Remote World - a Spinuzzi’s blog

I am one of those who has not been a stranger to pain in my life, while at the same time I have been spoiled by being healthy and physically active. During the last few years, however, I have occasionally been bed-ridden with a back problem that is accompanied with almost unbearable pain. This is the case at the moment - I can do nothing but lay here and hope and pray that my vertebra get back in place soon. For me it is a time of not only feeling powerless and useless, but a feeling of being trapped, much like claustrophobia. Yesterday morning, unable to move, I was fighting rising panic. And then there is the fear of another back spasm with its blinding pain…
During such times I must trust God that He will bring good even from this - perhaps from writing, doing research, and from inner reflection about my relationship with and reliance upon Him. It is also a time to realize that when I am doing just fine I need to remember and pray for those in difficult circumstances.

UPDATE, Thursday, March 4th: I’ve been working this week - rigged a cart with a lift to help me move equipment. It has been a little painful, but getting better. Two more weeks available to get it in shape before I go parachuting. I’ll brace up just in case, but if the past is any indicator - all should be well by then. Looking forward to stepping out into the wind!

Perhaps the most important question we as humans ever encounter is “Who am I?” By this I mean “What do I represent to others and to God?” Are we trustworthy? Liars? Wise? Foolish? Loyal? Selfish? The list goes on… but the point is: we decide who we are by what we believe and who we follow. Our actions provide evidence as to what those beliefs really are and who we really follow. As the old saying goes; the proof is in the pudding, or, as the Bible puts it, the fruit reveals what kind of tree is present:

Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Notice I said this question is perhaps the most important, but not necessarily what concerns an individual the most. Self-centeredness often makes us overlook this question because we either don’t want to examine ourselves or don’t care about the question as long as we get what we want. For Christians, however, the question is paramount, for our very salvation hinges on it. If we do not examine ourselves daily we will end up denying Christ by our actions:

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

1 Cor 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Titus 2:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
1 ¶ But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

(more…)

The scientific community was having their 10-year International Conference in Versailles, France. Many speakers had spoken of the great scientific wonders that mankind had achieved over the previous ten years. A final speaker addressed the huge audience with great pride. The man was a biologist who worked in the area of genetics. As he proudly surveyed the crowd of distinguished men he felt compelled to state “We have come a long way in all the sciences, so far in fact that I can now say to God Himself “Hey You! We can now do anything You can! We have, through our technology and intellect, gotten to the point where we ARE god!” The thunderous applause and standing ovation was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a blinding light near the top of the grand hall. A loud, deep voice said “Oh, really? You think that’s so?” After a few moments of stunned silence the speaker regained his confidence and arrogantly asserted, “Yes, we do!”
“Could you make a man?” God asked them.
“Ha!” the biologist replied, “Easily!”
“Well,” said God, “I made one from dirt.”
“We can do that!” was the reply from the scientists.
“Okay”, says God, “Let’s see you do it.”
One of the scientists jumped up and said “I’ll go outside and dig up the dirt!”
There was a loud thunder-crack and silence fell again. God’s voice thundered “Get your OWN dirt!”

Trust comes naturally to small children, but we adults have been burned enough to know better. When we got some horses I took my youngest daughter, Arianna, down to the pen to show her the white horse, Buckey. As we approached, Buckey put his head over the fence in anticipation of our attention. I didn’t know this horse and so planned to stay on our side of the fence for now. Arianna was sitting cradled in my arm. When we got to Buckey my attention was on him to see how he would react to my baby. I was stunned by what happened next. Arianna with a gleeful sound literally leapt out of my arm and on to Buckey’s long face, hugging his head and laughing. In my mind, knowing how a horse will toss his head, I imagined Arianna being flung high and far by this powerful white horse. As fast as I could move (more…)

The following is from the book “The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions”.

Mighty God,
I humble myself for faculties misused,
opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,
my broken resolutions, untrue service,
my backsliding steps,
my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus’ blood,
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behavior, provoking pettiness, (more…)

Sphere: Related Content

Below is my original post, which was initially a response to those who asserted (tv, media) that Jackson was now in heaven. I have been told that my use of the word ‘hope’ in this context may be improper to convey what I was wishing to convey. So please read my post carefully and consider words that I agree with, upon reflection, from thegreatbout.xanga.com who said:

I have a difficult time seeing how any person following the way of Jesus (the enemy-lover) can have a hope of destruction against others. All death should be mourned, ESPECIALLY the death of nonbelievers. We can’t mourn when we are hoping they are in hell. I understand that G-D is always just, that people condemn themselves and G-D grants them what they want (which is either his presence or his absence) but G-D does not desire the death of wicked men or that any not be with him for eternity. He loves his creation. It just so happens he is also ju(s)t with his creation.

Again, there is a difference between hoping G-D is consistent and that his Word is true and hoping that a specific individual finds torture because they seem unlike Christ according to the reports you’ve heard about them. I’m fine with you amending your post. I think the word hope is he main component here.

