I feel i should update this as I am going out of town for a few days and don't want to leave the droves of people that read this uninformed about my ever-fascinating life. That was sarcasm. On with the show.
September 25th will always be a fond day for me, because that was the day I was born. And if I was not born, I wouldn't probably do as much cool stuff as I have in my life. So for that, I celebrate. However, it falls on a crappy day in terms of everytime I go to a new school or somewhere new, its generally in the first few weeks of that place and I don't know a ton of people, so yea.
Yesterday was alright considering that fact. My roomates, who have been super cool about including me and helping me not die in my room watching reality TV, helped make it better. We were going to do a game night with a house of girls anyways, so we did that and Brad cooked us a pork roast, which was great and heated up in a sandwhich even better. We played Apples to Apples, which I dominated, and then Imagine If...which was fun but I didn't win. It was a fun time. I felt like I really let loose and acted like myself...which is unfortunate for everyone else who was there!
Um, so yeah. I have been reading a bunch this week, mostly this Malcolm X autobiography, which im a little over 200 pages into and have another 200 pages to go. I have never heard someone more rascist in my life. He really hates white people. The Nation of Islam, which he belongs to (like a cult or offspring of some sort of Islam that most African-American Muslims attain to) believes the white man is the devil and a bunch of other crazy stuff. I was hoping he would be fighting more for equality, but he seems to want blacks exalted and whites cast off. I am so glad the racial tension and issues in this country have improved so much in the last 50 years. It was horrible the way things were, and the book has clearly been startling to me (not that I haven't read this kinda stuff at all before, but it is definitely informing). Regardless, Malcolm X's transformation from complete sinfulness to fighting for a cause is inspiriting. I will write a book review on it when I am done.
I am really excited becasue I get to see a bunch of friendly faces the next few days. I'm picking up Shannon from the airport and then going with him to downtown Boston to hang out with JR and a bunch of people in the wedding and then go to Fenway for the Sox game. Fenway is supposedly an experience (as evidenced by $60 baseball tickets...im used to paying like $8). Then we are going to Maine and I'll be there all weekend for rehearsal and all that as I am in the wedding. It is funny because I am the only person under 6 foot tall and under 200 pounds...so im 50 or more pounds lighter and 6 inches or more shorter than everyone else in the wedding. I offered to just be the ring bearer.
I am really excited to see my buds again. Should be a great weekend. Hope to get some reading done too. The amount of reading is rediculous. I will count it up soon, but I would guess it is around 5-6 thousand pages for the semester...for 3 and a half months thats a lot! And I am not the quickest reader so. I am excited to read some of these books though. Anyways, Victoria and Jecholia, and I'm pretty sure that is all who reads this haha...have a good weekend!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Fire Escape Ramblings
Ok, so Friday I guess is where I left off. Friday I went to Theology class in the morning for me, which was like 1pm (ha). Theology is definitely my favorite class out of the two I have on campus. We talked mostly about general and special revelation. It is a sweet class. Then I went and dropped of my laptop to get the screen replaced and then met my roomate and the girl he is talking with (Sarah) and we drove to the T and went downtown to go to a coffee house this church (City Life) was hosting. It was really good and the musicians were all legitimately talented. It didn't hurt that the coffee and food was great.
The most pleasant suprise was that I ran into the only person I knew before I came here in Boston, Michael Roberts. Michael Roberts was raised Jewish, and he started coming to church with me and gave his life to the Lord at some point in that process. This was back when I was a senior. He now goes to New England Conservatory and he is still on fire for the Lord. He always IMs me and asks Biblical questions. A lot of the time I feel like I blow him off, which is stupid of me. It was really encouraging to see him and hear about his life. God has been faithful to him, and it is amazing to me that the Lord used me in his life.
Dave and Sarah went out dancing after, something I chose not to accompany them to (would have been kinda awkward and I wasnt going to pay to go do something I don't like doing). So yea. I lost my keys that night, and I thought they fell off on the T, but they didn't and Dave found them in his car. I had Brad take me over on Saturday to go get my car again (since I had to get a ride home Friday, cause I didn't have my keys). Since then I have just been chillin and reading and watching football. The Redskins absolutely broke my heart today, blowing a 17-3 halftime lead to lose 24-17, missing the endzone on 4th and goal on the 1. WOW!
I'm reading the autobiography of Malcolm X for Islam class. It is already moving. I chose it because I thought it would be shortest of my book choices, and it was the cheapest on amazon. Its like 400 pages though, ha. Anyways, I'm not a rascist, but I think we all have our rascist thoughts and stereotypes of people. I don't know. I think it is important for everyone to read stuff like this. It isn't just black history, its all of our history. It is the horrible past of our country. It moves me. There were frightening words in the first chapter. Malcolm X says that he thinks he will one day die from an act of violence. Self-prophesy. Crazy.
So things spiritually aren't good. I'm not going to lie. I am not spending time with the Lord. And the more time I am not with the Lord, the more its difficult to seek Him. Its rediculous. It will change.
Ok, so those are the events of my life; these are the things floating around in my head. So I didn't get, as of right now, the job at the church. Some of the reasons were that they are much more traditional than I am used to, and they know I have a lot of responsibilities as a student. But one of the main reasons was a conversation we had at lunch. I asked them their opinion on certain Christian liberties as drinking and smoking and such. They weren't against them at all. But they felt I was smug about my Christian liberties, which was completely odd. I don't really talk about them much; I only asked because I felt things were going well, and knowing they were Baptist and would be my spiritual authorities if I worked at the church, I wanted to know what they wanted me to do. I tried to clarify this in my email.
