Underoath - Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape

Underoath

Yesterday I went to an Underoath concert with Martin. Underoath is a christian heavy metal that is very popular even among non-christians, so I was a little aprehensive about the people who would be there. It turned out to be an odd mix. Lots of obviously non-christians but also quite a few christians. Then there were some parents and some people that didn't really fit ("fresas" and other people like that). It was at the Rialto theater in downtown Tucson which was a pretty nice place for the concert. The concert was supposed to start at 6:30 but didn't start until 7:20 but that was ok because martin and me some time to hang out. The first band that played is called "Maylene and the Sons of Disaster." Their music was good and they put on a good show. The second band was definitely the worst. They were called "Poison the Well" and pretty much overall bad. Bad music and bad lyrics made worse by swearing. The third band, "Every Time I Die," had some really good music and put on a pretty good show but again was ruined by lots of swearing. Which brings me to my problem with the concert: the first three bands were not christian bands. It was pretty frustrating. Then Underoath played and it was awesome. It was a great show and great music just like I thought it would be. They played two of my three favorite songs including the song they played for the encore. The best part though was when the leader singer stood up in front of everyone and said "Jesus saved my life." It really pumped me up for the last few songs and seeing as I was right up at front in the edges of the mash pit it helped. It was a fun concert.


Now I'd like your opinion. Should christian band tour with non-christian bands, whether as the main band or as an opener or not at all?

On a seperate note, why is Jimmy Rollins getting so much attention as the fourth player ever to hit 20 doubles, 20 triples, and 20 home runs in a season, when the third was Curtis Granderson (this season too) and he did it sooner in the season?

So here's me and few others at a gas station outside Hermosillo. Thought you might like that picture.

I'm doing a few things right. The bible study I'm in is going well. We're doing the ten most important chapters of the bible. Its pretty cool. Jason Barbieri and Ryan Malarkey are the leaders and they're both really wise guys. This week we did the second half Psalm 139.

Work's going really well. Next friday I'm covering a shift at Grant and Swan becoming the third Crawford to work there. Any suggestions?

I'm having fun in a fantasy football league with Steven. He beat pretty good last week though.

I'm also trying to figure out how to move back to Nogales. We'll see how it goes, pray for me all right?
More coming more often, I promise.

Socram

sorry

I really do plan on writing more. I've just been really busy getting so many things organized. School, work, housing, and church...

This past weekend I went to Guaymas with the youth group from Manantial de Vida. We had a lot of fun. There were 27 people including the pastor and his family and Jose. Also Anavi's boyfriend Joel went and Albano. We spent all day saturday at a beach near Guaymas called Cochorit. Then later that night we went into downtown Guaymas and met a youth group from there. It was really nice downtown but the water wasn't that great. After we got back to the house we had a time together out on the beach. I played a few songs on my guitar and then Albano gave his testimony. He's going to be starting at the Bible Institute and Jose wanted to focus on the call. It was pretty cool. I got sick though afterward and had a pretty rough night. On sunday we went to a beach near San Carlos. It was nicer especially in terms of water. There we heard the testimonies of Joel and Graciela. Then we had a time to say goodbye to Flavio since he leaves on Saturday to school in Hermosillo. It was a good time. I got back late Sunday. Here's a couple pictures:

A moment

I walk out to my car and realize I've forgotten my ipod, but instead of returning to get it I turn on the radio instead. The christian station is playing a song that fits perfectly with the gently falling raindrops. As I pull away from the house the combination of the music and the rain make me feel happier about driving to work on a day that I'd rather enjoy from home. I come to the first stop sign at the edge of my neighborhood and sit just to survey the wonder before me. The rain clouds stretch from the far east on my right, to just above the skyline to the west. The has just dropped below the cloud cover and the effect is beautiful. The sky to my left is a pale gold fading gradually to a steel gray and finally to the dark blue of the rain cloudsin the east. Stretching before me is a beaten road whose end I can just see. The rain is falling gently and as I begin my drive down that road I notice a rainbow on my right and I feel as though God is saying, "The road may end but there is hope for those who trust in Me."

James

So I'm finishing up my study of James. It really is a great book. There's a lot of great stuff in it. I love chapter 3. He talks about the tongue and how it controls the whole person. Just like the rudder on a ship. Controlling what we say is so hard to do and only comes with God's help. Then he goes right on to talk about wisdom. This is my favorite part of James: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes down from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." I love this because it flows straight from everything that he was saying about the tongue. I mean if we have the "wisdom that comes down from heaven" then we'll know how to control the tongue. I also like the word submissive. It means we have to be humble to be truly wise. We need to be servants of not only God but of everyone; willing to help even our most dispised enemies. Then in chapter 4 he talks about submitting to God. "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives...Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" We need to give everything to God, our plans, requests, pains, needs, and even the things we think are of no consequence, like watching a movie or eating ice cream. Everything we are, were, and hope to be needs to be given over into His care before we can truly do His will. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Next I'm going to study Romans with Manuel. I think it'll be great. I think we can learn a lot from each other. Please pray for me in that.

Starbucks

So for anyone who didn't know for whatever reason, I got a job at starbucks. I went in for the first time today and had to sign stuff and read stuff, and then read some more. I had fun though. The people I'm going to be working with are cool and I think once I get the hang of where everything is and how to make it all it'll be great working there. Mom is going to cringe when she reads this but its 1:45 and all I've had today is two grande mochas and some coffee at the end of my shift when we taste-tested Verona coffee (which was good by the way). Overall I think I am going to like it there.

I had a good weekend. I had lunch at the pastor's house on saturday and got to talk to him and Marina for awhile. Then after the quinciñera saturday night I went over to Stephen Stoller's house with Adriel where we watched amovie and caught up on everything going on (it was Stoller's birthday). Then on Sunday we had a good Sunday school class and afterward we ate at the mall. Then we went to the Tech and played fútbol rápido and basketball. Then I drove back up to Tucson with Leonardo David. Overall a great weekend.

Random thoughts: Ocean's Thirteen is definitely a good movie, I'm pretty hungry right now, its nice to be earning money again, James is a sweet book (I've been studying it for about three weeks now and I've learned so much), I don't have anything in the Mullet House that I can make myself for lunch, and will mom ever use her blog?

Have a great day. I'll be posting more often now I think.