What Did These Stones Ever Do To Us?

I remember very little of the time I lived in New Jersey. I remember we had a pool. I remember the food was awesome. I remember getting my first black eye courtesy of my older brother. One of the things I remember most was watching my favorite shows. Thundercats, The A-Team, Dukes of Hazzard, He-Man, Popeye, etcetera, etcetera… One of my absolute favorites was a show called "Voltron". For those of you who may not know, Voltron was a giant robot made out of smaller robots that were piloted by kids. Voltron was pretty swicked. I mean, how cool is that? Piloting a giant mech of total awesomeness. That would be pretty sweet, right?

Well, a few years back I was reading a book by C.S. Lewis and I came across a quote that YHVW used to speak volumes to me.

“You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.”

Wow! What a thought! We are souls inside of bodies. Our flesh is what contains us, not what makes us! Immediately I thought of Yeshua's words in Matthew 7:

Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

So, we are pilots of our bodies, in a sense. We are driving this “machine” in other words. We sit behind our eyes and see and experience things in a way that is unique to all of us. Think about Voltron, each one of the bots had a different pilot. I would be willing to bet that each robot had to be piloted in a different way. None of them maneuvered or react exactly the same as the other.
I believe that this is the reason Yeshua tells us not to judge each other. We all live behind our own eyes. Beyond that, we don’t have a clue where anyone is coming from. We can judge the actions of the wicked because we can see their fruits, but the hearts, the souls, are beyond us. We have absolutely no way of knowing what situations have occurred in their lives or how their “machine” handles. We are called to be patient and loving with each other. Only Yeshua has been there, and only He can cast the kind of judgment that condemns.

I knew a guy in high school who was very rude, almost automatically so, to everyone. Even his closest friends. Well, this guy had a weight problem and, come to find out, he was teased severely over it his whole life. This helped him to create an automatic response that he used to hurt others before they could hurt him. I’m not saying that it was right, just saying that too often we write people off without really taking the time to understand where they’re coming from. Like the girl you called a whore that one time. Well, did you know that she was sexually abused as a child and her response to any tense situation was to react sexually? No, how could you?

That’s why Yeshua said “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” –John 8:7
We are responsible for piloting our vessels because we know where we have been and what we are coming from, we have no room to condemn someone else.

We are called a new body in Yeshua. He is the head, we are the body. In Voltron, each individual robot was pretty hardcore on its own, but when they came together, they were unstoppable. If the pilots of the individual pieces were concerned on how the other pilots were handling their bots, Voltron would have never worked. One arm would be too busy trying to cut off the other. We as believers need to find the common ground to work together and move in the same direction. Rebuking in love and moving forward. Otherwise, we will be no good when the time comes for real battle.

Am I saying that we should just excuse wicked behavior? Heavens no! We need to address it at EVERY turn! Nor am I promoting some sort of “we just all need to love each other and hug” kind of existence. We do have every right to judge something as unrighteous, we just need to learn to rebuke in love because we don’t know the whole story. I am also not saying we need to yoke ourselves with unbelievers. We have the truth that they need to learn, but there is no way we can move in the same direction when we “suit up”.

The Law provides the proper punishment for those who live in sin. The problem is that the people carrying out the punishments had to be spotless to carry them out. All of us know who we were and what we came out of. I’m just thinking it’s time to apply that to our understanding of other people. When we reach out to those who have messed up in love and true concern, it oils the gears and helps the machine reach its full potential. All of us, together as one, can do more than the impossible. Remember Yah is the head, all we need to do is follow His lead. So whatta ya say? Let’s suit up.
One Love,
Albert C. Coble

 

No Touchy!

Ephesians 5:25 "25 As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf."

This one is for all you married fellows out there. That's right guys, I'm talking to you. All you grizzly, bearded, mini-van driving, grocery store-errand running, manly men of manliness out there. I have some amazing advice for you—especially for those that have children. This is life-changing advice that will not only help your relationship with your spouse, but it will give you children a great example of what it truly means to be a man. You ready for it? Here it is.

Kiss your wife. Kiss her and hug her every chance you get. Hold her hand, get the door, and buy her a gift for no reason. Show affection.

How often do we see this today, really? I mean, other than the really gross encounters at the supermarket where we get to see the twenty-something’s making out like there's no tomorrow, how many times do we see adult men showing affection to their wives? I mean real spirit-filled affection that doesn’t involve things that should only happen behind closed doors?

Think about when you first started to court your lovely bride. How many times did you go out of the way to impress her? To make her feel like she was above everything else in your world?

