779 page views. This thing is still here. Kind of miraculous that the views have grown even though I haven't written anything in forever.
I'm sitting here at a coffee shop.... Wait wait, I'm sitting here at the coffee shop also known as Coffea. I'm watching my beautiful fiancée close down the shop here.
I wanted to reflect upon the last few days and how the election seems to bring out the worst in people.
Disclaimer: I am a registered Democrat who votes with whatever candidate aligns with most of my views. I will change my voter registration to whichever party has the more interesting Presidential primaries, and I tend to put more emphasis on the majority party in both houses of Congress than I do on the Presidential election.
I am beyond sick of seeing and hearing people talk about leaving the country because President Obama was elected to a second term. Ladies and gentlemen, if we ran and hid until we got our way, where would we be in life? That is not the answer. Now, I'm aware probably 98% of those people were kidding, but seriously, lets think for a minute.
The thing that bothers me most about this election is the fact that a lot of people were talking about how God needs to "save us" from this. And America made a "stupid decision". Well I have news for you people. First off, America made a majority decision. That's the joy of a democracy. Secondly--God. Ordains. Governments. (Whatever that means). Just because President Obama is in office doesn't mean we cannot continue to serve our Lord and Savior. In fact, some of the things the President Obama wants to do will make it easier to do so! Ladies and gentlemen, this post may be rambling, but I feel as though thats ok--its kind of the nature of politics.
Long story short--trust in God. Trust in His perfect plan and His faithfulness. This country will survive. We always have, and we always will. If we continue to look to the One who gives life, we will never fail. We will run and not grow weary and all that other good Isaiah stuff.
Look up. Look to the light. Look past the head of our government to the head of the entire world.
God is in control people. Even if there is a "muslim" in office.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Transitions
Today was a fairytale.
Lord, did I just use a Taylor Swift song as a reference? (for the record, I only know that song because it is on SongPop and I never, EVER, get it right.)
Seriously.
Today started with an amazing service at The Ransom. That place has forever changed the way I worship and view churches. Today, Phill said something that I will never forget. It was something to the tune of, "come on people, lets own our bitterness". It really hit me. Seriously, lets own the things we are bad at. Come right out and say them. When they are kept inside, it not only hurts you but those around you. It's so simple, but so true.
Work followed church, which was mediocre at best.
But then, I got to go to LifeLight with the love of my life. We sat at the Main Stage from about 3:30-5:30 just waiting to see our favorite band, Leeland. In the process, we heard two other great bands that led us in amazing worship. Top that off with the always amazing and worshipful Leeland and you have yourself one heck of an afternoon.
When that was said and done, we came back to USF to chill for a while and just now got finished packing Esther up to move to USF tomorrow.
That is what this rambling, probably incoherent blog post is about. Transitions in life.
Transitions in life are some of the things that can make or break us. The way we take the changes can effect the story we will tell the rest of our lives.
Some transitions are easier than others. Some are simple, yet others are as complicated as possible. A family I know recently went through the loss of their son, brother, and grandson. I can't imagine a tragedy like that and how I would react to it.
To see so many different transitions in many people's lives brings me to be in awe of our God and Creator. It sounds cliché, but seriously, God has His hand on all of this. In all of life, we can look and find God somewhere in amongst the texts, e-mails from Alex Heinert, and seemingly unbearable homework.
Stop, and look at the beautiful things in life that God has put amongst the stress. Sometimes, you have to pick them out from what seems like a hopeless situation. But don't give up! Finding evidence of God's faithfulness is something that is so beyond anything words can say.
Keep working people (ha, like I have people)
We can do this.
Lord, did I just use a Taylor Swift song as a reference? (for the record, I only know that song because it is on SongPop and I never, EVER, get it right.)
Seriously.
Today started with an amazing service at The Ransom. That place has forever changed the way I worship and view churches. Today, Phill said something that I will never forget. It was something to the tune of, "come on people, lets own our bitterness". It really hit me. Seriously, lets own the things we are bad at. Come right out and say them. When they are kept inside, it not only hurts you but those around you. It's so simple, but so true.
Work followed church, which was mediocre at best.
But then, I got to go to LifeLight with the love of my life. We sat at the Main Stage from about 3:30-5:30 just waiting to see our favorite band, Leeland. In the process, we heard two other great bands that led us in amazing worship. Top that off with the always amazing and worshipful Leeland and you have yourself one heck of an afternoon.
When that was said and done, we came back to USF to chill for a while and just now got finished packing Esther up to move to USF tomorrow.
That is what this rambling, probably incoherent blog post is about. Transitions in life.
Transitions in life are some of the things that can make or break us. The way we take the changes can effect the story we will tell the rest of our lives.
Some transitions are easier than others. Some are simple, yet others are as complicated as possible. A family I know recently went through the loss of their son, brother, and grandson. I can't imagine a tragedy like that and how I would react to it.
To see so many different transitions in many people's lives brings me to be in awe of our God and Creator. It sounds cliché, but seriously, God has His hand on all of this. In all of life, we can look and find God somewhere in amongst the texts, e-mails from Alex Heinert, and seemingly unbearable homework.
Stop, and look at the beautiful things in life that God has put amongst the stress. Sometimes, you have to pick them out from what seems like a hopeless situation. But don't give up! Finding evidence of God's faithfulness is something that is so beyond anything words can say.
Keep working people (ha, like I have people)
We can do this.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
What a strange feeling
I just learned that a guy who graduated 4 years behind me from Canton died in a car accident early this morning.
I never really knew him that well or had any interactions with him. He had a sister that was a year older than me in school and I guess I knew her better than I knew him. There wasn't much familiarity with anyone outside of names and what they were involved in during school.
But when I heard about it, I was immediately struck with sadness. I watched this guy play sports with my brother throughout his career and through that got to know his dad and mom pretty well.
The family is in a tough situation. Their son just died, and their grandfather--legendary South Dakota High School football coach Burdell Coplan--is not doing well either. This family is in immediate need of prayer.
This blog has almost 550 views. I'm not sure who is reading it. But if you're reading it, please lift up the Kroger family in your prayers.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Not what I thought
It's been a long time since I've posted anything here.
Mostly because I have started to student teach.
I can't even tell you how tiring it is to teach all day. I never thought it would be so tiring, both emotionally and physically. But, nevertheless, it is.
I am at an elementary school in the mornings and a middle school in the afternoons. The elementary is something I never thought I'd do. But, I was wrong. It's something I would never do, EVER. Holy crap is it not fun at all for me. I'm so into making music and doing higher level music that this elementary "exposure" to music thing is not my cup of tea. It's easy and all, but it's just a bunch of moving and dancing and singing in one part.
I know everyone has to start somewhere, but the start is not the place for me.
What excites me about student teaching is the fact that I get to be at Lincoln High School for about 8 weeks. It will be a great experience to be and a High School that has choirs only. I'm yearning for a choir like nobodies business.
