We had a great time at the Cajun Swamp Tours in Laplace. The tour guide was very talkative...and informative! He even gets out on a ledge to feed the alligators. Luckily I had a groupon so I was able to get a couple tickets for pretty cheap at $10 each (they are usually about $24). After this tour I can finally say I have seen the biggest alligator of my life (hopefully:). The head was a humongous diamond!
One thing to note, as he did. There is a difference between alligators and crocodiles. The body composition is different, for example scales or whatever you call them.
Good stuff in spite of the heat index! Be ready to sweat and have a good time...
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Oak Alley, a wonderful plantation
Oak alley is a beautiful piece of architecture with a rich history. A plaque on the right side of the plantation lists the names of many former slaves that worked on the plantation's cotton fields. Once owned by a wealthy family, they eventually could not afford to keep the big estate. The home is now on public show for people to see the beautiful wood furnishings in all the two-story home's rooms and the awe-inspiring line of oaks in front of the home. A perfect place to stroll and take pictures, this is one of my favorite places in Louisiana. Hot and muggy if you go in the summer, but they give you a refreshing mint julipe to quench your overheated body. mmmmmmm good. Good times!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
My longest response to homosexuality
I lieu of the fact that i wrote a humongous response to a guy's take on Christianity. He said Christians use their religion to force their beliefs and violence on others who don't follow their code of ethics just like the boy who shot another schoolboy for being a homosexual. So I tried to find Biblical support for why it's wrong to judge homosexuals and
There are Christians with love towards gay people and there are violent, disrepectful Christians, sure. But the same goes for other religions out there. You can't just single out Christians, just as there are peaceful Muslims and there are forceful Muslims, and so on. i have a few friends that don't claim to be Christians because they think it puts up an immediate wall when they meet people. i can't deny that i love Jesus and his teachings, and why should I?!
It's sad that there are Christians descriminating against homosexuals, because God loves them too. Christians like that boy who shot his schoolmate, self-righteous Christians, remind me of the story of the pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. God loves the humble, and the tax collector pleading for mercy was the one justified in God's sight.
If a Christian considers someone their enemy (for example homosexuals) they would be going against Christ's spoken words by harming them for the Bible says to "love your enemies, and bless those that persecute you." Everyone should have a right to do what they want with their life so long as it doesn't hurt other people, and then we allow God to judge them. I
t's not a 'Christian's' right to judge (Luke 6:37- "judge not").
I also do not believe a loving God is capable of sending people to hell for all eternity. in fact, i don't believe hell is for eternity. that is a myth which people have accepted out of tradition. Believing what their parents told them to. If you can find a Bible verse saying hell is forever/eternal I will give you a million bucks. i do believe in a type of 'burning lake' (hell)...but it won't last forever. Since God is love, he doesn't want his people to be feeling pain in heaven for eternity, thinking of their loved ones suffering forever. The Bible tells us in Revelation that "there will be no more tears" Revelation 7:15-17, 21:4.
Homosexuality will always be a controversial topic in Christian circles, because it considered a Biblical sin. Still, no one is without sin (1 John 1:8), and God is merciful (Luke 6:36), wanting all to be saved. But it is still our choice to accept Him, love Him, and follow His leading. I don't believe once saved always saved. Otherwise we could abandon God and live in sin without conscience, not needing a Savior to pardon our sins and give us grace.
And "Thank God" He gives grace. For like Paul, I am a chief sinner.
I lieu of the fact that i wrote a humongous response to a guy's take on Christianity. He said Christians use their religion to force their beliefs and violence on others who don't follow their code of ethics just like the boy who shot another schoolboy for being a homosexual. So I tried to find Biblical support for why it's wrong to judge homosexuals and
There are Christians with love towards gay people and there are violent, disrepectful Christians, sure. But the same goes for other religions out there. You can't just single out Christians, just as there are peaceful Muslims and there are forceful Muslims, and so on. i have a few friends that don't claim to be Christians because they think it puts up an immediate wall when they meet people. i can't deny that i love Jesus and his teachings, and why should I?!
It's sad that there are Christians descriminating against homosexuals, because God loves them too. Christians like that boy who shot his schoolmate, self-righteous Christians, remind me of the story of the pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. God loves the humble, and the tax collector pleading for mercy was the one justified in God's sight.
If a Christian considers someone their enemy (for example homosexuals) they would be going against Christ's spoken words by harming them for the Bible says to "love your enemies, and bless those that persecute you." Everyone should have a right to do what they want with their life so long as it doesn't hurt other people, and then we allow God to judge them. I
t's not a 'Christian's' right to judge (Luke 6:37- "judge not").
