, archeologist, computer repair, forensic anthropologist, astronaut, researcher, historian, systems engineer, genetics researcher, astronomer, enviromental scientist, egyptologist</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">disfavored careers:</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">human resources, public relations, social worker, guidance counselor, health care worker, trainer, school teacher, wedding planner, movie star, hospitality worker, supervisor, child care worker, fundraiser, customer service, stay at home parent, office administrator</span></div>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-41114892416203066192008-02-20T22:59:00.003-06:002008-02-20T23:01:31.171-06:00Are You Going to Pee Standing Up or Sitting Down?<center>I'm not sure what to think about this video - a good friend e-mailed me and told me about it. How in the world does anyone get a sermon like this out of Scripture?<br /><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SDxcyqeRc-4&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SDxcyqeRc-4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-89344167220964113922008-02-07T10:40:00.000-06:002008-02-07T11:56:14.705-06:00HallelujahI was first introduced to this song, and this artist by Neil Peart, the drummer of the rock band <em>Rush</em> via Peart's book titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F1550226665%3Fpf%5Frd%5Fm%3DATVPDKIKX0DER%26pf%5Frd%5Fs%3Dcenter-1%26pf%5Frd%5Fr%3D05B16HJP5V4X411GSDTB%26pf%5Frd%5Ft%3D101%26pf%5Frd%5Fp%3D278240701%26pf%5Frd%5Fi%3D507846&tag=shadowsofdivi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Traveling Music</a><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shadowsofdivi-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" border="0" /> (a book I highly recommend if you like Rush, or rock music in general).<br /><br />The song is titled <em>Hallelujah</em> and was originally written and performed by Leonard Cohen. The song is magnificant, well written and lyrically beautiful. Various version have been recorded or performed in the past, but none sound as good as Jeff Buckley's version. Recently at one of our usual gatherings, a friend of mine named Sandy played the song. It had been a while since I had heard the song, and now I cannot get enough of it. When Buckley breaks into the vocal part it is nearly angelic, and having listened to various versions (e.g. Rufus Wainright, Leonard Cohen, John Cale, etc.) his voice quality and raw emotion in the song is unmatched. Below are the lyrics and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AratTMGrHaQ&feature=related">here's a link to YouTube </a>where Jeff Buckley is performing the song. Apparently Sony Music disabled the "embeded code."<br /><br />I've heard there was a secret chord<br />That David played, and it pleased the Lord<br />But you don't really care for music, do you?<br />It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth<br />The minor fall, the major lift<br />The baffled king composing Hallelujah<br /><br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br /><br />Well your faith was strong but you needed proof<br />you saw her bathing on the roof<br />her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you<br />she tied you to her kitchen chair<br />she broke your throne and she cut your hair<br />and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah<br /><br />Baby I've been here before<br />I know this room, I've walked this floor<br />I used to live alone before I knew you<br />I've seen your flag on the marble arch<br />Love is not a victory march<br />It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah<br /><br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br /><br />There was a time you let me know<br />What's real and going on below<br />But now you never show it to me, do you?<br />And remember when I moved in you,<br />The Holy Dove was moving too<br />And every breath we drew was Hallelujah<br /><br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br /><br />Maybe there's a God above<br />And all I ever learned from love<br />Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you;<br />It's not a cry you can hear at night<br />It's not somebody who's seen the light<br />It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah<br /><br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br /><br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br />Hallelujah, Hallelujah<br /><br />Apparently, after a bit of research on the song, the lyrics have changed from artist to artist (which is fairly typical).<br /><br />Jeff Buckley was an up and coming new artists and had released only two albums before he died. According to Wikipedia, this is how Buckley died: "On May 29, 1997, as the band's plane touched down on the runway to join him in his Memphis studio, Buckley went swimming in Wolf River Harbor, a tributary of the Mississippi River, while wearing steel-toed boots, all of his clothing, and singing along to a radio playing Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love'.