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Monday, April 25, 2005
Drawn from Paul's brain at 9:03 pm
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Friday, April 08, 2005
OK, let's commit to this. I have set up my own blog on my own site. For the foreseeable future, all updates will be happening over there. The address is
www.paulneil.com/myblog/
Come see me over there. Post on the tagboard to let me know you made it.
Drawn from Paul's brain at 10:39 am
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Wednesday, April 06, 2005
... No Matter How Long You Must Wait
Well, I just heard from the church where I interviewed. They're going to formally interview a guy who grew up in that church, has been a youth pastor elsewhere, and now is feeling released from that position. I can't fault them for that. There's a loyalty thing there -- and if God calls you back to your home-church, it's a unique opportunity. It doesn't always work out, from what I hear, but it is still something you have to be open to.
So anyway, it's back to square one. And that's not fun.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
--1 Kings 17:2-5
Well, Lord, I'm in the ravine. And I'm staying. Don't forget about me.
Drawn from Paul's brain at 10:52 am
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Thursday, March 31, 2005
The World's Ugliest Star Trek Toys
I've always loved miniatures, but the sight of this one gives me nightmares. It's a miniscule figure of Counselor Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation. When I say miniscule, I mean MINISCULE -- it's about three-quarters of an inch high. I mean, I could fit this thing up my nose with room to spare. Not that I would. 'Cause that would be, y'know, weird.
Anyway, I included a picture of the actual character for comparison. But really there is no comparison.
The plastic one probably is probably a better actress, though.
Just sayin'.
 
Drawn from Paul's brain at 12:41 pm
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Wednesday, March 30, 2005
  I have not forgotten the memories -- there are still three folks up to be "memor-ized" (heehee). However, in the middle of that I'm starting another new project. Pictured here are just two tiny pieces out of hundreds of little weird things I have accumulated. I just figured out how to use a "macro" lens on my camera (I got the lens a year ago but hadn't used it), so I thought I'd photograph some of these little things and write about them.
These two little pieces go together, believe it or not. Each is about an inch and a half high, and came in a Kinder-Egg. Sadly, these are illegal to sell here in the States (the FDA considers the toy an "embedded" choking hazard), but they certainly are sold in Mexico (and Canada)! They're foil-wrapped chocolate eggs containing an orange plastic egg within. The orange egg holds a wonderful toy. Yes, you heard right! Snap together a few mass-produced plastic pieces, and you have a toy guaranteed to be lost by a five-year old.
I got these on our second Commission Unto Mexico trip. The ship fascinates me. The sticker of a Trojan helmet adds such authenticity. Of course, for some reason, across the front of the helmet, it says "SPQR" for some reason I have yet to figure out.
The other little guy -- let's call him Reginald -- is a hockey player with a very awkward stance. Gotta dig that stylin' hat, though, and the sly look in his eye lets you know that you'd best not turn your back on him. If I recall correctly, Reginald came with a tiny little hockey puck with a flag sticking out the top of it. It was, of course, promptly lost. Someone else on the trip got a corresponding female hockey player. We tried to play some sort of game with them in the 8.2 second interval between assembling them and losing the puck, but couldn't quite figure out what we were supposed to do with them. But that's okay. Reginald is my Mexican hockey player friend, and I forgive him for having no actual hockey skills.
This guy sells Kinder-Egg toys by the case. Anyone wanna order me some? Anyone? Bueller?
:: crickets ::
Drawn from Paul's brain at 3:28 pm
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Monday, March 28, 2005
Drawn from Paul's brain at 8:58 pm
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Sunday, March 27, 2005
 I saw a robin this morning.
Might not mean much to you, but it did to me. It was perched on my back fence.
Its the first robin I've seen since the fall.
Robins herald the arrival of spring.
It's been a long, sad, cold winter.
But spring is here.
It's more than just a date on the calendar.
It's when the world reawakens. The wind picks up and sweeps away the remnants of winter, leaving instead budding greenery and the scent of new growth.
The grayness and limp sogginess of winter is replaced by bright flowers and thunderstorms.
It feels like I've been waiting for spring for a long time.
God is good, all the time. Thank you, Lord, for sending a robin this morning.
(Sometimes it's the little things that matter.)
Drawn from Paul's brain at 8:39 am
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Saturday, March 26, 2005
Just for the record ... THIS STUFF --
leaves glitter EVERYWHERE.
Drawn from Paul's brain at 9:40 pm
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 The Pieta. It's a sculpture of Mary, mother of Jesus, cradling her dead Son in her lap.
I saw it performed by real people earlier tonight. Besides being stunningly beautiful, it spoke to me.
Have I embraced His death? Recently, I mean. Have I looked on His corpse, and remembered what He did for me?
It's grisly -- morbid, even.
But He did it for me. Tonight, I placed myself in Mary's spot in that sculpture. I held my dead Savior in my arms. I looked in His face, bruised and bloodied. I felt the cold flesh. I saw the deep wounds in His hands, His feet, His side, and His forehead.
He did it for me.
Drawn from Paul's brain at 12:17 am
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Wednesday, March 23, 2005
I found this in an old box ... I wrote it for an Intro to Biblical Faith class taught by Tim Green during my first semester at Trevecca. It's dated October 18, 1991.
In Celebration of YAHWEH: THEN
An ordinary man, born in Ur of the Chaldeans.
His name? Abram.
Son of Terah. Brother of Nahor and Haran.
Married to his half-sister Sarai.
Not a great man, yet not lowly.
His father worshipped "other gods".
But Abram was called -- by YAHWEH, God Most High.
Through this humble man called Abram,
YAHWEH created a child for Himself --
A child-nation called Israel.
Like most children, she often disobeyed.
Turned her back on her Father -- her God.
She was punished.
And then, her God opened His arms.
"I will be your God, and you will be My people."
I will be your Father, and you will be My child.
When you disobey, I will correct you.
When you hurt, I will comfort you.
When you are challenged, I will fight for you.
When you question, I will answer.
When you are lost, I will guide you.
When you are hungry, I will feed you.
When you are in need, I will provide for you.
I will Provide, I will Deliver, I will Fulfill My Promises.
In Celebration of YAHWEH: NOW
"I will be your God, and you will be My people."
Through JESUS CHRIST, God created a child --
His Church.
He will be our God, and we will be His people.
As He was for Israel,
He will be our Provider;
He will be our Deliverer.
As He did for Israel,
He will fulfill His promises.
He will be our Father, and we will be His children.
We must love Him enough to obey Him.
He Is Our God, and We Are His People.
Drawn from Paul's brain at 9:19 pm
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