Christian liberties and all just seem frustrating to me. They seem more of a hassel. I want to just say never practice anything anyone questions out of making life easier, but I feel like that is just giving up and not standing up for anything. For example, the Holy Smokes experience was one of great spiritual and evangelistic value I thought, and I have had so many experiences like that, that I thing there is more than just abstaining from everything. It is interesting how the church has varied of the years on these subjects. Early in church history, abstaining from everything was the godliest situation. Not having any money or possessions was spiritual. Now, sometimes, embracing freedom is viewed as spiritual. Where is the line?
As for life in general, I am frustrated with people that seem to show of their spirituality. It seems like some people are so quick to point out their spiritual experiences or feelings towards everything, in situations where it isn't natural but makes them look good. However, their spiritual shortcomings aren't mentioned. JR has always found one of the most interesting things about me is that I share my sin pretty openly. Living with him, he would know if I messed up in an area or didn't seek the Lord. I would confront him on it. Now I wonder if that kind of stuff, in situations like that church, hurts me. Am I always to pretend I am doing great? People say I say a lot of negative things sometimes. At what point can I actually be genuine and at what point do I need to act. Isn't it our fakeness that pushes so many unbelievers away? The entirity of life just seems to be confusing me right now.
The hippies really encourage me (the ones I keep meeting) because they are self-sacrificing. I am so selfish all the time. They share everything. And they seem to genuinely care about people and enjoy life.
I had some cool time on my fire escape outside of my room. I sat there and listened to music and drank coffee. It is one place I feel completely tucked away. I am scared of heights though, and it is like 30-40 feet up, so it is kinda freaky. I listened some to Lou Giglio's sermon on Jeans and the Will of God and all from passion, which is the only sermon I have heard like many times over and over again. One thing he said was that whatever you do in life, don't do it half heartedly. I wanna pursue my life with full out passion, to enjoy it. I wonder if I am going into the write vocation. The Lord will guide me. BTW, since she is like one of two people who reads this, I wanna shout out to Victoria, who I think is very genuine. HA. Anyways I am tired and rambling.
The most pleasant suprise was that I ran into the only person I knew before I came here in Boston, Michael Roberts. Michael Roberts was raised Jewish, and he started coming to church with me and gave his life to the Lord at some point in that process. This was back when I was a senior. He now goes to New England Conservatory and he is still on fire for the Lord. He always IMs me and asks Biblical questions. A lot of the time I feel like I blow him off, which is stupid of me. It was really encouraging to see him and hear about his life. God has been faithful to him, and it is amazing to me that the Lord used me in his life.
Dave and Sarah went out dancing after, something I chose not to accompany them to (would have been kinda awkward and I wasnt going to pay to go do something I don't like doing). So yea. I lost my keys that night, and I thought they fell off on the T, but they didn't and Dave found them in his car. I had Brad take me over on Saturday to go get my car again (since I had to get a ride home Friday, cause I didn't have my keys). Since then I have just been chillin and reading and watching football. The Redskins absolutely broke my heart today, blowing a 17-3 halftime lead to lose 24-17, missing the endzone on 4th and goal on the 1. WOW!
I'm reading the autobiography of Malcolm X for Islam class. It is already moving. I chose it because I thought it would be shortest of my book choices, and it was the cheapest on amazon. Its like 400 pages though, ha. Anyways, I'm not a rascist, but I think we all have our rascist thoughts and stereotypes of people. I don't know. I think it is important for everyone to read stuff like this. It isn't just black history, its all of our history. It is the horrible past of our country. It moves me. There were frightening words in the first chapter. Malcolm X says that he thinks he will one day die from an act of violence. Self-prophesy. Crazy.
So things spiritually aren't good. I'm not going to lie. I am not spending time with the Lord. And the more time I am not with the Lord, the more its difficult to seek Him. Its rediculous. It will change.
Ok, so those are the events of my life; these are the things floating around in my head. So I didn't get, as of right now, the job at the church. Some of the reasons were that they are much more traditional than I am used to, and they know I have a lot of responsibilities as a student. But one of the main reasons was a conversation we had at lunch. I asked them their opinion on certain Christian liberties as drinking and smoking and such. They weren't against them at all. But they felt I was smug about my Christian liberties, which was completely odd. I don't really talk about them much; I only asked because I felt things were going well, and knowing they were Baptist and would be my spiritual authorities if I worked at the church, I wanted to know what they wanted me to do. I tried to clarify this in my email.
Christian liberties and all just seem frustrating to me. They seem more of a hassel. I want to just say never practice anything anyone questions out of making life easier, but I feel like that is just giving up and not standing up for anything. For example, the Holy Smokes experience was one of great spiritual and evangelistic value I thought, and I have had so many experiences like that, that I thing there is more than just abstaining from everything. It is interesting how the church has varied of the years on these subjects. Early in church history, abstaining from everything was the godliest situation. Not having any money or possessions was spiritual. Now, sometimes, embracing freedom is viewed as spiritual. Where is the line?
As for life in general, I am frustrated with people that seem to show of their spirituality. It seems like some people are so quick to point out their spiritual experiences or feelings towards everything, in situations where it isn't natural but makes them look good. However, their spiritual shortcomings aren't mentioned. JR has always found one of the most interesting things about me is that I share my sin pretty openly. Living with him, he would know if I messed up in an area or didn't seek the Lord. I would confront him on it. Now I wonder if that kind of stuff, in situations like that church, hurts me. Am I always to pretend I am doing great? People say I say a lot of negative things sometimes. At what point can I actually be genuine and at what point do I need to act. Isn't it our fakeness that pushes so many unbelievers away? The entirity of life just seems to be confusing me right now.
The hippies really encourage me (the ones I keep meeting) because they are self-sacrificing. I am so selfish all the time. They share everything. And they seem to genuinely care about people and enjoy life.
