Mr. Tall

Happy Halloween

Enjoy the wonderful fall weather today!

I made pumpkin bisque last night. Yup, quite the adventure especially since I've never made bisque before - let alone pumpkin soup. The weather, fall, halloween, pumpkins everywhere just made if feel like an appropriate adventure. It turned our really yummy! To quote my roommate: "Wow!! It doesn't taste like pumpkin and that's a good thing. It dances on your tongue!"
I found a receipe for squash bisque and modified it a little bit to make it pumpkiny (is that a word?). The receipe calls for lots of black pepper and nutmeg, so right after you swallow your first spoonful, you get this really cool combo of spices that just attacks your palate. It's really good and the receipe serves about 10. So, if you are in the area, feel free to drop in at my house and I'll heat some up.

Happy Fall, Happy Halloween.

Here is the receipe that I used (in a general sense). I used 1 small pumpkin and two cans of pumpkin instead of the butternut squash. I also added two chicken bullions for a stronger flavor. After I puréed the soup, I added a cup of already cooked rice to add some texture. The bisque was my lunch just a few minutes ago and its still fantastic.

Love this

Personal Ad:

"Single Christian male (SCM) seeks single Christian female (SCF) to love as Christ loved the church, to give himself up for her to make her holy, to love as he loves himself (Eph. 5). SCF must be absolute physical knockout (no one scoring below 9.0, please), must love to talk politics and sports, and must possess a laundry list of pre-decided personal characteristics so completely that SCM is convinced no better option could possibly be available within the next decade."

This is a GREAT article!!

To reiterate:
"My brother or sister, if that had been Jesus' approach to love, you and I would still be in our sins. Forget the fantasy. Glorify the Lord in the way you choose a spouse. Let the Inventor of attraction and beauty reform your thinking, and your marriage will be rich."

(no pun intended)

More Photos

Yep, I'm really loving taking pictures:

Feel free to look at all my photos on my Flickr

Photos

So I've been taking some photos... I love it!! I borrowed my friend Mike's camera do this little photo-shoot thing as an expirement and learning experience. Anyway, I don't know where God is leading me with this love for photography.

Here is a recent picture. I know... its a cutesy pet picture, but I like it.

In looking at this picture, I laugh... my photography profesor would blast me for putting brick in the background...

Letter

This letter has been circulating recently. Its a very frank letter about what is going on in Iraq, without compromising the classified nature of a lot of what is done there. And kudos to that Mayor in Fallujah!

My respect and prayers to all our boys in Iraq.

Worried?

Do you worry or get anxious about stuff? (And by the way, anxiety has a negative or bad connotation)

Jesus tells us: "...do not be anxious about ______" in Matthew 6:25-34. Basically, don't be anxious or worry about anything. And you're probably thinking: "rriiiiggght... like that is even possible."
If your thinking that, based off of those words alone, you're thinking correctly. But like most things in the Bible, the context is of utmost importance. Once the context is taken into consideration, then Jesus' words make a lot more sense.

What is the context and what can you do about worry/anxiety?
Matthew 6-6:24 - It comes down to one thing - In what do you put your confidence? Stuff/People or God.
1. Do you GIVE to the needy to be seen of people or for God? (6:1-4)
2. Do you PRAY to be seen of people or for God? (6:5-15)
3. Do you FAST to be seen of people or for God? (6:16-18)

If you are putting your confidence in earthly stuff and people, there is plenty of reason to be anxious. You have to work hard for that kind of reward. And when it comes down to it, that reward is external and a bunch of crap in light of eternity. Yeah, if you do those things for people, you'll get your reward - but what good does it do?

So, with having the location of our confidence in mind, when you look at Jesus' words again: ""...do not be anxious about ______." This makes perfect sense; it is totally possible, because we've put our confidence in God. Why worry about anything? This doesn't mean kick back and don't do anything. We're still going to have situations that cause concern, but in everything that we're doing follow this principle: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

The choices that precede or prevent anxiety (6:19-24)
1. a map - Where are you seeking? heaven or earth (19-20)
2. a mindset - How are you seeking? light or darkness (22-23)
3. a master - Who are you seeking? God or mammon (24)

Do not worry because it...
1. Distorts reality - "Is life not more than...?" (25b-26)
2. Doesn't help - "Which of you by worrying can..." (27)
3. Denies God - "Now if God..., oh yea of little faith" (28-30)
4. Distracts Christians - "But seek first the kingdom of God..." (31-33)
5. Doubles Trouble - "...tomorrow will worry about itself." (34)

My summary of Peter's messages so far on Matthew 6:19-34.

Still I will say...

Blessed be the name of the Lord

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name

Matt Redman © 2002 Kingsway's Thankyou Music