All of this student teaching stuff has been combined with still working at RadioShack and having my boss not realize that I have something that takes so much out of me that I am almost worthless working my 6-9 shift after school. The people that work at that place are very much into RadioShack as a company. I think the people that run RadioShack are the reason our nation is in debt.
RadioShack is making quite a bit of money. We sell mostly component parts and cables. Ask anyone in electronics, those are the products that we make the most money on. So, from what I gather, we make pretty good money for the company, but are only being paid $7.25 an hour to do everything.
Bottom line, don't ever work there.
This turned into a great ranting post, but, what can ya do.
Mostly because I have started to student teach.
I can't even tell you how tiring it is to teach all day. I never thought it would be so tiring, both emotionally and physically. But, nevertheless, it is.
I am at an elementary school in the mornings and a middle school in the afternoons. The elementary is something I never thought I'd do. But, I was wrong. It's something I would never do, EVER. Holy crap is it not fun at all for me. I'm so into making music and doing higher level music that this elementary "exposure" to music thing is not my cup of tea. It's easy and all, but it's just a bunch of moving and dancing and singing in one part.
I know everyone has to start somewhere, but the start is not the place for me.
What excites me about student teaching is the fact that I get to be at Lincoln High School for about 8 weeks. It will be a great experience to be and a High School that has choirs only. I'm yearning for a choir like nobodies business.
All of this student teaching stuff has been combined with still working at RadioShack and having my boss not realize that I have something that takes so much out of me that I am almost worthless working my 6-9 shift after school. The people that work at that place are very much into RadioShack as a company. I think the people that run RadioShack are the reason our nation is in debt.
RadioShack is making quite a bit of money. We sell mostly component parts and cables. Ask anyone in electronics, those are the products that we make the most money on. So, from what I gather, we make pretty good money for the company, but are only being paid $7.25 an hour to do everything.
Bottom line, don't ever work there.
This turned into a great ranting post, but, what can ya do.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Life gets hard
Life gets hard.
If someone told me that when I was 5 I would have laughed and went and jumped on my bed or something.
If someone had told me that when I was 15 I would have said something like, "yeah, you try living through middle school."
Now that I'm realizing that life actually does get hard, and stress can sometimes overtake you to where you are acting very rudely to even those closest to you, I'm so thankful for my God.
Today, a large change happened. I had to move in with my roommate again for the school year. I love my roommate, but he has to get up for work at 7, which means he'll go to sleep at around 11 at the latest. Me on the other hand, I go to sleep at about 11 at the earliest. This will be interesting.
Another new change is coming. In a week and a half I start student teaching. To add to that stress, I have another placement. This means that I will be in an elementary school for the morning and a middle school for the afternoons. And that's just the first half of my placement. For the second half, I will be at Lincoln High School actually doing what I want to do; upper level music.
And to top it all off, add this to the stress pile; a job where I'm expected to essentially be a manager with more hours than I could ever want to work.
All of this stress has shaken me pretty solidly. However, this afternoon, I sat down and prayed harder than I've ever prayed. God answered me right away--not with some crazy James Earl Jones esque voice--but with an overwhelming sense of calm that says, it's going to be ok.
Yeah. It's going to be ok.
If someone told me that when I was 5 I would have laughed and went and jumped on my bed or something.
If someone had told me that when I was 15 I would have said something like, "yeah, you try living through middle school."
Now that I'm realizing that life actually does get hard, and stress can sometimes overtake you to where you are acting very rudely to even those closest to you, I'm so thankful for my God.
Today, a large change happened. I had to move in with my roommate again for the school year. I love my roommate, but he has to get up for work at 7, which means he'll go to sleep at around 11 at the latest. Me on the other hand, I go to sleep at about 11 at the earliest. This will be interesting.
Another new change is coming. In a week and a half I start student teaching. To add to that stress, I have another placement. This means that I will be in an elementary school for the morning and a middle school for the afternoons. And that's just the first half of my placement. For the second half, I will be at Lincoln High School actually doing what I want to do; upper level music.
And to top it all off, add this to the stress pile; a job where I'm expected to essentially be a manager with more hours than I could ever want to work.
All of this stress has shaken me pretty solidly. However, this afternoon, I sat down and prayed harder than I've ever prayed. God answered me right away--not with some crazy James Earl Jones esque voice--but with an overwhelming sense of calm that says, it's going to be ok.
Yeah. It's going to be ok.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Unforgettable
Tonight, was one of the greatest nights I can remember. Oddly enough, it started out with the potential to be one of the worst nights ever.
Today, both Esther and I had awful days at work. We both felt restless and actually debated upon doing something illegal just to fulfill our restlessness. After much sitting and thinking of things to do (the most illegal thing we thought of doing was sneaking into the Palisades to climb rocks--I know, we're rebels) we ended up having a long conversation about how we are both restless and we both aren't feeling ok.
It ended up with us praying together for around 40 minutes. This wasn't your normal prayer. Let me tell you, randomly feeling the power of the Holy Spirit in an impromptu prayer in your dorm room is something that everyone should experience. During this prayer, something in me just told me to sing "Forever Reign".
This song, made both of us break down and cry. There is so much truth in that song.
This is all sort of choppy and strange sounding, but that is because I am in awe of the power of God. I cannot explain what I am feeling, but I'm so very thankful that I have a God that meets me exactly where I am, even if it's a dorm room.
You are good, You are goodWhen there's nothing good in meYou are love, You are loveOn display for all to seeYou are light, You are lightWhen the darkness closes inYou are hope, You are hopeYou have covered all my sin
You are peace, You are peaceWhen my fear is cripplingYou are true, You are trueEven in my wanderingYou are joy, You are joyYou're the reason that I singYou are life, You are life,In You death has lost its sting
Oh, I'm running to Your arms,I'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
You are more, You are moreThan my words will ever sayYou are Lord, You are LordAll creation will proclaimYou are here, You are hereIn Your presence I'm made wholeYou are God, You are GodOf all else I'm letting go
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
My heart will singno other NameJesus, Jesus
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
Today, both Esther and I had awful days at work. We both felt restless and actually debated upon doing something illegal just to fulfill our restlessness. After much sitting and thinking of things to do (the most illegal thing we thought of doing was sneaking into the Palisades to climb rocks--I know, we're rebels) we ended up having a long conversation about how we are both restless and we both aren't feeling ok.
It ended up with us praying together for around 40 minutes. This wasn't your normal prayer. Let me tell you, randomly feeling the power of the Holy Spirit in an impromptu prayer in your dorm room is something that everyone should experience. During this prayer, something in me just told me to sing "Forever Reign".
This song, made both of us break down and cry. There is so much truth in that song.
This is all sort of choppy and strange sounding, but that is because I am in awe of the power of God. I cannot explain what I am feeling, but I'm so very thankful that I have a God that meets me exactly where I am, even if it's a dorm room.
