Thoughts on the Following

Let me preface this post by letting you in on a little secret. My laptop (I used to call them lab tops - don't know why) is a little schizophrenic, and every, oh, 20 seconds it moves my cursor out of my script b*ox and on to another part of the screen. The asterisk (asterik?) you see in the word box will signify* when it does it, and conseque*ntly how annoyed I am. Thought I would let you all out there in internet * world in on my secret.

So, last night I posted my* first ever blog post. It was thrilling. Today I thought of no less then probably* 30 random subjects that have been ruminating in my mind, ready at a moments notice to be shared in the blogosphere. So, in the interest of keeping you* all engaged, here are some of them that I can think of. In radio it is called a teaser (up next, we'll tell y*ou blah blah). So here is my teaser blog post. A very long teaser.

In the following days, *weeks, months, maybe years, you can expect posts on the following subjects from the mind of Allan (in no particu*lar order):

1. Free Will - why our human free will is the stamp of God's imag*e, and of his endorsement of us as the crowning jewels of his creation (thank you Hank Hanegraff).

2. God's Sovereignty (not juxtaposed to free will - not the predestination debate. I want to discuss my thoughts on how pain, bad events, and circumstances are viewed, especially by believers, and how we might* best view our existence in light of our Creator)

3. Why sports are so compelling, and how the success or failure of our team can be so connected to our happiness. I don't mean this facetiously - I really find the effect of sports on peoples (and my*) moods, happiness and identity fascinating.

4. Prosperity Theology - Even more than I find it errant and ridiculous, I find it alarming that people can be su*cked in by a set of doctrines that are so obviously false.

5. Denominationalism - why do we divide the church over issues that should not constitute irreconcilable differences for believers, over things other than the main and plain things of the gospel?

6. Perspective - why happiness in life is determined, more than anything, by our perspective and therefore our expectations.

7. Our Calling - the fascinating reality that, unlike religions and cults, following Christ means something very unique for every individual.

8. Forgiveness - why we are bound to forgive at all times, as disciples of Christ.

9. Questions about Heaven - I wonder many things about heaven, like will the world be void of risk? Could we feel a thrill without a risk? Will physical pain exist? Not disease, of course.

10. Am I really talented or really average?

11. Why death is necessary

12. How we change in the context of different relationships.

there you go, followers! Looking back at this list, it seems like something from the back of the hymnal (Evelyn, you would know what I mean). In the church I grew up in, the Christian Reformed Church, the hymnals contain a full set of doctrines in the back. I hope this isn't a boring blog! Oh well. I think I will still enjoy writing it.


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