This entry is a little different than the last ones, and is directed at one of my friends. I hope that she finds this and reads it.
_________________________
So far this week has been alright. Besides from me getting new running shoes (which are super awesome, but heavy!) and other things like that, I've found myself in a position I didn't think I'd be in: someone's conscience.
Do you remember the cartoons (or if you're some of my friends, you still watch them) where a character is trying to decided between a good decision and a bad decision. Suddenly... POOF! A little devil appears on the character's shoulder. He begins whispering in his ear why he should make the bad decision. POOF! The little angel appears on the other shoulder and whispers in the other ear. It's an argument back and forth until the character makes the good decision.
Well, Monday night I was that little angel, I think. Let me explain.
One of my friends (whose name will NOT be mentioned, but she is a girl) myspace messaged me Monday evening. She says one of her guy friends wants to have sex with her, and she doesn't know what to do. She says she wants to, but is afraid of becoming pregnant. She asked ME what she should do.
Whoa. Talk about PRESSURE! She is what I'd call a lukewarm Christian. She believes in God, goes to church, etc. But her lifestyle doesn't really show it.
Now, she gave me the opportunity to give her advice. There are two ways to advise someone for me. I can either use the Bible, or use logic from a Biblical Worldview. Rather than thump her on the head with a Bible and throw verses at her, possibly annoying her, I took an alternative route. Here is what I pointed out:
*Studies show that over 25% of U.S. Teens have at least one STD
* Protection doesn't always work, and failure can lead to disasterous and life ruining consequences
*Many teenage girls who become pregnant consider suicide
*It is very hard to obtain a job as a teenage girl if you are pregnant
*Most of the guys who will impregnate you will NOT support you during and after your pregnancy
Now, aside from the facts, here is the other things I pointed out to her. Right now, at this age, it is hard to see the future. But, it is easy to know that giving yourself away to someone else is horrible. U.S. Adults who have had sex BEFORE marriage and married a different person say that their spouse is disappointed in them. Some even say the "right one" refused to marry them because of the fact that they were impure. Most adults in america who have sex with people other than their spouse are usually depressed and never find fulfillment.
Saving yourself for marriage is a very important thing to do.
Now, here is the rest of my "sermon". It's Bible time!
*1 Corinthians 6:15-16, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."
*Mark 10:6-9, "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
*Romans 8:12-15, "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
*1 Corinthians 7:1-2, "Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
*Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."
*1 Timothy 5:1-2, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
These verses show how being pure is a thing to strive for. In today's world, it is VERY rare, but something to be cherrished.
I hope and pray that my friend takes my advice. After talking with her, she says she is going to try very hard to take my advice, and will keep my posted. I think she will stay true to herself and true to God. I'm praying that she will.
Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A New Leader has come.
Today is a monumentous day in our nation's history. We, as a nation, have proven that the democratic process works. We have proven that a peaceful transition of power is possible. We have proven that despite your race, gender, or socio-economic background, you can be whatever you want to be.
This day, January 20th, 2009, we have sworn in our first African-American President. It is a tremendous day in America's history.
Let me tell you what this entry is NOT about:
*this is NOT about my political orientation.
*this is NOT about whether I supported McCain or Obama in the elections.
What this thread is about is what we need to do as Christians.
Face it, Barrack Obama is our new President of the United States. He is the leader of the Free World. There are some plans he has in store for the US that I am not exited about, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is this: he is our President. He is our leader. God has put him in control, and God has raised him up.
*Romans 13:1-7, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
*2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*1 Peter 2:13-17, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
*Psalm 146:3, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save."
As Christians, we need to honor those that God has placed in leadership of us. Whether or not we like them or not. Remember, God is still in control.
Jeremiah 29:11, ""For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
This day, January 20th, 2009, we have sworn in our first African-American President. It is a tremendous day in America's history.
Let me tell you what this entry is NOT about:
*this is NOT about my political orientation.
*this is NOT about whether I supported McCain or Obama in the elections.
What this thread is about is what we need to do as Christians.
Face it, Barrack Obama is our new President of the United States. He is the leader of the Free World. There are some plans he has in store for the US that I am not exited about, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is this: he is our President. He is our leader. God has put him in control, and God has raised him up.
*Romans 13:1-7, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
*2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*1 Peter 2:13-17, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
*Psalm 146:3, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save."
As Christians, we need to honor those that God has placed in leadership of us. Whether or not we like them or not. Remember, God is still in control.
Jeremiah 29:11, ""For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
WMD Attack on the U.S.: What Threats do we Face?
Here is a blog I wrote elsewhere about a month ago.
