Short, Blunt, and to the Point

Some of you who are used to my normal mode of writing may be surprised by this one. Despite having a blunt personality that despises being “flowery,” over the years I have learned (LEARNED) to use a little wisdom and try to reason with people, rather than just beating them over the head with truth and leaving it between them and God (this is my true personality, sorry guys but I’m a prophet by nature). Thus, though I normally choose to nicely with lots of explanation, qualifiers, and much padding in order to try to get truth into the heart, this time I’m just going to be a prophet.


There are really only two views of the world / of existence. The first is to defy all logic and good science and choose to believe that there is no such thing as god or at least an intelligent designer. The second is to believe that a god must exist and then to figure out if he has explained what he wants or not. If he has, then we’re extremely stupid not to obey.

Some in the scientific community want everyone to believe that evolution apart from any possibility of intelligent design is the only logical, scientific possibility. This is simply not true. Science itself demands that life had to begin somewhere. They say that people who believe in religion or intelligent design believe in a fairy tale, yet it is they who have zero explanation of the beginning of life. For the record, I’m not even speaking of evolution vs Christianity here, it is entirely logical to believe in id, without believing that the God of the Bible is the creator. Those are two separate debates. Most, if not all, of the foremost and prominent evolutionists will admit that the prospect of God is not palatable and thus, they choose to believe in evolution (the young and un-learned ones still think that it is illogical to believe in id, rather than realizing it is a choice and not a conclusion to hold that belief). They have no explanation for the beginning of life. The theory of old, is the primordial soup theory which morphed (evolved) into various other arguments that all require a magical jump from non-living matter to a living cell (which is scientifically impossible, no matter how much “long ago and far away” you give it). The most recent explanation I became aware of was when watching Expelled and the interview with none other than Prof Richard Dawkins himself. When nailed down on this question he “hemmed and hawed” (as the Southern expression goes) and said perhaps some other super technologically-advanced civilization came to earth and “seeded” the earth. Um… aliens, seriously… that’s the best the “there’s absolutely no way intelligent design can possibly be true because I say so anc can’t stand the implications of admitting it could be true” community can come up with?! What in the world… literlally! He said he’s certain that God does not exist, but offers no evidence, it is self-evident to him in his magical little world. You know, I think I liked the guy an interview or two before him… he just illogically stuck to his guns and said that life may have possibly come to be on the back of crystals… at least he just acted like the five-year old logic he held to and when asked, just kept laughing and saying “I just told you” (though all he said was just that). Though I didn’t intend this as a commentary on the movie, at least Dr. Will Provine of Cornell is honest and candid and has accepted with both arms the natural, logical conclusion of all evolutionary theory. He will burn in hell, but I greatly respect his consistency, frankness, and for following through on his own logic. Don’t misunderstand me, I wish it weren’t so, but it is true nonetheless. When two people come to the same evidence and one chooses to believe one thing and another chooses the other (and they are both logically consistent about it), I have to respect that. Bravo Dr Provine!

Science is a wonderful thing and it is a long-standing passion of mine. I love it, especially cellular biology. I studied diligently and hard and learned a lot in high school and in my undergrad at both a state tech school, and the Christian college I later attended. The thing I came to realize, however, is that science has its limits. That sounds simple enough and obvious enough, but so often in our culture science is hailed as the end-all-be-all of knowledge. It is great, but it has massive limits. The primary limit is that the community has adopted evolution as its religion and yet, this is incompatible with the essence of true science. What is worse, is that it is now making claims it cannot support and employing horrendous logic to try to defend itself and blindly refusing to admit the truth.

What is the truth? In the context of this discussion, the truth is that evolution is based on faith. All of the arguments, all of the evidence of one thing or the other, all of the red-herrings and flawed logic cannot deny the fact that they don’t have any answers as to how life began. Not only that, but those answers are not possible to discover by the very tenants or pillars of science! I just wish most of them would be consistent and admit that evolution is a choice that may be at least partially based in science, but is ultimately based on faith, a religious view. Christianity too really comes down to faith. There are many, many proofs that could be offered (and I could write many myself). However, in the end, it really does just come down to faith. Faith that God is who He says, that the Bible has been preserved, that the God of the Bible is the one and only true God, etc, etc. If it could be proven that Christianity is false, I would abandon it in a heartbeat. In fact, I will go a step further, further than most Christians can or will. Sometimes I wish it weren’t true because my carnal nature would rather do whatever it wants and the demands of God are not convenient to those carnal desires. Yet, I am entirely convinced that Christianity is true, and willingly and gladly submit to a loving and good Creator, Jesus Christ. I thus rejoice in the salvation of Christ and delight myself with Him and in Him. I love Christ for what He has done for me!

