Schedule for 2019

Greetings Scholars and Warriors.

Ruth Pike did the artwork for both books.

I am so excited for this new book! The New 42:Got Terraforms All Things. My co-author Nathan Marchand and I take readers on a journey from Genesis to Revelation to see how God is always doing new things and how we can experience His work and participate in it. Many stories from anime, gaming, science fiction, super heroes and fantasy will help us with our exploration. You will be challenged with daily side quests to help pursue the larger quest of knowing Christ more fully. We will be premiering this book at MuskeCon at the Holiday Inn in Muskegon, MI on March 23. It will be on Amazon soon after that and eventually will be on the Kindall.

Have you been to Nathan's website and looked at his fiction writing? You should do so by going here.

Here are my current con plans for 2019. NOTE:there might be changes to this list so check back every now and then or "Like" the Facebook page. You can also follow me on Instagram (nerd_chapel).

If you want to find even more nerdy events in Michigan check out www.migeekscene.com.

March 23:           MuskeCon in Muskegon, MI.
March 30-31:     Fantasticon in Port Huron, MI
April 14:             Attend Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, IL. Not tabling just enjoying the con for                               one day. Say hi if you see me.
April 19-21:       Heroes and Villains Fanfest in Chicago, IL. as part of the Costumers for Christ crew.
May 4:                Heroes Expo in Kentwood, MI
June 7-9:             JAFAX in Grand Rapids, MI. First time with a booth here. Cooperating with author                             Paul Nowak and the Redeemed Otaku Podcast.
July 20:               KoganCon in Grand Haven, MI. Hosting games in the TableTop area.
July 27-28:          Get Geek'd in Lansing, MI.
August 1-4:         GenCon in Indianapolis, IN. Helping Nathan with his table in Author's Ave.
Aug. 30-Sept. 1: GrandCon Gaming Convention in Grand Rapids, MI.
                           We will have a Chapel event and a table. I will also run some games.
Sept. 21-22:        Fantasticon in Fort Wayne, IN.
October 19-20:   Fantasticon in Mount Pleasant, MI.

Arrogance Diminishes Wisdom

Greetings Warriors and Scholars.

Found on google. Apparently originated on Pintrest.

The phrase above is the "Jedi fortune cookie" for episode 15 in season 1 of The Clone Wars and is cited as an Arabian proverb in some places online.

Spoilers ahead.

In the said episode, Anakin and Obi-Wan come to Orto Plutonia, an "uninhabited" planet claimed by it's inhabited moon, Pantora. With them are some clone troopers as well as two dignitaries from the moon, including a galactic senator named Ryio Chuchi and Chairman Chi Cho. They find the clones at a facility there killed but not with blasters. As they investigate the area, they also find a detachment of battle droids that seems to have been destroyed by the same attackers. This planet might turns out to be inhabited by a race called the Talz.

In dealing with the locals, Chi Cho is not willing to deal with them. In fact, he sees them as animals and wants to wipe them out, even though the Jedi have promised the locals a peaceful solution. While a fight ensues, Ryio Chuchi manages to get permission from the government to override the Chairman. In this battle, many clones were killed and Chi Cho himself is fatally wounded.

Arrogance is an attitude that puts you above all others. It enables rudeness, disrespect, and even acts like theft and murder. It was arrogance mixed with hatred that fueled Hitler's horrible goals and blinded him to the point where he sent countless men to the death in Russia over a personal squabble with Stalin. I'm glad it blinded him because that helped the allies win, but the outcome of death is a horrid thing.

There are a lot of scriptures about arrogance.

"Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." 1 Samuel 2:3  

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18

 "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1

Arrogance keeps us from seeing the value and beauty in others, which is exactly what was wrong with Hitler. He refused to believe in the value of Jews, the handicapped, other races, and homosexuals. This same attitude led to his downfall.

So what happens when we approach God and others with humility? In Luke 18 Jesus tells a parable of two men praying. One uses it to gloat that he does not do this sin or that sin. The other beats his chest, is scared to look toward heaven, and screams "Forgive me!" Jesus gave the credit to the man who would not look up and sought forgiveness.

At the end of the episode Senator Ryio Chuchi says this: "To die for one's people is a great sacrifice; to live for one's people, an even greater sacrifice. I choose to live for my people. What do you choose?" This attitude reflects that of Jesus who died to bring forgiveness to all who would accept the free gift in humility and came to serve. The night he was arrested he shared a moment with his disciples by washing their feet which was something expected of a slave to do for those they served.

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." Romans 12:3

Humility doesn't mean we treat ourselves as wasted breath, but that we understand our value in Christ, the gifts and talents we have, and we seek to use them for His glory and the greater good. Arrogance Diminishes while Humility Builds. The Senator brought peace between her people and the Talz with humility. What can you do with humility?