Original post:
Seems awfully hateful, doesn’t it? Actually it isn’t mean or hateful at all. I wish no harm to Micheal. As a Christian I am always saddened when someone dies without having a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and such is the case with Micheal Jackson.
So why would I hope he has been condemned to hell? Is it because I don’t like him? No, that’s not the reason, though I never liked Micheal, his music, or (especially) his life-style. Is it because I think he was a terrible sinner and deserves to be sent to hell? Well, yes and no. Yes, all sinners deserve hell. We are all sinners – ergo we all deserve hell. Actually, in my eyes, Micheal Jackson was less of a sinner than I am because I have known Christ for many years and have tasted the gifts of God – yet I still sin.
Then why in the world would I hope that Micheal is in hell right now? Jealousy? No. Anger? No. Resentment? No. Disgust? No. I hope Micheal Jackson is in hell because it is evident to me that he was NOT a Christian. (I use the term correctly – there are many who claim to be Christians who do not have an active saving relationship with Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 6:9-11) Do I know for absolute certain that Micheal was not saved from hell? No, I don’t. Only God sees the heart. But the evidences of a Christ-changed heart are listed in the Bible, and I did not see such evidence in Jackson’s life. (more…)

My Ol’ Man is a vile excuse for a human being! Every day I am confronted with and disgusted by his lack of care and love for his own wife and children, and I think it is time for him to die. You think me harsh or cruel? You ask me how dare I suggest such a thing? You have no idea what we have been put through because of his selfish, destructive, coarse, and abusive lifestyle. His callous disregard of the welfare of those who depend on him has been a constant grinding-away of our souls, especially for me. I have come to hate him. I have seen him hurt his wife and children – but it is ME he has hurt most. It is ME he has abused most. It is ME he has embarrassed and discredited most.
I want him dead. I have tried to kill him before and failed, but I will try again and again until I see the life drained from his mocking eyes. I will exult in his death! I will rejoice in it and will not have remorse. Murder, you say? (more…)

Most pots think they are smart. They are mistaken. There are pots that think they are smarter than most other pots. This may be true, but in the end it can be to their disadvantage. Most pots believe they are special. This is also true, but it, too, can be a disadvantage. The pots who think they are smarter than others who also think they are more special than other pots are in real trouble. The problem is that these pots tend to think deeply about certain subjects, and are impressed with themselves about this ability. This might be humorous, seeing, after all that they are in fact just pots, if the consequences were not so tragic. When a pot is given some measure of awareness of the Truth by the Potter the pot may think it sees much more of the Truth than it does, in fact, see. This leads to a bit of self-importance: “Listen to ME! I have Truth!” The self-importance in turn leads to a focus on ones self. This is a bad thing for pots. When a pot focuses on itself it may forget its purpose, not to mention the fact that the pot has now become more concerned with itself than the world of Truth it has only begun to explore.
In the case of the pot of the previous story the combination of some Truth with self-absorption led to the pot seeing that (more…)

The Potter lovingly and carefully formed the pot. The pot was perfect. It was not made for great things, but was just right for what the Potter intended. He cultivated good and beautiful things in the pot. But the pot was not happy with what he was, and, seeking happiness, brought vile and corrupt things into the pot, often killing the beautiful things the Potter put there. The pot knew it was wrong to bring the vile and corrupt things in, but he did not trust the Potter to make him happy, so he continued to bring in the vile things. He got to trust in the vile and corrupt things to make him happy, even though he knew the Potter loved him. He was torn - wanting both the Potter and the vile things. Eventually the stress on the pot became too much for him, for he was not a strong pot, and the pot shattered. In his broken shards the pot tried to hold a little of the vile and corrupt things. He could not hold much in the shallow shards, but he persisted.

Now the Potter had a beautiful Bride he was preparing to wed. She lived in a dark land and occasionally would get an infection - a boil - that the Potter knew was ruining her perfection. So the Potter would reach down and take one of the broken shards, and after shaking off the vile and corrupt things it was holding the Potter would use its sharp edges to scrape the boil so as to open the infection to the air and the light. In this way he healed his Bride. The broken pot sees how much the Potter loves his Bride. It is a dirty and dishonorable job, and often the Bride resists when she sees the sharp edges of the shard coming. The pot shard causes pain. The Bride hates the broken pot, and rarely thanks the Potter for using it. (more…)

3 Doors Down has a song called “Duck and Run” that I really like. Here’s a part of the lyrics and the reason I like it:

All my work and endless measures
Never seem to get me very far
Walk a mile just to move an inch now
Even though I’m trying so damn hard
I’m trying so hard…

The Freshman sat in his dorm room at the University of Texas at Arlington. Everything was ready for leaving. The instructions concerning his stuff were written. The charter fishing boat in Galveston, Texas had been located. The charter rate was fairly cheap, as this was mid-week instead of on a weekend. All of The Freshman’s belongings in the room were neatly packed, except for the weight belt, of course. He had cast his own weights for SCUBA diving out of lead. The belt was fully loaded (it would take him down deep and down fast), but could be hidden under the long, loose shirt he wore. By the time the charter fishing boat operator could react to The Freshman being overboard it would be too late - The Freshman would be too far down, out of reach. Safe. Finally safe.
The Freshman took one last look around. He was calm, having planned his exit for weeks. He loved the water, and this way there would be no body to bury, no expensive casket and burial plot to cost his parents money. The Freshman had cost them enough. It all made sense: Why stay here? This life was futile. Pain. More pain. Uselessness. Time to check out, lift the burden. He had explained it all in the letter that would be found here in the dorm room. (more…)