Now that's advice and a half!

From a forum I sometimes visit:

I admit I have not been hanging around CAA much recently. Where I have been hanging out instead is in a programming community. In the programming world, we have something called the Robustness Principle, which is an important principle to know if you want to build a robust system of software. Its original words were as follows:

Originally posted by Jon Postel (RFC 761): TCP implementations should follow a general principle of robustness: be conservative in what you do, be liberal in what you accept from others.

In other words, a well-designed program will accept many variations in the format of its input without complaining, and will output in a very strictly-controlled and predictable format. This makes it much easier for two programs to work together without one of them choking on the other's data. You might think that it would work just fine to mandate that all programs are strict (or liberal) in their input and output. The problem with this is that programs are written by programmers, programmers are people, and people are imperfect; therefore their programs are imperfect. In order for imperfect programs to work well together in a robust system, they must follow the Robustness Principle. That way, if one program has a bug, another program can compensate for it, and the system as a whole still works.

If I have kept your attention span, and you have read the preceding paragraph, then it should be clear that the Robustness Principle can apply to communities of people too. Don't hold others to a standard higher than yours. Don't even hold others to a standard that's the same as yours. You should hold others to a standard that is lower than yours. Equivalently, hold yourself to a higher standard than you hold others. Be strict in what you say; be liberal in what you accept from others.

Sounds a lot like "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" or "Honor one another above yourselves." At times, if the input is really bad, it'll get tough, and suddenly it becomes, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse," which admittedly is extremely hard.

Beware False Prophets

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." -1 John 4:1

I post this only that you can be warned, and have an idea of some of the things people are saying. This was a real, unedited (even my typos that I really want to change...haha) conversation I had through Youtube messages. It would seem he was messaging me based on my Minecraft videos in which I also talk about things of God. If you think I didn't handle this well at any point, I would love to hear your advice, as I'm under no illusion that I'm perfect. Oh, and just to clarify, I'm "Raleford".

FakeName Sent:
Thinking or commiting murder/rape/distuction/violence is againgst GOD IMHO. If you truly worship GOD you will detest evil in any form! in action or thought! Spirit is thought also ;) Media and games are thought :) sacrifice means you for sake all sin to do the work of GOD. He dosent like half a$$ers. which is why straight and narrow is the way. You are contredicting your self by playing thies games. You are following by following the media ;) GOD Bless You Amen! Shareing = work for GOD! 24/7

Raleford Sent:
I appreciate your overall point, but I disagree with much of your content. Paul talks about being all things to all people that some might be saved, but also about integrity and sensitivity to others' needs spiritually. I love gaming, as a culture, as an art, and it's what I grew up on. But I see so much pain, hurting, and confusion about God and life in the people in this culture and not a lot of people seem to be catering to them. And let's be honest, gaming culture isn't something which is easily come into late. My heart goes out to the lost gamers and I want to do what I can to reach them.
I admit that gaming (just like anything else, including fitness, music or even church) can potentially become an idol and I often have to take time off deliberately to refocus; however, I have not yet felt called to give up gaming entirely in my life. I pray that if I do I will have strength and faithfulness to do so, but for now I game, and if I game, I want to do so in a way that glorifies God to the best of my abilities. "Whatever you do, do for the Lord."
I am a little confused as to your actual beliefs, I will admit. The subject matter if your message was a bit inconsistent with the fact that you swore at me, and to confuse matters more, you reference God to me as a person (consistent with my understanding of reality) but based on your description on your page, you seem to be much more of a spiritualist than a deist.
Again thank you for your concern, and I truly would like to hear more of what you actually believe and why, and if you're interested I would be willing to share why I believe as I do, in the Christian God of the Bible.
- God bless
- Josh S.

