Hawaii Baby!!!

Well I had SO MUCH fun in Hawaii! It's SO pretty it feels like it must be fake even though Im looking right at it! I loved spending time with my family! I loved being with my babies I miss them all so much and I cant wait to go back.

The eight hour flight out there was a beating half way through the kids wanted off the spaceship! LOL My nephew Bryce kept repeating himself over and over again, "I want off this spaceship! I want off this spaceship! I want off this spaceship!" it was very annoying at the time but cute now! here are some pictures from the trip, if your my friend on myspace you can Click Here to see more pictures.

This is us before we got on the plane

Brooke with "her" heels and sunglasses on

AAAhhh peace at last...

night-night time for us too!

Watching his movies on the flight

Aaawww they love their aunt Brittny!

Finally back on land! Hawaii baby!

Look at all our luggage!

Have you ever seen a double rainbow? This was my first time!

Bryce, Brentley (Brother-n-law) Lyndsey, Me, and Brooke!

Beautiful!

While I was there I got to see one of my childhood friend Alisa Durham's kiddos!

Aren't they so CUTE!?

Like big brother, like little sister :)

Brentley and Lyndsey

isn't he adorable!?!?

This is SO PRETTY!

Lyndz and me

Everything is so green and blue!

Too cute!

While we were at the beach we dug a tunnel! Bryce loved it so much and was very sad when it fell through...

She is just so cute and she loves me so much! When I'm around she wants to be right there with me, its so cute!

Yes she has two swimsuits on, she would scream unless she had both of them on :)

Checking out the tunnel

Brooke and her favorite person!

Aunt Brittny Loving on Bryce!

Now don't choke her Bryce.

I hated to go Lyndz told me the kids cried the whole way home :( Bryce told me he wanted to go with me and I told him he couldn't and he said, "If you get on that plane I'm going to be sad and I'm going to say don't get on that plane and I'm going to cry" That made me want to cry :( but the good thing is we are all set up on iChat and I see him more now than I did when he was here.  

On another note on my way home was not fun! I was flying stadby and couldn't catch the first flight out at 6:50p but I did catch the 8:45p which put me home at 8:00a- which was fine with me b/c I thought well I'll just sleep the whole way home but NOOOOOO I was in a middle seat between two people I did not know and one which decided to tell me how she liked to do drugs before shes gets on planes because it's, "SO Cool" I sat next to a crazy person (lol) she told me as long as she had money for food and pot she was ok. Crazy huh? oh and it gets better she told me that she thought she was pregnant with her boyfriends baby, did I mention she was only 20? SO that was fun! I was glad to be home I missed sleeping in my bed, I shared a twin bed with my nephew the whole time I was there, so my bed was missed deeply by me. I miss my babies and Lyndsey I used to see them every weekend, we were always doing something and now it feels like I have no one to hang out with but I will survive.

ok I'm sleepy going to bed, and thanks for reading!

-Brittny

Δικιασυνη του θεου (The righteousness of god)

Recently, I had someone very close to me voice their desire that I stop blogging and if I wouldn’t stop then at least start ‘expositizing’ the Scriptures. Well, out of a desire to show myself to be a loyal follower of Jesus I have decided to sporadically ‘expositize’ the Bible. In doing this I hope to show that my views are much closer to being ‘Biblical’ than some may think and to show that I am trying to be faithful to god’s word (which, in my opinion, is the Bible). So, for those who care little about the Bible I am sorry to hear that, but this is who I am and if you give some of this a chance I trust that it will not be a waste of your time.

My plan is to take Romans 3.21-26 phrase by phrase or theme by theme (by the means of going blog by blog) and explain how I have come to some of my conclusions (which by the way I retain the right to change after further reflection and dialogue).

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD HAS BEEN REVEALED!

The whole letter of Romans is dominated by the claim of the Apostle Paul that his gospel announcement is the one that reveals that the god of all is one who keeps his promises even when humanity does not keep theirs. Many people claim that the gospel is about god sending Jesus to die for the sins of the world because god is just and someone has to appease his wrath. I could not disagree more!

The reason Jesus died on the cross is to reveal god’s righteousness. We cannot know who this god is unless we understand him as being the one who submitted himself to the power that bound humanity for its whole history, the enemy of death. The righteousness of god defines everything for Paul and so for me. My opinions on the issues of war, abortion, politics or any other aspect of life must be formed in the same mold of the god whom I worship the mold of the cross. I do not believe that god the Father was the wrathful god and Jesus was the loving god because then we would have two gods not one. We only know who the god of the Bible is by focusing on Jesus.