Let's be honest with each other, you know you took every opportunity to hold her hand or put your arm around her. You know at that point you would've taken on a honey badger with nothing but your bare hands to get another second in her presence.

You old softy, you.

Let's be honest with each other. After you were married the fire died a little, right? I'm not blaming anyone; I know that it just does. And if you have children, well, I'm sure that brings a whole new level of stress.

Think on this, though. Marriages are crumbling at an alarming rate. Children are thrown in the middle of divorces faster than you can snap your finger. We are living in a society where you can choose to be a divorce lawyer—as a career!

Marriage is mocked by every single show on network television. Children are growing up in a society where sex is being sold to them every second of their day. Men are measured in their worth by how many women they've slept with. Everything in this world is telling YOUR children that casual sex is just dandy. They see marriage as dull and bland. There is no intimacy in marriage from what they've seen and what they've been told.

How do we fix that? Start in your home. Kiss your wife whenever possible. Hug her. Hold her hand. Make sure your children see you! I'm not talking full on make out sessions with your kids in the room. I'm talking a quick peck; a good three or four second hug. The younger your kids are and the more they see this, it will instill in them a sense that marriage is not an empty, joyless existence. It will teach them healthy expectations for intimacy. Not the pornographic image of “love” our society sells. You are showing them that Yah's design for a man and a woman is indeed a blessing and not the curse that it has been made out to be.

Men, let's talk about your sons. What are you teaching your son by all of this? You're teaching him that a real man doesn't need to sleep around. That he cherishes the wife of his home. That it is better for a man to love one woman his whole life than to never know what real love is at all. You are teaching him, even without words, the emphasis of Yah's plan. And your daughters? Well, much the same. You teach them not to settle for anything less than a man who treats them exactly the way you treat their mama. Children aside, how much would your wife noticed if you started being more attentive to her? Hmm? I can't see any way that this would hurt your relationship with her, either.

Now, take it out of the home.

GASP! "Did he just say we should kiss and hold hands in public?"

You're darn right I did. Again, I'm not talking about full on, PG-13 cuddles, but if your kids see you treating your wife in public the way you do at home, it solidifies your honesty. It solidifies the image of how a man of Yah should love his wife. Get the door for her, hold her hand. Just take a little time out to do a little something extra. Your relationship will grow, and you will set a Yah-like example of what a man should be. I know it's not easy. I know life gets in the way. But you married her for a reason. Try to remember that. 

Happy is the man who finds a true friend, 

and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife. 

-Franz Schubert-

 

She was the woman Yah broke your heart for. She deserves your best. Your children deserve your best so that they can, in turn, be their best and hopefully, receive the best. It's no coincidence that we are called the "Bride of Yeshua". He loves us unfailingly. That is what we are called to be as husbands. Our society has put such emphasis on the physical outside of marriage. It's time we put it back inside where it belongs. Men, this is our responsibility. We have to step up or it's over. There is no other choice. 

Ephesians 5:28-30  ²⁸ This is how husbands ought to love their wives — like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. ²⁹ Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, ³⁰ because we are parts of his Body.

One Love, 

Albert C. Coble

What I Learned in Earth Science That I'm Still Trying to Unlearn

Years and years ago, never mind how long, I had little to no money in my purse... Okay, that is actually another person's story...

My story goes like this: Many years ago, I was sitting in my Earth Science class next to two of my very good friends. The teacher, who shall remain nameless, was going over the previous day's homework assignment with the class. I leaned over to my friend to ask him a question about said assignment... I guess our teacher wasn't having a good day. "ALBERT!" I heard him shout as his hand hit the table next to me.

It got worse from there.

I won't go into detail about everything that was said, there's no way I could remember it all verbatim anyway. The gist of it was: "You will never amount to anything. People won't want anything to do with you." and that everyone will basically think I'm stupid the rest of my life. At the time, I tried hard not to laugh as the teacher scolded me in front of the entire class so harshly. I wasn't hurt. I thought he was stupid and didn't know anything about me. I didn't take ONE WORD of it to heart... or so I thought.

Throughout not only my teenage years, but to this day, I have fought and struggled against an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy, of unimportance, and worthlessness. I have raged against a need to belong. Not necessarily to the status quo, but to some group of misfits. In my marriage, I am constantly at battle with feelings of being a let down. That I some how keep falling short to a wife I don't deserve. I don't bring home enough money, she doesn't have all the things I think she deserves. I can't afford to take her on vacation somewhere SHE wants to go. ect. ect. EVEN in my faith, I keep finding fault within myself that makes me not good enough.