I had some cool time on my fire escape outside of my room. I sat there and listened to music and drank coffee. It is one place I feel completely tucked away. I am scared of heights though, and it is like 30-40 feet up, so it is kinda freaky. I listened some to Lou Giglio's sermon on Jeans and the Will of God and all from passion, which is the only sermon I have heard like many times over and over again. One thing he said was that whatever you do in life, don't do it half heartedly. I wanna pursue my life with full out passion, to enjoy it. I wonder if I am going into the write vocation. The Lord will guide me. BTW, since she is like one of two people who reads this, I wanna shout out to Victoria, who I think is very genuine. HA. Anyways I am tired and rambling.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Holy Smokes!
Ok, I would like to preface this post by saying that I just made a french press of Arabian Mocha Sunani, and it is marvelous. Note to self: stop brewing coffee and take the time to french press it.
Ok, so Monday night was AWESOME. One of the coolest things I have been to in awhile. So after going to my archaelogy class, I did whatever and then bought a tape to record the Redskins monday night game. I missed the first game interviewing with that church and so I was NOT going to miss this one. But I wanted to go to this thing called "Holy Smokes" with my roomates. So I got into the car with Dave and Brad and we picked up Sarah, the girl Dave is talking to (who is awesome and they would be a great match if it works out).
We arrived to the house of this girl Stacey awhile later, and waited for Stacey to get home. People started to trickle in that lived there. The people were very artsy, hippy-ish people, and they reminded me a lot of hanging out with Laney/visiting her at VCU. They were mega cool, and it was refreshing being around people who are so different than me and the people I generally hang out with. They cooked us dinner, which was great, and then tons of people started showing up. There were around 20 or so people in this small house, and then we all went down to the basement and set up about five hookahs. We began smoking and just talking (Cherry Mint was awesome) and then one of the guys who lives there said we needed to concentrate our conversation on something positive, so we all went around and gave our name, why we were there, and what we believer our purpose was in life.
The cool thing about Holy Smokes is that most of the people are generally not believers. This time it was like half and half, but that was an exception. Many people were not Christians. There were some people who were atheists. I gave the answer that my purpose in life is to glorify the Triune God of Christianity, and to do this mainly by enjoying Him forever (very Piper-esque). Anyways, we went around and began discusses a number of subjects, such as right and wrong, relativism, what God is. I talked way too much, but my roomates said I did a good job of playing the strong, loud voice of Christianity and that it was needed. Many of the Christians were more harboring discussion and not giving their answers, which was greatly needed too.
It was amazingly refreshing to be around unbelievers. I am almost never in real interaction with unbelievers, and I need to be more. It magnifies the purpose of my beliefs and life, and reminds me of my life before Christ and where others are in life. The entire night was completely encouraging and I was incredibly glad I went. I hope to keep going in the future if work permits. It challenged me that I am incredibly selfish and self-focused. The people who lived there were not at all. Their house was everyone's house. Their stuff was everyone else's too. I need my room and my place that is MINE and that no one can have, my things that are no one elses. I am very greedy.
I got back and the Redskins game did not tape! I was pretty ticked, as I missed them upset the Eagles. I am glad I went to Holy Smokes, though.
Since then I have just been chillin at the house. I have an absurd amount of reading that I need to start on, but I have been so unfocused. I got a bed that will finally be mine that I need to pick up next week, and give the one Ramos has been lending me back to him. I went to a laundromat for the first time yesterday. Ended up being fairly expensive, so I am hoping Ramos can start letting me do laundry at his place soon. He gave me some H and M shirts of his that shrunk, so that was cool.
I have been thinking a lot about love lately. Not because I think I have been in love (romantically), becasue I am fairly sure I haven't, but more just thinking about what it is. Is it just like other romantic feelings but a different intensity, or a different concept altogether. How is it like other loves, and how isn't it? Why do you not understand it until you have experienced it (the only thing I know of that is similar in that regards is salvation)? It seems like someone has to be given back to in order to be in love, so isn't that partly shallow? I don't know, its interesting. I think too much.
I was reading someone I lived with at Libert's blog from three years ago. Time and life goes by so fast. I feel like I am always living in the past and the future, but I am never living in the now. This girl I met here named Hannah was telling me about being here now, being in the moment. I really need that. I wish I had journaled more so I had more possession of the past. I feel like I have lost it. Again, I'm weird and think too much.
So I took Hannah off my friends lists/out of my phone, etc. Not because I am upset, but just because I was checking up on her too much and I need to get over her. Theres just a lot of things I don't need to find out about. Give it some time and we will be back to normal.
On a last note, I need to seek the Lord more. I have been distracted way too much lately. I remember in Peru when I was spending time with the Lord every morning and what that meant to me. I need that back again. My spiritual disciplines are wretched. I want my life to be God's here. That is so Christianese, but it is hard to live out. I am sure that it will change though. Praise the Lord for perseverance of the saints.
I am posting a blog very soon (maybe even today) on the second commandment as I said before, so look for that. Peace!
Ok, so Monday night was AWESOME. One of the coolest things I have been to in awhile. So after going to my archaelogy class, I did whatever and then bought a tape to record the Redskins monday night game. I missed the first game interviewing with that church and so I was NOT going to miss this one. But I wanted to go to this thing called "Holy Smokes" with my roomates. So I got into the car with Dave and Brad and we picked up Sarah, the girl Dave is talking to (who is awesome and they would be a great match if it works out).