Through the actions of god in Jesus, humanity (and the world) have been made right (or alive) before the creator god. I do not think that the world (whether other religions, scientists or alien’s [like Martian not South of the Border]) has the cure for death, the solution to peace, the fix for poverty and the end of tsunamis and tornadoes. Only the god whose righteousness is revealed in the cross has the integrity to defeat such onerous enemies. The good news that I contend for is centered in the god who is revealed in the cross ― not on America’s election day. The solution to evil is not found in a Republican or a Democrat, in a country or an alliance of nations. Instead it is found in the god whose sign is not a sword, a creation story or ten commandments but rather the instrument of his own death. ‘Right’ to Jesus is redemptive not retributive and I desire to be like him in every way.

Daniel

A Way to Understand Romans 3.21-26

But now apart from the Torah

the righteousness of God has been revealed

(although it is testified by the Torah and the Prophets)

the righteousness of God has been revealed

through the faith(fulness) of Jesus Christ

for every one of the faithful ones

(for there is no distinction all have sinned even they are falling short of the glory of God so that they justified freely by his grace)

through the redemption which is

in Christ Jesus

whom God publicly displayed as an atoning sacrifice

through faith(fulness)

in his blood

for the sign of his righteousness

because of release of sins committed beforehand

in God's tolerance

for the sign of his righteousness

in the present time

in order that he would be righteous

even in the act of justifying the one who is from the faith(fulness) of Jesus

Waking the Dead or Cleaning the Corpse?

While I haven’t been very surprise by the massive amounts of negative feedback from my blog, what has surprised me is how much I have been accused of saying things that I haven’t actually said. I am not sure if it is because I’m wrong or because I’m crossing some unwritten line…

It is interesting that as I have been studying the New Testament for the last eight or so years (yeah I know I’m a rookie) I continue to miss the currently emphasized ‘must’ doctrines and see some Scriptural ‘musts’ that are nowhere to be found in today's 'musts'.

I’ve noticed that there are no instructions in the New Testament on how to vote, what policies Christians should hold or anything that tells us how to be a good citizen of our nation but yet I’m supposed to act as if it is so clear. The USA Today reports that the sale of guns have skyrocketed since the election of Pres. Obama. I can’t help but wonder how many of these people are supposed to be Christians? (I know a few of them) Jesus and his apostles ministered under Emperors much more wicked then Obama could ever be but the New Testament tells us to leave room for the wrath of God. The New Testament tells us that the oath of loyalty to Jesus as (supreme) Lord is the result of the Spirits work. Why does the current Pres. worry us so much? I thought our Lord is Lord of Lords? Is it because some of us think that the Republican party is God’s minister or Jesus' right hand? Remember Paul stated that the governments are the ministers of God -- during the reign of the Emperor!

Maybe we are guilty of misunderstanding the result of Jesus’ resurrection? Jesus’ death (and our baptism into it) is supposed to mean that that world is dead. Our task is supposed to be to bring life to dead bodies (and such)through the power of the Spirit and not to put makeup on the embalmed (legislation).

The way we are treating the whole homosexual rights agenda sure smells like our faith is in our power to reorganize this chaotic world back into Genesis 1 instead of looking forward to the redemption of our bodies (you know where there will be no male or female). Jesus was not scarred to go to Samaria or Sidon but we are scarred that San Francisco will come to us. THIS IS NOT GOOD! Homosexuals do not anger God any more then the so-called family rights party that applauds our President for attacking nations who never attacked us! Or for the same party that refuses to hold themselves accountable for the war and instead want to chant, “THE SURGE WORKED!” (Well so did Hiroshima and Nagasaki but we should focus on Iraq's WWMDs.) You know they say, “we have to learn to fight wars in new ways,” all that means is that war is no longer a last resort! It is now a policy! Final question: Would it be better to fight the war on poverty with this much zeal? Or what about a war on injustice? (I wonder why we don’t?)

If we want to hold leaders accountable we should first hold the ones we voted for accountable.

Daniel
(I'm sure there is bad grammar and such but hey, its a blog!)

Marriage is what brings us together today...

I just finished preparing my notes for my sermon tomorrow. Matthew chapter 11 is one of my favorite passages in the Synoptic Gospels. (I think I say that about every passage ― just wait until chapter 15!)