You are good, You are goodWhen there's nothing good in meYou are love, You are loveOn display for all to seeYou are light, You are lightWhen the darkness closes inYou are hope, You are hopeYou have covered all my sin
You are peace, You are peaceWhen my fear is cripplingYou are true, You are trueEven in my wanderingYou are joy, You are joyYou're the reason that I singYou are life, You are life,In You death has lost its sting
Oh, I'm running to Your arms,I'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
You are more, You are moreThan my words will ever sayYou are Lord, You are LordAll creation will proclaimYou are here, You are hereIn Your presence I'm made wholeYou are God, You are GodOf all else I'm letting go
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
My heart will singno other NameJesus, Jesus
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Letting the cat out of the bag
Lately, I've been talking with Esther about being able to be comfortable enough to let people in on a secret of mine. What better way to do that than write something on a blog that maybe one person a day reads? Meh, it's a start.
I come off as very intimidating, often leading people to think I'm a hardass or I don't care for people. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Truth is, I'm a gigantic softie who will tear up at any given moment when something is sad. I have an uncanny ability to cry during song (probably why I'm a music major) and have a heart that dwarfs the state of Texas.
My new challenge in life is to be more willing to share my heart with the world.
Thanks to the encouraging words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer this morning, I know that this is something God has placed on my heart, and I am so excited to see what this move does for my life as well as the lives of those around me.
I come off as very intimidating, often leading people to think I'm a hardass or I don't care for people. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Truth is, I'm a gigantic softie who will tear up at any given moment when something is sad. I have an uncanny ability to cry during song (probably why I'm a music major) and have a heart that dwarfs the state of Texas.
My new challenge in life is to be more willing to share my heart with the world.
Thanks to the encouraging words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer this morning, I know that this is something God has placed on my heart, and I am so excited to see what this move does for my life as well as the lives of those around me.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Italian job was right
A while back, I made a connection that I'm completely (probably too much) proud of. This connection is about how we as people need to walk the fine line between trusting in God, and trusting in people. Now, before you go saying "of course you trust God over humans," hear me out.
If we need community like Scripture says, why can we not rely on people as well as God. Of course, you're wondering where The Italian Job comes in to play here. Well, in the movie, two characters (a daughter and her late father) say this quote, "I trust everyone, it's the devil inside them I don't trust." I never quite realized how completely accurate that quote is.
Think about the most trustworthy people you know. Don't those people (Christian or not) seem to radiate some sort of goodness from inside them? What if that goodness is Christ? The people we trust should, in all reality, have some of the qualities of Christ. But, there's always that sense of doubt that happens when you really need to trust someone. Perhaps, that is the devil inside of them that you don't trust.
Think about this before you have to trust someone next time. But over all, don't be scared to trust someone. The things that take risk will bring you the most joy in life.
Which brings me to my next point.
I think people today are too scared of taking risks.
It's horrifyingly scary to do certain things in this life: ask a girl out on a date, apply for a big job or promotion, interview for said job or promotion, and be in a relationship just to name a few. But, in today's society, it seems like more and more people are becoming scared to take risks and scared to fail. I will be the first to admit that I am absolutely horrified at the thought of failing at something. Failure and I don't get along and we have a mutual understanding that this is how we are going to run. But, what if the fear of failure gets in the way of having something amazing.
I'll use the best example I have possible. I have the most amazing woman in my life right now. She is kind and caring, unspeakably beautiful, hilarious, witty, musically and academically gifted, has the same general outlook on life as I do, and is just an all around perfect person for me. There are times when we both recognize that it's terrifying to be in an all-out-committed relationship. But at those times, we realize that it is more than worth the scary-ness for the outcome that we want.
That being said, go take a risk. Talk to someone, apply for that promotion, do something that could potentially blow up in your face. And if and when it does blow up in your face--and trust me, at some point, something will blow up in your face--thank God for the opportunity to grow.
If we need community like Scripture says, why can we not rely on people as well as God. Of course, you're wondering where The Italian Job comes in to play here. Well, in the movie, two characters (a daughter and her late father) say this quote, "I trust everyone, it's the devil inside them I don't trust." I never quite realized how completely accurate that quote is.
Think about the most trustworthy people you know. Don't those people (Christian or not) seem to radiate some sort of goodness from inside them? What if that goodness is Christ? The people we trust should, in all reality, have some of the qualities of Christ. But, there's always that sense of doubt that happens when you really need to trust someone. Perhaps, that is the devil inside of them that you don't trust.
Think about this before you have to trust someone next time. But over all, don't be scared to trust someone. The things that take risk will bring you the most joy in life.
Which brings me to my next point.
I think people today are too scared of taking risks.
It's horrifyingly scary to do certain things in this life: ask a girl out on a date, apply for a big job or promotion, interview for said job or promotion, and be in a relationship just to name a few. But, in today's society, it seems like more and more people are becoming scared to take risks and scared to fail. I will be the first to admit that I am absolutely horrified at the thought of failing at something. Failure and I don't get along and we have a mutual understanding that this is how we are going to run. But, what if the fear of failure gets in the way of having something amazing.
I'll use the best example I have possible. I have the most amazing woman in my life right now. She is kind and caring, unspeakably beautiful, hilarious, witty, musically and academically gifted, has the same general outlook on life as I do, and is just an all around perfect person for me. There are times when we both recognize that it's terrifying to be in an all-out-committed relationship. But at those times, we realize that it is more than worth the scary-ness for the outcome that we want.
That being said, go take a risk. Talk to someone, apply for that promotion, do something that could potentially blow up in your face. And if and when it does blow up in your face--and trust me, at some point, something will blow up in your face--thank God for the opportunity to grow.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Prom night
About a week ago, my best friend and I travelled to Valley Fair in Shakopee, Minnesota. Every last second of the four hour drive was spent talking; most of it streaming from a passage from 2 Corinthians. We eventually strayed pretty far from what Paul was saying to the people in Corinth and started talking about things that came into our minds. We somehow came on the topic of people asking for help from God, but not being patient enough or too stubborn to hear what God actually says in response to those prayers. I likened it to a prom night.
The young boy is waiting patiently for his date to come down the stairs in her dress. While he's waiting, he endures an awkward time of sitting with the parents and waiting for the thing he came to see--the beautiful young lady he came to pick up walk down the stairs. The boy doesn't leave because of the awkward waiting time, for he knows that his prize is to take the young lady out and show her a great time. Finally, the time comes. He hears her step down the first step, and rushes, not too anxiously, to the bottom of the stairs to watch her finish her descent. Her dress barely skimming the top of each stair, eyes sparkling, and hair in perfect order, he looks up and smiles, knowing that his wait time was more than worth it.
Why can't we wait for God like the boy waits for his date? Of course we all know the waiting time with her parents is one of the most awkward things ever. But he stays. Why is it that when we ask God for something, we're not willing to wait that awkward time for him to answer? And even when He does answer, if it's not what we want, we simply pawn it off as a "thought" that happened to come into our head. Ladies and gentlemen, if we want to hear what God is saying, we first must be willing to run with whatever He answers with. That's a huge proposition.
Sometimes the thing that God answers with is exactly 180 degrees from what we want Him to answer with. And we don't like that. We have everything planned out in our heads and we just want God to be ok with whatever we want. News flash. It doesn't work that way. We have to be ready for what He says, and run with it.
