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For those who are computationally advanced, there is now a way that I can be on your computer without even asking. Scary, I know. But if you have an RSS reader (Google Desktop, RSS Reader, Firefox) you can copy the site address below so you get automatic updates.

http://rom116.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Enjoy.

Decoded...

In event to "read it" before I "see it" I bought The Da Vinci Code and read it over the weekend, so I can go see the movie as soon as possible. I was in the middle of another book and set that down for 3 days, so I could pound through one of the most talked about books right now.

What'd I think? Well, maybe it's because the other book, Empire Falls, by Richard Russo, is a Pulitzer prize winner, I wanted more. The writing was clever, the story cute, but I found the overall plot simplistic and the characters lacking depth. The situations the characters found themselves in were easily gotten out of and the clues very easy to figure out. I had a lot of them figured out before the characters, especially the last one: APPLE. But it occupied a lot of my time and gave me something to do.

Theologically? One person I had talked to called it heresy. Is that too strong of a word? Nope. It is blasphemous, saying that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene. Plus nearly all of the church history is way wrong, but that's to be expected by fiction. He wrote the book not to be historically acurate, but to make a bunch of money. So what if Danny-boy steps on a few Christians toes? Some of them can't even make up their minds about these issues.

Well, there's books written about this stuff. I'd say just go buy one that talks about Church history itself. Plus read that big dusty leather-bound book that hasn't been picked up in a while. There's the real story. And it will change your life.

Updating 1.5.1

In respect to all the parties involved with the relationship between Veronica and I, I have removed what I had felt to be a respectful, but clear explanation of our relationship. In short, our relationship has ended. It was a great time of learning and joy for me and something that will be carried with me for the rest of my life. I want to apologize for any harm that I may have caused her or her family by my posting and again thank them for the great love and kindness that they showed me throughout our relationship.

Updating 1.0

Alright so it has been forever since I've written anything meaningful. So this week I'll be updating on my adventures over the past month plus.

Back around the beginning of April, I got to lead a Youth Team from Louisville (pronounced Loo-ul vuhl), Kt. Ryan, the youth minister, and I had a great time leading the youth into new experiences with their Savior. I love youth teams cause that's how I got my start in missions, especially here in Costa Rica. And they've been foundational in God shaping me.

We went to Quepos and worked with a church outside of central Quepos. Q has a lot of problems with drugs, since it's a huge tourist dump. It's the last stop before Manuel Antonio, a national park that is beautiful, so it gets a lot of bleed over from the bums that bum around Central America. But the church was wonderful and I knew it would be a great trip from the first moment that I talked to Pastor Wilbur.

Through the week we worked on the church and did some more outreach ministries to bring more people into the church with the goal of them knowing Jesus. The kids were stretched in this area, as was I. It was the first time that I had to go around a neighborhood/community and invite people to come to church. We put on a youth service, a children's activity and a women's meeting. They put on a despedida "good-bye service" the last night we were there. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the work that God had done in all of us that week.

The challanges of this group? The church has a more liberal background, so getting the evangelism side of the trip across was difficult, but not impossible. They were greatly flexible in anything and everything that was asked of them. There were also some interpersonal issues in the trip. And so I'm not spreading anything that shouldn't be spread or ruining the "reps"
of anyone, I'll just say God worked on a lot of hearts that week and is doing a great work in all of them.

The team was wonderful and I'm blessed to have had the pleasure of leading their time down here.

Ah, a little explanation. The click below. A few of the youth, in the weird way that only youth know how to, wanted to express their love for Ryan, their youth pastor. So they told me they'd pay me 5 clams if I put my rump on Ryan and sang the "bum song," made famous by Tom Green. So I did. Still waiting for my dough though... still waiting... still.