<br /><br />A roadie of Buckley's band, Keith Foti, remained ashore. After moving the radio and a guitar out of reach of the wake from a passing tugboat, Foti looked up to see that Buckley was gone. Despite a determined rescue effort that night, Buckley remained missing, and the search was called off the following day due to heavy rain. It is likely Buckley was sucked under the water by a strong under-current and fell into unconsciousness due to the sudden force pulling him under. Three days later, his body was spotted by a tourist on a riverboat marina and was brought ashore."<br /><br />Here's to you Jeff Buckley, thanks for recording such a good song and making it better.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-87763042894687534582008-02-03T15:25:00.000-06:002008-02-03T15:25:14.193-06:00Kirkin' of the Tartans: Psalm 23<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnMX5rpL4j42BluapxgdiVc6L1treIVFTvIWNqg4zlUvfzftokO1Ce_TQSDh1Hd7SudnMQSsZdF7Hm_WjZxzEjuOmRD36PFjOss_NNWnckoRD8r8QOL-3lGI-y49p6scQWGKH/s1600-h/ScotsCross.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162867650115495714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnMX5rpL4j42BluapxgdiVc6L1treIVFTvIWNqg4zlUvfzftokO1Ce_TQSDh1Hd7SudnMQSsZdF7Hm_WjZxzEjuOmRD36PFjOss_NNWnckoRD8r8QOL-3lGI-y49p6scQWGKH/s320/ScotsCross.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This translation of the 23rd Psalm comes from the Order for the Lord's Supper in the <em>Book of Common Order</em> introduced to Scotland from Geneva in 1560. The liturgy was prescribed by the General Assemblies of 1562 and 1564. It came to be known as Knox's Liturgy, named for John Knox, the minister most responsible for introducing Presbyterianism to Scotland.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The Lord's my herd, I'll want for nocht,</div><div>He gars me tae lie doon</div><div>In girsie howes, an syne I'm brocht</div><div>Faar wimplin burnies croon.</div><br /><div></div><div>An fan for ither joys I craik,</div><div>An wanner faur frae God,</div><div>He airts me, for H/is ain Name's sake,</div><div>Intil his ain richt raod.</div><br /><div></div><div>Ay, an I gang throwe yon dark glen</div><div>Faar waesome shadows faa</div><div>He'll keep near-haun me, and I ken</div><div>I'll hae nae fear ava.</div><br /><div></div><div>Tho mony faes aroon me staun</div><div>His kindness nivver fails;</div><div>He spreads my table, an his haun</div><div>Fills my cup till it skails.</div><br /><div></div><div>Een sae, gweed guidin an gweed-gree</div><div>Gang wi me ilka day;</div><div>And in God's Hoose faur up on hie</div><div>I fain wad bide for aye.</div>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-47297016666937796922008-01-21T09:14:00.000-06:002008-01-21T09:47:28.632-06:00Invisible Children<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRnXjzgCrSauBIMxna80Dz_InbvvNQ1i0k7GrkFbSonrasx-Q0Ps4FwCWkMfzz9UdnI1FroFHzbaZsvuvG52TNviol9SABXWas_9cjLktZIfYvDko4nU78GiOu5SgrnuapMEt/s1600-h/mission-bracelet-campaign1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157953846740812914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRnXjzgCrSauBIMxna80Dz_InbvvNQ1i0k7GrkFbSonrasx-Q0Ps4FwCWkMfzz9UdnI1FroFHzbaZsvuvG52TNviol9SABXWas_9cjLktZIfYvDko4nU78GiOu5SgrnuapMEt/s320/mission-bracelet-campaign1.jpg" border="0" /></a>My sister came to visit us over the extended weekend, since I get Martin Luther King, Jr. day off from work today. She brought with her some information about a new organization that she was helping support called <a href="http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php">Invisible Children</a>. She had several DVDs that were very moving about children in Uganda who had been literally stolen from their families by a rebel resisitance group in the country called The Lord's Resitant Army (LRA), they are very similar to the war rebels depicted in the film Blood Diamond (which actually occurs in Sierra Leone).<br /><br />These children, once kidnapped are brainwashed and are forced to kill families, other children, etc. in Uganda. Many of the girls that are kidnapped are taken and used as "sex slaves" and are repeatedly raped and beaten. The Invisible Children organization is selling braclets that are made by rescued children and other people in Uganda in an attempt to raise money to help other children get rescued from the LRA.<br /><br />The reason I have such a passion for this is due in part to the fact that my wife and I support an orphaned child in Uganda via <a href="http://www.christianchildrensfund.org/sponsortoday/default.aspx?moken=ioj83ffa">Christian Children's Fund</a>. I have known about the LRA and have always been concerned for the little boy we support. Of course Christian Children's Fund has assured me that he is safe from the LRA, but there are tens of thousand's of children who are not.