I'm Moving my Blog

Ok...... I have messed around with the idea of using another platform. I decided that for this blog another platform will work so I'm heading over there.

http://tfkroberts.wordpress.com


I decided that a few of my other blogs won't work there due to some issues with imbedding things that I need on the blog.

Keep following me!
~tfkr

Social Media

So I'm at an interesting point with Social Media, well as least with Twitter (guess that can be said as its the only one I can get at my main job).

I love being able to see ideas, questions, comments, and cool new innovative ways to do things by people around the world. The struggle I'm facing is, do I continue to embrace this "technology" or do I run from it? So many people have only 1 account that they use for both their ministry/industry as well as for their personal lives. Some people have taken the route of having two with one devoted to ministry or industry and the other for personal friends/followers.

I question if my time is well spent reading/following the people who post things about being unable to sleep, can't find this or that, or other "personal" things that truly appeal to me, they may a points have things though that are very important or necessary for me to see. I don't mind the occasional but I guess i'm also personally starting to revamp how I use things like Twitter. I started using it for both personal and work stuff, but now am revamping gradually ( it takes time, its an addiction) to use it just for work/ministry/things that make me grow.

So what do I do? Help!

What do you do when you want to see what a person has to saw, but really don't want to filter through their personal life? Do you unfollow? What if its a person close to you that you need to know things from? What is the proper etiquette? Do people actually notice or care if you unfollow them? Should we all adopt a way of using Twitter? I know its designed for quick updates of whats going on in life, but have we gone to far? Is there certain way that I can find a way to easily filter on the web, pc and mac out the stuff I don't care about?

I'm a computer nerd at heart and find it hard to figure out how to handle this. I'm afraid I might miss something I need to hear or know . I'm trying to figure out a personal motive and proper use of Twitter, ect. Sort of my own guidelines on how to use it.

I've backed off from Facebook a ton, and since I have limited access to things at my primary job its hard to manage what little information I do get.

Have we as a society gone too far?

What reasons are we using Twitter and similar services? Is it just to show off and lets others see how busy and important we are? How cool we are? Is it to boost our own frail ego's? Or are we truly seeking to share knowledge and information and ideas? I honestly think there are people on both sides of the gamut. I hope that people realize i'm trying to share information and stuff. I have nothing to boast of. Honestly I know few people who truly care that deeply about my personal life to really be interested in my Twitter feed.... I do try to share some tips or techniques that I've found minsitry/industry wise. I think we as users of technology have to be ware of the dangers of the technology. Not just dangers for us but others. I think it could potentially become a stalker/crime issue, people are basically being peeping toms into our lives, there is no bounds unless you secure your updates.

The Internet is truly blurring the public and private sectors of our lives. We need to make a decision as the user of where that line will stop. As a parent I have to make that decision as I need to protect my family.

Think about it.... Does everyone have to know what your doing at all times? where you are? Where I am at? Are we that stinking important? Think of this..... We the general public have no exact clue where the President is always at..... He's a bit more important than we are....

Whats your thoughts? Comments? Questions? Ideas?

I know I'm being a bit extreme but I think its something we all need to serious think about....

~tfkr

Book Review: The Noticer:

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Pub. Date: April 2009
• ISBN-13: 9780785229216
• Sales Rank: 18,323
• 170pp

The Noticer, is an interesting twist on a Christian Living meets story. Andrews shares the story of "Jones", yes that is right "Jones" not "Mr. Jones. Jones is a gentle man that everyone in Andy's hometown seems to know from a different encounter in their lives. Usually the encounters are brief and end before the individual is ready for them to end. "Jones" appears and reappears to different people throughout he course of their lives.

"Jones" brings to each individual something they are lacking, persepctive. "Jones" seems to know more about each individual than they even know about themselves. "Jones" first appearance in each person's life and story is usually at a point where they are in a dark, sad, or lonely place. "Jones" seeks to speak encouragement and perspective into the lives of those he encounters.

Through the stories presented in The Noticer one is challenged to rethink how they interact with those around them. The care and concern that they seek to provide to others, as well as how well they pay attention to the lives in the grand scheme of things. Each individual whose story is shared in The Noticer was changed by their encounters with "Jones" and as a result their lives were changed drastically. Andrews writes to encourage interactions between individuals so that lives are changed. He desires for people to spend time and notice others and their circumstances and to speak the truth in love and help provide a little perscpective.

Its a great and enjoyable read!

Acceptance?? Patience Please.... Contentment??

So, I've been struggling with issues of acceptance again. Guess one never really truly gets over it. I know back in high school I always wanted to fit in and just for some reason never really did, at least thats my perception. I have tons of friends or for the most part: Acquitances. If you were to look at my Facebook you'd see a large list of people that I "know". There are few that really "know" me. I have people that I work closely with at my job and church, but yet in many ways I feel light years apart. I'm around people almost constantly. I'm a people person. I know it drives my wife nuts becuase there are times when we need to just be home and be family, but there is a stir in me to be active and out and about around other people.