To this day, I'm haunted by these thoughts. Every crappy job I've had served to remind me that "You will never amount to anything." My failed marriage reminded me that "People won't want anything to do with you." With every little slip of the tongue or brain fart I've ever had there has come an echo that says that everyone will think I'm stupid the rest of my life.

Now, in fairness, not all of these feelings are said teachers fault. Other issues stemming back further than this can be found, I'm sure. I'm also not trying to get sympathy points, but rather, tell a story that someone might be able to relate to and take something from. The point is that, at some point or another, I BOUGHT THE LIE. I swallowed poison without looking at the label. My faith should have been the thing that released me from the bondage of self doubt. But, as I said before, I didn't feel good enough for my faith.

Until now.

I understand that, despite myself, Yah said that I AM WORTH IT. I AM WANTED. I. AM. LOVED.

From the beginning, Elohim made US in HIS image. And throughout time, He has made every move possible to get us back even when we don't want Him. From Noah to Abraham to Moses and finally to Yeshua, Yah provided a way to save a people that continuously scorned and mocked Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says that He is not willing that ANY should perish.

Hmmm. Let's see. The divine Creator of the universe, The First and the Last, has gone to every extreme for every man. I don't know about you, but I call that an unconditional kind of love. Yah said through His prophet Jeremiah that He knew us before He formed us in the womb.(Jer 1:5) Why do we let ourselves feel worthless when Yah Himself has gone to such great lengths to tell us that He wants us? Why do I let myself become convinced that I am stupid and will never amount to anything? It was only when I really started digging in to the roots of my faith that these feelings started to shed themselves like old skin. I still fight from time to time. But I'm starting to see more clearly. I understand that we have an enemy who preys on our weaknesses. An enemy who will take every opportunity to knock us down and keep us from our Creator.

Here are some other things I'm starting to understand:
1.) Yah lets me learn. Even through the decisions I've made that have taken me away from Him, He teaches me. And, when He brings me back, I am always closer than I was.
2.) I am a good husband. Granted, I'm not the greatest husband, but people could do a lot worse. I may not be able to buy Lenzey the things I think she deserves, but she never asks for those things. She doesn't need "things" to be happy. I love my wife with everything that I am, and she loves me in the same way. That is why we got married, that is why we have stayed married. While there is always room for improvement, I give her my best as often as I possibly can. She would never ask for more than that.
3.)Yah promised me a place in His creation through the atonement made by His Son. Yeshua said that no man could pluck me from His hand. My worth lies in His promise, not in anything I could do to deserve it. Yah is my strength, and through my weakness is when His might is shown most.

There are many more things that I am learning. I hope to share them with you as they come. My prayer today is that someone reading this will find strength, or at the very least, comfort. Know that you have a Creator that was willing to go as far as to die for you.

That is how much we all are worth.

And that's more than a lot.

One Love, Albert.

"We’re all just people made out of the same old dirt, and God don’t make any junk.” – Tammy Faye Messner

I Have a Friend

First of all, I would like to say that I understand that most people view bloggers as people who have an over inflated sense of self importance that want to tell you how you should think and act. I would like to apologize in advance if I give you that impression through any of my posts. I assure you I have no intentions of setting myself up on a pedestal or pulpit. I will, however, treat my beliefs as matters of fact and not play to an audience. My beliefs are relevant in all aspects of my life and I will not compromise them to make any one have warm and fuzzy feelings. I will not blatantly attack anyone on here, nor will I argue against your right to disagree with anything I say. Secondly, the only reason that I have felt the need to start doing this again is because I believe that, as human beings, everyone has a story to tell. I believe we all have been through situations that, if we’re honest about, we can help other people who may be dealing with similar things. My hope is to share whatever burdens, joys, or even agitations that are on my heart in hopes that someone who needs to hear, will. Also, I believe firmly in the power of prayer. I intend fully to use this page to lift up the needs in my life, and the lives of anyone who wishes to leave their request, to Yahweh. That being said, on to the actually point of all of this: I have a friend. My friend is dying. (This is all you need to know from me. If you know to whom I am referring, I ask that you would keep it to yourself. This is his burden and it is up to him who knows about the circumstances surrounding his condition). I love my friend dearly. My request is this: If you are a believer in the power of prayer and the faithfulness of Yahweh to answer them in Yeshua’s namesake, please lift my friend up tonight, tomorrow, and every moment you have thought to spare to it. My thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this and respond. One Love.

Close to heaven?