_____________________________________________________________________
We all know what kind of world we are living in. This is a world of sinful desires such as adultery, fornification, homosexuality, and other sexual sins. Also, it is a world where lieing is not only thought of as "ok" in some circumstances, but it is actually recommended. A world where violence is often times chosen as the answer. Where the strong attack and take advantage of the weak. Above all, this is a world suffering from sin. A world suffering from sin can NEVER be at peace. All promises of peace are nothing except lies and illusions to take our trust off of God. By making us think that we can achieve peace, we see no need for a God that will judge us. A God that says the world will end in turmoil. We would be decieved if we believe these plans for middle-east peace can actually work. But that is not why I'm writting this. I am writting this because of the threat of one thing: WMD's (Weapon's of Mass Destruction).
Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD's) come in different types. They are Chemical Weapons (a weapon using chemicals to kill or injure a person), Biological Weapons (a weapon using a virus or bacteria to spread a disease that will kill or injure people) or Nuclear Weapons (a weapon using a radioactive substance to either produce a nuclear explosion or to produce contaminated material to injure or kill people). In today's world, these are not hard to come across. A Chemical Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy chemicals or the know-how to create it themselves. A Biological Weapon can be made by someone buying a pre-made one or by someone simply producing a type of bacteria or virus. A Nucelar Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy one or the materials, or by someone who can mine and purify Uranium. I will take a look at each one of these in greater detail.
***********Chemical Weapons These are weapons or "agents" that cause a variety of symptons in the human body. They can do everything from shutting down bodily functions like breathing to actually burning your skin upon contact. The easiest way to spread these is by gas form, which can drift around. The most common chemical agent is Tear Gas, which is primarily used by Law Enforcement; it irratates your eyes and can induce vomitting. There is a variety of chemical agents. In traditional warfare, they have shaped battle fields. Almost all chemical agents can be avoided by simply locking yourself in an enclosed space, such as an interior room or a car, covering all air passages, and for extreme measures you could cover your face with a damp cloth to breath out of. The worst case scenario would be a terrorist attacks. These are usually inpredictable and can strike in heavily populated civilian areas. The most likely agents used by a terrorist are as follows:
************Sarin*********
Sarin is an oddorless and colorless vapor. It is known as a nerve agent. It's initial symptons are: runny nose, tightness in chest and contriction of pupils. Soon after, the vicitm has difficulty breathing and will experience nausea and drooling. As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, the victim vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin can be abosribed through the skin when it is present in high doses, but is usually inhaled in. A victim who recieves a non-lethal dose to Sarin, but does not get immediate medical attention, will suffer permanent neurological problems.Even in low doses, it can be FATAL. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of about 0.01 milligram per kilogram of body weight if an antidote is not immediately administered.
************Chlorine-Gas*******
Chlorine Gas is simple to make. It is able to be made with common household appliances in a matter of seconds. Symptons include irratation of eyes, skin, and lungs. It reacts with water in the lungs and form hydrochloric acid, which will in effect, burn the lungs. Also, it will irrate the back of the throat and mouth. Because it is heavier than air, it will condense at the bottom of poorly ventillated areas.It can be lethal if the vicitm does not get fresh air. Also, if too much is inhaled, it can cause damage to the throat, lungs, and eyes, which would need medical attention. It isn't too farfetched to think that terrorists could attack a populated area with a Chemical Agent and cause casualties and injuries. Chemical attacks are the simplest and easiest of all WMD's.
**********Biological Weapons*******
A Biological Weapon is a weapon using pathogens (viruses or bacteria) to injure or kill people or agriculture. Ideal characteristics of a biological weapon are: high infectivity, high potency, non-availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Anthrax is one biological weapon that could be used in future attacks. Terrorists already used it to perform small scale attacks on government offices, but they were not too effective. If they were to perfect the disease and the delivery, it could be catastrophic. You can be infected by Anthrax in 3 ways:1.) Pulmonary (respiratory or inhalation) anthrax.The symptoms are cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by severe (and often times fatal) respiratory collapse. Even if the disease is spotted, it can rarely be stopped, even if in the early stages. Mortality is nearly 100%.2.) Gastrointestinal (eating) anthrax.This is most often caused by eating anthrax infected meat. Symptoms include: vomitting of blood, severe diarrhea, inflamation of the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, and sometimes sores or lesions on the intestines, mouth or throat. After the bacteria has reached the bowels, it spreads throughout the blood-system. The mortality rate is 25%-60%, depending on how soon medical help is reached.3.) Cutaneous (skin) anthrax.This usually shows up 2-5 days after exposure. It starts as a boil-like skin lesionand progress to a large, painless ulcer, usually black or concentrated as a dark spot (resembling break mold). They usually are not fatal, especially if medical attention is reached. But if left uncared for, 20% of the time it will progress to infections and death. It is hard to say what the ideal biological weapon would be, but there are a few. The flu strand that killed 40-50 million people in 1918 has been recreated in labrotories. It is not hard for a group of terrorists to infect themselves, and then set out to make contact with as many people as possible. Touching every door handle, hand rail, and every other item that contact is made with commonly as possible. Or, it could be created in an aersol form and sprayed over large amounts of people. This is one of the hardest to protect yourself against. If the pathogen is transfered by human-human contact, lock yourself indoors and do not venture outside except for emergencies. Wear gloves and do not let exposed skin touch anything. Wash your hands regularly. If it is air-borne, then do not venture outside at all, except for extreme emergencies. If you have a gas-mask, use it. If not, use a damp cloth and stay indoors as much as possible. if it is water-borne, boil ALL water, whether you think it came in contact with it or not. Bottled water is ideal. Do not come in contact with any stagnent water or untreated water.
