2014 in Review

I can hardly believe that this year is actually coming to a close...  What a year.  I look forward to what next year will bring.  So much happening right now, so  much change that this year has brought.  2014 has been a time of sorrow and healing, a time of learning, learning to lean on Christ, learning to be content where I am and with what I have.  So often I am tempted to look at what I don't have and I missed all the many blessings I do have.  I am so blessed to have the family I have.  I am blessed with a wonderful home, a wonderful savior and oh so much more....
So my friends, I am going to take you on a little journey...  A journey of what I have begun in earnest this year, a little journey that I hope will edify you and make you desire to bring Him glory.  Let us begin.

I have learned that one rarely loses a friend, rather, we find the true friends....  The people that will stick by you thick and thin, those that will love you no matter what, disagree with you, tell you so and still be friends, let you tell them they are wrong and agree to disagree.  It is hard, yes very hard when a person you care about leaves your life, I for one feel as though my heart is getting shredded out when I see the distance growing....  I want to fix it but I can't, then I realize who my real friends are...  It isn't easy, no, it isn't easy.  Just remember that even when all forsake you, when all turn on you, you still have Christ.  Turn to him, he will never leave you, nor forsake you all the days of your life.  He is the true friend.   Without him and the family he has blessed me with, I don't know how I would cope.  He is faithful.  No matter the pain or sorrow, take it to him.

The blessings of the simple things of life.  How much they mean to me now.  At the end of the day little else matters.  My savior, my family, my home...  How can I be discontent when I have so much, oh so much.  Yet, I see other's lives, and seeds of discontentment arise.  I forget the many blessings I have and I want what others have.  I must refocus.  Discontentment brings no good.

One thing I have learned this year, if you are stagnant, if your life seems to be at a standstill, there is only one way to move it, hard work and prayer.  You must pray for guidance and then work hard.  My life needed to move again, I was stagnant.  I was working, but just enough to get by, just enough to get through the day.  I wasn't going forward.  I was stuck.  Slowly it dawned on me, if I am to get out of this rut, I will have to work, and work hard.  This was a huge lesson for me this year.  If I am to get anywhere, if I am to change anything I am going to have to work for it like crazy.  

The last thing I would like to say is something about my wonderful family.  They mean so much, they are always there for me.  They will always love me no matter what, stand by me when I am sad, or attacked and be there when I just need to vent, they are the best :).  What can I say people, never forget your family.  My family is the truest friends I have.  Oh, thank you Jesus for giving me such a wonderful family :).

I hope this ramble means something to someone,

God bless,
Flame of Jah

Hi There :)

I just wanted to tell y'all that I am still alive :)  I am currently working several blog posts which I hope to put up before the end of the year.  Been very busy on other things, haven't made much time for my blog, but I hope to change that :)

The posts will be:

Why I am KJB Only

Kissing in Christian Films:  A Slippery Slope?

Torture: Right or Wrong?

The Little Things of Life



I hope y'all are having a wonderful evening/day :)

Oh, God is so very good :D

Reader Interviews

I'd like to do reader interviews occasionally but I need help.  First I need help with what subjects I should cover, and second, what questions should I ask?  Any ideas?  Have an awesome weekend :D

Ohio Summer Rendezvous

Okay, so, I'd love to go to this, I wont make it this year maybe next. Just because I am not going doesn't mean my friends should miss it.   So, friends, make sure you go (and tell me about it when you get back)

Shout-out for The Ohio Summer Rendezvous, 2014!! If you were homeschooled or are currently homeschooled (14 years of age or older,) and have the desire to worship God and make some awesome new friends, please join us! Challenging all attendees, new and old, to share this status update with EVERYONE YOU KNOW. Lets make this the biggest, most influential OSR to date!
When advertising, please share the below links:
Website--http://theohiosummerrendezvous.webs.com/
Blog--http://ohiosummerrendezvous.blogspot.com/
Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OhioSummerRendezvous/
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/597088000407469/

Let's Roll: Fact or Fiction?

    Let me make it clear, this is not a conspiracy post.  I am simply pointing out what seem to be obvious holes in the story of Flight 93 as put forth by the authors of Let's Roll.  I don't know what happened to Flight 93, we may never know, but I do know the story in Let's Roll doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

    I received "Let's Roll" as a gift from my parents, and for a long time I believed it.  I loved the story.  Then, I began to question more of what I read, some of the facts just didn't seem to line up with reality.  For a long time I just mulled it, finally I read the Flight 93 chapters again recently and this post is what I came up with. 

