I've come to hate something: my little facebook world. I have become so non-personal with people because I think I already know what's going on in their lives. Status updates have become all that I feel the need to read to feel like I'm in touch with people. I may occasionally look at some pictures, or read a few notes, but I think I've become so stretched out socially that I don't invest my time into people anymore. And for this I apologize. It needs to change.
In other news: 2009 brings a lot of challenge for me. I have decided that I need to do a few things to better myself as a person. And they are as follows:
1.) Be surrounded by positive people.
- It seems that whenever I am surrounded by people that complain, I take on the same attitude with nearly everything that's going on in my life. I look at things pessimistically when I hear negative conversation. I need to be more positive...
2.) Read More
- This goes for my Bible and other books in general. I only read my text books and sometimes I don't even fully finish those... Reading can help me to learn so much more and grow mentally.
3.) Witness More
- I feel like the only times I witness are those times I'm on mission in the Philippines. It's easy there for me. It's a comfort zone that I should have everywhere, but I don't. I need to break myself of this and thrust myself into the spiritual warzone here in the States.
4.) Set Goals
- I never seem to set goals that work because they're always so far away. "I eventually want to do this..." or "In the future I'd like to make this happen..." I want to make those goals shorter term and be able to actually work some of them out.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm tired of mediocrity. I would love for you to join me in this fight against being average and if you're willing to fight with me, let me know.
Now off to read. I feel better already...
Merry Christmas?
Thursday, December 25, 2008
So here it is. Christmas. There are two firsts for me this Christmas:
1.) It's the first Christmas of my 20's.. and
2.) It's the first Christmas without my family.
I'll admit, I was kind of depressed that I would be spending Christmas half a world a way from my family. Hearing of all the wonderful Christmas plans that my friends had made with their families caused me to sulk in my loneliness for a while. It seemed at every turn there was a family enjoying a meal, or a commercial with a family eating Christmas dinner. Christmas this year seemed like it was just going to fall short of being Christmas...
As the clock struck twelve (Christmas), I read aloud Matthew 1 as I played my guitar slowly. I actually got excited reading the genealogy of Jesus for the first time. As the names got closer and closer to Jesus I started to play harder and read louder. By the time I got to verse 14 I could no longer hold back, I shouted that Azor was the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Akim, and Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan! Jesus was coming soon! I continued on almost sweating: Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born JESUS, who is called Christ!
My hair stood on end as I read verse 21: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." THIS is the first Christmas that I've truly reflected on that. Jesus was born into this world so that He could take our punishment. I would encourage you to reflect on that. I don't know who you are reading this, you may have just stumbled on this randomly, or you may be a close friend. Either way, may you be transformed by the love of Jesus Christ this Christmas season.
1.) It's the first Christmas of my 20's.. and
2.) It's the first Christmas without my family.
I'll admit, I was kind of depressed that I would be spending Christmas half a world a way from my family. Hearing of all the wonderful Christmas plans that my friends had made with their families caused me to sulk in my loneliness for a while. It seemed at every turn there was a family enjoying a meal, or a commercial with a family eating Christmas dinner. Christmas this year seemed like it was just going to fall short of being Christmas...
As the clock struck twelve (Christmas), I read aloud Matthew 1 as I played my guitar slowly. I actually got excited reading the genealogy of Jesus for the first time. As the names got closer and closer to Jesus I started to play harder and read louder. By the time I got to verse 14 I could no longer hold back, I shouted that Azor was the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Akim, and Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan! Jesus was coming soon! I continued on almost sweating: Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born JESUS, who is called Christ!
My hair stood on end as I read verse 21: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." THIS is the first Christmas that I've truly reflected on that. Jesus was born into this world so that He could take our punishment. I would encourage you to reflect on that. I don't know who you are reading this, you may have just stumbled on this randomly, or you may be a close friend. Either way, may you be transformed by the love of Jesus Christ this Christmas season.
Christmas Break
Friday, December 19, 2008
As Christmas draws nearer I've been thinking more and more about getting away for a few days and just camping. I don't know if this desire has sprouted from my immediate family being half a world away or if it's just my masculine side telling me to get out and live life in the wilderness for a while. It seems that I'm surrounded by concrete so often and that everything is man-made. It would be great to be in the woods reflecting on how marvelous God's creation is for once... I think that I may just do this with Josh the weekend after Christmas. It'll be rock and roll.