I had all but forgotten how it feels to be walking in the rolling hills of the field that surrounds our home. No one but me and Marley (our lab mix). I had all but forgotten the peace of watching the world around me without the distractions of other people. The comfort of contemplating life, talking to God, and reflecting on the things that I am grateful for. The big things, like my wife's improving health, my friends, family, a home and food. And the little things, like finally shedding a few pounds, the breeze (albeit a chilly one), a weekend off, and the song that's playing in my head being my own.

I recently reconnected with an old friend whom, for as far as anyone would'be guessed, I never thought I would speak to again. It's been great talking to him the last couple of weeks. You know your friendships are real when you haven't spoken to someone in almost eight years and it's like you just saw each other yesterday. It's been very good for me. He wants to start a band when he gets home from the Army, I'm looking forward to it. I didn't even realize just how much I missed him.

I've been playing bass again. Religiously for the first time In years. It's great to feel the thickness on my fingertips again. Writing melodic intrumentals like I used to when all I had to do was sit in my room and play. Writing again feels like the best thing this world has to offer. I feel like this block I've had for the last three years is finally being broken.

Advocacy has taken a prominent place in my life. I've dedicated my heart to helping spread awareness for the disease that, for all intensive purposes, nearly crippled my wife. We've been tossing around ideas for fundraisers, including a benefit concert... more to come on that later, and we hosted a Yellow Shirt Day to promote awareness, to which we had an amazing response. My heart is filled with love for all our friends, coworkers, family, and even strangers who showed their support.

I only half about another month and a half before this field is filled with hay and my walks will have to cease. Until then, I will be taking every opportunity to do this.
But right now, sitting in this open field, watching the water in the pond a across the street, I'm at peace. I'm not focusing on bills, work, disease, car troubles. I'm just listening. Listening to the world around me, the song in my head, the beating of my own heart, and I'm home. People always say "this is as close as it gets to Heaven on earth", well, for me, right here, right now, this is. My prayer for you, whether or not you read this, is that your lives would be filled with moments like these.

And that's all I've got to say about that.

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"In blackest day, in darkest night..."

Something is wrong with me. I can't seem to wrap myself entirely around what it is yet. My heart has a heaviness that really seems to have not any one cause. I know that the lack of sunlight always leaves me feeling drained and lethargic, but this is different... I lost my child that I wasn't even expecting two years ago this month, around this time. My wife's continued medical drama is always a constant struggle with my emotional well being. I'm not unhappy, but I'm not happy.

Desperately I want to be able to enjoy Christmas. In years past, I've been outside putting up decorations and blasting the Bing (on vinyl, of course) as early as November first. This year, however, I can't even bring myself to put up a two foot plastic tree. I have no joy for something that means so much to me. This is a beautiful holiday for me. My entire faith comes down to the reason I celebrate this time of year. If not for Christmas, than the rest of what I believe would be pointless.

My faith is intact. I've never lost that. Without that I would go absolutely crazy. I know that my Father is watching over this mess inside and outside of my life with careful consideration. Am I bitter? Yes. Am I bitter towards God? No. I've taken that path once before and I'll not do it again.

I promise all this "I'm so sad" crap has a point, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this.

There are two main reasons why I am up in the middle of the night writing this blog that no one will read (It's ok. I'm not offended. I do this for my own edification). Reason numero uno: The dogs had to pee. Numero dos, however, is an... interesting... turn of events in my world.

As I was waiting for the dogs to relieve themselves I decided to check my messages to see if anything important had happened when I was sleeping. It had. A good friend of mine from work was telling me about an episode that she had gone through earlier today that was pretty intense for her. I won't go into details because that's not my place, but, long story short, she was terrified and found the solace she was looking for in the exact place she needed it. A good end to an otherwise disastrous situation.

Then I checked my Facebook to see what was going on in my other friend's lives, because I'm nosy and I live vicariously through them. Low and behold, this same friend had posted a status that was wonderful. She gave thanks and praise to God for giving her the comfort she needed when she needed it most. When she didn't expect to find it, it was right where she looking. I'm happy for her. Truly, honestly happy.

Then I went on to check the status' of my other friends to find something that was the complete opposite. Again, it's not my place to say who or what was said, all I will say is that it broke my heart. God was not where this person was looking, and because of that, they stopped believing in Him.

That got me thinking, hence the awakeness (yes, I'm aware I made that word up) of the moment. How often do I find myself disappointed that God is not where I was looking for Him? I can't tell you the number of times that I wanted something so badly, see above reference to my unborn child, and it wasn't what God had planned. It's easy to be upset with God, I think, because He doesn't give us what we want. But His promise to His people was that he'd always give us what we need inside of His will. It's easy to see the hardships and strife in our own, and other's, lives and say "God doesn't care about us."But that thought is shallow.

