Alright, we celebrated Bubba's birthday at the super park near our community and thought we would only be outside for two hrs, but instead stayed for 4+ chatting it up with some friends and playing with the kids. Now, Emilee and I are both peeling from sunburn. But it was so much fun!
Also, I had an upper endoscopy done on the 22nd April to see what is up with all this stomach acid. They took a long cord and put it down my throat and into my esophagus, stomach and duodenum. I didn't feel it though because the meds were great! We get the results in two to three weeks.
Well, that's it for now. Just finishing up a web design and UML modeling/programming courses. In a couple weeks I start two more classes: DATABASES!!! My favorite!!
God bless!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Reality of RACE - 07 April 13
I was born and raised in a small town atmosphere in western North Carolina. In our small valley, I remember hearing preachers discuss how wrong it was for "races" to mix/date/marry. One of the greatest examples I can remember is how blacks and whites should not marry, date, have children, etc...
BREAK BREAK
By now, I've probably already lost some of you and you are not thinking the best of me.. however, I promise you may be surprised at where I'm going with this.
As time went on, and I grew up and went to college, I was blessed with having a front desk clerk job at a hotel. I could finish about 90% of my work within the first 30 minutes of the evening, then read and study the Bible. One of my friends at college at the time had questioned me about interracial relationships and where the Bible actually says they're wrong. After I went to the verse most pastors and preachers in my small Bible belt town in NC would reference (2 Corinthians 6:14), I realized it wasn't talking about races of people at all, but instead was saying for Christians/believers NOT to marry unbelievers. So I questioned my parents, then questioned my pastor (who once again referenced this verse). When I indicated to him that the verse was not discussing the intermingling of races or ethnic groups, but rather the intermingling of believers with unbelievers, he offered me a book entitled "God's plan for the white man" (... ... ... I know, sounds like it was written by the president of the KKK or something, right?). I politely said "Thanks, but I'm looking for scripture, not some other man's opinion". Suffice to say that NO ONE who holds this belief has been able to provide me with information as to WHY they believe this way other than it was the way they were raised.
So God has definitely educated me a lot since then. First, let me begin this by saying, I try to follow the example of the people of Berea in the Bible as much as possible (Acts 17:11, it's written that "the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true"). I make every attempt to receive the Word with an open heart and open mind, but then I like to go back and try to VERIFY if what was said was Truth or not.
SO... when I offered my heart and mind to God to help me divide facts from fiction, God has definitely opened my eyes to some amazing truths, and this is one of them.
ONE: there is ONLY one race: the human race. Blacks, whites, Mexicans, Africans, Europeans, Asians, etc are not descriptions of different races, but of people of different nations from across the world who were descendant from ONE source (if you TRULY believe the Bible).
TWO: God PROTECTED a mixed relationship.
In NUMBERS Chapter 12, Miriam and Aaron (Moses' siblings) began talking about Moses because of his Cushite wife. Here's the Scripture:
BREAK BREAK
By now, I've probably already lost some of you and you are not thinking the best of me.. however, I promise you may be surprised at where I'm going with this.
As time went on, and I grew up and went to college, I was blessed with having a front desk clerk job at a hotel. I could finish about 90% of my work within the first 30 minutes of the evening, then read and study the Bible. One of my friends at college at the time had questioned me about interracial relationships and where the Bible actually says they're wrong. After I went to the verse most pastors and preachers in my small Bible belt town in NC would reference (2 Corinthians 6:14), I realized it wasn't talking about races of people at all, but instead was saying for Christians/believers NOT to marry unbelievers. So I questioned my parents, then questioned my pastor (who once again referenced this verse). When I indicated to him that the verse was not discussing the intermingling of races or ethnic groups, but rather the intermingling of believers with unbelievers, he offered me a book entitled "God's plan for the white man" (... ... ... I know, sounds like it was written by the president of the KKK or something, right?). I politely said "Thanks, but I'm looking for scripture, not some other man's opinion". Suffice to say that NO ONE who holds this belief has been able to provide me with information as to WHY they believe this way other than it was the way they were raised.
So God has definitely educated me a lot since then. First, let me begin this by saying, I try to follow the example of the people of Berea in the Bible as much as possible (Acts 17:11, it's written that "the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true"). I make every attempt to receive the Word with an open heart and open mind, but then I like to go back and try to VERIFY if what was said was Truth or not.
SO... when I offered my heart and mind to God to help me divide facts from fiction, God has definitely opened my eyes to some amazing truths, and this is one of them.
ONE: there is ONLY one race: the human race. Blacks, whites, Mexicans, Africans, Europeans, Asians, etc are not descriptions of different races, but of people of different nations from across the world who were descendant from ONE source (if you TRULY believe the Bible).
TWO: God PROTECTED a mixed relationship.
In NUMBERS Chapter 12, Miriam and Aaron (Moses' siblings) began talking about Moses because of his Cushite wife. Here's the Scripture:
12 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.
3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud;he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
I speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I speak face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”
I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
I speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I speak face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”
9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.
10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous[a]—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!”
