Today's episode: Samuel commands Saul to kill all of the Amalekites and all of their stuff. Saul does...sort of. He keeps the best of it "to sacrifice to the LORD". Yeah, yeah, right! Saul was only anointed six chapters ago, but with all of his disobedience, Samuel informs Saul that he has lost the kingship.
Scripture:
"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." ~1 Samuel 15:22
Observation:
Saul thinks he can get away with giving into the people's demands and thus not fulfilling Samuel's directions to the letter. Oops. Here comes Samuel, popping up and asking Saul about all of sheep and cattle around!
As an interesting side note, verse 12 notes that Saul had climbed Mount Carmel and set up a monument in his own honor, before proceeding on to Gilgal, where Samuel met him. Humph. Saul. Setting up a monument in your own honor? That's crazy if you ask me!
So anyway, Samuel and Saul have this not-so-nice discussion on how important it is to obey God to the letter. See our Scripture for today for one of Samuel's lines. I must say, I never knew that this line was from this story! I always assumed that people coined it for use in the story of Cain and Abel, but I must have been mistaken. Samuel said it first!
Application:
Obey God to the letter. Do what he says. I'm sorry, but you just can't cheat on God!! When he asks you to do something, you need to do all of it...not just part of it, like Saul did.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to obey you more, and not just part of what you say, but all of what you say. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Who Am I? Clue: A Left-Handed Guy
Greetings! Welcome to Canaan, the land of the Israelites! Or maybe I shouldn't welcome you. You know, this is a very dangerous place nowadays. Most of the time, we Israelites sadly disrespect our God, so he lets an adversary punish us. When we finally come to our senses (believe me, that takes a LONG time!!), God will appoint a judge to take care of our enemies. And then for a few years there is peace in the land...until we again forget our God. I'm telling you, it's a sad, sad endless circle of circumstances that's happening these days!
As you might suspect, this is the Israel in the time of the judges. When we haven't outright said that we want an earthly king, but for all apparent reasons have sure said that, as we have terribly disrespected our heavenly King. Well, I suppose you are wondering who I am. I can't tell you that quite yet, but I can tell you some about me. I am an Israelite, the son of Gera, a Benjamite. The the other madly apparent reason you'll remember me is because I'm left-handed. Yeah. Lefty. Lefties are not too excepted in Israelite society right now. I mean, everything is engineered for right-handed people, and well, um, you know, with no toilet paper around, the left hand is the hand you do business with. "And then you eat with your left hand?" people query Yeah. I do. So I know I'm a bit long-winded here, but all I'm trying to say is that with being left-handed, I'm not the most popular Israelite. [Judges 3:15]
I really didn't see how God could use me. I mean, I'm a lefty! Many times I'd cry out to God, painfully wondering why God made me a lefty. But the good news is that God did use me! He even used my left-handedness! In fact, my being a lefty was a big part of why God chose me for the job that He did! Always remember that even if you're different, even if you feel strange or out-of-place, God can use your different-ness for his glory. Let me tell you how he used me!
Just like my countrymen had done for hundreds of years, they once again forsook the true God. Therefore, He gave power to Eglon, king of Moab, to rule over the Israelites and do what he pleased with them. Oh, before I go on: Eglon is a really fat king. Remember that! Okay. Back to my story. The Ammonites and Amalekites joined forces with Eglon, and together they attacked and seized Jericho, the City of Palms. In this fashion, eighteen years went by before us Israelites remembered God. [Judges 3:12-15]
After we cried out to God, He appointed me as a judge. Me? Me? Me, the lefty? You sure you got the right guy, Lord? God assured me He did--he wanted to use my unique left-handedness, and my gleaming double-edged foot-and-a-half long sword. Wow! [Judges 3:15-16]
God told me of how I was going to go about this business. First, my secret agenda was to kill fat old Eglon for good. Of course, the guards wouldn't just let me in to see Eglon without reason, and if I said that I came to kill their king, they'd be the ones doin' the killing! So God told me to go on the premise that I was giving tribute, or money, from the Israelites to King Eglon. [Judges 3:17]
Of course, the guards don't just question you. They search you! And the prime thing they're looking for is swords...so how would I be successful? Now, finally, I understood the reason for me being left-handed. Eglon's guards would think that I'm a righty, and only search my left thigh for a sword. Me, being a lefty, would naturally hide my sword on my right thigh! [Judges 3:16]
Strong in the Lord's power, me and a bunch of other guys who were carrying the tribute came to see King Eglon. The tribute was given, and then I told fat ole' Eglon that I had a secret message for him. Everyone else scattered, and the doors were locked. Quickly, suddenly, I drew my sword (which was on my right thigh) with my left hand and stabbed Eglon. I stabbed him so hard the wound was fatal--and the sword went from his belly right through his back. I knew Eglon was dying, and I didn't take time to retrieve my sword. The fat just closed in over the sword. [Judges 3:18-22]
Quick as could be, I fled from Eglon's presence and closed and locked all the doors I could. I fled past all the idols, and finally stopped in Seirah. While this is all going on, Eglon's servants came to wait on him. They found the doors locked, naturally. Eglon was taking "so long" in the upper chamber that they thought he was relieving himself! From what I hear, they were getting really embarrassed. Finally, they unlocked the door and found their king...dead, plus one sword! [Judges 3:24-26]
While the servants were doing all that, I blew a trumpet call in the hill country of Ephraim, summoning all the Israelites to follow me and put to an end, once and for all, the reign of the Moabites. With God's help, we did, and killed about 10,000 of our enemies. On that day, Moab was made subject to Israel, and God gave us peace for eighty years. [Judges 3:27-30]
So that's my story. Interesting, isn't it? God used what I thought he could never use--me, a lefty--and use me to his glory. Don't forget that--even if you may think you're strange, or different, don't feel bad. God could have made you that way to fit his very special and unique purpose.
If you still haven't figured out my name, my name is...
Ehud
Friday, July 29, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 14
Sorry everyone! I completely forgot about blogging yesterday...it was very crazy! Now I shall make up, and Sunday I will once again start on the schedule as usual. 1 Samuel 14--good things, bad things. I could blog about how terrible a king Saul was, to seriously almost kill his own son, but I don't want to go that way. I want to focus on the positive in this chapter, okay?
Scripture:
"Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.""
~1 Samuel 14:6-7
Observation:
Saul's son Jonathan hatches a bold and daring plan to fight the Philistines, up against who the Israelite army was now approaching. When Jonathan shares his plan with his armor-bearer, the guy gives two thumbs up to Jonathan's plan. Most importantly, God was with Jonathan. Long story short, Jonathan and his armor-bearer end up spear-heading (quite literally!!) the defeat of the Philistines. God rescued Israel.
Application:
I really like what Jonathan did here. Boldly, in God's strength he went out and did something for God. He didn't just sit back and wait for God to rescue Israel; no! Jonathan--and his armor-bearer--let themselves be instruments in God's hands, and the Lord surely used them.
Bringing this lesson home: I think that God wants all of us to be doers for him, not just watchers. I'll be honest with you, that's hard for me to do! I am much more comfortable being a follower, someone who supports someone else who is in the spotlight. But through this story, I feel God is calling me--calling you--to be doers for him. My way of witnessing for Christ will probably be different than yours; that's okay! Not everyone is called to be a pastor, give Bible studies door-to-door, or even write blog devotionals! But God has given all of us talents, to be used for him. I think that's the important thing, to actually do it and witness for him, whatever our way. How about you ask God right now to show you how you could witness for him the best??
Prayer:
Dear God, I know that you want me to witness for you and be one of your doers. I may not know how you want me to witness for you right now. Please reveal to me what you would want me to do for you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
"Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.""
~1 Samuel 14:6-7
Observation:
Saul's son Jonathan hatches a bold and daring plan to fight the Philistines, up against who the Israelite army was now approaching. When Jonathan shares his plan with his armor-bearer, the guy gives two thumbs up to Jonathan's plan. Most importantly, God was with Jonathan. Long story short, Jonathan and his armor-bearer end up spear-heading (quite literally!!) the defeat of the Philistines. God rescued Israel.
Application:
I really like what Jonathan did here. Boldly, in God's strength he went out and did something for God. He didn't just sit back and wait for God to rescue Israel; no! Jonathan--and his armor-bearer--let themselves be instruments in God's hands, and the Lord surely used them.
Bringing this lesson home: I think that God wants all of us to be doers for him, not just watchers. I'll be honest with you, that's hard for me to do! I am much more comfortable being a follower, someone who supports someone else who is in the spotlight. But through this story, I feel God is calling me--calling you--to be doers for him. My way of witnessing for Christ will probably be different than yours; that's okay! Not everyone is called to be a pastor, give Bible studies door-to-door, or even write blog devotionals! But God has given all of us talents, to be used for him. I think that's the important thing, to actually do it and witness for him, whatever our way. How about you ask God right now to show you how you could witness for him the best??
Prayer:
Dear God, I know that you want me to witness for you and be one of your doers. I may not know how you want me to witness for you right now. Please reveal to me what you would want me to do for you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Man Must Explore, Part 1
July 26, 1971
For the second time in two years, Dave Scott found himself perched at the tip-top of a might Saturn V rocket. Before, he was launching on an Earth-orbital mission with goals of testing out the lunar module, though Scott himself had stayed in the command module. Now, Scott was headed to the Moon.
