Thoughts and Perusals

El Photos

2007-06-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

So, recently I have been getting into a little hobby called photography. Just thought I would invite ya'll to take a look at some of the pictures that I have taken.

http://billblakeyphotography.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

The new hotness.

2007-04-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Just wanted all of you to know that Cory and I have started our own family blog!

Check it out!

http://billandcory.blogspot.com

More Resolved Photos

2007-03-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

For more resolved photos, go to

http://picasaweb.google.com/billblakey/Resolved

And yes, I am still working on the Resolved blog....

Pictures of people from a wedding

2007-03-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

The Bride and Groom (and company)
My father in law, Ken Layman
Me and the hot babe.
My sister in law Becky
The crazy kids.

Random Pictures from a wedding

2007-02-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, Resolved is coming, I have been busy at work...

A Weekend Excursion

2007-02-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Cory's brother Chris got hitched up in the Bay Area. So Cory and I went to the chapel (actually, the wedding was held at a winery).

Here are some pictures from the way up.

Cory and I stopped in Santa Clarita for some Creme de Menthe Semi Sweet Mochas from Coffee Kiosk.

They were scrut.

One thing that Northern CA has got on So Cal is the color green.

Some of you may be familiar with a similar scene with windmills near Palm Springs. No green in that picture.

Food grows where water flows....

We saw rows and rows of these trees and couldn't exactly figure out what was being harvested here. Although they did look good. Maybe Burns the Botanist can 'splain/

Isn't Spring great?

They Never Close...

2007-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Now, I know that many of you are wondering what exactly, "coming soon" means about thoughts from Resolved Conference, let me assure you, they are still coming. But as for now, I would like to post a bit about a place called Norms, whose slogan is "We Never Close."

Cory and I went there after a basketball game with our friends Jay and Janelle and their friend Ashley. Cory and I ordered the 3 pancakes, two eggs combo plate because the thought of breakfast sounded great at 10:00 at night. These were the eggs.

As you can tell, I was quite tickled by the sheer size of them.
Ashley, Janelle and Jay.
Notice the relative size of their portions in comparison to ours.

Rizzizzolved....

2007-02-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

Some may say "John Piper is Bad..."

Resolved '07 was sweet! More to follow....

Check it out

2007-01-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

It is hard to find a cooler picture, anywhere.
This is the "rad lad," Tyler

Looking good...

That blessed arrangement!!!

2007-01-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

Just FYI,

You can go to www.mattfloreen.com/view/blakey

to view pictures from the big day for Cory and Billy.

(You can also order pictures from the sight if you so desire!)

Late.

Pea'hi

2007-01-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

While in Maui, Cory and I visited the famous big wave surf spot, Pea'hi (aka "JAWS"). The waves were pretty small for the spot on the day we went (and by small I mean breaking at just over 20 foot faces).
If you look closely, you can see a surfer paddling in. Now that is what I call determination...
Isn't Black and White sweet?
Got a shot of a surfer catching som air off of the end of his ride. You can be sure that one will be going up in the new Blakey casa...

A picture is worth a thousand words...

2007-01-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

I heard once that "a post with pictures is a legit post..."

Therefore, enjoy this one of pictures from Cory and I's honeymoon!

Live Blog from Maui.

2006-12-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yep, Cory and I are married! We are staying at the Maui Prince Hotel. This is a view from our hotel room balcony.
The Bride and Groom...
Here we are in front of the Christmas Tree at the LA Westin.
This is a view of the inner coutryard of our hotel from our door. Check out the other posts below for more pictures!

Happily Married!

2006-12-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

All of these pictures are courtesy of Cory's sweet new digital camera. I bet Burns is jealous that he doesn't have a Hawaii to take pictures of with his...

Cory and I were pleased to learn that the Hawaiians enjoy Starbucks as well. We also purchased the Charlie Brown Christmas album to enjoy whilst we drive in our jeep!

Cory and I's tickets and mug shots.

(Deleted for Security Reasons)

People in terminal 3 of the LA airport enjoy Starbucks as well...
While everything may be bigger in Texas, everything is smaller in Hawaii...

Live Blog from Hawaii

2006-12-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

Cory and I are writing this post from Hawaii. We are married. Aloha married life! We have been loving it so far and thought that we would take this opportunity to live blog some of our experiences for you guys!
The Maui Prince Hotel from the Beach
Again, the Maui Prince Hotel..
The Pool Surroundings at the Maui Prince Hotel!

Unchanging

2006-11-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

So, in the midst of a very "busy" season of life, there are certain things that I am particularly thankful for. The biggest elicitor of my thankfulness as of late has been the Lord. I love that I can not only be thankful that He is the Lord, but I can be thankful for the way He is the Lord.

Here is what I mean: God displays His God-ness through His attributes. One of which that I have been particularly grateful for lately is the fact that He is unchanging. He never changes. He is the same. Particularly I have exulted in this being expressed through His word.

Lately at work, I have been swimming in the deep blue sea of FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) statement No. FAS 123(R) (I know, instantly your mind thinks "NERD!" Mind does too). It is a revision of FASB No. 123 which was issued yeah but ten years ago. This document is incredibly complex and I have been trying to get my arms around it. We have to audit the Company's application of this statement and it is disheartening to know that next year, there will be some new statement that we have to audit the Company's application of. In the world of accounting, the authoritative literature never stops changing. It creates a tremendous amount of work for all those involved (as evidenced by the fact that I was at work until midnight last night).

Isn't it great to know that Romans 8:28 doesn't become Romans 8:28(R). Isn't it great to know that when you go back to a passage that you studied last year, that it is still the same? Isn't it great to know that it is only your understanding that changes by hopefully understanding it more? I don't understand how some religions can have "the authority" up for edit.

Praise God for His unchangability expressed through His word!

Fall is here, baby...

2006-11-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, it was officially fall.

After seeing the Washington State Cougars (Cal State Washington as referred to by some) trounce the UCLA bruins (by the way, has anyone ever heard a bear referred to as a bruin outside of UCLA context before? I didn't think so...), the college group came to Ken and Beth's residence for some good old fashioned carving.

Below is Cory and I's entry.

I will have you know that this was made without the use extra-curricular pumpkin tools such as drills, exacto kits, sculpting materials, chisels, etc. Old fashioned blade and spoon is all. Well, we did have a pumpkin saw...

Here is ours with the rest of the entries...
43 days till this happy pumpkin-carving couple is a married happy pumpkin carving couple...
In 44 days that, this is where we will be as the married happy pumpkin carving couple.
Here is what our pumpkin looks like when you shut your eyes. Can't you just hear the ocean waves, the sand between your toes, a Wild Cherry Pepsi with an umbrella in it in your hand?

WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

In the Spirit of America voting, we are running against Jessi Gates, the Burns and Ken and Beth for the pumpkin party's nomination. You can check out the other entries by visiting Ken and Beth's blog (linked on the right).

Just remember that just because you can make a face like your pumpkin doesn't necessarily mean that it is quality art. Any pumpkin can have a face that can resemble Ken Flowers. But can every pumpkin transport you to a tropical paradise?