    Flight 93 only had 40 passengers, a 757-200 can hold 200 passengers in two class configuration, and because of its size the 757 is considered only profitable when it is three fourths full.  Why did flight 93 have so few passengers on such a long flight?  That would be a total loss to the airline with fuel and maintenance.

    How did paper survive the crash?  This crash vaporized all the bodies, burned most of the airplane up and somehow papers from the terrorists as well as two Bibles survived the wreck?  If the fire was hot enough to burn the trees and vaporize the bodies I don't think papers with those bodies would have gotten far.  Yet, somehow they claim in "Let's Roll" that they do have them.

    On page 203 it is stated, "Apparently the plane's autopilot and transponder-- the device that emits a signal by which a radar can track a plane--were switched off, and the hijackers were flying erratically...... now with the transponder turned off, the plane was flying under the radar."  Problem with this is, radars detect an aircraft even if the transponder is off, all the transponder does is tell what aircraft it is that you are looking at on the radar screen.  The radar will detect that aircraft until it is out of range or too low.

    On page 215 the plane is said to have started to dive, and somehow the terrorists lose control and don't know who is pilot in command.  How could that happen?  They are fighting over the controls, really?  Also, a 757 won't just go into a dive, they are too large for that, to put one into a dive and even roll it afterward like the story says takes time, they won't just easily flip and dive like a fighter.  I don't know the altitudes they were flying at when they dove, but if they were at any great altitude, that is over 20,000 feet, there is a very good chance the aircraft would have come apart in the air.

    On page 210 it mentions that the two terrorists previously left outside the cockpit are presumably called into it for their safety.  All good and fine except that on page 215 it sounds as if the fight has already started but the passengers haven't even gotten to the terrorists yet.  So did they get called in to the cockpit or not?  I know this was supposed to be all conjecture based on the cockpit recorder, but it is not even mentioned as a possibility that the guys were not inside the cockpit, and also, it is as if the pilot and co-pilot terrorists left their posts when the passengers attacked the door and the aircraft went into a dive on its own, which an airliner would not do, they are too stable.

    Okay this aircraft, dipped like "a spoon into a cup of coffee" and "blasts a hole 50 feet deep" yet it also exploded and scorched the trees, and almost completely disappeared.  Almost no pieces were found; a large engine part was found in a pond, a few scraps of airplane were found around the site and a few fragments were embedded in the trees.  So which is it??  Did Flight 93 explode above ground, or did it sink into the soft soil?  We have a problem, if it exploded with enough force to embed particles in the trees and send a large engine part one half mile, there would have to have been some serious ordinance on board.  Yet, even if there was ordinance on board, you would still have large wing parts and engines left over.  Explosions don't happen like in the movies.  There is not enough wreckage at the site for a surface explosion, yet aircraft don't just disintegrate when they hit the ground.  Even less so if they hit soft ground. If the mining site was so soft for the aircraft to actually dip into it, the wreckage would have been pretty easy to find, especially the engines.  Those engines are not small, soft things, you have a 9ft titanium blade, backed by a huge engine that is close to 11 feet long and 7000+ lbs.  Would that just disappear?  No.  Just no. I have looked at pictures of many airline wrecks, I have watched videos and read articles on them, the engines don't just vanish.  No matter how hard they hit the ground, there is always a ton of wreckage, most of the time the engines stay intact. 

    "Blasts a hole 50 feet deep"  Go look up pictures of the crash site, do you realize how much dirt would come out a hole that deep?  The dirt at the site proves that no one dug that deep, so how do they know that it went 50 feet?  They never dug that far, the hole is too small.  Just look at the pictures.  Really, on this subject, not even the airliner could have fit down that hole, 124 ft wing span, 155 ft length, 32 ft high tail (approximate if you are measuring from the bottom of the plane), 12 ft fuselage width.  That couldn't even fit the hole.  Look at the pictures.  Oh, and the hole "looked like a large, bloated cross in the ground."  If the plane went in nose first, it wouldn't be a cross, look at the proportions of the 757:  124x32.  The 32 ft would be the leg to the cross, then the cross bar would be 124 ft, that is not a cross.

    So my friends, please consider and research what I have written, don't take my word for it :) Don't believe just anything you see or hear, research it yourself. Question everything, and I mean everything. This whole world is built on a web of lies, don't get caught in it. Almost nothing in this world is the way it seems. Study for yourself, do your own research, don't believe others because they said so, come up with your conclusions after you research it. If you don't think, someone else will do it for you, and you will, like I, swallow some pretty big lies.   I did love that book at one time, I believed it, but I just don't think it holds up to facts.  Again, I don't know what happened to Flight 93, I do have more theories and facts to share on it, but that is beyond the scope of a post about "Let's Roll".  If you have questions, feel free to ask, if you disagree, don't be afraid to say so... 

