You know things are bad at work when your office mate says “Don’t take this the wrong way, but everyone’s talking about how bad you’ve been screwed.”  Work has drained me of just about everything I have to give for the past week or two and there appears to be no end in sight.

My office mate quit a few months ago, and basically left me a black hole.  I found out that the only reason I was on the project is because no one else in my office would work with him.  Then he quit and left everything in shambles.  I have been running around, taking phone calls, responding to panicked emails all day long for two weeks.  I am trying to do the work of two people, which when it was the two of us, we were overwhelmed, so it has been crazy.  I probably won’t be online much over the next couple of weeks.  I had some free time tonight, and I am trying to write a post on women and their attitudes and what the Bible has to say about that stuff, but I can’t seem to get my points across, so I am putting it aside until I can recover from work.

I am actually doing very well and my spirits are high (why do people say they are in “good spirits”?).  Everyone is impressed with my attitude and somehow I manage to keep smiling (I am guessing that is from my questionable sanity at this point).  Surprisingly, even though I am burning out, I am mostly at peace when I have two minutes to reflect, and I know God is watching out for me.

My focus can’t be on how much of a jerk my former office mate was, it needs to be about working diligently to get everything done that needs to be done, and then catch up on all the minor things at work that I have pushed to the back burner.  In the words of my old boss, “When it rains, it pours.”  She also use to say, “Two heads are better than one, even if one of you is a cabbage head!”  Hmm, I miss her, I should pop in and say hi next time I am down that way.

I am really glad that my office mate recovered from his allergic reaction, and that his injury is finally starting to heal.  I have been praying for him and that he would be OK, so that is a blessing.  When I have some quiet work to do at work, I have been listening to a ton of praise and worship music, but the past couple of evenings, I have been listening to John Denver and I am not really sure what is up with that.  When things get crazy, somehow I always get into things from when I was young.

If you haven’t heard this song, you should listen to it.  It is hilarious and code monkeys can definitely relate to this song (I know I can).  I just wanted to share.  Anyway, here are the lyrics and here is the link to the mp3, if you would like to hear Code Monkey by Jonathan Coulton.  Warning: there is a bad word in the first verse, so you may want to make sure there are no little kids around, especially if they pick up things easily or if you are sensitive to language just read the lyrics (I happen to really hate this word).  Consider yourself warned.

Code Monkey get up, get coffee
Code Monkey go to job
Code Monkey have boring meeting
Boring manager Rob
Rob say Code Monkey very diligent
But his output stink
His Code not functional or elegant
What do Code Monkey think?
Code Monkey think,
Maybe manager wanna write
[*******] log-in page himself
Code Monkey not say it out loud
Code Monkey not crazy, just proud

Code Monkey like Fritos
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
Big, warm, fuzzy, secret heart
Code Monkey like you
Code Monkey like yooooouuuuu

Code Monkey hang around at front desk
Tell you sweater look nice
Code Monkey offer buy you soda
Bring you cup, bring you ice
You say no thank-you for the soda ’cause
Soda make you fat
Anyway, you busy with the telephone
No time for chat
Code Monkey have long walk back to
cubicle
He sit down, pretend to work
Code Monkey not thinking so straight,
Code Monkey not feeling so great.

Code Monkey like Fritos,
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
Big, warm, fuzzy, secret heart
Code Monkey like you
Code Monkey like you, a lot

Code Monkey have every reason
To get out this place
Code Monkey just keep on working
See your soft pretty face
Much rather wake up, eat a coffee cake
Take bath, take nap
This job fulfilling and creative way
Such a load of crap
Code Monkey say someday he have
everything
Even pretty girl, like you
Code Monkey just waiting, for now
Code Monkey say someday, somehow

Code Monkey like Fritos
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
Big, warm, fuzzy, secret heart
Code Monkey like you
Code Monkey like yoooooooouuuuuuuu

This song is awesome!

Part 6:  Capital Punishment

This is the last in the series, but since I am doing them out of order, today’s is about Capital Punishment.  As always, Pastor Todd went straight to the Bible.  If you are interested in the other 4 I have already posted, under the categories, click on Where I Stand, they should all be under there.

The final subject is divorce.  I will post it in the next day or so, it will be last since I have some comments to add.

