They did what!?

Apparently our monetary problems are a big deal for the GOP.  Recently the GOP House Judiciary Committee (which is tasked with upholding justice in the federal court system) voted to place the motto "In God we trust" on 9000 federal buildings.  I'm not even sure the cost of this expected project (it can't be cheap), or if it will actually happen, but the fact that this body of government, dominated by "fiscally responsible" representatives would consider it and then vote on it shows how hypocritical and undeserving of our support they really our.  I'm truly embarrassed to be a Republican today.  I'm so sick of this crap.  They get elected, promise they are going to change this country, rail against the opposition party for unnecessarily spending money on their projects, and then go and do something like this.  EVERY STINKING TIME!  Republicans, be ashamed, of your representatives today.

Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? pt 1.

Well folks its finally time!  My first blog post on Was America Founded as a Christian Nation, is finally here!  I've been waiting a long time for this book, and so far it hasn't disappointed me.  This first blog post is intended as an introduction to the main ideas of the book and give you a taste of the overall tone of the book.

In the book's preface, author John Fea introduces the question "Was America founded as a Christian Nation?" He shares his experiences in dealing with this question in his academic career by illuminating a very important problem that our culture has.  We live in a culture that would rather have 30 second sound bites than sit and listen to the full story.  We look to "experts" who can grab a handful of facts and spit them at us, and we graciously and eagerly swallow them up and use them as ammunition in our next volley in the culture wars.  Dr. Fea lets his readers know that this situation only leads to more problems than solutions in our quest for truth.  Dr. Fea then highlights a very important point one needs to consider while dealing with this problem.  A key piece of this origin problem lies in our failure to define our terms.  Dr. Fea shows the complexity of this point by listing three definitions for the word "Christian."  In our search, are we to think of the word Christian as orthodox doctrine?  He writes, "Such an approach would require us to examine either the nation's founding documents or the religious beliefs of the founders to see if those beliefs measure up to the standards of Christian orthodoxy as found in ancient formulations of faiths such as the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed."  Or should we look at Christian through the lens of orthopraxy?  Should we look at the behavior and practices of the founders to see if they lined up with Christian values and teachings found in the Bible.  How about a third option? When looking at the question of a Christian Nation, should we examine the character and devotion of the people who make up that nation?  Do you see where the problems arise?  With just one word in our question, we are presented with three more questions.  Dr. Fea looks at some of the other words next.  When we say founded what do we mean?  Are we talking about the year 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed?  Or how about 1787, when the Constitutional Convention drafted the Constitution?  At what point did we become a nation?  All of these questions that Dr. Fea poses to his readers hopefully sheds some light on the complexity of this question, Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?  I'll leave you guys with an excerpt from the book that shows Dr. Fea's intentions in writing this fascinating book.

One of my goals in writing [this book] is to get Christians to see the danger of cherry-picking from the past as a means of promoting a political or cultural agenda in the present... Over the past five years I have given several talks about Christianity and the American founding to all kinds of audiences -- both secular and Christian.  What I have found is that most ordinary people come to a talk on this topic with their minds already made up.

Stay tuned for part 2!
 

Ron Paul and his monetary theories come in from the cold in Congress

With the new members of both the House and the Senate being sworn in today, I thought it appropriate to post a news article from Monday December 13th found in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.  It appears that some are finally warming up to the views of Rep. Ron Paul.  Enjoy!