We arrived to the house of this girl Stacey awhile later, and waited for Stacey to get home. People started to trickle in that lived there. The people were very artsy, hippy-ish people, and they reminded me a lot of hanging out with Laney/visiting her at VCU. They were mega cool, and it was refreshing being around people who are so different than me and the people I generally hang out with. They cooked us dinner, which was great, and then tons of people started showing up. There were around 20 or so people in this small house, and then we all went down to the basement and set up about five hookahs. We began smoking and just talking (Cherry Mint was awesome) and then one of the guys who lives there said we needed to concentrate our conversation on something positive, so we all went around and gave our name, why we were there, and what we believer our purpose was in life.
The cool thing about Holy Smokes is that most of the people are generally not believers. This time it was like half and half, but that was an exception. Many people were not Christians. There were some people who were atheists. I gave the answer that my purpose in life is to glorify the Triune God of Christianity, and to do this mainly by enjoying Him forever (very Piper-esque). Anyways, we went around and began discusses a number of subjects, such as right and wrong, relativism, what God is. I talked way too much, but my roomates said I did a good job of playing the strong, loud voice of Christianity and that it was needed. Many of the Christians were more harboring discussion and not giving their answers, which was greatly needed too.
It was amazingly refreshing to be around unbelievers. I am almost never in real interaction with unbelievers, and I need to be more. It magnifies the purpose of my beliefs and life, and reminds me of my life before Christ and where others are in life. The entire night was completely encouraging and I was incredibly glad I went. I hope to keep going in the future if work permits. It challenged me that I am incredibly selfish and self-focused. The people who lived there were not at all. Their house was everyone's house. Their stuff was everyone else's too. I need my room and my place that is MINE and that no one can have, my things that are no one elses. I am very greedy.
I got back and the Redskins game did not tape! I was pretty ticked, as I missed them upset the Eagles. I am glad I went to Holy Smokes, though.
Since then I have just been chillin at the house. I have an absurd amount of reading that I need to start on, but I have been so unfocused. I got a bed that will finally be mine that I need to pick up next week, and give the one Ramos has been lending me back to him. I went to a laundromat for the first time yesterday. Ended up being fairly expensive, so I am hoping Ramos can start letting me do laundry at his place soon. He gave me some H and M shirts of his that shrunk, so that was cool.
I have been thinking a lot about love lately. Not because I think I have been in love (romantically), becasue I am fairly sure I haven't, but more just thinking about what it is. Is it just like other romantic feelings but a different intensity, or a different concept altogether. How is it like other loves, and how isn't it? Why do you not understand it until you have experienced it (the only thing I know of that is similar in that regards is salvation)? It seems like someone has to be given back to in order to be in love, so isn't that partly shallow? I don't know, its interesting. I think too much.
I was reading someone I lived with at Libert's blog from three years ago. Time and life goes by so fast. I feel like I am always living in the past and the future, but I am never living in the now. This girl I met here named Hannah was telling me about being here now, being in the moment. I really need that. I wish I had journaled more so I had more possession of the past. I feel like I have lost it. Again, I'm weird and think too much.
So I took Hannah off my friends lists/out of my phone, etc. Not because I am upset, but just because I was checking up on her too much and I need to get over her. Theres just a lot of things I don't need to find out about. Give it some time and we will be back to normal.
On a last note, I need to seek the Lord more. I have been distracted way too much lately. I remember in Peru when I was spending time with the Lord every morning and what that meant to me. I need that back again. My spiritual disciplines are wretched. I want my life to be God's here. That is so Christianese, but it is hard to live out. I am sure that it will change though. Praise the Lord for perseverance of the saints.
I am posting a blog very soon (maybe even today) on the second commandment as I said before, so look for that. Peace!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Birthdays and Boston Cream
So an update. Things have been going fairly well up here in New England. Classes have been interesting. My History and Archaelogy of the Ancient Near East class seems like it may be a snoozer. I enjoy learning anything, but from what the teacher is saying I don't even think this is Biblical archaelogy, but just the history and archaelogy of that region. Pottery and all that doesn't really excite me, but he has made some Biblical connections, so maybe I will get something out of reading 1500 pages on pots and palettes and such. My Systematic Theology class seems far more interesting. I was wrong; the prof is not a published guy, he is actually still working on his dissertation, but has studied at Yale and Oxford, so he seems bright. He told the class we should find a designated driver and go to the pub and talk theology with a few pints. He also apologized for having to refer to God as a He. I am for sure not at Liberty anymore, even though this place isn't liberal. Its just less conservative.
I've finally been going out and doing more things. And I finally have been into the actually city. It was my roomates birthday on Saturday, so a bunch of us went down town to this bar John Havard's (right next to Harvard) and got beers (of which I actually had one) and chilled. One girl made a Boston cream pie that was amazing. The whole thing was somewhat fun. The public tranportation here is rough. The subway train was broken down and we kept having to get off and go onto buses, so it took forever to get down there. Then last night I went with my roomate to this ministy called Genesis, which is a college age ministry with contemporary worship (very rare here) and some preaching and all. It was pretty cool, and I think I might get involved and talked to the worship leader about doing some bass or electric for them. It could be hard considering I will be (hopefully) leading worship on sunday morning for that chuch, but I could work it out. Then we went to this pretty cool worship service at the school where all the lights are off and everyone is super quiet and they sing hymns and such.
Tonight I am supposed to go to this thing called Holy Smokes, where people smoke hookah and chill and talk about theology and stuff. Its apparently not just believers, but an out reach and stuff. Seems kinda cool, and I might tape the skins game and go check it out.
