Ten Years and Counting!

Hello, everyone! This is a quick post to recognize that today is the 10-year anniversary of the RetroBeliever blog! I was perusing my old posts and went as far back as the first one, which is here:

https://retrobeliever.blogspot.com/2010/01/welcome-to-retrobeliever.html

Since that first post, the blog has changed quite a bit. Initially, I focused on retro videogames from a Christian perspective, but I have since extended my reach into board games and popular U.S. culture. More often than not, my posts have tended towards a nostalgic perspective because what I write generally comes from looking backwards. Over the last few years, I have gravitated a lot more towards board games and rules, so I'm intrigued by the possibilities of what I may post in the future.

As of this date, my focus has been on loss, death, and being lost. Many of my thoughts have dwelled on those subjects because of recent events and what seems to be a mid-life crisis I am experiencing. I am at a point where I am fairly convinced I have already lived more than half of my life on this earth. It has caused me to cling to God desperately, and yet I feel sadness at how meaningless many of my pursuits will be when I have left this earth. In heaven, board games, video games, movies, TV shows, and even the fond remembrances of the past won't necessarily matter. What will matter, though, are the connections I made with people through those interests and events and whether or not I impacted them in the name of Jesus. Everything else is ephemeral.

I look at my 16- and 14-year-old sons and ponder the future ahead of them. There is some much for them to experience. If I were to die today, I would want them to know that I love them dearly and want the best for them on this earth, as well as for them to be in the presence of God in eternity. I pray that they can live their lives while making wise decisions and avoiding egregious mistakes and sins. I know that many of us learn through tragedy and error, but, as a father, I would prefer that they would not have to face many of those situations.

I am thankful for my wife, though I am not worthy of her. She is spiritually stronger than me and more inclined to read her Bible daily and pray. She leads her women's group with compassion and fairness. She yearns for the best for our sons to the point of physical pain. There is a part of me that would have wanted a better husband for her, but God had a plan when He put me in her path. She has made me better, yet I am woefully inadequate.

Lastly, with loving respect of my mom, I want to mention my dad, who passed away over three years ago. On the day before he died, I prayed with my dad and he indicated with nods that he gave his life to the Lord. If, in the entirety of my life, I could lead one person to Christ, it would have been my dad. Of course, I pray the same for my mom, but my dad seemed much further from God. When he died, I was stricken with grief, yet I was filled with hope that I will meet him again.

Thank you for reading my blog posts. You may have read one, or you may have read many, but I am grateful, nonetheless. I write these posts for an audience of one hoping that others happen upon them. May your gaming be fun and eternally purposeful!

My New X-Wing Blog: the Step on Snek Squadron!

Hello, everyone. I wanted to let you know that I have started a new blog committed to the X-Wing Miniatures Game called Step on Snek Squadron! Here is the link to that blog.

To summarize, the Step on Snek Squadron focuses not on the casual player, the enthusiast, or the competitive player who vies for tournament wins -- it is for the false beginner player who has experience with the game, and even in local tournaments, but is not good enough to do well at such tournaments. Sure, you may win the odd casual night or even dominate in your own home, but once you leave the safe confines of those arenas, you find yourself wanting.

When you get a chance, check out the blog. I will refer to it from time to time on this blog at steponsneksquadron.blogspot.com. Yes, I will continue to write RetroBeliever posts (if I get around to it), so don't go away.

I Have a Fan...

As I was strolling around the Internet, I discovered a curious link:

The Templar and the Dragon

There were two things that I found fascinating: one was that it was a piece of fantasy fiction written by a fan, most likely because he or she enjoys writing; and, the other was that it was written by yours truly! Retrobeliever!

Actually, I didn't write this story, but someone has apparently taken on the RetroBeliever moniker (complete with the word-medial capital B) and is now penning dragon tales.

Accident? Probably not -- perhaps he or she read my posts, liked the name, and decided to run with it. Am I offended? No. I didn't copyright the name and it does increase my exposure, albeit not as much as I would like. Then again, my exposure may increase, if "RetroBeliever" attracts a lot of followers.

In the meantime, I will be keeping my eye on "RetroBeliever's" writings and see if he or she represents his or her namesake well. :D