Burky's Blog

It is another beautiful day.  Very beautiful day.  The temperature raise to 55F by mid-morning, so I decided to walk to Terre Hill.  I was thinking of writing an email or article about what I was mulling over last few days, if not a week or more.  I was thinking about DISC personality, as some of you have already watch Personality Insights videos or read the book, Who Do You Think You Are Anyway.  I didn't grasp the concept of the whole teaching until I read the book.  That book make everything clear to me.  So that may means I understand reading far more than interpreting or sign language itself.

What impress me about that book is the author try to avoid Bible implication mainly because he didn't want to turn away people who don't believe in the Bible.  Reading that book written with that in mind make me realize that the Bible is all we need.  It convinced me further that I already knew...no matter what book you read, if you find some truth or what seems true, compare it with the Bible.  Test it by the Bible.  More often than not, The Bible would agree with it.  It is not twisting the Scriptures to please your pet theories; it is taking what the Scriptures are saying. 

Let me clarify.  You probably faced few times in your life that you felt a certain Scriptures means that certain way, but when someone else comes along and tell you that the Scriptures means the other way.  It make you look at that teaching in a fresh way.  But you felt that you have the right interpretation of that Scripture, yet the other person felt the same.  How can two things comes from the same Scripture be interpreted so different?

Think Song of Solomon.  Mennonites and many others would say that represent Christ and the church.  Interestingly, none of them (in my knowledge) ever say anything about that Solomon wrote that before Jesus and church ever materialize.  Could it be that those same people find sex talks revolting?  They felt dirty talking about sex.  But the Bible never say sex is dirty.  Our fallen nature twist the viewpoint.  I wouldn't be surprised if a married Christian couple would think about their own intimacy as very similar to what Song of Solomon shows.  If you think about it, Song of Solomon can be interpreted as a picture of between Christ and church, but it can also be taken literally. 

That's one thing that impress me from that book, Who Do You Think You Are Anyway?  I read that one woman felt her husband is a high "I" and that same man is interpreted as "C" by his team workers.  That book shows how our personality color our viewpoint.  That wife obviously must have higher "C" than her husband, and that same man obviously have higher "C" than his co-workers.  That book also talks about "S" personalities may favor Paul's writing to Galatians about the fruits of the Spirit, but forget that Paul himself is strong "D", which would means that fruits of the Spirit listed would counteract his natural personality.  So that makes me start thinking, since God made different personalties, does He have Bible teaching for each personality?

I believe He does. 

So much have changed since I last written. And even I started the above, I left it sitting in my draft folder for some time. Now it is March already and we are having prelude of spring weather right now. Weather forecasters reports the possibility of upcoming wintry blast, but we will see if it will truly come to pass. The weather is very changeable, so unpredictable, that it is hard to know what's going to happen next. But at same time it can be fun to enjoy surprises.

The last few weeks I'm facing my cross. I would say I'm having intense struggles, but I hesitate to share here because of the nature of struggle would find people at odds with me.

Still, it is the major part of my life the last few weeks. This time I try to control it. Because I remember last year in February and March, I was short tempered simply because of those same struggles. And then one day in April I finally broke down and stay home from work on impromptu notice. I did eventually got out of it, but it is activites of summer that took me away from that. It never really left me, because I know it is God's ultimate will for me.

To think that God made wild promises in the Bible and still say that He cannot lie.  People tell me that He will answer prayers if it is in His will.  The problem is, how can we know His will?  By what it said in the Bible?  But then the Bible isn't specific. It don't say Thou shall not marry Jane Doe. The only clearly specific thing the Bible says about what's God's will for us or anyone is 1 Thessalonian 5:16-18.  Praise about what?  Pray about what?  Again those verses aren't specific. Then there are verses like "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it" or "if you abide in me and I in you, you ask what you will and it shall be done unto you". There are few other verses worth considering, "Hope deferred made a heart sick, but desire is the tree of life". "Delight thyself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of thy heart".

I got daily devotional in email and this morning I got a verse saying that God made even his enemies to be at peace with him. That make me think about my family and friends who wish me to be on their terms, and I know that if I do I won't be wholly happy. But friends like Lisa want me to be happy but for some reason I wish I never have met her. She didn't do anything wrong and I don't do anything wrong. But do I feel something is wrong?  Why do I feel that Lisa is controlling me and she has no intentions to do so?  What's wrong with me?

Thursday evening finds me at home with 60,000 miles on my car's odometer.  And I wish I remember the time.  For some reason, I am sure to think it is 6:00 pm. 

Saturday afternoon, I just got back from dropping the mail in the blue box.  This morning, Ricky Eberly, Jay, and I went to Western store one hour drive north.  I love that store, because of fabulous shirts they sell.  Jay went mainly to pick up the end tables matching to his coffee table.  It sure look nice. Upon arrival, I decided to try to get more sleep, because of throbbing headache.  I did get a hour of sleep and then I watch TV and check emails until 1pm when I left for Fulton Opera House.  I enjoy the play, Treasure Island.  Oh I would have to read the novel or watch the movie on that.  After watching the play, I left feeling warmed.  I like the idea of forgiveness at the end. 

Sunday morning, very beautiful sunrise.  We finally decided where we are having deaf reunion this year.  We didn't like how changeable Joe and Jeanette is.  Now we decided to take up Kurtz's cabin near Pine Creek.  I sure am looking forward to that.  That would be the first weekend of September.  A bit late, as it is into school year.  But, we are looking forward to hassle-free fun there.