So whats my problem? Do I not feel accepted? Am I just not content? Its honestly a deep deep question. I can only hit some of it on the head.

I think that first and foremost I have always felt that I did not quite fit into any particular group of people. There were always people who let me be around, tag along, or in my head "put up with me". And I think I still feel this way. I know that some of it has to do with my personality, my way of getting work done, and my desire to do things to my best and learn from my experiences. I crave feedback to know that what I'm doing is right, that others notice me, and that well..... I'm liked. I know that we all need to feel loved, accepted, liked........ What I'm about to say is stinking hard to heard, to accept and to live by, but know what.......... IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT GOD THINKS!.... and He gave His only son for me, so I better accept it, God Loves me, Likes me, Accepts me.....

So I think it comes down to contentment. I have to learn to accept where I'm at, my situation, my life. God will bring the people into my life that I need... I know He already has with certain people that are special to me for different reasons (ie. my wife, my daughter, Remy, Joe, Andy, Dave, Chad a vendor I deal with.....) So i know that people do like me and accept me as me. So whats my problem? I guess being content with those people God has put in my life and not feeling that people I work with have to be "good friends" or beyond the acquintance level. I have to accept that I can only truly handle so many close friends. If you ask my wife, our schedules are busy crazy.... and becuase of it I haven't been able to nurture the deep friendships I have, the ones that I really need to, the ones that help energize me and give me life to live each and every day.

So What do "I" need to do?
1. Learn to take joy in other peoples opportunities to venture out, network and have a good time.... my turn will come in due time....
2. See the networking tools I use as a blessing to see what God is doing around the world, and not a place for jealousy.
3. Learn to be content with where God has put me!
4. Pour into the relationships that matter, the one's God is truly calling me to care about!

So what have you learned?
Are you content?
Are you building those up around you? Even those acquitance/peer/associate relationships around you?
Are you seeking approval form man or from GOD?

Take some time to sit back and thank God for what He has given you, to give you contentment and find joy in that which He has provided. Its not about US all the time. Its all about Him.

To those around me..... Thanks for your patience.... Being human in this broken world is messy....

~tfkr

Book Review: Think and Make It Happen

Think and Make It Happen

The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Overcoming Negative Thoughts, and Discovering Your True Potential

Jacketed Hardcover

By Dr. Augusto Cury

ISBN: 0785227814
ISBN-13: 9780785227816
Dr. Augusto Cury tackles the subject of overcoming negative thinking with an interesting approach that is not often ventured or proposed by other scholars. Dr. Cury looks not only at the psychological side of negative thinking and working to change ones negatives into more positive thoughts, he also uses Jesus Christ as an example and way of explaining how to change ones thoughts. While capturing the idea's and thoughts that he is attempting to convey to the reader the book is a slow read. The book presents itself as an interesting topic and read but requires patience and perseverance to complete.
If one can be patient with Dr. Cury’s writing style this book is a good read and self help book. He throughout the book references items that will be discussed in future chapters however fails to give much of explanation of that point and relying on the reader to continue through the book with a desire to understand everything. While being a struggle to read as an academic it is a book that with patience can be an asset to one’s library and life.

Book Review: The Kingdom of the Occult

The Kingdom of the Occult
Hardcover
By Dr. Walter Martin, Jill Martin Rische and Kurt Van Gorden
ISBN: 1418516449ISBN-13: 9781418516444

The Kingdom of the Occult, provides the reader with a very through and complete understanding and look into the world of the occult. Martin, Rische and Gorden have provided lthe reader not only with a foundation and framework to understanding the occult but also provides an appropriate Christian response to this sensitive matter.

This book provides the reader who has little to no understanding of the occult a very valuable tool in their library. While not providing a complete solution or response, as one does not exist, it does provide one with enough information that they will be able to better understand the occult and have a starting point for their conversations, interactions and reactions.

This book is one that is a must have for any pastor, seminary student, or youth worker. The Occult is not something that is deeply studied in most seminaries and this provides an amazingly well done over view of this subject. Reader beware it will cause you to think more deeply about things that you do see in the world around you. This book is a long read, but with such an important subject you can’t dot it justice in any less pages. Take your time and prayerfully read this book and use it carefully.

New Start

Well alot has been going on lately.  I just finished seminary in the last weeks and people keep asking me what am I doing next......  My honest and truthful answer.  As of right now...... What I'm doing right now......  I have no current plans to change anything.  While I have now obtained my Masters of Art in Religion with a Church Ministries emphasis, I have no current plans to pursue full time ministry. As many places are requiring more experience than I currently have I plan to try to find opportunities to expand my experience. We are currently happy where we are and want to stay here so that also greatly limits what the possibilities are.  

I do have some immediate plans and desires.  Most of these come out of my experiences of being a full time student, and also as a result of my current mens group.

1.  A more consistent and devoted time to my Lord.

2. More loving husband and father.

3.  More time reading books that of interest to me and my growth. 

4.  Blogging more.

Thats just a start but I believe that God has allowed me to finish my education and get more experience in life before stepping out to serve Him in full time ministry. 

~tfkr