FakeName Sent:

What swear? I'am speaking from expreince of beeing a gamer my self! All my freinds and me were lost! By playing thies games you are funding an agenda IMHO My actual belife is simple! GOD the creator of all IS the only Idol! Games take time away from GOD. Ever notice we are slipping away from each other? Games and screens are seperating us! This is by design ;) As long as the system owned by the beast can keep distracting us we will not do GOD's work! Mine craft or (Mind Craft) promotes Violence. So does Halo COD and the rest! It's starts out looking harmless while the level of sin get's stepped up a little at a time. Untill we are all shallow fake and alone. Games are an addiction just like drugs IMHO. This is why we sin. We become addicted to sin and it becomes our "false Idol". To think adultry and to commit it are one and the same. To wish or think to do somthing and to do it are the same. In Halo you are thinking about killing/death on others! It is a trick ;) satan is smart. We all want to do good at heart so he tricks us ;) If you want to make exscuses for your actions thats ok! you asked for opions, I was sent to give you one :) My advice is dont be a fence sitter! decide what side you are on. I was in heaven GOD speaks to me. My whole life is to help others. ppl are more asleep at the wheel than ever ;) Jesus Christ said things ppl didnt want to hear did he not? He had to shake ppl a little bit. Why? Cause ppl make excuses they want to do what they want. So they reframe the story. This is getting close to the end times. No more time for Games! I Love pray for and Bless you! I hope you get a chance to be in GOD's Kingdom and feel how Awsome it is! One thing I know you dont want to be is a Christan who does not listen and is blind. As the bible stated they will be the most punished off all. If GOD has not appeared to you and Jesus has not brought you to him. "have not been in Heaven" (I know you have not) As you are bound to material things.You are not yet chosen and have much work to do! GOD is angry at what we are doing to this world, and each other! If you dont want to listen to me thats ok ;) I plant seeds... your will is yours :) May GOD Almighty and Our Lord Jesus Christ Gide you to truth Amen!

Raleford sent:

I'm afraid you don't know me at all friend. I may not be perfect, but I assure you that I know the power of God to change a heart, and I know for a fact that I am chosen and called, that God has a plan for me and that I will indeed spend eternity in the glory of His presence. The Lord is faithful to the promises he makes and he promises that all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved, and there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must saved. I cannot work harder and earn salvation, for it is the grace of God that saves, not works, for our boasting means nothing on light of God. Jesus is the only way to God and I run to him as my source of life and breath and very being. The end is close, I agree, for it is always drawing nearer and there is no time or reason to live for anything but the Lord Jesus, but we are not called to live in uniformity, but in unity. I pray your legalism and search for self-awareness melt into the grace and love of a personal God and for a search for God awareness and a vision of humanity through his loving eyes, which see hurt and pain rather than disobedience.
You're right, Jesus did say many bold things, including warning against false prophets, but he also did something very bold. He paid for our sin. He gave his life as the nature of the universe required, as payment for the fine we owed. But then even more, he did not stay dead. Being in nature God who holds the keys of death and life, Jesus came to life again that we may have life, and life to the full, through the in who conquered death.

Remember that you CAN be absolutely certain of your salvation through Christ, you do not need to "earn" that salvation--in fact you can't earn it--and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, take serious consideration before you trust anything else they say, and always test and approve the message based on the scriptures.

You're welcome, Jesus.

You're welcome, Jesus.
You're welcome to my heart.
You're welcome to my life.
I know that I'm not perfect.
I know I'm full of strife.

You're welcome, Jesus.
You're welcome to my pain.
You're welcome to my fear.
I know you offer so much more
Than what I'm seeing here.

You're welcome, Jesus.
You're welcome to my life.
You're welcome, change my heart.

Road Trip!

I am currently at the library at Midamerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS.  It's homecoming week at the school here, so I used the excuse to take a road trip and visit friends. Josh R is here right now next to me, actually doing legit work and stuff, and Jon D is supposed to be around here someplace at the library too. Saw some other peeps I know at the cafeteria, and then I'm gonna be going out to B-Dubs soon with Josh and his roommates and hopefully Jon. I'm tired. I've been driving a bunch yesterday and today.

