1. The auto industry, in response to the growing demand, is spending millions developing and perfecting Hybrid vehicles. Gas prices go up – causing increased demand for alternative energy – in turn increasing funding / investment in alternative fuel R&D. Before we know it an affordable alternative fuel will be developed. It’s painful now but it will pay off later in a free market environment.

2. Following off of point ‘1’ – Our greatest comrade in liberating us from our dependence on the Middle East for oil is the increasing price of gas.

3. If you are becoming bitter at the refineries for raking in billions the most effective strategy we could ever have is to pay their exorbitant prices. It is inevitable that in raising prices they are fueling their own demise.

4. The rising cost of oil is the environments best ally. In fact I don’t know why environmentalists didn’t think of this strategy before. We could have easily gone another 200 years content and just as dependent on oil – damaging our environment all the way. But thanks to rising oil prices we are all scrambling for and rooting for alternative energy innovations thus helping our environment.

5. A leap forward for Transportation. Throughout history revival has followed on the coattails of innovations in communication and transportation. 1452 Johannes Guttenberg changed the world of communication inventing the printing press. The Guttenberg Bible was the first book published in volume. Innovations in transportation have made going into ‘all the world’ to preach the good news a reality. We are ready for a new innovation in transportation making travel cheaper and quicker. The rising price of gas is hastening revival and even the return of Christ!

In summary: If you want peace in the Middle East, clean air and an ozone layer, a nifty efficient car, and Christ to come back sooner - then stop complaining about gas prices and just pay em.

If you want me to go into it further maybe send me a $10 royalty check - I need some gas money

Amazingly enough, God met me over and over again, apparently not put off by my verbal vomiting.  For the next few years I decided to pray a little every night mostly for my wife and kids and our many stressful encounters with life.  Infants have ‘0′ listening skills (I speak from experience) but they do have the ability to make themselves heard.  That was what these last few years have been like for me - very ‘one way’ praying.  I wanted God to hear me and answer my prayers; ‘I WANT MY MILK!!’ kind of praying.  And again, God answered my prayers over and over. 

Recently I’ve become really bored with listening to myself pray every night.  I’ve been feeling disapointed, unfulfilled and burdened with prayer overload.  I’ve been talking to God about it and the thought suddenly came to me!  Quite clearly, in my mind, I heard God say, "Start Listening". 

The main difference between my four year old daughter and my son who just turned three is that my daughter listens to me when I speak.  After four years of listening to her she’s finally able to listen to me!!  I’m loving it!!  From ’screaming to speaking to listening’.  All the brilliant minds have always put the emphasis on learning and listening over speaking and making ones self heard. 

That’s where I am.  I’ve found it takes considerable concentration listening to God without being distracted by thoughts as a kid distracted by everything and anything.  But it’s time for me to become at least a toddler.  I’m looking forward to becoming better acquainted with the person I’ve been speaking at. 

Lately I’ve been feeling saturated with media.  I told my wife the other night that I’m going on a media fast from DVD’s / Internet / TV / Cinema.  What one consumes is what one excretes, and lately my cognitive excrement has been an extrusion of Hollywood, Bollywood and online gaming. 

For me (and therefore everyone on the planet) fantasy makes me discontent, even depressed with reality.   I think of my daughter totally enthralled with the idea of a princess meeting a prince and living happily ever after with undying love and unfading beauty.  But it is not reality, it’s not truth. 

I remember visiting the shanty towns of Brazil and parts of Africa and being astounded by the fact that though there was no running water, there was, God be praised, a TV antenna poking up out of almost every mud hut.  The escape for our dismal reality is all too often fantasy.  And fantasy distorts our perception of reality and of truth. 

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things."