Don't be flakey, vote for Blakey.

Late,

Blakey

Mmmm mmmm good.

2006-08-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

As reguested....

Photos from college camp!

2006-08-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Pics from Engagement Day!

2006-08-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

After nearly 400 years of silence!!!

2006-08-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

So, ummm. Back to blogging, eh?

I do apologize to my readership for the lackage of posts over the past many moons. Here are a few updates on things that have happened in my life lately.

One of the great joys of my summer was to run the CEFC Highschool summer camp. The theme of this year's camp was "one" and we discussed with all of the students what it means to have a heart that is "united" to fear His name (Ps 86:11). It was a great time and it was a joy for me to be able to serve in that way. Here are some pictures from the camp! Enjoy.

Don't they look like happy campers?
I am currently the leader of the freshmen boys small group. Here is one of those under my tutelage- Zachary Talbert.
This is our group doing the "train salute." (No, we are not Nazis). Also, if you look closely, you can discern the form of one Mark Molsberry in the thinker pose.

Main Street

2006-07-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest in the string of my-minimal writing posts. I hope to have a post with writing tomorrow sometime. We shall see. We shall see....

Kale Burns. Officially the king of cool in my mind.
Notice the ring prominently displayed??? That's what I am talking about...

Santa Barbara pics

2006-07-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

During our church's high school camp that I led over the past couple of weeks, we went to State Street in Santa Barbara.

Enjoy some of the pics here. More posts hopefully coming soon this weekend.

Blakey.

The Vacation Station

2006-07-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Whew! I have just come to the end of a whirlwind vacation from work. During my vacation I attended two camps (one as an atendee- college camp, and another where I ran the camp-HS camp.) I know feel that I need a vacation from my vacation. I will hopefully be posting more engagement/vacation pictures in the next couple of days. But for now, here are a few splices of the college group trip to Catalina from my church. Enjoy.

...and she said YES!

2006-06-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

That's right, viewers of the blogosphere, I AM ENGAGED! I think that it is fair to say that I am incredibly excited about it!!!

On Saturday, I asked Cory Elizabeth Layman to marry me and she agreed!

I will hopefully post more info (including pictures from the big day) soon!

Feel free to leave a comment!!!

Bill

Photo Update- for all the appreciators

2006-05-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a post. Have been rather busy, maybe not with crazy people... But enjoy.

Hopefully I will have more meaningful posts soon.

This is a picture of Steve Saint talking to the High School/College Group at CEFC. It was thought provoking and I think a good message for all to hear.

This picture is of the lovely and talented Miss Cory Layman. Who is actually quite a gracious person as well as she volunteered to let me take pictures of her to figure out my new camera (Canon Rebel XT). Some of you may say this is a great picture, I just say that I had great material to work with...

Hope you all are well, feel free to post on this entry to suggest what I should write on next (I mean, because I write so often that I find it hard sometimes to figure out what I should write on next...)

Back to Blogging...

2006-03-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

...And we're back! Sorry for the lack of entries as of late, my very important assignment at work this past week (one which I decided to perform heartily unto the Lord) was to organize and execute a scavenger hunt in Disneyland for a recruiting event held at the Grand Californian Hotel for the firm that I work for.

Yes I know, it was a tough week of work (I actually had to be at Disneyland all day on Friday).

I know that many of you are wondering which picture has been decided to be prominently placed above the dish rack in my kitchen (no it isn't the one pictured above). Well, the answer is the Trail to the Placerita Waterfall. Many of you may wonder how this photograph was chosen when it did not seem to receive the most votes. Well, it was kind of a weighted-average voting system and Cory voted Placerita Waterfall. Thus I am going to be placing my order at Samsclub.com (of which I am a member) and it will be delivered to my apartment shortly!

Some thoughts for today's post....(totally random)

Who is doing better in their brackets- Billy or Matt Rehrer?

With the help of my parents and Ken Flower- I successfully cooked Tri Tip on my grill this weekend (It was good).

Proverbs 16:9- "The mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps."

I was thinking about this verse today as I sat in my cube. I am at a point in my life where direction has become something that I think greatly about. The overall direction of course is pursuing the Lord and His glory, but the sub-direction of that is not yet clear.

I am at a point where there is the possibility of opportunities opening up that I would love, opportunities that would lead more guidance to that direction. However, God has not chosen to make those opportunities available quite yet. I have sought to be wise and seek much counsel and plan, but here is the point- whether I walk in Rainbow Sandals (as pictured above) in brown dress shoes (that I am wearing right now) I want the Lord to direct me. I don't want the course of my life to be mine.

The answer to which direction my life will take at least in the short term is not in my hands right now, it is in the Lords. It is comforting to know that as long as my desire is to serve and glorify the Lord, whatever direction He chooses will be the best.

I must go now, but please join with me in praying that God would make his direction clear.

Blakey, out.

Which one???

2006-03-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

So here is the deal. I have this spot in my kitchen that is just dieing for a sweet picture. So I went to IKEA and got a sweet frame for it, now all I need to do is decide which picture to blow up and put in it.

So two questions for you. #1- Over the next two posts, there are 10 pictures that I have taken. Which one do you like the best and #2- I can either do an 11 x 14" picture with a border around it in the frame or I can do a 15 x 19 option without a border.

Please! Give me your thoughts!

From "The Endless Spring"

TMC Baseball Pitcher Dan Beaty warming up (look closely at the ball).

A beautiful path, perhaps? Trail on the way to the Placerita Waterfall.

Sunset over Palos Verdes.

The Montecito Country Club

Which one??? (Part Deux)

2006-03-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

For your perusal- part 2. (Not quite as good as part one.)

Sunrise over Garden Grove Ha! Like I would ever put this picture on my kitchen wall! (If you look closely, however, you can make out Bobby Blakey, Andrew Keuer, Danny Parker and Lavar Simmons in this picture.)
Sunrise over Garden Grove (Deux)

San Juan Train Station

Vintage Bike

Cory and I

2006-03-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Seeing as how it has been some time since I had blogged, I thought I would let you see some of the most recent pictures of Cory and I in black and white.

This pose is intense- like camping.
This picture was taken at the bench in front of Sarduccis.
Again, like camping.

Sarducci's

2006-03-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

Recently Cory and I had lunch at my Aunt and Uncle's fave spot Saruduccis. Here are some of the pics. Enjoy.

Good looking kids. Both of them.

Cool candid shot of Bri. Hunk Papa Himself.
Aunt O.

Crystal View No Mo!

2006-03-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

So here is the deal. My living quarters have markedly improved. Within the last month, I have moved from the place that I affectionately nicknamed "garbage grove," to a sweet haven of home known as the Brookwood Villas.

My old apartments were known as "The Cyrstal View Apartments." Most of you know that the crystal that I have a view of really isn't Crystal, it pretty much stands for everything that is fake. (A view of the Cyrstal Cathedral is pictured at the very bottom.)

