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THE LEGEND OF MITEAL
A fantasy novel inspired by (but completely unrelated in anyway to) CS Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" book series. Enter a world of man's dreams. A world as separate as our own, but connected in ways beyond knowledge.
This is the saga of two close friends and the journey they take from youths to maturity and the greater purpose of which they are a part of. Join them as they travel the seven lands of Miteal in a search to restore truth to the land...and save their own.

Would you support "Miteal's" publication?
1. A Legend in the Making: pt 1 2. A Legend in the Making: pt 2
3. Chs 11 & 12 4. Ch 13: Tenth-Grade Troubles
5. Ch 14: The Fall of Miteal; pt 1 6. Ch 14: The Fall of Miteal; pt 2

Through the Knight's Armor

Saturday, 31 December 2011

  • Die to Let Live

    Originally posted December 29, 2011 @ 11:06 PM.

    On Facebook, the anti-abortion organization, 180 Movie, posted a link about a young teen, Jenni Lake, who gave up chemo treatments in order to protect her unborn son's life. Twelve days later, she died.

    Jenni didn't show regret for her decision, not in the final weeks of her pregnancy as she grew weaker, and not when she started to lose her vision as the cancer took its course, her family said.

    Jenni's last words were about her son as he was placed beside her a final time, her father said.

    As she felt for the baby, she said: "I can kind of see him."

    Jenni was 16 when she was diagnosed with stage-three astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor. According to her biopsy, she had three tumors on her brain, and three on her spine, which was rare because the tumor spread without any noticeable symptoms.

    "Jenni just flat out asked them if she was going to die," said her father, Mike Lake, 43, a truck driver who lives in Rexburg, north of Pocatello.

    The answer wasn't good. With treatment, the teen was told she had a 30 percent chance to make it two years, Lake said. While he was heartbroken, Lake marveled at how strong she seemed in that moment. "She didn't break down and cry or anything," he said.

    The strength Jenni showed, however, was not without an endless string of trials that tested her courage and determination to endure on towards life renewed.

    Jenni started dating Nathan [the baby's father] a couple of weeks before she received her diagnosis. Their adolescent relationship withstood the very adult test posed by cancer, the treatments that left her barely able to walk from her living room to her bedroom, and the gossip at school.

    "The rumors started flying around, like Nathan was only with her because she had cancer," said Jenni's older sister, Ashlee Lake, 20, who tried to squelch the mean-spirited chatter even as the young couple ignored it.

    The greatest test of all, though, came when Nathan and Jenni discovered they would become parents. Jenni's chemo treatments were already helping her win the battle against her cancer, even as it left her weakened and frail. Still, her resolve for life extended far beyond simply her own well being...

    She had been throwing up a lot and had sharp stomach pains. She went to the emergency room early one morning with her boyfriend and when she returned home, her family members woke up to the sound of crying. "We could hear Jenni just bawling in her room," said her sister, Kaisee, 19.

    She had learned that she was pregnant, and an ultrasound would show the fetus was 10 weeks old.

    Jenni's journey was no longer her own.

    Because of the likelihood that her chemo treatments could make her unable to have children, Nathan recalled how they did not worry about the possibility of pregnancy. Jenni had always wanted to be a mom, and wasted no time in making her decision: she was resolute in the fact that she would do all she could to ensure her baby lived on. That meant her chemo treatments would have to end even though her cancer was not completely eradicated.

    There was no discussion about which path Jenni would choose. Her parents didn't think of it as a clear life or death decision, and Jenni may not have, either. They believed that since the tumors had already started to shrink earlier, she had a strong chance of carrying the baby and then returning to treatment after he was born.

    "I guess we were just hoping that after she had the baby, she could go back on the chemotherapy and get better," her mother said.

    Sadly, Jenni died twelve days after giving birth to her son, Chad Michael, who was named after both of his grandfathers, one month before she turned 18.

    The nurse would later repeat the girl's words to comfort her family, as their worst fears were realized a day after Jenni's baby was born.

    "She told the nurse, `I'm done, I did what I was supposed to. My baby is going to get here safe,'" said Diana Phillips, Jenni's mother.

    When Chad Michael gets older, both his dad, Nathan, who has legal custody, and the rest of his family - grandparents and aunts and uncles - will know that his mother loved him with every fiber of her being. She gave up her life so he could have his.