But he wasn't going alone; he'd actually be exploring the lunar surface with Jim Irwin, Scott's lunar module pilot. While Scott and Irwin were on the surface, Scott's command module pilot, Al Worden, would fly solo in the command module, keeping house until the lunar explorers returned and all three blasted off for the mother planet.
Their mission was Apollo 15, and this mission would go down in history as the first truly scientific study and exploration of the moon. This fact was not lost on Scott, or for that matter, the other crew members. They had named their command module Endeavour, after Captain James Cook's ship of two hundred years ago. Since Apollo 15 was manned by an all-Air Force crew, the lunar module was christened Falcon.
At precisely 9:34am, that beast of a rocket came to life. 7.7 million pounds of thrust spewed out of the Saturn V, gulping 15 tons of fuel per second. Apollo 15 was "outta Dodge" in no time. Eleven and a half minutes later, Scott and his crew were enjoying weightlessness. While happy to be in space, there was no time to play tourist. Just over two hours post-launch, Apollo 15 was headed to the Moon. NASA called it TLC, for trans-lunar coast. The trip would take approximately three days.
However, this moon-ward voyage wasn't without surprises. A switch (falsely) showed that the main engine was firing. This was a great worry to everyone, as one couldn't land on the moon if one missed the moon, and hurtled off into deep space. Both crew and ground were greatly relieved when they finally found out that the switch was giving erroneous data. To fix this complex problem, the switch was isolated for the remainder of the flight. After the malfunctioning switch, Scott and Irwin found glass derbies scattered all over the lunar module cabin. This could pose a potentially life-threatening problem; the astronauts cleaned up the mess as best they could and then went on with the flight plan.
But the switch and glass were nothing compared to the next problem: a water leak. Somehow, some pipe had broken and water was seeping into the cabin. Water leaks were deadly, because if the water got into the electrical wiring it could do some real damage. And that would mean no Moon mission. Scott, in particular, didn't like that thought. He radioed Mission Control in Houston, and after a few tries, the controllers hit upon a good solution. The astronauts used some towels to absorb the standing (floating??) water, and were also able to fix the leak. Turns out, an off-duty flight controller in his car had somehow heard about the problem, pulled over to use a telephone, and told Mission Control his procedure he had written up earlier. That's the successful procedure that Houston sent up to the astronauts!
To be continued...
 |
| L-R, Apollo 15 crew: Commander Dave Scott, Command Module Pilot Al Worden, Lunar Module Pilot Jim Irwin |
But he wasn't going alone; he'd actually be exploring the lunar surface with Jim Irwin, Scott's lunar module pilot. While Scott and Irwin were on the surface, Scott's command module pilot, Al Worden, would fly solo in the command module, keeping house until the lunar explorers returned and all three blasted off for the mother planet.
Their mission was Apollo 15, and this mission would go down in history as the first truly scientific study and exploration of the moon. This fact was not lost on Scott, or for that matter, the other crew members. They had named their command module Endeavour, after Captain James Cook's ship of two hundred years ago. Since Apollo 15 was manned by an all-Air Force crew, the lunar module was christened Falcon.
* * *
 |
| Apollo 15 launch |
However, this moon-ward voyage wasn't without surprises. A switch (falsely) showed that the main engine was firing. This was a great worry to everyone, as one couldn't land on the moon if one missed the moon, and hurtled off into deep space. Both crew and ground were greatly relieved when they finally found out that the switch was giving erroneous data. To fix this complex problem, the switch was isolated for the remainder of the flight. After the malfunctioning switch, Scott and Irwin found glass derbies scattered all over the lunar module cabin. This could pose a potentially life-threatening problem; the astronauts cleaned up the mess as best they could and then went on with the flight plan.
But the switch and glass were nothing compared to the next problem: a water leak. Somehow, some pipe had broken and water was seeping into the cabin. Water leaks were deadly, because if the water got into the electrical wiring it could do some real damage. And that would mean no Moon mission. Scott, in particular, didn't like that thought. He radioed Mission Control in Houston, and after a few tries, the controllers hit upon a good solution. The astronauts used some towels to absorb the standing (floating??) water, and were also able to fix the leak. Turns out, an off-duty flight controller in his car had somehow heard about the problem, pulled over to use a telephone, and told Mission Control his procedure he had written up earlier. That's the successful procedure that Houston sent up to the astronauts!
To be continued...
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 13
Today--Saul has just been anointed king, and now he makes one too many bad moves, forcing him to forfeit the kingship of Israel.
Scripture:
"When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns." ~1 Samuel 13:6
Observation:
Saul's son Jonathan has just attacked a Philistine outpost. Saul and the entire Israelite army soon join in on the fight. But as the Israelites assemble, they watch in horror as the Philistines keep coming...and coming...and coming...and coming! According to the Bible:
"The Philistines assembled to fight Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore."
The Israelites were horrified, see for yourself in today's Scripture! Some even fled across the Jordan River.
Application:
When I read this passage, I get sad. Why? Because the Israelites are doing the wrong thing. Yes, it's easy to sit here with high-speed Internet in 2011 and judge the Israelites. But still, I wish that they had trusted in God to save them from the Philistines. That's the lesson I feel like I can learn from this chapter. When trouble or advisory come your way, go to God. Ask him what to do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for letting me read this chapter. Help me to remember that whenever trouble comes my way, that you are there to help me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
"When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns." ~1 Samuel 13:6
Observation:
Saul's son Jonathan has just attacked a Philistine outpost. Saul and the entire Israelite army soon join in on the fight. But as the Israelites assemble, they watch in horror as the Philistines keep coming...and coming...and coming...and coming! According to the Bible:
"The Philistines assembled to fight Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore."
The Israelites were horrified, see for yourself in today's Scripture! Some even fled across the Jordan River.
Application:
When I read this passage, I get sad. Why? Because the Israelites are doing the wrong thing. Yes, it's easy to sit here with high-speed Internet in 2011 and judge the Israelites. But still, I wish that they had trusted in God to save them from the Philistines. That's the lesson I feel like I can learn from this chapter. When trouble or advisory come your way, go to God. Ask him what to do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for letting me read this chapter. Help me to remember that whenever trouble comes my way, that you are there to help me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 12
Today--1 Samuel 12. Really touching, thought-provoking as Samuel delivers his farewell speech, and the Israelites realize what evil they have committed to ask for a king. Even so, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.
Scripture:
"But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you." ~1 Samuel 12:24
Observation:
The Israelites had just witnessed first-hand a supernatural wonder, called for by Samuel to show the people what a wicked thing they had done when they had asked for a king. The Israelites disparately ask Samuel to pray to God that they would not die. Samuel does, and he also reassures the nation that if they and their king do right in the sight of God, everything will be fine.
Application:
The lesson that I got out of this chapter was that God is a god of second chances. Maybe I blogged about this before; I don't know. But if I did, it is worth repeating. I really like how Samuel keeps emphasizing how even if the Israelites and their king sin, if they are truly sorry for what they have done, God will forgive them. God would clean off the slate so to speak and forget about their sin. He can do the same for you and me, too.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for being the god that you are, and forgiving me when I am truly sorry for my sins. For giving me second chances. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture:
"But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you." ~1 Samuel 12:24
Observation:
The Israelites had just witnessed first-hand a supernatural wonder, called for by Samuel to show the people what a wicked thing they had done when they had asked for a king. The Israelites disparately ask Samuel to pray to God that they would not die. Samuel does, and he also reassures the nation that if they and their king do right in the sight of God, everything will be fine.
Application:
The lesson that I got out of this chapter was that God is a god of second chances. Maybe I blogged about this before; I don't know. But if I did, it is worth repeating. I really like how Samuel keeps emphasizing how even if the Israelites and their king sin, if they are truly sorry for what they have done, God will forgive them. God would clean off the slate so to speak and forget about their sin. He can do the same for you and me, too.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for being the god that you are, and forgiving me when I am truly sorry for my sins. For giving me second chances. In Jesus' name, Amen.
In the Mountains of the Moon
Exactly 40 years ago today, a mammoth Saturn V rocket boosted Dave Scott, Jim Irwin, and Al Worden from earth to space, their destination the moon. Three previous moon landings had occurred; but no mission was like their mission, Apollo 15.
Apollo 15 would be first and significant in many ways. Unlike previous missions, Apollo 15's lunar module Falcon was equipped with a Lunar Roving Vehicle. More commonly called the "Rover", it was the first ever car on the moon. Unlike previous missions, Apollo 15 did more than visit the moon. Scott and Irwin didn't just collect a few rocks and head home. Instead, they set up camp at Hadley Rile (on the moon) for three days, using the Rover and other equipment to execute the most lunar geology to date. Above them in lunar orbit, Al Worden (in command module Endeavour) studied the moon at large, and in a big way helped choose the landing site for the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17.