Be the boy on prom night. Wait through the awkwardness for the ultimate prize; God's guidance in your life.
The young boy is waiting patiently for his date to come down the stairs in her dress. While he's waiting, he endures an awkward time of sitting with the parents and waiting for the thing he came to see--the beautiful young lady he came to pick up walk down the stairs. The boy doesn't leave because of the awkward waiting time, for he knows that his prize is to take the young lady out and show her a great time. Finally, the time comes. He hears her step down the first step, and rushes, not too anxiously, to the bottom of the stairs to watch her finish her descent. Her dress barely skimming the top of each stair, eyes sparkling, and hair in perfect order, he looks up and smiles, knowing that his wait time was more than worth it.
Why can't we wait for God like the boy waits for his date? Of course we all know the waiting time with her parents is one of the most awkward things ever. But he stays. Why is it that when we ask God for something, we're not willing to wait that awkward time for him to answer? And even when He does answer, if it's not what we want, we simply pawn it off as a "thought" that happened to come into our head. Ladies and gentlemen, if we want to hear what God is saying, we first must be willing to run with whatever He answers with. That's a huge proposition.
Sometimes the thing that God answers with is exactly 180 degrees from what we want Him to answer with. And we don't like that. We have everything planned out in our heads and we just want God to be ok with whatever we want. News flash. It doesn't work that way. We have to be ready for what He says, and run with it.
Be the boy on prom night. Wait through the awkwardness for the ultimate prize; God's guidance in your life.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Hallelujah
Esther and I went to ValleyFair yesterday and had an unbelievable time. The ride home was tiresome, but I managed to listen to all three Leeland CD's that I own. It's hard to pick one of their songs as my favorite, but this one would rank right up there. I know it's not much of a blog post, but seriously, read it, listen to it, put it in braille and run your fingers over it, I don't care. Just make sure it somehow gets into your mind that these things Leeland writes of in the song actually happened, and they are the reason we can hope for something better than what we're living right now.
Via Dolorosa
He traded his crown for a crown of thorns
He picked up His cross and laid down His sword
He stumbled down the road bruised and beaten for me
Jesus walked the way of grief
Hallelujah!
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
He knew it was to come from the very start
But his love for the world beat inside His heart
He climbed the road of suffering to the hill of calvary
Where the saints would be redeemed.
Hallelujah!
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/leeland/via_dolorosa.html ]
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!
Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!
Hallelujah, Jesus rose again!
On the cross He she'd His blood on Calvary
I'm thankful for the journey of my King!
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
As He gave His life away
He traded his crown for a crown of thorns
Via Dolorosa
He traded his crown for a crown of thorns
He picked up His cross and laid down His sword
He stumbled down the road bruised and beaten for me
Jesus walked the way of grief
Hallelujah!
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
He knew it was to come from the very start
But his love for the world beat inside His heart
He climbed the road of suffering to the hill of calvary
Where the saints would be redeemed.
Hallelujah!
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/leeland/via_dolorosa.html ]
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!
Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!
Hallelujah, Jesus rose again!
On the cross He she'd His blood on Calvary
I'm thankful for the journey of my King!
On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of hell was broken
As He gave His life away
As He gave His life away
He traded his crown for a crown of thorns
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Thank you
This post, is not some rambling commentary of my day, just a simple thought that I would like to think is one of the most profound things that has ever crossed my mind.
My life has been an absolute joy ever since Esther Hannah Nissen came into it. I have never been happier, nor have I ever been closer to my Savior. It dawned on me today, that we love, because He first loved us. Yeah, we've all heard that one. But think about it. We love. We get to love, because He first loved us. It doesn't even get specific as to who we love. Because, up until about 15 minutes ago, I kinda thought it was we love God because He first loved us.
No shit, Sherlock.
But no, we get to love people too! And specifically, we are all capable of loving one individual on another level than we love other people. That is something that I truly believe is blessed by God. When that kind of love happens, it directs you back to God and the Kingdom. If the love leads you away from there, it's not the right kind of love.
I'm lucky enough, to say I have that kind of love, and I am eternally thankful for it.
My life has been an absolute joy ever since Esther Hannah Nissen came into it. I have never been happier, nor have I ever been closer to my Savior. It dawned on me today, that we love, because He first loved us. Yeah, we've all heard that one. But think about it. We love. We get to love, because He first loved us. It doesn't even get specific as to who we love. Because, up until about 15 minutes ago, I kinda thought it was we love God because He first loved us.
No shit, Sherlock.
But no, we get to love people too! And specifically, we are all capable of loving one individual on another level than we love other people. That is something that I truly believe is blessed by God. When that kind of love happens, it directs you back to God and the Kingdom. If the love leads you away from there, it's not the right kind of love.
I'm lucky enough, to say I have that kind of love, and I am eternally thankful for it.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Green card revolution
While at work today, a store manager from another town called to wish our store a happy 4th. The funny thing about this fellow, is that he is from England--which shows through his heavy British accent. He proceeded to tell me about a conversation he and his employees had today.
Precursor to this entire thing; I'm not saying anything we talked about was actually legitimate or is what I believe or what is right. I'm just saying--this is an interesting point.
This man was telling me he asked his employees why the American Revolution started. They spouted off the typical "taxation without representation" line. The store manager calmly replied with something like, "so, does this mean that people working in the United States with green cards should revolt and start a new revolution?"
I never thought about it before. People working and living in this country under a green card pay taxes just like the rest of us, yet they get no voice in who leads this country because they cannot vote.
That brought me to a very patriotic feeling. Suddenly, I felt as though I wanted to be one of those door-to-door remind you to vote salesmen. Today of all days, we should all feel something like that.
This country we live in, while it may have some problems--monetarily, morally, whatever--is an extreme blessing that we almost always take for granted.
An easy lesson for the church to teach is that we are a free country because people before us fought and died in order to create freedom; just as Jesus died before us to make us free from our sin. I've heard that one before. But seriously, how true is that? It's unbelievably cheesy and the most cliché "first-grade-Sunday-school lesson" ever, but literally, let that sink into you for a minute. Jesus fought Satan, fought the weight of all of our sin (even those not even committed yet), and won our freedom.
The men that fought for the original 13 colonies fought so their children, and children's children, and many generations beyond that could experience freedom from the tyranny of their day.
So, readers, whoever you are, take a moment out of your work, grilling, fireworks, and family time, to thank God for giving us this country, and for giving us His Son. And while you're at it, remind yourself to do it again the next day. And then, the day after that, do it again.
Repeat.
Precursor to this entire thing; I'm not saying anything we talked about was actually legitimate or is what I believe or what is right. I'm just saying--this is an interesting point.
This man was telling me he asked his employees why the American Revolution started. They spouted off the typical "taxation without representation" line. The store manager calmly replied with something like, "so, does this mean that people working in the United States with green cards should revolt and start a new revolution?"
