JohnnyBGamer

Control Is Hard To Give Up

God is in control so we don’t have to be.

I’m not too sure what is going on anymore. The company I work for has built it’s business on school bond elections. We design schools, gymnasiums, and administration buildings with bond issue funds. A workable and sustainable business model with one major hiccup, voters. Back in the beginning of May, voters shot down two of the three bond issues we were counting on for work. Thankfully, we have learned a bit from a similar failure last year. We have since diversified our client base and moved into areas not targeted by large Dallas architectural firms. What is odd is that one week we were talking about hiring, growth, and technology upgrades. In the weeks following the bond election, optimism has disappeared and silence rules. Just like last year. I have no idea whether my company will lay off anyone within the next few months. I do not think we have diversified enough/obtained enough clients to sustain our company long term. While business may seem normal for now, I keep waiting for the hammer to drop like it did last year when I lost a fellow co-worker due to layoff. Frustrating to be back in a situation where I have no control.

Health-wise, I’ve been seeing a couple doctors and having some tests run. Will be getting the test results next week. I am nervous. My body is tense and I feel sick. I have zero control over the situation.

This past Sunday (5/17), my small group leader asked me to teach during our morning hour together. Knowing that the kids were having a lesson from the Book of Nahum, I decided to dive-in and see what the book is all about. Turns out Nahum is a sequel to the Book of Jonah. Nahum takes place a 100 years after Jonah visited the City of Nineveh. By this time, Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, had returned to idol worship. The Minor Prophet Nahum steps in and speaks aloud (an oracle) that the destruction of Nineveh is coming.

The people of Nineveh must have laughed at Nahum. Their city walls were a 100 feet high with a 150 foot moat extending out from the walls. The moat, for anyone who is wondering, was 60 feet deep. Who knows what lived in there. Situated on the Tigris River, Nineveh had a series of dams throughout the city. Now what is interesting is that Nahum prophesied that the city would be destroyed by water (2:6). The dams that held back water-giving life would end up unleashing water that would undermine a part of the city walls. Like a sandcastle, the walls would fall, allowing the Babylonians access into the city.

One of the key verses that stuck out to me was 1:3 –

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.

God gave the people of Nineveh a chance. He sent Jonah, a reluctant prophet, to tell them to turn from their evil ways. And they did! A hundred years later though, the people had forgotten all about Jonah. What stuck out to me in 1:3 is that God is slow to anger. He could have destroyed Nineveh a hundred years ago, but He didn’t. Another verse I noted was 1:7 –

The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

The head and heart disconnect, I call it. I know that God is good, no matter what the situation. I know that He is a refuge, ready to catch us/hold on to us when all seems to be falling apart. I know that. But sometimes my heart forgets. I want to be in control.

I am not sure where my job is going to be in six months. I have no idea what is going to happen next week at the doctors office. What I do know is that God is good. He will take care of me. I just need to tell my head and my heart that.

Off Campus – Theology Gaming Podcast #77 – “Christian” Games

Had a great time hanging out with Zach, Justin, and Jonathan. We had a chance to talk about what games we’ve been playing as well as discuss “Christian” games. Check it out if you have a moment…or two.

TheologyGaming.com

Download

iTunes

Taking the Devil’s Dare

The sound of a man’s skull being crushed by a car door, not a sound I’ll soon forget.

I know that evil exists. From the psychotically deranged, to those being held prisoner by their pasts. Evil exists in simple lies and even in some of our everyday actions. The Bible calls this depravity sin.

Marvel’s Daredevil is one of the finest products Marvel has crafted on film. The characters are believable and the action is intense. And yet, I cringe as I plunge myself into the darkness of this show. Within the first few episodes I’ve witnessed:

A man impale himself on a spike
A man flatten another man’s skull with a bowling ball
Women tortured and treated like dirt
A car door used to reduce a man’s head to goo

Why is evil so compelling? What makes us watch such things? Is it a hope, a desire down deep, that things will get better? That justice is right around the corner? I’m not sure. But justice in the world of Daredevil is executed by a man who makes himself judge, jury, and executioner. Daredevil is no hero, quite the contrary, he is part of the problem.

And yet, I continue to watch.

What are your thoughts on the series?

Off Campus – UPDATE – The Female Perspective: How Do Video Games Impact Relationships?

Today I am off the JBG campus and over at Theology Gaming. Check out the additional response I received for the videogame relationship survey (A3). The closing line is a keeper:

Keep on gaming (and crafting stuff in World of WarCraft continuously! I need new stuff!).

With the magic of the internet, you can visit Theology Gaming with this nifty link!

Escape From The Lonely Christian Gamers Club

The cars sit in traffic as you pass by. Headphones on, you make your way along the sidewalk, sidestepping those around you. A rain drop hits your arm. Great. Forgot the umbrella today. Quickening your pace, you collide with a fellow passerby. Human contact. You apologize and move on. The rain is starting to come down now. Cold. You are almost home.

photo-1427348693976-99e4aca06bb9 — If only your apartment offered views like this.

Walking into your apartment, you take off your jacket, hang it up, and fling your shoes into the corner. Flipping on the TV, you fire up your console of choice and then head to the kitchen. Feels like a cereal night. Bowl in hand, you park yourself down for an evening of gaming. Alone.

As Christians, we often feel disconnected from other Christians. We forget that there are other believers around us who share our hobbies. Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who enjoy exploring virtual worlds, solving puzzles with friends, and developing muscle memory through challenging play. Even worse, we lie to ourselves out of laziness and embrace an existence that God did not intend. God created us to live in community with others.

When was the last time you played a game with someone else? When was the last time you opened yourself up and talked, really talked, with another human being?

I want to encourage you to turn on the lights. Step out of yourself and invite. Host a game night. Enjoy a meal together. We aren’t meant to go at this alone.