We now send you back to your regularly scheduled program

Just wanted everyone (well, everyone who checks my blog) that I will be posting sometime next week. Holidays have been crazy, but I'll post more often starting next week. Everyone have a Merry Christmas!

Let's get to the point

Just some beginning comments about my blog. I will address why I chose this name later. For now, I only want to present why I started this blog. First of all, I admit it's just fun to have a sounding board, to talk about whatever you want, whatever is on your mind. I am, at first, going to talk about anything and everything, from God to politics to sports to social issues, in part because I am interested in many different things, and partly just to get a feeling for things. I am going to work towards something greater, though, which is my second point. If I am to be honest with myself, I have never really had a mind of my own. I just took what people told me, and agreed. This led to a problem of being unable to defend my stances on topics - to not only present what I believe, but also why I believed the way I did. It's very easy to present your opinion/stand/take on things....it's another to defend it, to critically analyze how I came to that conclusion, and also to be able to see both sides of a debate. My brother and I go out for coffee every so often, and when I talk to him, I see his ability to analytically study and think through things, his ability to not only present himself, but also to critically look at why he believes so, which leads to very strong conviction. It also leads to meaningful and engaging conversation. It is my desire, as I start this blog, to start to push myself towards being more of a thinker. I'm not going to wax eloquent about Socrates and stuff, and use big fancy words (unless my Thesaurus lends one to me), but I am going to present my points, and (hopefully) critically defend it and/or question it. Having this blog also allows others to read it, and challenge/question/engage me, and help me to further be a more developed thinker, and to be an individual not taken on the first point to the contrary presented to me. I need this both as a member of society, and also, more importantly, as a born again Christian, to be able to defend my faith, and stand strong, so that I don't waver. If I don't know why I believe something, it is much easier for someone to change my mind. I need to be more strong in my faith and convictions, so I'm not so easily swayed, as the bible admonishes in Ephesians 4:14-15, which says "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby the lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." This is my wish, to be this way.

People these days are not challenged to think. We're to take what is presented, and only worry about the weather or the scores from last night, and other things like that. We don't need to think....there's people to do that for us. However, God made us to think, no matter how much it is discouraged. It's time for me to start exercising my brain. It's time for all of us to. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy your reading here.