tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80028909080056041312024-03-13T06:38:46.487-07:00Punk Sandwichamericanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-39523340902312356492014-06-28T20:16:00.000-07:002014-06-28T20:16:55.970-07:00SWC VideosSo I went to Spirit West Coast this past Sunday with some friends and filmed some videos of Kutless and Tenth Avenue North. Enjoy the videos.<br />
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americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-77779543065804086912014-05-20T22:05:00.000-07:002014-05-20T22:08:52.208-07:00Big Wow pics and highlightsSo I went to the Big Wow Comicfest 2014 this past Saturday with my friend Luke, his dad, his brother. We saw a lot of neat stuff and got some good deals.<br />
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As we walked into the convention, Iron Lady was getting set up. I thought the display looked pretty cool.<br />
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After walking around for a bit, we checked out the Batman museum, which had a lot of neat stuff.</div>
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The Batmobile was even on display.</div>
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It was cool to see artwork that wasn't Batman-related as well.</div>
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When walking towards the artists' alley, the DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies was on display and some Judge Dredd cosplayers were enjoying a conversation.</div>
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It's always cool to see the Bay Area Ghostbusters around and they were posing for pictures.</div>
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Luke, his dad, and his brother had to leave early, so I hung around for about two hours and got some good deals on comics. There was these two people there -- I guess they're a married couple -- that I bought some comics from last year for a dollar each. I was wondering if they were gonna be there again this year and they were, so I bought some old Fantastic Four and Avengers comics as well as two Doom Patrol comics. I'm starting to become a Doom Patrol and although my Doom Patrol collection is just getting started, I do plan on checking out the rest of John Arcudi's run since I've heard good things about it. When I was at the booth, one of the Doom Patrol comics that caught my attention was from John Arcudi's run. </div>
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Anyway, I got around to meeting some of the artists I wanted to meet, which was nice. I started off with Shelly Byers and Gerhard.</div>
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They were nice and I enjoyed talking to Gerhard all things Cerebus and comics-related. I had him sign some of my stuff and he was particularly fond of my copy of TMNT Vol. 1 #8, where Cerebus had made an appearance. I even got to check out a Swamp Thing Bernie Wrightson piece that he had done the background art for.</div>
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Next was Mike Zeck, who signed my copy of Kraven's Last Hunt.</div>
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And least but not least, I talked to Nick Bradshaw for a bit and had him sign some of Army of Darkness comics. </div>
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On my way out, I snagged the Silver Surfer: Requiem series and the Marvel Select Lizard figure. I had a fun time overall except for the part where my legs felt like Jell-O. I look forward to next year's convention.</div>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-11360087420736717412014-04-01T21:49:00.000-07:002014-04-01T21:49:55.602-07:00Goodreads review: Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/105931.Ultimate_Fantastic_Four_Vol_1" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Ultimate Fantastic Four, Vol. 1: The Fantastic" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389591164m/105931.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/105931.Ultimate_Fantastic_Four_Vol_1">Ultimate Fantastic Four, Vol. 1: The Fantastic</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12424.Brian_Michael_Bendis">Brian Michael Bendis</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/852193317">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I had been wanting to check out some of the comics from the Ultimate universe for a while and decided to give Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 1 a try. I had read some of Earth 616 comics of the Fantastic Four, so I was already somewhat familiar with the characters and storylines. Bendis and Millar's collaboration, I thought, was a refreshing take on the origin that kept me engaged the whole time through. I liked the fact that Reed Richards was a science geek in high school that got picked on a lot and would help Ben Grimm out with his homework in exchange for him beating up bullies. It gave insight into their relationship as well as how they came to know Sue and Johnny Storm. Reed would conduct experiments in his garage and his dad would get mad at him about it, but it allowed for Reed to go to learn and grow in the Baxter Building which led to his teleportation experiment. In this volume, the teleporation experiment, not the cosmic rays, was what gave the Fantastic Four their powers, which was much akin to David Cronenberg's The Fly.<br><br>The fact that Bendis and Millar were able to work together despite their stylistic differences never felt forced nor was it ever anything I had a problem with. Adam Kubert's art -- particularly in the action sequences -- to me, flew off the pages with fluid movement and vibrant motion. Never before did I think that'd I see The Thing used as a target practice for machine gun fire or Mr. Fantastic fold himself up into a ball to deal with a monster. There were so many great and creative moments that stand out that give the book that edge. Even though Bendis and Millar were writing characters that have been around for a while, they still found new ways to utilize their powers and develop their relationships ever further. I thought the Mole Man character, although kind of creepy, was kind of cool too because he had a skin condition and to me, looked very much Todd McFarlane-esque. <br><br>I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more Ultimate Marvel stories. This books comes highly recommended whether you've been into comics for a long or you're interested in them and aren't sure where to start.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5559570-james">View all my reviews</a>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-21846195419346033152014-02-14T21:39:00.001-08:002014-02-14T21:39:48.751-08:00Goodreads review: The Road<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1221381.The_Road" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Road" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1214275670m/1221381.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1221381.The_Road">The Road</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4178.Cormac_McCarthy">Cormac McCarthy</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/791028375">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Perhaps this isn't one of McCarthy's best works, but I still liked it. Having recently played The Last of Us, I was curious about some of the book and movies that inspired it, so I decided to give The Road a try. I found it to be slow paced and hard to follow at times, which to me, were the only negatives. I really liked the relationship between the boy and his father because not only did they did try to cooperate and get along in a post-apocalyptic world, but the moments of the boy's disobedience towards his father were a nice touch because it gave insight to their conflicts and struggles in a hostile world. Discussion about God and other survivors and whether they're good or bad showed me that the relationship of the boy and his father was very open as well as childlike due to the boy's curiosity. It's as if their conversations were a sort of coping method as a way to deal with the world around them.