God Bless,


    Flame of Jah

Not Just Damaged Goods: A post I have to share.

The below is taken form Barefooted Soeur it is so very true, read and be blessed :)

Not just damaged goods.

Been through a breakup? two?

There seems to be a misconception going around in the courtship circles that is weighing on my heart tonight. The idea that the first person you begin to bond with must be the one, or else you will be left with only broken pieces of a heart to offer on your wedding day, and emotionally impure.

I believed that because that's what everyone else believed, that's what the books say.  Articles, sermons, you name it, everyone said it so it must be true.

And then the unthinkable happened, and I had to go through breakups along side all the rest of the imperfect people in the world, and you know what? my perspective changed. I had to look that thought line square in the face and deal with it. Was all I had left to give a torn heart because I let someone in emotionally?

Am I just damaged goods now?

I don't find that in scripture.

I'm not saying that it isn't wonderful if the first person that you meet is "the one", I adore love stories like that. And I am not saying that we should not be careful to guard our hearts and the hearts of our brothers and sisters, and to strive with all diligence to be pure. Yes we should!
And sometimes breakups happen.
You can do everything to try to be sure you are doing it right and even feel sure that you are seeing tangible 'yess' from God, and then suddenly all you hear from Him is 'no'.
People say it must not have ever been His will then, but I wonder about that.

Every single one of us have certain things we need to learn to prepare us for what we will face in life, and some of us need to learn things that they can only learn through a breakup.  And that is something that hurts in it's own special way.
Overwhelming days when your heart feels like a burning city, endless nights when the tearing feeling wakes you up as soon as your hopeless thoughts wander into the hazy forest of sleep.
But I honestly believe that I have grown in ways I could not have otherwise, and I saw things in myself that I wouldn't have known needed to change if they had not been brought out.

And if you have been there too I just want to say; you are not just damaged goods.

You are a warrior learning to fight in the battle of life, and life isn't clean and perfect for any one of us.
You are not less than, and you don't have only pieces of your heart to give on your wedding day. You may have scars but you know what? we all do.

To be honest, we are all just broken pieces to start with anyway, whether or not we went through a breakup of some kind.

I laid my broken heart before the Father and He did make it whole again. He is the only one who can and He is the only one who can truly fill it.
And from what I hear there is pain and bleeding hearts in the process of any to lives welding together as one. I also hear the end result can be more than worth it.

My conclusion? Just because you have gone through some kind of breakup doesn't mean you are hopeless, and it doesn't mean you have any less to offer on your wedding day than someone who never went through one. You may just have gone through the exact valley that you needed to to prepare you for the rest of your life, and even your future spouse.

My Answers :)

Okay, here it is :D  A lot of good questions were asked, and it has been totally fun answering them.  Thank you all for participating :)

Edit: I missed some questions, they are at the end of this with my answers :)

What are your life goals?

I'd like to get married raise a big family, serve my God, start a business fixing and making things while living and working on my own self sufficient farm :)  Oh, and kill a coyote :P  Been trying to do that for ten years.

Do you play any musical instruments?

Yes, well sort of.  Until about eight years ago I played mountain dulcimer, I stopped when it broke, and we got busy.  Time sure flies lol.  I have tinkered with piano, and I plan on learning guitar and penny-whistle. I am making a psaltery, so I will be playing that too :)

What's been the highlight of your year so far?

How well the farm has done. Been a great season with the lambing and kidding, as well as with hatching chicks and our garden :)

Favorite scripture passage?

So hard, so many good ones to choose from.  It is hard to pick just one verse and not a whole passage.  I'll give you Romans 6:16

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

What does your daily life look like?

Really Moriah? :P  Let's say, it varies, and is quite complicated.  I get up between 4:30 and 5:00, help Dad with some things before work, eat breakfast, around 7 I go out with sis and do farm chores, then around 8:30 to 9 I start on the project of the day, whatever that might be, anything from farm maintenance, to projects like our building our living room.  Around 1pm we do a quick animal check then have lunch and after lunch continue with the project of the day.  At 4pm we do the final farm chores, then eat dinner and after dinner if there are no pressing projects I relax and have some free-time :)  I go to bed around 8:30 to 9.  This is kinda simplified, lol.

What's your favorite memory?

It was my 22nd birthday when my parents and sis prayed for me.  I have never felt the power of God like that day, and realizing just how much my family loves me even though I am not perfect.  It was so humbling, yet so inspiring, I remember almost breaking down weeping.  I think that is definitely my favorite memory.  (They do pray for me other times too, and on birthdays as well, that one was just different.)