*******Nuclear Weapons********
These come in 3 basic categories: Thermo-nuclear, EMP, and "Dirty Bomb". ***********Thermo-Nuclear***********
This is your traditional nuclear bomb. It's effects are an initital flash, which can burn and blind you, followed by a shock wave, which can level buildings, followed by thermal heat, which can set things on fire spontaneously, regardless of is they are in contact with the fireball, followed by nuclear fallout, which is contaminated material thrown into the upper atmosphere that rains down on surrounding areas. Let's examine the effects:1.) Initial Flash: this WILL blind you. Do NOT look at it. Also, if you are too close, the light could burn your skin. If you see the flash, you are generally too close. Take immediate cover in ANYTHING, such as a building or even a ditch.2.) Shock Wave: this is like wind, or an earth-quake. It can destroy buildings, blow cars and people away, and hurle projectiles great distances. This is one of the main reasons why you must seek shelter after seeing the flash. It can cause severe injury if caught in it.3.) Thermal Heat: this is the fireball seen at the explosion. It will set EVERYTHING on fire inside of it. Also, if you are simply too close to it, you will catch on fire also. It will cause burns if you are too close to it. Another reason to seek shelter.4.) Nuclear Fallout: this is radioactive material that rains down on surrounding areas. Also, it can rain down far from the blast site if it is caught going down wind. It doesn't take much exposure to cause serious injury or death if the radiation is concentrated. Symptoms of Radiation Sickness in small doses include: nausea and vomitting within 24 hours. Symptoms of medium doses include: nausea and vomitting withing 24 hours for several days. Then, they will suffer not further symptoms for a couple of weeks. Next, they will esperience hair loss and will have blood cell damage. This will usually require medical attention, but only in half of the cases. High Doses of Radiation include the following symptoms: nausea and vomitting for a week within 24 hours. Next, they have no symptoms for about a week, then they have hair loss and bleeding from mouth, throat and skin. They are also vulnerable to sickness. People in this state need immediate medical care and will usually not survive without it.
*********EMP********
This attack has no immediate effects on humans.It is created by an EMP bomb or a traditional nuclear bomb. It is an invisible Electro-Magnetic Pulse that effects nearly all electronics. It permanently fries their circuits, rendering them utterly useless. If an electronic is plugged into an outlet, or has an atenna, it will almost definitly be destroyed by an EMP. Cars and other vehicles may still work, but gas pumps will not. Unfortunately, not much is known about what will be effected by an EMP. But expect ALL electronics to be rendered useless.
*************"Dirty Bombs"***********
This is an explosive laced with radioactive material. Symptoms include radiation sickness, as discussed above. It is easily spotted if when a bomb goes off, either in the air or on the ground, a large plume of dust starts to drift. Get indoors, preferible underground and away from the "drift zone" (the direction the wind is blowing the plume) and seal off air holes. Follow the directions given to you by emergency officials and get far away from the blast zone if possible.
_____ As you can see, a terrorist with any one of these can do MASSIVE damage both to infanstructure and people. It is not hard to see why awareness is needed.
A recent report (found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/01/national/main4641534.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline ) stated that an attack on the U.S. is expected by 2013. That's just 5 years! In a nutshell, it says that terrorists are getting to eager to attack the U.S., weapons are to readily available, and the country is to open, to last much longer without a major attack. Our officials know this, that is why they are deploying 20,000 troops state-side to help local law-enforcement in dealing with "terrorism". (article found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002217_pf.html ) Question is: what will they define as terrorism? Sure, it will start out as how we define it today, but what could it progress to? If anything, it sounds like a violation of the "Posse Comitatus Act" (found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act ).
Are you ready?
_____________________________________________________________________
We all know what kind of world we are living in. This is a world of sinful desires such as adultery, fornification, homosexuality, and other sexual sins. Also, it is a world where lieing is not only thought of as "ok" in some circumstances, but it is actually recommended. A world where violence is often times chosen as the answer. Where the strong attack and take advantage of the weak. Above all, this is a world suffering from sin. A world suffering from sin can NEVER be at peace. All promises of peace are nothing except lies and illusions to take our trust off of God. By making us think that we can achieve peace, we see no need for a God that will judge us. A God that says the world will end in turmoil. We would be decieved if we believe these plans for middle-east peace can actually work. But that is not why I'm writting this. I am writting this because of the threat of one thing: WMD's (Weapon's of Mass Destruction).
Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD's) come in different types. They are Chemical Weapons (a weapon using chemicals to kill or injure a person), Biological Weapons (a weapon using a virus or bacteria to spread a disease that will kill or injure people) or Nuclear Weapons (a weapon using a radioactive substance to either produce a nuclear explosion or to produce contaminated material to injure or kill people). In today's world, these are not hard to come across. A Chemical Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy chemicals or the know-how to create it themselves. A Biological Weapon can be made by someone buying a pre-made one or by someone simply producing a type of bacteria or virus. A Nucelar Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy one or the materials, or by someone who can mine and purify Uranium. I will take a look at each one of these in greater detail.
***********Chemical Weapons These are weapons or "agents" that cause a variety of symptons in the human body. They can do everything from shutting down bodily functions like breathing to actually burning your skin upon contact. The easiest way to spread these is by gas form, which can drift around. The most common chemical agent is Tear Gas, which is primarily used by Law Enforcement; it irratates your eyes and can induce vomitting. There is a variety of chemical agents. In traditional warfare, they have shaped battle fields. Almost all chemical agents can be avoided by simply locking yourself in an enclosed space, such as an interior room or a car, covering all air passages, and for extreme measures you could cover your face with a damp cloth to breath out of. The worst case scenario would be a terrorist attacks. These are usually inpredictable and can strike in heavily populated civilian areas. The most likely agents used by a terrorist are as follows:
************Sarin*********
Sarin is an oddorless and colorless vapor. It is known as a nerve agent. It's initial symptons are: runny nose, tightness in chest and contriction of pupils. Soon after, the vicitm has difficulty breathing and will experience nausea and drooling. As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, the victim vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin can be abosribed through the skin when it is present in high doses, but is usually inhaled in. A victim who recieves a non-lethal dose to Sarin, but does not get immediate medical attention, will suffer permanent neurological problems.Even in low doses, it can be FATAL. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of about 0.01 milligram per kilogram of body weight if an antidote is not immediately administered.
************Chlorine-Gas*******
Chlorine Gas is simple to make. It is able to be made with common household appliances in a matter of seconds. Symptons include irratation of eyes, skin, and lungs. It reacts with water in the lungs and form hydrochloric acid, which will in effect, burn the lungs. Also, it will irrate the back of the throat and mouth. Because it is heavier than air, it will condense at the bottom of poorly ventillated areas.It can be lethal if the vicitm does not get fresh air. Also, if too much is inhaled, it can cause damage to the throat, lungs, and eyes, which would need medical attention. It isn't too farfetched to think that terrorists could attack a populated area with a Chemical Agent and cause casualties and injuries. Chemical attacks are the simplest and easiest of all WMD's.
**********Biological Weapons*******
A Biological Weapon is a weapon using pathogens (viruses or bacteria) to injure or kill people or agriculture. Ideal characteristics of a biological weapon are: high infectivity, high potency, non-availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Anthrax is one biological weapon that could be used in future attacks. Terrorists already used it to perform small scale attacks on government offices, but they were not too effective. If they were to perfect the disease and the delivery, it could be catastrophic. You can be infected by Anthrax in 3 ways:1.) Pulmonary (respiratory or inhalation) anthrax.The symptoms are cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by severe (and often times fatal) respiratory collapse. Even if the disease is spotted, it can rarely be stopped, even if in the early stages. Mortality is nearly 100%.2.) Gastrointestinal (eating) anthrax.This is most often caused by eating anthrax infected meat. Symptoms include: vomitting of blood, severe diarrhea, inflamation of the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, and sometimes sores or lesions on the intestines, mouth or throat. After the bacteria has reached the bowels, it spreads throughout the blood-system. The mortality rate is 25%-60%, depending on how soon medical help is reached.3.) Cutaneous (skin) anthrax.This usually shows up 2-5 days after exposure. It starts as a boil-like skin lesionand progress to a large, painless ulcer, usually black or concentrated as a dark spot (resembling break mold). They usually are not fatal, especially if medical attention is reached. But if left uncared for, 20% of the time it will progress to infections and death. It is hard to say what the ideal biological weapon would be, but there are a few. The flu strand that killed 40-50 million people in 1918 has been recreated in labrotories. It is not hard for a group of terrorists to infect themselves, and then set out to make contact with as many people as possible. Touching every door handle, hand rail, and every other item that contact is made with commonly as possible. Or, it could be created in an aersol form and sprayed over large amounts of people. This is one of the hardest to protect yourself against. If the pathogen is transfered by human-human contact, lock yourself indoors and do not venture outside except for emergencies. Wear gloves and do not let exposed skin touch anything. Wash your hands regularly. If it is air-borne, then do not venture outside at all, except for extreme emergencies. If you have a gas-mask, use it. If not, use a damp cloth and stay indoors as much as possible. if it is water-borne, boil ALL water, whether you think it came in contact with it or not. Bottled water is ideal. Do not come in contact with any stagnent water or untreated water.
