Lazy T&R updates
Wednesday, March 31
  Tom's Hardware Guide PCs & HowTo: Migrating from Windows to Linux
Tom's Hardware Guide PCs & HowTo: Migrating from Windows to Linux, Part 1. Tthis is something I must try one day (when linux has good video editing packages).
Until then I am stuck with windows (unless someone feels like buying me a G5 ;-))

Thursday, March 25
  new wine in old skins
OK I am doing a parallel study of the gospels right now (reading all 4 at the same time and comparing their accounts) Which would of course be a lot easier if the chapters matched up!! Today I read MATT 9;MARK 2;LUKE 5;JOHN 2 and I have a question for you all.
in the discussion about fasting I get the part about not fasting while the groom is present - but i'm not sure I see how the new wine in old skins fits into the explanation?? - who is what? is Jesus the new wine? are we the old wine skins? I'm sorry but I can't see how this explained it all to the people (although you figure if the story is mentioned 3 times in the Bible there must be a good reason that God put it there!) Please help by leaving your comments that way not only I but others will benefit too! If you can't get the comments to work then just email your answer to me and I will put them up for you.
Tim

Tuesday, March 16
  Speakeasy - Speed Test
Have a broadband connection and wnat to make sure that you are getting what you pay for?
try the Speakeasy - Speed Test assuming you have java once the page is loaded click on the start button in the test your broadband box. This works in the US - other countries am not so sure about ;-)

Friday, March 12
  Zoe Thompson
As some of you may or may not know Jon has a new love in his life - Zoe she recently sent me some pictures of her, her family & Jon It's great that she is so tech capable compared to Jon - without her we would probably never got Jon back on email ;-)
anyway welcome to the family & the website Zoe!

  ExtremeMhz.com-Soyo SY-P4VAL Multimedia Ready Motherboard Review
Dude this looks sweet
ExtremeMhz.com-Soyo SY-P4VAL Multimedia Ready Motherboard Review

I have long been thinking about building a media PC as I figure that if it was connected to the TV with a wireless keyboard and left always on Rachelle might use email more (especially if I had it auto download every night!) I had been looking at the via mini-itx boards and putting it in something unusual - but then I saw this and thought - hmm even better as it doesn't even have to boot to run!!

Choices choices!!

Wednesday, March 10
  Video Codec Shootout
This was an interesting article for me especially as I don't have a DVD burner (yet ;-)
Video Codec Shootout
I may well try the divx codec for distribution of videos - of course people will only get to see them on their PC rather than TV - but it could be a lot faster - and definitely better quality than vcd MPEG1 that I currently use

Tuesday, March 9
  The Sinclair-Lee Picture Gallery
a bunch of new pictures have gone up at The Sinclair-Lee Picture Gallery go and check them out!

Monday, March 8
  new pictures
trip to the snow

Jamin playing outside

Ethan riding Max

Sunday, March 7
  The Passion of The Christ
OK, here it is - the review that I promised you all ;-). We went to see it last weekend, and first of all this is not a 'date' film, as it is very stomach turning - I bracket it along with "Saving Private Ryan" and "Braveheart" - I've seen it once don't need to see it again, thank you very much! I personally can't see DVD sales doing very well for that reason alone - but I'll probably be wrong about that.

the Movie/Film
Scripturally it seemed very correct ( obviously stuff like Satan walking around in the Garden of Gethsamane is non-literal - but on the whole it drew from the gospels and seemed accurate), this was a good thing and a bad as the portrayal of Christ's punishment was very literal - I only looked away once - the first time that his flesh is ripped off His back - brr just gives me the shivers thinking about it now.

its affect on me.
Well I am glad I waited to write this blog until today, as today my opinion changed. Initially I came out drained and asking myself why I put myself though that. Mainly because everyone had been talking about how it changed them and their walk with Christ and the silence in the theatre during the credits, blah, blah blah blah blah. I didn't notice any of that - there was no silence I didn't feel changed (unless you count a queasy stomach) and with the exception that we had seen a bunch of people from Church there it seemed like a normal movie (in fact too normal people munching on buttered popcorn through it just seemed wrong to me).
when I came out I asked myself if I thought anyone would turn to Christ after seeing that film, and I really question whether they would or not - It certainly didn't make me want to sign up on the spot, the movie really didn't give me a good feel as why Christ did what he did - or what His resurrection means to us. But I was looking for it to say those things - so maybe I just didn't see the forest for the trees. Until today I really felt that it wasn't of positive benefit to me, I didn't feel closer to him and like Braveheart made me acknowledge to myself how evil the English were, this just made me realise how sinful I am, and what Christ had to do because of that. - on a tangent I have always wondered how all those war movies make Germans/Japanese feel, it's kinda hard to feel patriotic when you realise what you (as a country) have done. I guess its human nature to try and ignore and sweep away "your" misdeeds. So I really didn't feel that the film had benefited me.