My new apartments are located in the "circle city" of Corona. I live in the Brookwood Villas. (Villa meaning the often large, luxurious country house of a well-to-do person). Life is good. The apartment is slightly smaller but my room is bigger and everything about it is nicer. It is brand new remodeled. I have no worries that my neighbors might mug me. I live 60 seconds from some of my very good friends- Ken and Beth Flower.

Just thought I would update all of you on my new digs. I thank the Lord for it.

You may think why would I work in Orange County and then want to move to Corona? (A substantially longer commute). My answer- a mocha frappucino. Think about it. Have you ever had a frappuccino that was, shall we say, not blended so well? I have. And it is not as enjoyable as it could be. Your straw gets clogged with a piece of ice. You are constantly having to pretend you are an amazonian headhunter to clear your straw of obstructions. Some sips taste like coffee, some like mocha. Not as good as it could be.

That is what I felt about my life. I felt like I mostly lived on the 91 freeway between Orange County in Corona (not the best living quarters-people drive there.) I would be going out to Corona three days a week at least and on the weekends too. I would fight the traffic out there after work and then have to drive for a half an hour home after college group.

Now, I still encounter traffic (I still take the 91 freeway). But when I get home and after high school group, my apartment is 3 minutes away. My girlfriend Cory is 7 minutes away, I could roll out of bed at 7:40 and make it to church by 8 if I wanted to.

My weekends are much more relaxing and I feel I am able to get a lot more done. Before I was torn, I wanted to be in Corona but didn't want to be a burden to anyone or "that guy" who is always hanging around, but I also needed to do things near my apartment such as -buy food, do laundry and such.

So, all of that to say. I like my life now. God has richly blessed me by allowing me to move to Corona.

Melting! Melting!

2006-01-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ok. So I know that the proverbial winter snows of my blog are starting to melt. And some of you may be wondering as to the existence of a supposed "entry" that was supposed to happen yesterday. Patience, Patience...

...Coming Soon.

snow Snow SNow SNOw SNOW!

2005-12-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Ahh yes, it is that time of the year. Thought I would add to my previous pictorial update with a few more photos. Currently, Ken and Beth and the Burns may be able to see some of this for real, but I was thinking back to my time in the motor city and thought that I would share this picture that I took of my very first snow angel (at the ripe age of 23) that I made while I was there.

One of the things I love about Christmas is Christmas trees. Some may have real trees and others may obtain perfectly formed "imitations" of real trees with which they fill their homes with color and, in some cases, fragrant pine aroma. The most impressive Christmas tree that I saw this season was the one in the entry courtyard to Main Street at Disneyland. Cory and I are pictured here gazing into one of the hundreds of ornaments that adorn this tree.

I have been thinking of what it would be like to have a white Christmas, as compared to the California Christmas pictured above from Candy Cane Lane in the Circle City. Now, some of you may have experienced a white Christmas this year, and others of you, the closest that you got to a white Christmas was white Christmas lights and the 4 minute foam at The Magic Kingdom. Some of you actually may have gone out on Christmas and built a snowman and had a snowball fight or gone sledding, others of you may have sat in your family room with the screen door open watching 24. With all of its perks, I think I enjoyed the fact of it being in the 70's on Christmas and going in the Hot Tub at night. Can't quite do that so easily in Michigan.
That's right, there is truly nothing like a California Christmas. (Cory and I are pictured above in front of California Adventure with our passes.) Today I was thinking about the different types of Christmas and thinking about the different things that can be enjoyed in different geographic locations. However, there is one thing about Christmas that is the same no matter where. We celebrate Christ's beginning as the start of the culmination of God's plan of salvation.

Today I was reading in Psalm 66 where the Psalmist expresses shouts of Joy to the Lord for the great things that He has done. In verse 5, He says, "Come and see what God has doen, He is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man." This is the cause for how the Psalmist can begin the psalm by exclaiming, "Shout for joy to God, all the earth, sing the glory of his name, give to Him glorious praise! Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds!'"

I am the kind of guy who gets excited by the Christmas season. There is something about the cool weather and wearing sweaters and drinking Hot Cocoa and snow (both real and fake) and time with no pre-set schedule that brings joy to my heart. But how do I react when that is over? Today I am back in the office, where drinking Hot Chocolate just doesn't feel the same as sipping it in as you look at the lights from a park on a hilltop.

However, God's works are always great! They can be rejoiced in from the frozen tundra to the tropical shores! Join with me in rejoicing in the great things that God has done and making my life a proverbial shout of joy and praise to the glory of His name.

B. Blakey

A Pictorial Update

2005-12-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, Cory and I went to Disneyland, just thought I would share some of the pictures.

(Donald from the Central Plaza.)

Cory and I.

The ducks at the Hungry Bear.

Christmas lights in New Orleans Square.

Make and Take

2005-12-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Wow! The last few weeks for Billy Blakey do not look they have been the season for blogging. However I do say that there have been quite a few happenings in my life and the blogosphere since the last time I officially posted.

First, the blogosphere...My dear friends Matt and Kara Rehrer have joined the blog world with their blog, Rehrer Moments (which is very exciting by the way.) Also, my other dear friends Blake and Bekah boys have joined the merriment of the blog world with a new site (which features a sweet picture-something I am fond of) at blakeandbekah.com. Check out those two sites if you want to "meet" some really cool people. I mean, it is not like you will actually meet them, because it is just their website, just like e-harmony isn't really "dating," well that is a discussion for another day.

Next, my life. God continues to be so gracious and merciful to me and continues to surround me with people who follow hard after him and situations that challenge my faith and continues to teach me, even when I do not pursue the learning.

Thanksgiving...I know, a few weeks ago but I could not help but share about it. Every year there is the proverbial circling of the wagons in the Blakey family where many of our extended family make the trip to Montecito to enjoy thanksgiving together at my grandpa's house. As is almost always the case at a Blakey family gathering, golf was involved. My two brothers, my dad, my grandpa and my Uncle Ken enjoyed 18 holes at the beautiful Montecito Country club. I hadn't played in a while and still wasn't able to outdrive my dad but it was an awesome day, perfect weather (as is almost always the case in Montecito where on any given day of the year it can be 72 degrees at 2 in the afternoon). It was very relaxing and was a great way to enjoy God's creation.

Then came dinner. Some families may have traditions where they spend all day cooking and put on a gi-normous feast for the whole family. The Blakey family lets the skilled chefs at the Montecito Country Club do the work and simply enjoys the fruits of their labor. It is all first rate- the turkey, mashed potatoes, sides, the shrimp cocktails that my brother ben pounded down at least 15 of- all I could say was...muy bueno.

To top it all off, for desert the club had brought out a chocolate fountain accompanied by marshmallows, strawberries and other kinds of fruit that could be dipped in the flowing streams of chocolate. (All I could think about after that was how I was going to get one of those set up in my apartment.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Montecito. Great food, good times to see relatives I hadn't seen in a while. It was a place of refuge and relaxation in the midst of the hecticness of life (I took a section of the CPA exam the day before Thanksgiving). Montecito has always been my favorite place in all the world. When people ask me, where would I want to live if I could live anywhere- I always say- Montecito.