    ...

    I shared this link on Facebook and posted the comment...

    Tell me AGAIN that a mother ought to abort her baby just to save her own life. Tell me AGAIN how that's somehow better than murdering a child. This baby won't have his mom, but he'll later learn that his mom LOVED HIM more than enough to see him come to life. This boy will grow to be a man knowing everything he NEEDS to know in order to have a full and great life. This was nothing but selfless. You can't say the same thing for those mothers who lived while their babies died.

    ...to which I was given the following reply...

    Because she is a person and it is a fetus, and the known person should have the right to choose to live.

    It is not my desire that the mother should have to die at all, for any reason. That death is even a factor in any situation saddens me greatly. As a Christian, even the most vile of people - even Hitler, himself, and rapists and murderers and wife beaters alike - I desire to have life. Unfortunately, the world we live in is not so ideal, as there are natural and imposed consequences for the choices we make. So there is no option to remove death from the list of options available to us when dealing with dire and difficult situations. Please don't think me, or anyone who shares my Christian and/or anti-abortion views, as the sort to disregard the concerns of the parents of the potentially-aborted baby. I'm not. There is a stark difference between maintaining one's rights (better said, one's privilege) to life and upholding the value of life.

    That said, I was extremely upset - furious - with that comment. I gave the following rebuke:

    Right... Let's just totally disregard the baby. They are BOTH persons. Point of fact. That baby has EVERY right to live. How utterly self-serving for a mother to choose her own life over an innocent child's. How absolutely HEARTLESS for anyone to think a child - regardless of how developed they are - is disposable because someone else might be at risk. If life is that trivial when another's life is in danger, why do we praise soldiers and cops and the like who risk their own lives so another may live? When someone is at a point of helplessness and cannot save themselves, it is our DUTY - every human being - to offer ourselves for the sake of another.

    The right to choose has become a pathetic flag for the self-indulged to hide behind because they care more about themselves and their desires than the well being of another. It's disgusting and pathetic.

    That child will never know his mother, but he will know that he was WANTED, that he was LOVED, and that someone valued his life over their own.

    He stands a better chance (assuming he makes consistently wise choices of his own) of growing into one FINE young man.

    But if you're going to see that once-unborn baby as just a fetus, and because presently there is still a large debate about when a fetus supposedly "becomes" a person...since there is still no consensus on the matter, I'm going to decide to call YOU a disposable "mass of cells", too. Oh, no, the fact that you've been born doesn't matter. No, because I refuse to recognize any other point where your value as a person suddenly initiates.

    Does that sound like a ludicrous argument? It ought to. Because so is your reference to that once-unborn baby as a mere fetus whose worth was somehow less than the mother's. Who are YOU to determine that the baby wasn't worth dying for? The mother valued her SON even before she knew him in her arms. And for ONE WEEK she got to love him. For her, that was worth dying. DAMN YOUR PATHETIC ideas that choice trumps life. DAMN IT!

    As the saying goes, YOU got life even though you had no ability to choose it. HOW DARE YOU insist that any other child not be given the same opportunity!!! How hypocritical!!! A "fetus"? A mere "fetus"? Look at that baby boy in the picture again and call HIM a fetus again. "Fetus" is nothing more than a description of the stage of development. Shall I call you less than a person because you haven't "developed" into an older man yet? Shall I disregard your worth because you haven't "arrived" in life? How completely asinine! And such is that line of thinking.

    ...

    There have been arguments in the past regarding the times when a mother's life is in jeopardy during a pregnancy. Again, it's not my desire that any should die. I'm not one who would insist on forcing a mother to die. To that point, it ought to be a choice...her choice. However, I argue passionately that there is only one right choice to make. Legality be damned. Further, the number of occurrences when a mother's life is in mortal danger range in the nearly obscure. It's barely an argument that bears deep attention.

    Abortion does not solve any real problems. The over-population of the world is based on false claims. The issue of unwanted babies would be greatly diminished if people would stop abusing sex as nothing more than "two consenting adults" (which is really just an excuse to have all the pleasures without the responsibilities and potential consequences). The existing "unwanted" children really are wanted by someone...it's just a matter of helping to get them to the right parents.