I read in the USA Today that Melissa Ethridge is claiming that she should not have to pay taxes because she is not being treated as a first-class citizen. I wonder if she has a valid point? Now, before I say anything else I want to clarify that my understanding of same sex relationships is that they are outside of God’s design for humanity. I don’t believe (as some do) that it is valid to be a practicing homosexual and be a Christian. Although, I do believe that we should be gracious and treat each situation with love since I do believe that someone can be born a homosexual (I know I know I shouldn’t say that but it makes sense to me). Plus, I also was born with certain inclinations that are outside of God’s order (you know like being an ass sometimes).

I really do feel Ms. (or should I say Mrs.) Ethridge’s complaint. While I’m not sure that I think we should change the definition of marriage (I don’t believe there is any record of any civilization allowing same sex marriage ― even amongst the Greeks). I wonder if we could compromise somehow? I really have a problem with homosexuals being denied the same civil rights that I have access to. The country is already so divided shouldn’t we attempt meet in the middle? Maybe create an institution that is not called marriage but has some of the same legal benefits? I do think that the Christian community has sinned in the eyes of God (of course this is my opinion) by dealing way to harshly with homosexuals. In the church that I pastor we are filled with drug addicts. Some struggling, some lying about struggling and some who are just confused but we don’t fight to have their civil rights restricted. Maybe its different. I am not sure. Also, wouldn’t homosexuals take the Christian community’s idea of marriage more seriously if WE WERE COMMITTED TO THE IDEA OURSELVES! (By that I mean we want it to remain male + female but we don’t remain in it until death do us part.)

All I know is that I desire to take seriously my task to reveal God to the world and I think we all need to be willing to reexamine our positions just in case we were wrong or become more willing to compromise to promote unity. A popular explanation for Obama winning the election is that young people wanted to vote for someone they identified with (you know he’s the hip Pres). I think that Christians are not any different. We have popular radio DJ’s and writers who tell us what we should think. Well, I think that God gave us all brains and that to live in unity does not mean that we all have to agree about everything. What matters is how you view someone who disagrees with you.

This opinion is subject to change since I often disagree with myself!

Daniel

Can I vote for a Muslim?

My wife is going to Hawaii tomorrow (so much for suffering seminary students) so I have a little more free time on my hands. Its weird how dependent you become when you get married.

This recent presidential race has left a sour taste in my mouth. There are many reasons why (not to mention that I have realized how unqualified I am to pick a President) but only one that I want to talk about right now: ISLAM!

Recently, I have been inundated with emails from well meaning people with links to You Tube clips and random website articles that claim Pres. elect Obama is really a ‘closet’ Muslim (you know the ones that claim he is from a tribe in Africa whose sole purpose is to destroy the USA). While I will concede that it would be a problem if our president was lying to us about something as fundamental as his religion, I did not get the sense that this is what was at the root some people’s fear. Linking someone to Islam in American politics today is tantamount to calling someone a ‘red’ back in the late 1940’s. (Or for those in theology getting labeled a liberal ― as some have given me.) The question I have been wrestling with, is weather or not being a Muslim is such a bad thing; that is, as far as the presidency of the United States goes does he need to be Christian? Surely we are not naive enough to think all of our Presidents have been Christian (George Washington anyone?) Is there something inherently wrong with Muslim’s (purely from a citizen’s perspective)? Does the job description of Pres. of the USA entail that someone swear sole allegiance to Jesus Christ (that is what a Christian is right?) Actually, I can’t image how someone like that could get elected. The President must have the survival of the nation as his first priority ― not Christ!

If Jesus were to come back today and do as the scripture says he will (subject all the world to himself) who would we want our President to fight for! PLEASE DON’T SAY JESUS! I imagine for the majority of America Jesus’ appearing is contrary to their desires.

I am concerned that American Christians (of course not all of them) have confused what the Christian message is. No matter how hard we fight for world peace, No matter how hard we fight sickness, No matter how hard we fight poverty ― it will not be dealt with until Jesus returns because they are all forces that only God can defeat. It seems that as Christians we see the world through a binary lens: Us and Them. Only, the Us is equal to one being an American capitalist who goes to church (but isn’t bothered by the actual teachings of the Bible). I guess I am saying that as of right now I see no reason why a Muslim would be worse then a Christian as President; especially considering Christian these days only means you got married in a Church (and divorced in the courtroom). What exactly have Muslims done that is so bad in this world? I mean the seemingly endless struggle in Ireland is between Catholics and Protestants right? Inquisition anybody? What about the Crusades? Muslims can be moral people in a way that is just as positive to the USA as can a Christian. Before we start saying what the Koran says make sure you’ve actually read it (not just read an article on the internet), oh, then make sure you can explain the similar statements in the Bible (you know the kill ‘em all statement in Duet).