<br><br>I liked the structure of the book in terms of the fact that it was a continuous story and didn't really have chapter stops. McCarthy experimented with this, in a way, in All the Pretty Horses because the chapters, for the most part, were lengthy. With that in mind, the structure, I found, worked really well for The Road because the boy and his father were on a journey that had, for the most part, no reason for there being chapter stops. It only adds, in a good way, to McCarthy's already organic use of imagery and language. <br><br>The violent and lawless landscape that the boy and his father traveled -- which is a common theme in post-apocalyptic stories -- didn't feel cliché or overused because McCarthy made it his own. What I mean by that is he didn't use that theme and not put any depth of thought into it because he took time to make it interesting, with the road almost being a character itself because, while being the title of the book, it plays a big part in the story. It has a nature -- a characteristic about it -- that seemed have to a degree of mystery, which kept me intrigued. <br><br>I have a feeling that The Road will resonate with me for a while. I'm glad I checked it out because I was pleasantly surprised. I was hesitant to at first because I wasn't familiar with it, but it hit me hard and shocked me in some places, which I probably won't be forgetting anytime soon.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5559570-james">View all my reviews</a>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-17081697175877388442013-12-12T11:40:00.001-08:002013-12-12T11:40:11.974-08:00Capitalism in school todayThe kids filed into class Monday morning. They were all very excited. Their weekend assignment was to sell something, and then give a talk on salesmanship.<br />
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Little Sally led off. "I sold Girl Scout cookies and I made $30" she said proudly. "My sales approach was to appeal to the customer's civil spirit, and I credit that approach for my obvious success."<br />
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"Very good", said the teacher.<br />
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Little Debbie was next. "I sold magazines" she said. "I made $45 and I explained to everyone that magazines would keep them up on current events.<br />
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"Very good, Debbie", said the teacher.<br />
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Eventually, it was Little Johnny's turn. The teacher held her breath.<br />
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Little Johnny walked to the front of the classroom, and dumped a box full of cash on the teacher's desk. "$2,467", he said.<br />
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"$2,467!" cried the teacher, "What in the world were you selling?"<br />
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"Toothbrushes", said Little Johnny.<br />
"Toothbrushes" echoed the teacher. "How could you possibly sell enough toothbrushes to make that much money?"<br />
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"I found the busiest corner in town", said Little Johnny. "I set up a Dip & Chip stand, and I gave<br />
everybody who walked by a free sample." They all said the same thing: "Hey, this tastes like dog poop!" Then I would say, "It is dog poop. Wanna buy a toothbrush? I used the President Obama method of giving you some crap, dressing it up so it looks good, telling you it's free, and then making you pay to get the bad taste out of your mouth."<br />
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Little Johnny got five stars for his assignment. Bless his little heart.<br />
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<br />americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-46629488402546193472013-08-31T21:10:00.000-07:002013-08-31T21:10:30.678-07:00Goodreads review: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9674087-crooked-letter-crooked-letter" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1301931754m/9674087.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9674087-crooked-letter-crooked-letter">Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/125736.Tom_Franklin">Tom Franklin</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/627286833">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
One of the few books to remind me that life is beautiful yet heartbreaking at the same time. Right from the start, Franklin nailed it and kept me wanting more. Having recently taken an interest in the southern gothic genre, I was pleasantly surprised by this character driven crime thriller. You have Larry and Silas -- who are both connected to a girl that went missing when Larry took her to a drive-in movie when he was young. With that in mind, Franklin's use of both, should I say, past and present narrative didn't feeling jarring whenever he transitioned because he maintained that balance. I also liked the used of narrative concerning the childhood of Larry and Silas because it provided a background for the characters as a way of letting me know were they came from and also as a way of illustrating how their past impacted the plot. If Franklin left those moments out, I don't think I would have been all that interested in the characters. <br /><br />I found it interesting that in the present day, Silas and Larry didn't have the friendship they did when they were young, which probably had to do with what happened at the drive-in. In the book, Silas is the town constable and Larry lives in solitude. It's as if they were having a conversation even though, for most of the book, they didn't have contact with one another. I could probably analyze that to death and point out some examples, but I'll say the way that Franklin utilized that kind of reminded me of those police procedurals or what have you where you'll have investigations taking place. From what I recall, Larry and Silas do come in contact with one another in the last few chapters, but you'll have to read the book in order to get the full understanding of that.<br /><br />I thought, for the most part, the story moved along at a pretty good pace and I was never really bored with it. Franklin's use of poetic language was something I caught onto quickly, and I'd say it helped to draw me in.<br /><br />Overall, I rather enjoyed Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and I hope you do too if you decide to pick it up. I'm glad I've been exploring the southern gothic genre lately, especially after giving this one a try.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5559570-james">View all my reviews</a>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-32049633221445006882013-08-13T22:01:00.000-07:002013-08-13T22:12:46.709-07:00SWC VideosSo I went to Spirit West Coast Monterey from the 1st to the 3rd and had a great time as these videos depict. There weren't as many people there in previous years, but it was still a blessing. The video that is a direct non-YouTube upload is of The Red Airplanes performing. The sound on them cut got off of it when I uploaded it on YouTube, so I thought I'd just post it as a direct file. I did record one of Building 429, but the sound got cut off, so perhaps there's a way around that. Enjoy the videos.<br />
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americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-9510452265517497272013-07-25T21:08:00.000-07:002013-07-25T21:08:37.768-07:00Goodreads review: All the Pretty Horses<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90816.All_The_Pretty_Horses" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="All The Pretty Horses" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1310752580m/90816.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90816.All_The_Pretty_Horses">All The Pretty Horses</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4178.Cormac_McCarthy">Cormac McCarthy</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/627287403">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