so what happened today?
well today was the first Sunday of the month which is the week we have communion (bread and wine/grape juice) at church and as Pastor Brian was talking I finally got it. before Communion he goes over why we do what we do (to remember), and why Christ did what He had to do (to take my punishment for me) During this I had all the images of the film going through my mind and that for me finally made it worthwhile. Before that I always tried to imagine it - but it was hard trying to put visuals to what you've heard or read. Finally I now have the images burned permanently into my brain (like hiding under the chair at Blenheim park road after cutting my fringe/bangs with the paper scissors, or hiding behind the curtain after stealing an apple from the fruit bowl between breakfast and lunch, both of which happened before I was 5) Now when I take the time to stop and acknowledge (appreciate just doesn't seem like the right word) what Jesus did for me, and for you, I finally have some kind of understanding what it might have looked like. I don't think I will ever be capable of understanding what it felt like - and if I have the choice I'd like to keep it that way.

so what's that all mean?
Well if you're a Christian I would say go and see it - it won't be fun, but it may help you put things a little more into perspective. However feel free to turn your head when necessary, there will be plenty of stuff you do remember to make up for any parts you miss. If you aren't a Christian, I honestly don't know what you will feel or think about it - I've tried to think about it and in my mind I can't think how or why watching this would make you want to know more about Jesus and why you need to know Him on a personal level rather than just a historical figure level. Over here people have been going off about how great a way this is to bring up the conversation, but I really can't imagine myself using it that way - maybe next Sunday God will show me otherwise ;-), but until he does so, I think that most non-Christians will watch it, and won't understand why Christ did what he did, and will just see it as a blood fest for no good reason, as it is unbelievably graphic.

however....
I've been wrong about lots of stuff most of the time, and I am sure that when I reread this after I have already sent it out to you all, I will question myself as to what I was thinking. Writing this blog helps me to say stuff that I wouldn't normally say to a lot of people, but I have learnt that at the same time I must suck at writing as often the comments I get don't seem to have got the point that I was trying to present!! So I would really like to hear from you all on what you think, either by email, or if you are feeling daring/tech-talented then use the comments system so that others can know your opinion too. I am especialy interested in non-Christians comments as outside of press reviews I haven't heard a thing, although I really haven't made the effort to ask anyone at work if they have seen it or not, and what they think either way so I guess that is mainly my fault.


Hope you all have a good week.

Tuesday, March 2
  follow up
Hmm I have got some interesting comments so far on my previous post - I just had the time to read the first chapter here I'm not sure that I want to retract my statement based just on that (although this being a blog it is technically possible) but I will say that that Chapter seems to be well written and accurate. this is what the Author has to say about his book on amazon

From the Author
Includes Foreword by Kurt Warner, Super Bowl and NFL MVP

"Christianity For Dummies" is a friendly, approachable guide that introduces readers to the Christian faith and Church, putting into everyday language what exactly it means to be a "Christian".

The book is for anyone who is curious about Christianity -- both people who are not Christians and those on the periphery of the Church. However, it is also for Christians who are interested in discovering more about their faith.

To borrow the words of C.S. Lewis, "Christianity For Dummies" focuses the majority of its coverage on "mere Christianity", the core essentials of the Christian faith that all believers, regardless of their background, agree to. At the same time, areas of difference won’t be swept under the table. When debatable topics arise, the book will highlight the differences that exist among various parts of the Church and faithfully represent these positions.

Christians believe that God created all things, including a sense of humor. "Christianity For Dummies" embraces that view as it tackles a traditionally serious topic with the familiar Dummies style of wit and irreverent humor. As it does so, the book strikes an appropriate balance between funniness and a keen sensitivity and respect for the subject matter, such that even the most pious saint can chuckle without finding offense.

About the Author
Richard Wagner is publisher of Digitalwalk.net, a Web-based Christian discipleship magazine. He has more than a decade’s broad experience in church leadership and teaching roles.


Where does this leave me - sheepish about making opinions online without having more facts, and realising that peoples comments really mean something to me! I am going to have to get a lot thicker skinned if I want to continue posting anything about my beliefs. On the bright side I always get a lot more comments about Christian stuff than I ever do on the family things - so at least I know that people read it.

finally people still have issues reading and using the links in the email that gets sent out - so if you want the links to work you will have to go to
http://sinclair-lee.blogspot.com/
you can copy and paste that whole address into your browsers address bar and it should take you there. maybe I should make one of those buttons on the Sinclair-Lee home page to make it your homepage in your browser (I don't really want to do that but at least that way you could get the latest stuff whenever you opened your browser)

  Christianity For Dummies
this made me smirk, I can just visualise people in Barnes and Noble or WH Smith, hmm let me see what shall I buy today, PC's for dummies, HTML for dummies, hmm no, or maybe C++ for dummies...., no wait I've got it Christianity for dummies that's the book I want.

Is it me or is this whole books for dummies going out of control, I'll admit I don't own one, but I have flicked through a few whilst at the store, and they really don't seem to be an appropriate way to base your whole lifestyle - even the bullet points scare me
"get in, get out info"??????
"tear out cheat sheet"?????

just reading this implies frivolity, and something that its not really worth studying. Bible pah I don't need that I read the dummies book I've got myself covered - and if I decide I don't like it I have instructions on how to get out too!

what do you think?
leave a comment and let me know - especially if you have read the book


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