More than any mission before them, Apollo 15 concentrated on lunar geology, study, and science. As you probably have figured out by now, it is my favorite mission ever! And since Apollo 15 is turning 40 today, I am especially excited. I've love to write a series of articles on Apollo 15, however I don't know if I'll have the time to do that. Anyways, included with this article is a very nice half-hour long NASA documentary on Apollo 15. It gives a very nice summery and overview, even though I don't agree with them on how the moon was formed! I will be featuring Al Worden's autobiography Falling to Earth in the September 2011 edition of Armchair Astronaut, but if you would like to learn more about the mission before I find the time to tell you, below is a list of books and websites to check out.
~Photobug
P.S.--Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
List of books and websites on Apollo 15:
--Wikipedia
These books may not focus entirely on Apollo 15, but certainly give major coverage to the mission:
--Footprints in the Dust: The Epic Voyages of Apollo, 1969-1975 edited by Colin Burgess
--A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts
by Andrew Chaikin--Two Sides of the Moon : Our Story of the Cold War Space Race
by Dave Scott and Alexei Leonov
Monday, July 25, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 11
Good evening, everyone! Today was my first day of school. Since I need to start school really early in the morning, there is no time for blogging then. However, I am still hoping to blog as usual, just now in the evenings.
Today's chapter is 1 Samuel 11, which covers Saul's first move as king of Israel. What was his move? Well, the Ammonites had besieged the Israelite city of Jabesh Gilead, and the Ammonites pretty much promised to gouge out all the citizens' right eyes if they didn't behave and obey orders. That right there gives you a glimpse of the big-time action in today's chapter...go and read it yourself you to get the full dose!
Scripture:
"Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day." ~1 Samuel 11:11
Observation:
When Saul heard about the Ammonites' wicked threat, the Spirit of God came upon him and he mustered all of Israel to squash these offenders. He, Israel,--and God--succeeded wonderfully.
Application
The lesson I learned from 1 Samuel 11 was this: with God, you are a success. It's not you might be a success, or you could be a success. No. With God, you are a success, and this chapter is a beautiful example. Even more than ever, reading through this chapter made me want to always enlist God's advice and help for everything I do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You so much for giving me the opportunity to read this chapter today. Help me to remember that with You, I am always a success and that You are always there to help me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Today's chapter is 1 Samuel 11, which covers Saul's first move as king of Israel. What was his move? Well, the Ammonites had besieged the Israelite city of Jabesh Gilead, and the Ammonites pretty much promised to gouge out all the citizens' right eyes if they didn't behave and obey orders. That right there gives you a glimpse of the big-time action in today's chapter...go and read it yourself you to get the full dose!
Scripture:
"Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day." ~1 Samuel 11:11
Observation:
When Saul heard about the Ammonites' wicked threat, the Spirit of God came upon him and he mustered all of Israel to squash these offenders. He, Israel,--and God--succeeded wonderfully.
Application
The lesson I learned from 1 Samuel 11 was this: with God, you are a success. It's not you might be a success, or you could be a success. No. With God, you are a success, and this chapter is a beautiful example. Even more than ever, reading through this chapter made me want to always enlist God's advice and help for everything I do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank You so much for giving me the opportunity to read this chapter today. Help me to remember that with You, I am always a success and that You are always there to help me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 10
Good morning, everyone! Welcome back to 1 Samuel! Today we're studying 1 Samuel 10--when Samuel anoints and then confirms Saul as king of Israel.
Scripture:
""This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses."" ~1 Samuel 10:18-19
Observation:
As Samuel gathers all of Israel together, so Saul can be confirmed as king, this is what Samuel says that God is saying. Pretty clear language, eh?
Application:
The big lesson I got today was this: don't reject God. You and I may think we know better, but we really don't. We need to follow God and do what he says.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this story. In all that I do, please help me to not reject You. I really don't want to reject you God, but sometimes it is just so easy to do what I want to do. Please help me, take control of me, and help me to not reject You. To do what you would want me to do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
""This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses."" ~1 Samuel 10:18-19
Observation:
As Samuel gathers all of Israel together, so Saul can be confirmed as king, this is what Samuel says that God is saying. Pretty clear language, eh?
Application:
The big lesson I got today was this: don't reject God. You and I may think we know better, but we really don't. We need to follow God and do what he says.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this story. In all that I do, please help me to not reject You. I really don't want to reject you God, but sometimes it is just so easy to do what I want to do. Please help me, take control of me, and help me to not reject You. To do what you would want me to do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Jerusalem Council
Here is my paraphrase of one of my favorite Bible stories--the Jerusalem Council! Read Acts 15 for the whole story. While I paraphrased most of the chapter, the actual letter is the Bible word-for-word.
As more and more people were being added to the Christians, problems arose. Some Jewish Christians started teaching in Antioch
Paul, Barnabas, and other believers were appointed to travel to Jerusalem Phoenicia and Samaria
When Paul, Barnabas, and the other believers sent with them reached Jerusalem , the believers in Jerusalem welcomed the Antioch
After much debating, Simon Peter stood up. He said, “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made known to us that Gentiles should become Christians too, not just us Jews. He’s given them the Holy Spirit, just like us. Now why do you test God and try to burden the Gentiles with a burden that even we or our fathers haven’t been able to bear?? No, never! We believe that it’s through Jesus that we’re saved, just like the Gentiles are saved through Jesus.
Paul and Barnabas once again stood up, and told about all the marvelous signs and wonders that had accompanied their ministry to the Gentiles. While they talked, the entire assembly was quiet. When Paul and Barnabas sat down, James spoke up:
“Brothers, listen to what I have to say. Simon has just told us how God has told him that the Gentiles can be Christians as well, not just us Jews. Amos 9:11,12 affirms what Simon is saying. In my opinion, we should not make it hard for Gentiles to come to God. Instead, write them a letter outlining a few, but important and simple rules for them to follow. Those rules would be abstaining from food offered to idols, sexual immorality, from strangled animals’ meat, and from blood.”
So the entire church decided to do this, and composed a letter outlining these few simple requirements for Christians, Jew or Gentile. They decided to send Judas and Silas with Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch
To the Gentile believers in
Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said .So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing .It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
When the letter was read in Antioch Antioch Antioch
Friday, July 22, 2011
Farewell Forever, Atlantis
Yesterday, I watched via the Internet the final landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Now, the final landing of a Space Shuttle is a huge thing anyways, but this was more. It was the final landing of the Space Shuttle Program. Period. Commander Chris Ferguson and his crew once again made everything look easy, though I'm sure it wasn't. I have been very glad that the last few missions have been successful, and no major glitches have occurred.
When you think about it, the Space Shuttle was a marvelous thing. Whether it's still flying is not important to this discussion, that it flew for thirty years, successfully is a huge achievement. Through the Space Shuttle, many satellites and telescopes, including the Hubble, were launched and repaired. The International Space Station, an amazing complex, was built largely from what the Space Shuttle carted up to space. While I'm sad that the Shuttle has stopped flying, to me it's equally amazing what the Space Shuttle has done.
Still...
Farewell Forever, Atlantis. Job well done!
Below is a video of Atlantis' final landing. Be sure to come to my actual blog to watch it!
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
Fifty Years Ago...America Almost Lost An Astronaut
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| Gus Grissom launch aboard Liberty Bell 7-- fifty years ago today! |
Fifty years ago today, America flung its' second astronaut into space. At this point in history, only one astronaut could fly at a time, and Gus Grissom was thrilled to be finally going into space. Just two months previous to Grissoms' flight, America had launched Alan Shepard--their first astronaut in space. Now it was Grissom's turn, and his flight plan was to basically repeat Shepard's performance. While Shepard had called his capsule "Freedom 7", Grissom referred to his as "Liberty Bell 7", even painting a crack down the side of the capsule!
July 21, 1961. 7:20am. The Redstone booster came alive, rocketing Grissom into space on his 15-minute, sub-orbital flight. Everything went as planned until the recovery, when Liberty Bell 7 malfunctioned and started taking on thousands of pounds' worth of water. Grissom swam out of the capsule, trying disparately to get the attention of the recovery helicopter, which at the moment seemed more interested in recovering the capsule! Finally the helicopter let go of Liberty Bell 7, and the capsule sunk to the bottom of the sea. Finally focusing on the astronaut, the helicopter soon had him on board the ship and America's second venture into space was (barely) successful.
I must say, I think it's rather cool that on the day that the final space shuttle lands, fifty years ago Gus Grissom flew! Click here for a really cool interactive feature on Grissom's flight, and to learn more about Liberty Bell 7 in general.
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Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 13 Recap
Here's the Flight Day 13 Video Recap for Atlantis/STS-135. Highlights for this final day in orbit is an interview with the astronauts. This morning I was very privileged to watch (well, on NASA TV!) Atlantis land for the final time...it was really cool. I'll get some pictures and video of the landing posted on here soon. :) Remember to come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 9
Good morning, everyone! Welcome to 1 Samuel 9, in which the prophet Samuel tracks down Saul, who was slated to be Israel's first king.
Scripture:
"When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people."" ~1 Samuel 9:17
Observation:
Saul and a servant are out searching for some lost donkeys. Their search isn't going very well, so the servant suggests they ask Samuel for help. They find Samuel, but Samuel tells Saul much more than where his donkeys are!
