My List

here's a few things i'd like for christmas:

new sandals to replace these:





a red wings jersey:

not new because they are really expensive, but they could probably be found used somewhere in michigan.

a bilingual bible:

preferably portable, NIV for english. same or RV for spanish

a few nice shirts:

sunday mornings, evening stuff

Thanks :)

Don't we all?

so its a little hard to read but the important part is the last panel where rat says "I really really miss bill watterson"

I do to rat

also a scary report : http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20081022/hl_hsn/scientistserasespecificmemoriesinmice

On Sharing Faith

So I did not end up writing yesterday because I was doing more productive things. Like going to Starbucks at River and Campbell with Colton to do our bible study. In our nav study we're studying Jesus and what he said on different topics. This week was Jesus on faith sharing. We did the first section which took 5 different stories and said to look at what Jesus said and did. They were Nicodemus, Zaccheus, The Woman at the well, in the pharisee's house, and the lawyer. It was good time really. One of the really challenging yet encouraging parts was Luke 4:38. Its right toward the end of the Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. He's talking to the disciples and he says, "I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." I read this and saw it two ways. The first is that we can not obviously, take any credit for someone who believes after we talk to them. The second is that we cannot be discouraged just because we don't personally see the results. We may be the second part of twenty people that influence a person on a path to Jesus. We may help plant the seed that someone else will water and someone entirely different will harvest. (For more on this analogy see 1 Corinthians 3:1-9) So its challenging because we may never see the results of our labor here on earth but encouraging because we may see the results when we are presented before God.

So keep on working. Keep on sharing. Keep on discipling because God is there with you.

Jealousy

So I bet you all thought I was going to have some profound thought on jealousy...well I don't. I'm just jealous of my sisters who are currently in Michigan visiting David, Adrienne, and Bentley. I want to go :(

Oh well I'll meet him sometime soon...

Have a great week everyone. I'll post something more interesting on Wednesday i think. Maybe tomorrow cause I have a good portion of the afternoon free.

Spare thoughts

So I'm back in the library with some time to spare. Time to reflect on how out of shape I am. Last weekend I hurt my foot running barefoot and today my calf is sore from jumping at a concert on saturday. Of course it didn't help any that I played soccer on it yesterday. Right now especially I can hardly do anything without getting tired. Partly because I'm kinda sick right now and partly because I'm actually trying to get in shape. We'll see how I do this week.

So I'm not sure how many off you know that we got a new manager for my starbucks. Her name's Annette and she worked with both Steven and David and told me to say hi so: hello from Annette. She's really done some great work at the store in the past few weeks that have made working there a lot easier. I'm really looking forward to these holiday's at my store.

Speaking of holiday's... what's the plan? Ideas anyone on how we the kids are going to do things for christmas?

Have a wonderful week.

Where are you?

Where are all my family members that were so annoyed that I wasn't posting anymore?

Anyway my verse today:
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
-Galatians 2:20

Statements and an Answer

Things of note:

My fantasy football team is horrible.
I was bored all weekend.
I learned two new songs on my guitar yesterday.
I have a test today in piano.
I'm pretty sure I need better nutrition.
Exercise will begin as soon as I buy a lock for my bike.
I can't find Conquerors Legacy anywhere.

In other news:
Work is fun most of the time.
I'm hungry.
I started doing the Topical Memory System.
My current verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17

In answer to your question David: Yes. Mexico is more dangerous than it was a few years ago. Mostly because of the crackdown on the drug cartels creating violence which creates a need to crackdown on drug violence which creates a backlash of violence. Basically a cycle of violence that could be stopped by a lack of demand. No demand, no supply, no cartels, no violence. So all of the complaining by Americans about the drug violence in Mexico spilling over into the U.S. is ridiculous since its caused by their own dependence on illegal drugs. It doesn't matter how much we close the border or how much aid we send Mexico to help stop the cartels because as long as there is a demand in the U.S. the drugs will get in somehow. As to the other question David, when I'm there I feel tension sometimes but I'm not there all the time. What do you think Mom and Dad?