14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
CHECK THIS OUT CLOSELY: They were picking at Moses because he married a wife who was DIFFERENT. God brings Moses and his siblings outside the camp. He STANDS UP for Moses, but doesn't just stop with a wrist slap to Aaron and Miriam. What does he do next? HE STRIKES MIRIAM WITH A PLAGUE OF THE SKIN!!!!! HOLY COW!!!! So God punishes Miriam by plaguing her SKIN. God upholds the marriage of Moses and his wife, Zipporah.
THREE: God spoke to Samuel about the selection of the new King of Israel. In 1st Samuel 16:7, God tells Samuel:
Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
God spoke UNIVERSALLY. It's not just event-based. I believe when He said this to Samuel, He was speaking UNIVERSALLY stating He does NOT look on outward appearance, but rather on the condition of a man's heart.
So I hope that you will consider these verses when you are thinking about what Race truly is and that God does not care if one person of one nation or color marries someone of a different nation or color AS LONG AS both are believers. We are ALL equal in God's eyes, no matter what nation we hail from. He is indeed a JUST God!
~Be blessed!
Sermon Introduction - 07 April 2013
07 April 2013
Hi everyone!!
So I've been thinking of doing something like this for a long time, but just haven't implemented the idea yet. Before I joined the Air Force, I was a missionary, a ministry leader, youth minister, and evangelist. Since I've been in the Air Force, Emilee and I have been able to share the Gospel and Jesus with many people, helping some to find their way back to Christ, and maybe in others, at least planting a seed. But I've not really had an outlet for messages that I feel God places on my heart to share with people. Therefore, I'm going to start documenting them here and have links to them in the new blog page, and hopefully later on, will be able to get some video-recorded sermons up on YouTube to share.
Hope this section is a blessing to you and lifts you up during the hard times!
Be blessed!
In Christ,
Brad ("Bubba")
Updates from October 2012 to April 2013
Hi everyone,
So here are so really quick updates since last October:
October 2012
-Took kids trick-or-treating on Halloween (almost got rained out). Since we lived in the towers at Osan, we took them on every floor of our tower trick-or-treating. They got TONS of candy
November 2012
-Had some friends over for some Thanksgiving dinner. Had a blast! It was kind of like our last hoorah with them since we were starting to pack up like crazy people for the move
December 2012
-We went back and forth on whether to put up a Christmas tree due to our household goods being packed and removed on 26 December... we FINALLY decided to put up a small Christmas tree for the kids and let them open their presents before household goods were picked up.
19 December 2012
-I am relieved of duty (ROD) so I no longer had to go to work, just out-processing stuff.
26 December 2012
-Household goods were picked up and we moved from housing to TLF (temporary housing).
03 January 2013
-We left Korea from Incheon Int'l Airport and landed in San Francisco, then from SFO to Atlanta, Georgia where Emilee's parents picked us up in my truck (I was SOO happy to see it!)
January 2013
-We spent two weeks with my family, then two weeks with Emilee's parents and cousins. I ended up buying a gun (Springfield XD 40 cal) as well as my first motorcycle (Yamaha 2010 V-Star 950 Cruiser Touring). I also spent a lot of time with my little sister, Carleigh, and had a blast together! Also ended up eating with one of my favorite high school teachers and seeing a lot of old friends. We took mom, dad and Carleigh to Mall of GA Blvd for their very first time.
04 February 2013
-We started driving my truck pulling the trailor from NC to CA. Stopped in Arkansas to rest for the night, then start on our way again. Also stopped and ate at Cracker Barrel as our first restaurant on the way out in Tennessee. OH, and there was this car that was going NUTS all over the road, so Emilee used her giant lens on her camera to get the license plate, make and model, and we ended up calling 911 because they almost hit several vehicles (including an 18-wheeler). We led the cops right to the car. Crazy experience.
05 February 2013
-We continued driving from Arkansas through Oklahoma and stopped in New Mexico the second night to rest.
06 February 2013
-We continued driving from New Mexico all the way to our destination in California. YAYY, FINALLY ARRIVED!! I took the motorcycle off the trailer and drove it around a little to get used to the area. Spent a few days in-processing and FINALLY found us one of the new houses to live in (11 Feb) the same day we went to pick up the van. We moved in on Valentine's Day and then household goods arrived on 20 Feb.
March 2013
-Emilee turned 29!!!! HAHAHA!! I always joke with her about how she is older than me (though only by 4 months). We also ate at a LOT of our favorite places! We adopted two giant French lop rabbits from SPCA and have had a blast with them so far! They are HUGE!! We also received a great surprise visit from Fielding Stocksdale and Shua Allen before Field leaves the country with his wife and newborn child to enter the mission field.
-April 2013
-We are pretty much finished unpacking. I built Emilee a garden in our back yard, and I'm pretty much settled into my job and am loving it!! Em and I are both currently taking on line classes and will be for a LONG time to come, but are enjoying them. We're definitely ingrained at the chapel as I'm playing piano and we're both singing again (love working with our dear friend, Stephen, who we worked with the last time we were here). All in all, life is great and we're having a blast!!
That's it for now! God bless!
~Brad
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