I never thought about it before. People working and living in this country under a green card pay taxes just like the rest of us, yet they get no voice in who leads this country because they cannot vote.
That brought me to a very patriotic feeling. Suddenly, I felt as though I wanted to be one of those door-to-door remind you to vote salesmen. Today of all days, we should all feel something like that.
This country we live in, while it may have some problems--monetarily, morally, whatever--is an extreme blessing that we almost always take for granted.
An easy lesson for the church to teach is that we are a free country because people before us fought and died in order to create freedom; just as Jesus died before us to make us free from our sin. I've heard that one before. But seriously, how true is that? It's unbelievably cheesy and the most cliché "first-grade-Sunday-school lesson" ever, but literally, let that sink into you for a minute. Jesus fought Satan, fought the weight of all of our sin (even those not even committed yet), and won our freedom.
The men that fought for the original 13 colonies fought so their children, and children's children, and many generations beyond that could experience freedom from the tyranny of their day.
So, readers, whoever you are, take a moment out of your work, grilling, fireworks, and family time, to thank God for giving us this country, and for giving us His Son. And while you're at it, remind yourself to do it again the next day. And then, the day after that, do it again.
Repeat.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Let them know
Today, I said goodbye to a person that didn't even know how much I looked up and respected him. Dr. (Pastor, Reverend, Awesome Guy) Kimlyn Bender preached his last sermon today at Oak Hills Baptist. I couldn't help but tear up during his last benediction. I feel like if someone from that church would have seen that, they wouldn't have understood how someone who didn't attend that church regularly would be that emotional over Kimlyn's departure. Likewise, any USF Theology or Philosophy major that doesn't already know me (which is all of them except for one) would have thought that I was just a "sympathetic crier" at best. That is about as far from the truth as possible.
I took Intro to Christian Thought with Dr. Bender back in my sophomore year. I was very nervous coming in to the class because I remembered someone saying how hard classes with him were. By the end of the first class, I distinctly remember being excited to learn from someone with the same sense of humor that I have. As that semester went on, I learned new things about Scripture and doctrines that I never even dreamed could be true. Kimlyn's teachings helped me to realize many things about the religion I supposedly believed in. That class challenged me as a learner as well as a Christian.
As I walked out of Oak Hills today, I passed Dr. Bender and shook his hand as I left. We exchanged a hand-shake-man-hug and I simply told him "thank you". If only he knew what I was thanking him for. And as I sit here with tears in my eyes, having just finished an e-mail to this amazing man, I am thankful for the one seemingly insignificant class I had with him. My regrets however are that I never got to take more classes with him and that I took so long to tell him the things I had learned and grew from because of his teachings.
Moral of this odd story: tell those around you that you care about them; that you are thankful for what they do in your life. No matter how small a part, let someone know that you appreciate them.
I took Intro to Christian Thought with Dr. Bender back in my sophomore year. I was very nervous coming in to the class because I remembered someone saying how hard classes with him were. By the end of the first class, I distinctly remember being excited to learn from someone with the same sense of humor that I have. As that semester went on, I learned new things about Scripture and doctrines that I never even dreamed could be true. Kimlyn's teachings helped me to realize many things about the religion I supposedly believed in. That class challenged me as a learner as well as a Christian.
As I walked out of Oak Hills today, I passed Dr. Bender and shook his hand as I left. We exchanged a hand-shake-man-hug and I simply told him "thank you". If only he knew what I was thanking him for. And as I sit here with tears in my eyes, having just finished an e-mail to this amazing man, I am thankful for the one seemingly insignificant class I had with him. My regrets however are that I never got to take more classes with him and that I took so long to tell him the things I had learned and grew from because of his teachings.
Moral of this odd story: tell those around you that you care about them; that you are thankful for what they do in your life. No matter how small a part, let someone know that you appreciate them.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Just what i needed
Opened my Bible tonight. This is what I looked at right away. There are things I need to be able to forgive myself for.
2 Corinthians 2: 5-11
If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent--not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
To me, this passage means that people should forgive people blah blah blah yeah we all get that. But there is something else that hit me about this. The punishment inflicted on him by the MAJORITY. What is the majority? The majority of people? The majority of his family? To me, the majority could easily be the punishment he inflicts on himself. Too often, people put the punishment on themselves that they shouldn't. I am no different.
I'm not a Bible historian, but from what I know, the letters from Paul were written to these people in hopes of helping them. I know this is a passage for a group of people. But tonight, it has hit me as a passage for one. I need to be able to forgive myself for things just as much, if not more, than having other people forgive me.
2 Corinthians 2: 5-11
If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent--not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
To me, this passage means that people should forgive people blah blah blah yeah we all get that. But there is something else that hit me about this. The punishment inflicted on him by the MAJORITY. What is the majority? The majority of people? The majority of his family? To me, the majority could easily be the punishment he inflicts on himself. Too often, people put the punishment on themselves that they shouldn't. I am no different.
I'm not a Bible historian, but from what I know, the letters from Paul were written to these people in hopes of helping them. I know this is a passage for a group of people. But tonight, it has hit me as a passage for one. I need to be able to forgive myself for things just as much, if not more, than having other people forgive me.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Back in the day
I want to live back in the "old days".
What are the old days? I suppose that phrase means different things to different people, but I mean the 1940's-1950's. This was the day when a man's word meant more than the $100 deposit on a cell phone.
I just got done watching an episode of Law and Order SVU that indirectly dealt with a few old thieves and their enemies. These kind of people fascinate me. In modern portrayals (based off of descriptions and writings about the actual people I suppose) all of these men seem to be model citizens--never missing a child's event, attending church, donating to charities, working a "blue collar" job. However, their actual lives are filled with deceit, danger, and death.
Some of these men were even more powerful than the police. I don't mean to say that this notion of being "above the law" is a good thing, but the men that took that title were some of the most powerful men in the country. The police wouldn't touch them and as long as no one got in their way, the general public had no idea what was going on.
The thing that makes me want to live in this time period is the fact that this time period is (aside from WW2) one of the more profitable times in US History. Is this because these men used their power--moral or not--to "stimulate" the economy more than the government could ever do? It would make sense to think that way. The government has recently shown that certain corporations are too big to fail, so why not have people above the government that say this town, state, or country is too big to fail? Now, I'm not saying we need to go back to the mobster feel of the big cities of the United States because that's not realistic--and in fact we're still in that era, the "mobsters" are just drug dealers now. But, maybe if people decided that this country was too big to fail, the government wouldn't have to.
What are the old days? I suppose that phrase means different things to different people, but I mean the 1940's-1950's. This was the day when a man's word meant more than the $100 deposit on a cell phone.
I just got done watching an episode of Law and Order SVU that indirectly dealt with a few old thieves and their enemies. These kind of people fascinate me. In modern portrayals (based off of descriptions and writings about the actual people I suppose) all of these men seem to be model citizens--never missing a child's event, attending church, donating to charities, working a "blue collar" job. However, their actual lives are filled with deceit, danger, and death.
