The Date is Set!

So the day I graduate has been discussed…a lot, but a date has finally be set.

June 18th from 10am to noonish.

Where: OHSU Old Library Auditorium

I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

So long…

I know a lot of my posts start this way, but I really don’t have much to write about.

I’ve been thinking of deleting my blog…what are your thoughts?

I’m sick again, been sick for about two weeks now, just a cold, congestion and a slight cough.  Drugs are great to get me through the day.

I’m doing more at school now.  I extracted my first full bony impacted third molar (wisdom tooth) last week, that was fun.  Then I got to work again at the clinic in Vancouver, great time. Extracted a guy’s third molars (all 4 of them) and did a filling on a nice lady.  Doing that reminds me that I love dentistry, just not school.

Lauren is getting a pay cut and loosing her medical insurance.  Tight December, here we come!

Daylight savings is back, now it’s dark before I leave school at 5pm (that’s just not right).  I think it’s a stupid thing to do anymore.

Lauren and I are going through a new book in our small group from church.  “The Prodigal God”…amazing book, so good, I highly recommend it!  It is talking about the lostness of those in the church who are the “elder brother types” in that parable Jesus tells us.  Very eye opening, convicting, exciting, profound and God inspired.

I know not very many people read this, but thank you for reading it.  Let me know if you find my ramblings worth wile or not, thanks.

Hypnosis & Spiritual Death

I have spent the last year and a half or so studying hypnosis.  It intrigued me to think that one could control their mind by simple suggestions.  However I always had this nagging feeling that somehow it was wrong, but I ignored that voice thinking it was just the result of being told hypnosis was “evil” when I was growing up.  I read a few authoritative books on the matter, purchased other’s that I haven’t read – and wont now.

Yesterday was revelatory to me.  I began to realize that it was from the time that I started in looking into hypnosis that my life started to get kind of crazy and out of hand.  I had less desire to go to church, less desire to read the Bible and much less desire to pray.  Slowly, but steadily I began to drift away from God.  The power to manipulate my own mind was very alluring.  It promised to heal things, to give me insights and wisdom.  I always had the warning voice in my head but was too stubborn to listen and too busy to hear it.

I had a dream last night.  I was in a room with believers and we were all there to reaffirm our faith in Christ.  Then more people started to enter the room – people I know from school (and some I don’t) all wondering what Christianity is all about.  They were discussing and arguing among themselves and then I just had to get up and explain it correctly to them.  But what I realize now is that I have forgotten what it is all about and I was actually preaching to myself in this dream.  I said, “Christianity is all about Christ.  Two main things – 1) Utter dependence on Christ because His is all that matters and 2) trusting in no one and nothing else but Christ alone.

Thinking more about it I began to realize that hypnosis was taking my thoughts away from Christ as my salvation and focusing my hope on my own “powers” and own ability to affect myself.  I even went so far as to justify its use based on the few scriptures that say Paul was in a trance.  But what I failed to recognize (or admit) he was in a trance of prayer to God.  He was so absorbed in his prayer to the Father and his focus was totally on Christ.

Further thinking about the use of hypnosis I realized my rationalizing of it by saying “well, God gave us this mind and it obviously has the ability to do this [hypnosis] thus it must be okay.”  But what I failed to realize then, that I realize now, is that just because one CAN do something in no way means one SHOULD do that thing.  It is like justifying murder, or lying, or stealing, or anything else that one CAN do with the physical body and mind.  I know that the use of manipulation is a form of witchcraft and sorcery and now I know beyond any doubt that hypnosis is a form of manipulation.

There is a reason God formed man with a subconscious – He meant it to stay hidden.  The analogy I thought of was a computer.  The operating system is the subconscious and the programs are the consciousness.  Everything is fine if you just use the programs, but if you go into the operating system and starting messing around with the code (and you don’t know what you’re doing) then you WILL screw it up.  Only God can know the full ramifications of playing with the subconscious.  Besides He gave us a way to peer into it by the way of dreams.

By the grace of God in Christ Jesus I am returned back to Christ now.  It is true that when you are in sin and “quenching the Spirit” your spiritual life will stop.  I didn’t realize that is what I was doing, but thanks be to God who is faithful to save me from myself and my sinful nature.