Something that I have been thinking a lot about lately comes from my readings in the Psalms. I have been reading many of the Davidic Psalms recently and have just been thoroughly impacted by how highly David thought of the Lord. Two things in particular have struck me that David seems to repeat over and over again- the facts that God's love is steadfast and that God is David's refuge.

Whenever I have thought about God as a refuge- I have thought about it in a Montecito kind of way. I have thought about Him as a place that I go to take refuge when life is hard. God has used the words of Psalm 52 to open my eyes to think differently.

In Psalm 52, David is talking about a mightly, but evil man. This man plots destruction, loves evil more than good, is deceitful and harsh with his mouth. David rightlfully states that God will judge this man and the righteous will see it, fear, and then laugh at this man. What is it that the righteous will say in their laughter?"

"See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction."

This evil man is not criticized so much for not taking refuge in God as much as not making God is refuge. It seems like this man did not have a hard life. He had an abundance of riches, he was able to say what he felt and was described as mighty. His problem was that those things were his refuge. What about David, though? What did he do? David described himself in this way- "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly."

David says that he is like a green olive tree constantly, because he trusts in the Lord. David has made the Lord his refuge, the place where he always is and wants to be at. David thinks more highly of being with the Lord than anything else. He thinks about the fact that God has accomplished His plan ("you have done it") and that causes him to abound in thanksgiving. He realizes that because "the steadfast love of God endures all the day" (vs 1) that he can "trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever." (vs 6). David says that he will wait for the Lord's name (His name being another word for His glory- the fullness of all that He is)- David can't wait to see God in all of His fullness! He says that he waits for it "in the presence of the Godly" meaning that He talks about it with other believers.

I don't think that I understood as fully as I do now what David meant when he says, "in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by" (Ps 57:1). David was able to take refuge in the Lord because he had already made the Lord his refuge! How often do I get deceived into believing that the times to be closest to God are the harder times in life when everything else can't be trusted. How often do you and I run to make our refuge in other things besides the Lord!

Reading Jeremiah 17 has impressed upon me the seriousness of this. Many of us may know Jeremiah 17:9 which says that the heart is deceitful and desparately sick, who can understand it? But do many of us know what the verses are directly preceeding that verse? Verses 5-8 say this:

"Thus says the Lord:
Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
He is like a shrub in the desert (west texas) and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green (like a green olive plant) and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Then is reminds us that the heart is deceitful. God says that we are deceived into not making the Lord our trust! Our refuge! If we doe that, then we "will not be anxious in the year of drought." We will be able to take refuge in the Lord because before that we made the Lord our refuge, and not other things that turn our heart away from the Lord.

Think about your life- what are you making your refuge? What am I? The Lord is the best refuge possible! Way more enjoyable than a day in Montecito!
Vigorously take refuge in Him. You will not be dissapointed.

B. Blakey

Retreat!

2005-11-13T22:33:00.000-08:00

One week. Even though it feels like longer, that is the amount of time that has passed since I returned from the youth staff retreat that I attended last weekend. (This is a further testimony to my irregulatiry as a poster. Oh and apologies for the "post something but really post nothing" entry.)

Being new to youth staff at Corona EV Free Church, I was excited to learn that the entire youth staff takes an entire weekend and goes away (in this case to a rented beachouse in Encinitas) for a whole weekend to be together and disucss how better to be used by God as his instruments to the students. The theme of the weekend was, appropriately- the heart; and more specifically- how to get to the heart through conversation.

Through the experiences in ministry that God has blessed me with, I have heard before that the heart is the object of all true ministry. That our goal as ambassadors for Christ is not to effect superficial, non-lasting change, but that God would occupy His rightful place in people's hearts; and that His presence would transform their lives. The weekend was very beneficial to think about that further and more deeply and the "breakout sessions" were very helpful and practical as to how to achieve the goal of heart conversation through questions. As Proverbs, 20:5 says- "a plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out."

However, the thing that struck me the most from the weekend, and the thing that I am continuing to try and draw out in my mind is not how to get to other's hearts- but my own.

Do you ever find that you get into a "rythem" in life? Often it is easy to forget why we do things. We do them simply because we do them and we have done them before and will continue to do them. One of the verses we as a college group have been memorizing is Jeremiah 17:9 which says that the "heart is deceitful above all else, and is desparately sick. Who can understand it?" Our hearts are so deceitful that they can turn actions that we do repeatedly or even attitudes that we have and turn them into nothing.

What do I mean when I say nothing? Two things have really caused me to stop and think about this during the week. The first was a comment by Scott Burns concerning Revelation chapter 2 and the church in Ephesus. The Ephesians were wearing themselves out and enduring patiently for the Lord. However, even in the midst of all that, God had something so formidable against them, that if they didn't repent from it, God said he would "remove their lampstand." What was this thing? Love. God said that they had abandoned the love which they had at first. The reason for their bearing up patiently was gone. They were now simply doing it because they did it.

The second thing that caused me to think was a post by my brother Bobby entilted "If I have not love." Bobby expressed that he was convicted from 1 Corinthians 13 that even if he did great things for the Lord and for His glory, but didn't do it from love, it would profit him nothing.

I then began to think about what Jesus said was the "greatest commandment." He said that this was the thing that he desires of us first and foremost, if we miss the order here, we have missed it all. Matthew 22:37 says that "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and all of your soul and all of your muchness" (Scott Burns translation). It is very easy for me to get caught up on the- does this verse support the dichotomy or trichotomy of man? And I miss the whole point- this "everything" of me should characterize my love.

These verses have caused me to think recently, and I have realized that if the driving force behind my actions is not love, what good are those actions? This kind of love is all-encompassing. We are called to love God, but also to love others, but we are called to do it fervently (with vigor). This kind of fervency, loving with all of our "muchness" is not something that a rythem in life or a routine, can produce. I need to re-up every day on a fresh glass of "the why." I need to retreat from the "going-through-the-motions" (even if the motions are good) mentality that my wicked heart too often deceives me to believe is glorifying to God.

I say all of this to hopefully encourage you to think along the same lines as I am currently thinking. Do we really love the Lord? Do we really love people? Is that why we do what we do? Because, if not- what are we doing?

B. Blakey

How long?

2005-11-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

Many of you are wondering when the updates will come...

Is Bill Blakey still alive...

Did he do gravity experiments with both of his computers?

Find out soon at

BIGTHINKTANK.BLOGSPOT.COM

Photo Courtesy of ESA (That's the European Space Agency)

Bill's Big Wave

2005-10-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

I once caught a wave that was quite large. I was remembering it last weekend when I was at Ken and Beth's apartment participating in the annual pumpkin carving festival and decided to paint a picture on the proverbial canvas of my pumpkin. Enjoy. Hopefully there will be new "real post" coming soon, but feel free to browse back through the blogs. There are some oldies but goodies (and if you haven't read them, they are new to you).

