You are the bestest daddy in the whole wide world!
Kate
They have risen far beyond affordability, my friend
Sun. Seed
The economy concerns me. How much did the price of sunflower seeds increase?
Hammy
I am, after all, a movie star...p.s. I like blueberries
Hammy
Check out Hammy\'s awesome new video on the Hammy page!
Michelle
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Stolen Kwoats
Then Isaac wondered if she was knitting God some purple socks. --C + B Cunningham
I recently attended a church planters conference at which there were free pens given out. I took that chance to pick up a few extra ones --The Ooze.com
Just like David I can stand before my giants...not with trembling knees and a nervous stomach... --Jen M.
Andrew's Blog
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Is Tithing Biblical?
I read the portion of Scripture in Matthew 17 today where Peter is questioned by the Capernaum authorities about Jesus' tax-paying habits. I have not done any studying or research into the specifics, just some Saturday morning pondering while Kate sleeps on the couch beside me, but I came up with some heretical questions and will share them here.
In the passage it seems implied that Peter is covering up for Jesus when he tells the tax collectors that Jesus pays the tax; for it seems that when Peter goes to talk to Jesus that the tax is foremost in both of their minds as they have their conversation. Jesus asks Peter a hypothetical question with the result being that 'the sons are exempt' from taxes...meaning Jesus and Peter? Yet, 'so that we will not offend them' Jesus sends Peter out to fish!!! Peter is to catch a fish and take a coin out of the mouth of the fish that will cover the tax of both Peter and Jesus.
What is going on here? I suspect it would take some study to figure it out. There are too many cultural and word-related inferences that I don't understand. However it is kind of cool that Peter could just go find the money in a fish's mouth. (If I tried that, the most I would get is a toonie because I don't see how a $20 bill would survive in the water.) But anyway (as my ramblings continue), this begs the question, did Jesus tithe?
As a good religious Jew he would have. Scripture tells us about the time he watched the widow place her meager offering in the box and declared that she had put in more than all the rich people. He was often in the synagogues and temple courts. Yet, I'm not sure that he had an income after age 30. He 'had no place to lay his head.' He had woman friends that would take care of his food needs; the disciples had a common purse to purchase such things as well. Did he take 10% of donations people gave him and put them religiously in the temple tax box? I don't know.
A good Christian tithes 10% of their gross income; everyone knows that. Yet the same Christian will know instinctively that God owns everything, and can certainly demand everything. I heard somewhere that actual Old Testament Jewish giving amounted closer to 28%. The New Testament models 100% (ie Barnabas selling his land and giving the proceeds to the apostles; Ananias and Saphira did the same thing but were struck dead because they skimmed a bit off the top). I can't recall Jesus actually teaching on tithing, other than affirming giving to the poor in the sermon on the mount. So I ask you, in this age of 'economic uncertainty' as you pay off your debts and save up for a house, give to your church and the needy around you, what would Jesus do?
Revelation 3:17: You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
That's been me these last few days--just a couple of incidents at work and home have made me realize my wretchedness, lack of wisdom and self control, to my shame. I had it all together--but a bit of stress, perhaps coupled with lack of sleep and lack of time with God, put me over the edge and I remembered why I needed Jesus. I am not a perfect person and when I am reminded about that I get discouraged, but I need to remember that I don't need to be that perfect person, all the time.
Revelation 3:18: I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Where's the Jesus store? And do they take Interac? :)
It is a full people week with Michael coming last Monday to stay with us, then Jonathan and Leanne for a day or two, then Michelle's parents come tomorrow, and then Jen comes a few days after that. There is not too much overlap, luckily, or we would have a very full house!
It rained all week except for Wednesday. Everyone else took off for a fun sunny day in Victoria and left me to my own devices, so I visited a co-worker at Royal Columbian. For supper on the way home I had chips, a double Mars bar and some 7-up at a Surrey gas station.
Kate is doing well and we even got out last night to go to Huckleberry Finn while Stacey babysat!!
Andrew
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Once again I have not had much time to blog lately. My bike tire has been flat for a few weeks and I keep patching it to no avail. I get a ride to work with my neighbour Gurdial, and Michelle usually picks me up afterwards. Work is going well, we have finished a bunch of big and fun solid surface tops and now are in a short lull before the next storm (apparently we have an apartment building coming up. That should take some time). Kate is doing really well, kind of settling down and letting her parents sleep and otherwise feel a bit more normal. She is so cute, I love her to death (well, hopefully not quite that extreme). She still makes noises when she breathes but seems a bit more controlled overall. She smiles sometimes and I'm pretty sure it's not just gas. I love to hold her little warm body and watch her watch her new world. She's not too heavy yet--I'm guessing 10 to 12 pounds? We'll find out tomorrow.