I think we should be very careful to stick to the message of Scripture instead of hating on Muslims! Nowhere do you find that attitude in the New Testament! We must remember that the Us (Christians) have been designated for the purpose of revealing God to the Them (non-Christians). God did not only love and care for Israel in the New Testament, instead his love for the world caused him to give birth to Israel ― so that the world could know him. Eventually society is going to claim that Christianity is a hate group (because of its exclusivity) let us make sure it is for the name of Christ and not the name of our Nation! Jesus did not come to destroy idolaters but to reveal God in their presence. I think that should be my concern. And as far as the President goes I’ll think I’ll vote for who I think will do the best job caring for our little Empire.

Pro-Life?

Posted By: Daniel

This is my first blog so I am not sure if this is a waste of my time or not.

Recently (over the last year or so) I have begun to rethink my opinions on how I am supposed to relate to the world as a Christian. Since I have only been a Christian for about seven years I haven't had a chance to think about all of my beliefs. Some of them I just sort of inherited. The recent Presidential race has opened my eyes to how the Christian community (by and large) has formulated opinions on certain socio-political issues that I just flat out think are problematic.

Today in one of my seminary classes I announced that I voted for Obama and the collective gasp was so strong I almost passed out because there was no air left in the room. Now before I get going I want to say I am totally opposed to abortion (and Mr. Obama you are wrong children are never a mistake even if there parents made one). It is a reprehensible practice that in no way is a hard decision. What is so hard about letting something live? Human dignity should be protected at all costs and abortion is one of the worst ways of devaluing the image of God. Not only is the baby devalued but so is the mother's and the doctor's. For my whole Christian experience I have voted over that one issue.

But something has changed in the way I prioritize my opinions.

The current President was lauded by the Christian community as the one who would restore integrity to the White House and lead the country into a new era. Not only did that not happen, the Christian community no longer seems to be accountable to the rest of the Nation. Why is it that we so desperately wanted Slick Willy to be impeached for his affair but I haven't heard anyone call the President into accountability for waging two wars at the same time when neither of them attacked us. It is claimed that it is because they are involved in the war on terror. But isn't the group that gave us that info the same group that sold us on the so-called weapons of mass destruction. Wait a minute, wasn't Dick Cheney the former CEO (or something) of Haliburton (you know one of the companies that received a huge contract to make weapons for the army)?

If we as Christians are so pro-life why don't we care about the Afghani and Iraqi lives that we have slaughtered as passionately as we do about the unborn (anyone remember shock and awe)? I mean, I know the Bible says not to be vengeful but in this case this isn't even vegenance because the other countries did nothing to us. But just like lemmings we say that the President was just acting on the info he was given but isn't that why we don't attack until we are attacked? If I punched you because I thought you slashed my tires I would be guilty of assault! That is the law in America why does our country not follow their own rules? We don't we care. Mc Cain kept wanting to let us know that Obama didn't support 'the surge' but Obama also didn't support the War. Which is a moral decision and which is a practical decision? Their is a difference; one is based on principles and the other is based on what is practicle.

We so want to believe our country is the 'good' country we hold everyone else accountable (except for ourselves). As Christians we are responsible to make sure we remind our government that they are the servant of God for the Good. And then show them how to do it. Instead we act as if anything the so-called Christian President does is good. That is embarrassing. I read in a blog today that it would be cool if Obama got saved. Why is it that he has been twenty times (thats not a real stat just my observation) more vocal about his faith that Mc Cain has been (is he even a Christian?) but we assume that Obama is really a Muslim? Because we don't listen we just rebuke. I think it is time we are rebuked!

Next I will leave with a thought that I will discuss tomorrow. What would be so bad about a Muslim President? Should I, as a Christian, not consider someone for President who is a Muslim? Aren't they 'moral'?


Anyway if anyone is out there responses are encouraged.

Daniel

Drugs for free please? ... Thank You!

