I was recently asked why I choose to use Blogger for my latest blog instead of Xanga. So I said to myself why not post my thoughts on these two services. So as I was talking to my self I decided to finish my post. Copy the text. And paste them here for all of the Xangaians to read. What follows is my 1/2 a cent on http://www.Xanga.com and http://www.Blogspot.com.

You asked about blogger. I like a number of things about it.

First of all it is not as community driven as xanga. Xanga seems to be highly community based with communities (webrings, metros, and subscription services), but you need to be a member. I love Xanga for the personal side of what I am doing, but not so much for the business or business like model.

Blogger offers me the ability to allow visitors to leave comments even if they are not members, but I can moderate this as well as chose to only let members or those I choose leave comments. Add to that it allows we to create accounts for other users to leave posts like I do. This gives me the ability to have a team of bloggers with a single purpose in blogging. It also seems to tie into other services I use like Photobucket, digg.com, word add on for blogging, browser addins for auto blogging, and more. Having numerous blogs they also offer a once stop "Dashboard" for me to access all three of my Blogspot blogs.

In the end I see advantages to both. For me the advantages are based on my purpose. If I am looking for a personal community type chat I choose Xanga. If I am looking to do something more on a professional level or business model I see Blogspot being a better choice. Now this is all preference but this is what I think.

One other big difference is that Blogspot is not asking or taking my money to have a blog with many advanced features like Xanga wants to. In fact I get my own blog address (http://bodylife.blogspot.com and http://ALTT.blogspot.com) and pay nothing for it.

I hope that helps you see these two services through my own eyes.

Godspeed,

Wesley

Last night the Chris Norman Ensemble played at BBC and did a most excellent job. My wife and I both enjoyed these talented musicians as they played various maritime songs from the 17th century or earlier. One of the songs I enjoy the most was an old old hymn that they said came to use from slave ships that where bound for Australia. It was call Sound, sound your instruments of joy.

Another splendid piece that has dropped out of our hymnbooks. This anthem, presumably of eighteenth century composition, survived among a few country choirs, chiefly in Devon and Cornwall.

They also played a Christmas song called In Those Twelve Days. It was to bad they only sung three days for I think I would have enjoyed listening to all 12 days. Upon further research into this song you will find that the lyrics to this song are quite interesting and have various interpretations and renditions.

Check out their music sample site and listen to their pieces of what we heard last night.

Lyrics to Sound, sound your instruments of joy

Sound, sound your instruments of joy
Sound, sound your instruments of joy
Sound your instruments of joy
Sound your instruments of joy
To triumph shake each string
To triumph shake each string
Let shouts of universal joy
Universal joy, universal joy
Welcome, welcome
Welcome the new born King

See, see the gladdening dawn appears
See, see the gladdening dawn appears
See the gladdening dawn appears
See the gladdening dawn appears
Bright angels deck the morn
Bright angels deck the morn
Behold the great I Am is here
Great I Am is here
Great I Am is here
The King, the King
The King of glory's born

Surprising scenes, stupendous love
Surprising scenes, stupendous love
Surprising scenes, stupendous love
Surprising scenes, stupendous love
The Lord of life descends
The Lord of life descends
He left his glorious clouds on high
Glorious clouds on high
Glorious clouds on high
To be, to be
To be the sinner's friend

Let Heaven and Earth and Sea proclaim
Let Heaven and Earth and Sea proclaim
Let Heaven and Earth and Sea proclaim
Let Heaven and Earth and Sea proclaim
The wondrous love of God
The wondrous love of God
And all the universal frame
Universal frame, universal frame
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praises to our God

repeat first verse

Lyrics to In Those Twelve Days

Chorus
In those twelve days, and in those twelve days, let us be glad,
For God of his power hath all things made.

1. What is that which is but one?
What is that which is but one?
We have but one God alone
In Heaven above sits on his throne.

2. What are they which are but two?
What are they which are but two?
Two Testaments, as we are told,
The one is New and the other Old. Chorus

3. What are they that are but three?
What are they that are but three?
Three persons in the Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Ghost Holy. Chorus

4. What are they that are but four?
What are they that are but four?
Four Gospels written true,
John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew. Chorus

5. What are they that are but five?
What are they that are but five?
Five senses we have to tell,
God grant us grace to use them well. Chorus

6. What are they that are but six?
What are they that are but six?
Six ages this world shall last,
Five of them are gone and past. Chorus

7. What are they that are but seven?
What are they that are but seven?
Seven days in the week have we,
Six to work and the seventh holy. Chorus

8. What are they that are but eight?
What are they that are but eight?
Eight beatitudes are given,
Use them well and go to Heaven. Chorus

9. What are they that are but nine?
What are they that are but nine?
Nine degrees of Angels high
Which praise God continually. Chorus

10. What are they that are but ten?
What are they that are but ten?
Ten Commandments God hath given,
Keep them right and go to Heaven. Chorus

11. What are they that are but eleven?
What are they that are but eleven?
Eleven thousand virgins did partake
And suffered death for Jesus' sake. Chorus

12. What are they that are but twelve?
What are they that are but twelve?
Twelve Apostles Christ did chuse
To preach the Gospel to the Jews. Chorus

I do plan to journal my PDL readings, but i have hit a small snag. To much to do and to little time. I have gotten behind in my PDL and my personal reading so I will need to kick it into high gear again just like I did last year. I am noticing a trend though. For the past two years my fall reading has been really lacking, but in the winter and spring I tend to get into gear and cruise all the way through summer until I hit the fall. Be praying for me that I could keep up with my readings.