WASHINGTON -- As virtually all of Washington was declaring WikiLeaks' disclosures of secret diplomatic cables an act of treason, Rep. Ron Paul was applauding the organization for exposing the United States' "delusional foreign policy."  For this, the conservative blog RedState dubbed him 'al-Qaeda's favorite member of Congress."  It was hardly the first time that Paul had marched to his own beat.  During his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, he was best remembered for declaring in a debate that the 9/11 attacks were the Muslim world's response to U.S. military intervention around the globe.  A fellow candidate, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York, demanded that he take back the words -- a request Paul refused.  During his 20 years in Congress, Paul has staked out the lonely end of the 434-1 votes against legislation he considers unconstitutional, even on issues as ceremonial as granting Mother Teresa a Congressional Gold Medal.  His colleagues have dubbed him "Dr. No," but his wife will insist that they have the spelling wrong: He is really Dr. Know.  Now it appears others are beginning to credit him with some wisdom -- or at least to acknowledge his following.  After years of blocking him from a leadership position, Paul's fellow Republicans have named him chairman of the House subcommittee on domestic monetary policy, which oversees the Federal Reserve as well as the valuation of the dollar.  Paul has written a book called "End the Fed"; he embraces Austrian economic thought, which holds that the government has no role in regulating the economy.  He wants to return to the gold standard.  Many of the new Republicans in the next congress campaigned on precisely the issues Paul has been talking about for 40 years: forbidding Congress from any action not explicitly authorized in the Constitution, eliminating entire federal departments as unconstitutional and checking the power of the Fed.  He has been called the "intellectual grandfather of the Tea Party," but he also is the real father of the "tea party" movement's most high-profile winner, Sen. -elect Rand Paul of Kentucky. (The two will be roommates in Ron Paul's Virginia condominium, "I told him as long as he didn't expect me to cook," the elder Paul said.  "I'm not going to take care of him the way his mother did.")  Republicans had blocked Paul from leading the monetary policy panel once before, and banking executives had reportedly urged them to do so again.  But Republicans on Capitol Hill increasingly recognize that Paul has a following -- among his supporters from 2008 and within the Tea Party, which helped the Republicans recapture the House majority by picking up Paul's longstanding and highly vocal opposition to the federal debt. Television interviewers now use words like "vindicated" to describe him -- a term that Paul, a 75-year-old obstetrician with the manner of a country doctor, brushes off.  If there is vindication, Paul says, it is for Austrian economic theory -- an anti-Keynesian model that many economists dismiss as magical thinking.  [Austrian Theory] argues that markets operate properly only when they are unfettered by government regulation.  It holds that the government should not have a central bank or dictate economic or monetary policy.  Once the government begins any economic planning, such thinking goes, it ends up making all the economic decisions for its citizens, essentially enslaving them. [end article].

This turn around in Rep. Paul's portrayal in the media is not really surprising to me.  Republicans never accept an unpopular message like entitlement slashing, or military reduction, until they have lost their seat of power.  Then, when they have a common enemy to rally against, they all become liberty - minded, and anti - government, forgetting that their policies were just as conducive to the problem as those "darn liberals".  With the new congress sworn in today, I would dare to dream that this time it will be different, but frankly, I'm sick of disappointment.  

What's the point of a University?

Great blog from Insider Higher Ed was featured today.  Here is a little taste:

So then what is the point of a course in higher education? More generally, what is the purpose of higher education? Are we to educate or are we to socialize and sermonize? Do we build knowledge or provide practical, hard skills for students to use in work and play? I thought I knew. Now, I'm not so sure. At least, I am beginning to understand the disconnect I feel sometimes between myself and my students. We are here, in the university, for very, very different purposes.


Here is the full article if you are interested.


http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university_of_venus/what_is_a_course_in_higher_ed


Now that I have graduated from College, I find myself looking back at my education over the years.  What has it been about?  Have my educational endeavors crafted me into the sort of human that I want to be?  Has my pursuit of the Liberal Arts contributed to my understanding of what Aristotle terms "the good life"?  Was Northwestern College successful in instilling into me a greater appreciation of the humanities.  I believe so.  Now that it's over, I don't find myself relieved or looking forward to putting my major to use.  I know that sounds insane, but I look at it as proof that the University system did not fail me.  I haven't graduated with thousands of dollars of debt with only a skill set that will become obsolete within a few years without continued training.  Instead, I have graduated with a greater understanding of what it means to be human.  I am sad about leaving college.  For me, college was not boring classes with tests that did not matter.  College was about developing critical thinking skills, joining a conversation about ideas and beliefs that have guided humanity throughout the centuries, contributing to my understanding of the world in which I live.  Sure, I may not have a specific job that my major prepared me for, but if I wanted that, I would have gone to a tech school or some other type of schooling.  And that is the question the blog post from Inside Higher Ed raises, if the point of the University is not supposed to be about job training, what is it supposed to be about.  Fortunately, the author doesn't provide you an answer.  Instead the author requires you to think and engage with the question.  Are you up to the task?  Or has your 4+ years of undergraduate schooling rendered critical thinking a foreign concept?

