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Life is messy…

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Craig

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The more that I experience life, the more I realize how much sin has corrupted Creation and man to its very core. Everything around us and within us is tainted with only slight resemblances to its original Created, perfect state. This rings true in sunsets as much as it does in man, paintings as much as in relationships, rain as much as people inside the Church. Everything we know, everything that we love, everything we experience is broken.

A few weeks ago, a speaker came to my home church and spoke on Young Earth Creationism and did a brief seminar on some scientific findings that have proven favorable to the theory. In the midst of his seminar, he was making a side note about how corrupt this world is and how mankind was made for heaven. He made the comment: “This is Satan’s world…this is not our home. We are just passing through, and while here, we’re supposed to make disciples.” … Continue Reading

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Autumn…result of the Fall?… Part 1

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Craig

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“Ech…”

Probably not the best way to begin a blog post, but I decided to be honest right off the bat.

When it comes to Fall, I am torn. The aesthetics of it all is…quite simply, stunning. What was once a sea of green becomes a haven of warm browns, reds, oranges and yellows. The scorching heat of the summer turns bearable and cool. (but I live in Ohio, so what am I doing talking about “scorching heat?”) The white hot sun becomes a golden spectacle each and every evening. Everywhere you look, the blessings of a good harvest can be seen. This I LOVE. Fall is beauty. Fall is blessing.

You may be wondering why I am blogging about Autumn in the middle of spring. Yeah, me too.

You know what I hate about fall? Looking around and seeing a constant reminder of death. Here we are surrounded by thriving life for months and suddenly things go from a vibrant and lively green to shades of brown. Trees that were just thriving and creating shade stand in a heap of dying leaves and replacing the abundant shade with mere shadows. The summer breeze that brought warmth and relief to the summer sun turns cool and bitter.

With all of the beauty that the fall brings, it serves as a reminder that something bitter is coming: months of cold, bitter weather with no signs of new life or growth. Sweeping landscapes of brown, leafless trees. (if you can’t tell, I am not a huge fan of winter).

This is autumn.

Autumn is a time where I am reminded how good creation is. Filled with beauty, precision, and change. During autumn, things die and prepare to be dormant. Is this a result of the fall? absolutely not. This is provision. It is only by the death in the fall that spring is possible.

I write this in the midst of April for one reason… We are currently in the week before easter and this week is a heavy week. So much happened this week 2000 years ago that has changed the course of history forever, namely MAN CAN BE REDEEMED!! But in order for this to happen, Jesus had to die. As I was thinking this over, for some reason, my mind kept coming to fall. Filled with beauty, tainted by death.

This is a special post as it is only part 1. Part 2 will be coming on Sunday.