Hot Brass

Actually this post is unrelated to blacksmithing, but I wanted to post something.  This week was the first week of the marching band season for us at MSU. We had camp last Friday through Monday, and then our regularly scheduled rehearsals Wednesday and yesterday (Friday).  I really enjoy being in the marching band, and I"m honored that I'm the Drum Major, but it is really a stressful position at times. I wanted to just not do anything after rehearsal yesterday, just not even think (although then I was posed with a math puzzle that I've still not worked out... I'm pretty sure I'm overthinking it... like a lot) but I know that it'll be good for me in the end. How can I grow if I'm never stretched, right? "Perseverance produces character" after all, and character, hope, and I like hope.

I figured out why I'm bad a blogging, like, just now a moment ago. I don't even usually tell people what's going on in my life in real life; I just kind of go and do what I need, and I'll ask people about them and be there for them, but I rarely talk about my life, even to close friends. I'm just secret ninja like that.

Well until next time I get around to this, pretending I"m not a terrible blogger ;)
Romans 5

I'm really terrible at this, aren't I? haha.

Forgery

I made some modifications to my forge today... I really should remember better to take pictures. Anyway, I picked up a t-joint thing, so now the ashes and small coals can fall past the incoming airflow and out of the way, which is a good thing, since I realized that apparently some hot coals had fallen into the airtube and burned right through the thin metal (I'm just using like a dryer tube thing at the moment, one of those accordion style ones). Also I picked up an electric blower fan. It's a Stanley pivoting blower fan. I connected it up in place of the shop vac I was using before. That fire really gets hot now, so I'd say it seems to be a better blower, and compared to the price of actual blacksmithing blowers, it was a good deal. I'll post up a link of it from Amazon. I still would really like to get an anvil and especially a source of coal instead of the charcoal I'm using. The charcoal burns so fast that it's hard to get much done before it's gone. the bag only lasts maybe an hour if I'm careful, which is not a lot of time, combined with my inexperience and the inefficiency of using a piece of steel plate set on the concrete as an anvil.

http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-655702-Stanley-High-Velocity-BlowerFan/dp/B0001BJDUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1305855747&sr=8-1

Fire is hot

Made a poker today, and did some work on my rake. I went to Menard's today and picked up some stuff for it too. I now have some goggles (I like to see) and some ear protection headphone things with a built in radio and an auxiliary jack for mp3 players and the like. Also, I picked up a piece of steel about 4'' by probably 10'' or 12'', I didn't really pay that close attention to the dimensions, and probably 1/8'' thick. maybe less, i dunno. but i'm hammering against that on the concrete, instead of directly on the concrete. It's still not great and kinda bounces around, but at least it keeps the rocks from getting ground in so much.

went through another 8lb bag of charcoal. I need to get my hands on some coal. I don't know if there's anyplace around here that I could easily get quantities of it, i might ask around, but if not I might just have to order some from like centaur forge, cuz those 6 dollar bags of charcoal go fast. In further news, I burned my finger and got a blister on my thumb from the hammer.

That is all.

P.S.

Oh yeah, and I guess it would make sense for me to tell you that I forged my first piece of... forgery? today. I made a coal rake (technically I only have charcoal at the moment, but shhh). It's every bit as rudimentary and unprofessional looking as you would expect from a first attempt ever at forging, especially considering I don't have an anvil. I used the concrete slab we have in the back yard. Pretty classy, I know. It created a not unexpected side effect of that my rake has pieces of rock/concrete imbedded into the surface of the steel. Meh, I don't plan on trying to sell the piece as a work of art, I plan to use it to move my coals around in the forge.

-edit- Here are some pics

My forge. I'm thinking I'm gonna get some more bricks or something so

I can cover the sides better and give me some more room to hold the fuel. 

This is after we spread the coals to let it die, and then I remembered I wanted a picture

so I quickly had to build it back up a little bit again.

The next three are the rake I made. It's just a piece of round bar flatted a bit and bent at a 90. Very basic.

P.P.S. The white pieces of charcoal are hot, even if you only touch them for a second-and-a-half... and I'm an idiot. Just throwing that out there. Don't touch the white charcoal with you hands people!

It's kind of weird in a way, starting a blog. I mean, why write something if no one knows to read it? But, if you don't ever start writing blogs, then no one will ever read them. It's an interesting conundrum, at least in my mind.