As I said in my review of Blood Meridian, I had been hoping to read some more of McCarthy's work and I'm glad I did. I didn't know what to expect with going into All the Pretty Horses and I was pleasantly surprised. The lush descriptions of the landscape and the overall poetic language were what drew me in. I think that both aspects complemented each other really well since they suited the almost childlike nature of the prose. I guess it just makes sense to me that sometimes it's proper for one to have that kind of, I guess, view of the west, particularly in the Texas and Mexico areas where John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins and others spent a majority of their time. <br /><br />In regards to the dialogue, I found it to be full of meaning throughout the book and I think it is something that merits further study. To cite an example, I am reminded of the conversation between John Grady Cole and Alejandra:<br /><br /><blockquote><br /> What do you want me to do? he said.<br /> I want you to be considerate of a young girl's reputation.<br /> I never meant not to be.<br /> She smiled. I believe you, she said. But you must understand. This is another country. Here a woman's reputation is all she has.<br /> Yes mam.<br /> There is no forgiveness, you see.<br /> Mam?<br /> There is no forgiveness. For women. A man may lose his honor and regain it again. But a woman cannot. She cannot.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />I could've picked out other examples because there are other ones that did stand out to me, but I figured I'd go with something simple that can still have conclusions drawn from it. I enjoyed the dialogue between the male characters in the beginning of the book as well. Even though the book is probably McCarthy's lightest -- or least dark -- it still has moments of darkness and bleakness that provide an interesting change of pace, such as the following example: <br /><br /><blockquote><br />He thought the world's heart beat at some terrible cost and that the world's pain and its beauty moved in a relationship of diverging equity and that in this headlong deficit the blood of multitudes might ultimately be exacted for the vision of a single flower.</blockquote><br /><br />That's rather dark but effective. <br /><br />Overall I enjoyed the book and I feel that everything tied together quite well in the end. I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to everybody, but it since it's probably McCarthy's least disturbing book, it's a good place to start.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5559570-james">View all my reviews</a>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-51456111063711131302013-06-20T17:04:00.002-07:002013-06-20T17:07:42.334-07:00Moved by faith:"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
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Having recently tied that verse to memory, I've been reflecting on it a lot lately and it's made quite a difference in my walk. I was driving home from school on Tuesday and I was thinking about how faith isn't hoping about that God can -- it's knowing that He will. Now I've come to the conclusion before that faith is very much a living, breathing, and active thing and the intimate moment with the Holy Spirit I had the other day while driving home reaffirmed that. The moment lasted most of the drive home and the way I felt His touch was a result of my reflection. His touch choked me up inside and I'm not sure what it meant other than the fact that the Holy Spirit was reaffirming the fact that faith is very much a living, breathing, and active thing. I have been trusting in Him that this girl and I that I've talking to off this Christian dating site will meet in August, so maybe that moment I had had something to do with that. She did say she wanted to meet about a month or two ago, so I can see how God has been working in it so far, which I continue to acknowledge. Regardless of when we do meet, though, I don't think it's a coincidence that we crossed paths and I do think He wants us to meet. Also, with regards to faith, one can never really know for sure, but that doesn't mean that one should give up on trusting in God for something because it's in His timing and because He knows what's best for His people. It's best to let Him worry about the details anyway. Since one can really know for sure, that aspect is kind of paradoxical because as I said, faith isn't hoping about that God can -- it's knowing that He will. Christianity at it's heart is paradoxical, though, but that's not gonna discourage me from following Christ. americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-15076452833618056472013-06-01T21:26:00.000-07:002013-06-01T21:26:28.514-07:00Goodreads review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11495233-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328784289m/11495233.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11495233-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/143993.Kevin_Eastman">Kevin Eastman</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/450389821">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Having read some of the early Mirage Turtle comics, I knew what I was getting into, but it was nice to not have to dig through my comics again just to read the first issue. I have a collected edition of issues 4-6, I believe, in color format, but I liked having everything all in one place and seeing it all in black and white. To me, it was like reading Turtle comics for the first time all over again. It was also good to go back and read what got me into indie comics in the first place. A lot of material is covered in this volume and it really helped to me see how Eastman and Laird matured not only in terms of storytelling, but also in terms of improving their artwork. Even though they their stuck to their roots -- mostly Jack Kirby and Frank Miller -- I liked seeing how Eastman and Laird's art styles maintained consistency not only because they were both doing the art, but also because they improved so much in so little time. That aspect was pointed out the annotations from what I remember, so I guess you could say it was reinforced. I truly enjoyed reading this volume and I will say that since it's practically the size of a DC absolute edition, I didn't mind the art being enlarged because I felt that it brought out a lot of detail and, as a result, the art popped off the pages. It's teams like Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird that will forever have left their mark in comics history and this graphic novel is proof of that. And even though the Turtles started out as a parody of Daredevil, Eastman and Laird have certainly impacted the way stories are told. Perhaps I'll read some of the other volumes if I get the chance.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5559570-james">View all my reviews</a>
americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-1473633499294998522013-05-21T21:35:00.000-07:002013-05-21T21:35:27.556-07:00Big Wow pics and highlightsSo my friend Luke and I went to Big Wow Comicfest 2013 this past weekend and we had a great time. We saw a lot of neat stuff and got some good deals.<br />
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We walked by the horror hosts and talked with them at their booth. <br />
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They were really cool and they had a panel about the history or horror posting as part of Creatures Con 2. <br />
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I talked to Steve Englehart for a bit and he was happy to sign my copy of Avengers: The Serpent Crown.<br />
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After I got his autograph, Luke and I went to get lunch at Subway and Steve was in the line behind us. I never had that experience before with anyone who had worked in the industry, so it was cool and kinda funny.</div>
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We walked around some more after lunch and saw a remote controlled R2-D2 as well as some stuff the Bay Area Ghostbusters had set up.</div>
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We even checked out some awesome artwork by the talented Corey Bass...</div>
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Then we walked around some more and I had amazing artist Geof Darrow sign my copy of Hard Boiled...</div>
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He seemed like a pretty easy-going guy. I guess he hadn't signed a lot of copies of Hard Boiled that day, so I guess as a result of my remembering it, he did a sketch of the main character as part of his autograph.</div>
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Our last main attraction of Saturday was having Herb Trimpe sign my Hulk and Rawhide Kid books...</div>
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On Sunday, after getting our picture taken with Stan Lee, we went back to the Creatures Con 2 booth and we talked to Ernie Fosselius a bit about animation since I had done some myself and asked him about what he had done...</div>
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He was pretty cool and I was glad to have talked to him since I didn't get a chance to in previous years. My friend is holding up a card with John Stanley's (of Creature Features) autograph as kind of a joke because Stan Lee was there on Sunday and Ernie said we could get an autographed photo of John Stanley for 100 bucks.</div>