I have been writing a song inbetween everything, it is called 'Jesus Holy Shepherd of the World' and it is the first worship song I have written for quite awhile. I have got the lyrics down on paper and am mostly happy with them. The tune is kind of in my head but maybe when I write it down I can change it up and make it a bit more exciting than its present lullaby-feel.
I'm still thinking about losing this website (my domain name anyway) because I just don't have that much to put on here, other than a few baby pictures and my music. I can't justify paying $15 a month for that privelege. But I haven't decided for sure.
Andrew
Monday, October 13, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
I posted a small video of kate on the Baby Potts page.
See Baby Potts' page for more information and pictures.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
There has not been much time for blogging lately with the arrival of the little one. In fact there has not been much time for much of anything! Kate--being of the baby species--requires constant time and attention. This is in no way a bad thing. I am enjoying bonding with her and the time is actually going much too fast (she turns 3 weeks tomorrow). I am also back at work full time so that is a nice break from the confines of home sometimes.
Last night I got a bit frustrated. I was taking the night shift so Michelle could catch up on some much needed sleep. Kate would not sleep until 3am, no matter what I tried--swing, food, swaddle, 4 dirty diapers...but, I got 3 hours sleep and then jogged to work. Today we have tried to keep her awake more during the day in hopes that she will turn in earlier.
In internet news my webhoster, Yahoo, has upgraded me to 'small business webhosting.' Which means I pay a bit more per month and get a bunch of great services that are useless to me. I'm considering stopping it and going back to Geocities Free...but on the other hand, maybe I can use SSL packets and unlimited storage and bandwidth for some strange purpose...anyone want to rent some space? :-|
Andrew
Monday, September 22, 2008
Andrew and Michelle with Baby Kate in the NICU.
She's here!
See Baby Potts' page for more information and pictures.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
We are still waiting for Mr. Baby to make his (or her) appearance. We have been to the hospital 3 times and been sent home all 3 times. The first 2 times were smaller contractions than this last time. And the last 2 times concluded with a shot of morphine so Michelle can get some sleep. Who knew that labor could last a week? NOW they tell us these kind things.
I'm staying home this week to help Michelle and be here for hospital trips etc; I'll take next week off too and hopefully get to spend some time with my newborn before I go back to work.
Andrew
Sunday, September 7, 2008
'I am a young grasshopper and here I sit.'
Mr HTML injection has showed me a fault in my code that has been there for the better part of 8 months but I think it's fixed although I welcome further attempts at non-malicious injections.
Michelle has still not hatched but she is looking just as cute as ever. We took walks around Mill Lake and part of Fishtrap this weekend to try to jiggle baby down, but no such luck. Only 8 days till our official due date.
Andrew
Saturday, August 30, 2008
I have just finished a new recording called 'Healing Touch' and you can listen to it here: andrewchristopherpotts.com/mp3/healingtouch.mp3. I wrote the song several months ago, but my usual drummer was busy so I put off recording it. He's still busy now so I went ahead and did my own percussion...not as good as the real thing but okay. I'm happy with the song now but probably later I'll change my mind a bit--I usually do! I like the ending the best.
In other news I played two games of poker last night and came second place in the second game. The first game I got lousy cards (or thought I had lousy cards) and didn't win a single hand! It is still good entertainment value though, $10 for 4 hours of fun including complimentary snacks and drinks courtesty of Alan. :)
In other other news it is Michelle's birthday tomorrow and I need to pretend to take some stuff to MCC so I can buy one last present. :D
Andrew
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
'I do not have the energy to wash a pot' -Michelle
Monday, August 11, 2008
We took Michelle's parents to see Jesus Christ, Superstar at Theatre Under the Stars last night. It was really good! I was very impressed with the outdoor venue, the friendly volunteers, and the production itself--I had read one review that wasn't too positive, but it exceeded all expectations, from the ensemble hidden below the stage to the lights and acting and special effects. The singers were excellent too, the plot quick and riveting...a good first impression for a place I'd never been to before. TUTS is in Stanley Park; despite all of my past visits to Stanley Park, I didn't know where it was hidden...
