Book Review: The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett

The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Peter Brett thinks his middle name is R.R.....

The concept of the Painted Man was a revolution to me. I loved it from the beginning and I read the book as fast as any other I have ever read. I thought Brett was a bit clumsy at times with his character development, but I've read worse. Overall, it was one of my favorite reads of the past few years, and I looked forward to the sequel. I'll skip right past The Desert Spear, because I enjoyed that almost as much, and I was really looking forward to the Daylight War.

Now. Now I don't know if I will finish it.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a good story, but somewhere down the line Brett must have Danced with some Dragons because suddenly his characters are all thinking with their private parts, and Brett seems to revel every twenty pages or so in dropping a lewd word or reference in that does absolutely nothing to add to the story. I imagine the next book will be reviewed here at Goodreads and also by Hustler.

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This is mostly for me to remember it.

David Crowder said:

Hello!

Dear good soul, greetings, David Crowder here. I trust and hope you are well. I currently have a vision of you in my head and you are smiling. I hold to the strong belief that this corresponds to your reality.

Well, it has been a few days since last we spoke. And those few days have been fantastic on this end. Now, since it's been a bit of time since last we spoke, there's a lot I'd like to fill you in on. But, here's what's happened.

The DC*B came to an end in the early part of this year and I can not express enough how encouraging it has been for all of us to have such kind things sent through the internet machine and through the mail, as in, mail, as in the stuff you get out of your mail box and can hold in your hands and call "material". Yes. It has been wonderful. So, thank you. (If you are reading this and did not send any such encouragement, well, shame on you! But I say now, I don't blame you. What would you send? What could you say? I identify. I am socially awkward in the same way you are composed, as in, i too don't know what to do with my hands. All is forgiven.)

In the meantime…a few from our previous outfit have formed a new band. I wish to be presumptuous and assume you have already discovered, by chance, or unexpectedly, them, but in case you have had some bit of distraction, as in, like your friend Steve needed a ride, and of course, you are an amazing being belonging to the genus Homo and so you gave him a ride and so you missed this. But seriously, www.thedigitalagemusic.com

You are happier now, I know this.

Also…

In the meantime…

Hehehe!!!!!!! (Ah! Can't wait for you to hear this next part! Ugh! If we were hanging out at Olive Garden right now, I would be sitting across the table from you eating Zuppa Toscana and you would observe my facial features forming into a pleased, kind, or amused expression that is typical to the corners of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed, and then I would say to you, "OH MY WORD! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TOO!")

But since we're not at Olive Garden right now, I will tell you what I can.

So. I have been quietly gathering a new group of people to help us, you and me, feel things in our chest that we know are true! Yes!!! AHHH!!! I know! Right!?

Remember when the DC*B dabbled in a little bit of the bluegrass? Remember, "When the foot starts stomping, and the hands start clapping, don't panic. That's part of it. This is a little song called, 'I Saw The Light' by Hank Williams Senior, let's make it rowdy in here!!" And then we would all sing like crazy and feel like we knew something that the rest of 'em didn't, but should!?

Yeah. That thing. When reality shifts, when we would suddenly become aware of that fact that there is very little distance between us all and that we all no less than live and breathe in the very presence of God, and the Light is almost, at times, unbearable.

Well. I thought that moment significant.

And Oh Happiness, I have found a collection of folks that you absolutely have to find a way to hear. I do not kid. (I say that, and then I blow on my spoon full of tasty soup, from Olive Garden (Also, I tell you now, I have no idea why I got stuck on this OG thing, this is absolutely not product placement, I'm just hungry I think and the Zuppa Toscona sounds fantastic. Now if you work at Olive Garden and want to bless me with your ministry, I remain unopposed to such a thing.)

Luckily I have a few ways that may make the perception of the sound of this thing that I am speaking to you of over Olive Garden soup attainable.