Mexico

Instructions:
1. Copy/paste to your web browser
2. Read
3. Pray

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080917/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_explosion

Read it. Not just about sports

Seven minutes left and the Lions had just completed the greatest comeback in their history. 21 down and they took the lead at 25-24. Then they proceeded to implode with three interceptions, eventually losing 48-25. Matt Millen should have been fired years ago. Admittedly it was completely the quarterback's fault but here's why Millen needs to be gone: I wasn't surprised. We've come to expect it. Since he took over the Lions have the worst record in the NFL. I mean seriously, why does he still have his job?

In other sports news (and for those of you who are considering skipping this please read it), a riot after a soccer match in Congo killed 13 people. Most of them were 11-16 and were trampled by the crowd. Here's the sad part: it was started because of accusations that a player used witchcraft to influence the match. 13 people lost their lives probably without knowing Jesus because of witchcraft. And most people in the U.S. will read that story and think haha how silly, cause witchcraft isn't real. Haha Harry Potter doesn't even care about soccer. Isn't it amazing how many people need Jesus? Not just in Congo but in the U.S. also. People who embrace evil and use it for their own and those that flat out deny the supernatural exist. Who needs the light more? The ones stuck in the dark or the ones with their eyes closed? I believe both. Which one is worth it though? I mean which one should we spend our time witnessing to? I think the one in the dark because he hasn't rejected Jesus, he just doesn't know he exists. What do you think?

Really?

So I was watching Amazing Police Videos the other day and they said the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time. A cop pulled over a guy for running a stop sign and has him step out of his van. His kids are in the car also. The cop finds that he's driving on a suspended license so she searches him and finds two thousand dollars. He freaks out and attacks her. She maces him twice and he can't drive cause he can't see. He attacks again and she pulls her gun. When other officers arrive they find crack cocaine. The host of the show proceeds to wrap up. The man is charged with possession, assault, and some minor driving violations...but at least the kids are ok.

Really? The kids are ok? Are you serious? Their dad just got arrested because he's a drug dealer and he attacked a cop and you really think the kids are going to be ok? Some people say the most ridiculous things.

My Weekend

Let me tell you about my weekend. So I woke up friday (my weekends start when class ends on thursday) at six. I worked at seven for four hours. It was nice to work in the morning again but I was anxious to leave which kind of ruined it. Ruined is too strong because I did have a lot of fun but I couldn't appreciate it. Anyway when I was off at eleven I briefly went home to get my stuff and the headed to Nogales. This weekend was the Confraternidad of the free methodist churches, affectionately referred to by most simply as "El Evento." So at five I went to the auditorium with Caroline because she was supposed to practice or something but we really just ended up sitting around talking to people. The service that night started at seven. The worship was great. Caroline sang a song called "Rey de Justicia" beautifully much to her surprise because she had a "sore throat." The sermon was heavy on anecdote and light on Bible but it was good for a first-night-break-the-ice-kinda-thing.
Afterward, everyone was talking and hanging out, when Albano got all the youth from Manantial de Vida together to tell us that the youth group from Los Encinos had invited us to go with them to pray the next morning at five. I was not entirely enthusiastic about getting up at four but I agreed to bring the suburban to transport people. Let me clarify that I did want to go to pray but being asked to get up at four the morning after staying up jumping and singing until eleven is not exactly desirable. I did succeed at waking up on time and drove to the church. There I picked up a couple of people and went to met everyone else at the SuperVal. So with about 28 people packed into three cars we drove to the hills at the southernmost part of Nogales. We went up to the side of a hill clearly visible from the main road going into the city and proceeded to start clearing an area of the hill and collecting rocks. See we weren't just going to pray, we were going to make a sign with rocks saying something like "Jesus Vive." While everyone was working groups were rotating out to pray for Nogales and the gang violence that has been sweeping through the city recently. It was a great time.
Saturday afternoon was the service for the youth groups. A few different bands played including our group from church. I played electric guitar and sang on one of the songs. The sermon was frustrating for me because again there were hardly any Biblical references involved. It was mostly just a scolding from a guy who didn't really know anyone in the crowd. However the end turned out all right with a time of prayer.
It ended about half an hour before the main service was supposed to start. So at seven we all went back in. The evening featured a new speaker from Texas named Hugo Martinez. He was entertaining and had some really good things to say about attitude directed mainly at the youth in the crowd.
That night I slept very well after being up all day saturday. Sunday morning rolled in with the promise of a great sermon with hang out time afterward. And it didn't disappoint. The service included great music, a good sermon, and me losing my voice. While the afternoon was one of those that makes me wish I lived in Nogales. Youth from Centro, Los Encinos, and of course Manantial de Vida all came over to swim and eat pizza. We played Marco Polo, Bulldog and had the return of Flavio (for more on that search flavio gonzales on youtube). We watched Walk the Line and afterward I drove back up to Tucson.