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After walking around some more and getting some good deals on comics, we checked out the awesome artwork of Charles Yoakum...</div>
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He was working on the Batman artwork (pictured above) when we stopped by and it was interesting to hear what he had to say about scaling down large 18"x24" original artwork down for use in comics, magazines, and whatnot.</div>
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All in all, we had a good time. I look forward to next year's convention.</div>
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<br />americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-78285656937349008272012-12-12T16:34:00.000-08:002012-12-12T16:35:00.797-08:00The Fall of Galactus Trailer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hey everyone, just thought I'd share my final project that I did for my desktop productions class, so here it is: </div>
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americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-2622275146162349682012-12-09T13:41:00.000-08:002012-12-09T13:41:13.506-08:00Headspace:As the end of the semester draws near, I've begun to realize that it's been a while since I've made a connection with a girl to the extent of "I wanna get to know you for the sake of pursuing a relationship with you." Sure, my first two -- or should I say last two -- attempted relationships exploded like a land mine in 'Nam mostly due to my own ineptitude, but that doesn't mean I haven't learned since then. I suppose if my mistakes were to fall into darkness and fade into black, I wouldn't have them to learn from. I've never experienced a Christmas with a significant other, which could be either good or bad, but it'd be nice to have that experience just once. It's not my fault none of the girls at my school interest me. I'd talk to 'em more if they did. That and I don't go about actively seeking a relationship because doing so would make me come across as needy. I figure I'll continue to worry about what I need to focus on and let some poetic romance or what have you come later. That way, in God's timing, I'll get something better than I expected, which I imagine as being very passionate and powerful. A sense of emotional vulnerability -- in a good way -- that my future true love and I share appeals to me for some reason. I'm not sure how much of a realistic expectation that is, but a little empathy goes a long way. And if my future true love were to go away for a while, not only would I miss her, but I'd also miss the moments that we haven't shared together. That'd probably make me feel motionless and white with a sense of security about it all.<br />
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I've been talking to a girl from the Philippines sort of for fun. She considers us to be friends, which is fine with me because I'm not sure if I like her not. She was<br />
concerned when Sandy hit, though, even though it didn't hit me. Regardless, maybe that meant something that I didn't quite catch, which has to do with the fact that's damn near impossible to convey emotion the internet. I enjoy talking to her and we do relate in some ways, but if we ever do meet, if God so desires, it probably won't be for a while. Who knows? She could be the kind of girl that'd be willing to fly a million miles just to see me smile at her, which would be OK with me. <br /><br />I'm not sure what to do with these feelings other than write about them because it's good to get 'em out even if no one reads this. americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-59934309904256243202012-10-26T21:59:00.001-07:002012-10-26T21:59:47.750-07:00Trouble in Lego ParkI thought I'd share my stop animation film that I made for my desktop productions class with y'all, so here it is: <br />
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See? An education in digtial arts and animation can be quite fun and creative. I'm happy with the final product I hope y'all enjoy the movie as much I enjoyed making it. americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-33497846308557568212012-10-12T21:03:00.002-07:002012-10-12T21:03:51.501-07:00Hot Air...A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."<br />
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The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."<br />
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She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican."<br />
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"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"<br />
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"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."<br />
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The man smiled and responded, "You must be an Obama-Democrat."<br />
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"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"<br />
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"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are -- or where you are going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault." americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-87360304644336195832012-08-15T21:37:00.000-07:002012-08-15T21:59:19.646-07:00Fake Daredevil trailerA fake Daredevil trailer you say? Is this some kind of Grindhouse-inspired thing? No, not really, but according to Comic Vine, <a href="http://www.comicvine.com/news/this-is-what-the-daredevil-film-could-have-looked-like/145065/?page=2&sort=first">this</a> is what the trailer could have looked like. I watched it earlier today and was in awe of it. Director Joe Carnahan's pitch looks awesome despite not being an actual trailer. Whether it be a reboot or otherwise, it gets me excited for a possible Daredevil movie. I like the '70s look since it has pulp/film noir kind of ambience if you will that Frank Miller's run on Daredevil is known for. Hopefully the rights issue will get worked out, as mentioned in <a href="http://www.comicvine.com/news/foxs-daredevil-movie-no-more/145061/">this.</a> In terms of a new movie, it's time that the Man Without Fear is done justice -- no pun intended.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RartyRTWA3s">This</a> is interesting too.americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-41051632131233786762012-05-24T23:16:00.002-07:002012-05-24T23:16:53.219-07:00Big Wow Comicfest 2012 pics and highlightsSo I went to the Big Wow Comicfest on Saturday and had a good time and took picutres of some of the things I saw as well as some of the people I met. I didn't take pictures of everything, but I am including commentary to give y'all a general idea.<br />
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Before having lunch, I got Swamp Thing co-creator Bernie Wrightson to sign some of my comics.<br />
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I didn't get to talk to him for a long time since there were a few people behind me in the line, but I'm glad I was able to have him sign some of my comics because I didn't know when that opportunity would present itself again.</div>
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When the opportunity presented itself, I took a picture of the Bay Area Ghostbusters' Jeep, which I thought was really cool. There's also a poster/image of Viggo in the background.</div>
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I also thought it was kinda cool how at the same booth, the Necronomicon from Army of Darkness and Jason's hockey mask were on display. I guess the idea behind that was that the Ghostbusters had examination reports on both items in regards to paranormal activity.<br />
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While walking around, I came across a Leonardo Micro Series comic. The guy that I guess was the book's artist or something wasn't around when I walked by, so I didn't get a chance to ask him about it.</div>
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There was another guy, though, that walked by when he noticed I intrigued by the book and told me something about pre-ordering it for $20.00 from what I remember, but I thought that was kinda steep, so maybe I'll order it from the site on the cover since the fact that it's an exclusive interests me. I haven't read any of the current Micro Series comics because I haven't been looking hard enough to see if my local shop carries them, but if anyone has any information about the comics, please let me know. </div>