Today, as I was walking to work, I was looking at the many huge oak trees along the way. They were tall and very old. I would love to know how old, but I guess I probably won’t ever know the exact age. As I was getting close to my building, I saw a large oak with a tiny little branch near the bottom. I stopped walking. I looked at it, it did not look natural at all. It did not look new and it did not look as if it was thriving, it looked like it was getting the bare minimum of what it needed to stay alive. The few dead leaves left on the branches did not look like oak leaves, but I was up on the sidewalk looking down. I would have loved to go and get a closer look, but the ground was wet and mucky. The trunk was much bigger than my arms could have hugged, so that gives an idea of how big this tree was. The branch sat about 1-2 feet off the ground and looked freakishly strange. It almost looked as if the branch had been grafted into the base of the tree. I continued to walk and left the thoughts of large oak behind me, and focused on how beautiful the day was.

At work, I sat down and turned on my CD player. I put in a Wes King disc, and started listening to one of my favorite albums. His song “Fisher of Men” made me stop my work and look up. The song leads to the questions: “What does it mean to be born again? What does it mean to be grafted into the body of Christ?” To think about grafting twice in one day is probably no coincidence. I started to think to myself about what does being grafted into the Body really mean? This scripture immediately popped into my mind.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. - John 15:1-6

I also looked it up in the NIV, which has the first verse as:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. - John 15:1

Fascinating. In Romans, we see Paul talking about the Jewish people and their rejection of Christ and what that really means. As gentiles, we are mentioned here as wild olive branches being grafted into the good olive tree.

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? - Romans 11:16-24

I looked up the term grafting in the dictionary. Dicitonary.net shows graft, from Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), as being: “(a) A small shoot or scion of a tree inserted in another tree, the stock of which is to support and nourish it. The two unite and become one tree, but the graft determines the kind of fruit.”

“The two unite and become one tree, but the graft determines the kind of fruit.”

Our Father is the gardener, Christ is the vine, those who have accepted Christ are the branches, and gentiles are the foreign grafted branches on the vine. We are one body. To believe and accept Christ allows us to be grafted into the Body. What is interesting is that Webster’s mentions the grafted branch determines the kind of fruit. I think it is wonderful the dictionary explains it this way. We are the body, but each of us has different fruit. 1 Corinthians 12, the whole chapter, talks about Spiritual gifts, our fruit, and being a member of the body of Christ. We do not all have the same gifts (or fruit), but each of us is important. Here is ALL of Chapter 12:

1) Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2) Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3) Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5) And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 ) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14) For the body is not one member, but many.
15) If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16) And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17) If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18) But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19) And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20) But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21) And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22) Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23) And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24) For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25) That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26) And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27) Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29) Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30) Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31) But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

- 1 Corinthians 12

We are foreign branches grafted into the Body, we each have a spiritual gift, or fruit - given to us by the Holy Spirit, and we are supported and nourished by the stock. Christ is the vine or the stock, and our Father is the gardener. That is what it means to be grafted into the Body of Christ.

Wow, what a week.  It has not been a good one.  I have been really sick, but I think I am on the mend.  MikeT has been getting over his cold too.  Work has me pretty much at my wit’s end.  I know MikeT’s has him at his breaking point as well.  MikeT had his license plate stolen.  That is fun.  I wonder who is using it and for what evil purpose.  It has been reported to the DMV, so we took care of what we needed to in case there was a problem.  This morning, I was making some more flower arrangments to give away (this is my hobby), and I split my finger open with a knife.  It is very deep.  I washed it, put a butterfly on it and then covered it with gauze and tape.  It seems to be fully cleaned.  Fun.

Right now, I sit here listening to some annoying person’s after market car alarm system that sounds like a conglomeration of sounds from an 80’s flight simulator game going off.  It  has been going on for about 15 minutes.  *sigh*  I pray this week is better than last.  I seem to just be chugging along… and I know that is what I must keep doing.

“Under the wire,
I’m a train down the line.
Nothing left to lose or gain,
But distance over time.”  — Carbon Leaf

Give ear to my words, O LORD,  consider my sighing.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.  In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Part 4:  Alcohol

There are many Christians that would disagree with some of this sermon, in fact, I know of some that had a huge problem with it.

Feel free to leave comments if you want, I am always willing to listen.  I may not respond to something right away if it is complicated as I have a head cold that has made its way into my chest and I am really, really sick.

This is exactly how I feel right now.

This evening, around 6 PM, MikeT and I walked into the game room to find that Underwater Lego Dude had fallen to his death.  He and his underwater snatcher tool were in pieces, scattered on the carpet.  It is possible to clone him, and hopefully we will be able to do so soon.  Rest in peace Underwater Lego Dude.  You will be missed sitting on the bookshelf being attacked by the crazy Lego alien robot.  His closest friends were the Lego Race Car and Camshaft (my transformer).  At this time we have no suspects; however the crazy Lego alien robot and the vicious Lego dinosaur have become persons of interest.