    Abortion only continues to serve the self-serving focus that infects all of humanity. Further, it is a known cause of cancer, potentially prevents a woman from having kids when she does want them, and adds to one's sense of shame. Not to mention is allows the devaluation of life to prevail!

    The story of Jenni Lake proves that the argument for abortion is empty of any legitimacy. There are people who would want the unborn child - in this case, Chad Michael's entire family, especially his own father! Choice is an ill argument in the face of the fact that a living human being was growing inside Jenni. Choice over life fails in the face of a mother's recognition to see a baby to full term even as it risked her own well being. In contrast, the argument that a woman's body is her own (while valid by itself) cannot win when confronted with the reality of another life that depends on love of his mother.

    ...

    It is my hope that Jenni knew Jesus Christ. For now, though, it is to her memory that I post this article. She died a woman of honor and courage, and her memory and sacrifice will be of great power when her son comes to an age of understanding. Chad Michael was not born in tragedy, but out of love.

    ...

    For a similar case, read on.

Thursday, 29 December 2011

  • Believing in Hell: A Short Quiz

    Originally posted December 28, 2011 @ 10:31 PM.

    Adapted from the book, "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan & Preston Sprinkle, page 21-22

    Fill in the blank (select one answer):

    __________ believe in a God who shows His power by punishing non-Christians in Hell at the End of Time and who magnifies His mercy by blessing Christians forever in Heaven through faith in Christ?

    A) Do you want to...
    B) Could you...

    Class is now in session. Begin! (No peeking.)

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

  • Christmas Wishes

    With the grand holiday of Christmas over with for the year, I just got to thinking given the many comments I hear and read saying how people are relieved that Christmas is over. It just got me to thinking...

    See, I live in Texas now - I have been for the last year - and have no family down here. I'm virtually alone. I wasn't able to spend Christmas with my girlfriend because her family went to Dallas and I had to work before and after Christmas day. It was looking to be a very lonesome Christmas for me. But a co-worker and her husband invited me over and gave me a very warm and welcome Christmas. With their family, I was able to truly enjoy the holidays. They even bought me a few gifts - a warmer jacket and a book on Jesus' life before His crucifixion - which were completely unexpected.

    I didn't have much this year that I wished for, but I was given more than all I dreamed of or "expected".

    Ultimately, I wondered, did you get what you hoped for this year? And how did it affect your views on Christmas? What expectations did you have, and how might your attitude have changed if you didn't get what you wanted? Do you think anything would be different, or better, if things didn't turn out as expected?

  • The Price of Sin

    Note: This post deals specifically with the issue of sin and the consequence of sinning. This isn't to disregard the grace and mercy given to us by Christ. We must first understand why Christ had to die. Why sin is such a serious issue. That's what I attempt to address here.

    So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the LORD had commanded him.
    And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has commanded.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the LORD.
    Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.”

    Moses told the LORD what the people had said. Then the LORD told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.

    No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.’ However, when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain.”

    Exodus 19:7-13, NLT

    God set up a boundary line of which the people could not cross. Should there be any violation of that boundary, death was the consequence.


    Throughout human history, we have sought to relegate consequences to various laws when broken. A person who steals may have to pay the cost of the item plus interest. Someone who murders will lose their life or serve the remainder of the life in prison. A drunk driver can no longer drive legally. And so on. Each law has its correlating consequence, or punishment, if broken.

    The severity of the crime also plays a factor. Was the theft a large or small amount? Was the murder premeditated or due to invoked rage? Is it the driver's first offense or third?

    This is an appropriate form of legal justice, and Biblical. However, we tend to stretch this far - too far - into our spiritual justification. "God, I did sin, but I was mostly good. I should be allowed into Heaven."

    "Mostly good". Not at all a logical argument.

    See, in this passage, God makes two things clear: 1. Do not cross the boundary to any extent. 2. Crossing the line is deserving of the punishment of death.

    And just to make certain His command is not open for exceptions, God expounds on His decree: (A) Don't touch a person who has crossed the boundary. (B) Don't touch an animal who has crossed the boundary. (C) If you have not heard the horn blast, don't cross the boundary.

    God spells it out! And the punishment is clear and the same: death!

    No one could say, "I reached my hand across, but I was mostly before the foot of the mountain." Nor, "My goat went across - I only went to get it." There was no trying to diminish the penalty for crossing the line, as if a slap on the rear or a serious scolding would suffice.