B. Blakey

The New Kid on the Block

2005-10-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend I purchased a Taylor 314 CE guitar with the expression pickup system. I would like to spend some time propogating its excellent qualities of tone and sound but I presently lack the time. I have to go meet Mark Spansel for lunch. Enjoy the pictures!

Happy

2005-10-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

There are a number of things that I enjoy. In-n-Out Burger. Reading a good book and sipping cocoa on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Jack Johnson. Being the first of my siblings to post a new entry on their blog in a few days. The rush that comes from dropping smoothly into the perfect position on a beautifully shaped wave. Wiping out hardcore at the end of that sweet ride. Yeah. Sides of spread. Conversations with cherished friends. College group at Corona. Blue backround on Microsoft Word. Disneyland.

This past week was the fabled Disney day in which the my two brothers and I were all at Disneyland at the same time for the first time in nearly five years

Here is my older brother Bob and his wife Christa who is with child.

(That's right, I am going to be UNCLE Billy)

There is just something about walking out of the tunnel into main street and seeing the throng of people determined to enjoy the day and live it to the fullest.

There is just something about the feeling of a cheesburger from the Hungry Bear as you sit by the waters of Tom Sawyer's Island and feed your french fries to the ducks.

And then, at the end of the day in which you have been in closer proximity to more people than probably ever before in your life as you shuffle from one attraction to another. Everyone stops. The music starts and everyone looks towards the night sky. What they all enjoy in the same moment is one of the most impressive fireworks displays known to mankind. The same fireworks that I can hear from my apartment as I write this post. You can hear oooh's and ahhh's from accross the park as fireworks are so bright that they light the night and collectively take everyone's breath away.

(Now, I know that some of you probably aren't the biggest on the D-land. Don't be a hater. Be an appreciator.)

Tonight I came home from work in a bit of a funk. Work hadn't been terrible today, I just wasn't really "feeling" it. And then I remembered the Lord. And I was happy.

This morning I read from Psalm 33. Listen to the words in verses 20-22.

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, becuase we trust in His holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you."

Truly, being with God is the happiest place on earth.

My heart was filled with joy tonight because I remembered all of who God is for me. And I thought, there will be another night, when everyone stops and looks toward the sky and will be blinded at the light, the light of Christ's glory returning to rule the earth.

So I encourage you to ask yourself this question tonight. Are you happy? Or maybe I should ask you the more important question- what are you happy in?

B. Blakey

On leaving Humboldt...

2005-10-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

So I thought that I would post some of the pictures that I took while I was in Humboldt seeing as how I don't have much time to post today, enjoy!

Growth

2005-10-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks the audit train has stopped in a county in the north of California known as Humboldt. Right now I am enjoying the deluxe accomodations of the HoJo up here in Arcata, CA. Now, I don't know how many of you have ever been up to Arcata but let me just paint a picture for you. Arcata is a coastal village that has a town square that reminds me of a skateboad chase scene from Back to the Future. The fog is there when you wake up, may roll in and out a few times during the day, and rolls back in at night. It is home to Humboldt State University and it seems as if half of the town "is just passing through."

The things that I like the best about Humboldt is simple. The trees.

(Now, first of all let me say that I don't like the trees in the way that some of the people up here like the trees). There is something about the way that you see the huge trees and seemingly endless forests up here that makes you want to just stop and take a picture. (Seeing as how I am in the audit room all day, I didn't actually get to take the picture above, I found it on the internet.)

These trees aren't born tall. They grow tall. Recently I have been reading Holiness by J.C. Ryle and more specifically, the chapter on growth. Here is what J.C. says

"Let us know then that growth in grace is the best eviden e of spiritual health and prosperity. In a child or a flower or a tree we are all aware that when there is no growth there is something wrong. Healthy life in an animal or vegetable will always show itself by progress and increase. It is just the same with our souls. If they are progressing and doing well they will grow."

When I think about my life as a believer, I have seen growth. I am not the same person that I used to be. But that is not enough. A redwood is not satisfied after it has grown to a height of five feet. There needs to be continual growth. Ryle continues to say this:

"One thing essential to growth in grace is diligence in the use of private means of grace. By these I understand such means as a man must use by himself alone, and no one can use for him. I include under this head private prayer, private reading of the Scriptures and private meditation and self-examination. The man who does not take pains about these three things must never expect to grow. Here are the roots of true Christianity. Wrong here, a man is wrong all the way through!"

The story of my life and many of our lives right now is "busy." There are so many things (many of them good) to be done. There are places to be, people to see and a myriad of "to do's" that hunger for our time. Do you and I make time where we have nothing to do, except be with our God alone? When are we still, simply meditating on the fact that He is God?

I have made many trips from Texas to California along I-10 and as I drive through the western portion of Texas, I am always surprised to see that there are no Redwood trees. I mean, up here in Humboldt there are plenty of trees. Couldn't Humboldt spare a few so that West Texas could have some and all of the travelers on I-10 could have something pretty to look at? Redwood trees couldn't grow in West Texas because of one simple reason- Redwoods need water to grow! It rains up here in Arcata!

So it is with us. When we place ourselves in areas that are dry from the nourishment we need, we will not grow. I Peter 2:2 says, "LONG for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow..." Do you and I long for God's Word and time to be alone and to think about what it says about God and to contemplate whether or not our lives match up? We need to.

Psalm 1:1-3 says this: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the way of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in it he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water that yields forth its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither (evergreen Redwood tree) and in everything he does, he will prosper."

Join me in fighting for time to be alone with God.

Let's grow.

B. Blakey

Steadfast amidst the shuffle.

2005-09-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was my birthday. One things I enjoy about my birthday is loot, the spoils of yet another year of life lived. One gracious gift that I received was an Apple I-Pod shuffle (pictured above). It was sweet because I had desired one but had been too cheap to buy it as of yet and now I don't have to worry about purchasing one.

For those of you who don't own a mac, haven't used I-Tunes and don't drive a new-body Volkswagen Beetle, let me 'splain to you what exactly a shuffle is. It is a portable audio player that is about the size of your pointer finger that can hold about a hundred songs. You simply just plug the shuffle into your computer to load the music (plugging the shuffle into the computer also charges the shuffle's battery). It has a lanyard that comes with it and is extremely lightweight- perfect for jogging or sitting by the fire in your living room and sipping some cocoa with your college chums.

The shuffle is adequately named because, by default, it randomizes the order of the song so that you never know what song you are going to hear next. (A fact that consternated me the other night as I was jogging and kept clicking through to find the perfect sprint-to-the-finish song.)

Sometimes I really enjoy the shuffle, but other times, I wonder who in their right mind would play these two songs next to each other.

Sometimes life can be just like the shuffle, or at least that is the way I believe my life is right now. I never know quite what to expect when I go into work. Somedays it is really intense and pressured and others are more kick back. Somedays I feel great and others, (like today) I feel like my head is in a vice. Relationships are up and down. I am here or there.

Lately I have been reading in the Psalms about David and it always seemed like his life was in the proverbial shuffle. He was the king of Israel and knew great victories some times and other times he was being hunted by people who wanted to take his life. Yet, in the midst of all of the randomization of life, David was happy. Why, you might ask? Well, in Psalm 17:7 David asks the Lord to "wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand."