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Before leaving, I had the chance to talk to Ron Lim and check out some of his artwork.</div>
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He didn't talk a lot when I came by since he was working a Thanos sketch, but he seemed really nice nonetheless. I told him that I was familiar with his work on X-Men 2099 and Spider-Man Unlimited and he said it's been about 15 years since he worked on those titles, which I told him was when I started to get into comics. With that in mind, I told him I never really lost interest in '90s Marvel stuff since I still collect and read it to this day. I told that I'd check out some more of his stuff because he was he quite active in the '90s. I hope to see him next year and perhaps talk with him again.</div>
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Overall, I enjoyed the convention and was glad that I didn't let the day go to waste. I even got some good deals on comics and bought a print from an artist named <a href="http://c-tristan.deviantart.com/">Corey Bass</a> that I'm thinking about hanging up in my room. Oh, and I also won Spider-Man paddle ball by answering a trivia question. Basically there were these two guys in the panel room that I walked into to see a panel. They still had some prizes to give away and they encouraged the audience's participation. I spoke up when they asked what C.H.U.D. stood for since I had seen the movie and one of them handed me my prize. They seemed really enthusiastic when giving out prizes and I'd say the fact that they decided to do some trivia before the Underground Comics panel started helped to get everyone in the mood for it.</div>
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I think that's it for now. Hope y'all have enjoyed reading this.</div>americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-7164310848650824082012-03-14T09:49:00.001-07:002012-03-14T09:49:24.641-07:00StashMyComics.comSo I was curious if there was an online comic collector databse that didn't requre any additional software to download and came across StashMyComics.com. I like it because it's easy to use as well as navigate. Plus, it doesn't take long to update my collection nd it gives me a reason to go through my boxes of comics again and possibly find stuff I didn't know I had. I highly recommend it, especially if you're looking to keep track of your collection.<br />
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Check it out: <a href="http://www.stashmycomics.com/">http://www.stashmycomics.com/</a>americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-85611311129292222592012-02-17T22:14:00.000-08:002012-02-17T22:14:50.802-08:00Eurydice redesign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Check it: <a href="http://reivax.deviantart.com/art/Eurydice-redesign-284593432">http://reivax.deviantart.com/art/Eurydice-redesign-284593432</a></div>americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-77094928524477473722011-10-21T22:26:00.000-07:002011-10-29T22:53:48.843-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Concluding thoughtsReading and reflecting on the Psalms was a great experience for me in terms of absorbing talking about God's Word. I got a lot of it and put a lot into and I'd that God helped me out both ways, so I thank Him for that. I didn't understand every verse, but I tried to comment on most of 'em as best I could. I am still open to corrections in case an interpretation needs to be corrected. Remember to correct me respectfully, though. <br />
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When I studied Martin Luther a few months ago, one of the things I read was his Preface to the Psalms. I can't seem to find an exact quote, but I remember reading a statement of his that said something along the lines of Psalms is a book that covers all the basic Christian beliefs. I agree with him because reading the messianic Psalms, for example, I already had an idea of Christ was because of reading the New Testament. However, a chapter Psalm 22 covers the basic belief that Christ was (to be) crucified since it is prophetic in nature. I figure if I started out reading Psalms and no other book before that, I would've had a good understanding of Christianity and the prophecies concerning Christ. There are passages in Psalms that speak of the Lord as one's salvation. I already knew He was my salvation before reading and reflecting on the passages concerning that aspect of Him since I had exposed myself to other passages that illustrate that He can be one's salvation, but I do feel that the Lord as one's salvation is another basic belief in Christianity since He has saved and will continue to save sinners. Since I'm not gonna list every basic Christian belief which is described in Psalms, I will end this paragraph a third one: God's omniscience and omnipresence, which are both talked about in Psalm 139. I feel that those are basic Christian beliefs because if God wasn't omniscient and omnipresent, He wouldn't be the Christian God. In fact, He'd probably some other kind of god since being omniscient and omnipresent are part of His attributes.<br />
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I thank those that have taken time to have read the scriptures and my reactions to the Pslams and I pray that the Lord will continue to use His Word to anyone who may come across my blog needing words of comfort or is just curious about the Word. Hey, if I plant some seeds, that's cool and I figure God can and will (continue to) use His Word as He pleases. I probably will blog on scripture and apologetics-related subjects in the future, which should be fun. I'll also go back to talking about life and stuff and maybe review some stuff and pretty whatever else is on my mind for more a variety-focused direction.americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-33513911368657959792011-10-21T01:04:00.000-07:002011-10-21T01:04:44.852-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 150<strong>Psalm 150</strong><br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16396"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></strong></sup>Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16397"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></strong></sup>Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16398"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></strong></sup>Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16399"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></strong></sup>Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16400"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span></strong></sup>Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16401"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span></strong></sup>Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 150</strong><br />
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I like Matthew Henry's insight on the first few verses, "We are here stirred up to praise God. Praise God for his sanctuary, and the privileges we enjoy by having it among us; praise him because of his power and glory in the firmament." I am reminded of times in church when the Holy Spirit has worked in the service and stirred up His people. I've talked about those before, so there's really no need to go into detail about that. I do praise Him for His mighty acts and for His greatness (v. 2), mostly in my private time with Him. I don't believe I need to be around others to get stirred up to praise God -- praising Him in my own time in the past has stirred me up, I guess as a result of getting choked up when praising Him. There has been a time or two when I praised Him aloud -- or out loud? -- in the past there was a time or two when I praised Him for His mighty acts and for His greatness, which is what I've been describing. In regards to verses 3-5, I talked about praising God with instruments when I reflected on chapter 149. I think, though, that instruments are not reuqired to praise Him and that praising Him for whatever is more intimate without instruments. I have breath and I praise Him for all the good things He does and I figure every one of His people do(es) remember to praise in the good and bad times. I like Henry's insight in regards to the book's ending, "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Such is the very suitable end of a book inspired by the Spirit of God, written for the work of praise; a book which has supplied the songs of the church for more than three thousand years; a book which is quoted more frequently than any other by Christ and his apostles; a book which presents the loftiest ideas of God and his government, which is fitted to every state of human life, which sets forth every state of religious experience, and which bears simple and clear marks of its Divine origin." I don't have much to add to that, but I will do a conclusion to the Psalms for my next entry.<br />