In general I am just realizing that the same God that was with me in northern VA and in Lynchburg is here with me, and I really feel stupid for not pursuing Him much the last two weeks I have been here. I really want to take this opportunity up here to cleave to God. I am really confused about the future, and passing around the hot potatoe of pursuing acadmia or vocational ministry, or both. My heart is in ministry. This summer I saw grown people week as I told them to Gospel in Peru, not even speaking their language. I saw kids lives transformed at the beach, kids touched by the Gospel and changed forever. I want to be around that as much as possible. Its funny how much like Israel I am. You read the Old Testament and you are like, man, Israel is so stupid. Stop rebelling. You just saw the Red Sea parted. You just saw God's Shikinah glory pass over the tabernacle. You saw the Lord go with you into the conquest. But we are the same way. I saw the Lord do amazing acts this summer in the hearts of men, and yet I can so easily turn to sin or apathy. God, grant me a steadfast heart!
I am about to post something on the second commandment and modern day idolatry. I changed my mind about the whole two blog system, and so I will be posting whenever I get a chance about different things. I am hoping to get some work done this week, as I am absurdly behind in my Into to Islam class (as in, I haven't started and it is due in a little over a month).
To close, its been really encouraging having friends like Jenny and Kristen and Corrin and other people from back home just texting me and letting me know I am missed. It is a stretch for me to be out here, and I miss everyone, especially the minnistry. I miss leading worship, which is funny because I never intended to get into worship leading in the first place. Anyways, miss you all! Peace!
I've finally been going out and doing more things. And I finally have been into the actually city. It was my roomates birthday on Saturday, so a bunch of us went down town to this bar John Havard's (right next to Harvard) and got beers (of which I actually had one) and chilled. One girl made a Boston cream pie that was amazing. The whole thing was somewhat fun. The public tranportation here is rough. The subway train was broken down and we kept having to get off and go onto buses, so it took forever to get down there. Then last night I went with my roomate to this ministy called Genesis, which is a college age ministry with contemporary worship (very rare here) and some preaching and all. It was pretty cool, and I think I might get involved and talked to the worship leader about doing some bass or electric for them. It could be hard considering I will be (hopefully) leading worship on sunday morning for that chuch, but I could work it out. Then we went to this pretty cool worship service at the school where all the lights are off and everyone is super quiet and they sing hymns and such.
Tonight I am supposed to go to this thing called Holy Smokes, where people smoke hookah and chill and talk about theology and stuff. Its apparently not just believers, but an out reach and stuff. Seems kinda cool, and I might tape the skins game and go check it out.
In general I am just realizing that the same God that was with me in northern VA and in Lynchburg is here with me, and I really feel stupid for not pursuing Him much the last two weeks I have been here. I really want to take this opportunity up here to cleave to God. I am really confused about the future, and passing around the hot potatoe of pursuing acadmia or vocational ministry, or both. My heart is in ministry. This summer I saw grown people week as I told them to Gospel in Peru, not even speaking their language. I saw kids lives transformed at the beach, kids touched by the Gospel and changed forever. I want to be around that as much as possible. Its funny how much like Israel I am. You read the Old Testament and you are like, man, Israel is so stupid. Stop rebelling. You just saw the Red Sea parted. You just saw God's Shikinah glory pass over the tabernacle. You saw the Lord go with you into the conquest. But we are the same way. I saw the Lord do amazing acts this summer in the hearts of men, and yet I can so easily turn to sin or apathy. God, grant me a steadfast heart!
I am about to post something on the second commandment and modern day idolatry. I changed my mind about the whole two blog system, and so I will be posting whenever I get a chance about different things. I am hoping to get some work done this week, as I am absurdly behind in my Into to Islam class (as in, I haven't started and it is due in a little over a month).
To close, its been really encouraging having friends like Jenny and Kristen and Corrin and other people from back home just texting me and letting me know I am missed. It is a stretch for me to be out here, and I miss everyone, especially the minnistry. I miss leading worship, which is funny because I never intended to get into worship leading in the first place. Anyways, miss you all! Peace!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Movies and Mullings
So Boston is still kinda boring, but things have shown some promise. Monday night I met up with this guy that used to live in my apartment, Ramos, and about 15 or so other people at some bar called the Wild Horse. People there were pretty cool. I didn't drink anything; instead I just kinda chilled. I got there late so I only got to talk to people for like 45 minutes or so. It was nice to get out. Tonight I went out with my roomate Dave and met up with some people and got wings. Again, just for like an hour or so. Its nice getting out some.
So one interesting note is that everyone I have met here so far from the seminary drinks. I am completely fine with casual drinking or whatever, but it is kind of weird having it as a part of the culture here. Not that I haven't been around much drinking, but so many believers going out and drinking all the time just seems kinda odd to me at times. I mostly haven't done it at all cause its expensive and high in calories, but the whole image thing is in my mind too. We will see how it develops. Its interesting for sure.
So I didn't have to wake up today until around noon on Friday, but I still woke up and I watched some True Life and then saw The Number 23 with Jim Carrey that I had rented. Talk about a crazy movie. It was pretty sweet. I like weird unique movies, and it was def that. After wings and such tonight I watched Garden State, which I bough like a year ago and never got around to seeing. It was also uber sweet.
Blogging is weird cause I know its more public than journaling so I don't really wanna expose myself much, but I know like 3 people read this so, oh well. So Garden State reminded me a lot Hannah. The main character is completely weird and has a lot of stuff screwed up with him emotionally and he falls in love with this completely nuerotic and unique weird girl.
