After much debate, I will be keeping up the last post that I wrote. To be honest, the post was some brutal honesty that I had to get out, like the title suggests, that is life. And this is what I am writing about. Transparency is huge, and for this I had to be transparent enough to convey the message I was trying to get across. No need to explain more,
I’m always available to chat if you want to know anything further.
Life Part 2 deals with God, and other people. Enjoy.
So I know this family (I won’t put in names, I try to stay away from that now) that are just incredible. I met them through a kid I lead at our youth group. As all relationships, I’m sure it started off slow, and I’m sure they didn’t know what to think of me. I had a lot of opinions, I was 19 and I was entrusted to look after their son. I think that’s a scary proposition for any parent, but who knows, I haven’t a kid in the twinkle of my eye yet. Anyways, over time this relationship grew into what I now view as a great friendship, not only with the youth kid, but his parents, and his other siblings.
There was always something about these people that drew me in, at the time I couldn’t place a finger on it, but it was great. Over time I have figured it out more and more. These people were REAL. So transparent, so lax, it was a great place to be, and still is. As time went on, I got to know them more, and it was apparent that they were more then just the regular people you would meet. They had opinions, they shocked me by their intelligence on issues I only though I cared about. They could hold a conversation, and could even teach me things I was unaware of. These people had something that a lot of people lack, Honesty, transparency and they were just Real. They also had everything I was looking for at the time in people of the church. Conversations that would last for sometimes an hour or two just about life are some of the best experiences I have had.
It’s been almost a couple years now, and things I’ve been through a lot. Support has never been far away however, even when I was in the thick of it at youth and was going through all that, I was supported. It would have been easy for them to just say no to me and their son hanging out and what not, but they seemed to see something I even couldn’t. I have never felt looked down on, or sensed ridicule. For this I am indebted and extremely thankful.
Before I get too carried away, the point I’m trying to make is, some people see through all the crap, and make a decision. Even though I’ve messed up, and will probably do so again, they still loved, supported and were real with me.
God puts people into our lives for whatever reason. I would have never dreamed of meeting such people, but God does that. Its almost as if I was given an outlet, someone who I could also be just as transparent and not be ridiculed or looked down upon (which I know can be hard, I mean come on, its me for goodness sake) But the trust that they have put in me is amazing. God has crazy ways of doing things. I’m just glad to know he was thinking good things when he chose these people. I’m ecstatic about being able to do life with them, I have learned so much, and I hope to continue to grow this friendship and learn more and more.
More people should be this way however, these people reek of what church is supposed to be about, and that’s a compliment. Church to me is about communication, connection, being real, being raw and supporting and loving in a way that resembles Jesus. When you can find church and God in others in a real way, there is no better feeling.
Next time, my views on what church should look like.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Garbage!
Al Gore does not deserve to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. What a joke, thats how stupid that award has now become. We now award it to useless people. Hurray!!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Untitled
I need to blog about something other then sports again. I feel dry, boring and otherwise irrelevant. For good measure too, I haven't written a post on something meaty in a long time. This is also for good measure as I have needed time to review and collect myself and my thoughts.
During this period much change has occurred, both mentally and spiritually. Physically I have probably just gotten fatter, so we will leave that out. Mentally and spiritually, I believe, I have grown. Since my ordeal some months ago, I have been in a state of process, a state of revival and renewal. It has been quite interesting. I was engaging in some dialogue with a guy last week. He said it was crazy how someone my age could have found his own identity. This got me thinking, what is my identity. I didn't truly believe what he said was correct. But after much thinking I figured he was right, as I found out he was through my thoughts.
Since poop hit the fan way back when, I have had a crazy time trying to figure out my place. I have taken much advice from a couple people that I look up to greatly. These people have helped my understand and identify myself in life, and in God.
In life, I'm 21, my life is pretty simple apart from the fact I'm engaged and own a house. Other then that, simple. In God, it's a different story. For a while I had become, more or less, derailed from God's wild ride. It wasn't that I didn't believe, not at all, but I was tired of living without question, without thought, without learning. Frankly, I still am, and will always be. But the problem was my questioning was ill-advised. It lacked the 3 T's, tact, taste, and timing, all to some degree (Thank you Mrs Plett) To much thought went into how to argue, how to go against the norm, how to stir the pot and create chaos. Too little thought went into trying to understand ones side, ones experiences. I much rather say my point, and then defend it with all I had, anything that I could put together, believing it or not. I won't lie, arguing for the sake of just that can be pretty fun, but it gets you nowhere.
I think God starting working in me at this point. I started to try and think about others. I developed a sense of wanting to help others out, rather then put them down. I can attribute these things to 1. a book I was reading and 2. talking to people. God shows himself through others, he speaks through others, I have known this for years, but rarely did I see. But this time it was clear as day.
