Determine Your Future

Don't Let Your Past Stop Your Future

The start of the NFL Training Camp is just around the corner. (Go Panthers!!!) As fans make their picks for the season, there is a debate brewing surrounding the fate of former Atlanta Falcon superstar Michael Vick.



As a result of his dog fighting conviction, there are some who say he should not be allowed to play football again. There are others who say that he should be suspended for several games before being reinstated. There are still others who believe that he has already paid his debt to society and he needs to be reinstated immediately. I do not desire to engage in the debate with this blog. Instead, I would like to focus on the life lesson to be learned.




Without question, Michael Vick messed up. But if the truth be told, we all have messed up at some point in our lives. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But the issue is what you do once you have messed up.




You see, now that he has been released from prison, Michael Vick faces a pivotal point in his life. He has to choose how he is going to respond to the repercussions of his past. He can choose to be angry and bitter. He can choose to wallow in self pity. He can try to escape the reality of the situation via drugs, alcohol and women. But these things will not do him any good. The past and the repercussions of the choices that he made will still be there.




Simon Peter faced a similar issue in his life. On the night in which Jesus was arrested, Peter vehemently denied that he was a follower of Christ on three separate occasions. (Matthew 26:69-75) Peter messed up. He denied his allegiance to the One he had earlier proclaimed he would die for. (Matthew 26:31-35) But that is the not the end of the story?




For it is the way in which Peter responds that makes him one of my favorite biblical characters. Once he is restored by Christ, Peter resumes his position as the leader and spokesman of the disciples. On the day of Pentecost, it is Peter who stands up and tells the bewildered crowd that the disciples are not drunk with wine but filled with the Spirit! (Acts 2) It is Peter who proclaims the glorious message of Jesus Christ and 3000 are saved!! (Acts 2:41) But most importantly, it is Peter who stands up and faces his past!!! Instead of denying Christ this time, he takes a bold stand for the Lord. He does not allow his past to dictate his present and his future!!! He does not allow feelings of fear and apprehension caused by the past to dictate his action!!! He does not allow what others might think about him because of his past to stop him!!! He stands up and makes a bold proclamation for the Lord!!!




Michael Vick, you and I have the same choice to make. We all have made some bad choices at some point in our lives. However, we cannot allow our past actions to dictate our future. We must get up, dust ourselves off and get back in the race. Donnie McClurkin said that “we fall down but we get up, for a saint is just a sinner who fell down but got up”. Paul said “forgetting those things which are behind and looking forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of God which is in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:14-15)




It is the way in which we respond to our inevitable sins that will determine our usefulness for the Kingdom of God. (See David in Psalms 51) It is the way in which we get up when he have been knocked down that will determine our level of success in life. It is the way in which we handle life’s inevitable trials and tribulations that will determine the level of peace and joy we will have in our lives.


So on this week, I challenge you to take a stand. We cannot allow our past mistakes to enslave us. We cannot allow our past mistakes to stop us from reaching our destiny. We cannot allow our past mistakes to hinder God’s ability to use us. We cannot run from our past mistakes. We cannot allow people to use them as a weapon against us. We cannot use them as a weapon against ourselves. Instead, we must learn from them and be prepared to wisely handle the situation the next time it arises. For as you already know, it will arise again in some shape, form or fashion. The question is “how will you handle it”. Will you be ready?



By Herb Wallace

My InSpIRaTiON

Hey ya All...


Long time didn't write my blog. This is the second electronical communication I have right now beside my e-mail. I just erased the others. I don't have much time to check them all, since I've been busy working. My Manager... Ohhh Manager... Why you always put me for double shift every week? Sometimes you put me two days in a row for double shift. Made me stand for 16hours a day. Dealing with the guests and all of their problems. Sometimes they came with all the weariness in their face. They wouldn't know if I am also fatigue. But, that's my job. Smile and serve them with the best thing I can do for them.


Ooooopssss..... This time,I want to talk about my Inspiration. Who is the person in this world that inspired me most. I have been blessed for these Persons:




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He is the "Numero Uno" that inspired me most.Thank You God, because you give me a Daddy like him. Never feel regret. Daddy is the biggest Hero for me and my sisters. He raised us by himself after Mom passed away 17 years ago. They both were the great parents for us. Mom with her leadership personality, and Dad with his strong leadership (since he is the head of the family) combine with his jolly act. I'm proud being your daughter.





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Well... This must be the second one who will inspire me. I will follow him and submit to him unconditionally. He will be the head of our family that we are going to build in the future. Please, lead me, hold my hands, and I will be your helper. I just need a trust from him. Even we are far, as long as he trust me, and I trust him, it should be alright :-)

About Bali

The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and is approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; its land area is 5,632 km².

The highest point is Mount Agung at 3,142 m (10,308 feet) high, an active volcano that last erupted in March 1963. Mountains cover centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Mount Batur (1,717 m) is also still active; an eruption 30,000 years ago was one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth.[citation needed] In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow, north-south flowing rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain. The longest of these rivers, Sungai Ayung, is also the longest on the island (approx. 75 km).

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both[citation needed]. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.

Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BCE who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia.[2] Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania.[3] Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.[4]

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 913 AD and mentioning Walidwipa. It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.

The principal city is the present provincial capital and largest city, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 300,000. Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar's urban area; and Ubud, which is north of Denpasar, and known as the island's cultural centre. There is a coastal road surrounding the island, as well as three major two-lane arteries that cross the central mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). Minor roads branch off of these major highways. The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar and enables cars to travel quickly in the heavily populated south. Bali has no railway lines.

Bali Indonesia

Visit Indonesia 2009

Today: Visit Bryce Canyon Park

Today: Visit Bryce Canyon Park

Visit Bryce Canyon Park

Wondrous Rocks and So Much More

Bryce Canyon National Park is a scientist's laboratory and a child's playground. Because Bryce transcends 2000 feet (650 m) of elevation, the park exists in three distinct climatic zones: spruce/fir forest, Ponderosa Pine forest, and Pinyon Pine/juniper forest. This diversity of habitat provides for high biodiversity. Here at Bryce, you can enjoy over 100 species of birds, dozens of mammals, and more than a thousand plant species.

It is the uniqueness of the rocks that caused Bryce Canyon to be designated as a national park. These famous spires, called "hoodoos," are formed when ice and rainwater wear away the weak limestone that makes up the Claron Formation. However, the hoodoos' geologic story is also closely tied to the rest of the Grand Staircase region and the Cedar and Black Mountains volcanic complex. In short, Bryce has enough fascinating geology to fill a textbook.

We invite you to surf this section of our website to learn about some of the highlights of Bryce Canyon's natural world, and hope that one day you'll come and see the real thing in person.

taken from: http://www.nps.gov/brca/naturescience/index.htm