Normally I don't blog anything that isn't originally mine. However, I'm going to make an exception for Bible verses. This is one that my core group leader at college asked us to think about as we go into this school year.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time but is painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ~ Hebrews 12:11
This is something I need to keep in mind as I start my college carrier, as I start my life away from my family, as I start anything. Discipline is necessary for growth. It's never easy, but the benefit is worth the pain. Righteousness is something we all need in order to grow closer to God. The Holy spirit in us is the only one who can bring about that righteousness, and he brings it about through discipline.
And I don't know about you, but I could really use some peace in my life right now. Not peace in the sense that everyone in the world will stop fighting, or at least stop fighting with me. Not peace that means I will get along with everyone, and everyone will like me. This peace is a peace of the spirit; A calm amidst the storm. It is in that peace--while the rest of the world feels chaos--that we are able to have joy in all situations. Joy is a wonderful thing.
However, none of this comes free and easy. It comes from discipline, and in discipline there is pain--at least for a time.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Uuumm....Hi
How many of you know where Timbucktu is? Well, guess where I am.
That's right, I'm in Oregon.
To be exact I'm at college. I'm not going to give the name of the college for security reasons--my security, not the college's.
I moved in here yesterday. I start classes on Wednesday. Yet, I get home work on Monday--due Tuesday.
I'm really excited to see how this all works out.
I'm living in the same dorm and the same hall that I lived in all three years for Summer Seminary. This makes things a little weird. I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I'm here for school. It still only feels like I'm here for a Summer Seminary kind of thing. Same atmosphere, same feeling with many new faces and a few old ones. There are going to be four previous Summer Seminary students attending this school this year, including myself, and two theology professors who work here.
Today we had church in the chapel building, followed by lunch. After that I went up to my dorm and played pool with some people for an hour.
Now, as you can see evidence to, I am writing. Later today I'll be going to the house of my core group leader, and we're going to hang out and have some fun before the torture begins.
Laters.
That's right, I'm in Oregon.
To be exact I'm at college. I'm not going to give the name of the college for security reasons--my security, not the college's.
I moved in here yesterday. I start classes on Wednesday. Yet, I get home work on Monday--due Tuesday.
I'm really excited to see how this all works out.
I'm living in the same dorm and the same hall that I lived in all three years for Summer Seminary. This makes things a little weird. I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I'm here for school. It still only feels like I'm here for a Summer Seminary kind of thing. Same atmosphere, same feeling with many new faces and a few old ones. There are going to be four previous Summer Seminary students attending this school this year, including myself, and two theology professors who work here.
Today we had church in the chapel building, followed by lunch. After that I went up to my dorm and played pool with some people for an hour.
Now, as you can see evidence to, I am writing. Later today I'll be going to the house of my core group leader, and we're going to hang out and have some fun before the torture begins.
Laters.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
So Long? What's That Supposed To Mean?
These last couple days...no, these last couple weeks have been kind of weird. I'm off to college on Saturday, and it almost feels like I'm leaving this town forever. To be honest, I would love to be able to come back and live here for the rest of my life after college, but I don't know if that will be possible. The thing is, I'm going into the ministry, and I have no idea where God is going to send me. But what is the likelihood that He will send me right back where I came from. Jesus himself said that a prophet has no honor in his home town. Now, I'm not saying that I'm a prophet, but if you think about it there is a lot of applicable sense to it. If I were to come back here and become a youth pastor or something like that, there might be people who wouldn't take me very seriously simply because they have known me since I was a child. Or they would think that I was just prideful for trying to teach people who at one time taught me.
On the other hand, I do have a very good reputation in this town and people already do take me fairly seriously. There is also the added factor that many pastors miss out on--the accountability that comes with relationships. If people have known me for so long, they might feel more comfortable approaching me as a person and not as a 'higher being' that they call a pastor. They have seen me as a person with no title what-so-ever, and they might not think so differently of me if I were to come back.
There are a lot of variables, and a plethora of possibilities. However, no matter what the possibilities are, I will still have to follow the call of the Lord wherever he might take me.
God bless.
On the other hand, I do have a very good reputation in this town and people already do take me fairly seriously. There is also the added factor that many pastors miss out on--the accountability that comes with relationships. If people have known me for so long, they might feel more comfortable approaching me as a person and not as a 'higher being' that they call a pastor. They have seen me as a person with no title what-so-ever, and they might not think so differently of me if I were to come back.
There are a lot of variables, and a plethora of possibilities. However, no matter what the possibilities are, I will still have to follow the call of the Lord wherever he might take me.
God bless.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Zzzzzzzz...Wh-Wha?! I'm Awake!
I've been really tired lately. The thing about that is I have been getting WAY more than my quota of sleep. Today I think I figured out why; I haven't been getting as much exercise as I used to.
During the school year I would walk not only all over school, but to and from school as well. I would also walk all over town and almost everywhere else when I needed to get something or go somewhere. And there is this one hill in town that I used to walk up and down all the time back in the day.
However, for the last few weeks I haven't had school, I haven't needed to go anywhere that I could walk to, and...well...let's just say that monster hill lost it's appeal.
So here I sit every day, infront of my computer working out my fingers. Granted, I get on the computer after I'm done with my work for the day(I'll tell you about that project later). But still, I don't do as much as I used to. I miss that old wandering life, but I became busy with work and stiflingly unmotivated to make the time to wander as I once did.