Rich School, Party School

Inside Higher Ed hosts a number of great blogs each day, and unfortunately it has taken until now for me to discover them!  One post that I want to feature today was written by an author lamenting the state of Universities today.  In this post this English professor reviews a new book by Craig Brandon:  


The Five-Year Party: How Colleges Have Given Up On Educating Your Child and What You Can Do About It


This book sounds really interesting.  I probably won't be surprised with anything the author has to say, who among us doesn't know that a lot of schools are simply 5 years of bars, brawls, and babes. Oh alliteration, how I love thee.  Hopefully my readers attended a school where they learned something and know what alliteration is ;) 


This article just reinforces my disgust with American culture. The American university has become one giant party with minimal to no learning going on.  We'd rather engage in drunken frivolity and watch Jersey shore, instead of engage in a world that is desperate for competent and ethical leadership.  Here's my favorite quote from the article:


Rich people, as you learned when you read The Great Gatsby (unless you went to a party school and didn't read it), tend to be irresponsible.


Just to clarify, the author in the preceding sentence described the entire American culture as Rich.  So its not just the "rich" college students, it's also middle class and lower class who are partying all the time.  Rich kids just do it with better style.


Anyways if you want to read the whole post you can find it here:


http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university_diaries/party_on

I'm still here...

Guys I'm still here, a lot of changes are coming up. Promise. Please don't stop checking! I've got a lot of big ideas in my head, I just have to sit down and figure them out!

The right to dissent

The Star Tribune had an interesting and frankly enlightening op ed that they ran last Friday. Apparently a group of MN Catholic Bishops are mailing a DVD that outlines their opposition to same - sex marriage to 400,000 people. The fact that the Church is sending out this mailer isn't enlightening, but the response of the Star Tribunes editorial board caused my heart to soar.

The Tribune editors came out in opposition to the position of the Catholic Church. Instead of using their space to further denigrate an already wounded institution such as the Church, they wrote in support of the Church's right to mail out their DVDs. Citing free speech as a principle that this country cannot live without, The Tribune staff called upon those who advocate the Church should lose its tax - exempt status to re think their position. It brought me a moment of happiness to realize that some people still understand the wise saying:

"I may disagree with everything you say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it".

Here is the link to the online article.

(warning - The online article is longer than the one in print, the article does go on to show how the church may be wrong on the issue)

The Way of Improvement Leads Home: A Yale History Professor Bans Laptops in the Class...

The Way of Improvement Leads Home: A Yale History Professor Bans Laptops in the Class...: "I am a fan of technology in the classroom when it enhances the learning experience. Over the years I have become reliant upon PowerPoint sl..."

Great article on the idea of banning laptops during lecture classes. While I agree with a lot of the article, I wonder if I would be able to keep up with the pace of some classes for note taking.

Ironically, I'm writing this blog post during a lecture on Hittite mythology. Gotta go!

Conflicting natures

So I failed in my promise to write more. I have all these ideas, topics, and posts that I want to write about, but I fail to make time to write them. Yesterday was a very thought provoking day for me. I had an hour or so to just sit and think. I thought a lot about what I want my life to be about. You see dear readers, I'm facing a dilemma, a crisis of identity so to speak. I have no idea who I want to be or what I want my life to be about. Of course there is the obvious Christian answer, that I want my life to be about bringing the most glory to God that I possibly can. I'm more than happy to do that. But what do I want to do in the day to day activities of my life? As I've said before, I'm a man of passion for ideas, a man who seeks virtue, a defender of the Western Civilization tradition. I would like nothing more than to spend my life talking with people who are interested in these ideas, who are competent enough in their scholarship to challenge me, introduce me to great books, and sharpen my academic ability. But here my readers is where I face my problem. When your passion out weighs your ability what course can be taken? Do I buy into the maxim "You can do anything you set your mind to" or do I realize that passion may not be enough, that academic prowess has to be coupled with that passion. I desperately seek a life of intellectual stimulation, and yet find my path to success blocked by my own failures and lack of confidence. I just don't know where to go from here. I graduate in two months, and have no idea what I am going to do with the education that I have received. I find myself day dreaming about working for an institution that lets me engage in discussion with like minded individuals, lamenting the decline of higher education in the states, or the decay of Western Civilization, but a reality check is just around the corner. I'm not a writer, I don't have the speaking or analytical skills of a professor. I don't even maintain this blog!