*******Nuclear Weapons********
These come in 3 basic categories: Thermo-nuclear, EMP, and "Dirty Bomb". ***********Thermo-Nuclear***********
This is your traditional nuclear bomb. It's effects are an initital flash, which can burn and blind you, followed by a shock wave, which can level buildings, followed by thermal heat, which can set things on fire spontaneously, regardless of is they are in contact with the fireball, followed by nuclear fallout, which is contaminated material thrown into the upper atmosphere that rains down on surrounding areas. Let's examine the effects:1.) Initial Flash: this WILL blind you. Do NOT look at it. Also, if you are too close, the light could burn your skin. If you see the flash, you are generally too close. Take immediate cover in ANYTHING, such as a building or even a ditch.2.) Shock Wave: this is like wind, or an earth-quake. It can destroy buildings, blow cars and people away, and hurle projectiles great distances. This is one of the main reasons why you must seek shelter after seeing the flash. It can cause severe injury if caught in it.3.) Thermal Heat: this is the fireball seen at the explosion. It will set EVERYTHING on fire inside of it. Also, if you are simply too close to it, you will catch on fire also. It will cause burns if you are too close to it. Another reason to seek shelter.4.) Nuclear Fallout: this is radioactive material that rains down on surrounding areas. Also, it can rain down far from the blast site if it is caught going down wind. It doesn't take much exposure to cause serious injury or death if the radiation is concentrated. Symptoms of Radiation Sickness in small doses include: nausea and vomitting within 24 hours. Symptoms of medium doses include: nausea and vomitting withing 24 hours for several days. Then, they will suffer not further symptoms for a couple of weeks. Next, they will esperience hair loss and will have blood cell damage. This will usually require medical attention, but only in half of the cases. High Doses of Radiation include the following symptoms: nausea and vomitting for a week within 24 hours. Next, they have no symptoms for about a week, then they have hair loss and bleeding from mouth, throat and skin. They are also vulnerable to sickness. People in this state need immediate medical care and will usually not survive without it.
*********EMP********
This attack has no immediate effects on humans.It is created by an EMP bomb or a traditional nuclear bomb. It is an invisible Electro-Magnetic Pulse that effects nearly all electronics. It permanently fries their circuits, rendering them utterly useless. If an electronic is plugged into an outlet, or has an atenna, it will almost definitly be destroyed by an EMP. Cars and other vehicles may still work, but gas pumps will not. Unfortunately, not much is known about what will be effected by an EMP. But expect ALL electronics to be rendered useless.
*************"Dirty Bombs"***********
This is an explosive laced with radioactive material. Symptoms include radiation sickness, as discussed above. It is easily spotted if when a bomb goes off, either in the air or on the ground, a large plume of dust starts to drift. Get indoors, preferible underground and away from the "drift zone" (the direction the wind is blowing the plume) and seal off air holes. Follow the directions given to you by emergency officials and get far away from the blast zone if possible.
_____ As you can see, a terrorist with any one of these can do MASSIVE damage both to infanstructure and people. It is not hard to see why awareness is needed.
A recent report (found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/01/national/main4641534.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline ) stated that an attack on the U.S. is expected by 2013. That's just 5 years! In a nutshell, it says that terrorists are getting to eager to attack the U.S., weapons are to readily available, and the country is to open, to last much longer without a major attack. Our officials know this, that is why they are deploying 20,000 troops state-side to help local law-enforcement in dealing with "terrorism". (article found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002217_pf.html ) Question is: what will they define as terrorism? Sure, it will start out as how we define it today, but what could it progress to? If anything, it sounds like a violation of the "Posse Comitatus Act" (found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act ).
Are you ready?
5k today!
Today, I woke up at 6:30 am. I ate a piece of bread with peanut-butter on it, and got in the car.
Master's Academy was having a Patriot Run, which is a 5k, (3.1 miles if you don't know)! I was super excited.
It was freezing cold, but I had a fun time! I ran it in 21:20, I got 1st place in my age group (15-19 year olds) and 8th place over all. It was a great time.
Just letting you know!
Master's Academy was having a Patriot Run, which is a 5k, (3.1 miles if you don't know)! I was super excited.
It was freezing cold, but I had a fun time! I ran it in 21:20, I got 1st place in my age group (15-19 year olds) and 8th place over all. It was a great time.
Just letting you know!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Guidance through times of bad luck.
I've been having a great weekend. I came home from watching the Varsity Basketball game at school and did an hour and a half of homework! That's right, I did homework on Friday night. Call me a nerd, I don't care. Now I can laugh at all of you who have to stress about it this weekend.
But seriously, I've been doing great. The "hand of stress", as I call it, has moved away from me, and I'm having a good time. Unfortunately, it seems like it has moved on to someone else.