Application:
I was thinking pretty hard to come up with a lesson from this chapter. I finally decided on this: God's plans may be radically different from our plans. As we'll read in the next few chapters, Saul certainly didn't feel like he could be Israel's first king. However, if God calls us to do something, he will always enable and endow us with the "stuff" we need to do the job. And by "stuff" I mean talents, abilities, etc. Ruling as king is certainly different than searching for lost donkeys! But just like God gave Saul what he needed to become king, God will give us whatever we need to do the jobs that he has given us to do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Thank you for reminding me that even if you call me to do a job that I don't think I can do, that you will give me what I need to do that job. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
"When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people."" ~1 Samuel 9:17
Observation:
Saul and a servant are out searching for some lost donkeys. Their search isn't going very well, so the servant suggests they ask Samuel for help. They find Samuel, but Samuel tells Saul much more than where his donkeys are!
Application:
I was thinking pretty hard to come up with a lesson from this chapter. I finally decided on this: God's plans may be radically different from our plans. As we'll read in the next few chapters, Saul certainly didn't feel like he could be Israel's first king. However, if God calls us to do something, he will always enable and endow us with the "stuff" we need to do the job. And by "stuff" I mean talents, abilities, etc. Ruling as king is certainly different than searching for lost donkeys! But just like God gave Saul what he needed to become king, God will give us whatever we need to do the jobs that he has given us to do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Thank you for reminding me that even if you call me to do a job that I don't think I can do, that you will give me what I need to do that job. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 12 Recap
This recap video focuses on Flight Day 12 for Atlantis/STS-135, highlighting the undocking and some final farewells.
Atlantis is scheduled to land TOMORROW MORNING at 5:56am EDT--watch it live on NASA TV! Go to www.nasa.gov/ntv and watch away! :)
Remember to come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 8
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to 1 Samuel 8! :) Let's SOAP and dig deeper into this chapter!
Scripture:
"So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
~1 Samuel 8:4-5
Observation:
Scripture:
"So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
~1 Samuel 8:4-5
Observation:
1 Samuel 8 signals a change in 1 Samuel. Previously, in both 1 Samuel and even Judges, either prophets or judges were the spiritual leaders of Israel. When the Israelites needed help in say, a battle, they would call on God and he would help them in undeniably wonderful ways. (Remember yesterday??)
But in 1 Samuel 8, we see a shift. The Israelites, unhappy with the current God-given government, come to Samuel and ask for a king. Samuel's appalled, but after consulting with the Lord, Samuel consents to give the Israelites a king.
Application:
The part that really got under my skin today was how the Israelites wanted a king "such as all the other nations have." Why in the world would they want that? God-their True King-had never failed them. In fact, God had totally subdued the Philistines for Israel (see 1 Samuel 7). God had set the Israelite nation apart, as an example to the rest of the then-known world, to show who God was. They were to be uniquely different...and now they ask for a king so they won't stand out. ARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Well, you know my thoughts on that subject now. The lesson I got was this: don't try to conform into the pattern of this world. Be unique. Be God's chosen child, and be proud of the fact that you have God. There's a Bible verse that goes along with this point very nicely, and it's found in Romans 12:2--
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."
I urge you all today: don't conform to the world. Instead, do what God wants you to do.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this chapter. Please help me to remember these lessons, and especially to not conform to the world. Help me to do and be what you would want me to do and be, even if that means doing something radically different from what the world tells me to do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 7
Good morning, everyone! :) Welcome to 1 Samuel 7--a little bit more on the Ark's return, as well as chronicling the Israelites (once again!!) returning to God. Let's SOAP!
Scripture:
"While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. The men of Israel rushed out...and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car." ~1 Samuel 7:10-11
Observation:
The Israelites had deserted God, and I think that's one of the chief reasons that God let the Ark get out of Israelite hands for a time. Now the Ark had come back to Israel, and the entire nation was getting right with God. Samuel told the Israelites to all gather at Mizpah on a certain day, and there Samuel would intercede with God on Israel's behalf.
The Philistines, always observing Israelite movements, figured that Israel was getting ready to go to war with them again. Therefore, the Philistines gathered their fighting force and prepared to attack their enemy. When the Israelites find out about this, they are terrified. They weren't getting ready to fight! They were trying to get right with their God! So as all Israel is gathered at Mizpah, the prophet Samuel asks God for help.
God does help; he sends loud and terrifying thunder to scare the Philistines back to their home country. As the Philistines flee, the Israelites catch up and slaughter as many Philistines as they could. The Philistines never again invaded Israel.
Application:
The big lesson I got from this chapter was God's "forgive and forget" policy. When we sincerely ask him to forgive us, he does...and promptly forgets about the whole thing! After we've asked for forgiveness, it's like we never sinned at all. The Israelites--they ask God for forgiveness, and then ask him to deliver them from the Philistines. He does! God doesn't say, "Well, since you sinned, I'm not gonna do stuff for you any more!" God has already forgotten the Israelites' sins. He helps the Israelites big time in defeating their enemy. A verse that goes along well with this subject, and one of my personal favorites as well, is Psalm 103:12--
"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Thank you for reminding me that once I'm asked you for forgiveness of my sins, that you don't hold them against me, but instead forget about them and help me just as if I had never sinned. Thank you for being the wonderful God that you are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
"While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. The men of Israel rushed out...and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car." ~1 Samuel 7:10-11
Observation:
The Israelites had deserted God, and I think that's one of the chief reasons that God let the Ark get out of Israelite hands for a time. Now the Ark had come back to Israel, and the entire nation was getting right with God. Samuel told the Israelites to all gather at Mizpah on a certain day, and there Samuel would intercede with God on Israel's behalf.
The Philistines, always observing Israelite movements, figured that Israel was getting ready to go to war with them again. Therefore, the Philistines gathered their fighting force and prepared to attack their enemy. When the Israelites find out about this, they are terrified. They weren't getting ready to fight! They were trying to get right with their God! So as all Israel is gathered at Mizpah, the prophet Samuel asks God for help.
God does help; he sends loud and terrifying thunder to scare the Philistines back to their home country. As the Philistines flee, the Israelites catch up and slaughter as many Philistines as they could. The Philistines never again invaded Israel.
Application:
The big lesson I got from this chapter was God's "forgive and forget" policy. When we sincerely ask him to forgive us, he does...and promptly forgets about the whole thing! After we've asked for forgiveness, it's like we never sinned at all. The Israelites--they ask God for forgiveness, and then ask him to deliver them from the Philistines. He does! God doesn't say, "Well, since you sinned, I'm not gonna do stuff for you any more!" God has already forgotten the Israelites' sins. He helps the Israelites big time in defeating their enemy. A verse that goes along well with this subject, and one of my personal favorites as well, is Psalm 103:12--
"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Thank you for reminding me that once I'm asked you for forgiveness of my sins, that you don't hold them against me, but instead forget about them and help me just as if I had never sinned. Thank you for being the wonderful God that you are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 11 Recap
The final flight; the final farewell. Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 11 Video Recap features once again another tour of the ISS, as well as a touching farewell ceremony. Shuttle to Station: Farewell forever!
Remember to come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 10 Recap
Here's the Daily Mission Recap video for Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 10. This video highlights a partial tour of shuttle and station by Satoshi Furukawa, and tribute to the very useful MPLM. Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
For Your Information:
Atlantis is due to undock from the International Space Station for the final time tomorrow morning at 2:28am. Again, that would be Tuesday, July 19, 2011.
Coming this Thursday (that would be July 21), Atlantis is due to land at Kennedy Space Center for the final time at 5:57am. If you would want to watch any of these momentous events live, go to www.nasa.gov/ntv at the appointed time...and enjoy the show! :D
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 6
Good morning, everyone! :) Welcome to 1 Samuel 6--the chapter in which the Philistines finally decide to send the Ark of the Covenant back home to Israel.
Scripture:
"Now the people...were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight." ~1 Samuel 6:13
Observation:
The people had good reason to rejoice! The Ark of the Covenant had been in Philistine hands for seven months, and I'm sure you can imagine how high Israelite moral was during that period!
Application:
The big lesson I get from this chapter is that God gives second chances. Sure, the Israelites messed up and let the Philistines capture their Ark. But God gave the Israelites a second chance at the Ark when He brought it back to Israel. I don't know about you, but I know that I have done some things in my life that later I wish I hadn't. But there's good news for us: God is a god of second chances. If we pray to Him and ask for forgiveness, He will forgive us. But beyond that, he will help us endure temptation, and come away victorious. All we need to do is ask him.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~1 Corinthians 10:13
Prayer:
I'd like to you finish off this prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today, and for reminding me that You are a god of second chances. Please forgive me for __________, and please help me to overcome this temptation. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture:
"Now the people...were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight." ~1 Samuel 6:13
Observation:
The people had good reason to rejoice! The Ark of the Covenant had been in Philistine hands for seven months, and I'm sure you can imagine how high Israelite moral was during that period!
Application:
The big lesson I get from this chapter is that God gives second chances. Sure, the Israelites messed up and let the Philistines capture their Ark. But God gave the Israelites a second chance at the Ark when He brought it back to Israel. I don't know about you, but I know that I have done some things in my life that later I wish I hadn't. But there's good news for us: God is a god of second chances. If we pray to Him and ask for forgiveness, He will forgive us. But beyond that, he will help us endure temptation, and come away victorious. All we need to do is ask him.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~1 Corinthians 10:13
Prayer:
I'd like to you finish off this prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today, and for reminding me that You are a god of second chances. Please forgive me for __________, and please help me to overcome this temptation. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Days 8-9 Recap
Here's the Daily Mission Recap videos for Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Days 8 & 9. The highlight of Flight Day 8 was a call from President Obama; Flight Day 9 centered on more transfers. Remember to come to my actual blog to view these videos.