<br /><br />Below is a detailed description of what the organization is all about. <strong>I hope this will move anyone reading this to help suport this group. It is a very worthy cause and desperately needs our help.</strong><br />_______________<br /><br />Invisible Children (IC) had its beginnings in 2003 when three filmmakers decided to develop a documentary telling the story of the children in Northern Uganda, and inspire a generation to act.<br /><br />What developed from this is an organization headquartered in the US with an office in the district of Gulu in Uganda. Their mission continues to raise awareness and facilitate participation.<br /><br />Invisible Children is offering a life-long investment in the vulnerable youth of Gulu, providing them with quality education and valuable life skills that enable them to take responsibility for their future and the future of their country.<br /><br />To achieve this goal they emphasize community involvement and Ugandan leadership. As a part of a global community, they also promote cross-cultural education, and continuously look for ways we can better work together in defending the oppressed and promoting peace. Combining their ambition to raise awareness of the sufferings of a voiceless people, with the development of programs that are affecting change, IC has become the force behind a revolution.<br /><br /><strong>The Need</strong><br /><br />In over 20 years of war, Northern Uganda has endured the suffering of 1.6 million displaced persons and the abduction of an estimated 30,000 children forced to fight as child soldiers, a result of a war between a rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government. Over 90% of the population in the district of Gulu has been forced into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, where there is an estimated death rate of 1000 people per week. Both employment for adults and education for the children are rarely a viable option.<br />In an organized effort to holistically rebuild schools, raise the standard of education, and encourage young people to participate in the larger world around them, IC launched their Schools for Schools (S4S) program in the fall of 2005. IC S4S’s effort encouraged and inspired American students to raise funds for their fellow students in Gulu. By the deadline of May 2007, 1.2 million dollars was contributed to the program by 580 schools and 13,099 students, through fundraising efforts managed by the students themselves.<br /><br />Gulu High School was one of the earliest schools to be identified as a possible partner in the program. The S4S staff admired the reputation of the school in the district, its history with respect to the conflict in the North, its academic performance, and the cooperation of the administration with our programs.<br /><br />The school began in 1914 and since that time has graduated students that had a profound affect on Uganda, including Milton Obote, the first President of Uganda. Through the course of the conflict, the school has been occupied by the LRA, had 18 students abducted from the campus, and served as a battleground between the entrenched LRA and the UPDF detachment, which still occupies a barracks site just off the campus. The school is a coed boarding school with just over 1,000 students (approximately one-third of which are girls.) About 75% of the students come from the IDP camps, and many are orphans, formerly abducted, child mothers, or HIV/AIDS-infected. The school has a strong PTA, Board of Governors, and Development Committee whom S4S works with in every step of implementation.<br /><br />S4S staff have interviewed the Headmaster and Deputy Headmasters along with many teachers and students, and participated in classroom observations to measure the quality of education being provided. Their test results are consistently higher than average for the area and strive to offer numerous programs for the students including the only program for blind students in Northern Uganda. The facilities require large amounts of refurbishment and numerous new buildings are required.<br /><br /><strong>The Project</strong><br /><br />In their S4S’s pilot program, IC built a dorm to house 100 female students. Constructed in the center of campus, it provides greater security than the current facility off site. The existing facility was also overcrowded, with 50 girls per room and no capacity to accept additional female students. The new dorm was designed to accommodate 10 girls per room and provide a study room to be shared by all residents of the dorm.<br /><br />Following in their footsteps and matching the funds given by American students for the S4S program, Wellspring International has committed to providing funds to build a second floor to the dormitory to accommodate an additional 100 female residents. In addition to the room accommodations, the total grant amount of $135,180.24 USD will include laundry and bathroom facilities. This is an IC children effort, and Wellspring is privileged to come alongside in providing funds for them to complete their vision for this particular project.