I'm reminded daily that the trials and tribulations that we face have been passed through God's hands with careful consideration. That God won't give us more than we can handle. I see it in the Mother's and Father's of Handicapped or disabled children, I see it every morning in the face of my beautiful wife even when she doesn't feel strong, I see it in my own Mother, I see it in my Mother in Law, I see it in the eyes of our Church secretary, I see it posted all over the desk of the team leader at work, I see it in the heart of a good friend who lost his mother in a car accident and his father to alcohol before he was six, and, even when I feel that i'm at my breaking point, I see it in the mirror. We can either choose (because that's what it really comes down to, what we choose to do with what we have been given)to reject God because we feel that life isn't fair, or trust Him. Trust that He has a purpose for us and our lives. That what He's doing now will later show us what we needed to, and possibly already do, see all along. His will is great, His purpose Holy.

I want to thank you, work friend. I know you didn't intend to spark any insight in my life, that you just wanted to share your story with a friend. Funny how something so negative happened in your life, and through it, it helped me to see the greater picture, huh? That's what I'm talking about. There is a reason for all of this. I'm overjoyed that things turned out so well for us both.

There's nothing new under the sun. I find comfort in knowing that whatever happens in this life, someone else has already been through it and come out stronger. I'm not there yet, but I will be ok. In blackest day, in darkest night.

I Am My Father's Son?

A couple of years ago, at my mother's annual Halloween party, I was approached by a "neighbor" that we've had for several years. The particular "neighbor" in question had been drinking for awhile before I got there and, as you can guess, was pretty inebriated at that point. He stopped me (at this point let me pause to tell you that I really hate speaking to people that are drunk if they're not in my immediate family or a close friend) and he proceeds to tell me, "You know, your father was a hell of a good guy."

To which I reply, "Thank you, I know he was."

Then comes the kicker. Now, I remind you that I knew he was drunk, not to mention he had lost his wife not too long before this incident, but his response still turned my blood cold and made me see red. "How do you know? You barely even knew him, I bet you hardly remember him at all." - remember, drunk, deceased wife, old man- these thoughts saved him from being beaten mercilessly.

Looking back though, I have to wonder how much of what he said is true. I know my father was a good man. He worked hard to provide for his family. He had a great sense of humor and a laugh that would fill up the room... But that's almost all I can remember...

I know that I am my father's son when I look in the mirror. Everyday I see him in the physical being I'm becoming. I know I am my father's son every time I hear a Waylon Jennings song. But I wonder how much of my personal taste are derived just from the desire to have a closer bond with the man I never really got the chance to know deeply.

I never got to have a beer with my Dad. I never got to sing "Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" with my Dad. I never got to play "Rebel Rouser" with him. He never got to teach me how to drive a stick, how to shave, or even the proper way to shake hands. I had to either learn these things for myself, from my mother (who did a brilliant job raising 3 children, I love you Mom) or from my brother (thanks for the shaving lesson, and the dislocated shoulder, jerk.) or sister.

I only have one picture of my father. Luckily, It's a family portrait taken not too long before he passed. I was sooooooo young. I wish my memory was better than it is. I've all but forgotten the sound of his voice. I can't remember all the songs he used to play for us on guitar on the rare occasion he played. I know there was one about being tickled by a bumble bee or something of the sort were he would do this laugh that I thought was just hilarious. His brother, my uncle, always had a beard or a mustache when I was little. He shaved it off a few years back and when he walked in the room I almost broke down in tears because he looked so much like dad and I'd almost forgotten what he looked like.

I miss my father. I wonder if I really am his son sometimes because of all the things I can't remember. Add to that the fact that every tattoo or piercing I get I know that he would hate. I wonder if I would still be the person I am if he were still here. I know that there would be obvious changes, but overall, I'm curious how big they would be. I wonder often if the person I've become would be a person my father would be proud of. And then I remember, the one memory that I'll cherish as long as my mind will allow me to keep it, I pray I never lose it. One night when I was 7 or 8, my father picked me up from my Scouts meeting. On the way home I told him that I was picked to do something special for the group (I can't remember exactly what it was, I believe it had something to do with refreshments) and I asked him "Are you proud of me."

I may not be able to remember how his voice sounded when he said it, but the words have never left me, never once since that night. He said "Son, no matter what you do, I'll always be proud of you. It doesn't take (Insert scout thingy here) to make me proud of you." I don't know if he knew it at the time, but those words meant more to me than anything.

Am I my father's son? Yes. Undoubtedly.