Aside from foundational issues, there is one other way I am logically different from those believers in evolution, at least I can admit that it comes down to faith.

An Abbreviated, Short, Brisk Little Rant

I’m reminded of how faith is a gift from God and how belief is first a matter of the heart, not the head. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but it cannot bring salvation of any kind. On its own it is a god of human imagination, a vain pursuit constantly promising what it cannot deliver. It is an open tomb, always swallowing and never being filled; it is a vacuum that ultimately collapses on itself. Apart from its creator, knowledge has no power and no direction… just like electricity is powerful and useful, but only if it’s grounded. You cannot, with knowledge or learning, convince someone of something they have decided against. You also cannot debate for the sake of debate… this too is a vain pursuit with its end in itself. You can love them, you can speak truth, but you cannot make a willfully deaf man understand.

Repentance

Ok, so, I was watching a little tv today and heard a person who represents a particular church (who shall remain nameless to avoid needless controversy) congratulate someone for “understanding in one day our Lord’s message of repentance.” For those that know me well, you probably know that I have a habit of fussing at and / or debating the tv or radio. I’m very passionate and can’t stand when people purport something that does not stand or is illogical, and especially when they misrepresent the Gospel! As with so many of my notes, this started as a Facebook status update of a sentence and turned into this… enjoy :)

Repentance is NOT simply, oh darn, I screwed up, I’m really sorry that I did “x” and now I’m in a mess… I messed up and sinned and now I’m in a mess and God is mad at me. NO!!! That is merely the starting place of repentance. Repentance is having a keen awareness of just how sinful you really are (inasmuch as we can comprehend). It is not only recognizing what you have done wrong, but it is standing with God and saying “you are justified when you speak” it is standing in agreement with God that you are deserving of punishment because of who you are, not merely for a few times of messing up (though those are the evidences of who you are). Repentance is a deep sense of vulnerability is seeing yourself in God’s eyes and realizing that you cannot possibly cover up yours sins as Adam and Eve tried to do, nor can you hide from God himself or the wrath that is to come! Repentance IS casting yourself before a Holy God and pleading for mercy, realizing that you deserve none. For those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ in this way, they will be saved, He will in no way turn anyone away that comes in this manner. Then, the truly beautiful thing is that He will not only give you mercy, but He will give you grace, which means that He not only takes away your sin (your sin nature), but He will also give you HIS righteousness. You are not merely brought to a “zero” balance (which still wouldn’t be good enough), but He gives you perfect credit, HIS!!!

Aside from this type of repentance, a person is condemned to hell. This is no way around it, there is no other way. This does not delight me, speaking as a human being. It is not something that I enjoy preaching and teaching, yet, it is completely true. It is like being in WWII, hearing the air-raid sirens, and trying to take cover in a bunker. I’m not happy about having to scream at the top of my lungs to a little child who’s crying merely because I’m yelling, or to have to forcibly grab an old woman, or to tell a strong man to his face that he’s an idiot; I don’t enjoy doing those things. And yet, how can I do anything else?! The most selfish thing I could do would be to jump in the bunker and comfort myself with the thought that I was safe and other’s should be able to hear the sirens. It is one thing when people have heard and chose not to take the necessary actions; it is entirely different if they have never heard!

This is truly amazing, and most importantly… 100% true!