    There was no accounting for why or how badly the line was crossed. Sin was committed. When God expressed the law, the point to observe was that the law was to be obeyed. God was not interested in our trying to maintain a reasonable excuse for why the boundary was crossed, nor analyzing the severity by which the law was broken.

    In human relationships and daily affairs, offenses carry varying degrees of consequences. But only one thing matters when we sin against God: we sinned. And that results in one ultimate consequence: death.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

  • Judging a Christian

    Originally posted June 21, 2011 7:04 PM
    NOTE: This post is written with a general tone. No specific criticism is intended towards anyone, general or specific. It is intended to be received with thoughtfulness and self-inspection. If this happens to not apply to you, then wonderful! If so, then it's with humility that I hope you will apply it. I, myself, have to remember to check my own attitude towards others, even if their attitude warrents appropriate criticism. God bless!

    It is not up us (Christians) to say who IS or is NOT a Christian...who is or is not going to Heaven or Hell. No more than we can tell a tree what fruit it ought to bear.

    But we can judge (reasonably) if one is a Christian by the fruit of his heart; his likeness to Christ. Just as we can tell an apple tree from an orange tree by their fruit. Do the qualities which define a Christ-follower show evidently in the character and actions of the person? If you were to examine his soul, would his spiritual DNA testify that it was truly Jesus who lived in him? If you cut open an apple, shouldn't you find apple seeds? You should certainly find seeds at all.

    And is the Christian young in spirit? Is he recovering from a broken heart now made new? A young sapling may not yet bear any resemblance or show any evidence - that is, fruit - that it is, indeed, the sort of tree it will mature into. Even full-grown trees can become sick, too, and must be cared for, nurtured back to health. It's fruit may taste sour or bitter and not seem like it ought to be. But it is no less a fruit tree.

    We may be deceived by some would-be Christians. We may falsely judge a new Christian who has not yet matured as pagan. We, ourselves, may not even know what all a Christian ought to be, or we may know and yet fail to apply love, compassion, patience and understanding.

    Jesus knows who are His as a shepherd knows his sheep. Listen to the Shepherd, and let Him worry about who may enter the Heavenly Pasture. Simply continue to encourage and serve the Flock as you have been called to do, and "baa" with the same grace which God gave you towards those who wander close to the teeth of the wolves.

    Discern wisely so you are in the company of fellow Christians and not led away by false believers, and then leave the Final Judgment to the Lord.

Thursday, 31 March 2011

  • Argument with my bladder at 5am

    Originally posted September 29, 2009.

    Me: "I'm sleeping...leave me alone!"

    Bladder: "But I gotta goooo!"

    Me: "You went five hours ago! And I haven't had a sip to drink since!"

    Bladder: "Hey, I still process more than liquids here, buddy."

    Me: "Look, it's just your imagination. You're dreaming it. You don't have to 'goooo' so let me sleep."

    Bladder: "You won't be so sure when you have a warm, amonia-based 'wet dream' all of a sudden!"

    Me: "FINE! Fine...I'll get up. *mumbles* Pushy bladder..."

    Bladder: "I HEARD THAT!"

    Me: "Oh, piss off..." <-- I didn't really say that.

    Bladder: "Okay, I will...bathroom is down the hall. Heh."

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

  • A Tale of Two Creations

    Originially written March 28, 2011.

    CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT
    Contradictions in the Bible have been proposed and argued for years on end. Indeed, the original languages the Scriptures were written in still pose many questions for the best of the most honest of experts, even with the latest discoveries in the last 50-100 years. However, many critics (“many” in terms of my experience, at least) tend to harass Biblical claims not because of actual contradictions, but due to a misunderstanding of the context of each of the supposed contradicting passages.
    The Bible, though, is not a straight-through law book. And its stories often refer to the same events and people in different ways. The Bible is, in fact, a book of books (and letters, to be precise). They were written by different people to different people, at different times, and with different topics or themes to highlight. To read it as a law book, where each law is built off of or a compliment or exception to one another, would be a mistake. When reading – and understanding – the Bible in its entirety, several factors must be taken into consideration:

    • time and setting
    • the author
    • the original recipients of the Scriptures
    • the writing style (i.e.: poetic, literal)
    • the theme of or purpose for the writings
    • the culture(s) being represented in the writings

     …and others. Create a better understanding by clicking here...