My good friend today lost his best friend. His dog ran out into the street and got struck by a car today. Dead. Just like that. All it takes is one moment, and things will never be the same again.
Why does this stuff have to happen? It's one of those things where you retrace your steps, thinking: "Maybe if I would have taken a little longer opening the door, maybe he would have just missed the car." But it's no use now. It already happened. Too late!
Has this ever happened to you? I know it's happened to me before. Times like these really stink, don't they? I remember when I was younger, about 8, in Cub Scouts. After the meeting we were all standing around outside playing with mulch. My mom always told me to never throw sticks, it could hurt someone, so I sat out and watched my friends have a mulch-war. They were all throwing mulch at each other as I watched on. I decided that just one throw couldn't hurt, right? I pick up a decent sized piece of mulch and throw it at a kid standing about 8 feet from me. BAD MOVE! The mulch hits him right in the eye! He gets a splinter in his eye and has to go to the hospital. I dropped out of Cub Scouts after that happened and I don't know whatever happened to him. He could have a glass eye for all I know!
Times like these I ran over and over in my head after the instance, thinking what I did wrong, (besides throwing the mulch). Have we ever made a mistake? Have we ever had just plain old bad luck? What should we think, as Christians?
Jeremiah 12:1, "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?"
Why does God allow evil to happen? One may even go as far as saying God causes evil to happen. Is this true?
Well, it's something called chance. It happens to everyone, so get used to it. Matthew 5:45, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
This verse says that good stuff AND bad stuff happens to good people AND bad people! If something bad happens to you, don't frett! God is still in control! Here's an analogy: it's like being a parent. Think about it: your parent can step in at any point and stop you from what you're doing, but they let you make decisions. Sometimes bad, but they still allow it to happen, even if they don't want to. Often times they do step in though.
Imagine all of the horrible things that would happen if God just removed His hand of protection from each and every one of us for only a second...
We need to take everything in stride, and seek God for guidance and comfort.
*Psalm 32:8-10, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
*Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
*Isaiah 41:13, "For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not; I will help you."
*1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
*1 Peter 3:14, "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened. Take Courage."
God is always watching us, always giving us advice, and always helping us through our times of trials. Know that God is there, and God will never leave you or forsake you. Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
So tonight, let's thank God for His guidance.
Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This blog post is dedicated to Spencer Locke. I pray he will recieve comfort in his time of loss.
But seriously, I've been doing great. The "hand of stress", as I call it, has moved away from me, and I'm having a good time. Unfortunately, it seems like it has moved on to someone else.
My good friend today lost his best friend. His dog ran out into the street and got struck by a car today. Dead. Just like that. All it takes is one moment, and things will never be the same again.
Why does this stuff have to happen? It's one of those things where you retrace your steps, thinking: "Maybe if I would have taken a little longer opening the door, maybe he would have just missed the car." But it's no use now. It already happened. Too late!
Has this ever happened to you? I know it's happened to me before. Times like these really stink, don't they? I remember when I was younger, about 8, in Cub Scouts. After the meeting we were all standing around outside playing with mulch. My mom always told me to never throw sticks, it could hurt someone, so I sat out and watched my friends have a mulch-war. They were all throwing mulch at each other as I watched on. I decided that just one throw couldn't hurt, right? I pick up a decent sized piece of mulch and throw it at a kid standing about 8 feet from me. BAD MOVE! The mulch hits him right in the eye! He gets a splinter in his eye and has to go to the hospital. I dropped out of Cub Scouts after that happened and I don't know whatever happened to him. He could have a glass eye for all I know!
Times like these I ran over and over in my head after the instance, thinking what I did wrong, (besides throwing the mulch). Have we ever made a mistake? Have we ever had just plain old bad luck? What should we think, as Christians?
Jeremiah 12:1, "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?"
Why does God allow evil to happen? One may even go as far as saying God causes evil to happen. Is this true?
Well, it's something called chance. It happens to everyone, so get used to it. Matthew 5:45, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
This verse says that good stuff AND bad stuff happens to good people AND bad people! If something bad happens to you, don't frett! God is still in control! Here's an analogy: it's like being a parent. Think about it: your parent can step in at any point and stop you from what you're doing, but they let you make decisions. Sometimes bad, but they still allow it to happen, even if they don't want to. Often times they do step in though.
Imagine all of the horrible things that would happen if God just removed His hand of protection from each and every one of us for only a second...
We need to take everything in stride, and seek God for guidance and comfort.
*Psalm 32:8-10, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
*Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
*Isaiah 41:13, "For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not; I will help you."
*1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
*1 Peter 3:14, "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened. Take Courage."
God is always watching us, always giving us advice, and always helping us through our times of trials. Know that God is there, and God will never leave you or forsake you. Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
So tonight, let's thank God for His guidance.
Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This blog post is dedicated to Spencer Locke. I pray he will recieve comfort in his time of loss.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Getting through times of suffering.