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Source used:<br />
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Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 150". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary<br />on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=150>.americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-61056381576525438492011-10-20T00:09:00.000-07:002011-10-20T00:09:27.579-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 149<strong>Psalm 149</strong><br />
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<strong><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></sup></strong>Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16388"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></strong></sup>Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16389"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></strong></sup>Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16390"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></strong></sup>For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16391"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span></strong></sup>Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16392"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span></strong></sup>Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16393"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7</span></strong></sup>To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16394"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8</span></strong></sup>To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16395"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9</span></strong></sup>To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 149</strong><br />
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For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on the first few verses: "New mercies continually demand new songs of praise, upon earth and in heaven. And the children of Zion have not only to bless the God who made them, but to rejoice in him, as having created them in Christ Jesus unto good works, and formed them saints as well as men." I don't have a lot to say about that, but I know that in the past, I have praised and continue to praise Him for all the good things He has done in my life -- such as freeing me from my darkest moment and helping me out in my math class. I sung a new song to Him by praising Him for helping me out, which would also count as rejoicing and being joyful in Him (v. 2). I don't really use instruments to praise the Lord (v. 3), but I know that when I'm church on a Sunday, there are some that do as part of the worship. I guess, though, that that verse reminds me just to praise God just for being God and being good, which I can do with or without others. Since God takes pleasure in me (v. 4), I give back to Him by rejoicing in Him. I believe that some of the things I do to illustrate that I rejoice (or take joy in Him) include following His plan for my life, reading and obeying His Word, and praising Him. I don't really have to go into detail about those, but I'm glad that I can praise and worship Him in more than one way. I'm not sure what I'd say about verse 5 except that I rejoice in the glory (or honor) of the fact that He takes pleasure in me. For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on verses 6-9: "Some of God's servants of old were appointed to execute vengeance according to his word. They did not do it from personal revenge or earthly politics, but in obedience to God's command. And the honour intended for all the saints of God, consists in their triumphs over the enemies of their salvation." So basically I'm not gonna kill someone for vengeance reasons and say that God told me to do it. However, I did face a spiritual during my darkest moment and trust in God's Word was what helped me to triumph. In terms of verse 6, I am reminded of Hebrews 4:12, which says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Taking both verses into account, I just continued to trust in God during my darkest moment -- which I see as form as praise to Him since I wasn't being arrogant by trusting in myself. Trusting in Him was what helped to puch through my drakest moment since I knew He was gonna eventually deliver me. Verse 9 is interesting because by trusting in God, I knew that He would take care of the enemy and have vegenace upon him (V. 7) and He did. That's what the verse means to me anyway. And eventually, when the time for the enemy's demise comes, I wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason of includes the fact that enemy tried to influence and mislead God's people. The part that says "the judgement written" is an allusion to Numbers 24:17-24, which I'll include for the sake of context...<br />
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<strong><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">17</span></sup></strong>I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4465"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18</span></strong></sup>And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4466"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">19</span></strong></sup>Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4467"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">20</span></strong></sup>And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4468"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">21</span></strong></sup>And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4469"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">22</span></strong></sup>Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4470"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">23</span></strong></sup>And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-4471"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">24</span></strong></sup>And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.<br />
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I'm gonna let the passage speak for itself, but I thought the parallel was interesting. I figure God has a judgement in mind for those who opporess His people and will carry out the judgment(s) as He sees fit.<br />
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Source used:<br />
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Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 149". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary<br />on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=149>. americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-33422075697306000522011-10-19T01:23:00.000-07:002011-10-19T01:23:53.605-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 148<strong>Psalm 148</strong><br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16373"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></strong></sup>Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16374"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></strong></sup>Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16375"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></strong></sup>Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16376"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></strong></sup>Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. <br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16377"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></strong></sup> <br />
<sup class="versenum"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span></strong></sup>Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16378"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span></strong></sup>He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. <br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16379"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></strong></sup> <br />