Thursday, 24 March 2011

  • All better now...please come again?!

    Originally posted September 13, 2009.

    Okay, so for those of you who aren't into video games or Pokemon, let me explain a few general things about Pokemon...

    As you might be familiar with, the idea is to capture wild Pokemon and "tame" them and add them to your party, which you use to capture other Pokemon or battle with against other people's teams. Although there is "action" involved, there is no blood or gore or deaths. This game is totally kid-friendly.

    In the process of battling against other Pokemon, of course, your Pokemon will get injured, and if not healed, will eventually faint in battle and will be basically useless.

    AH! But there's hope! There are Pokemon Centers - the Trainer's hospital for Pokemon. It's a simple matter of taking your injured Pokemon to the front desk, handing your Pokemon in tiny Pokemon Balls (which, no matter how big the Pokemon is, manages to hold each Pokemon safely and securely and comfortably inside) to the nurse and she puts the Balls in a healing machine...a process that takes all of about 3 seconds.

    Now, if you're not into video games or you think Pokemon are silly, that's fine. :) It's just a game and it could be something totally different but with the same game play and strategy. But here's the line that gets me...after healing the Pokemon, the nurse quite simply says, "We hope to see you again!"

    WHAT THE....?!  Why would they want to see me again? Do they WANT my Pokemon to get injured? Is there a secret plot in effect for financial gain? Is my insurance going to go up? (FYI: there's no insurance in Pokemon.) Is Obama into Pokemon, too?
    Why do they hope I'll come again? Nevermind that on the top floor and in the basement there are wi-fi and wireless stations to connect with other Pokemon game players. I'm only there because my Pokemon were injured at all!

    All I can say is that something is quite off. And I've noticed this ever since Pokemon Blue/Red for the original GameBoy...

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

  • M.Xanga.com

    A Xanga/Facebook friend just told me about m.Xanga.com...from which this post comes to you from. :D Now I can blog without having to borrow anyone's computer!

    Since when DID Xanga launch their mobile site??

Thursday, 17 March 2011

  • Blog Post of My Blog Posts

    Originally posted February 10, 2010 @ 5:57 PM.

    Here you will find a collection of blogs I have written that I find noteworthy for various reasons.
    Either I'm particularly proud of it, find it funny and wanted to pass on the humor, have something I feel is particularly important and/or encouraging, or it is otherwise just something I want to highlight.

    Posts are listed by original date published. Some have been timestamped to a later date.

     Check my Xanga home page in the future for a link to this post.

    I hope you find them equally as worthwhile.

    ~|~ Michael

     

