{"id":144,"date":"2008-02-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-02-08T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/fearofwhales\/2008\/02\/first-post.html"},"modified":"2011-07-03T15:32:08","modified_gmt":"2011-07-03T19:32:08","slug":"first-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/fearofwhales\/2008\/02\/first-post.html","title":{"rendered":"First Post"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/ryangaffney.files.wordpress.com\/2008\/02\/double-double.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-13 at-xid-6a014e87f1cb84970d01538dfeac43970b\" src=\"https:\/\/fearofwhales.typepad.com\/.a\/6a014e87f1cb84970d01538dfeac43970b-pi\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a>Hello and welcome to the dreaded first blog!<\/p>\n<p>The first blog  has got to be the hardest to write because it is the blog that everyone  goes back to and reads \u201chow did this get started\u201d and all that. So it  needs to epitomize what the rest of the chronicle is going to represent.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time it can\u2019t just be any random old thing&#8230; I mean that would be awkward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201coh  and here is Gaffney\u2019s first blog which is about Philemon\u2026 because today  Gaffney sent a slave back to his master.. or something.<\/p>\n<p>No it  can\u2019t work like that, I\u2019m writing a blog today, and so the interesting  that happened to day must be the fact that I have started a blog. The  problem comes of course from the fact that that in itself is not  interesting.<\/p>\n<p>Of course I have the option of talking about what the blog will become some day.<\/p>\n<p>But the truth is I have no idea.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s my guess:<\/p>\n<p>Faithvine  has a section for blogs, devotionals, bible studies, and articles. The  good stuff I write that I have combed over multiple times will go into  articles. Unless it deals with a particular scripture, in which case it  will go into bible studies\u2026 I never likes devotionals much but I might  wind up with something that belongs there sometime, who knows.<\/p>\n<p>The  blog then has to be the daily stuff. The stuff that hasn\u2019t been combed  out perfectly. The ideas that I haven\u2019t thought through all the way yet.<\/p>\n<p>The blog, if I am to use it as a blog aught to be a window for you to see me in the wrestling match that is the Christian life.<\/p>\n<p>So that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to put here\u2026 as far as I know.<\/p>\n<p>The  picture you see is of a delicious In-n-Out cheeseburger known as the  Double-Double. It is delicious. The reason that I provided you with this  image of a cheeseburger is twofold.<\/p>\n<p>First, it is delicious, and  so I hope that you may look upon it and read of the Inn-n-Out  Double-Double and then go and partake of it\u2019s goodness the next time you  are in the southwest.<\/p>\n<p>Second, I needed a picture for a first  blog, and this showed up on a Google Image search for \u201cfirst blog\u201d so I  went with it\u2026 I figured I would be able to squeeze enough content out of  it to help fill a page so that it cannot be said that my first entry is  a non-entry.<\/p>\n<p>And as it turns out that is exactly the case  because, as a Christian owned chain, inn n out wraps all their burgers  with a tiny bible reference on the bottom.<\/p>\n<p>On the Double-Double wrappers in Nahum 1:7<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The LORD is good, in times of trouble he is a strong refuge, and he knows everyone who trusts in him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Which is cool and all\u2026 but I\u2019ve never been real big on individual verses\u2026 Cool\u2026 God isn\u2019t bad\u2026Good to know.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s in Nahum!\u2026 Let\u2019s face it\u2026 Most Christians don\u2019t know the first thing about Nahum.<\/p>\n<p>They put John 3:16 on the bottom of the cup, and then on the big burger they quote Nahum.<\/p>\n<p>::High Five:: Inn-N-Out Burgers! Way to remind people that the book of Nahum exists.<\/p>\n<p>Still that\u2019s not Inn-n-Out\u2019s real triumph.<\/p>\n<p>On their regular burger wrappers they reference Revelation 3:20<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Here  I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and answer the  door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me. &#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Man would I like to grab a cheeseburger with Jesus<\/p>\n<p>If you are going to take a verse out of context for no reason&#8230; That\u2019s the way to do it!<\/p>\n<p>Aaaaaannnnndddddd that\u2019s my first blog!<\/p>\n<p>\u2026 hopefully you have sampled my writing style. Next time maybe I\u2019ll actually write about something.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello and welcome to the dreaded first blog! The first blog has got to be the hardest to write because it is the blog that everyone goes back to and reads \u201chow did this get started\u201d and all that. 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