What are you currently studying? (Or what is your current interest?)

Several things, 3D animation, video editing, diesel engine repair, ornamental iron work, fine woodworking and what ever I am learning by doing on the farm, which includes; welding, construction, various repair work Of course airplanes and aviation always hold my interest ;)

Favorite hymn..I think it is, It is well with my soul...is that correct?

Correct, and a close second would be: My Jesus I Love Thee.

Have you ever been to the sand bass festival?

No.  

If so, what does one do there? If not, why not?

I prefer home, to sitting around on hot concrete with lots of people and noise.  I suppose it might be interesting, just never thought about it.  I've been to town around the time it happens and all I can say is you could never pay me enough to ride on those rides :P  I doubt they have been repaired since 1900, sheesh, LOL. (I am sure they are safe, even if they don't look like it)  The main thing I ever notice about the festival is that they always block off part of town for it, and that is irritating :P

What sort of food do you like?

Just about anything, provided it is not over-processed or from a fast food place, or too sweet, or un-healthy ;)  My favorites would be my Mom's pizza and spaghetti and my Dad's Chili.  Oh, and anything bread.  Second to that would be meat.  Especially beef.  :)

Do you grow a garden?

Yes, we have a pretty good sized garden with lots of tomatoes, all kinds of squash and this year even some corn :)

Do you have a favorite season?

Spring.  Hands down.

What do you think of the apocrypha?

I've read parts of it, some of them are interesting stories, but in general they seem pretty lame.

Do you like medicinal herbs?

Oh yes.  Some of them even taste good, and they work so well :)

Do you like to travel?

Yes, but thanks to big brother, it sadly is too expensive to indulge in :(

Do you like being around shorter people or taller people?

I am 6'2" myself, I like being around both, that way when my neck gets tired from looking up I can find a short person to talk to :P  Oh, around here, there are a fair amount of guys much taller than I in case you are wondering.  

Calvinism, Arminianism, or neither?

Neither. If you want to label me call me a Biblicist. I am a christian that believes the literal interpretation of scripture.  I just read the Bible and believe it.  I don't follow men. 

Do you have a favorite sport? Canoing? volleyball? etc...

Shooting.   I. Love. Shooting.  Other than that I am not really into sports.  Maybe Dodge-ball if that is a sport :P

Do you have a favorite animal? 

Probably would have to be goats.  I love goats, they have sweet personalities, they are easy to raise, fun to be around, and they taste good :D

What's your middle name?

Michael

Do you like your first name?

Yes, definitely.  

If you were to travel anywhere, where would it be?

Hmm, probably Idaho or Washington, or Ohio, or Arizona, to see my wonderful internet friends in those places.

Do you like peacocks? Would you keep them for pets?

They are pretty, but no I wouldn't want one, I've heard bad things about them.

What's your " look"? Farmer, mountain man, whatever...?? :)

I normally probably would qualify as farmer/redneck with my T-shirt and jeans, or long sleeved shirt and jeans.  If I could wear anything I wanted to, I'd go full military in either black or camo.  That is my favorite look.

What's the number one food you can't stand eating?

Raw asparagus.  I can't believe anyone can actually like that stuff.

Do you have a favorite Bible character?

Uriah the Hittite, the one I was named after.  He is pretty awesome.  I want to meet him in heaven :)

Any favorite musicians?

Emily Reith from Southern Raised, she is a crazy good fiddler ;)  The whole Wissmann family :)  Lydia Willis, a very good pianist, love her music :)

Why you are an Arminianist?

I am not.  I just believe the Bible.  To answer this question I actually had to look up Arminianism to see what it even was.  I had a foggy idea of what it was, and even that was wrong, lol.  From my research, I agree with the views put forth under Arminianism, but as a whole it just looks like a way to use long theological words to make something as simple as the gospel confusing.  I'll stick with the Bible.  Just read it in English and believe it.  Forget what men have to say.

Do you listen to alternative talk radio? 

Yes, sometimes.

If so what is your favorite shows? 

Alex Jones

Would you rather it be a hundred and two out or sixteen? 

It depends on what I am used to, I like both really.

what is the coolest thing you have taken/seen while hunting? 

Hmm, seeing two does come from down wind of me and stop behind my stand where I couldn't shoot them. I could have sworn they had their tongues out at me LOL.  You don't want to hear my hunting stories, cause they are all no good :P

What was the last thing you tinkered with(car, mower, etc)? 