Things to live by: Stay positive. Help out regularly. Be a servant to others. Not bad I would say, coming from a 21 year old. These things sound so cliche, so phony. But it works. Being a natural skeptic, I found being positive helps stupendously. Helping out, and more specifically, being a servant to others also pays dividends.
Serving others will allow yourself to be served. A sense of joy comes from serving others. And serving others is what God asks us to do. Being Jesus to other people is best served....ok no puns, but being Jesus is service, it's being selfless instead of selfish.(Another word that has much significance)
My newfound identity of myself and myself in God I hear is rare at my age. It's nothing to gloat about, I've been through a lot to get to where I am. It hasn't been easy, and I'm sure the hardest parts are still on the horizon. But my understanding of what God wants me to be, a Man of God, a Man after His own heart, is a testament to how a bad period can be truly beneficial.
I've never liked getting my ass handed to me, but sometimes it's more necessary then anything else possible.
During this period much change has occurred, both mentally and spiritually. Physically I have probably just gotten fatter, so we will leave that out. Mentally and spiritually, I believe, I have grown. Since my ordeal some months ago, I have been in a state of process, a state of revival and renewal. It has been quite interesting. I was engaging in some dialogue with a guy last week. He said it was crazy how someone my age could have found his own identity. This got me thinking, what is my identity. I didn't truly believe what he said was correct. But after much thinking I figured he was right, as I found out he was through my thoughts.
Since poop hit the fan way back when, I have had a crazy time trying to figure out my place. I have taken much advice from a couple people that I look up to greatly. These people have helped my understand and identify myself in life, and in God.
In life, I'm 21, my life is pretty simple apart from the fact I'm engaged and own a house. Other then that, simple. In God, it's a different story. For a while I had become, more or less, derailed from God's wild ride. It wasn't that I didn't believe, not at all, but I was tired of living without question, without thought, without learning. Frankly, I still am, and will always be. But the problem was my questioning was ill-advised. It lacked the 3 T's, tact, taste, and timing, all to some degree (Thank you Mrs Plett) To much thought went into how to argue, how to go against the norm, how to stir the pot and create chaos. Too little thought went into trying to understand ones side, ones experiences. I much rather say my point, and then defend it with all I had, anything that I could put together, believing it or not. I won't lie, arguing for the sake of just that can be pretty fun, but it gets you nowhere.
I think God starting working in me at this point. I started to try and think about others. I developed a sense of wanting to help others out, rather then put them down. I can attribute these things to 1. a book I was reading and 2. talking to people. God shows himself through others, he speaks through others, I have known this for years, but rarely did I see. But this time it was clear as day.
Things to live by: Stay positive. Help out regularly. Be a servant to others. Not bad I would say, coming from a 21 year old. These things sound so cliche, so phony. But it works. Being a natural skeptic, I found being positive helps stupendously. Helping out, and more specifically, being a servant to others also pays dividends.
Serving others will allow yourself to be served. A sense of joy comes from serving others. And serving others is what God asks us to do. Being Jesus to other people is best served....ok no puns, but being Jesus is service, it's being selfless instead of selfish.(Another word that has much significance)
My newfound identity of myself and myself in God I hear is rare at my age. It's nothing to gloat about, I've been through a lot to get to where I am. It hasn't been easy, and I'm sure the hardest parts are still on the horizon. But my understanding of what God wants me to be, a Man of God, a Man after His own heart, is a testament to how a bad period can be truly beneficial.
I've never liked getting my ass handed to me, but sometimes it's more necessary then anything else possible.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
This Week's Musings
-- LOL @ Stephane Dion, It sucks when even the French dont have confidence in you.
-- Why do people get so upset over rappers and what they do? A lot of rappers tend to give their "hood" friends jobs and help them get out of the life of selling drugs and killing people. And though some mess up still, the majority actually doing something good, and make a good, legit life for themselves.
-- Dispatching is a fun job, running 25 peoples lives daily is a good time!
-- Fantasy baseball was good to me, now Fantasy Football is following suit.
-- Britney Spears career is over. You want to know why? A. K-Fed is now cool.
-- Did i mention how much i owned in Fantasy Football? Ahh yes i did, well stroking the ego more never hurt anyone.
-- Liverpool have a good chance of having a good year, i refuse to say they will win the title yet though.
-- O.J. Did it
-- Free Vick
-- Why do people get so upset over rappers and what they do? A lot of rappers tend to give their "hood" friends jobs and help them get out of the life of selling drugs and killing people. And though some mess up still, the majority actually doing something good, and make a good, legit life for themselves.
-- Dispatching is a fun job, running 25 peoples lives daily is a good time!
-- Fantasy baseball was good to me, now Fantasy Football is following suit.
-- Britney Spears career is over. You want to know why? A. K-Fed is now cool.
-- Did i mention how much i owned in Fantasy Football? Ahh yes i did, well stroking the ego more never hurt anyone.
-- Liverpool have a good chance of having a good year, i refuse to say they will win the title yet though.
-- O.J. Did it
-- Free Vick
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