We've all been there. Something happens to you and you're thrown out of the loop for like a week. Doesn't it really bite?
This morning I was walking to homeroom when I felt a sharp pain in my butt. At first I was like "Ah! What the dashes?!" but then I realized what it was: the world just bit me in the butt.
But whatever! I got over it! I enjoy trials, it builds character, lol.
Ever seen one of those motivational posters? You know, the ones that shows a beautiful picture, shows a word, and then puts a short sentence or two under it? Well, I remember seeing one that showed someone in the military doing an extremely tiring workout drill. The word said PAIN, and it read under it "pain is fear leaving the body.".
Have we ever been afraid of pain? Think about it: most of us run away from pain. There are very few people who will stay in a situation that causes pain.
When the human body is in danger, it unleashes hidden energy in the form of Adrenelin. Adrenelin is a chemical in your body that is realesed in times of stress or danger. It heightens your senses and gives you incredible bursts of strength. When this happens, people act in a way called the "Flight or Fight Syndrom". Basically, someone gets this energy and either runs away from the problem or stays and fights it.
I remember seeing a video on the news of when a man crashed a small helicopter into a ditch. He fell out of the helicopter and it rolled on top of him. The helicopter was holding him under the mud as his friends looked on in horror. Suddenly, his friend (who was a little on the heavy side) runs to the helicopter screaming his name. He grabs the helicopter's landing gear, and puts all of his energy into lifting the weight of the helicopter. You can hear him scream in agony as all of his life goes into moving the huge weight. He finally lifts it just enough for people to drag the pilot out from under the helicopter. This man used the "Fight" part of the "Flight or Fight Syndrom" by facing his adversary, which was the helicopter.
Have we ever been in a time of trial? Some of us have. I know I've been in a couple of life-threatening situations. I thank God that I chose to "Fight" the problem rather than run from it. (I'll go into detail about what happened in the instances in another post.)
As Christians, what do we have to lose from suffering? Think about it: how many of you know the benefits of suffering? I know it sounds crazy, but suffering does have a point to it!
Think on this verse:
Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
That's right! Suffering makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. Okay, maybe not quite like the song (some of you will know what I'm talking about), but it does give us perseverance, character, and hope.
Hope. It is a wonderful thing. Hope alone has kept people alive while out in the wilderness, lost. It is the will to live, the will to push forward, the knowledge that whatever you are going through at this moment wont last forever.
Think on these verses:
*1 Corinthians 4:12, "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;"
*2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
*2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
*2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;"
*James 5:10, "5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."
*1 Peter 4:1, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."
We see here that we are called to endure sufferings! Looking at this, you may even look forward to sufferings! Okay, maybe not, but you look forward to the end result.
Suffering produces:
*perseverance
*character
*hope
So tonight, let's all thank God for His guidance through our sufferings to our reward, eternal life with Him.
1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
This morning I was walking to homeroom when I felt a sharp pain in my butt. At first I was like "Ah! What the dashes?!" but then I realized what it was: the world just bit me in the butt.
But whatever! I got over it! I enjoy trials, it builds character, lol.
Ever seen one of those motivational posters? You know, the ones that shows a beautiful picture, shows a word, and then puts a short sentence or two under it? Well, I remember seeing one that showed someone in the military doing an extremely tiring workout drill. The word said PAIN, and it read under it "pain is fear leaving the body.".
Have we ever been afraid of pain? Think about it: most of us run away from pain. There are very few people who will stay in a situation that causes pain.
When the human body is in danger, it unleashes hidden energy in the form of Adrenelin. Adrenelin is a chemical in your body that is realesed in times of stress or danger. It heightens your senses and gives you incredible bursts of strength. When this happens, people act in a way called the "Flight or Fight Syndrom". Basically, someone gets this energy and either runs away from the problem or stays and fights it.
I remember seeing a video on the news of when a man crashed a small helicopter into a ditch. He fell out of the helicopter and it rolled on top of him. The helicopter was holding him under the mud as his friends looked on in horror. Suddenly, his friend (who was a little on the heavy side) runs to the helicopter screaming his name. He grabs the helicopter's landing gear, and puts all of his energy into lifting the weight of the helicopter. You can hear him scream in agony as all of his life goes into moving the huge weight. He finally lifts it just enough for people to drag the pilot out from under the helicopter. This man used the "Fight" part of the "Flight or Fight Syndrom" by facing his adversary, which was the helicopter.
Have we ever been in a time of trial? Some of us have. I know I've been in a couple of life-threatening situations. I thank God that I chose to "Fight" the problem rather than run from it. (I'll go into detail about what happened in the instances in another post.)
As Christians, what do we have to lose from suffering? Think about it: how many of you know the benefits of suffering? I know it sounds crazy, but suffering does have a point to it!
Think on this verse:
Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
That's right! Suffering makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. Okay, maybe not quite like the song (some of you will know what I'm talking about), but it does give us perseverance, character, and hope.