<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KvhooJ9c1Rw&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KvhooJ9c1Rw&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-90495225469189732042008-01-14T11:00:00.000-06:002008-01-14T10:59:56.157-06:00What I'm Currently ReadingI have shifted gears a bit on my reading shedule and decided to pick up, once again, Hans Urs Von Balthasar's work titled <em>Dare We Hope "That All Men Be Saved"?</em> This is due in part to a conversation I recently had with my good friends whom I meet with for our regualr "gatherings."<br /><br />The issue of the salvation off all men, as opposed to views such as limited atonement, etc. was a hot button at our last meeting. I am currently in transition with regard to my thinking on this issue and this topic actually derailed my current studies on justification.<br /><br />It's hard to stay on track when there are so many topics I desire to study. Has anyone out there read this book, and if so what are your current thoughts?<br /><br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0898702070&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-45477882474910595822007-12-29T13:31:00.000-06:002007-12-29T13:33:53.658-06:00The Darth Vader Blues (Now That's Funny)<embed src='http://us.i1.yimg.com/cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/player/media/swf/FLVVideoSolo.swf' flashvars='id=4218177&emailUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.yahoo.com%2Futil%2Fmail%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26vid%3D1183031%26fr%3D%26cache%3D1&imUrl=http%25253A%25252F%25252Fvideo.yahoo.com%25252Fvideo%25252Fplay%25253Fei%25253DUTF-8%252526vid%25253D1183031%252526cache%25253D1&imTitle=Darth%252BVader%252BPlays%252BThe%252BBlues&searchUrl=http://video.yahoo.com/search/video?p=&profileUrl=http://video.yahoo.com/video/profile?yid=&creatorValue=YXVndXN0X3RlZA%3D%3D&vid=1183031' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='425' height='350'></embed>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-16121773955430455732007-12-25T00:01:00.000-06:002007-12-24T23:47:55.925-06:00Merry Christmas<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1477/1599/1600/Jesusbirth.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1477/1599/400/Jesusbirth.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins. (Matt. 1:21 NASB)</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">------------------------------------------------------------</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Behold the Virgin shall be with Child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel, which translated means, "God with us." (Matt. 1:23 NASB)</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">------------------------------------------</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">I wish everyone a blessed Christmas. May the Mercy of God and the Love of Christ be with you this Christmas season. </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br />Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam</span></div>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-8401923166956636162007-12-23T13:46:00.000-06:002007-12-23T13:47:02.657-06:00The Fourth Sunday of Advent<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavji08JQ5N8zfXu-3M9x8r87esso8A02uf_23deLWXPhx8WMhvwy9VK3WtOW7e6ymYP2pt5Qb0pMHQSWfGwYO3mRAdySnoVHdkd7ehUS9XFS_I6Akzs4beQxUVt-NHKLDm04C/s1600-h/Advent_candle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5009580657715036802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavji08JQ5N8zfXu-3M9x8r87esso8A02uf_23deLWXPhx8WMhvwy9VK3WtOW7e6ymYP2pt5Qb0pMHQSWfGwYO3mRAdySnoVHdkd7ehUS9XFS_I6Akzs4beQxUVt-NHKLDm04C/s200/Advent_candle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />God of mystery, in Christ you created the world. In Jesus you have redeemed it. Even now you are returnng all creation to your purposes, and you have called us as your partners. But we neglect your call. We disrespect oursleves, disbelieving that you make us in your image. Disrespecting ourselves, we ignore our neighbors in need, though they also bear your likeness. Disrespecting our neighbors, we abuse the earth and its resources. We take more than we need. We clutter the creation with rubbish. God, forgive us. Renew our trust, that hoping in Christ, we may honor one another and your creation. And by doing so honor You. Amen.</div>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-32950365250033980392007-12-16T22:01:00.000-06:002007-12-16T22:02:05.718-06:00Third Sunday of AdventGod of liberation, in Jesus Christ you promise release from all that binds us. In you, we find freedom from guilt and death. Nonetheless, O God, we choose imprisonment. We are captivated by false idols and selfish lifestyles. We invest in prisons of addiction and self-aggrandizement. We lock ourselves within walls of willfulness and self-centered pursuits. Forgive us, God, and free us yet again, that this Advent will welcome our full freedom, in Jesus Christ. Amen.