<sup class="versenum"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7</span></strong></sup>Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16380"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8</span></strong></sup>Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16381"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9</span></strong></sup>Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16382"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10</span></strong></sup>Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16383"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11</span></strong></sup>Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16384"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12</span></strong></sup>Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16385"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13</span></strong></sup>Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16386"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14</span></strong></sup>He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 148</strong><br />
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I like Matthew Henry's insight on the first few verses: "We, in this dark and sinful world, know little of the heavenly world of light. But we know that there is above us a world of blessed angels. They are always praising God, therefore the psalmist shows his desire that God may be praised in the best manner; also we show that we have communion with spirits above, who are still praising him." I don't have a lot to say about that, but what the first three verses mean to me is that I shouldn't let this dark world keep me from praising Him. I'd say that when I praise Him, I'm not giving into sin and I'm doing the right thing. Also, I can praise and worship Him in many ways, which will result in Him blessing me. I don't glorify Him just to be blessed, though. In verse 4, I'd say the heavens praise God since they declare His glory. I can't see God, but I'm thankful that I can see His glory -- since it emanates from Him -- in His creation. So if I look at the heavens -- or the universe -- I can see the beauty that illustrates all that He is, which is what it means for the heavens to praise Him or for the heavens to declare His glory. In regards to verse 5, I've already talked about the power of God's voice towards His creation, so there's really no need to repeat myself. I don't have a lot to say about verse 6, but what I get out of the "he hath made a decree which shall not pass" is that God's creation -- in the context of verse 5 -- does not go beyond what He commands. I can't relate to verse 7, but I still wanna talk about it. "Dragons" can be translated as "sea monsters." I'd say that the sea monsters praise Him by doing the purpose He created them for. I guess one of their purposes would be defending small fish that are dealing with enemies so God's will can be done in the animal kingdom. I haven't thought too much about God's purposes for sea monsters, so I might explore them at a later time. What I get out verses 7-13 is that His creation was made to praise Him and also that praise isn't just something He gets from man. I'm not exactly sure mountaains and tress and stuff praise Him (v. 9) expect for fullfilling the purpose He created them for. Same goes for verse 10. However, since people are able to praise Him (vv. 11-12) in words and actions, they don't praise Him just by fulfilling His purpose for them. I believe that is one of the ways in which they praise Him, though. What I mean by that is that one of the ways a person praises God is by fulfilling His plan for their life. Not each individual animal has a plan set out by God for its life, so animals are different in that aspect. I believe that every cow has the same purpose and so does every shark just for the sake of using an example. I've already expressed how His creation (vv. 7-12) praises Him (v. 13) and I think the contrast that I noticed is kinda neat. I don't have much to say about verse 14, but here's Henry's insight on it: "May the Lord pardon us, and teach our hearts to love him more and praise him better."<br />
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Source used:<br />
<br />
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 148". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary<br />on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=148>. americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-49425562418598256842011-10-18T01:04:00.000-07:002011-10-18T01:04:20.260-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 147<strong>Psalm 147</strong><br />
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<strong><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></sup></strong>Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16354"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></strong></sup>The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16355"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></strong></sup>He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16356"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></strong></sup>He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16357"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span></strong></sup>Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16358"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span></strong></sup>The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16359"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7</span></strong></sup>Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16360"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8</span></strong></sup>Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16361"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9</span></strong></sup>He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16362"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10</span></strong></sup>He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16363"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11</span></strong></sup>The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16364"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12</span></strong></sup>Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16365"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13</span></strong></sup>For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16366"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14</span></strong></sup>He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16367"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15</span></strong></sup>He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16368"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">16</span></strong></sup>He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16369"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">17</span></strong></sup>He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16370"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18</span></strong></sup>He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16371"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">19</span></strong></sup>He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16372"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">20</span></strong></sup>He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 147</strong><br />