Hope. It is a wonderful thing. Hope alone has kept people alive while out in the wilderness, lost. It is the will to live, the will to push forward, the knowledge that whatever you are going through at this moment wont last forever.
Think on these verses:
*1 Corinthians 4:12, "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;"
*2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
*2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
*2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;"
*James 5:10, "5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."
*1 Peter 4:1, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."
We see here that we are called to endure sufferings! Looking at this, you may even look forward to sufferings! Okay, maybe not, but you look forward to the end result.
Suffering produces:
*perseverance
*character
*hope
So tonight, let's all thank God for His guidance through our sufferings to our reward, eternal life with Him.
1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
How I found Comfort in my time of Trial
Have you ever felt like the entire world has turned it's back on you? Nothing is going right? Like God is watching you squirm around, and doing nothing? Like nothing is worth living for? Why even get out of bed?
Well, that isn't how I feel. I only feel like one part of the world has turned it's back on me. I feel like only some things are going wrong. I feel like God is trying to help me in every way. I feel like I still have purpose to live for. I find reasons to get out of bed.
Now, there IS a point to this little rant.
Very recently, something happened to me. Nothing horrible, just something a little personal. (hint: don't worry about it, lol). Anyway, at first, I was shocked. I just sat down for a good 30 minutes and couldn't move. I couldn't belive it. The first thing that occured to me was "what did I do wrong?". I knew I did something wrong. If I had done everything perfectly, it wouldn't have happened. I messed up somewhere, but where?
Next, I thought "why did God let this happen?". I'm not someone who thinks God turns His back on me. I never think he is punishing me, I understand the whole theological points behind suffering. What I was searching for was: what will I learn from this?
After that, I thought "why even continue on with my life?". Now I wasn't even considering committing suicide, I was just wondering why even keep trying at my everyday life. Why even do homework, workout, do chores, brush my teeth, etc.
Lastly, I thought "how will I find COMFORT?".
Comfort. It's something EVERYONE needs at one point or another. You can never be too comforted. Everyone wants to be COMFORTable. It's what we seek for as people. We all try to get comfort from different sources. Some turn to food (ever heard of comfort food?), others turn to entertainment, some turn to people, but, the truly wise turn to God.
God IS comfort. It's what he is best at. When I was in my time of grief, I turned first to the Lord, which was something I usually don't do. Here are some verses I found:
*2 Corinthians 1:3-5, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
*Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
*Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
*Isaiah 66:13a, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."
I can't tell you how much these verses comforted me. Knowing that God was there. God knew EXACTLY how to comfort me. That, well, comforted me!
Then, I thought of this: this has happened to someone else! I'm not the only one who has felt like this! I recalled this verse: Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
God has been there, done that, and He knows what it's like. It's no big deal to Him. Yet, He still comforts us.
Tonight, let's all thank-God for Comfort.
Psalm 119:28, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."
Well, that isn't how I feel. I only feel like one part of the world has turned it's back on me. I feel like only some things are going wrong. I feel like God is trying to help me in every way. I feel like I still have purpose to live for. I find reasons to get out of bed.
Now, there IS a point to this little rant.
Very recently, something happened to me. Nothing horrible, just something a little personal. (hint: don't worry about it, lol). Anyway, at first, I was shocked. I just sat down for a good 30 minutes and couldn't move. I couldn't belive it. The first thing that occured to me was "what did I do wrong?". I knew I did something wrong. If I had done everything perfectly, it wouldn't have happened. I messed up somewhere, but where?
Next, I thought "why did God let this happen?". I'm not someone who thinks God turns His back on me. I never think he is punishing me, I understand the whole theological points behind suffering. What I was searching for was: what will I learn from this?
After that, I thought "why even continue on with my life?". Now I wasn't even considering committing suicide, I was just wondering why even keep trying at my everyday life. Why even do homework, workout, do chores, brush my teeth, etc.
Lastly, I thought "how will I find COMFORT?".
Comfort. It's something EVERYONE needs at one point or another. You can never be too comforted. Everyone wants to be COMFORTable. It's what we seek for as people. We all try to get comfort from different sources. Some turn to food (ever heard of comfort food?), others turn to entertainment, some turn to people, but, the truly wise turn to God.
God IS comfort. It's what he is best at. When I was in my time of grief, I turned first to the Lord, which was something I usually don't do. Here are some verses I found:
*2 Corinthians 1:3-5, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
*Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
*Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
*Isaiah 66:13a, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."
I can't tell you how much these verses comforted me. Knowing that God was there. God knew EXACTLY how to comfort me. That, well, comforted me!
Then, I thought of this: this has happened to someone else! I'm not the only one who has felt like this! I recalled this verse: Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
God has been there, done that, and He knows what it's like. It's no big deal to Him. Yet, He still comforts us.
Tonight, let's all thank-God for Comfort.
Psalm 119:28, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."
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