    TITLE DESCRIPTION WRITTEN
    Kuriousity Kwestion
    1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
    An assortment of random questions that have come to my mind at random times that I randomly ask...randomly. Varies
    A Sort of Cheery Rainy Day A short narration of the world about me as I got up to walk to work one wet Washington day. 3/20/2009
    A Christian's ID: How Do They Know You? Letting our lives be the identification of our faith in Christ. 6/1/2009
    Opinions, Perceptions & Truth Showing how Truth stands alone, apart from opinions and perceptions of reality. 6/4/2009
    The Lord's Hugs Reaching out to God in the pain, failures, fears, anger, and more...and finding that He's there. 6/5/2009
    L is for Law, G is for Grace The difference between the two, why the law is important, and why grace (and not following rules) is the only thing that can save us. 6/16/2009
    My Favorite Subway Sandwich A little hip-hop diddy I wrote...I need to record this... 7/30/2009
    Hey! I Know You From Somewhere Will we know/recognize friends and family in Heaven? To be sure! 7/31/2009
    The Wicker Coal Basket God will answer our prayers and often give us what we ask for...but not always in the way that we expect or anticipate. date
    Thoughts and Other Things Random thoughts and oddball-ness straight from my own mind. 8/13/2009
    God Said, "No," and I'm GLAD! Told with a mild (and silly) film-noir style, I tell the story of how I almost had a buyer for some jewelry I tried to sell, and why it was a good thing that God did not let it happen. 8/18/2009
    Close Encounters With Appliances When a random daily experience, two very distance locations, and my odd sense of humor collide. 9/1/2010
    That Makes (Non)sense How ordinary becomes extraordinary. 9/9/2009
    All Better Now...Please Come Again?! An odd line of dialogue found in all POKeMON games. 9/13/2009
    Church...But "Seriously", Folks Not all churches are dull and boring...take mine for example. 9/15/2009
    To Arms, MEN!!! A call to my fellow males to be true men in how we treat the women in our lives. 9/18/2009
    Knowledge Does NOT ALWAYS Equal Power Sometimes what we know isn't enough. 9/26/2009
    Dear Dad: A Song I Wrote a While Back Lyrics I wrote expressing my pain and frustration with a father who wasn't a dad the way I needed him to be. (No music.) 9/26/2009
    Argument With My Bladder At 5am The title says it all...except, I didn't literally have this argument. 9/29/2009
    The Fear and the Choice A personal struggle of shame...feeling I am worthless because others treated me as if I really was. 10/5/2009
    Sin Does Not Exist? A debate about the reality of sin. 10/16/2009
    No Sin Again? A (new) debate about the reality of sin. 10/20/2009
    Onward (Christian) Soldier Encouragement for believers who suffer and to help others who suffer, too. 10/22/2009
    Logical Pretend A made-up story I wrote to explain how our perspective can actually distort how we see the whole truth. 10/27/2009
    The Trade-Off A deeper account of what Jesus did for us and why we cannot save ourselves. 10/29/2009
    Take Me A short poem that reflects a moment of my anger and of my male heart. 10/31/2009
    The Use-To-Be-Daddy Remembering "my" kids... 11/4/2009
    (Im)perfect Math Explaining why there is no such thing as "good enough" for Heaven. (Those who hated math in school...my apologies.) 11/22/2009
    Wii? Oui. Weeeeeeee!!! I finally got my Wii!!! A...er..."documentary". 11/29/2009
    My Heroine How a very special Woman came to defend my honor...and touched my heart. 11/30/2009
    God's Gender How God is not just male or just female...but both and neither. 12/8/2009
    I Have Never... Things I have never done...some I probably should never try to remedy, either. 12/12/2009
    President Chia Pet Obama's new "afro" should make Green Peace very happy. 12/15/2009
    Pretty (Stuffed) Kitty When Christmas gifts get an attitude complex. 12/17/2009
    What and Who a Woman Is Cutting to the heart of the matter: understanding a woman's very being. 12/18/2009
    Random Chatting So, I was talking with my best friend---HEDGEHOG!!! 12/19/2009
    X-Mas 2009: The 3 Gifts Part One of my Christmas series. Detailing just what the three gifts were and why they were important. 12/21/2009
    X-Mas 2009: Twelve Days of Christmas Part Two of my Christmas series. One of the oddest songs of (American) Christmas tradition explained.
    At the Hands of Perfection A debate about whether we are created perfect and sin ruins that, or if we are born imperfect because of sin from the beginning. 12/29/2009
    A Heart of Stone: A Journey Through Exodus An in-depth account of Exodus 1-15 from the Bible. Showing how Pharaoh's pride brought him and his army to their deaths and how God used it to set His people free from slavery. 1/2/2010
    Thoughts and Other Things, part 2 Do you dare enter my mind? No? That's quite alright...I'll bring it out to you! 1/4/2010
    Cutting Down the Load: The Curse of a Lighter Burden A cartoon strip (that I didn't draw) showing what happens when we "trim down" the load Christ calls us to carry as we follow Him. 1/15/2010
    And Justice for All How God is just and fair even when dealing with people who have not heard the Gospel. 1/20/2010
    Interpreting the Bible: A Quick Thought A thought that came to mind while listening to my pastor's sermon (about how to correctly interpret the Bible). 1/24/2010
    Human Rights - A Quick Thought Just how do we derive what "human rights" are? 1/29/2010
    God Answers the Whiners God has not missed that you're in a dire, painful, confusing, frustrating, seemingly-hopeless situation. 2/18/2010
    ASK ME!!! Ask me anything at all...whatever pops into your mind. 2/22/2010
    And Still He Loves Us Despite EVERYTHING we have done wrong, God still loves and cares about us. 3/8/2010
    The Myth of Christian Persecution: A Response The subtle-yet-powerfully moving powers that be that are attacking Christianity in the shadows are just as effective as those that attack openly. 3/19/2010
    Karma, Justice, & Grace
     I Karma | II Justice | III Grace
    A three-part series comparing the nature of karma, justice, and grace and explaining the Bible's perspective on each. Varies
    Doing Good Works: Expecting Much? SERVICE + EXPECTATIONS = SLAVE. When we have expectations while serving, it's no longer service but a transaction. 3/27/2010
    America Bless God My thoughts about the very one-sided American slogan. 3/29/2010
    Jesus says, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" The effects of worrying needlessly and why it never helps. 3/29/2010
    The Benefits of Suffering Through Trials People go through long periods of suffering, often on right on top of another. But why? 3/31/2010
    Chess With God: How God Meets Our Needs I use the light illustration of a chess game to show how God uses us to meet our needs and the needs of others in ways we couldn't fathom on our own. (No April Fools here, folks.) 4/1/2010
    God and GPS It's pretty easy to get spiritually lost. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit knows the way. 4/3/2010
    The Age of God A hilarious dialogue of quick wit. 4/3/2010
    And God Rested The reason for the Sabbath and why God made it so important. 4/4/2010
    Are You My Father? A painful account of what it's like to feel fatherless even as my dad lives. 4/6/2010
    Kindness: What's in Your Wallet? Expressing kindness to those whom everyone else might not think is worthy. 4/7/2010
    Depressed and Happy About It How contentment is an attitude we choose to have or not. 4/9/2010
    Struggles With Sex - a testimony
    I | II | III | IV pt 1 | IV pt 2 | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX
    A candid story outlining how I began my struggles with pornography and other sexual problems...and how I have become free of it. Varies
    The Sinner's Prayer Is the Sinner's Prayer a tool or a requirement to Christianity? I explain here. 4/17/2010
    Evesdropping On God and Satan A comical short-story of mistaken identities and nuts. 4/19/2010
    A Model Prayer
    I Pray in Private | II Pray With a Plan
    The Lord's Prayer
    III Father | IV Holy Name | V Kingdom Come
    VI Daily Bread | VII Forgiveness | VIII Temptation
    A multi-part series about how Jesus breaks down the way our prayer life ought to be. Varies
    Jesus & Sin: Your Debts Canceled I use the illustration of being in debt to explain how it is that we are slaves to the nature of sin, and how Jesus set us free from that debt. 4/25/2010
    Reel Life: Finding God in Hollywood Could it possible to find God's Holy Word hidden in a secular venue such as Hollywood? I think so... 5/24/2010
    "Pretty Jesus", a short story After nearly a year gone from Xanga, I make my return with an original story! 3/12/2011
    The Objective Nature of Subjective Truth Further insight to the erroneous notion that subjective truth is a universal standard. 3/13/2011
    Nature's Groaning How spiritual, moral sin has affected the physical world. 3/16/2011
    Do You Have a Moment? Explaining the nature of patience and why we all need to use it. 3/17/2011

