The following takes place between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM. I sleep. Period. Anyway. So continuing my update, I've been watching some TV. The past few episodes of The Office were hilarious; especially the vampire thing with Jim. The newest Lost episode was cool and interesting but I won't go into specifics just in case. I do agree with Steven though and the idea that they're obsessing over the others too much. I want to know whats going on at the beach more. I started watching 24 for the first time. Its pretty cool. Of course I miss a few things because I haven't watch any of the other seasons but it helps to have Dustin there to help explain thing every once in a while.
I've also been following the Red Wings and the Pistons and the Suns. They're all doing pretty well but I'm not sure if any of them are ready to do it all. But then you never know.
I'm staying here in Michigan for spring break. I'm not going to like it but I guess its something I have to do. I'll get a lot of work done and I'll be able to give support to CAV in a time when support wavers. I was looking forward to come home but I can wait...for a little while.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Update
Hey everybody. Sorry its been so long. So here's the update. School's going well. My class are pretty cool. I really like my Introduction to Missions class with Chuck White. I've gotten some interesting questions like "Why are you taking this class?" Its fun. We watched "Beyond the Gates of Splendor." I love that story. I've been hanging out a lot with Juan Cordova in his room. He's a cool guy. We speak spanish together and it bugs everybody. Also I've been hanging out with a girl in my Soc100 class. Her name is Ashlee Lemmon and she's from Minnesota. I've seen her everyday since about a week before Valentines Day. We talk about church and missions and class and people. We talked about dating and decided that we had decided before this year that we weren't going to date until next year. Then a few days ago we set some boundaries for our friendship. CAV is going well. I'm giving guitar lessons on thursdays and I'm leading worship two weeks in every month. My friends are great there. So I'll be posting more often now.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
thoughts from foundations of worship
I thought I'd share a few ideas that either drifted through my head or were stated out loud during my foundations of worship class today.
We started out today by telling everyone what our denomination is and it surprised me that so many of the people in the class are nondenominational. I'm trying to decide how I feel about this because its a trend that is really spreading. On the one hand I think we don't fee secure enough in our beliefs. But also it shows the quality of discipleship in the church. People are coming to believe less and less what their fathers believed (again: good thing or bad thing?). Its this non-conformist movement thats sweeping the world as well. On the other hand I think it shows that people are becoming more and more aware of the fact that people in the world don't understand there are 24,000 denominations. Why the division? Why the problems? Why do christians all believe different things? So while its good that we recognize that denominations are bad, its bad that the solution we have found is to create more churches, each with their own set of beliefs. I'm not sure if any of that made sense. I was thinking out loud.
The second topic has to do with why we go to church. The question brought up is are we going to church for what we can get out of it or for what we can give to God through worship? In other words do we go to give glory to God or to feel good about ourselves for another week? An interesting thing that came up was feeding versus consuming. We get fed so that we can have energy to work for God, but if we continue to eat without exercising our spirit its just consuming. We get spiritually unhealthy, out of shape, and fat. Isn't that a great testament to our faith? I'm goiing to be thinking about these things a lot for awhile.
We started out today by telling everyone what our denomination is and it surprised me that so many of the people in the class are nondenominational. I'm trying to decide how I feel about this because its a trend that is really spreading. On the one hand I think we don't fee secure enough in our beliefs. But also it shows the quality of discipleship in the church. People are coming to believe less and less what their fathers believed (again: good thing or bad thing?). Its this non-conformist movement thats sweeping the world as well. On the other hand I think it shows that people are becoming more and more aware of the fact that people in the world don't understand there are 24,000 denominations. Why the division? Why the problems? Why do christians all believe different things? So while its good that we recognize that denominations are bad, its bad that the solution we have found is to create more churches, each with their own set of beliefs. I'm not sure if any of that made sense. I was thinking out loud.