Hannah is completely insane and nuerotic and I loved it. She is unique...shes an individual. I never realized how important that is. I don't want a perfect girl. I want someone I can share how screwed up I am and who can understand my insane family life blah blah blah. I think a lot of people look at me and see a smart kid who has a lot going for him, but I also have so many rediculous weaknesses and a lot of issues in the background, and I want to be able to share that with someone and have them understand what that is like. And yea. I had a dream that I bought Hannah coffee and when I brought it back to her she was making out with Matt. It was kinda odd. I don't know what is up with me having weird dreams lately. I'm sure the Hannah phase will pass, especially since I am forced to move on. I would love to hold on and fight for it, but I don't think that will do any good. Thats all I am saying about that for awhile. Maybe once I start meeting some cute girls here :)
I am hoping spiritually things go well here. Spiritual life up here seems to be completely different than in Lynchburg or even DC. Its kind of cool that people here aren't trying to impress each other spiritually like in Lynchburg, but I just hope people are genuine.
The Redskins won their first game and I missed it for that church interview. I love the skins way too much. People here are obsessed with the Sox and Pats. Pretty crazy. Anyways, I have a long day ahead of movies and playstation and maybe, if I get to it, classwork.
So one interesting note is that everyone I have met here so far from the seminary drinks. I am completely fine with casual drinking or whatever, but it is kind of weird having it as a part of the culture here. Not that I haven't been around much drinking, but so many believers going out and drinking all the time just seems kinda odd to me at times. I mostly haven't done it at all cause its expensive and high in calories, but the whole image thing is in my mind too. We will see how it develops. Its interesting for sure.
So I didn't have to wake up today until around noon on Friday, but I still woke up and I watched some True Life and then saw The Number 23 with Jim Carrey that I had rented. Talk about a crazy movie. It was pretty sweet. I like weird unique movies, and it was def that. After wings and such tonight I watched Garden State, which I bough like a year ago and never got around to seeing. It was also uber sweet.
Blogging is weird cause I know its more public than journaling so I don't really wanna expose myself much, but I know like 3 people read this so, oh well. So Garden State reminded me a lot Hannah. The main character is completely weird and has a lot of stuff screwed up with him emotionally and he falls in love with this completely nuerotic and unique weird girl.
Hannah is completely insane and nuerotic and I loved it. She is unique...shes an individual. I never realized how important that is. I don't want a perfect girl. I want someone I can share how screwed up I am and who can understand my insane family life blah blah blah. I think a lot of people look at me and see a smart kid who has a lot going for him, but I also have so many rediculous weaknesses and a lot of issues in the background, and I want to be able to share that with someone and have them understand what that is like. And yea. I had a dream that I bought Hannah coffee and when I brought it back to her she was making out with Matt. It was kinda odd. I don't know what is up with me having weird dreams lately. I'm sure the Hannah phase will pass, especially since I am forced to move on. I would love to hold on and fight for it, but I don't think that will do any good. Thats all I am saying about that for awhile. Maybe once I start meeting some cute girls here :)
I am hoping spiritually things go well here. Spiritual life up here seems to be completely different than in Lynchburg or even DC. Its kind of cool that people here aren't trying to impress each other spiritually like in Lynchburg, but I just hope people are genuine.
The Redskins won their first game and I missed it for that church interview. I love the skins way too much. People here are obsessed with the Sox and Pats. Pretty crazy. Anyways, I have a long day ahead of movies and playstation and maybe, if I get to it, classwork.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Service and Slashed Tires
So things have been interesting since my last post. Friday was my first day of classes, which was exciting. I have Systematic Theology I with Anders, who has written some commentaries that I've used so he is fairly well published. I got to class 10 minutes late. Luckily that was early, because Anders never showed and we just took attendance and left. His assistants didn't know why he didn't show. Guess I'll meet him next Friday (all my classes are just once a week).
All of Saturday was spent setting up my room. The complete hazard zone that had formed from me unpacking was completely wrenching on my OCD all week so it was great to get everything set up, which literally took like 8 hours and I was unable to go downtown and hear my roomate's cousin rap. Which stinks because he sounded really good when Dave played his stuff for me. Actually even sounded black.
So today has been a little nuts. I was woken up this morning repeatedly at 4 or 5am by literally the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my life. Not just loud, but long and creepy. Like literally rolls of thunder lasting 6-10 seconds. It was the craziest thing I had ever heard in my life. Then I had an incredibly bizarre dream that I killed Doug Gibson's mom (I haven't seen Doug in like five years). Super weird. Then I woke up and came out to the church I am interviewing with talk to them about worship and get a feel for things.
The church is pretty cool. Incredibly theologically sound, with expositional preaching and Christ-centered worship. It is also dress-up and traditional, which kind of wigs me out and reminds me of church when I was a kid and didn't know Christ. I'm used to things being laid back and chill, so I don't know if it will be a good fit. It is also an hour away, which would be tough, so we will see what happens. It is hard to find churches here that are conservative at all (like believing in the deity of Christ), so I don't know if I should turn down a paid worship position at such a solid church because of ties and stained-glass. We will see how the Lord works. I went out with the pastor and assistant pastor/current worship leader to Chillis and we talked and I urned to be watching the Skins game, but it was good.
Upon my return to the church I played some songs for them and they liked it and I walked to my car, only to find all four tires flat. I was a little taken back, but somewhat prepared for it considering this kind of thing seems to happen to me all the time. Me and cars do not seem to go well together. However, no one can get four flat tires, even with the rocky roads here in Boston. I looked closer and there were about 4 or 5 knive slits per tire. Someone slashed all four of my tires in the church parking lot. Pretty insane. Not a rough area or anything, I was in the suburbs. I was a little concerned but the church really blessed me and went and bought me four new tires and there was a mechanic there who put them on for me, so now I am riding on four new tires. Pretty sweet. Still kinda crazy.