NaitoOfNarnia

  • Visit NaitoOfNarnia's Xanga Site
    • Name: Michael
    • Location: Marysville, Washington, United States
    • Birthday: 1/19/1981
    • Gender: Male
    • Member Since: 3/16/2005
    • True

My Latest Writings

The List

MY CHECKLIST FOR LIFE... *
* - list incomplete...my life is more than I can fathom

FAMILY
[_] Listen to God about relationships
[_] keep praying for my dad *
[_] be a good Godly parent *
[_] provide for my family *
* - cannot be permanently checked off as it resets every day

DREAMS
[_] record at least one song of my lyrics to music
[_] finish writing my fantasy novel
[_] publish my fantasy novel
[_] start my own model train set, complete w/scenery

GOALS
[_] write a fiction/non-fiction book about the REAL St Nick
[_] write a children's book inspired by the book Rebekah wrote & illustraighted for me
[_] pay off all current debts ($16,590.70 to go...)
[_] go back to college and/or learn a skill/trade
[_] learn capoeira (Brazilian martial art)
[X] earn and keep a job/career for at least one year (15/12 complete)

FAITH
[_] grow closer to God...person to person
[_] gain deeper understanding of Scripture (culture, intended audience, theme, etc)
[_] start a ministry for men and/or women to teach on God's intended design for gender roles, etc
[_] be the "next" C.S. "Jack" Lewis in terms of writing books and sharing insight and wisdom
[_] be open to God *
* - cannot be permanently checked off as it resets every day

Mini-blurb on me

  • Fun-lovin' - quiet - playful - supportive - Jesus Freak - singer - lyric writer - aspiring recording artist - single - video game nut - eldest/big brother to my two brothers - son to a loving mother - encourager - listener - future husband to a Lady of beauty - future father to unconceived children - SON OF GOD, FRIEND OF JESUS... FORGIVEN

Bible read so far...