David was able to be steadfast because he asked the Lord to show His steadfastness, in which David took refuge. David didn't believe the power to rise above his circumstances was his own. Listen to what he says in 18:27-30

"For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. For it is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God- His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him."

If you ever feel like your life is in a shuffle and you wonder why, realize who it is that is choosing the song order. We can take refuge in God because we know that He does what is best for us and not just what is easiest for us. James 1 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Friends, be steadfast.

B. Blakey

The Fiberglass meets the wave

2005-08-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Weather. Serious weather. This past week I have come as close as I have ever been to a category-five hurricane, well, actually any hurricane for that matter. Currently I am in Orlando Florida "on business." Throughout the week there was much discussion about whether hurricane Katrina would swing up the east coast of Florida and give us a taste of some serious Florida whether during our training. (As if the 85% humidity was not enough.)

By the grace of God the Hurricane was only a category 2 hurricane when it hit Miami (home of the Miami Hurricanes) and spun off into the gulf of Mexico. Now it is picking up fury as it funnels its way to New Orleans, where thousands of people evacuating the city or cramming into the SuperDome.

At one point as I was watching CNN (a phenomenon that I have come to enjoy), the anchor was talking with an analyst and the anchor commented that the classification of the hurricane and just been downgraded to a level five with 175 mph winds to a level five with 165 mph winds and was asking the analyst if he was happy about this to which he commented that it was similar to the difference between getting hit by a semi or a freight train- not much difference).

When I think about the Gulf of Mexico right now I think- waves, big waves. Waves that not even the great Laird would want to tackle. (He would probably to decline to surf them due to the inordinate amount of fetch). At one point, I wondered what it would be like to go to the coast and try to rent a board and catch some of the good hurricane waves. I dismissed the idea when I remembered one thing- Florida sharks bite.

This is the part of the blog that you are probably wondering how Bill will tie all this talk of weather and surfing into what is happening right now in his life.

I feel that much of my life up to this point I have been standing on the shore, board in hand- knowing that there are the big waves of life in the real world were out there. But never actually riding them. (This is not to say there have not been "waves" in my life before or that I have not been in the "real world" up to this point, these are just the I-live-in-an-apartment-and-work-at-a-secular-job-where-almost-everybody-wants-to-get-slammed-every-night-during-training kind of waves.)

Not anymore. I feel like I have been dropped off of the helicopter into the waves and the only thing that is going to keep me afloat is my board- God's Word. When I surf, the board is always my place of refuge. I can't stand in the deep water and can't tread forever so I cling to my board. When a wave is coming straight for me, I cling to the board with all of my might. The times that I feel the most secure are when I am sitting firmly on top of the board.

During the past couple of weeks, I have gotten a taste of how difficult and full of "waves" life can be. Perhaps one of the biggest things I have learned is my need for the wisdom from God's Word and constant communion with Him.

Psalm 7:10- My shield is with the Lord, who saves the upright in heart.

B. Blakey

(Picture courtesy of foxnews)
(Larger font courtesy of readers with eye trouble)

The un-ethic in all of us.

2005-08-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

Above all, we act with integrity—constantly striving to uphold the highest professional standards, provide sound advice, and rigorously maintain our independence.

Integrity. It is something that I have been contemplating a lot recently. What does it really mean? While I have been attending training this week, our trainers have been telling us much about the firm's values. One of which is posted above.

I do believe that there are differing definitions of what integrity means. As I type outside the ballroom where a good number of my colleagues are inebriated and searching to party hard before another rigorous day of intellectual stimulation in training tomorrow, I wonder if that is what the Bible would describe as integrity. When I see people that I have met who would profess to be Christians drinking freely, smoking and acting as if they were no different than all of the other folks here, I wonder- is that integrity?

Here is Webster's definition of integrity.

in·teg·ri·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-tgr-t)n.
Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness

Even by a worldly standard of a Webster's dictionary, integrity means being the same unimpaired moral and ethical person all of the time. Certainly as I see a couple of co-worker ladies stumble towards the bathroom, "unimpaired" does not apply to them. I have come to find that the definition of integrity for my work purposes simply means- don't lie, cheat, steal and cover your butt while you are at work. (And as soon as you walk out the door, badmouth the people you just acted "professional" towards.)

I believe that the Biblical concept of integrity delves much deeper than that. Proverbs 10:9 says, "He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out." Even though many people may act "professional" and at times "moral,"their perversion will not go unnoticed by the Lord. I say perversion because integrity has everything to do with adherence to a standard.

In Psalm 86:11 David says, "Teach me your way O Lord; I will walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name." The standard that David's integrity was based upon was the Word of God but even then, he needed to ask the Lord to give him the ability to have integrity. He said, "unite my heart to fear your name." It is very easy for me to look at my colleagues and rightfully portray their lack of integrity; but how hard is it for me to look at my own life and expose the areas where I have a divided heart.

Think about this in your life. Integrity is being fully united and unimpaired in devotion to the Lord and to following His law. What are the areas where your heart is divided, wanting to join in perverting the good standard that God has given?

I hope this challenges you as these thoughts of true integrity have challenged me.

B. Blakey

(2 posts in one week- this blog stuff is getting tiring!)

Are you auditable?

2005-08-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Currently I am at the Caribe Royale Resort and conference hotel in Orlando Florida where my employer (KPMG) has graciously decided to send me for two weeks of intensive training. It is here where I will I begin my experience as an auditor. Training has been really rough so far (well, it officially hasn't started yet). Right now I am standing at a makeshift cyber cafe outside the Grand Sierra ballroom writing this post. I did this after I slept in until 10 AM local time. I slept in a large suite where I had a queen sized bed all to myself. I retired last night after taking a leisurely swim in the "fantasy pool."

Training has been rough so far.

Auditing. A lot of people wonder what exactly it is. They think of the IRS or Enron or Aurthur Anderson or the current "Big 4." But what is auditing really? (Allow me to get really nerdy and boring on you for a second.) Companies have financial statements that basically say- this is the stuff we own, this is how much we owe (balance sheet), others that say- this is how much we made and spent this year as long as many others. What we in the auditing profession due is go to the companies that hire us to audit them and verify that their financial statements are correct. And if they are not, we whip out our red pens and lay down the proverbial accounting smack on them. (Well, more emphasis on the accounting than the smack.)

Anyways, as I was just thinking of auditing I was thinking, what would it be like for my life to be audited. If God were the "auditor" of my life (which, He is actually a lot more than that as far as the analogy goes but whatever).
Would I measure up?

I think of the verses in Psalm 139:23-24 where David asks the Lord to search him and see if there was any hurtful way in him (that's "out of balance" in the accounting world). David wanted the Lord to look at his life and show him what was wrong not for the sake of simply pointing it out but so that He would be able to "lead him in the way everlasting." Do you and I beg the Lord to show us what is not right in our lives in the hopes that we will be better able to live for Him?