Some of these men were even more powerful than the police. I don't mean to say that this notion of being "above the law" is a good thing, but the men that took that title were some of the most powerful men in the country. The police wouldn't touch them and as long as no one got in their way, the general public had no idea what was going on.
The thing that makes me want to live in this time period is the fact that this time period is (aside from WW2) one of the more profitable times in US History. Is this because these men used their power--moral or not--to "stimulate" the economy more than the government could ever do? It would make sense to think that way. The government has recently shown that certain corporations are too big to fail, so why not have people above the government that say this town, state, or country is too big to fail? Now, I'm not saying we need to go back to the mobster feel of the big cities of the United States because that's not realistic--and in fact we're still in that era, the "mobsters" are just drug dealers now. But, maybe if people decided that this country was too big to fail, the government wouldn't have to.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
A day to remember
It was one of the hottest days of the summer so far and Esther and I braved the heat to be the adventurers we are. On this day, we would tackle the treacherous terrain of Newton Hills State Park. Newton Hills was a place I often visited as a child, tramping all over the place as if the place was some sort of haven for active little boys like myself. Since then I haven't been a nature person, however, for some reason, I absolutely love being outside with my best friend.
We started down the first trail--a downhill, winding dirt path that eventually led me to the realization that we were parked in completely the wrong area. After that mini-fail on my part, we got parked in the correct place in order to take full advantage of our collective sense of adventure. We meandered down Turkey Trot Trail--a one person wide, easy walk. It was such a fantastic time. We simply walked, talking at our leisure and finding our British friends (who looked suspiciously like trees) and a toad (or a twig) along the way.
The highlight of this day was the lookout tower. Walking up to it, I immediately thought, "Hmm, I swear this used to be taller." We quickly climbed the two stories to the top and looked out over the vast sea of leafy green treetops in front of us. As it often happens with us, conversation just started flowing. There isn't a thing we can't talk about. The wind was blowing all this while, sometimes annoyingly loud. We took it in stride however, urging the wind that it was ok to calm down. Whether by our words or just some coincidence, the wind always subsided and we continued our conversation. At this point, it seemed like the breeze was there just as our own personal air conditioner--turning it on and off with our voices. An hour or so later, we descended the tower and headed home.
A simple day to most that meant more to me than could have possibly been known. Conversing with the beautiful woman next to me while walking through a forest of trees and bushes was absolutely perfect. We didn't have to to anything but walk and hold each others hands, taking in God's creation while basking in the creation He has made and is continuing to build in our hearts.
We started down the first trail--a downhill, winding dirt path that eventually led me to the realization that we were parked in completely the wrong area. After that mini-fail on my part, we got parked in the correct place in order to take full advantage of our collective sense of adventure. We meandered down Turkey Trot Trail--a one person wide, easy walk. It was such a fantastic time. We simply walked, talking at our leisure and finding our British friends (who looked suspiciously like trees) and a toad (or a twig) along the way.
The highlight of this day was the lookout tower. Walking up to it, I immediately thought, "Hmm, I swear this used to be taller." We quickly climbed the two stories to the top and looked out over the vast sea of leafy green treetops in front of us. As it often happens with us, conversation just started flowing. There isn't a thing we can't talk about. The wind was blowing all this while, sometimes annoyingly loud. We took it in stride however, urging the wind that it was ok to calm down. Whether by our words or just some coincidence, the wind always subsided and we continued our conversation. At this point, it seemed like the breeze was there just as our own personal air conditioner--turning it on and off with our voices. An hour or so later, we descended the tower and headed home.
A simple day to most that meant more to me than could have possibly been known. Conversing with the beautiful woman next to me while walking through a forest of trees and bushes was absolutely perfect. We didn't have to to anything but walk and hold each others hands, taking in God's creation while basking in the creation He has made and is continuing to build in our hearts.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
The anti-feeling
Tonight, I tweeted that my advice to everyone would be to find someone that makes them feel happier than they ever thought possible. The more I think about that, the more I think I should have expanded upon that thought a little bit, so, here I am.
Aside from making you feel happier than you ever thought possible, I would argue you should find a person that doesn't make you feel things. The person that doesn't make you feel stupid or not intelligent. A person who doesn't make you feel like what you say doesn't matter or that your opinion isn't valid. A person who doesn't make you feel like your dreams are not reachable or that you're not good at something.
There are many more examples of that general idea, but it's about 1:43 a.m and I'm about falling asleep writing this.
Wanna know the best thing about this? I have someone like I listed above. My girlfriend, my best friend, Esther Nissen.
Aside from making you feel happier than you ever thought possible, I would argue you should find a person that doesn't make you feel things. The person that doesn't make you feel stupid or not intelligent. A person who doesn't make you feel like what you say doesn't matter or that your opinion isn't valid. A person who doesn't make you feel like your dreams are not reachable or that you're not good at something.
There are many more examples of that general idea, but it's about 1:43 a.m and I'm about falling asleep writing this.
Wanna know the best thing about this? I have someone like I listed above. My girlfriend, my best friend, Esther Nissen.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Boy that's refreshing
Have you ever been outside on a day where the sweat on your body seems to sweat? (Sweatception?) And you finally get that first drink of cold water? How refreshing is that drink of water? In my experience, that water might be the second most refreshing thing I've ever experienced.
Oh, what's the most refreshing thing I've ever experienced you ask? That my friends, would be the simple truth of having a best friend that you can tell anything and everything to. I have that best friend, who also happens to be my girlfriend--how fantastic is that?
Oh, what's the most refreshing thing I've ever experienced you ask? That my friends, would be the simple truth of having a best friend that you can tell anything and everything to. I have that best friend, who also happens to be my girlfriend--how fantastic is that?
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Perfection
Today was perfect.
There is nothing else that needs to be said about it, nor is there anything that could be said about it.
There is nothing else that needs to be said about it, nor is there anything that could be said about it.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Separate but equal is inherently sexist
Today I had breakfast with my best friend. Randomly, we somehow got on the topic of how females don't have to be drafted into the Armed Forces if the time ever comes again that a draft is necessary. I stated that if women want to be equal in the workplace, homefront, and every other area of the world, that it should be necessary for them to sign up for the draft and be on the front lines like other young men.
The words "sexist" and "feminist" get thrown around frequently in today's don't-piss-anyone-off-no-matter-what society. In my experience (not saying it is everyone's experience) the women are the ones who have started this movement. Let's get one thing straight, I am all for women's rights, but I am not for women's equality. Don't read too much into this, as I am not into men's equality either. There are some things in this world that men get to/have to/should get to do that women don't and arguably shouldn't do. There are also things that women get to/have to/should get to do that men should also not get the opportunity to do.
Why does everything have to be the same? Can't equal mean separate duties but equal participation/appreciation? Men will never bear children, but isn't it also true that women will never have to be drafted into the military? I hate to use that example again but it's all I can think of in this late hour. I blame the whole thought of separate things being unequal on the Brown v. Board of Education court hearing. Yes, I know that it was not a case about men's or women's rights, but rights of an entire race, but still, it has tainted our view of what equal is.
