The Mind of Steve

I enjoyed watching today's election coverage and I'm not even a democrat. I enjoyed it because I knew God's will was being done.

It really bothers me when I hear Christians from both parties compain about who is President. It was talk about how Bush was the worst president we've ever had, and now it is doom and gloom for fear of how Obama is going to govern. Instead of remembering that God is sovereign over his creation, we act as if God will now have to amend his plans because the American people threw him a curve ball. According to the Bible this is just not the case at all.

Romans 13:1 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

George Bush was president for 8 years because that's who God wanted to be in power. Obama was just elected the 44th President because that is who God currently wants to lead the United States. "How can that be?" one might ask, "Bush led us into a unnecessary war", or "Obama supports abortion rights". Why does God allow things that may seem bad for us, or leaders that we don't think are the right choice, to happen?  The Bible gives us plenty of examples:

Look at the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph was hated by his brothers, almost killed, sold into slavery, accused of rape, thrown into jail, left in jail after a released friend forgot about him, until finally being released from jail after interpreting a dream (therefore saving the people of Egypt from a famine) and promoted to the second highest position in Egypt. When his brothers saw him again about 20 years later, they fell on their faces fearful of the payback they would get from their now powerful brother. What was Joseph's response? "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." God allowed over 20 years of evil to happen against Joseph, so that in the end, God's good will would be done.

Look what the Bible says about Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylon king who destroyed Jerusalem and took the Isrealites as slaves: Jeremiah 27:6 God says, “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant.” Nebuchandnezzar God's servant? I'm sure Nebuchandnezzar didn't think he was, and I'm pretty sure Daniel and his friends were pretty confused at first, but when you read the whole story of Daniel, you see God's hand at work.

What about Pilate, the Roman governor who sentenced Jesus to death? Look at what he says to Jesus in John 19: "Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?". Jesus replys, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above”. God let a Roman governor be in power who allowed the death of Jesus. I'm glad he did. Because by God allowing the worse sin ever commited to take place, the death of his Son, God provided a way for salvation to sinful mankind.

So it hasn't bothered me at all the past 8 years that Bush has been president, and it doesn't bother me at all that Obama is now president. Daniel 2:21, “[God] removes kings and sets up kings”. I don't know why God put Obama in power, (or other leaders of this world for that matter), but God does, and he is 100% in control of his creation. And knowing that gives me peace.

Just read the ingredients for the Slim Jim sitting on my desk.  First ingredient - beef, second ingredient - mechanically seperated chicken. 

Is there a need to specify that the chicken was mechanically seperated?  Does this mean that the beef was not mechanically seperated but was instead manually seperated?  Can I then therefore deduce that the FDA has determined that the manual seperation of meat does not need to be specified, however, the mechanical seperation of meat does?  Or does the mechanical seperation nomenclature apply only to chicken, and therefore even though the beef was also mechanically seperated, it does not fall under the FDA guidelines for the mechanical seperation of meat disclosure, and can therefore be listed simply as beef?

Just curious.

Flying Monkeys....

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Janie posted the pictures from the first half of the hike here, so I'm just going to post the pictures from the last (and most challenging) half.  It's funny, because when I first meet Janie, one of the things I said I liked to do was hike.  Well, it may have taken five years, but we did.  We have hiked around parks a few times over the years, but I don't think that counts.

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For a while now I've been on the lookout for the perfect leather travel/laptop bag, and now that I've recently bought a laptop, I've kind of amped up my search.  Whenever I travel, I always admire those guys I see who have a leather bag that you know they've owned for years and that they've taken with them on trips all over the world.  I've always wanted a bag like that.  A bag that has character, and gets more character with age.  Well, I think I've finally found it.....

Perfect bag

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One day....

My wife made me a chicken salad sandwich for lunch today, but instead of chopped apples she used chopped pears.  It was awesome.

How's that for a catchy post title?  I haven't done a travel post in a while, due to the fact that my company hasn't sent me anywhere for the past two months.  That is about to change as I am heading back down to Tampa next week.  Be ready for a crazy-exciting week of blog entries.  The last two trips to Tampa have resulted in vehicular carnage, a singing yeti, flamenco dancers, and a lost Mr. Bill, so I can only imagine the sheer amount of fun-ness that awaits me next week.

In other news, my brother and I were heading down the road yesterday for a church conference and decided to stop at McDonalds for Breakfast.  He got the McGriddle sausage egg & cheese combo, and I got a McGriddle sausage egg & cheese.  The Total - $6.66.

Thomas Edison once said, "Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration."  Well, I say that I am 99% an idiot, because I constantly have 1% inspiration moments, but consistantly fail to act on the 99% perspiration aspect of that qoute.  Because of this, I will never go down in the history books as the next Thomas Edison or George Washington Carver.

Many times over the years, I have come up with (in my mind) great ideas only to later see them be developed by other people.  About 10 years ago I had an idea for a website where someone could upload a picture of themself, and others could rate their looks on a scale of 1 to 10.  A couple years later, I read an article about two (now rich) college students who created a website hotornot.com where people do exactly that.  So, after having this happen a few times, and because I'm a dork, I decided to start writing my ideas down in a notebook, mainly so I wouldn't forget them, but secondly so that I could have documented proof that I, indeed, did come up with the idea beforehand. 

Well, today it has happened again.  Read this entry I wrote down in my ideas notebook two years ago.....

"Governor for cars.  Easily installed governors that parents could install on their childrens cars which would prevent them from driving over a set speed."

Now, read this news article today from usatoday.com......

"Ford feature will let parents set speed limits for teens"

If Forbes magazine had a list for the potentially richist Americans, I would definitely be in the top ten.  Although, I'd probably make their top ten dumbest Americans list also.

On the agenda for tonight - Mason Jennings at the 930 Club and Ben's Chili Bowl for Dinner.  Should be good.

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