The second topic has to do with why we go to church. The question brought up is are we going to church for what we can get out of it or for what we can give to God through worship? In other words do we go to give glory to God or to feel good about ourselves for another week? An interesting thing that came up was feeding versus consuming. We get fed so that we can have energy to work for God, but if we continue to eat without exercising our spirit its just consuming. We get spiritually unhealthy, out of shape, and fat. Isn't that a great testament to our faith? I'm goiing to be thinking about these things a lot for awhile.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
a dilemma
I found out two things today. The first is that there is a retreat on the 10th and 11th of February for CAV. I may or may not be able to go to that depending on homework. The other is that on the evening of the 10th there is a concert here in Spring Arbor featuring a band called Disciple that I had a chance to see about a year ago but couldn't. If I ended up going to the retreat I'd have to leave to see the concert. Now its only at summerset, about 20 minutes away, so I could go back after the concert. The reatreat is ten dollars and the concert I think ten also although I'm not sure. Any thoughts on this?
Friday, January 26, 2007
What to do when you know the inevitable is coming
It is only a matter of time. The pedullum swings
The long hand ticks. Minute after minute
The sweat forms on your brow in haste
As chicken to the feed on the ground
Your palms feel warm
Your fingers start to shake
Your leg twitches
In time with the clock
Tick, twitch, drip, tock
Tick, twitch, drip, tock
Your mind races and all you see is blurred
The mice in your head have given up on the cheese
The smell of guilt is all around
Your mind feels like a safe
Nothing in. Nothing out
Information like
Smoke on the wind
Uncatchable
See, smell, touch, nothing
See, smell, touch, nothing
Then something simple slips through
You offer a prayer, a plea, simple
Please help me in my need
Time stands still
And in the pause
A voice speaks out
Loving and comforting
Trust Me always
Trust Me always
The long hand ticks. Minute after minute
The sweat forms on your brow in haste
As chicken to the feed on the ground
Your palms feel warm
Your fingers start to shake
Your leg twitches
In time with the clock
Tick, twitch, drip, tock
Tick, twitch, drip, tock
Your mind races and all you see is blurred
The mice in your head have given up on the cheese
The smell of guilt is all around
Your mind feels like a safe
Nothing in. Nothing out
Information like
Smoke on the wind
Uncatchable
See, smell, touch, nothing
See, smell, touch, nothing
Then something simple slips through
You offer a prayer, a plea, simple
Please help me in my need
Time stands still
And in the pause
A voice speaks out
Loving and comforting
Trust Me always
Trust Me always
Monday, January 22, 2007
The end of vacation
I've decided that I really don't want to leave Nogales. And I'm really struggling with it. I know that I have to allow change and I know that I made the decision to go so far away but its still hard. Its been great hanging out with my friends and really making new ones. So its hard to leave it all to go back to school. A lot of my friends here have really grown in the Lord and its cool too see them stepping up not only in the youth group but also in the church. Right now of the five original members of the youth group one is the assistant music director, one is the director of a new dance ministry, and one is the director of the children's saturday morning club. I hate having to leave this great progress that the church is having especially in the youth group.
Having said this I am looking forward to going back. The classes I'm taking this semester look really cool and i know some people in almost all of them. Intro to Missions with Chuck White is one I'm especially looking forward to. Also working with Communidad Agua Viva is going to be fun. Its really going to either be a turning point or not. I ask for prayer to organize my life and to be able to take the initiative in my schoolwork.
So to summerize: I don't want to leave but I do want to go back. I have to accept change when God dishes it out. And I ask for prayer for this semester.
Having said this I am looking forward to going back. The classes I'm taking this semester look really cool and i know some people in almost all of them. Intro to Missions with Chuck White is one I'm especially looking forward to. Also working with Communidad Agua Viva is going to be fun. Its really going to either be a turning point or not. I ask for prayer to organize my life and to be able to take the initiative in my schoolwork.
So to summerize: I don't want to leave but I do want to go back. I have to accept change when God dishes it out. And I ask for prayer for this semester.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