A Homelite 330 chainsaw.  Love that thing :)

Do you know how to weld? 

Yep, I am pretty good with MIG, okay with A/C stick.

If you could fly any type of plane, what would you pick?

P-38 or P-51

I hope y'all enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it :D

God bless,

               Flame of Jah

Ask me Questions Please :)

I am going to do a q/a blog post.  Ask me anything you like, just comment them here or on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/uriah.friedlein If you can't see the post because you are not my friend, go ahead and pm me :)

Please ask a lot of questions :D  This should be fun :P

Tagged ;)

Okay, I don't do these kind of posts very often, but this one was too good to pass up.  You guys tag yourselves if you want to do it, and just use the same questions I answered :)  Please comment if you do tag yourself, I want to read your answers :)  Thanks goes to Lizzy for the questions :)

Your favorite bands/musicians?

The Wissmann Family, Southern Raised, Vivaldi, Beethoven

Your favorite actor?

I generally don't pay much attention to actors I am afraid :P  David White is pretty good.

Your favorite actress?

I don't pay attention to actresses either, let's see, Jennifer Lawrence is talented ;)

5 of your favorite books?

My Heart in His Hands: The story of Anne Judson of Burma By Sharon James
The Battles of the Constitution: By Robert Goldston
A Time for Trumpets: The untold story of the Battle of the Bulge By Charles B. MacDonald
Through Russian Snows By G.A. Henty
Adoniram Judson By Faith Coxe Bailey

Favorite tv show/series?

Hmm, Duck Dynasty :P  I've only seen snippets but it looks good :)

Least favorite food?

I'll eat almost anything, but raw asparagus fits in this category.

Favorite genre to read?

History/Historical Fiction  Okay, I know that is two.

Need an illustrator or know anyone who might? *wink-nudge*

I might need one, when my book gets to that point :)

Favorite historic era?

Probably Medieval

Favorite country?

Germany

Do you speak more than one language?

No, I still struggle with English :P

Elsie: A Critical Review (Guest Post)

Guest post below by my wonderful sister Gretchen, enjoy :) (Hopefully this will not be the last post on this subject)
Flame of Jah

********************************************************

Elsie: A Critical Review

First off before I start on this post I will lay down the rules of engagement.

   No edged weapons are allowed; blunt weapons are permissible, but it is preferred that you are only armed with pillows.

  Now for the post.  I don't like the Elsie books.  I think they have a lot of serious faults and I don't think any young girl should be reading them. But, that's just my opinion.

  In this post I will cover one flaw in the books. Later I will cover some more.  So here it comes!

  Elsie is Wiser Than her Father.

  That may seem a ridiculous accusation for books that are held up as a model of filial devotion, but hear me out.

  When she was fifteen or so her uncle Arthur  (Who was only a few years older than herself, for those who are unfamiliar with the books) met her when she was riding home.  He wanted money from her to pay for his secret gambling debts.  She wouldn't give it.  He gets angry, swears at her and eventually strikes her horse, frightening it.  Elsie decides it is permissible to not tell her father because he would be very angry with Arthur and it wasn't like she had done anything wrong.

  A second time Arthur meets her wanting money.  This time in his passion at her refusal he goes so far as to strike her.  Mr. Travilla comes to her rescue and canes him and she still won't tell her father!

  A third time Arthur meets her.  She is alone in her room at a friend's house and he comes through the window and confronts her.  When she again refuses to give him money he grasps her roughly by the arm.  He may have done more, but hears someone coming and leaves.  Of course, she doesn't tell her father.

  Now, I want to ask, Is that really an example of filial devotion? Or is it a fifteen-year-old girl thinking she knows better than her father?  At this point her father has been a Christian for some years, but even if he were not a Christian it still doesn't justify this course of action.  God can use unsaved parents to protect you.  Elsie obviously thinks that her father would have an inappropriate response, but should she be the judge of that?  Is that really honoring her father?  Throughout the books you get the impression that Elsie believes her father is much wiser than her, and yet in this situation she obviously does not.  I don't think it is a good idea for books to promote children hiding anything from their parents.

  I think this situation in the Elsie books stems from the belief that it is wrong to tell on someone.  You can tell on yourself, but never on someone else.  I don't think that is a good idea; you completely lose accountability in a family if no one can tell on someone if they are doing something bad.

  When I was growing up there was telling on someone and then there was tattling.  If a sibling was doing something wrong we were supposed to tell on them.  But if we were telling on them to get them in trouble we were punished, too.  That was considered tattling.  Our parents always knew the difference. 

  What are your thoughts?  Do you think Elsie acted properly in this scenario?