Meditation

Also, as to aligning with particular groups and doctrinal lines… each “system” is an attempt to reconcile mysteries and as such, is a human structure built (whether solidly or not) on top of the Bible, and thus, is bound to have error. This is why I cannot seem to answer some questions around here… now, some are better than others and I more easily align with them than others, yet some are quite good save a few things or even the tweaking of a few points. If I cannot accept the whole, I cannot claim to align with said system. Thus, I don’t have a clue which particular system I “believe” because they are all in error in one manner or another, though I try my best to be aware of and intelligent on the issues involved. Thus, I know I need to learn more, desire to, and will, yet at the same time, this is why I am ignorant of terms and such. Part of it has been laziness, but part of it is in recognizing that I cannot accept these wholes. So much of this smacks of the “I am of Paul and I am of Apollos” (1 Cor 3:4). If we are truly people of the word, if we truly believe sola scriptura, then why do we so blindly hold to the traditions instead of digging in the Word for ourselves and then taking the systems as advice from elders and those more wise than ourselves.



Some will charge me with being illogical or not desiring consistency… no, quite the opposite. I am a VERY logically-oriented person and quite analytical. I cannot abide inconsistency within myself, my mind, etc. I am very logical and love systematic theology and so on. My contention is that there is more than we are capable of knowing. Thus, we should seek to know all that we can about what we can, but we should not try to force the things that have not been revealed to us. It is actually an affront to God to seek to know the hidden things that He has denied us. If you disagree, explain the Trinity. If you can explain the trinity without becoming a heretic or using this same logic, then I will change my mind. Otherwise, be consistent and admit that you can’t figure out every single thing and learn to be comfortable with mystery… we are the creatures, not the creator. Why can’t we eat this fruit? That doesn’t matter; to you it has not been revealed. Apply yourself with what you are given, but stop grasping for what you have not been. Then, take what you have been given and use it instead of bottling it up in selfishness. Deut 29.29

Like A Tree Planted By The Water

You know, living life in the Spirit is truly a perplexing thing. I wrote a “short devotion” not long ago that is ringing truer and truer to me lately. I am experiencing another revival in my life and it is very exciting, yet a little fearsome. I know my own wickedness and though this new life in Christ is wonderful, a part of me wonders how long it will be until I stray again, until I trade the treasures of heaven for the fleeting pleasures of this earth, the trinkets that hold no real value but are a mirage of a lie. That’s right, a mirage of a lie. They are not even the lie itself, because the subject of the lie does not exist. Satan loves to whisper in our ears telling us that fulfillment or contentment is found here or there, yet the father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth. It’s not a matter of here or there, but a matter of Him. Right here, today; today while it is still called today do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. You do not have to seek God in one place or another, nor do you have to seek His promises in one place or another. No, you seek Him and all these things are added unto you. Nevertheless, the devil loves to whisper in our ears that if we look at that or seek after that, or do this in this manner, THEN we will have fulfillment. Yet, what is going on here is that we are grasping for straws, we are trying to take by force what Christ has promised us by Grace. By grasping, we are saying to God that He is not looking out for our good, or that He is not moving quickly enough, and ultimately that He is not good. Does not your heavenly father know that you need these things?! If you as for bread He will not give you a stone, therefore we should stop trying to turn stones into bread seeking to provide for ourselves by our own power, which is literally nothing. We cannot change one hair on our head, we cannot add one measure to our life, we are powerless and can do nothing… except ask and receive!!!

My friends, I have many more things to write, and yet I do not know where to begin or where to stop. My real purpose today is to ask for your prayer. I have had pseudo-revivals in the past where the Spirit wooed me and I followed for a short time, but quickly became distracted by the things of this world and the renewed life the Lord desired to bring to me shriveled and died among the thorns and rocks. I have also had genuine revival in the past, but over time, I forgot the Lord. I forgot the Lord when I sat in a house I didn’t build, ate food I didn’t plant, and drank my fill of the wine of this world. My friends, I want to be completely “sold out” to the Lord, I want to stand in His presence saying “here am I,” “use me Lord.” I don’t want to hold anything back or become complacent once again. I want to stand before Christ at the end of my life saying that I indeed fought the good fight and that I lost none of those who were put into my care. I want to stand firm, not wavering or turning to the right hand or to the left, with fire in my soul, united and in perfect unity with Christ as a wheel within a wheel.