Anyways, that is a little of what I have been thinking about.

Oh, one other thing about training -everyone gets soaked (and I don't mean in the pool). Pray for me that God will help me to take advantage of the opportunities I have to be a witness for Him.

B.Blakey

Who's your daddy?

2005-07-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you who would naturally assume that the amount of time that passes and the number of posts that appear on the thinktank would have a direct relationship; it is actually inverse. My apologies.

As I have looked out over the blogging pond I have noticed a considerable number of ripples arising from a certain issue that I would now like to address. Now, some of you in your daily conversations may have been noticing an suprising increase in usage of certain terms such as "patriarch" and "father of blogs." As you think about it, don't you find it rather alarming? Why are these terms popping up more frequently? What is causing their use? Let me explain.

Through a great big giant misunderstanding named Tyler Flower the word has gotten around that I have proclaimed my family's blogs as issuing from a source. This is not true. (Obviously, how could the man who left different angles of his swollen ankle as the headline of his blog ever be referred to as the patriarch of blogdom? - The paternity test came back negative)

To give credit where credit is due, the married dynamic duo of my brother and sister-in-law actually started the blogging trend in the Blakey family with a xanga (so archaic) site that Christa hosted. And now, as a direct result of their influence, look how far we have come. Even Ben Blakey has joined the blogspot revolution that is sweeping the nation.

(To further correct misinformation, Baxter the dog does not have a blog.)

The Inverse Relationship

2005-07-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

Lately my life has been filled with 3 large letters that I think have become 3 of my least favorites in the Roman alphabet. C-P-A. I am beginning to think that it means Certified Pain Afflictor.

When I first thought about the upcoming exam, I knew that I would need to study, but overall- no problem. My thoughts changed when I got my review books for Becker Convisor. Now, there are four sections to the CPA exam, in the study materials their is a paperback for each of them about the size of an unabridged Webster's dictionary. As I my lat muscles strained to lift them I thought- perhaps there is a reason that less than 30% of people pass on any individual section of the exam.

The course I am taking with Becker Convisor is the self-study course which means that I use video cds to watch the recorded lectures. My "instructors" via the computer are, how shall I say it- interesting. As is typical with accountant types, they have been sucked into the accounting vortex like safari campers into oh-so-much quicksand.

In the course overview video that I watched, my instructors were quick to assure me that the material on the CPA exam is not that difficult. If the depth of the material were the depth of the water in a river you were trying to cross, it would only be foot deep. The problem, they said is that the proverbial CPA river is 50 miles wide! The total alloted time (which I will need all of) to take all four sections of the exam is 15 hours. The instructors said that they studied for the CPA exam 3 time harder and longer than they did for the BAR exam.

Anyways, it has not been too terrible so far but something struck me in the last lecture that I watched. We were learning about the income statement and one of the items on the income statement is "Extraordinary events" and those are events that are BOTH unusual AND infrequent in a business. The instructor decided that he would give us an example of one. He said, "think about your life right now- you going out and having a good time with your friends had better be an unusual and infrequent occurence between now and the time that you want to take the exam. There is an inverse relationship between happiness and your ability to pass the CPA exam. The more miserable you are between now and when you take the exam, the better your chances are to pass."

Gee, thanks.

The Becker Convisor teachers (probably the most widespread accounting teachers in America) just gave an unsolicited testimonial that studying accounting will make you miserable. Sign me up.

As I thought about this, I drew a contrast to the word of God and the words of Psalm 1:1- "Blessed is the man ... whose delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in it he meditates day and night." While accounting says meditating on it will make you miserable, the Bible says that studying it constantly and thinking about it all day long will make you blessed (happy)!!! Isn't it great and amazing that to communicate with us, God gave us a book that doesn't give us all the answers with a quick skim? Isn't it wonderfully preposterous that God says that study (a thing distasteful to most humans) can make you happy and be your joy if you are studying His words?

Yesterday I disciplined myself to have an extended time of studying the word and prayer and believe me, it is true. I was happy when I was thinking about the Lord and his words. And it is a happiness that is so powerful that it can sustain me even in the self-proclaimed drudgery of CPA review. One thing that I did like that the instructor said was this, "The difference between success and failure is effort." When I think about that I realize that often I don't "get much out of" God's Word because I don't truly put myself into it.

Be encouraged to throw yourself into God's word and immerse yourself in the blessedness that it brings while I seek to do the same (while at the same time making myself "miserable" studying for that little CPA exam).

Brain Clogged Up By a Rhino?

2005-06-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

So I thought that I would update the site and add some fresh flavor rather than just a malfunctioning ankle. Basically, the purpose of this post is to say- I am dumb, but God is great.

This last week was the "Kingdom of the Son" (safari themed) vacation bible school at our church. I was asked to teach the fourth grade class which included going with the class to games, snacks, singing and crafts.

For those of you who remember VBS as a boring experience with all the livelihood of a daycare center during naptime, that is not the way it happens at our church. The saturday before a group of people get together and with only butcher paper and tempera paint transform the church into a scene from whatever the theme is that year for VBS. During the week it is pedal to the metal, with the helpers going 150% to simply keep us with these kids for five days.

It was in that "gung-ho" spirit that I set out. Now, the teachers are all responsible to decorate their individual classrooms and add their particular flair to the ambiance. For the fourth grade class (officially dubbed as "The Rhinos") I decided that the space in the room would be particularly well served by a life-size paper machet replica of a Rhinocerous. I had been to the zoo a couple of weeks before and had pictures from which to work. I went out and bought chicken wire and all the necessary materials, how hard could it be? Right?

Well, to make a long story short, ummm....during the Saturday transformation of the church into an African Savannah the favorite comment of folks entering my room was "Are you guys the elephants?"

The picture above is of me and Ronaldo the Rhino. Ronaldo was the result of a lot of work, time, frustration and very little planning on my part. It was one of those things where I had lofty dreams and aspirations of a quick project that would look great and all the fourth graders would think would be awesome. Hardly. Honestly, thinking back, I have no idea what I was thinking. I have not one speck of artistic ability, had three days to complete the project and had only done paper machet once back in the second grade or something. But I was stubbornly determined to make myself a Rhino and the more that I worked on it, the less likely I became to cut my losses and do something productive.

When I look back on this experience, I think of the passage in Luke 14 where Jesus warns the people who are fickle followers of him to count the cost of becoming his disciple. Surely if I had looked objectively at the costs of time and money for this project in comparison to the benefits for eternity, I would have seen in a minute that it was not worth it. But that was the point, I couldn't see it. I couldn't see it because of my own pride. I wanted to do the Rhino so that it would be this great thing and all of the fourth graders would feel special and priviledged to call themselves a Rhino.

What I have learned now is not to waste time with things that do not really matter. (Yeah, I think the kids appreciated the rhino and the decorations, but nobody got saved in our class because Ronaldo shared the gospel with them.) I don't think that it was until about halfway through the day on Saturday that I realized that Ronaldo didn't make any difference in regard to eternity, but the teaching of God's Word that would happen in the classroom did.