Everything I mentioned above are thoughts that have been racing through my mind these last couple months. I came to the conclusion that I wanted something more. I didn't want to waste the rest of my education. I wanted to pour myself into my studies. And like any idealist, I probably will get all fired up, and then next week, it will fade as I forget my ideals and passions and trade them in for a 2 hour gaming session. But I want to be better than I am. I want to blog everyday, I want to read and write every day. I don't want to be like most people in America, to wrapped up in their pursuit of instant gratification and entertainment to care about anything removed from their lives. I want to be like Philip Vickers Fithian, improving myself everyday, climbing the hill top of intellectual stimulation only to see higher hills that need conquering. I won't settle for what culture says is normal, I won't settle for ignorance, I WON'T, I WON'T, I WON'T!

Free to Choose

In a corporate world where some companies are "too big to fail", mistrust of both the government and big business is at an all time high. The American people are fed up with sleezy corporations who aren't punished for putting America into this financial crisis, CEOs who take government money and yet reward themselves with huge salaries while ordinary hard working Americans struggle to make ends meet. Unfortunately the market catches a lot of flack for unchecked greed. In this article John Stossel outlines why the market shouldn't be blamed for peoples problems, and does a fairly decent job of showing how the market has made America great, and why defense of true market principles is necessary if we are to maintain our position in the world. Here's an excerpt:

"The free market enables people... to trade with whomever they want; to buy in the cheapest market around the world; to sell in the dearest. .. (B)ut most important of all: If they fail, they bear the cost."

You can find the rest of the article here

Evangelicals: A lack of solemnity

"Northwestern College endeavors to provide education that is grounded in the truth of the Bible and in God as the Ultimate Reality. Through the Word of God and a relationship with Christ, knowledge can be interpreted. The Bible and theology is the foundation upon which all other disciplines rest. When the truths of an academic discipline conflict with the truth of God's Word, we put our trust in God's revealed truth in the Bible."

If the above paragraph made you fall asleep or want to put a pencil through your eye socket, you're not alone. Last Friday, Northwestern college had their annual academic convocation. This is the ceremony where the incoming freshman class is inducted into the institution and given the opportunity to commit to academic integrity, pursuit of excellence, and an understanding of the origins and foundation upon which their academic school year will be grounded in. I look forward to this ceremony every year. I love seeing all the faculty in their academic regalia, knowing that my institution is committing itself to another year of teaching grounded in truths that stand the test of time. Sadly, I am in the minority on my campus of "higher learning" Apparently this ceremony is to boring for students to sit through. I have heard comments over the years ranging from, "[the convocation] provides a great opportunity to nap," to "they need to spice it up, like make the teachers do a dance or something!" Now I could chalk reactions like these up to the notion that students have always acted like this toward any formal ceremony. But I wouldn't be the annoying historian if I didn't search for a deeper more historical reason behind such reactions.

I believe the answer lies in the reformation. Since the reformation denominations have opposed most forms of ritualism and ceremony, and for good reason. When Luther posted the 95 theses, on that fateful day of October 31, 1517, the Catholic church was filled with corruption, due in a large part to rituals that took the place of true genuine worship and a heartfelt faith. But I must put forward this claim. I believe the pendulum has now shifted. We as Evangelicals, the heirs of Luther's legacy, have become so engrossed with anti - ritualism, that we can't participate in one without crying afoul. Ever since the reformation, Evangelicals have wanted as little to do with rituals and ceremonies as possible. And now, more than 500 years later, it's gone to far. If this problem were limited to anti - catholic forms of worship, than the damage could be controlled. Unfortunately this antagonism has permeated to every form institutionalism, traditionalism, and ceremony in existence. When a Christian doesn't want to partake in something because it's to old fashioned, its outdated, its not fun and lighthearted, there is something wrong. We need to stop rejecting the legacy of our fathers and see that there is a middle ground. You don't have to be completely ritual or completely free and emotive. You can choose to recognize rituals and ceremonies for what they are, a way of remembering the past and traditions that great men and women of the faith used to express devotion to their creator.

A month?

I just realized it has been one month since I last blogged. I don't even know if anybody reads this blog, and with my lack of attention to it, who can blame them? But I'm back, I am going to make it my goal to blog at least a couple times per week. Now that I started school, that should be easy right? After all, the goal of this blog is to chronicle the journey of my education.