Firstly:

We are doing limited dates through the end of the year. (Please Come!!!!!!) The link to where we will be follows. (No. Really. Please Come!!! I so want you to see this. This is like you and me and some friends on the front porch, and I so know you do not disappoint in such a setting!) www.crowdermusic.com

Secondly:

Uh. Brace for this. No. Really.

We, this little outfit and I, recorded an exclusive iTunes Session, which is all live, as in, sorry, you can't use auto tune or do overdubs, or edit bits and pieces, uh, no, as in, you played music and what went into the air is preserved as pristine and sacred. And yes. It felt like that. We recorded at Capital Records in the quaint sunny little town of Los Angeles. I want to tell you this, (I'm now blowing on my soup. Nothing worse than burning your tongue cause you can't taste a thing for like 2 days) I really want you to hear this. As in, really. We made a little video that goes along with it and will explain more of what I'm thinking about this whole thing right now, but honestly, I so want you to hear this stuff. It's special, I think.

And what's coming is something we'll have to talk about next time.

To which I responded:

Dude. Read your update and in the middle of it, like, somewhere near the part where you started talking about that time when we were all together and we started feeling like we knew something that the rest of 'em didn't, but should, well, an amazing thing happened, my heart stirred in my chest, and a tear came right to the corner of each of my eyes, because I REMEMBER that time, man, and whenever I'm having a time like I'm having right now, where I'm busy and I'm tired and I'm tired of being busy, and then I have one of those moments where it all comes together and hits me like a brick that I'm loved and I'm loved and that love is never gonna end...it's the best single moment of the day. So. Since I was reading your update when it happened this time, it made me think of all the OTHER times I've thought about something you had said, and after thinking about what you said my heart leapt in my chest and tears came to the corners of my eyes, and I realized that I am loved and I am loved and that love is never gonna end...and thinking those thoughts made me happy. Because. Last year when I heard the news that DCB was going away. I was sorry and I was sad, but I was thankful for those times that you said those things that made me remember. So we scraped up our change and we drove to the show and we stood in the stands and we danced and we sang, and me and my love watched my daughter in the front row as she jumped and she hollered and she laughed and she screamed and my heart leapt in my chest and tears came to the corners of my eyes and I was thankful. To have one last time. But I was sad. A little. Because I already missed you. and I feared that you were being called to go climb a mountain or start a mission in a far land or maybe just settle down in one place. And there wouldn't be any more new thoughts that you sometimes make me think, in ways that touch me. But. Now. I realize I was wrong. And. I'm So. Happy. And I praise God that you listen when he talks and give your gifts in His service and let Him use you to help us find our way because its so easy to get lost and forget. That we're loved and we're loved and that love is never gonna end. So I'll see you. :)

America's Ruling Class -- And the Perils of Revolution

VERY interesting.

Jesus Cares Sermon - Family Bible Study Notes

Jesus Cares Sermon

Jesus Cares

Mark 6:45-52

Why are things as goofed up as they are?

Things are as goofed up as they are because we are a broken people. The fundamental flaw in all of history and with all things human is that we are a broken and imperfect people. Our brokenness is caused by sin.

Who is Jesus?

The Son of God. He came to deal with the problem of reconciling a broken people to God and Heaven. He came to fix the fundamental flaw of history. He came to fix our brokenness. He died to forgive our sins.

What is a/the gospel?

The word gospel means “good news”. The Gospel is the good news about Jesus and the fact that He has fixed the fundamental flaw of history and made a way for us to be reconciled to God. The good news is that He died for our sins.

What is the Bible for?

The Bible is used to spread the good news about Jesus, to tell us how God provided a way to deal with our brokenness. The Bible is to tell that Jesus died for our sins. The Bible helps us fulfill our purpose.

What is our purpose?

Our purpose is to see unbelieving people become followers of Christ by telling them who Jesus is.

Side Notes

1. What was the American Revolution?

2. Who was the ruler of America before the American Revolution?

3. What does “Up against it” mean? (Example: “I don't know what he is going to do now, he is really up against it.”)

http://www.parksidechurch.com/media-player/2010/1/10/jesus-cares/watch/

Amazed and Disgusted

Every time I think the man couldn't amaze and disgust me with his arrogance any more than he already has, he proves me wrong.