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Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 8
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 9
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 5
Good morning, everyone! Today's chapter is 1 Samuel 5--in which Israel's Ark of the Covenant makes its' grand tour of Philistine cities. Clue: God makes so many bad things happen to the Philistines, by the end of the chapter they have decided to send the Ark back to Israel! It's really an interesting story, you should read it for yourself.
Scripture:
"So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?"" ~1 Samuel 5:8
Observation:
I've heard this story before, but still, reading it again I think it is rather crazy and bizarre! For example, the Philistines triumphantly bring the Ark to Ashdod, where the temple of their god Dagon is. They place the Ark in front of Dagon, but the next morning they find him on the floor, "worshiping" the Ark! Carefully, they set Dagon up again, but the next day Dagon gives a repeat performance; this time, however, he is smashed into smithereens!
God wasn't just messing with Dagon, however. He devastated the entire Ashdod region, and gave the people tumors. Ashdod's citizens called a halt, and decided to transport this war trophy to the Philistine city of Gath. God once again brought devastation, this time to the citizens of Gath. Gath got the message, and finally decided to move this pesky prize to Ekron, and let them deal with it. But the people of Ekron had heard about what had happened at Ashdod and Gath; they wanted no part in it! So they quickly decided to not let the Ark reside in their city, but to let their rulers send it back to Israel.
Application:
The main lesson that I got from today's reading was that what God said to respect, we need to respect. We need to do what he says.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for letting me read this chapter today. Help me to respect more. Help me to respect those in authority, help me to respect You, and help me to respect others. Truly, I only want to do what you would want me to do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture:
"So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?"" ~1 Samuel 5:8
Observation:
I've heard this story before, but still, reading it again I think it is rather crazy and bizarre! For example, the Philistines triumphantly bring the Ark to Ashdod, where the temple of their god Dagon is. They place the Ark in front of Dagon, but the next morning they find him on the floor, "worshiping" the Ark! Carefully, they set Dagon up again, but the next day Dagon gives a repeat performance; this time, however, he is smashed into smithereens!
God wasn't just messing with Dagon, however. He devastated the entire Ashdod region, and gave the people tumors. Ashdod's citizens called a halt, and decided to transport this war trophy to the Philistine city of Gath. God once again brought devastation, this time to the citizens of Gath. Gath got the message, and finally decided to move this pesky prize to Ekron, and let them deal with it. But the people of Ekron had heard about what had happened at Ashdod and Gath; they wanted no part in it! So they quickly decided to not let the Ark reside in their city, but to let their rulers send it back to Israel.
Application:
The main lesson that I got from today's reading was that what God said to respect, we need to respect. We need to do what he says.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for letting me read this chapter today. Help me to respect more. Help me to respect those in authority, help me to respect You, and help me to respect others. Truly, I only want to do what you would want me to do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Painting, Light, and God
This past week I have had the great privilege of helping paint my parents' bedroom yellow.
Seriously, it's been a lot of fun! Sure, it may not be what I'd choose to do during my free time. But I have been able to get some practical knowledge on the subject, and hang out with my dad! As I mentioned previously, my parents chose to paint their bedroom yellow. It really is a beautiful shade of yellow--light, pastel, and very pretty.
One day this past week, my dad and I had just finished painting for the day, and were admiring what we had gotten done. My dad had had the light turned on, but now he turned the light off to see what the room looked like with just natural light coming through the windows. I noticed a difference with the light turned off. While both with and without the light the room looked yellow, if the light was turned on the paint had a different hue, a different shade of yellow than when the light was turned off.
That got me to thinking. You know, our spiritual lives are a lot like my parents' room, and the changing hues. When God sees us how we truly are, we are sinful, dirty, and ugly. Really bad people. But when we let Jesus--the True Light--shine upon us, God the Father doesn't see all the nasty stuff in us. Instead, he sees Jesus' perfect character and life in us. There's a Bible verse that I think well illustrates this point, and it's 2 Corinthians 5:21--
"God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
When we have accepted Jesus, and let Him fully rule in our lives, God does not see us as nasty people. He sees us through Christ, who is perfect. Sure, we may sin, but when we ask God to forgive us, he truly "forgives and forgets"!
Just like my parents' room. Do you have the Light shining through you, on you?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Shuttle Docking
Here's a photo taken by the Expedition 28 crew as Atlantis docked with the ISS this past Sunday. I thought it was so pretty, that I should share it with you!
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Interview with Elmo
Okay...so I've never ever watched Sesame Street, nor will I probably ever watch it. But I did think this interview with Elmo was pretty cute! Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Hitchhiking on the Final, Wildest, Ride Ever
Here is a half-hour long video showing the launch of Atlantis a week ago...and you're watching it from the cameras on the white Solid Rocket Boosters, which fall away and into the ocean part way through the shuttle's ascent into orbit. Even if you don't watch the entire video (I didn't!!), please watch the first five minutes...there's some very exciting stuff in there! Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 7 Recap
Here's the Daily Mission Recap video for STS-135 Flight Day 7, which for the rest of us was "yesterday"! Pretty much, the name of the game was cargo transfers and interviews. Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 6
Here's the Daily Mission Recap video for Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 6. Highlights include interviews, wake up song, and transfers. Remember to come to my actual blog to view this video.
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Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 4
Good morning, everyone! Welcome to 1 Samuel 4--where some pretty tragic events occur! First of all, the Israelites lose a battle to the Philistines. Then they bring in their Ark of the Covenant as a "good luck charm", and since God isn't with them, God lets the Philistines capture the ark. To top it all off, when high priest Eli hears the sad news, he topples over backwards...and dies!
So today was a very sad chapter. However, I think there are some good lessons that can be learned.
Scripture:
""Why did the LORD bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."
Observation:
I'm sure that God would have helped the Israelites...if they had asked. Instead, they viewed the Ark as a "good luck charm", and against the rules took it into battle. Since God wasn't with them, he couldn't help them win the battle, and the Philistines captured the Ark.
Application:
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I don't listen to God enough. I just do my own thing, not even asking him what I should do. The big lesson I drew from this chapter is that we need to listen and follow God.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to listen to you more. Amen.
So today was a very sad chapter. However, I think there are some good lessons that can be learned.
Scripture:
""Why did the LORD bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."
Observation:
I'm sure that God would have helped the Israelites...if they had asked. Instead, they viewed the Ark as a "good luck charm", and against the rules took it into battle. Since God wasn't with them, he couldn't help them win the battle, and the Philistines captured the Ark.
Application:
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I don't listen to God enough. I just do my own thing, not even asking him what I should do. The big lesson I drew from this chapter is that we need to listen and follow God.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to listen to you more. Amen.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 5 Recap
Here's the Video Recap for STS-135 Flight Day 5. It focuses on Expedition 28's Mike Fossum and Ron Garan completing a spacewalk yesterday. Really cool!
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P.S.--Remember, come to my actual blog to view this video.
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 3--a story we think we all know, but when we really read it we learn new insights! Today's chapter covers God calling Samuel to the prophetic ministry, and as we all know, little Samuel can't figure out who's calling him at first. Let's SOAP!
Scripture:
"The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy." ~1 Sam. 3:8
Observation:
As I read this chapter, I felt like I could read through the lines quite a bit and learn about Samuel's character. First of all, Samuel was obedient. Even when it was the middle of the night, Samuel got up three times when he thought Eli needed him.
Application:
To be quite honest, I don't know if I would've done the same thing that Samuel did. Probably, I would have just groggily rolled over in bed! But Samuel didn't just roll over in bed; when he thought Eli needed him, Samuel was there in a flash. Good lessons for me to learn, too!
Just like David, whom Samuel was to anoint many years later, Samuel had qualities that God could use. He was respectful, obedient, and humble. These are qualities God likes to see in his workers--whether they be grownups, teens, or kids!
Prayer:
Holy Father, truly you are an awesome God. You made the entire world, all the animals, fish, birds, and more, and yet you still care about me. Thank you so much for that, and for giving me the opportunity to read this chapter. I want to serve you. Please help me to be more respectful of the people I need to respect; more obedient to the people I need to obey; and please help me to be humble and not all puffed up. I surrender all that I am to you; please mold me so that you can use me. Thank you so much for being the God that you are. In Jesus' precious holy name, Amen.
Scripture:
"The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy." ~1 Sam. 3:8
Observation:
As I read this chapter, I felt like I could read through the lines quite a bit and learn about Samuel's character. First of all, Samuel was obedient. Even when it was the middle of the night, Samuel got up three times when he thought Eli needed him.
Application:
To be quite honest, I don't know if I would've done the same thing that Samuel did. Probably, I would have just groggily rolled over in bed! But Samuel didn't just roll over in bed; when he thought Eli needed him, Samuel was there in a flash. Good lessons for me to learn, too!
