Change

2014 RESOLUTION: TO THINK MORE CRITICALLY

2014 Resolution: To Think More Critically

What is it about a new year that prompts us to make resolutions? What grounds  justifies this annual pastime beyond empty traditionalism and wishful thinking? Just think about it, what really makes the last day of 2013 drastically different from the 1st day of 2014 to warrant resolutions? Try making sense of the difference between any two successive days beyond our conventional name change and day-related routines without mumbling “well, aahm, you see, I, I, my, my…” The future is uncertain and puzzling and each of us is largely unpredictable in terms of behavior. Desire is not the same as ability to perform so what’s the real value of new year’s resolution as opposed to any other day’s resolutions? One thing I would hope we all resolve to do for life is to think about issues more critically, that is to apply the basic principles of logic in any argument…    read more 

The Quality of Honesty

February 6, 2012 |

I personally like when people are honest with me and point out my faults, so that I know my weaknesses and I can submit those weaknesses to Christ through prayer. That’s why I find the sermons of Dr. Charles Stanley, Paul Washer, and Billy Graham attractive, because they are effective. Of course I didn’t enjoy all honest and Biblical sermons because God used them to require change in me; it is very difficult to submit an area of weakness to Him to direct us through the change process. I can remember sermons of Dr. Stanley I listened to that I thought I would never need because I would never come across that situation, yea, right! that same sermon came in so handy a couple of years later! The same thing with reading the Bible…I read the Bible few times and some verses didn’t really apply to my situation, but they…    read more 

God Shouts in Our Pain

July 29, 2011 |

I think all of us have two sides to our personalities: sometimes we are out going and sometimes we like to be alone; sometimes we like classical music and other times we just want to listen to electric guitar; sometimes we like change and sometimes we don’t. Generally speaking I love routine, I don’t like change; however, in my relationship with God I like change for many reasons: 1) The word ‘relationship’ is an active and dynamic word to me. For example, we cannot have a meaningful conversation with someone—and know that person personally–if we keep repeating the same dialogue to them every day. 2) God’s goal for our lives, and it should be our goal too, is to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. And we all know He is perfect and so if we keep growing spiritually every day for the rest of our…    read more 

Discover the Truth – Part 2

April 13, 2011 |

In Part 1 of this study we looked at the book of Romans (12:1-2) and determined that there are three lessons that we can learn from the passage. We focused on the first lesson, Present your bodies as living sacrifices, it’s an easy thing to say but so hard to live out. How does our life say to God that He’s the most important thing? Take a look at the world and the things they are sacrificing themselves for, then take a look at your life and see if you are patterning it after the world or after the things of God. If we are not patterned after God, then we should be transformed by the renewing of our mind.   Do not be conformed to this world, Be transformed by the renewal of your mind The first thing I see by reading through this is that by default we…    read more 

Learning to Be Content

January 24, 2011 |

Today I wish to talk to you about something that I think that we all struggle with in life, and that is being content. I am going to start out by saying that I have been a horrible example as one who is content in my past. I have been driving for 5 years and I have had 5 different vehicles, none of them have been totaled. Arguable, my first few cars were not so great, but my fourth was a ’99 Honda Civic with relatively low kilometers. It was a great car that would have lasted me a long time but I had always wanted a Honda Prelude. So I sold my Civic and went a few months without a car so that I could save to get a Prelude. I ended up with exactly what I was looking for, a well-maintained, low kilometer, eucalyptus green pearl Prelude. So…    read more 

The Road of Change

January 10, 2011 |

Our driveway is a piece of art. At the top, it’s all concrete, which then switches over to chip’n seal. Next comes a run of very beat up blacktop before finishing off with a final cracked section of concrete. The changes are abrupt and shocking and to ride your smooth bike tires down it can be an adventure at times. Yet, it seemed a fitting subject for the life changes that are taking place with me these days. I just finished up my last day at the farm where I’ve been working for the past three years of my life. I’ve already been offered two new job positions in the past week, yet I am so sad to leave and feel unprepared to step out once again into the unknown. But, God has my steps all laid out, one right after the other, just out of my sight and I…    read more 

3D Composition Using Xara 3D and Photoshop

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a 3D composition using Xara 3D and Photoshop. We will use Photoshop to create an exciting golden background, then integrate the 3D type from Xara 3D into the composition. you will also learn some simple technique to texture the type. Last time we learned How to Create A Realistic 3D Typography using Photoshop, today I will introduce you to Xara 3D, a relatively inexpensive 3D Program that has some very powerful features and is so simple to use, literally anyone can produce high quality 3D graphics in minutes. Xara 3D can create stunning, professional-quality 3D web graphics. Ideal for both still and animated 3D headings and titles, logos and buttons, perfect for web pages, mailshots and online presentations. If you want to use 3D in your projects Xara 3D is a very good start. Ok, lets get straight into the tutorial! [sociallocker]…    read more