Click here to find out what has me so amazed and disgusted.

For those that don't know George Stephanopoulos was an adviser to Bill Clinton, so would assume that he is at least on the same side of the political room as the President, if not quite so far to the left of it. I admire the fact that he doggedly pursued the issue of the tax here in this article, and I am especially amazed and disgusted by Obama telling the man that referencing the dictionary was an obvious indication that Stephanopoulos was somehow "stretching".

I don't know about you, but when I go to the dictionary, it's so I can look the person I am having a dispute with in the eye and say "Here it is in black and white, so in your face, you are unquestionably incorrect"....In a gentle and loving way of course....

"I don't think I'm making it up," Mr. Stephanopoulos said. He then had the temerity to challenge the Philologist in Chief, with an assist from Merriam-Webster. He cited that dictionary's definition of "tax"—"a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes."

Mr. Obama: "George, the fact that you looked up Merriam's Dictionary, the definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you're stretching a little bit right now. . . ."

Defying Evolution

Hey, if you can turn give me evidence for micro-evolution and say it proves macro-evolution, I can show you a bunny chasing a snake and tell you you're all wet.

rabbit vs snake.wmv

Jamie Foxx and Miley Cyrus

SO recently Jamie Foxx had this to say about Miley Cyrus:

On an episode of his weekly radio show “The Foxxhole,” Foxx for launched a crude attack on the teen sensation saying, "Make a sex tape and grow up!" Other guests in the background can be heard saying "Be like Britney Spears and do some heroin. Be like Lindsay Lohan and start seeing a lesbian...get some crack in your pipe. Now that's what I want."

Well, Miley's father didn't think any of that was funny, and brought up a very good point when he said, "Quite frankly, I think if I said those things about his daughter he might not find it so comedic.”

Well, the other night Mr. Foxx was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and he offered this: "I apologize for what I said. I didn't mean it maliciously. You know I'm a comedian. You know my heart."

Yes Mr. Foxx. I know your heart. It's very clear that your heart allows you do to anything for money.

I'm upset because I think Mr. Foxx is a very talented actor and I'm looking forward to his upcoming movie "The Soloist". I really want to like this guy, but sometimes he makes it very difficult.

I wonder if that's what God thinks about me?

Be As You Are?

There is a car in our parking lot here at work which has a bumper sticker that says "Be As You Are". The first time I saw it, I laughed out of incredulity. My first thought was...what if you're an *******? (Sorry, just being honest) Some people just are just not nice.

Anyway, a song just came on Pandora by some artist with the first name Ingrid and an album entitled "Be OK", and I had the same incredulous response. Seriously? Is that all there is to it? Do these people really think that if we just act as we feel, or will ourselves to be okay, everything is going to be okay? Really? No wonder Obama is President.

I'm reminded of a comment from Kevin Costner in Wyatt Earp when he was being confronted by the Earp women. One of them wanted to know if the wives ever counted more than the brothers when it came to making decisions and his answer was:

"No, Bessie, you don't.
Wives come and go,
that's the plain truth of it. They run off.
They die."

I know the wives certainly didn't appreciate the answer, and there's a bit in the Bible which discusses cleaving to your spouse which makes his answer less than Biblical, but nonetheless, the man was on to something when he talked about the strength and importance of family.

People die. Pets die. Money is lost and stolen. Cars get wrecked. Limbs get broken. The cable goes out. People serve you Miracle Whip when you ask for mayonnaise.

I hate to cite a colloquialism which contains more profanity, but "you know what" happens. And it happens all the time. It never ends. Sometimes it's like an avalanche and sometimes it's a rip tide.

What do you depend on when it happens? Who do you turn to? Where do you run?

I'll tell you one thing, "being as you are" isn't going to help.

Willing it all to "be okay" isn't going to get you anywhere either.