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-70856985729181820602007-12-09T09:40:00.000-06:002007-12-09T09:38:15.073-06:00Second Sunday of Advent<span style="font-size:130%;">Collect for the Second Sunday of Avent:</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br />Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of the holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. <strong>Amen.</strong><br /><br />- Taken from the Collect at the <em>Morning Prayer</em> service of St. Andrews Episcopal Church.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-50588182369770810702007-12-02T22:35:00.000-06:002007-12-02T22:33:35.416-06:00First Sunday of AdventAdvent is a term from the Latin word <em>adventus</em> which means "arrival". Advent is the new year of the Christian Church and the church season that leads to Christmas Day. It means that the Lord is coming, Jesus Christ, our brother in our humanity and our God in His divinity is about to arrive. Thanks be unto God. May God richly bless you during this Advent season.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Prayer of Confession:</strong><br /><br />"God of the future, you are coming in power to bring all nations under your rule. We confess that we have not expected your kingdom, for we live casual lives, ignoring your promised judgement. We accept lies as truth, exploit neighbors, abuse the earth, and refuse your justice and peace. In your mercy, forgive us. Grant us wisdom to welcome your way, and to seek things that will endure when Christ comes to judge the world."<br /><br /><strong>Assurance of Pardon:</strong><br /><br />"Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen."T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-33194075960950634352007-12-01T23:25:00.000-06:002007-12-01T23:28:12.926-06:00Turning Pages: Books I'm Currently Reading or Have Recently PurchasedBelow is a list of books I am currently reading or books I have on my near future reading list. As you can see, my interest is currently the issue of <i>justification</i>.<br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0801031311&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=080102840X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0830827811&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0830825703&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=shadowsofdivi-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1556352743&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><br />I also have on my reading list an article a very good friend of mine recently published in a popular philosophy of religion journal. The article is titled <i>Weighing evils: the C.S. Lewis approach</i>. So, as you can see, I am playing catch up on some new reading and have fallen behind due to work related studies.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-87801776615353322212007-11-28T21:26:00.000-06:002007-11-28T21:27:48.451-06:00Excellent Quote<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1477/1599/1600/PedroArrupe.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1477/1599/320/PedroArrupe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">-- Pedro Arrupe</span>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-42573552782150378142007-11-22T18:33:00.000-06:002007-11-22T18:36:49.735-06:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div align="center">One of the better Budweiser commercials<br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cgSKwpw2buI&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cgSKwpw2buI&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Happy Thanksgiving. Sit back, enjoy a beer and a game!</span> </div>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-78642764499779890702007-11-09T10:45:00.000-06:002007-11-09T10:44:30.788-06:00I'm PublishedWow! One of my Flickr photographs of the Dallas Mavericks was chosen to be published in the Dallas Schmapp Guide. You can see the photo in the guide <a href="http://www.schmap.com/dallas/events_westend/p=77040/i=77040_8.jpg">at this link</a>. The photo itself is below.<br /><br /><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3ok2mAFTpv-YGFykAmIu1G1eKtnZrgOprajpM1nzQxwwpPWRVE72pHdzXstdotbD6ok2ujwWISSfi6OAToKAOxzs18PUFEIEKWOQ95hPI8ZvuswM8shnkUpMuaOwshUoDdIi/s1600-h/The+Mavericks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130879768006522242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3ok2mAFTpv-YGFykAmIu1G1eKtnZrgOprajpM1nzQxwwpPWRVE72pHdzXstdotbD6ok2ujwWISSfi6OAToKAOxzs18PUFEIEKWOQ95hPI8ZvuswM8shnkUpMuaOwshUoDdIi/s320/The+Mavericks.