So what have I been doing this past month? Well I started school exactly one week ago. I have a feeling some of my classes are going to provide some interesting blog posts. In fact I have one or two coming to fruition as we speak. I am talking a course in Christian Thought. It's basically a philosophy course in dealing with deep spiritual matters in the life of a Christian. It seems to be an excellent class and I'm really looking forward to it. I am also taking an American History course dealing specifically with the period right after WWII up to the present. I'm normally not interested in this era, but the class seems to be fascinating. I have two more history courses, one a class on the Ancient Near Eastern cultures, Mesopotamians, Sumerians, and Hittites. This class will probably be a challenge for me, as I am not really interested in Ancient history. But there is something to be learned from every teacher and every subject, so I will give it my best shot. The other class is my History Seminar class. I have to write a 25 page research paper on any topic I chose. Should be fun :)

Another development in my social networking life, I created a TWITTER account. I never thought that day would come, but its proved very beneficial. I'm able to follow people and receive updates on articles that they have written, or found worth mentioning. I admit there is a non - academic side to it as well, there are just some very entertaining people with twitter accounts that I get a kick out of following.

As for job prospects, yesterday I went in for an interview at Target in Roseville and they offered me a job :) I'm actually kind of excited to start working there. Pending an acceptable drug test result, I start on tuesday the 7th. I don't forsee any problems :) Speaking of the 7th, I'm extremely excited for a new game in the Kingdom Hearts franchise to be released for PSP (which I don't own of course). Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep is finally coming to the states. As soon as my friend Randy buys it and beats it, he promised to lend me his copy so I can partake in the wonder that is Kingdom Hearts.

Just a preview of whats to come:

Evangelicals: A lack of solemnity

Worldviews

A review of Francis Chan's Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit

An article on the enumerated powers of congress, with special attention to the Federalist Papers

Americans and Racism

The "Ground Zero" Mosque Controversy

And many more...

Stay tuned!!!! I promise to write more :)

A great hymn of the faith

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there! The risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless, Righteousness
The Great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God

This morning in Church the worship leader started talking about this hymn and how the words were so powerful and true, I just had to share them with you, my few readers. I couldn't stop smiling as I belted out the words to this comforting hymn. I started imagining the throne of God and how one day I will be before him in all his glory and majesty. I was just so in awe of the one who came to die for me. All the times I fail (and trust me it's a lot!) I know that Christ is up there interceding on my behalf. I am so incredibly blessed in the knowledge of my savior.

Call the plumber pt. 2

Here is another article about the controversy surrounding the WikiLeak website releasing 90,000 + pages and documents relating to the War on terror in the country of Afghanistan. This article contains official statements from leading countries in NATO as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some of the documents are alleging that Pakistan has secretly helped al Qaeda. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. I'm guessing the Republicans will take the standard, this hampers our national security and war efforts, while the Democrats will blame all the bad information on the Bush years (which the administration probably deserves) with a combination of outrage that the information was leaked, as well as a call for a renewal of the war policy and/ or a demand to leave the country. It's looking to be a more interesting week than I thought!

*edit* I just realized I never gave you the link!

A leak!? Call the plumber!

Over the weekend as Americans everywhere were enjoying there respite from daily toil, big wigs in the Pentagon and White House were scrambling to counter a major leak from WikiLeaks. The leak was 90,000 + report detailing the Afghan war policies of the White House from January 2004 - December 2009. Notice the time period that the documents deal with. They deal specifically with Bush's 2nd term and end right before President Obama took office. Now the White House and Pentagon are condemning the leaks, citing danger to U.S. interests and the lives of the soldiers. I still haven't developed an opinon on the matter and I'm wondering what you guys think! I will link two articles below for you to read.

This one is from Mashable.

This one is from Politico <-- (Great political news!)

I tried to link the actual article from WikiLeaks, but it's not responding. So either there is to much traffic to the site, or something more sinister.... hmmm!