Just like David, whom Samuel was to anoint many years later, Samuel had qualities that God could use. He was respectful, obedient, and humble. These are qualities God likes to see in his workers--whether they be grownups, teens, or kids!
Prayer:
Holy Father, truly you are an awesome God. You made the entire world, all the animals, fish, birds, and more, and yet you still care about me. Thank you so much for that, and for giving me the opportunity to read this chapter. I want to serve you. Please help me to be more respectful of the people I need to respect; more obedient to the people I need to obey; and please help me to be humble and not all puffed up. I surrender all that I am to you; please mold me so that you can use me. Thank you so much for being the God that you are. In Jesus' precious holy name, Amen.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Day 4 Recap
Here's a nice little five-minute video recapping what major events occurred for the joined ISS and shuttle crews on STS-135 Flight Day 4. They featured the wake up song a little more than I wished, but it's still a good video. Main highlights are installing the Raffaello multi-purpose module, and other station-keeping duties.
Remember, come to my actual blog to see this video.
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Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 2
Good morning, everyone! Welcome to this second day of the program! :) Today's chapter is 1 Samuel 2, which talks about Hannah's prayer of gratitude (it's really beautiful--you should read it for yourself!!), Eli's wicked sons, and a prophet delivering a prophecy against Eli and his house. Let's dig in deep and see what we can learn!
Scripture:
Okay, so I admit. There were three verses that caught my attention, so I'll list 'em all here, even though I'll really SOAP about one:
1. ""My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high."" ~1 Sam. 2:1
Right here Hannah is just so happy; she's praising the LORD left and right! If I remember correctly, in Bible times a horn was something lifted high, something to be seen. A footnote in my Bible told me that in this verse, "horn" means "strength". I think this verse is cool, not just because Hannah is praising God, but because she wants to share him, and tell of what he has done for her to everyone. WOW!
2. "And the boy Samuel continued to grow in statue and in favor with the LORD and men." ~1 Sam. 2:26
When I read this verse for the first time, I did a double take. Haven't I read this verse before? I thought. Well, I had--sort of. When you compare them, it's really surprising how this above verse and this next verse match:
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and statue, and in favor with God and men." ~Luke 2:52
Isn't that really weird how closely they match??
3. OK, so I really liked the previous two verses, but this next one is the one I'm going to SOAP on!
"Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained." ~1 Sam. 2:30
Observation:
Do we really need an observation? This is God talking. Pretty self-explanatory!
Application:
"Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."
Hmmmm. If you took this verse out of context, you could really misinterpret what God wants to do. Even though we are sinful, if we ask Jesus to come into our lives, forgive our sin, and help us to do better in the future, he will. God isn't talking about those kind of people here. Instead, he's talking about people like high priest Eli and his sons who purposely blow God off and do terrible wrongs, even though they know better.
When I read this verse, I thought for a while.
I need to honor God more. What about you?
Prayer:
Dear God, you are such an awesome God! You made the stars way out there, and yet you are interested in little me. Thank you for giving me the chance to read more in your Holy Word, and please help me to remember the lessons that you want me to remember. Today, I'm trying to remember to honor you in everything I do. Please come into my life, myself, my day, and help me to honor you! Thank you so much for being the God that you are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
Okay, so I admit. There were three verses that caught my attention, so I'll list 'em all here, even though I'll really SOAP about one:
1. ""My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high."" ~1 Sam. 2:1
Right here Hannah is just so happy; she's praising the LORD left and right! If I remember correctly, in Bible times a horn was something lifted high, something to be seen. A footnote in my Bible told me that in this verse, "horn" means "strength". I think this verse is cool, not just because Hannah is praising God, but because she wants to share him, and tell of what he has done for her to everyone. WOW!
2. "And the boy Samuel continued to grow in statue and in favor with the LORD and men." ~1 Sam. 2:26
When I read this verse for the first time, I did a double take. Haven't I read this verse before? I thought. Well, I had--sort of. When you compare them, it's really surprising how this above verse and this next verse match:
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and statue, and in favor with God and men." ~Luke 2:52
Isn't that really weird how closely they match??
3. OK, so I really liked the previous two verses, but this next one is the one I'm going to SOAP on!
"Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained." ~1 Sam. 2:30
Observation:
Do we really need an observation? This is God talking. Pretty self-explanatory!
Application:
"Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."
Hmmmm. If you took this verse out of context, you could really misinterpret what God wants to do. Even though we are sinful, if we ask Jesus to come into our lives, forgive our sin, and help us to do better in the future, he will. God isn't talking about those kind of people here. Instead, he's talking about people like high priest Eli and his sons who purposely blow God off and do terrible wrongs, even though they know better.
When I read this verse, I thought for a while.
I need to honor God more. What about you?
Prayer:
Dear God, you are such an awesome God! You made the stars way out there, and yet you are interested in little me. Thank you for giving me the chance to read more in your Holy Word, and please help me to remember the lessons that you want me to remember. Today, I'm trying to remember to honor you in everything I do. Please come into my life, myself, my day, and help me to honor you! Thank you so much for being the God that you are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Monday, July 11, 2011
In Their Own Words: Chris Ferguson & Rex Walheim
Here's two really cool videos, featuring STS-135 astronauts Chris Ferguson & Rex Walheim. They talk about training, why they wanted to become astronauts, what they would say to aspiring astronauts, and more! Really really cool. Remember to come to my actual blog to view these videos.
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Chris Ferguson
Rex Walheim
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Chris Ferguson
Rex Walheim
Shuttle to Station: Docking Confirmed!
Here's a very nice video of Atlantis docking to the ISS yesterday.
~Photobug
P.S.--Remember to come to my actual blog to view this video.
Atlantis/STS-135 Flight Days 1-3 Recap
Here's the STS-135 Daily Mission Recap videos for Flight Days 1-3. Highlights include launch, checking Atlantis for damage, and docking to the International Space Station.
P.S.--Remember to come to my actual blog to view these videos.
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STS-135 Flight Day 1 Recap
STS-135 Flight Day 2 Recap
STS-135 Flight Day 3 Recap
P.S.--Remember to come to my actual blog to view these videos.
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STS-135 Flight Day 1 Recap
STS-135 Flight Day 2 Recap
STS-135 Flight Day 3 Recap
The Final Launch of the Final Mission
So...yesterday I come home from camp (more on that later!!) and power up the computer to see what happened in my absence. Well, a shuttle launch and docking to the ISS, that's what happened! The Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off this past Friday just a few minutes late on the shuttle's final flight, STS-135. Here's some videos of the prep and launch of the final space shuttle mission. Right below this article is the actual launch video; below that are all the launch prep videos.
~Photobug
P.S.--Remember to come to my actual blog to view these videos.
Launch of Atlantis & STS-135
Start of STS-135 launch coverage
STS-135 crew suitup and walkout
STS-135 astronauts strap into Atlantis
The Closeout Crew gives a sentimental farewell
Mission Controls decides to say "Go"
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1--Hannah pleading with God to give her a child. "Ahhhh!" you might say--what a wonderful request. Sure, yeah, well, I must confess that I forgot a few details of the story until I read it again this morning! Let's SOAP.
Scripture:
"Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."" ~1 Samuel 1:17
Observation:
Year after year after year, Elkanah would take his two rival wives (Peninnah and Hannah) to Shiloh and worship God. Every year, Peninnah (who had gobs of kids) would tease poor Hannah about her kids--Hannah didn't have any. This was greatly distressing to Hannah, and she finally went to house of the LORD and prayed--pleaded, really--to God to give her a son.
Ever made a last-ditch bargain with God? How often do you keep up your end? Ummm, uh, yeah. That's what I thought! Don't worry, I find myself in the same boat as well. Hannah made a bargain with God, too. She told God that if he would give her a son, she would return her son to God, and that her son would serve God forever.
Eli hears this, and after realizing what she is asking for, blesses her. A few years later, a very surprised Eli sees Hannah bring her son back to the house of the LORD, to give her son to Eli to raise and train. Hannah had named her son "Samuel", because she said "Because I asked the Lord for him." (see 1 Sam. 1:20)
Application:
The big lesson I get from this chapter is keeping your promises. When Hannah made a bargain with God, she kept her end of the bargain. She did what she promised to do. And between the lines, I'm sure it must have hurt a lot to give your first and only son away to a priest who did a terrible job of raising his own sons!
I also really like this chapter because it is a wonderful example of how God keeps his promises. Never doubt it for even a millisecond--God always keeps his promises! I don't know about you, but that is a really comforting thought for me.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Help me to implement these lessons into my own life, even starting with today. Please help me to keep my promises more often, and thank you so much that you always keep your promises. I know I can count on you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Scripture:
"Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."" ~1 Samuel 1:17
Observation:
Year after year after year, Elkanah would take his two rival wives (Peninnah and Hannah) to Shiloh and worship God. Every year, Peninnah (who had gobs of kids) would tease poor Hannah about her kids--Hannah didn't have any. This was greatly distressing to Hannah, and she finally went to house of the LORD and prayed--pleaded, really--to God to give her a son.
Ever made a last-ditch bargain with God? How often do you keep up your end? Ummm, uh, yeah. That's what I thought! Don't worry, I find myself in the same boat as well. Hannah made a bargain with God, too. She told God that if he would give her a son, she would return her son to God, and that her son would serve God forever.