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><br /><br /><p>I'm curious as to why they chose this picture since it was taken with a point and shoot digital camera and was taken from a pretty good distance. I had a much better photo posted on Flickr that was an action shot and taken from near center court, and the lighting is better. That photo is below.</p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb-p8WKiqlL3P6pnXqJl_CP28kpAKTIboHjUts0To9YyPYoyC7gWmc7v8rEiEDzlEPq1KTIPQcNEuIj75md5UQKlBYI2J1m0VQUy2HFa470L3sS0Y4_2NlIV1648KwB8rg6P-/s1600-h/Mavericks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130881301309846946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb-p8WKiqlL3P6pnXqJl_CP28kpAKTIboHjUts0To9YyPYoyC7gWmc7v8rEiEDzlEPq1KTIPQcNEuIj75md5UQKlBYI2J1m0VQUy2HFa470L3sS0Y4_2NlIV1648KwB8rg6P-/s320/Mavericks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Oh well, go figure, I'm just happy to actually have a photo in the guide. GO MAVS!!!T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-40918560083914161042007-10-24T09:45:00.000-05:002007-10-24T09:45:08.918-05:00Two Years OldThis blog is officially two years old as of yesterday. My first post for "Shadows" was on October 23rd in 2005. Wow! That seems like such a long time ago - time flies, doesn't it?T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-87583321622494084052007-10-08T00:01:00.000-05:002007-10-07T22:49:46.350-05:00One Vote '08I don't usually get very political on this blog, but I am in full support of the One campaign. Whether you are liberal or conservative, Republican, Democrat or Independent, this is an issue that crosses all political "boundaries." The U.S. alone has the economic means to make a huge impact, make your voice heard, let's end world hunger and poverty.<br /><br /><embed name="bcPlayer" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=" src="http://www.brightcove.com/playerswf" width="486" height="412" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="allowFullScreen=true&initVideoId=979158880&servicesURL=http://www.brightcove.com&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://www.brightcove.com&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&autoStart=false" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" seamlesstabbing="false" swliveconnect="true"></embed>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-27230113199065242092007-09-24T08:22:00.000-05:002007-09-24T08:28:49.227-05:00A Period of SilenceHello to anyone who still might read this blog. As often as I have tried to make time to write posts, it has been too difficult this fall to do so. My work requires that I pass two securities licenses (which require that I study at least 4 to 5 hours a day), I am also teaching a series at my church, and I am working about 50 hours per week. So what time is left over for me, I give to my family.<br /><br />So this fall, I will not be able to post. However, once I get these tests behind me, I'll have more time to post. The deadline for me to take and pass both tests is January 10th 2008. If I do not pass these tests, I cannot keep my job. No pressure, huh? So this blog will be on hold until the beginning on 2008, at which time I'll attempt to resume posting.T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-80252267246717925442007-09-08T13:55:00.000-05:002007-09-08T13:57:39.188-05:00Make Poverty History<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1FwacZR5reU3hX5a8wdtlJtKoBFy_-OUTgxd0WIlj91rsudbljYx3NhHH4d4uZeRkFkjH6ojKCRac6-xkxMkoRxrGVr30UKIzeVzYSkT2_UeJet9YLo2h8IHuOhEUG-mRmlK/s1600-h/One.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5107908167552679778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1FwacZR5reU3hX5a8wdtlJtKoBFy_-OUTgxd0WIlj91rsudbljYx3NhHH4d4uZeRkFkjH6ojKCRac6-xkxMkoRxrGVr30UKIzeVzYSkT2_UeJet9YLo2h8IHuOhEUG-mRmlK/s400/One.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I have recently become a part of an awesome campaign to <a href="http://www.one.org/">"Make Poverty History."</a> Check out the web site, and if you have an interest please join the campaign.</div><div><br /></div><div></div>"It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."<br />- Mother Theresa<br /><br />"The US cannot win the war on terrorism unless we confront the social and political roots of poverty."<br />- Colin Powell<br /><br />"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have too much...it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."<br />- Franklin Delano RooseveltT.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16753301.post-42483014119138710112007-09-08T09:07:00.000-05:002007-09-08T09:23:14.986-05:00This Is The TruthA friend of mine has this posted on his blog and it was too good to pass up. Watch the entire clip, it will turn around in the middle.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pZZI_coePtc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pZZI_coePtc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object></center>T.B. Vickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00965990105136999148noreply@blogger.com0