Moral of the story, lets let separate things sometimes be equal, not in amount or other physically observable things, but maybe in appreciation or participation.
The words "sexist" and "feminist" get thrown around frequently in today's don't-piss-anyone-off-no-matter-what society. In my experience (not saying it is everyone's experience) the women are the ones who have started this movement. Let's get one thing straight, I am all for women's rights, but I am not for women's equality. Don't read too much into this, as I am not into men's equality either. There are some things in this world that men get to/have to/should get to do that women don't and arguably shouldn't do. There are also things that women get to/have to/should get to do that men should also not get the opportunity to do.
Why does everything have to be the same? Can't equal mean separate duties but equal participation/appreciation? Men will never bear children, but isn't it also true that women will never have to be drafted into the military? I hate to use that example again but it's all I can think of in this late hour. I blame the whole thought of separate things being unequal on the Brown v. Board of Education court hearing. Yes, I know that it was not a case about men's or women's rights, but rights of an entire race, but still, it has tainted our view of what equal is.
Moral of the story, lets let separate things sometimes be equal, not in amount or other physically observable things, but maybe in appreciation or participation.
The future
Why does the future scare us (specifically me) so badly sometimes? Today, I had a mild meltdown on the sheer thought that I might fail my Praxis test coming up tomorrow. Why I'm taking time out of studying to write this is still beyond me, but, here I am.
The Bible says many times to not be worried about the future. Why do I do it though? I think my worries are largely due to my want to control things. I like to know exactly what I'm doing and what my plan is going to be through life. I don't like to plan activities, but I like to plan my life--wrap your mind around that.
I think this whole Praxis test has me worried because suddenly I'm doubting that I actually want to be a music teacher. I would love to teach people how to sing, as well as direct choirs, but what God has really laid on me lately is a heart for worship. Being a worship leader (or whatever you want to call it) is something I think I could devote my entire life to. Leading people to a place of worship, whether that be through music or another media, is something I feel called to do.
We'll see where it takes me.
The Bible says many times to not be worried about the future. Why do I do it though? I think my worries are largely due to my want to control things. I like to know exactly what I'm doing and what my plan is going to be through life. I don't like to plan activities, but I like to plan my life--wrap your mind around that.
I think this whole Praxis test has me worried because suddenly I'm doubting that I actually want to be a music teacher. I would love to teach people how to sing, as well as direct choirs, but what God has really laid on me lately is a heart for worship. Being a worship leader (or whatever you want to call it) is something I think I could devote my entire life to. Leading people to a place of worship, whether that be through music or another media, is something I feel called to do.
We'll see where it takes me.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Daily ramblings
It's an odd feeling knowing that your life is going exactly where you want it to.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This verse is my favorite, but it is also one that is the hardest to comprehend in my opinion. What that says is NOTHING, not a single thing in the world, man-made or not, can SEPARATE us from the love of God. The word separate is they key here. It means that that love is here. Right now, that love is here. It doesn't come and go, it doesn't hide and show up only when we need it. The love of God through Christ Jesus is there ALL DAY.
If that doesn't make your night, I'm not sure what will.
Why do I say that's odd? Because if my life is going in the right direction now, that inherently means it was going in the wrong direction (at least periodically) for the last 22 years of my life. See how that could be odd/upsetting/strange?
While it still feels weird, it also feels perfect. It feels so perfect that I'll quote a movie that you're not expecting me to, The Exorcism of Emily Rose. "...no matter what mistakes I've made in the past, at that moment, I was exactly where I was meant to be. Like I was on the right path."
My entire life feels like I am right where I need to be. Amazing friends, a best friend that amazes me every single day, family, Savior, and a job (which I may or may not complain about too much--not everyone has a job they can complain about #blessed).
For some reason, throughout the day today, my favorite Bible verse has been playing in my mind.
Romans 8: 38-39
This verse is my favorite, but it is also one that is the hardest to comprehend in my opinion. What that says is NOTHING, not a single thing in the world, man-made or not, can SEPARATE us from the love of God. The word separate is they key here. It means that that love is here. Right now, that love is here. It doesn't come and go, it doesn't hide and show up only when we need it. The love of God through Christ Jesus is there ALL DAY.
If that doesn't make your night, I'm not sure what will.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Life after lockup
This past Sunday, Esther and I had to attend the 9:00 service at The Ransom because of work and other commitments. The service was wonderful as always, but one thing stood out to me. Seated to the left of us was a man both Esther and I recognized as a former inmate at the state penitentiary. For some reason, his face stood out from the hundreds of inmates that we saw in our two performances at the penitentiary's church services with the USF Concert Chorale. We didn't approach him after the service, but we both commented on how awesome it is that a man who was incarcerated in a state penitentiary ,for whatever reason, was convicted somehow to continue a walk with Christ. Now, I know I don't know his story or why he was in the pen or what his life was like before his incarceration, but the fact that we saw him at a church service made me so thankful that we have a God that reaches to the places (sometimes the very last places) that people often forget about. No matter where you are in your life, I can almost guarantee it's a better position than being in a state penitentiary. And God even reaches people there! It's beautiful to know that even in the darkest places of our lives, the Holy Spirit can be and is alive and well.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Mine
There are a whole lot of things in the world I call mine.
I have a car, a room, a family, a job (sometimes I don't claim it), and a Savior, just to name a few. One thing I have had a hard time calling "mine" in my lifetime has been a church. I grew up in a church that my grandfather preached in. Inherently, that was the church we as a family attended on Sunday. There weren't a whole lot of kids my age there, and as we grew up, there were even less that cared about coming to church for the purpose of spiritual growth, and more that showed up because their parents managed to drag them out of bed for some empty promise of a buffet at Pizza Ranch after the service. This was extremely hard for me. I grew apart from my youth group; mostly because there were no kids my age that attended, but also because the kids that did attend were very in tune with growing socially, and not so much spiritually. I went to college and kind of had a hard time finding a church. I went to a few--Celebrate, Oak Hills--that seemed alright, but didn't really feel like "mine". I'm a firm believer that if you are meant to be at a church, that God is going to let you know in lightning fashion. I got extremely discouraged.
Recently, thanks to one amazing individual, I started attending The Ransom on a regular basis. Automatically, this church felt like it was mine. In that building, God moves in ways I cannot explain. The pastors are not concerned with what people want to hear. Rather, they are concerned with what people NEED to hear. It's a bit intimidating sometimes though, knowing that you're walking into a place where, sans the pastor saying your name out loud, you're going to be called out. However, even with that happening, I have never been more comfortable being called out in my entire life.