I also do not believe a loving God is capable of sending people to hell for all eternity. in fact, i don't believe hell is for eternity. that is a myth which people have accepted out of tradition. Believing what their parents told them to. If you can find a Bible verse saying hell is forever/eternal I will give you a million bucks. i do believe in a type of 'burning lake' (hell)...but it won't last forever. Since God is love, he doesn't want his people to be feeling pain in heaven for eternity, thinking of their loved ones suffering forever. The Bible tells us in Revelation that "there will be no more tears" Revelation 7:15-17, 21:4.
Homosexuality will always be a controversial topic in Christian circles, because it considered a Biblical sin. Still, no one is without sin (1 John 1:8), and God is merciful (Luke 6:36), wanting all to be saved. But it is still our choice to accept Him, love Him, and follow His leading. I don't believe once saved always saved. Otherwise we could abandon God and live in sin without conscience, not needing a Savior to pardon our sins and give us grace.
And "Thank God" He gives grace. For like Paul, I am a chief sinner.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
I am an Adventist who dances & plays the drums
I don't know who came up with the idea that dancing is bad or that drums pollute 'praiseworthy' music. I could write pages about this but don't have the time for that. As far as i see it, when we go to church the music isn't what we praise, it's God. The music is the outpouring of praise.
How I'd love to be a praise drummer. There's a natural high one gets when playing drums. Even though i'm not very good, it feels great to let go and pound some tom-toms. music, drums, and dancing are my therapy.
I was talking to a lady the other day and she said dancing is a mating call. I can understand her point when it comes to certain KINDS of dance.
Like grinding and the like...which makes me think, is this what the world has come to?
I don't know who came up with the idea that dancing is bad or that drums pollute 'praiseworthy' music. I could write pages about this but don't have the time for that. As far as i see it, when we go to church the music isn't what we praise, it's God. The music is the outpouring of praise.
How I'd love to be a praise drummer. There's a natural high one gets when playing drums. Even though i'm not very good, it feels great to let go and pound some tom-toms. music, drums, and dancing are my therapy.
I was talking to a lady the other day and she said dancing is a mating call. I can understand her point when it comes to certain KINDS of dance.
Like grinding and the like...which makes me think, is this what the world has come to?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Guilt-Free Gospel
Everyone has had someone say "I can't believe you did that....and just last month you..." Surely, you didn't intentionally hurt them, yet they have no qualms about opening the files of your previous transgressions.
Lucky for us God is different.
Psalms 32 gives an example of God's love for us in forgiving our worst sins. David cried out for forgiveness and God forgave the guilt of David's sin (v.5). Thankfully, after repentance, God doesn't count our sin against us. His forgiveness is final and unconditional.
Only when we are REAL with God about our sin can He take away the guilt of our sin.
David was a murderer, thief, adulterer, home wrecker, and bad father but He still received favor with the God through heartfelt confession.
Psychiatrist Karl Menninger once said to Billy Graham that 75 percent of patients at mental hospitals could be released if they would believe their sins had been forgiven.
How many mental and physical ailments are a result of carrying unconfessed sin and guilt in our hearts? If sin separates us from God, then carrying the guilt of sin separates us from God. Guilt as a result of unconfessed sin is only useful in helping us realize we need to confess and turn away from our sins, acknowleding God's way is better than ours. If we always carry guilt we keep God's power to reconcile us to Him at bay. God is able to free us from guilt and the practice of our sins.
Micah 7:18-19 says
Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
God throws our sins away so deep we can't even fish them out. If he never goes back to the sea why should we?
Lucky for us God is different.
Psalms 32 gives an example of God's love for us in forgiving our worst sins. David cried out for forgiveness and God forgave the guilt of David's sin (v.5). Thankfully, after repentance, God doesn't count our sin against us. His forgiveness is final and unconditional.
Only when we are REAL with God about our sin can He take away the guilt of our sin.
David was a murderer, thief, adulterer, home wrecker, and bad father but He still received favor with the God through heartfelt confession.
Psychiatrist Karl Menninger once said to Billy Graham that 75 percent of patients at mental hospitals could be released if they would believe their sins had been forgiven.
How many mental and physical ailments are a result of carrying unconfessed sin and guilt in our hearts? If sin separates us from God, then carrying the guilt of sin separates us from God. Guilt as a result of unconfessed sin is only useful in helping us realize we need to confess and turn away from our sins, acknowleding God's way is better than ours. If we always carry guilt we keep God's power to reconcile us to Him at bay. God is able to free us from guilt and the practice of our sins.
Micah 7:18-19 says
Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
God throws our sins away so deep we can't even fish them out. If he never goes back to the sea why should we?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)