Eli hears this, and after realizing what she is asking for, blesses her. A few years later, a very surprised Eli sees Hannah bring her son back to the house of the LORD, to give her son to Eli to raise and train. Hannah had named her son "Samuel", because she said "Because I asked the Lord for him." (see 1 Sam. 1:20)
Application:
The big lesson I get from this chapter is keeping your promises. When Hannah made a bargain with God, she kept her end of the bargain. She did what she promised to do. And between the lines, I'm sure it must have hurt a lot to give your first and only son away to a priest who did a terrible job of raising his own sons!
I also really like this chapter because it is a wonderful example of how God keeps his promises. Never doubt it for even a millisecond--God always keeps his promises! I don't know about you, but that is a really comforting thought for me.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for letting me read this chapter today. Help me to implement these lessons into my own life, even starting with today. Please help me to keep my promises more often, and thank you so much that you always keep your promises. I know I can count on you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Blogging Through The Books of Samuel
As I watched the "Blogging Through The Gospels" program wind down, I must confess I was getting a bit depressed. Reading through the Gospels was so much fun--I wanted to keep reading and blogging through the Bible!
After some thought and prayer, I decided to blog through the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. In these precious volumes are contained stories of the lives of Bible greats such as Samuel, Saul, and David. In these books we'll see how their lives, takes, and mis-takes played out, and we'll learn many lessons and what to do and not to do. Each day (well, probably Sunday-Thursday, I want a few days off to study my Sabbath School lesson!), I'll blog about one chapter and see what lessons can be gleaned, once again using the SOAP method. Following this pace, this program should finish by the end of September.
So come along with me, back to the time of prophets and kings, and see what we can learn!
~Tennessee Photobug
After some thought and prayer, I decided to blog through the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. In these precious volumes are contained stories of the lives of Bible greats such as Samuel, Saul, and David. In these books we'll see how their lives, takes, and mis-takes played out, and we'll learn many lessons and what to do and not to do. Each day (well, probably Sunday-Thursday, I want a few days off to study my Sabbath School lesson!), I'll blog about one chapter and see what lessons can be gleaned, once again using the SOAP method. Following this pace, this program should finish by the end of September.
So come along with me, back to the time of prophets and kings, and see what we can learn!
~Tennessee Photobug
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Blogging Through The Gospels: John 21
1. ""I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing." ~John 21:3
Jesus had been crucified. The disciples' hopes dashed. Well, what to do? Peter and some of the other disciples decided to go fishing, and perhaps return to their old way of living. I think one of the major points I got out of this chapter was that Jesus communicated with his disciples they they are still fishers of men, and that he still needs them. They don't have to go back to fishing for fish.
But just to show the disciples that He really was Jesus, He performs a miracle and helps the disciples catch a stupendous amount of fish--153 in all! That right there pushed them over the edge. Peter knew it was Jesus right then and there!
2. "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."" ~John 21:15
Three times had Peter publicly deny Jesus. Three times must Peter publicly declare his allegiance to Jesus. As I read the chapter, I thought this particular story was very touching and important.
Okay--now onto our SOAP!
Scripture:
"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them...When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." ~John 21:20-22
Observation:
As Jesus and Peter are having this discussion, John is following them. Peter sees this and asks Jesus about him, as Jesus had just told Peter what his fate would be (see verses 18-19). Jesus tells Peter, in effect, "Who cares about what happens to him? You follow me."
Application:
Witnessing to friends, family, and strangers is very important. But the message I got from John 21 was this: your own relationship with God is more important than others' relationships with God. Before you worry about others, worry about yourself. Make sure that you have a good relationship with God. Read his Word--preferably a little each day--and pray and talk to him like to would a friend. Ask God that he would help you understand what you read--he will. When you are good with God, when you have a good (notice I did not say "perfect"!!) relationship with God, your witnessing for God will go much smoother.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for giving me this awesome opportunity to blog through the gospels these last few months. Thank you so much for bringing lessons to mind, that I can remember and treasure forever. I pray for everyone who is reading this post--please, help them in their relationship with you. Help it not just be a dried-out ritual, but a vibrant, growing, wonderful relationship with a best friend. Thank you for all that you've done. Amen.
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P.S.--To learn more about this blogging-through-the-gospels program, go to: http://www.momstoolbox.com/
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Rotten Food--Good for Nothing, Right??
One of the chores that I frequently do for my mother is take out the compost. It really isn't that hard, and I know what to do, too.
Take the bag of compost, and remove the clothespin holding the bag closed. Open the door, and walk across our backyard until I reach the gate to the woods. Unlatch the gate, and then continue on our semi-mulched path until I reach the stinky, smelly compost pile which is hidden behind a big rock or something. Dump the bag's contents on the pile while bees, flies, and other insects fly all around, and then retreat and retrace your steps back into the house.
I must say, that while I truly enjoy helping my mother, I don't exactly, um, um, ENJOY going near the compost! It just plain isn't pleasant. The flies, bees, and smell of rotten food just doesn't attract me. You know, sin is kind of like that rotten food I have to take out to the compost pile. It smells. It stinks. And there's the equivalent of bees and flies buzzing all around! Having inherited this sin/rotten food disease from Adam and Eve, there's really nothing we can do about this sin in our lives.
But there is Someone who cares about us, and our rotten food-like sin. His name is God. If we truly surrender all to him, he will make us new again. We may not see how he could use such sin-ridden rotten food like us, but God can. If we let Him have all that we are, he can "compost" us if you will, and use us for his glorious purposes!
II Corinthians 5:17--
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!"
Even though the compost I take out seems gross and nasty, I know that one day it will turn out to be wonderful fertilizer for our garden. So it is with us. If we let him, God will change us into a new creation!
Are you willing to let God "compost" you??
Blogging Through The Gospels: John 20
Wow--John 20--next to last day in "Blogging Through The Gospels"! Sad. I've really enjoyed this awesome journey, getting to know Jesus better than ever!
John 20--to sum it up, SURPRISE! HE'S BACK! :D John 20 covers several incidences in which Jesus appears to his twelve disciples (and others) shortly after his resurrection. I'd like to SOAP on a thought that the Apostle John recorded at the end of the chapter.
Scripture:
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." ~John 20:30-31
Observation:
Wow. John is saying that, sure, I didn't record every miracle Jesus did, but the ones that I did record are put in here so that you'll believe that Jesus is the Christ, and Son of God. And even better, by believing this, you can have life in his name! I suspect John is talking about eternal life here, not just usual life. God wants us to experience life above and beyond whatever we have seen before!
Application:
I'd like to play off of a little side note that my Bible includes on verse 31. When the verse says "But these are written that you may...", the "may", my Bible said, may mean "may continue to". So let's try verse 31 again, this time with the revision:
"But these are written that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
Wow. Not just believing once, or twice, that Jesus is really who he is, but continuing to believe this. That's what John is saying that the purpose of his book is: that we may continue to believe that Jesus is who he is. Wow.
I hope that this--continuing to believe that Jesus is really who he is--is your prayer too. It's certainly my prayer for you! Let's close out this devotional with a word of prayer.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for giving me the awesome opportunity to participate in the "Blogging Through The Gospels" program at Mom's Toolbox. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn more about you, and to be more bold about sharing my faith. Help me to not just believe you are who you are once--help me to continue to believe that. And that's my prayer for those who are reading this too--help them to continue to grow closer to you, and to continue to believe in you, in all things, but especially that you are the Christ and Son of God. Thank you for all the wonderful things you've given me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, Amen.
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P.S.--To learn more about this blogging-through-the-gospels program, or if YOU would like to join yourself (you're more than welcome-jump right in for one last day!!) go to: http://www.momstoolbox.com/
Friday, July 8, 2011
Amazing Love
This is one of my absolutely favorite songs ever. I learned it a couple years ago at summer camp, and just fell in love with it...I cry every time I listen to it! Since I learned it at camp, when I listen to it I always like to close my eyes and imagine I'm at camp, and leaving the amphitheater as the staff sing this song.
But for you, I'm sure this song means something different. Just come to my blog, watch the video, and close your eyes. Think about what God has done for you! Happy Sabbath!
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NASA's Secret Weapon (Armchair Astronaut, Jul. 2011, Part 2)
What's happening: Tom Jones becomes an astronaut with the astronaut class of 1990, nicknamed the "Hairballs". After much training, he is assigned to two shuttle flights--STS-59 & STS-68--which both occurred in 1994. Both of these spaceflights were "Missions to Planet Earth"--as in, they studied and took many pictures of our home planet.
After flying two shuttle missions in a very short time period, Don Puddy let Tom Jones take a break from shuttle flight training. Instead, Jones would serve as Capcom in Mission Control. What's a Capcom, you ask? Well, the Capcom was the only guy in Mission Control that could talk directly with the astronauts. Always, the Capcom would be an astronaut, and the Capcom would relay the wishes of ground-bound Mission Control to the orbiting crew. Jones learned much in his stint as Capcom, and developed a huge respect for the young, but highly competent and professional flight controllers that supported every flight.