NOTE: Some books I am sure I have all the way through before. But it has been a while and I don't remember every one that I've read completely versus others I've only partly read. Technically, I have read more than what I have marked here.

x = finished
... = partly read in significant amount (or I can't recall if I've finished it or not and simply need to go back and re-read it)

OLD TESTIMENT
[...] Genesis
[...] Exodus
[...] Leviticus
[ ] Numbers
[ ] Deuteronomy
[ ] Joshua
[ ] Judges
[x] Ruth
[x] 1 Samuel
[x] 2 Samuel
[ ] 1 Kings
[ ] 2 Kings
[ ] 1 Chronicles
[ ] 2 Chronicles
[ ] Ezra
[ ] Nehemiah
[ ] Esther
[...] Job
[...] Psalm
[x] Proverbs
[ ] Ecclesiastes
[...] Song of Solomon
[ ] Isaiah
[ ] Jeremiah
[ ] Lamentations
[ ] Ezekiel
[ ] Daniel
[x] Hosea
[ ] Joel
[ ] Amos
[ ] Obadiah
[x] Jonah
[ ] Micah
[ ] Nahum
[ ] Habakkuk
[ ] Zephaniah
[ ] Haggai
[ ] Zechariah
[ ] Malachi

NEW TESTIMENT
[...] Matthew
[...] Mark
[...] Luke
[...] John
[...] Acts
[...] Romans
[...] 1 Corinthians
[...] 2 Corinthians
[x] Galatians
[...] Ephesians
[...] Philippians
[ ] Colossians
[ ] 1 Thessalonians
[ ] 2 Thessalonians
[ ] 1 Timothy
[ ] 2 Timothy
[x] Titus
[x] Philemon
[x] Hebrews
[...] James
[...] 1 Peter
[...] 2 Peter
[...] 1 John
[...] 2 John
[...] 3 John
[x] Jude
[x] Revelation

Mini-chat (73)

  • NaitoOfNarnia
    @ignigenae - Exactly. :D My testimony is my strength to help others know they can be free, too.
  • ignigenae
    @NaitoOfNarnia - still. one is recalcitrant to such torment. but you are right. there is a point in a personal relationship with God where there is just... unabashed joy, at everything. nothing is a shame. everything laid out, all dirty rags in the sun, now sparkling clean.
  • NaitoOfNarnia
    @ignigenae - Thanks. :) All I know is that I have nothing to fear because God forgave me. :)
  • ignigenae
    Congrats on finishing your testimony series *tips hat, if i had one* i'd be hard-pressed to do the same.
  • NaitoOfNarnia
    @falling_star_forever - Aaaah, I see. Thank you for the clarification, Sis.
  • falling_star_forever
    @NaitoOfNarnia - that wasn't me who left that comment...
  • NaitoOfNarnia
    @Wazzimu_Girl - I'm sorry. The last few times you called I was actually at work. I don't normally like to talk on the phone... @falling_star_forever - I'm usually tied up at night. I'm either working or on the phone with Kenzi. That's almost always been the time I set aside specifically for the girl

Pulse - still beating...

  • Please add RHINDON to your friends list. That's my new blog page. I'm keeping this one open, though.
  • After over a year away from Xanga, I have 10 friend invites waiting. Did they even subscribe to me? Comment? Nope. DELETE!
  • If DearRicky posts anything about a private message I just recently sent him, let him remember I have a copy of my message, too...
  • I'm BACK! Actually BACK! On my OWN laptop...a brand, spankin', new laptop! Let the LONG-WINDED blogs re-commence! LOL
  • Oh come on people! LOL I've been gone for nearly 9 months & finally have articles up! Can't I get a comment from SOMEone? :P :)