Now whenever I use my legs for more than just walking around they get tired really fast(that's not normal for me), and I've been really tired because my sleep isn't as restful as it used to be.
I hope I'm not this lazy in college. Can you say freshman fifteen? Yeah, Laters.
During the school year I would walk not only all over school, but to and from school as well. I would also walk all over town and almost everywhere else when I needed to get something or go somewhere. And there is this one hill in town that I used to walk up and down all the time back in the day.
However, for the last few weeks I haven't had school, I haven't needed to go anywhere that I could walk to, and...well...let's just say that monster hill lost it's appeal.
So here I sit every day, infront of my computer working out my fingers. Granted, I get on the computer after I'm done with my work for the day(I'll tell you about that project later). But still, I don't do as much as I used to. I miss that old wandering life, but I became busy with work and stiflingly unmotivated to make the time to wander as I once did.
Now whenever I use my legs for more than just walking around they get tired really fast(that's not normal for me), and I've been really tired because my sleep isn't as restful as it used to be.
I hope I'm not this lazy in college. Can you say freshman fifteen? Yeah, Laters.
Monday, August 07, 2006
No Ink Stains On This Summer, Eh?
Want to know something crazy?
Last Summer I was gone two different times for three weeks at a time. That's half the Summer right there.
This year I was gone for one week, and I'll be gone for one more week before I go back to school.
So here is the weird thing.
Last summer I posted a bunch.
This summer...well...you can still see posts from before school was out on the main page, and the main page only shows the last seven or so posts.
Explanation: My mind has been kind of full lately.
It would seem like I would then have a lot of stuff to put in my blog, but no, that's not true.
Actually the way it works is like this:
The more I have on my mind, the harder it is for any of it to come out of my mind.
I think I need to go back to writing by hand. Not everything, just do some writing in that format. I've found that when I write by hand it's a lot more relaxing. The words flow out on to the page...well, here, I'll explain it with an excerpt from a paper I wrote in my AP English class:
"Slowly, one by one, my thoughts begin to fall out of my head onto the once blank page. As each thought comes forward more thoughts begin to take notice of the portal through which they can escape. Soon the page is filling, the pen is flying, and the thoughts are crowding the gate; almost preventing any thoughts from coming through. So many ideas, words, and indescribable concepts come forth that I can scarcely decide which ones are worthy of this paper."
......
"The pen screams to be freed from the limiting grasp of my hand. All my thoughts are like magma squeezed against the crust of the earth. If only there was a way for every one of those thoughts to burst forth from my mind onto the pages of this small book."
This is often what happens when I write.
When I type I produce a different kind of writing. When I free-type about something I usually reach forward and fight my way toward an unknown end. The mental process is similar to when I free-write, but the feel is different.
Free-writing is more of an unleashing of what has been building up in my head.
Free-typing is more of a mechanical process working mathematically, scientifically, theologically and philosophically toward an ultimate product.
I like free-typing. I really enjoy going through the process, and realizing the outcome.
However, free-writing is more of a relaxing release. It helps me to see what is really going on in my head. Some times it helps me to take what's in my head and actually work through it so that I can get some kind of closure or release from certain things.
All this to say,
I need to do more free-writing.
(And did I mention the cool knuckle ink-stains...I'm left handed...I smear...ink knuckles happen.)
Last Summer I was gone two different times for three weeks at a time. That's half the Summer right there.
This year I was gone for one week, and I'll be gone for one more week before I go back to school.
So here is the weird thing.
Last summer I posted a bunch.
This summer...well...you can still see posts from before school was out on the main page, and the main page only shows the last seven or so posts.
Explanation: My mind has been kind of full lately.
It would seem like I would then have a lot of stuff to put in my blog, but no, that's not true.
Actually the way it works is like this:
The more I have on my mind, the harder it is for any of it to come out of my mind.
I think I need to go back to writing by hand. Not everything, just do some writing in that format. I've found that when I write by hand it's a lot more relaxing. The words flow out on to the page...well, here, I'll explain it with an excerpt from a paper I wrote in my AP English class:
"Slowly, one by one, my thoughts begin to fall out of my head onto the once blank page. As each thought comes forward more thoughts begin to take notice of the portal through which they can escape. Soon the page is filling, the pen is flying, and the thoughts are crowding the gate; almost preventing any thoughts from coming through. So many ideas, words, and indescribable concepts come forth that I can scarcely decide which ones are worthy of this paper."
......
"The pen screams to be freed from the limiting grasp of my hand. All my thoughts are like magma squeezed against the crust of the earth. If only there was a way for every one of those thoughts to burst forth from my mind onto the pages of this small book."
This is often what happens when I write.
When I type I produce a different kind of writing. When I free-type about something I usually reach forward and fight my way toward an unknown end. The mental process is similar to when I free-write, but the feel is different.
Free-writing is more of an unleashing of what has been building up in my head.
Free-typing is more of a mechanical process working mathematically, scientifically, theologically and philosophically toward an ultimate product.
I like free-typing. I really enjoy going through the process, and realizing the outcome.
However, free-writing is more of a relaxing release. It helps me to see what is really going on in my head. Some times it helps me to take what's in my head and actually work through it so that I can get some kind of closure or release from certain things.
All this to say,
I need to do more free-writing.
(And did I mention the cool knuckle ink-stains...I'm left handed...I smear...ink knuckles happen.)
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