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It is good to sing praises to Him (v. 1). I'd say that praise is comely, to me, because when I'm engaged in worshipping and praising Him, I am humbling myself before Him, which can be an amazing thing. What verse 2 means to me is that before a person becomes a Christian, they're an outcast and it is God's grace that brings them to Him. I thank Him for transforming everyone He has so far and I'm glad to be a part of the kingdom and that I can serve in it. I can't say I've thought too much that I was an outcast before I became a Christian, but it's true because I've seen examples of it -- people who were addicted to drugs before coming to Christ just to name one. He even healed those who were addicted (v. 3), which I'm thankful for because it's a great thing to see that miracles still happen. I wasn't addicted to drugs before becoming a Christian, but I guess God healed me by saving me at an early age so I wouldn't have to live as a drug addict before coming to Christ. I don't have much to say about verse 4 as a stand alone verse, but if I were to connect it to verse 5, I'd say that since He knows the number of stars and their names, His power and understanding is beyond any man's. I am praise for knowing even the minute details, which is what I get out of those verses. Since He knows the minute details, I am reminded that I can trust Him with things that I don't know the outcomes of and/or the details of. Sometimes I have to trust Him with those things and I know, from experience, that doing so will result in something better than I expected, which was the case with my darkest moment. I didn't know how it was all gonna work out, but I trusted in God and it did. "Meek" in verse 6 can also mean "humble." In my darkest moment, I humbled myself by coming to the Lord and He ended up taking care of the enemy for me, as I've talked about before. I can't say I do much singing to the Lord for actions He performs which are described in verse, but perhaps I should start thanking Him for those things. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 9, but it's a good thing He feeds the animals. If He delighted in the flesh aspects of His creation (v. 10), He wouldn't be a God I could rely on for spiritual needs. I do fear Him (v. 11) and I know that as a result of that, He takes pleasure in me because when I read His Word, that makes His day and I am blessed from what I get out of it, like when I was reading Joshua when I took algebra. I figure He used that book to take pleasure in me because He knew I needed encouragement for math and He used it to speak to my heart so I could absorb it and apply it to passing algebra. I did hope in Him and He delivered.<br />
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Yes, I do praise Him (v. 12) and I guess verse would relate to my dakest moment, where it says "For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates." He gave me strength by protecting me from the enemy's influence. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 14, but in verse 15, I am reminded of the power of His voice. What I have to say about that is that He wills things how He wants them to be -- concerning the weather and the environment and what have you -- and I know that man has that ability, so I thank God for His uniqueness. I don't have a lot to say about verse 16, but I like the imagery. It also reminds that God controls the weather and He recognizes the need for snow, which kind of makes me wonder what it is. If I were to know every thought that God has, my head would probably explode. I don't have much to say about verse 17, but the part that says "He casteth forth his ice like morsels" is talking about God sending hail down, which He also has a purpose for and I have no idea what the purpose is. I don't experience snow where I live so verse 18 doesn't apply to me in that aspect because there's no snow around here that melts. However, I do praise God for melting the snow in areas where it snows so that way life is easier for people that experience snow for a season. It's as if God watches over them even if they don't honor Him, which is example to me in case I end up demonstrating that kind of grace to someone. I'm not sure what the last two verses mean, but if they're suppposed to have a spiritual meaning, what they mean to me is that God has illustrated what the judgment will be like in His Word (v. 19), which is something His people will have read and understood. However, non-believers don't expect the judgment or they may have read about and not have it influence them (v. 20). Either way, that's what I get out of the "He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them" part. And I am not saying that people are scared into Christianity because they find out Christ is gonna judge Him if they don't follow Him because I hope that isn't the case. I'm saying that maybe there's some people (non-believers)that read about the judgment and God uses that to touch them and lead them towards repentance.americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8002890908005604131.post-10090099115045155922011-10-14T22:45:00.000-07:002011-10-14T22:45:44.468-07:00Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 146<strong>Psalm 146</strong><br />
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<sup class="versenum"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></strong></sup>Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16344"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></strong></sup>While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16345"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></strong></sup>Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16346"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></strong></sup>His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16347"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5</span></strong></sup>Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16348"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6</span></strong></sup>Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16349"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7</span></strong></sup>Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16350"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8</span></strong></sup>The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16351"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9</span></strong></sup>The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. <br />
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<sup class="versenum" id="en-KJV-16352"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10</span></strong></sup>The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 146</strong><br />
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I already do praise Him (vv. 1-2) my time here on earth and I plan to in eternity. I see how putting trust in princes and the son of man (or mortal men) could be a problem -- because relying on them to help me or provide salvation for me would end in being misled and let down, which wouldn't be good. I am glad, though, that since God is perfect, I have the confidence to trust in Him regarding salvation. If I tried to trust in man for salvation, man could betray me, which is what I'm getting at. I know that God wouldn't have me trust in Him and betray me for doing so because that's not in His nature. In regards to trusting in man, what I get out verse 4 is that God is immortal and man is mortal, mostly because of where it says: "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth." In contrast, since God won't return to earth -- since man was created from the dust of the earth -- I don't have to worry about God fading away and losing hope in Him. He's eternal and because He is, He's always had thoughts towards me in terms of His plan for my life, which is another reason to trust in Him. I am happy that He is my help (v. 5) and is always there to help me out. I am happy knowing that I can trust in Him for salvation and for His plan for my life because I know that trusting in Him will never let me down. I don't have much to say about verse 6 except that I am reminded of some things that God has created and that He's always faithful, which is indicated by where it says "which keepeth truth for ever." In verse 7, I am reminded of when He helped me out during my darkest moment, particularly where it says: "Which executeth judgment for the oppressed." That, to me, means that He watched over me and His justice was at work so He could deal with the enemy's lies against me. I don't have much else to say about that verse nor can I relate to verse 8 on a large scale. I guess, before I became a Christian, I was spiritually blind becuase I didn't know what truth was and wasn't sensitive in a spiritual sense. He helped me to see the truth and I have been sensitive to it for most of my Christian life, when I realized it was about my faith, which I didn't know when I became a Christian. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 9, but I am thankful that His reign is eternal (v. 10). If it wasn't, His kingdom would eventually, I guess, vanish, which wouldn't be good because then there wouldn't be a way for Him to transform people when they come to Him. I figure that since His kingdom has always been there, there's always been people becoming a part of it. I've kinda talked about this before in regards to God's dominion, so I'm just adding to what I said. I do praise Him for His reign and for the fact that it's eternal.americanzerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03642182174241496684noreply@blogger.com0