Posted By: Brittny



So I woke up yesterday and was feeling a little under the weather stuffy nose, cough, ear ache, the normal winter crap. I thought I might be able to shake it off because I'm not a big fan of medicine I typically don't take medicine unless the doctor gives it to me. I had to leave class early last night because I kept feeling more stopped up. When I got home I was just sitting by Daniel watching TV with him and all the sudden he says he is getting sick just by me sitting next to him. LOL -He's crazy-

So, today I get up and its WORSE! I'm talking with my co-worker about and she tells me I need to go to the clinic and make sure I don't have and ear infection because if I do go to Hawaii they wont let me fly with an ear infection. I (unwillingly) go over to the clinic (I hate going to that clinic) I wait FOREVER to see the doctor (but it's free so I cant complain that much- plus I just twittered the whole time I waited) Finally the doctor comes in to see me and tells me I do have the symptoms of an potential ear infection so he gives me a whole bunch of Allegra D and Amoxicillin for free! SO AWESOME! I have taken just one Allegra D and I feel 100% better and the better news is I have enough for Daniel! Thank you Jesus!

On another note (kinda) I just want everyone to know how much I LOVE Twitter I wish everyone I knew had an account. If you don't know what it is is should go check it out Twitter.com (and give it a chance) It's what keeps my work day exciting!

Have a good day and Click Here to check out Twitter! My user name is bowens and Daniel's is sdowens

-xoxox

Going or Not Going? That is the question.

Posted By: Brittny

So as I have told you before my brother-in-law is in the Army and has been stationed in Hawaii, and my sister-in-law found out less then a week ago that she will be leaving this Saturday. Well my mother and father in-law so graciously offered to buy me a ticket so I could help my sister in-law with my nephew and niece on the plane- if we could find a reasonable ticket- right now the tickets are $1500.00 yeah not so much reasonable. Normally the day before the flight they cut the price to try and fill up the plane to basically I will find out Friday (7th) if I'm leaving for Hawaii Saturday (8th). CRAZY! So I'm kind of prepping in case I do go, but I wont be completely disappointed if I don't go(although it would be SO MUCH fun!)

On another note we are having a photography contest here at work and whoever picture is picked (by Gary Fitzsimmons, Dallas county District Clerk) will be hung here in the George Allen Courts Building, cool huh? It has to be a picture of something that has to do with Dallas... So I was thinking about submitting this picture of me in front on City Hall :)



LOL! I'm totally Kidding :)

Although it would be the best picture hanging, but Gary would never pick it.

Well, I must say something about the election... It's finally over- I'm so glad and now life goes on we will all be okay- God is in control no matter what.

Okay that's all I want to say about that.

Have a good day!

Halloween!!!

Posted By: Brittny

We had so much fun on Halloween as we do every year! Me and my unbiological sister dressed up as matching guitars I was a red one and she was a pink one, they were so cute! At work we had a costume contest and a pumpkin decorating contest and I did win either one of them :( (Which I so should have) my boss said he couldn't vote for me since he was my boss- whatev

After a full day of hard working Halloween partying at work I meet up with my unbiological sister and we got my nephew and niece ready in their cute little costumes. We went to a church Halloween thing and got candy played games rode a hay ride and all that fun stuff! My sister and cousins joined us at the church we continued to have more fun!

After the Halloween thing at the church we took all the kids and went up to walmart to get snacks and pumpkins to carve!

Here are some pics of the night!

Me playing my guitar

My pumpkin that should have won...

My unbiological sister Lyndsey

This is me in my costume :)

Us!

My cousins Madison hip-hop witch (Who as you can tell does not like taking pictures) and Paige Charm school girl.

My nephew Bryce in his little Cars race car driver (so cute)

My niece Brooke in her cute Minnie Mouse outfit :)

How cute!

Sister and Niece

My two other nephews Micah and Heston who live in San Antonio so I did not get to spend Halloween with them, but they are so cute in their costumes!

I had so much fun I'm really sad my unbiological sister will be leaving me this Saturday for three years what will I do, I guess I need to start taking applications for a new unbiological sister (only for three years dont worry Lyndz)

I hope everyone have a great Halloween!

Carrie Underwood!

Posted By: Brittny

So, my sister-in-law and I went to the Carrie Underwood concert last Thursday night and we had AWESOME seats! We had the best time ever! (we always do though) It was a lot fun and meant a lot especially since my sister-in-law leaves for Hawaii this Saturday and will be there at least three years :( here are some pictures:

(You may click on any picture to make it bigger)

Us getting ready for the concert!

Little Big Town opened for her-

Us again waiting for Carrie to come on!

Carrie Underwood!

Look how freakin' close we were-

and her backside :)

Confetti at the end! It was SO MUCH fun!!!

Thank a million Lynsdey I had the best time! Thanks for being my unbiological sister :)