I praise the Lord that he uses the foolish people and things of the world to work for his eternal purposes. VBS did turn out really well. The truth of God was proclaimed to over 150 kids. 3 of the kids in my class made professions of faith which I hope and pray were genuine and will be lasting. Who would think that God could use me, a man who had Rhino on the brain leading up to VBS, to proclaim the gospel that 3 fourth graders would hear and place their trust in and hopefully be transformed by for the rest of their lives?

Praise the Lord!

2005-06-16T08:18:00.001-07:00

UPDATES ON THE ANKLE!

2005-06-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

Quite colorful, eh?

2005-06-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

I knew all of you would be concerned to see how the ankle is doing...

2005-06-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

A little slice of humble pie

God Humbles Those Who Walk in Pride

2005-06-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

Some would say that Saturday mornings are a time for sleep, a time for washing the car or just relaxation in general. Whenever I am home in the summer, however; they are usually a time for basketball. For many years men at my church here in San Antonio have gathered to play basketball, since the days we would play in the parking lot long before we built the gym. Things have changed since those old days ( you no longer have to adjust your shot for the wind), but the Saturday morning tradition remains the same.
My younger brother Ben and I decided that we would take up that tradition and made numerous phone calls inviting people to come and play. The morning came and six showed up. We decided to play three on three halfcourt, it was all we could do. The teams were me and an older father from the school and his freshman, 4 and 1/2 foot tall son against Ben (6'3'') Tyler Sultze (6'0'') and another man from our church, Tom Longhway (6'2''). I thought "oh well, we'll be slaughtered but it will be fun to play." So we did, my team called ourselves the Spurs and we labeled the other team the Pistons. True to form, the Spurs took the first three games. (Even though the other team had the height, we shot the threes well and they couldn't make their layups). Then a shooting drought developed for the Spurs and the Pistons took the next three games straight. This forced a decisive game seven.
Now, my basketball playing ability is something that I have taken more too much pride in for a long time. Ever since I can remember, I really enjoyed playing basketball. When I was a kid, my idea of relaxing was going outside and shooting, over and over again. I got pretty good in high school and was a state all-star, but not good enough to play in college (though I immersed myself in intramurals). In college I think I began to realize just how sinfully I treated basketball and how in many ways I had made my basketball image an idol in my heart. After realizing this, many things changed and I began to think and act differently on the court (for instance, I would pass) and just about the game in general.
Then we came to game seven. I remember thinking at the beginning that I was going to take over, be unstoppable, and single-handedly carry my team to victory. And I did. I made four three pointers as well as a few other buckets and we won. (For those of you wondering how the finals will turn out, Spurs in seven.) I was satsified after that game that "I could still bring it" and my thoughts were filled with pride and the fact that I was "the best on the court." So I said to the guys that we should play one more game "just for fun."
We played and then on the last shot I went up, took the shot and when I came down, I rolled my right ankle, spraining it very badly. Thankfully Tom, who I took the shot over, is a physical therapist and I starting receiving instant treatment. I heard later from Tom's wife that Tom had remarked at home that it was a "really bad sprain."

Thinking about this at home afterwards was so good because revealed my sin of pride to me. He showed me that I had put Him on the bench for game seven and that I was going to be the star. When I think about it, I think of Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel who one day he lifted up his eyes to behold Babylon and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?" That very moment God drove him from the city and for a long period of time he ate grass like a cow and his hair was like eagle's feathers and his nails like birds claws. At the end of that time his reason returned to him and he said, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of Heaven, for all his works are right and his ways just, and He is able to humble all those who walk in pride."

I praise the Lord that he humbled me on that Saturday morning and he did not let me continue even for an hour in my state of pride. I would encourage you to think about the way that you think. It may not be basketball for you, but what do you take pride in? Is it the Lord? The Bible says "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." Realize too that if you are walking in pride, God can and will humble you.

2005-06-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Fam...Bruce, Ben, Berta, Bobby, Christa and Me.

2005-06-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

The Whole Family

Finding Family

2005-06-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

So here is the deal. My family has been bitten by the blog bug. My little brother has a blog, my sister-in-law has a blog, my older brother has a band website that what has been recently added to?- a blog. My dad comes home from work today and one of the first things he asks is if any of us have visited http://cuttingitstraight.blogspot.com to see the new post that he created today. He also noted with some degree of satisfaction that he already had a comment. Blog and the Blakey family go so hand-in-hand today that I am tempted to go to baxterblog.blogspot.com to see if it does, in fact, exist.
And so today I finally succumb to the overwhelming tide of blogness that has swept over this family like the waves over the seaweed and sand castles that I used to build on the beach as a child.

This past week my family was in California for the memorial service of my late grandmother, Peggy Blakey. All of my dad's six bothers and sisters were there as well as 9 of the 11 grandchildren. As we came together, I realized that there were people there that I had never met and others whom I had not seen in over ten years. And all were a part of our extended family.

Our extended family has its quirks, as every family does, and while we all share the same last name, or personalities and lives are anything but the same. For instance, there is my Uncle Ken, the brilliant businessman who never is at a loss for words and my Uncle Don, who is quiet and brief even with he writes birthday cards. My Uncle Scott lives a simple yet meaningful life where mostly everyday runs in the same format and then there is my Uncle Ernie, who we are never really sure which continent he is on.

I had an extended conversation with Uncle Ernie in the backyard one night and the rest of the family was convinced he was recruiting me for the CIA. However, I was finding out more about what, in fact, he really does. Uncle Ernie, in my mind, may be one of the most brilliant business marketers that I have ever heard of. In graduate school over 20 years ago, he sold the idea for a few thousand dollars to blend a bookstore with a coffee shop and right now the Barnes and Noble in Valencia is nearly an exact replica of the sketch that he drew 20 years ago. When faced with the task of how to help boost airline sales, he came up with an idea of passengers earning miles on trips that could be used towards future flights which we now call the frequent flyer program. He has done work with companies such as Porshe, Jeep and Nissan and all of this I had only heard second hand until I asked him.

As I look back on my thoughts of Uncle Ernie before the trip, I remember thinking that he was probably more reserved around us because he wanted to be. After talking to him, I realized that he had held back only because nobody had really asked him.

Right now I am preparing to teach in a number of contexts, whether it be the college/career sunday school class at our church, Sunday night Children's Bible Hour or the Vacation Bible School coming in two weeks. For all of these, I need wisdom.

James 1:5-8 says, "If any among you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind, for that man ought not expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

I have realized that I so often will talk about God's wisdom with others or will read what God has taught other people. How often, though, do I ask the Lord to give me wisdom and believe that He will from His Word?

I received business wisdom and insight from Uncle Ernie that night as we hit whiffle balls in the backyard, how much more will I gain and be impressed by if I ask that of the Lord?

2005-03-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Endless Spring has now officially begun!

2005-03-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

Still Going Strong...

2005-02-22T00:27:00.000-08:00

Phil Seston is the man

2005-02-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

If you're a hungry bear looking to munch down some great knowledge, this is the place for you!