It seems like I start writing this, thinking about DISC personality study.  I was thinking that there are Bible verses to support that theory.  Remember, I never forgot my friend in Canada that says: if it agrees with the Bible, take it; but if it don't agree with the Bible, disregard it.  It was my lifelong motto ever since he ever warn me those words.  Now I took that theory a bit further.  Since personality and human action fascinate me, I decided to give it a study.  I also recongize that the Bible says we are created in image of God.  The way we act, God would do also.  Of course, there are few sinful things we do that God cannot do, like lying.  Or believing in lie.  That is what we prone to do.  But one thing I noticed that what sin we do vary among us.  Human nature remain basically same.  That make me think, since we are created in image of God for His glory, maybe it is important to recognize why we are the way we are.  Why each person is the way he is.  So I decided to study people closely and watch their actions.  I also watch their reactions as well.  Since it is God that gives us lasting pleasure, and Satan a temporary thrill, whatever we do that leaves us happy for a long time, and don't give us a bad aftertaste; that very same is not forbidden in God's book. 

I still am not giving up about seeking God.  No, I am not giving up.

Monday morning, I came to work with heart overflowing with joy. Indeed, I was in high spirits, extremely happy and thankful to God. I was tempted to think: is this what Jesus means when He said abundant living?  I don't know, but I don't care. God was so fabulously good to me and gave me another fantastic day.  I felt like dancing a jig. I want to tell the world God is so good.

But I did notice Keith's morose appearance. Finally he told me that he heard I prefer Adam over him. That's true, I'd honestly admitted it to few people. Of course I was deflated. Why would someone tell him?  He has a hard life and he don't need another negative remark. I felt so badly that I told the bosses if they fire him, I'd quit too. But after they fire him, he shook my hand and said good bye. I could see his eyes are red from his heart cry. That facial expression is likely to be branded in my mind.

But the bosses had a meeting with me and said it wasn't my fault that people get fired. They have to have more issues than simply because I prefer others over him. They need more than one bad thing about that employee before they would think of firing him. And Rodger makes it clear that Keith choose to go. He was being hard on himself and he choose to leave. Of course I felt a little better, but I felt so sorry for Keith.

I must admit that I wonder if God is trying to talk to me. I felt so strongly that He is encouraging me not to give up on Him. Simple grace and faith is enough to make life so exciting and "pleasure-filled" as my family may look at it. God is so fabulous good to me, and I felt it is unfair that I have it good than others. Still, I'm aware that those who choose to follow the Bible tend to enjoy life in greater degree that those who don't. For that, I can say anyone have same access to happiness that I'm now experiencing.

Within two weeks, I again lost my new comb. I got thinking if I keep losing comb, perhaps it is time for me to go crew cut. I never lose my comb so much within such short time. I remember I had that blue comb for years and then after that I had another comb for a year or so. Now I lost 3 combs within 3 months or so. Of course, 97 cents don't seem like much, still I agree with Benjamin Franklin that "every penny saved is penny earned".  Also, the American culture today had most men with crew cut style.

Like my bosses, I have to have more than one reason not to buy next comb. I was feeling proud of my beautiful hair and I like the feel of texture. I like to play with my hair. Unfortunately, when I had crew cut, good many people say I look better with it plus goatee. I remember Apostle Paul says that when he is with Jews, he becomes like a Jew and as Gentile when he is with them as well. I ask my boss one morning how to follow that verse religiously and still not be a hypocrite. It was from that day forward that I decided to be true to self. But because of losing comb so much, I would have to go back to crew cut. Probably for life. Goatee?  Maybe that would come and go.

I got messages from Susan. I must admit that I wish my faxes to her would be private. Or better yet, she would have email access. She challenge me with some Bible verses. What she points out reminds me of what Frank Thiessen once said. Why is it that one would look at Bible and interpret it differently than other person would?  Although I understood her viewpoint, it is obvious she didn't understand mine. Also, she make me think about Pharisees. Never before did I realize that they base their laws on Moses Law the same way Mennonites today would base their church standards on the Bible. That was a new thought for me.

Joe and Jeanette Shirk were planning on having deaf reunion at their place in Wisconsin the first weekend of July. At first they talk of last weekend of June. It conflict our schedule for week at Walt Disney in Florida, so Leon kindly ask Joe if he can postpone the weekend. Joe agreed on July 11-14, but later spread around that they are planning for July 4-6. We discovered later that it was because their home church only have service on every alternate Sunday, and the original plan of July 11-14 would not fall on when they would have service. They decided to have it on July 4-6 or 18-20. Well, we have no intentions to go to their church, as we were hoping for church in our gathering. Some of us wouldn't feel comfortable in Horning setting. I wouldn't mind going, and neither would Jason Burkholder. But what about Rodney and Gwen Yoder?  Jason's wife, Beth?  Leon's wife, Amy?

So we reserve the cabin, the same cabin where we had last year for deaf reunion on first weekend of September.  I told Leon that I felt Leon and I are ringleaders, and there probably won't be any deaf at Joe and Jeanette's deaf reunion.  Well, they won't cooperate, so we decided to have our own. 

Wow, this email is getting too long.  I should do like a journal the next time, and do it often, so each updates won't be so long.
--
Omar Burkholder
1091 Martindale Road
Ephrata, PA 17522

Email:  deafdemophile@gmail.com
Fax:     1-888-580-1767