Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Book Review: Churched
I give the book Churched 4.5 stars. It was a wonderful book. It was very funny and realistic. The book is an autobiography about the authors search for a church were he fits in. The author doesn't seem to glorify or over exaggerate his life, but he tells it in a way that other people can relate to. This book is a good light read with many spiritual insights that get you thinking about your own theology. I would definitely recommend this book. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing for this review.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Maylee Adventures: Facing the Sea Serpent
It's finally out! The Maylee Adventures: Facing the Sea Serpent, book 2 of the series, is available to purchase. You can visit our website to find links to purchase the book.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Do Not Like It
Have you ever been woken up by someone crying? It's not a good wake up. I have been woken up in this manner twice in the past three years. Both times it was on account of a beloved dog.
The first time one of our big dogs attacked one of our little dogs. We were able to take the little dog to the vet and he is still with us today: happy, healthy, and very much active. Today, however, the story did not end well. Prince John, our miniature Dachshund, would not move or get out of bed. He would not even lift his head up when someone came in. He wouldn't go to the bathroom or eat. We decided it was time for Prince to go to doggie heaven so we took him to the vet and put him to sleep. We had a funeral for our beloved pet. He had been with us for ten years and had become part of the family. A gravestone was erected at the burial plot.
Now many people may say that this, the death of a pet, is not traumatic and that we have no reason to grieve. Others may say that when an animal dies they cease to exist. They say that an animal has no soul; therefore, we have no reason to grieve for it and no reason to believe that the animal went to heaven. These people have obviously never had a pet they were attached to.
Pets are our deep friends. They are there for us when we're really excited or really sad. They are the very model of unconditional love. Would that humans would mimic their pets. Saying that a person should not grieve over their pet or worsening their grief by destroying their hope of a heaven where their pet goes to is like telling a person not to grieve for a brother or sister or best friend.
Many people, however, do not equate humans and animals. In some instances animal's lives are not as precious as humans. However, when you have a pet for any amount of time and have become emotionally attached then that animal's life is equal to the life of a human.
The gist of it is this. Prince John is dead and the entire family is crying. If animals do not have a soul, then why do they effect us this way? Don't judge what you have never been through.
The first time one of our big dogs attacked one of our little dogs. We were able to take the little dog to the vet and he is still with us today: happy, healthy, and very much active. Today, however, the story did not end well. Prince John, our miniature Dachshund, would not move or get out of bed. He would not even lift his head up when someone came in. He wouldn't go to the bathroom or eat. We decided it was time for Prince to go to doggie heaven so we took him to the vet and put him to sleep. We had a funeral for our beloved pet. He had been with us for ten years and had become part of the family. A gravestone was erected at the burial plot.
Now many people may say that this, the death of a pet, is not traumatic and that we have no reason to grieve. Others may say that when an animal dies they cease to exist. They say that an animal has no soul; therefore, we have no reason to grieve for it and no reason to believe that the animal went to heaven. These people have obviously never had a pet they were attached to.
Pets are our deep friends. They are there for us when we're really excited or really sad. They are the very model of unconditional love. Would that humans would mimic their pets. Saying that a person should not grieve over their pet or worsening their grief by destroying their hope of a heaven where their pet goes to is like telling a person not to grieve for a brother or sister or best friend.
Many people, however, do not equate humans and animals. In some instances animal's lives are not as precious as humans. However, when you have a pet for any amount of time and have become emotionally attached then that animal's life is equal to the life of a human.
The gist of it is this. Prince John is dead and the entire family is crying. If animals do not have a soul, then why do they effect us this way? Don't judge what you have never been through.
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