The following song by The Newsboys says it all:

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

God Bless!  IN CHRIST ALONE!!!

Three Years

We moved up here to Portland three years ago.  I then started my dental school training  a weeks later.  It’s hard to believe all that has happened in these short 3 years.  It seems like it’s been so long, yet so short.  I think back to my first term and shudder – it was gross anatomy spending hours in the lab dissecting a corpse, learning the gross structure of the human body.  I really can’t even think about all that has gone on since then, it is all such a blur.  They keep us up late, wake early jamming tons of information into our heads that we’ll be lucky to remember half of it all. 

I’ve changed just a bit in my appearance, not to mention in everything else!  Three years in dental school really puts on the pounds too – I think I’ve gained about six pounds!

Another Mini-Vacation

This afternoon and evening Lauren and I spent some time in 1795, drinking tea, playing Whist, enjoying company and dancing.  This evening’s events were held at the Sherwood Tea House in Sherwood Oregon (go figure).  Lauren and I actually really like Sherwood – very quaint and quiet town – very appealing.  I think I’ll look into dentists there.

I am just finishing building a computer for my parents.  It is to replace a 13 year old (almost 14) computer.  I think they will be pleasantly surprised at the new found speed.

I sent out 40 letters to dentists in and around Vancouver WA last week.  I don’t expect to hear anything from any of them, but it’s a good exercise to force myself to really think about my future.

Here are some pictures from this evening.

This is a 16.3 horse.  A feisty lady!

Too Long....

Sorry for not posting lately - not much has changed. The main thing that has changed is that I may have West Nile Virus. I have some type of viral infection and I have most of the symptoms of West Nile. I was out of commission for 3 days - feeling much better now. Lauren and I went to OxBow Park and I know I got bitten by mosquitoes a few times. They drew some blood yesterday and it'll take about a week to get the results back if I do indeed have West Nile or not.
I went to the eye doctor this morning and renewed my prescription - a little stronger and what do you know? I can see! I also decided to get a back up pair of glasses.
Not much other than that changing. I have just about one year left until I'm done with school - should all things go according to plan.
We are still thinking of living in Vancouver Washington when I'm done with school - avoid the extortionist taxes here in Oregon.
As far as church goes, Lauren and I have decided to stop going to the one we had been going to. They brought in (and fully support) this local author who wrote a book about environmentalism and how "God is green". Which we whole heartily disagree with. God does NOT care about the earth - it is after all going to be burned up in the end. He created everything (EVERYTHING) for us, for mankind. He cares about our relationship with Him, THAT is the most important thing. To be honest I always had some reservations about this church, I wasn't sure why, but I just never felt 100% right with it. So for now Lauren and I read the Word on our own on Sundays and aren't worrying about finding a new church. That is just one less thing to worry about and thus less stress on us.
Until my next post....

The First Four (4) Months

Do you remember hearing that the world will end in 2012 or 2013 because that’s when the Mayan calendar ends?  I doubt it, but the way things are going in politics right now it wouldn’t surprise me!  It’s easy to get angry at what is going on right now in politics…I know I have gotten very angry lately.  But thanks be to God that I have regained some perspective and remembered that God is in control and His ultimate Will will ultimately be done.  I also realized that getting angry does no good for the situation and only make my life miserable – SO! I’m learning to laugh at the insanity and double talk Obama is committing, not to mention his ENTIRE staff, advisors and “Czars”.

I am reading The Constitution – every American need to read and learn it and know that it is NOT a living and breathing document, it means what it means.  The founding Father’s original intent cannot be changed and thus the Constitution is our foundation.  I’m also reading The Federalist Papers – a great exposition on what the Constitution means written by Hamilton, Madison and Jay.  I’m also reading Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny: a conservative manifesto.  People need to educate themselves…because the public education (indoctrination) system does not educate anymore.

School is trudging along.  I’m treating patients, going to lecture and learning all about oral pathology, more dental materials, medical emergencies and the business of the dental office.  I really enjoy doing the actual dentistry, but the protocols and bureaucratic crap of the administration is more frustrating that I have got to learn how to laugh about it or else I might blow a gasket.

This is the day that the Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!

Blessings, thanks for reading.