But in early 1996, Tom Jones once again got that magic call, this time from Bob Cabana: Jones would be flying a third time in space. The mission was STS-80, the shuttle was Columbia, and the mission goals included a little bit of everything: satellite removal and retrieval, onboard scientific research, and spacewalks, also called EVAs (or extravehicular activity). In addition, STS-80 would stretch the shuttle's consumables to the limit: this flight was planned to be the longest shuttle flight ever, at seventeen days. The mission would fly over Thanksgiving 1996.
Who would Tom Jones be flying with on STS-80? Well, the commander was Ken Cockrell, one of Jones' fellow Hairballs. While NASA PR called Cockrell by his first name, everyone else just called him "Taco"! Kent "Rommel" Rominger was the pilot, and 61-year-old Story Musgrave would supervise the mission's two planned spacewalks, to be executed by Jones and Tammy Jernigan. Story Musgrave had been an astronaut for thirty years, and showed no signs of slowing down as he looked forward to his sixth shuttle flight! These five people made up the crew of STS-80.
All through 1996, Jones and Jernigan trained and practiced their spacewalks in the Weightless Environment Training Facility, or WETF. Basically, the WETF was a gigantic pool 78 feet long, 33 feet wide, and 25 feet deep. Almost a half-million gallons of water in the WETF made for very realistic EVA training. By early November, Jones, Jernigan, and the rest of the STS-80 crew was ready. Due to various problems with the shuttle stack, the launch was rescheduled for November 19. The STS-80 crew were now slated for a weightless, hopefully happy, Thanksgiving holiday.
2:52pm, November 19, and Columbia roared to life, hurtling five happy astronauts once again into space. A few days later, Jones successfully (and nervously) deployed and retreived the Wake Shield satellite--a satellite conducting experiments in space.
Holiday in space
Thanksgiving Day 1996 was planned to be a high day for Tom Jones; on this day he was scheduled to open the hatch and walk into the void of open space. Or so he thought. Jones and Jernigan--Jones' spacewalking partner--started preparing for the EVA the night before, by breathing pure oxygen for hours on end. This would help them on their spacewalk, the first of two planned EVAs.
Finally, the time came to open the hatch. Jones was ecstatic. He started turning the hatch handle a full rotation clockwise--but then it stopped. What happened? Both Jernigan and Jones tried, but the hatch handle would not budge past 30 degrees clockwise. Mission Control--and the crew--were stumped. Finally, thinking of nothing else to do, the spacewalks were canceled. Jones was devastated. Would he never get to walk in space, after all? Only time would tell.
STS-80 was still a success, however. The science completed aboard was good, and the satellite removal and retrivel was superb. After 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, and 18 seconds, Commander "Taco" Cockrell landed Columbia at Kennedy Space Center. Tom Jones had finally managed to land in the right place!
Jones & Jernigan still had a nagging fear, however, that shuttle personal would board Columbia after it landed and be able to open the hatch just fine! But those worries were for naught. Even the ground personal couldn't open the hatch, and they reassured the crew that there was nothing STS-80 could have done to fix the problem, short of breaking the hatch!
New Job, & A Mission
After STS-80, Jones and Jernigan were assigned to represent the Astronaut Office as the International Space Station (ISS) laboriously took shape. It was a hard, slow process, with Americans, Russians, and many other nations involved.
A year and a half after Jones' failed spacewalk, his old commander "Taco" had some great news: "Taco" Cockrell and Tom Jones would be flying in space together...again! Taco would once again be the commander, and rookie Mark Polansky would pilot their shuttle, Atlantis. Mark Lee would join Jones on the EVAs, and Marsha Ivins would round out the crew. The mission was STS-98, and launch day was about three years away.
However, by the time Atlantis would fly STS-98, spacewalk leader Mark Lee would be replaced by Bob "Beamer" Curbeam. Jones was bumped up to the role of "spacewalk leader"...even though he had never completed a spacewalk! Jones' wife Liz humorously remarked, "You're NASA's secret weapon: the best-trained space-walker who's never done a space walk." (see page 253 in Sky Walking.)
Training, teamwork, and more training went by in those three years. Now it was February 7, 2001, and Tom Jones once again found himself strapped aboard the Space Shuttle. Would he really get a chance to spacewalk? He hoped so.
6:11pm. Ready, set, WHAM, and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis! This time, Atlantis was carrying in her payload bay Destiny, a vital and important U.S. contribution to the ISS. When Atlantis reached the ISS, Jones and Beamer would have a date with Destiny, executing the extremely important task of attaching the module to the station.
Between February 10 and Valentine's Day, 2001, Jones and Curbeam performed three very successful spacewalks, fully attaching Destiny to the International Space Station. While only Jones and Curbeam actually spacewalked, the happy outcome was a result of co-operation, training, and teamwork between the entire crew. Tom Jones finally realized his dream of spacewalking!
Just like Mike Collins really describes what flying aboard Gemini and Apollo was like, so Tom Jones really describes what flying aboard the Space Shuttle was like. If you ever want to learn what it was really like flying on the shuttle, read Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir
!
After flying two shuttle missions in a very short time period, Don Puddy let Tom Jones take a break from shuttle flight training. Instead, Jones would serve as Capcom in Mission Control. What's a Capcom, you ask? Well, the Capcom was the only guy in Mission Control that could talk directly with the astronauts. Always, the Capcom would be an astronaut, and the Capcom would relay the wishes of ground-bound Mission Control to the orbiting crew. Jones learned much in his stint as Capcom, and developed a huge respect for the young, but highly competent and professional flight controllers that supported every flight.
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| The STS-80 crew, L-R: Rominger, Jernigan, Musgrave, Jones, and Cockrell |
Who would Tom Jones be flying with on STS-80? Well, the commander was Ken Cockrell, one of Jones' fellow Hairballs. While NASA PR called Cockrell by his first name, everyone else just called him "Taco"! Kent "Rommel" Rominger was the pilot, and 61-year-old Story Musgrave would supervise the mission's two planned spacewalks, to be executed by Jones and Tammy Jernigan. Story Musgrave had been an astronaut for thirty years, and showed no signs of slowing down as he looked forward to his sixth shuttle flight! These five people made up the crew of STS-80.
All through 1996, Jones and Jernigan trained and practiced their spacewalks in the Weightless Environment Training Facility, or WETF. Basically, the WETF was a gigantic pool 78 feet long, 33 feet wide, and 25 feet deep. Almost a half-million gallons of water in the WETF made for very realistic EVA training. By early November, Jones, Jernigan, and the rest of the STS-80 crew was ready. Due to various problems with the shuttle stack, the launch was rescheduled for November 19. The STS-80 crew were now slated for a weightless, hopefully happy, Thanksgiving holiday.
Holiday in space
Thanksgiving Day 1996 was planned to be a high day for Tom Jones; on this day he was scheduled to open the hatch and walk into the void of open space. Or so he thought. Jones and Jernigan--Jones' spacewalking partner--started preparing for the EVA the night before, by breathing pure oxygen for hours on end. This would help them on their spacewalk, the first of two planned EVAs.
Finally, the time came to open the hatch. Jones was ecstatic. He started turning the hatch handle a full rotation clockwise--but then it stopped. What happened? Both Jernigan and Jones tried, but the hatch handle would not budge past 30 degrees clockwise. Mission Control--and the crew--were stumped. Finally, thinking of nothing else to do, the spacewalks were canceled. Jones was devastated. Would he never get to walk in space, after all? Only time would tell.
STS-80 was still a success, however. The science completed aboard was good, and the satellite removal and retrivel was superb. After 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, and 18 seconds, Commander "Taco" Cockrell landed Columbia at Kennedy Space Center. Tom Jones had finally managed to land in the right place!
Jones & Jernigan still had a nagging fear, however, that shuttle personal would board Columbia after it landed and be able to open the hatch just fine! But those worries were for naught. Even the ground personal couldn't open the hatch, and they reassured the crew that there was nothing STS-80 could have done to fix the problem, short of breaking the hatch!
New Job, & A Mission
After STS-80, Jones and Jernigan were assigned to represent the Astronaut Office as the International Space Station (ISS) laboriously took shape. It was a hard, slow process, with Americans, Russians, and many other nations involved.
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| The STS-98 crew, L-R: Curbeam, Polansky, Ivins, Cockrell, and Jones |
However, by the time Atlantis would fly STS-98, spacewalk leader Mark Lee would be replaced by Bob "Beamer" Curbeam. Jones was bumped up to the role of "spacewalk leader"...even though he had never completed a spacewalk! Jones' wife Liz humorously remarked, "You're NASA's secret weapon: the best-trained space-walker who's never done a space walk." (see page 253 in Sky Walking.)
Training, teamwork, and more training went by in those three years. Now it was February 7, 2001, and Tom Jones once again found himself strapped aboard the Space Shuttle. Would he really get a chance to spacewalk? He hoped so.
6:11pm. Ready, set, WHAM, and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis! This time, Atlantis was carrying in her payload bay Destiny, a vital and important U.S. contribution to the ISS. When Atlantis reached the ISS, Jones and Beamer would have a date with Destiny, executing the extremely important task of attaching the module to the station.
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| Tom Jones, living the dream! |
Just like Mike Collins really describes what flying aboard Gemini and Apollo was like, so Tom Jones really describes what flying aboard the Space Shuttle was like. If you ever want to learn what it was really like flying on the shuttle, read Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir
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