As I lead my new family, I cannot lead if I am not following the Lord. I cannot seek to feed my wife Spiritual food, if I am anemic. How can a man feed a flock if he has no food and no strength to find it?! The job of every truly great leader is to guide those in his care through the treacherous perils of life. He does this by the light of the Word, by the power of Jesus Christ, lighting his paths and guiding him in all righteousness, so that he does not stumble or lead his people to death. The moment a leader loses the glory of the Lord, those following are in danger. This is a powerful meditation for the past, the present, and the future as the Lord has called me to be a shepherd. If I don’t know how to find water, I cannot water His sheep. If I do not know to eat, I cannot feed the sheep, nor can I have the strength to lead them to food. If I don’t stay on the alert, being ever vigilant and watchful, I am like a shepherd without his staff, helpless to defend the flock from ravenous wolves.


This is a constant struggle in my life (and in all of ours if we are honest) and I don’t want to lose the battle any more. My friends, I need your prayers! Below I will share just a few of the things that I jotted down as I was praying this afternoon. Please pray that Lord will protect me from the temptations of the evil one and that this work will not fall void, but will be the catalyst for the rest of my life. Today IS that day!

From the depths of my soul I cry out to you O Lord, let this be the moment that I forever resolve to walk in your Spirit and in you alone. Let me no longer walk in the paths of sin such as laziness, gluttony, and complacency. Search me and know my heart and reveal it unto me so that I may follow you with my whole heart and with all of my strength. Teach me your ways so that I may know what is right, be renewed in my mind and spirit, and follow you in your way. Give me genuine passion, remove the heart of stone and give me the heart of flesh so that your Spirit burns as a fire within me and I’m lead by you rather than by emotion and human determination. Help me no longer stumble about trying to walk as blind in my own power, but bring me to naught so that I may see you in truth.


I shared a note a while back called, “Lord Jesus” that is also quite appropriate and totally in line with my heart right now. I'm placing the link to that note and a picture of a powerful song below that.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=2892830294

My blog:
http://a-hawk.blogspot.com/2007/07/lord-jesus.html

A Short Devotion

Living the Christian life is perplexing sometimes, and so is zeal for the Lord. Scripture teaches us that the Spirit is like the wind, it blows where it will (John 3:8). We cannot make it blow one direction or the other, nor can we generate the wind at any point. Further, we cannot determine whether it will be a whisper, a gale-force storm, or nothing at all. We are completely dependent upon God to send His Holy Spirit according to his purposes, for His glory. Living and moving in the spirit is like being a sail-boat in the midst of a great ocean. We are dependent upon the wind for movement. We cannot generate our own wind and we could never row long enough to get to safety. We can try all we want, but we will tire and fail if we attempt it. Instead, we must learn to move with the wind, to ride the current. This means being prepared for the wind’s movement and being committed to move the way the wind moves, to go left when the wind goes left and right when the wind goes right. We must let it guide us in the ebb and flow of life, gently caressing and comforting us while moving us swiftly along the ordained path.

Our job, our responsibility, is to prepare for the moving of the Spirit… the end. God’s prerogative, right, and decision is to move according to his purposes and will. Through the disciplines, such as prayer and Bible reading, we prepare ourselves for the movement of the Spirit just like a ship’s sails being properly in place, prepare it for the wind. Yet, as with a ship, having sails up in the air does not mean we will be able to move, it simply means that we are prepared to move when the wind blows and in the manner the wind wills.

There are many spectrums in the spiritual life and this is no exception. At one end of the spectrum is being slack in the disciplines. Slack disciplines are like slack sails, they spill the wind and handle it poorly, causing the ship to move poorly or erratically. When we are slack in the disciplines, we are unable to move with the full power of the Spirit. Though the Lord is willing to move us and sends His Spirit, we are poor vessels, leaking and spilling the precious gift of the Spirit and failing to move in the power thereof. We become erratic and disheartened. Sometimes we even begin to wonder if the wind is insufficient to move us, but in truth it is we who are insufficient. In those times we should recognize it is our insufficiency causing the problem. Yet, at the same time, we need to remember that Christ is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9). It is not that Christ is weak, not at all. Instead, it is that His strength is demonstrated most perfectly when we are at our weakest, when we acknowledge our weakness. It is when we are in a posture or position of being totally submitted, totally open and naked before our creator, that he is able to demonstrate His strength in amazing and perfect ways. It is then that He can pick us up in the warmth of His strong arms, holding us close to His bosom, quieting us long enough to listen to the beat of His heart.