In other news, I actually cooked lunch for people other than myself today. Roberts family was brave enough to let me do it, so I prepared chicken adobo (filipino goodness). It looked like this:
It worked out though, I think. No one threw up at least...
In other news, I actually cooked lunch for people other than myself today. Roberts family was brave enough to let me do it, so I prepared chicken adobo (filipino goodness). It looked like this:
It worked out though, I think. No one threw up at least...
Wow. So I Have A Blogger Account?
Monday, December 15, 2008
I totally didn't realize that I had a blogger.
Nor did I realize that I've already posted TWICE on it. Maybe I'll post more often? I don't know... regardless, I wanted to share something I realized this week: I need to engage the lost around me more.
I realized this when I was at the Jacksonville Jaguars game with Robert on Sunday. My warm and fuzzy, Christian bubble that Liberty University has so wonderfully crafted around me was rudely popped by a wave of alcoholic tinted screams of profanity hurled from Jags fans behind me towards any and every member of the Green Bay Packers. I started to count the different profanities that I heard and quickly realized that it was futile because I can only count so high. I even witnessed a man with his child almost get into a fight with someone in front of him. I don't know what it was about, but they were throwing every cuss word imaginable at one another.
I became very uncomfortable.
This is what gets me though... I did not reflect Christs love upon them. Rather, I cast judgment in my mind. Instead of talking to these people, I kept my mouth shut and my eyes focused on what was on the field, creating my own set of blinders to what was going on around me. What would've happened if I had reached out to these people and met them where they were at instead of hiding in my shell and retreating from the world? I'm not really implying that the buzzed guy next to me would've become a preacher if I had just been nice to him, and I'm not really saying that anything would've changed at all. But maybe, just maybe, if I had acted in the way Christ would have, someone would have notice the Light.
So, I guess what I'm getting at with all of this is we need to be Christians that stand up in the midst of culture and meet people where they're at. I'm pretty unhappy about the way I've met adversity and that needs to change.
Nor did I realize that I've already posted TWICE on it. Maybe I'll post more often? I don't know... regardless, I wanted to share something I realized this week: I need to engage the lost around me more.
I realized this when I was at the Jacksonville Jaguars game with Robert on Sunday. My warm and fuzzy, Christian bubble that Liberty University has so wonderfully crafted around me was rudely popped by a wave of alcoholic tinted screams of profanity hurled from Jags fans behind me towards any and every member of the Green Bay Packers. I started to count the different profanities that I heard and quickly realized that it was futile because I can only count so high. I even witnessed a man with his child almost get into a fight with someone in front of him. I don't know what it was about, but they were throwing every cuss word imaginable at one another.
I became very uncomfortable.
This is what gets me though... I did not reflect Christs love upon them. Rather, I cast judgment in my mind. Instead of talking to these people, I kept my mouth shut and my eyes focused on what was on the field, creating my own set of blinders to what was going on around me. What would've happened if I had reached out to these people and met them where they were at instead of hiding in my shell and retreating from the world? I'm not really implying that the buzzed guy next to me would've become a preacher if I had just been nice to him, and I'm not really saying that anything would've changed at all. But maybe, just maybe, if I had acted in the way Christ would have, someone would have notice the Light.
So, I guess what I'm getting at with all of this is we need to be Christians that stand up in the midst of culture and meet people where they're at. I'm pretty unhappy about the way I've met adversity and that needs to change.
To Run or Not To Run.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
It's 36 degrees outside right now and it's raining. Hard. I'm supposed to run today but I'm highly considering staying inside where my chances of survival are much higher. Running in the rain is fun, but when you have to run in rain that's at almost freezing temperatures... completely different story.
Which brings me to my rant: I hate the fact that water is still the substance that falls from the sky at 36 degrees. Why can't snow just round up to the nearest hundred or something? It's not like snow has any children to tend to while he's off duty. I'm angry at snow for not showing up more often, it's like he doesn't even care. Children have school to be cancelled. I have snowballs to make and out in my freezer so that when summer comes the little children won't know what hit 'em. There are snow forts to be made, ice skating to be had, snow angel's that are begging to be formed. Have you ever gone outside when it snowed with a giant bottle of juice and started to make your own snowcones? It's awesome. Especially when it's grape juice and people who walk by see this huge purple spot of snow. It's also fun to make lemonaide snow cones so that people freak when they see you actually eating yellow snow. My friends parents actually tried to stop me one year because they thought it was pee. I put it in my mouth and ran. Poor people probably still think I ate pee that day....
