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12.14.2008


Yesterday, I went to DC with a few friends to hang out with the homeless people that were in Franklin Square. It was actually a really nice day for December, and I only was cold toward the end of the afternoon. It was really great to see that people were not just coming by to get a free drink and clothes but also to stop and talk with us! We met this really nice guy named Eric who had a lot to say, and even sing! He had grown up in a family of 33 kids. Yes, 33 kids! His parent's had 7 children of their own and had adopted 25 children plus him. He had lots of hilarious stories about living with so many others and all of his in-laws. He was an excellent singer with a deep, Frank Sinatra style sound and sang a few Christmas carols for us! Rebecca Withers had a blast listening to him sing, but would not join in with him... Bummer! Haha!

Someone asked me today about what we had been doing in DC yesterday. They wanted to know about the "mission". We had gone into DC with no mission except to be accepting, friendly and caring for the people we talked to. We did not have religious intent in what we were doing. This person was perplexed at why we didn't do the "do you know Jesus" thing. While that is important, it takes the personal bit out of what we were doing. It just seems fake to those of us down there. Not that I wouldn't share Jesus if I was asked about him, it's just that I feel that something along the lines of sharing my faith is on a more personal level and the person would have to know me and I would have to know them.

I think that my actions and the things I say should reflect Christ without me having to even mention him. If that was the case, then there would be no reason for the "do you know Jesus" thing. The people who I talked to would know there was something different. What if we could live like that? What if we could live a life that is a reflection of Christ?

Just a thought.

12.07.2008

Today was awesome. Greg, Cathy, Jackie and I decorated the student auditorium at my church today. It is ridiculously bright now... We put up over 20 strands of lights, hanging, wrapping, covering the stage. We put up wreaths and garland, and even made a make shift fireplace with a plasma TV and a looping video of a roaring fire. Tomorrow we are going to get stockings to hang over the TV and get a space heater to make it warm and feel like a real fire. But when I got to the last piece of garland in the box at the end of the night, I started pulling it out. It was over 100 feet long! It kept coming out of the box! Greg and I started thinking of places to put it. We thought about all around the stage would look cool, or hanging it between the two storage rooms on either side of the auditorium. Then we just decided not to because it was a lot of extra work and we were tired.

But that doesn't cut it with God. We can't just stop because we don't feel like doing something or think it is too much effort. What if we were to keep on for God until he didn't have anything left for us to do? (Not like that would really would happen, but the idea is there.) Why would we not want to do something God has asked us to do?

Just a thought.

12.04.2008


At the Gathering last night, the pastor gave a great sermon. We were comparing our love for God to a Coldplay concert. Let me explain:

The pastor talked about how he went to "the greatest of all concerts this fall" (which is debatable but that's for later). He started texting his friends to hang it over their heads that he was at the concert. After they stopped texting him, he moved on to texting people who were at the show to see who had better seats. At the end of the show, he found out that one of his friends was "close enough to smell the band". (It smelled of Irish Spring apparently.) We love getting as close as we possibly can to celebrities, right?

Why can't we be the same way about God? Why can't we want to get close enough to God to be able to smell him? We wouldn't pass up front row to Coldplay, so why should we pass up front row to God?

Just a thought.

12.03.2008


Last night at Chi Alpha, we talked about leaving a legacy. How do we want to be remembered. It could be anything! President, a rock star, a director, a friend, whatever! Jeff had us talk with each other about our greatest fear, our biggest dream, and what we want our legacy to be. I had never really though about how I wanted to be remembered. I remember in high school, we talked about existentialism, which, on it's most basic level, is a philosophy where if you haven't made a difference somewhere, it was as if you never existed. I kept thinking about how I could make a difference in someone's life. I think that my greatest fear is that I wouldn't have the courage to do so.

We all need to remember that we all have special gifts that have been given us for a greater plan. We can't squander those gifts and need to develop and use them. God has a plan that he wants us to be a part of, where each of us has a different legacy. I think we need to listen, follow, and do.

Just a thought.

12.02.2008

Robert


Robert has got to be one of the coolest kids I know. My friend Meghan takes care of him in the afternoons on weekdays and she has told me so many stories about things they do together, funny stuff he says, and how much she enjoys being with him. Robert has Down's syndrome and needs the care in the afternoons when his parents are still at work. I went with them today to go get diet Coke at McDonald's in University Mall. I have never had a real experience with someone who had Down's syndrome until today. It was really great and he was hilarious. I was his "dude" today and we had fun conversations and he wore my glasses (and looked good in them! haha!). Something I noticed though was how Meghan worked with him.

She has been talking with me about all the things they do together and how she helps him with homework and things like that. She gets paid very well but I could tell she wasn't in it for the money. She loves Robert.

I wish people could love that way. Not just giving change to the Salvation Army, but whole bills, or checks even. If people could love someone or care for someone because they wanted to, like Meghan, there'd be a lot less issues in the world today.

Just a thought.

11.27.2008

I went climbing over at Sportrock with Dan and Ryan today. We had a great time and I am really sore. When I got home, I was reminded of the climbing stuff that I did one day this past summer. We took Lauren to Old Rag Mountain, where we had our last hang out time before she left for school. It was awesome! There had been a long climb, we were all sweaty and hot and had run out of water already. But once we got to the top it was so worth it! Just remembering when we first crested the hill to where we could actually see stuff was awesome!

I think that's how I look at challenges in my life. I have this huge looming problem in front of me, I have used up all my strength. "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you". I just can't forget to remember the end justifies HIS means.

Just a thought.