At the other end of the spectrum is holding the sails too tightly. When the wind does blow, we are to hold the sails, but if we hold them too tightly we might believe ourselves to be the master of them, foolishly thinking we can go where we will. If the sails are held too tightly, the wind will push against the sails with tremendous force. If the sails continue to be held too tightly, then you end up in a tugging match with the wind vs you. You will not win! In the same way, if we try to use the disciplines to gain favor with God or to earn His approval, we totally miss the point. If we approach them as if they are a means to get where we want to go, we will end up going no where and even find ourselves opposing the Lord. The disciplines must be used in the way they were designed. They were designed to help us grasp the movement of the Spirit, not control it; we cannot control the wind, nor can we decide our own destination. Remember the disciplines do not make us holy; Christ’s atoning blood has already accomplished that on our behalves. Instead of trying to earn your own holiness (as if that were even possible), you must use the disciplines as tools to learn the way the Spirit moves and then set your sails accordingly.

If the wind is blowing toward the west (from the east, toward the west), you will not get anywhere setting the sails toward the east, or if you do, you’ll only end up going the opposite direction you wish to go. Further, if you stubbornly and rebelliously decide on your own course and face against the wind (toward the north or south), you will have a very hard time keeping the boat from capsizing and will eventually tire out, ruin the boat, or both. A ship in the midst of a storm must use the wind to move and be carried by it where it will, it cannot survive taking the wind broad-side. If we put up our sails the wrong way, we will likely break our mast, rip our sails, or capsize the boat. Thus, when our devotionals are on the wrong things (such as worshipping TV or the latest Christian author - ouch), we are facing the wrong way (to one degree or the other). Further, if we simply refuse to put up the sails (not doing any devotionals), we won’t move at all, but will only bob to and fro, tossed about and destined for destruction.

Yet if we do put up the sails, even if we put up the correct sails in the correct manner, we still cannot believe that this will guarantee movement, we must still wait upon the wind for movement. If performing the disciplines by themselves guaranteed movement, then we would be source of movement, providing our own salvation. God did not create us as motorboats and we cannot save ourselves. Instead, He created us as sailboats, completely dependent upon Him for all, and in all. God desires for us to grow in a deep, intimate relationship with Him. It is only when we are willing to completely submit ourselves to Him, standing naked before Him without pretense, qualification, or ideals of earning our own salvation that we are in the correct posture to be fully moved by the Spirit.

When you pray, how do you pray? What is your posture? Are you commanding the Spirit? Are you begging in disbelief, hoping somehow to get God do to your bidding? Are you praying as a means to gain favor? My friends, prayer is about posture. It’s about saying, here am I Lord! Prayer is about Christ’s kingdom and beseeching the Father to make us what He desires therein. It’s about sitting in the midst of a vast, endless ocean, totally unarmed and helpless, with sails drawn, waiting patiently and properly for the moving of His Spirit. My brother, my sister, this is freedom in Christ. If the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed!


Read Psalm 23 in a paraphrase version and pay attention to the sense of meaning it brings out as compared to a more literal version.

(note: I am usually the one telling people to avoid paraphrase versions... this time I thought it fitting :)







• List the ways you are waiting on the Lord (the key here is passive, like putting sails up and getting them ready for the wind to blow whenever it comes)



• List the things that you are powerless to do (like create the wind or determine the direction it will blow in)



• Find scriptural promises where God has already fulfilled the means to the things listed above. He has already provided, so list how he has already promised to do so.


Take a break from sin! Don’t focus on it or think about it this week. Do I have your attention? Good. Now, I’m not saying that you should use this as an excuse for sin or that you should ignore sin, not at all. Instead, I am saying not to let the accuser of the brethren, Satan, tell you how bad you are this week. This week, work on confessing your sin with an earnest heart and leaving it there. All too often, even after you have sought forgiveness and confessed your sins, even in the midst of a prayer of repentance he loves to come along and tell you that you aren’t praying right, that you aren’t doing what you should, that you didn’t get the formula right (ouch), and that the prayer is thus invalid. Listening to these types of lies just buries you further in a pit of despair for which there is no way out. Christ’s life, death, and resurrection paid the price that we could not pay, delivering us out of this very trap. Do not let the evil one trick you into thinking you are still there, this week is about freedom! Do not let that old devil twist what should be a devotional relationship with our Lord, an intimate communion, into another way to point out our failure. Instead, confess your sins to Christ and ignore the devil. That’s right, ignore him, block him out, rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You see, “doing” and “not doing” are not the point. Christ has promised his children forgiveness when they ask, so confess your sins and think of how Christ bore your sin on Calvary, taking it upon himself. Let him take it for a week and don’t let it enter your mind. If you find yourself thinking of sin, write it below and next to that, describe what the Bible says about that accusation (Psalm 103:12 would be a great place to start).