The truth is that this life is FULL OF PAIN.

Death is inevitable, and the older you get, the more loved ones you have to miss, and we start missing some way too early.

You can be as you are as much as you want to, but every person has a limit, and when that avalanche hits or the rip tide pulls you under and you can't manage to find a way to get a breath....being as you are is going to mean you are going to be pretty miserable.

Willing yourself to be OK? Please. There comes a time in every man's life when they simply run out of will. Biting into a burger and expecting mayo but getting Miracle Whip will do that to a person.

I'll tell you what. Next time you go through some tragedy, give me a call and I'll tell you to "Be as you are!", or maybe just to "Be OK". See how that works out.

What bugs me most is that the "Be OK" people consider themselves enlightened and consider that believing in Jesus Christ as the Risen Savior is believing in something archaic and outdated. It disturbs me that the "Be As You Are" crowd think that Christians are simple minded.

Here's the thing. I've lived through the blizzards. I've been sucked under by the rip tides. And unlike the picture which the "Be As You Are" crowd espouses about simple-minded Christians, I didn't gleefully chalk it up to "God's will" and walk around with a smile on my face.

I've cried rivers of tears. I've been so empty inside, so broken, so downright all done, that I've asked God to either return or just allow me to die. I've shaken my fist at him in anger on more than one occasion.

And today, I love Him so much. And more importantly, I KNOW that He loves me.

I am thankful, yes, thankful for all of it, and even more, I can see how each and every valley has shaped my life and made me a better person.

So when the "Be As You Are" crowd says I am filled with hate because I think homosexuality is a sin, I attribute it to principle.

When they label my opposition to abortion "religious foolishness", I know that it is based in love for the gift of life.

And when they tell me I am behind the times because we home-school, and the girls aren't allowed to date, and I have a curfew for my sister who is in her early 20's, I know that I am protecting my family.

How can being principled, loving life and providing and protecting my family make me a bad person?

The unfortunate thing is that they're so sure they're right that they won't even discuss it.


So keep on "being as you are" and "willing yourself to be okay" if that's your gig. And keep on thinking you're enlightened because you're not "saddled" with the burden of religion. And when the next blizzard comes and you're blown over by the storm, you'll have some really catchy and well intended phrases to rely upon to get you through it.

But in the middle of a storm, a positive outlook is going to leave you flat on your face. There is no philosophy, no person, no mantra that can even begin to compare to having a personal relationship with God, KNOWING that He loves you, and that He is control of everything.

He loves us and He is in control of everything. That is the only concrete thing you can ever rely upon to get you through.

I often wonder how people can get through the valleys NOT knowing that. And you know what? It's my experience that most never get through whole.

Our world is full of people with excuses for what happened to make them the way they are, and excuses for why they have an exemption from some of the most basic standards of human behavior, and now even those with reasons why there are no basic standards. Without fail, all of those excuses are rooted in a valley or a storm.

In contrast, genuine Christians will tell you how the valleys and storms they endured made them stronger and better people. They will witness to you how God worked through their weakness and their pain to bring them peace and joy.

They will testify that there is a God, and that they have a personal relationship with Him. There are millions of people alive right now that can do that, and there have been countless others who could have throughout the history of time.

Discounting all of that evidence and eye-witness testimony, that's foolish.

If you don't believe as I believe but you're interested in open and genuine two-way discussion, send me an email and I'll share my testimony.

Not my story. My testimony.

It's fact.

Voddie Baucham Sermons

I added a new addition to the "Links" segment on the right. If you are a Christian and you don't know who Voddie Baucham is, it's high time you "met" the man. You can do just that by following the link below to a site with a number of different audio and video presentations of some of his sermons.

Coulter: Guns vs Teenage Sex

No wonder the liberals hate Anne Coulter, time after time she makes them look like fools with simple logic like the following:

It's something in liberals' DNA: They think they can pass a law eliminating guns and nuclear weapons, but teenagers having sex is completely beyond our control.

See what happens when you think.