It's my review time: Today I will review the music CD "Moonbabies" by Planet X. Formed by two members of the Steve Vai band and former keyboardist of Dream Theater, Planet X is the kind of band that makes you want to throw up out of excitment. Their music is a blend of jazz fusion, progressive rock, and magical amazingness. I would highly suggest it to anyone looking for music that's not aimed at the "I'm a pre-teen that's depressed and I'm looking for a girlfriend but nobody will love me because of my ridiculous hair and bad taste in fashion but at least I love MCR whatever that stands for! RAWR!"
BingbongBEEDAH! That's the sound of the Person of the Day award. For my first ever person of the day award I choose: Abigail Smith Adams. That's right, wife of our 2nd President and mom of our 6th. Without this woman we would have NOT had a sixth President. By her begatting John Quincy, we laid ground work for democracy by allowing this country to have a 6th President instead of not having any President at all. Without a President we could have very well become a nation of anarchists and punk rock lovers. Oy. Oy. Oy vey. So thank you Abigail Smith Adams, without you we'd all be "misfits".
That concludes today's entry. Check tomorrow to see if I'm clinging to life by a snot bubble after my run. Bye.
Which brings me to my rant: I hate the fact that water is still the substance that falls from the sky at 36 degrees. Why can't snow just round up to the nearest hundred or something? It's not like snow has any children to tend to while he's off duty. I'm angry at snow for not showing up more often, it's like he doesn't even care. Children have school to be cancelled. I have snowballs to make and out in my freezer so that when summer comes the little children won't know what hit 'em. There are snow forts to be made, ice skating to be had, snow angel's that are begging to be formed. Have you ever gone outside when it snowed with a giant bottle of juice and started to make your own snowcones? It's awesome. Especially when it's grape juice and people who walk by see this huge purple spot of snow. It's also fun to make lemonaide snow cones so that people freak when they see you actually eating yellow snow. My friends parents actually tried to stop me one year because they thought it was pee. I put it in my mouth and ran. Poor people probably still think I ate pee that day....
It's my review time: Today I will review the music CD "Moonbabies" by Planet X. Formed by two members of the Steve Vai band and former keyboardist of Dream Theater, Planet X is the kind of band that makes you want to throw up out of excitment. Their music is a blend of jazz fusion, progressive rock, and magical amazingness. I would highly suggest it to anyone looking for music that's not aimed at the "I'm a pre-teen that's depressed and I'm looking for a girlfriend but nobody will love me because of my ridiculous hair and bad taste in fashion but at least I love MCR whatever that stands for! RAWR!"
BingbongBEEDAH! That's the sound of the Person of the Day award. For my first ever person of the day award I choose: Abigail Smith Adams. That's right, wife of our 2nd President and mom of our 6th. Without this woman we would have NOT had a sixth President. By her begatting John Quincy, we laid ground work for democracy by allowing this country to have a 6th President instead of not having any President at all. Without a President we could have very well become a nation of anarchists and punk rock lovers. Oy. Oy. Oy vey. So thank you Abigail Smith Adams, without you we'd all be "misfits".
That concludes today's entry. Check tomorrow to see if I'm clinging to life by a snot bubble after my run. Bye.
So it starts...
Writing has always been something that I've done. Whether for my private viewing or for public audiences, I love to write. So I've decided that my random nonsense will be posted on this site from now on. My other journal (http://jesseboyguydude.livejournal.com) will be designated my spiritual journal where I'll post my deeper thoughts and insights on more serious topics. This blog however will pretty much be ridiculous, somewhat amusing, easy to read, and crazy delicious.
I will try to update this everyday. If I don't... go suck on a lemon or something. They taste amazing. Seriously.
Until tomorrow my dear children, don't eat too much grease fire. It gives you heart burn.
I will try to update this everyday. If I don't... go suck on a lemon or something. They taste amazing. Seriously.
Until tomorrow my dear children, don't eat too much grease fire. It gives you heart burn.
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