Why we blog

A catchy little title wouldn't you agree? Lately I've been thinking about the different reasons for running a blog. Some people keep blogs to let family members know what is going on in there lives. I follow 2 such blogs. It's a nice way to keep in touch and to see what is going on in their lives. Others blog about a specific topic, I follow a couple blogs that deal with early american history and early american religious history. Other blogs are a source of political and social commentary. I follow two blogs that can fall under this category. But why do I blog? I was having a conversation with a friend (check out her blog) and we were talking about why we blog. After giving my usual response: developing my writing skills (how am I doing on this by the way?) I sat back and tried to think of a deeper reason for why I blog. And by George I think I've done it! A lot of my posts deal with education, history, or theological subjects. Am I disillusioned enough to think that my posts are going to somehow right all the wrongs, topple government mistakes, or inspire America to educate themselves? No. The reason I blog, and why countless others blog, is that we hope to inspire one or two people to read something they wouldn't normally have read, have a conversation with somebody they wouldn't have had, about a subject they wouldn't have talked about. I want to create a place where people can debate in a safe enviornment without being discredited or censored based on their ideas. That is why I blog, and that is why I hope you come here. So please feel free to rip, dissect, add on, or agree with what I say by adding a comment or two on my posts!

My new babies

I was relaxing this weekend when I got a knock on the door. My neighbors had come over to deliver a package that arrived for me that they had picked up. Inside where my two new babies that I ordered! No, I didn't order human flesh, don't worry. The babies that I'm talking about are my new primary source books from libertyfund! A primary source is a document or other type of medium that was written in the time period in question. For example, a journal entry by George Washington about troop movements would be a primary source. A book written about George Washington, would not be a primary source, it would be a secondary source. Anyways, I'm really excited about these books because they have some fantastic documents that will prove very beneficial for writing papers and expanding my general knowledge about the time period between ratifying the constitution and The War of 1812 which is the first book, and the second book, which highlights key documents between reconstruction years and The New Deal. Below you can find the table of contents for both books.

Liberty and Order: The First American Party Struggle

The American Nation: Primary Sources

Educational woes

I'm going to take a break from writing out Psalm 119 on the blog today. I want to share a couple links to some articles that I have been reading lately.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/07/06/youtube

This first article is about how a professor was put on a paid leave because of some comments he made during a class lecture on Machiavelli. In The Prince Machiavelli talks about how a leader can successfully seize power. This teacher was presenting his lecture and used a well established interpretation of Machiavelli likening the accumulation of power to the subduing and raping of a woman. While the subject of raping a woman is graphic and disgusting, the imagery serves its purpose in the context of Machiavelli. Apparently a student was offended by the Professors illustration and decided to record and post a segment of the class on youtube. Read the full article and let me know what you think!

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/07/04/what_happened_to_studying/?page=1

The second article is a fantastically written piece which explores the trend of time students spend studying in institutions of higher learning. It's interesting to note that this trend is spread evenly across the board. I must admit that I do not spend nearly enough time studying. I wonder what my grades would look like if I actually spent 2 hours studying for every hour I spent in class. Anyways read the articles and let me know what you think!

The Law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Psalm 119:33 - 72

Teach me, O LORD the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that i dread, for your rules are good.
Behold I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!
Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules.
I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.
I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find delight in your commandments, which I love.
I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.
When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law.
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.
I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.
This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.
The LORD is my portion, I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.
At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.
I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.
The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!
You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but no I keep your word.
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law.
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sing against you

I had lunch with a friend a couple days ago. During our lunch I was amazed to discover that he had memorized the entire books of Galatians, Ephesians, Phillipians, and Colossians, and Philemon. He wasn't showing off or bragging, he was simply showing how useful and wonderful it can be to have entire sections of scripture memorized. Not only did he know verses, he could get them in the context. I loved it!. It produced a twofold emotional response. I was happy for my brother, and slightly embarrassed that I hadn't attempted to memorize any scripture myself. During this lunch conversation I rememberd a previous desire of mine start memorizing scripture. I also listened to a sermon recently imploring me to take the matter of scripture memorization seriously. So my loyal readers I'm here to annouce that I am going to memroize some. I'm going to take up the daunting task of memorizing Psalm 119. Now for those of you who don't know, Psalm 119 is the largest chapter in the bible, containting 176 verses. The main theme of Psalm 119 is the word of the Lord. This entire chapter is dedicated to expressing our love for God's word. I will post the Psalm for you hear. I could just cut and paste, but I figure it will be better for me to type it out and get it in my head.

Psalm 119: 1 - 32
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who kep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.
I will kep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
How can a young man keep his way pure? by guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin agianst you.
Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statues; I will not forget your word.
Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word.
Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
I am a sojourner on the earth; hid not your commandments from me!
My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.
You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments.
Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies.
Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statues.
Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.
My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!
Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!
I have hcosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.
I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!
I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heat!