Overall, lots of fun, some great prayer time, and valuable hang time with the fam and friends.

Be back wednesday.

The Return

I'm sitting in the library at the Pima West campus looking out the big windows at a glorious blue sky listening to Mana. In a few minutes I will open my book "Conquerors Heritage" and read until I feel hungry. Then I will find some food and then go to class at 2. You see I have three classes on Monday and Wednesday. Two of them are in the morning ending at 10:40 while the next one doesn't start until two. Not enough time to get a shift at work. Enough time to go home but who wants to waste the gas? So I've found a solution. The library on the third floor is perfect for sitting and thinking, doing homework, studying the bible, and the list goes on. So today since I didn't have a whole lot of homework I decided I'd start up my blog again which I know you are all glad to hear.

Since I last posted the school year ended with a fizzle. Everyone just kinda left I I stayed. Actually I shouldn't say everyone because there were a few people here. Colton and I chilled a lot at the house on University, joined at times by Steven, Jon Stewart, and Jason Barton. Hamilton was around also and was always willing to promote a movie or two, or three, or CDs containing six or eight full movies. It was chill, fun, and distinctly boring. But the school year has started bringing with it activity. I'm in a new house by Ft. Lowell and Stone with Jason, Colton, and Jhoalan. All cool, christian guys. Bible studies are starting up again. This year I'm in a study with Jason Barbieri, Colton, Jhoalan, Jason, Justin, Tyler and David and we're going to study the gospels. This year also brings change. Steven's gone and is already missed by all the guys here, but Jane is here now and we've already had some cool hang out time. I'm also a full-time student again. I'm taking two music classes plus a piano class, a math class and a political science class which I apparently need for the education part of music education.

Some messages:
David and Adrienne: Congratulations! I'm praying for you and for little Ben. I can't wait to meet him.
Steven: Miss you bro. I'm trying to figure out when I can go out to visit. It'll probably end up being a road trip with the guys some weekend.
Jane: Don't watch too much of season four without me. I'm really glad you're here in tucson to hang out with.
Caroline: Are you ready for this weekend? Gonna be fun yeah?
Mom and Dad: Thanks for all of your encouragement this summer.

I'm out.

I went to my structure of music class today and really realized how much I missed in high school. It wasn't that I didn't know what was going on I just had to work at it. I mean I haven't actually learned anything about music theory since my freshman year of high school. Its going to be a lot of fun though. Not like my writing class. That class is going to be really annoying. But its something I have to do right.

Jhoalan moved in today. Its going to be great having him here. He's going to go with me to the bible study on mondays. We're doing Romans 1-8 and I'm going to read Philippians.

Coming soon: ummm...not really sure...jaja

Sick

So I'm kinda wondering what happened to David, Steven, Adrienne, and Caro. But hey, it looked like you had fun in New York Jane.

I'm sitting in my room right now coughing up my lungs and its not fun. Especially since I had to leave work an hour early because of it. I really don't like being sick. It limits me. Plus I think I keep people up when I cough. Anyway I hope I feel better.

I'm working on a new project at church with Pastor Juan Carlos, Jose and Pete. We're creating a youth worship team. I'll be playing guitar, and Leonardo will play drums with Saul on bass and Caroline on piano. Ana Laura, Manny, Caro and I will all sing. Its gonna be a lot of fun but if you could pray for that it'd be great.

Thats all for now. Later

A poem

once on a hilltop
three crosses stood
the one in the middle
held the man who could

save the world from itself
he died once that day
though he did no wrong
for my life he did pay

thank you Lord God
you showed me the way
you lifted me up
and held me that day

3 blogs

All right, I'm getting more organized. So here's what I'm going to do. I'm starting two new blogs...kind of. I will have this one. Then if you look at my links there's one called "study" where I will be posting in spanish. I'm going to combine with pastor Juan Carlos to post on his sermons each week. The brand new one will be on sports. I'm going to put all my useless information to use since I don't really talk to anyone about. So there you have it. Once a week each at least. Hopefully more. Later