Today was my first class. History and Archaelogy of the Ancient Near East. I am almost positive that my teacher is Borat, and I was fully expecting him to say, "Archaelogy is very nice." But he didn't. Seems like it'll be a pretty boring class, but maybe I will learn some interesting stuff. The teacher says the 1500 pages of reading aren't a part of the grade for the course, unless you don't do it all and then it hurts your grade. So sweet of him. It was three hours. The rest of the day was spent getting my tux fitted for Bre and JR's wedding and getting stuff worked out with Starbucks.
It sucks not having people to call and hang out with. I don't really know how I am going to make friends, mostly because I don't know where I will meet people and if I don't meet people through my roomates I'm screwed. I should've lived on campus but it was too expensive. So that could use prayer.
I'm kind of going through a "what the crap am i doing" mood. Why am I in grad school. Do I really wanna be a teacher. Is there anything I would rather do? Why don't I go focus on music or go into ministry or become a plumber or something. I dunno. Everyone goes through these times. Regardless, I really need to do a better job of seeking the Lord here, which I haven't been doing much. Anyways, hopefully things will turn around. Still thinking about stuff from back home some and just learning to get over Hannah, which is annoying and something I don't want to do. I'm really glad we are still friends though. I still have lingering feelings though and I don't really know why.
I literally have no class or anything until Friday. Ha. Oh, and I found out I have lost 20 pounds! HAHA. So I weigh like 155 now. Pretty crazy. I'm happy about it. Anyways, until next time.
All of Saturday was spent setting up my room. The complete hazard zone that had formed from me unpacking was completely wrenching on my OCD all week so it was great to get everything set up, which literally took like 8 hours and I was unable to go downtown and hear my roomate's cousin rap. Which stinks because he sounded really good when Dave played his stuff for me. Actually even sounded black.
So today has been a little nuts. I was woken up this morning repeatedly at 4 or 5am by literally the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my life. Not just loud, but long and creepy. Like literally rolls of thunder lasting 6-10 seconds. It was the craziest thing I had ever heard in my life. Then I had an incredibly bizarre dream that I killed Doug Gibson's mom (I haven't seen Doug in like five years). Super weird. Then I woke up and came out to the church I am interviewing with talk to them about worship and get a feel for things.
The church is pretty cool. Incredibly theologically sound, with expositional preaching and Christ-centered worship. It is also dress-up and traditional, which kind of wigs me out and reminds me of church when I was a kid and didn't know Christ. I'm used to things being laid back and chill, so I don't know if it will be a good fit. It is also an hour away, which would be tough, so we will see what happens. It is hard to find churches here that are conservative at all (like believing in the deity of Christ), so I don't know if I should turn down a paid worship position at such a solid church because of ties and stained-glass. We will see how the Lord works. I went out with the pastor and assistant pastor/current worship leader to Chillis and we talked and I urned to be watching the Skins game, but it was good.
Upon my return to the church I played some songs for them and they liked it and I walked to my car, only to find all four tires flat. I was a little taken back, but somewhat prepared for it considering this kind of thing seems to happen to me all the time. Me and cars do not seem to go well together. However, no one can get four flat tires, even with the rocky roads here in Boston. I looked closer and there were about 4 or 5 knive slits per tire. Someone slashed all four of my tires in the church parking lot. Pretty insane. Not a rough area or anything, I was in the suburbs. I was a little concerned but the church really blessed me and went and bought me four new tires and there was a mechanic there who put them on for me, so now I am riding on four new tires. Pretty sweet. Still kinda crazy.
Today was my first class. History and Archaelogy of the Ancient Near East. I am almost positive that my teacher is Borat, and I was fully expecting him to say, "Archaelogy is very nice." But he didn't. Seems like it'll be a pretty boring class, but maybe I will learn some interesting stuff. The teacher says the 1500 pages of reading aren't a part of the grade for the course, unless you don't do it all and then it hurts your grade. So sweet of him. It was three hours. The rest of the day was spent getting my tux fitted for Bre and JR's wedding and getting stuff worked out with Starbucks.
It sucks not having people to call and hang out with. I don't really know how I am going to make friends, mostly because I don't know where I will meet people and if I don't meet people through my roomates I'm screwed. I should've lived on campus but it was too expensive. So that could use prayer.
I'm kind of going through a "what the crap am i doing" mood. Why am I in grad school. Do I really wanna be a teacher. Is there anything I would rather do? Why don't I go focus on music or go into ministry or become a plumber or something. I dunno. Everyone goes through these times. Regardless, I really need to do a better job of seeking the Lord here, which I haven't been doing much. Anyways, hopefully things will turn around. Still thinking about stuff from back home some and just learning to get over Hannah, which is annoying and something I don't want to do. I'm really glad we are still friends though. I still have lingering feelings though and I don't really know why.
I literally have no class or anything until Friday. Ha. Oh, and I found out I have lost 20 pounds! HAHA. So I weigh like 155 now. Pretty crazy. I'm happy about it. Anyways, until next time.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
My Big Move
Hey everyone,
Ok so I now live in Massachusetts, a state that I just literally had to look up the spelling of. I had several weeks of extended good-byes, which began to wear on me, so Sunday rolled around and I saw everyone at church and heard Dale preach, which, was very good, and then went home to pack my car. I thought I had a lot packed up before hand, but it took me and my mom three or more hours to pack my car and then she took me and got my hair trimmed up (which was much needed) and I got dinner with her and my dad. It was nice to spend some time with them before I left. So I got home, and it was around 8pm and I decided I didn't want to deal with sleeping in an empty room and how depressing that would be and waking up early so I rolled out of town, barely able to see out of my windows.