The Pornification of a Culture - shared article from www.AlbertMohler.com

Hey guys, I am still here and hope to start writing again soon, though I have said that a bunch of times by now. I'm not one to share other blog writer's things very often, and especially not from the leadership of Southern Seminary. It's not because I don't often find myself in agreement with them or that I dislike them. Quite frankly, there is just enough of a rebellious nature in me, that I don't want to be associated with or viewed as one of those students who blindly follow the mob of mindless theology students hanging on every word of the worshipped professor-of-choice. I have a brain of my own and I am quite capable of thought. Herein I’m revealing how messed up I am and if I were to counsel myself (which I try to do very often) I would tell myself that my identity is in Christ and not in the thoughts of others. It is true, my focus is off in this. My instant reaction is to simply not say the above, and yet that is covering of sin and a denial of striving to live transparently before men that sanctification may have its full effect. This also reveals my pride, that I want credit for my thoughts as distinct from those of others. Man, I am truly a messed up sinner apart from Christ! The truth here though (again, if I were to counsel myself) is that there is no such thing as an original thought. No matter how intelligent you are, you are (I am) an idiot, totally dependent upon those who came before me. Even the most brilliant people that have ever arisen, have done so on the backs of those they may have looked down upon, had they met them in person. Even the use of the English language and thought-pattern comes from someone, somewhere, that was much smarter than me… a lot of them. To take it even a step further, and to the ultimate truth, it is ALL dependent upon the continued, sustaining work of Christ, who is God and at the same time God’s son, one person of the Trinity. Our knowledge and ability are a mere shadow of what was given to us, much less what is. To say this seems to indicate some level of understanding on the subject and yet, to One who truly understands, it is complete darkness. Ok, anyway, my rant is over for the moment… can you tell I’m eager to begin writing again :). I’m sharing this one for two reasons. First, because I’m shocked and appalled, and yet not at all, by the subject matter and I believe it is extremely important. I'm not shocked at pornography mind you, those of you who know me or have read my other posts know that I have seen the devastation of pornography in my own family. Instead, my shock is at how publicly acceptable it is, under such a ridiculous guise, and especially at the point of the public library.Second, because I haven’t written in a while and it’s easy since I don’t have the time at the moment to do my own writing.


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Check out the link below:

http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=3348

Fire in Our Backyard

hey guys, just a quick one right now.

I’ve heard being a chiropractor is a hot business, but this is ridiculous! Ok, ok, I’m bad, I know. There was a very bad fire here last night / this morning and these are some pics after it was somewhat under control.

At about 7 or 7:30, someone rang our doorbell. I am an insanely hard sleeper, unless something weird happens, then I'm up like a shot. I checked out the window and couldn't see anyone. I checked the peep-hole and still nothing, checked the kitchen window, still nothing. My mind immediately thought it may be a home invasion or some other lunatic thing like that and they were using the front door as a distraction while preparing to come in the back (I know, I’m weird). Right about the time I was going to give up and go back to bed, I noticed headlights parking in front of our apt. I looked out the kitchen window again and noticed the reflection of a HUGE fire. I figured it must be the duplex next door and told Michelle. Right about that time, we noticed the fire behind us and it turned out to be the Chiropractor’s office behind our apt… the one RIGHT next to the gas station!!!

We forget how many times the Lord protects us... our every breath is only by His declaration and grace! May we never have to endure a fire and lose all that we hold dear, but if that should come, may we stay continually depend upon Him… it truly is all chaff anyway!

To view all the pictures (totally raw and unedited) go HERE


To view my favs / "the best" (hand-picked and occasionally cropped for effect), go HERE