Godspeed,
Wesley

Quote of the Day

Those who agree with us may not be right, but we admire their astuteness.
  - Cullen Hightower

ALTT ~ All Things Tech

This is the title of my new blog http://altt.blogspot.com. While I have enjoyed using this site as a way to vent and talk about my life I have been looking for another way to blog about less personal items. Now I have that way. Come on over to my newest blog. It is here that I will let you know about technology that is impressing me or that I find will be very useful. I may even post how to articles as time goes. Even as I type this I have an idea for another blog that I could easily incorporate into what I am doing at work

Sorry I have not been keeping up on the Purpose Driven Life Journal. I seem to have gotten distracted and have fallen behind in my reading. I will try to post this weekend about the day I am currently on.

Godspeed and Good Night to All,

Wesley

The Purpose Driven Life
Day Five
Life Is A Test And A Trust

VERSE TO REMEMBER
Luke 16:10a
"Unless you are faithful in small mattes, you won't be faithful in large ones." (NLT)

QUESTION TO CONSIDER
What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God? What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me.

God has recently test and all to His glory I came through it a better Christian than I entered it. Easily I could have turned the situation around and gotten someone in trouble but God had different plans. Instead I choose to take the high road and learn form the situation. Amazingly enough God has given me an unusual amount of joy recent and peace. Thank you God for teaching me a lesson on not seeking revenge or retribution.

The greatest matters that I have been entrusted with is my family. They are an immense source of joy and love in my life and I need to train and lead them in a fashion that Christ would be able to praise me for.

Good Night and Godspeed to you,
Wesley

The Purpose Driven Life
Day Four
There Is More To Life Than Just Here And Now

VERSE TO REMEMBER
1 John 2:17
"This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever." (NLT)
"And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."(ESV)

QUESTION TO CONSIDER
Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?

"The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next" (pg 40).

The Purpose Driven Life
Day Three
Living On Purpose Is The Path To Peace

VERSE TO REMEMBER
Isaiah 44:2
"You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you" (TEV)
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (ESV)

QUESTION TO CONSIDER
What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it to be?

Personally I am not sure. I do not feel like I am a driven person I tend to be more laid back and a free spirit type. There probably are driving forces in my life, but I am not a very discerning when it comes to being critical of my own life. If I had to say anything I think I am driven by me desire to finish whatever task I am tending to. At work or at home I get intense about the task at hand and all other things, people, and events become secondary to the task at hand. So I guess I am driven my accomplishments and achievement.

While I may not be good at decoding my own inner thoughts and feelings I can tell you my conscious thoughts and desires. I want to be driven by my desire to be a living example to my family, friends, and neighbors of Christ's love. To use an old TV adage "I want to be like, Christ." Christ's love can be seen many ways for His love has many aspects and components. From self-sacrifice (dying on the cross) to service (washing the disciples feet) Christ should us what love looks like by His walk. What I need to do with a drive like this is to use it as a grid to filter out what I should and should not do, but the free spirit in me dislikes having to do this. It would rather live more randomly or spontaneous than planned and controlled. Regardless though I need to obey and live out the teachings of Eph 5:11 (MSG), "Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants." I can still enjoy being who I am but I need to be sure I do not allow my tendency to carelessness define what I do and how.

Tell me, and I'll forget.

Show me, and I may remember.

Involve me, and I'll understand.

Native American Saying

The Purpose Driven Life
Day Two
You Are Not an Accident

VERSE TO REMEMBER
Isaiah 44:2
"I am your creator. You were in my care even before you where born." (CEV)
"This is what the Lord, the one made you, says - the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen!" (NET)

QUESTION TO CONSIDER
I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my personality, background, and physically appearance am I struggling to accept?

Not only did God create us, but he did so with a purpose (Ps 138:8a). He placed us into specific time periods from birth to death (Ps 139:16), the location of our earthly sojourn (Acts 17:26), he gave us natural talents, and unique personalities (Ps 139:15). His purpose for our lives was planned out so that His will would be accomplished in the lives of all mankind.

It is awesome to think that my God is using my strengths and weaknesses to mold and shape me for His purposes. With God's perspective on my life the things I struggle with are beginning to seem insignificant. Because they are what make me, me! And what God is using to transform me into His images. Obviously it some of those areas are sinful I need to change my ways, but my mistakes and sin does not throw God in a conniption to fix His plan for my life. He already has compensated for my choices in His great plan for me and those I touch. Yet I need to not use this as an excuse to sin or to not improve myself since everything I do I am obligated as a Christ-Follower to do to the glory of God. The God honoring areas of my life that I  struggling to accept I need to realize that God will and does use this in the body. Even today God took an opportunity to bless me and remind me of a gift He has given me. My brother in Christ gave witness to a gift in me that he and others have seen and that he reminded me I need to exercise for His glory.

Pray for me that I will learn not to be jealous of what God has given to others as a part of His plan for their use and instead to learn to love who I am in Christ more and more each day.

Godspeed,
Wesley