My ride was surprisingly pleasant, although I was exhausted. I was expecting driving alone in the middle of the night with all that has been going on in my life this summer and leaving home to be depressing, but it was a nice drive. It kinda sucked that my ipod died halfway through, but then I heard the Delilah song that I have somehow gone the last few months hearing about but never hearing. It’s charming. I pulled up to my apartment at 6am (just for the record, I do not live in Boston, I live in Ipswich, which is like 45 minutes north of Boston)
So I walked into my apartment and immediately realized I lived in a dump. My house is from the 1700's and is pretty run down, something I expected considering my ridiculously reasonable rent. Though that morning I had a small panic attack, it has grown on me. It is awkward that there is a roommate of mine whose room cuts through mine, so my privacy is incredibly infringed upon, but I have some ideas of hanging sheets and such to get around that. It is going to be interesting for sure (that roommate is in his 30's, married with 4 kids and lives in Connecticut, but for some reason works at the school and maybe goes to school. My roommates have met him twice in 3 months, but the guy came in last night and woke me up then and this morning walking through Weird. ADVENTURE!
Waking up the first day, I was excited to learn my roommates are 23 and 24, not 46 and Asian. They are cool guys. They smoke pipes and drink beer and are pretty laid back, but I don't think they are liberal Christians. They seem solid; I haven't talked to them yet about it.
Most of the week I have been doing orientation and trying to gather furniture (sorry this post is so long, just a lot going on). I took and OT and NT assessment that I passed. I realized I don't have to decide my degree path this semester and got signed up for classes. Also, whatever degree path I choose doesn't necessarily lock me into the same PhD program, so a lot of pressure has been taken off my shoulders (I am deciding between OT and Theology, and maybe NT). My courses this semester are as follows: Christian Ethics, Systematic Theology I, Intro to Islam, and History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Pretty cool stuff.
I miss my friends. Not like a ton, that'll come later as I am so focused on getting settled. It seems like it will be difficult to meet people living off campus. I hope to meet people from the undergrad through my roommate that went there. Certain people are obviously on my mind here, and I for sure miss serving at the church and having the encouragement of Dale and Kent and everyone.
The future is that I start class tomorrow with Systematic Theology, and I try and get a bed. I may see JR and Bre tonight as JR just flew into Boston to go to Maine for the wedding and such. I also interview with that church about being their worship leader this Sunday. I'm getting lunch with the pastor and current worship leader after service, so you can pray for that! My other prayer request is just for godly friends here, and maybe like a 20-year-old Christian model who is incredibly attracted to artsy, intellectual and sometimes-awkward seminary students. God is sovereign, and can do what he wants. Miss you guys!
John
Ok so I now live in Massachusetts, a state that I just literally had to look up the spelling of. I had several weeks of extended good-byes, which began to wear on me, so Sunday rolled around and I saw everyone at church and heard Dale preach, which, was very good, and then went home to pack my car. I thought I had a lot packed up before hand, but it took me and my mom three or more hours to pack my car and then she took me and got my hair trimmed up (which was much needed) and I got dinner with her and my dad. It was nice to spend some time with them before I left. So I got home, and it was around 8pm and I decided I didn't want to deal with sleeping in an empty room and how depressing that would be and waking up early so I rolled out of town, barely able to see out of my windows.
My ride was surprisingly pleasant, although I was exhausted. I was expecting driving alone in the middle of the night with all that has been going on in my life this summer and leaving home to be depressing, but it was a nice drive. It kinda sucked that my ipod died halfway through, but then I heard the Delilah song that I have somehow gone the last few months hearing about but never hearing. It’s charming. I pulled up to my apartment at 6am (just for the record, I do not live in Boston, I live in Ipswich, which is like 45 minutes north of Boston)
So I walked into my apartment and immediately realized I lived in a dump. My house is from the 1700's and is pretty run down, something I expected considering my ridiculously reasonable rent. Though that morning I had a small panic attack, it has grown on me. It is awkward that there is a roommate of mine whose room cuts through mine, so my privacy is incredibly infringed upon, but I have some ideas of hanging sheets and such to get around that. It is going to be interesting for sure (that roommate is in his 30's, married with 4 kids and lives in Connecticut, but for some reason works at the school and maybe goes to school. My roommates have met him twice in 3 months, but the guy came in last night and woke me up then and this morning walking through Weird. ADVENTURE!
Waking up the first day, I was excited to learn my roommates are 23 and 24, not 46 and Asian. They are cool guys. They smoke pipes and drink beer and are pretty laid back, but I don't think they are liberal Christians. They seem solid; I haven't talked to them yet about it.
Most of the week I have been doing orientation and trying to gather furniture (sorry this post is so long, just a lot going on). I took and OT and NT assessment that I passed. I realized I don't have to decide my degree path this semester and got signed up for classes. Also, whatever degree path I choose doesn't necessarily lock me into the same PhD program, so a lot of pressure has been taken off my shoulders (I am deciding between OT and Theology, and maybe NT). My courses this semester are as follows: Christian Ethics, Systematic Theology I, Intro to Islam, and History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Pretty cool stuff.
I miss my friends. Not like a ton, that'll come later as I am so focused on getting settled. It seems like it will be difficult to meet people living off campus. I hope to meet people from the undergrad through my roommate that went there. Certain people are obviously on my mind here, and I for sure miss serving at the church and having the encouragement of Dale and Kent and everyone.
The future is that I start class tomorrow with Systematic Theology, and I try and get a bed. I may see JR and Bre tonight as JR just flew into Boston to go to Maine for the wedding and such. I also interview with that church about being their worship leader this Sunday. I'm getting lunch with the pastor and current worship leader after service, so you can pray for that! My other prayer request is just for godly friends here, and maybe like a 20-year-old Christian model who is incredibly attracted to artsy, intellectual and sometimes-awkward seminary students. God is sovereign, and can do what he wants. Miss you guys!
John
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