define: Jared Barden
The definition of Jared Barden
Warning
Sep 1st
A lot of things have been happening in my life recently, some of which I can’t talk too much about, other than to say amazing things are happening, and God is moving.
Many of you know that Danielle and I went through a miscarriage in early 2009 – an event that shattered our worlds, something we are still recovering from. Through it all, God has been faithful, and our friends and family have been amazing, and we owe you all such a big thank you for just going through this with us.
But I digress…things are happening. I feel a stirring. I guess that’s the best way to put it. I’m not really sure how to describe it other than a stirring and a reigniting of the passion in my life as it relates to politics and current event-type issues.
Some of this passion has led to quite heated debates on Facebook, but I think that’s a good thing. We shouldn’t just blindly believe whatever it is we believe. We should be able to back it up and to articulate why it is we believe one thing or another. I enjoy a good debate.
Then I re-read Ezekiel 33 where Ezekiel is told to warn the people of the coming danger. A couple of verses in particular really jumped out at me.
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
And…
Yet your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. 18 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it.19 And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so. 20 Yet, O house of Israel, you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his own ways.
Some people that I love dearly have (I believe) accused me of making statements that “judge people.” I see these statements as stating fact, stating the truth in love. God has warned us that we need to tell people when danger is coming. If we don’t, their blood is on our hands.
If we don’t, their blood is on our hands. Let that sink in for however long it needs to.
So, I’m giving fair warning. I’m going to be sharing things, either on my blog, Facebook or both, that you might not agree with. That’s fine. I’m entitled to my opinion and to share what I believe the truth is. Just like you are entitled to your right to agree or disagree with what I say.
This doesn’t make me a racist, judgmental, a homophobe, an Islamaphobe or any other “phobe” you can come up.
I will be exercising my right to free speech, and I encourage you to do the same.
FIFA Should Be Ashamed
Jun 26th
I hate to come off as the Angry American, upset after watching his country lose a heart breaker to Ghana, but seriously, FIFA should be ashamed of itself for the way the US team was treated during this World Cup.
We had a game-winning goal disallowed for no reason. The referee wasn’t even able to give a reason why after the game. Go ahead and watch the replay of that call. 2 Americans are being bear hugged and dragged to the ground in the box, and the referee calls a penalty on us. What a terrible call!
Fast forward to the game with Algeria. Another goal is disallowed for an offsides call that was clearly not offsides. Thankfully Donovan was able to score in stoppage time.
And then today’s game with Ghana. Granted, the US put itself in a giant hole once again early in the match, but they equalized again with an amazing penalty kick from Donovan. Then Ghana scores an early goal in Extra Time.
And then the insanity began. The Ghanaians started flopping all over the place. A guy went down in midfield who wasn’t even touched, and they sent a stretcher out! A guy fell after making a bicycle kick, and you would have thought we cleated him in the chest. Then they sub the guy furthest away on the field just to run off time. They took their good sweet time for throw ins, corner kicks, goal kicks, etc. By my count there should have been about 5 minutes plus added on, not 3.
It seems to me (and I’m biased for sure) that FIFA did not want the US to even make it out of the group stage. Maybe trying to make a political statement or something, I don’t know.
It was amazing to watch our team fight against 11 and sometimes 12 players and do as well as they did. They never quit and actually played better soccer as the matches went on.
Unfortunately, they put themselves in holes one too many times, and now we must wait another 4 years, but shame on you, FIFA, shame on you.
McChrystal…Out!
Jun 23rd
Spurred on by a Tweet from Aunt Lori, I figured I would throw my $.02 in on the General McChrystal “resignation.”
I honestly don’t know much about the situation, and that’s saying a lot for someone who usually stays really up on politics. Work has been crazy busy with an end of the month project, my new MacBook Pro just got here, and there have been a ton of other things going on.
All I know is that the General made some comments critical of the administration. And now he’s not the top commander in Afghanistan anymore.
I will not comment on whether or not the comments were out of line, because I don’t know what they were. I do think that this administration seems to have thin skin and does not like it when anyone stands in there way or is critical of them.
The thing that just makes me chuckle is the top name on the replacement list – General David Petraues. One on the most demonized Generals from people on the Left during his time as the top commander during the war in Iraq.
I think that is the thing that strikes me as most ironic. A President loved by the left bringing in someone they hate to lead the war in Afghanistan.
Google Pac-Man
May 21st
Google had a special Google Doodle today to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man.
Here it is. Thanks to the guys at RustyBrick!
WordPress from Android
Feb 16th
Just testing the WordPress app for Android.
Seems pretty similar to the app for the iPhone.
Another great solution for mobile blogging.
New WordPress iPod App
Feb 11th
Just downloaded the updated version of the WordPress app for the iPod Touch.
I must say that it’s pretty amazing. It’s got a great interface, especially when adding categories to a post.
Highly recommended.
Testing wptogo
Dec 19th
Just a quick test of wptogo for the Droid.
Seems to work pretty well, and I’m finally starting to get used to the physical keyboard on the Droid, so that’s a plus.
Peter Gets a Bad Wrap
Oct 25th
Last weekend I attended the Honor Bound 2009 Men’s Conference with a group of guys from our church. It was a terrific conference. We had a small group of guys, and the fellowship throughout the weekend was something I really needed.
The speakers were also great. The first night was Joe Jackson, a former player for the Minnesota Vikings during the days of the Purple People Eaters. The last speaker, on Saturday afternoon, was also good, but I really connected with the middle speaker – Mark Batterson.
Mark spoke about cages that we live in that keep us from being who God wants us to be. His talk focused on the cage of guilt – a cage we all deal with. Most of Mark’s material came from Luke 22 where Peter denies knowing Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows. Mark made an interesting point. Peter would have had to wake up every day to the rooster crowing – a reminder of what must have been one of the lowest points of his life.
I had never thought about it that way before. Imagine the guilt Peter must have felt each day he heard that rooster crow. Later Jesus “reinstates” Peter by asking him 3 times if he loves Him. This reinstatement happens “early in the morning”, perhaps around the time the rooster would have crowed. Jesus didn’t want Peter to live with the guilt of what he had done. It is interesting to note the time that he chose to reinstate him and to make a new association with the crowing of the rooster. Peter did not have to live with that guilt any longer.
Many times we live with guilt. We struggle with certain sins or habits, and even when we ask for forgiveness, we have a hard time get over the guilt of what we have done. We can accept that God will forgive us, but we often don’t forgive ourselves, and we stay focused on our shortcomings, which keeps us from being able to move and do the things that God has called us to do.
Which brings me back, in a round about way, to the title of this post. Many times Peter gets a bad wrap. He was the one who sank when trying to walk on the water to Jesus. He was the one who hacked a guy’s ear off when they arrested Jesus in the Garden. And Peter was the one who denied Jesus three times in the moment of Jesus’ greatest need.
Mark made some good points when looking at all these shortcomings. You don’t hear about any other disciples being willing to jump out of the boat to go to Jesus. Where were the other disciples jumping to Jesus aide in the Garden? And why weren’t there any other disciples even in the vicinity of Jesus’ location to be able to be questioned about their association with Jesus?
Yes, Peter made mistakes. But he also lived dangerously. He got out of his “comfort zone” and took risks for God. And look what happened on the Day of Pentecost due to the reinstatement that occurred after Peter’s lowest moment.