I have a car, a room, a family, a job (sometimes I don't claim it), and a Savior, just to name a few. One thing I have had a hard time calling "mine" in my lifetime has been a church. I grew up in a church that my grandfather preached in. Inherently, that was the church we as a family attended on Sunday. There weren't a whole lot of kids my age there, and as we grew up, there were even less that cared about coming to church for the purpose of spiritual growth, and more that showed up because their parents managed to drag them out of bed for some empty promise of a buffet at Pizza Ranch after the service. This was extremely hard for me. I grew apart from my youth group; mostly because there were no kids my age that attended, but also because the kids that did attend were very in tune with growing socially, and not so much spiritually. I went to college and kind of had a hard time finding a church. I went to a few--Celebrate, Oak Hills--that seemed alright, but didn't really feel like "mine". I'm a firm believer that if you are meant to be at a church, that God is going to let you know in lightning fashion. I got extremely discouraged.
Recently, thanks to one amazing individual, I started attending The Ransom on a regular basis. Automatically, this church felt like it was mine. In that building, God moves in ways I cannot explain. The pastors are not concerned with what people want to hear. Rather, they are concerned with what people NEED to hear. It's a bit intimidating sometimes though, knowing that you're walking into a place where, sans the pastor saying your name out loud, you're going to be called out. However, even with that happening, I have never been more comfortable being called out in my entire life.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
One day to rule them all
Today, was one of the best days I can ever remember.
Esther and I went to the Palisades, where she quickly showed she is much better at free climbing than I am. We went all over that park and eventually ended up on a rock about three feet away from the bank with water flowing around it. It was a perfect spot; just in the shade with a slight breeze. It felt perfect. The night went on and we went to eat and began to watch The Exorcism of Emily Rose. This movie has always scared me to the core. Tonight, it scared me, but not as badly as it always has. Tonight, the move reminded me of exactly how big and immense our God is. For those of you who don't know (I'm speaking like 500 people read this thing haha) The Exorcism of Emily Rose is obviously about an exorcism of a girl named Emily Rose. This movie is based largely off of the tape recording of the actual exorcism that happened in real life. Emily was said to have six demons inside of her, one of them being the devil himself. At the end of the movie, when everything was said and done, there is a scene (I wont ruin it for anyone that decides to read this) that reminds me as the watcher that God can overcome the devil and 5 of his minions! God can overcome EVERYTHING if we just lean on Him in a moment of weakness. Too often we put our faith in people or things, when (as cliche as it sounds) we should put faith in the only being that has shown us that they will be eternally faithful; God.
Esther and I went to the Palisades, where she quickly showed she is much better at free climbing than I am. We went all over that park and eventually ended up on a rock about three feet away from the bank with water flowing around it. It was a perfect spot; just in the shade with a slight breeze. It felt perfect. The night went on and we went to eat and began to watch The Exorcism of Emily Rose. This movie has always scared me to the core. Tonight, it scared me, but not as badly as it always has. Tonight, the move reminded me of exactly how big and immense our God is. For those of you who don't know (I'm speaking like 500 people read this thing haha) The Exorcism of Emily Rose is obviously about an exorcism of a girl named Emily Rose. This movie is based largely off of the tape recording of the actual exorcism that happened in real life. Emily was said to have six demons inside of her, one of them being the devil himself. At the end of the movie, when everything was said and done, there is a scene (I wont ruin it for anyone that decides to read this) that reminds me as the watcher that God can overcome the devil and 5 of his minions! God can overcome EVERYTHING if we just lean on Him in a moment of weakness. Too often we put our faith in people or things, when (as cliche as it sounds) we should put faith in the only being that has shown us that they will be eternally faithful; God.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Take it a day at a time
I've had some pretty great days in my 22 years on this earth.
But today, my best friend and I had a day that will forever go down as one of my favorite. It was such a simple day; went to the mall where she helped my fashion-troubled self pick out some clothes for student teaching, visited a friend working at a coffee shop, got gelato at a genuine Italian place, and meandered around Falls Park for a grand total of about 5 hours. It's unbelievable how a simple day can be magnified with company that is second to none. Genuine community, particularly the close-knit community of best friends, is something that God gave to us to show how much He cares for us. For me, it is a reminder of what eternity will be like with our Father.
Romans 12:9-10
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A few of my favorite things
There are some pretty great things in the world.
Baseball.
Music.
Slowpitch softball.
Jesus and everything He is and does.
Family.
Buffalo Wild Wings.
Golfing.
Those are just a few obviously; but one thing that tops almost every single one of them--I think you can figure out which one(s) I am talking about--is getting lost in a conversation with a person you consider your best friend on the earth. Time decides it wants to both freeze and be on Red Bull at the same time when something like this happens. It seems like no time passes, but when the words stop flowing and your brain is left to attempt to piece together the conversation that just happened, your eyes glance at the clock--sometimes in a quick double take--and realize that two and a half hours just passed seemingly in 10 minutes. The feeling left, at least in my mind, was one of complete amazement; that two people can connect on such a level that time in itself seems to move at a different pace is something outside of this world.
Baseball.
Music.
Slowpitch softball.
Jesus and everything He is and does.
Family.
Buffalo Wild Wings.
Golfing.
Those are just a few obviously; but one thing that tops almost every single one of them--I think you can figure out which one(s) I am talking about--is getting lost in a conversation with a person you consider your best friend on the earth. Time decides it wants to both freeze and be on Red Bull at the same time when something like this happens. It seems like no time passes, but when the words stop flowing and your brain is left to attempt to piece together the conversation that just happened, your eyes glance at the clock--sometimes in a quick double take--and realize that two and a half hours just passed seemingly in 10 minutes. The feeling left, at least in my mind, was one of complete amazement; that two people can connect on such a level that time in itself seems to move at a different pace is something outside of this world.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Stop complaining
Serious Thinking.
Definitely not what is going on here on this blog.
I'm not really sure why I named it that.
Most of the thinking I've been doing lately hasn't really been that serious at all. It's mostly been about the amazing difference a decision and a month can make in a persons life. Why has it taken so long for me to be legitimately happy with my life? I am not sure I will ever know (I'm not convinced I would actually want to know) the answer to that question. The only thing I am sure of now is that I wake up every day knowing that my life is fully blessed. There's nothing in the world I should be complaining about. I have an amazing God who loves me and cares more for me than any human could possibly fathom. My family is one of my most favorite things ever. My best friend is someone that shows the love of Christ to me at every single moment of the day. Yet I still find myself complaining about little things. In the last month, that is one thing that has definitely been my focus; stop complaining and bask in sheer amazingness that is the love of Christ.
Definitely not what is going on here on this blog.
I'm not really sure why I named it that.
Most of the thinking I've been doing lately hasn't really been that serious at all. It's mostly been about the amazing difference a decision and a month can make in a persons life. Why has it taken so long for me to be legitimately happy with my life? I am not sure I will ever know (I'm not convinced I would actually want to know) the answer to that question. The only thing I am sure of now is that I wake up every day knowing that my life is fully blessed. There's nothing in the world I should be complaining about. I have an amazing God who loves me and cares more for me than any human could possibly fathom. My family is one of my most favorite things ever. My best friend is someone that shows the love of Christ to me at every single moment of the day. Yet I still find myself complaining about little things. In the last month, that is one thing that has definitely been my focus; stop complaining and bask in sheer amazingness that is the love of Christ.
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