Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Things I Love, part I
I love applesauce. I could probably eat applesauce with any concievable meal. Add some cinnamon for a tasty delight.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Sowing Seeds.
Every Tuesday at my school we have a campus-wide chapel service. This is a chance for anyone who chooses to come and have a time of worship @ 10am, every Tuesday. I've been helping to lead the music for a while. It's one of my favorite things about school, and jamming with the guys at school every week has gotten me through a lot.
The reason I say all this is that i've seen lots of chapels in my (almost) four years of school. The first Tuesday of every year is always....the first chapel! The funny thing about the first chapel of the year is that usually people are required to go. First year freshman and most of the athletic teams are required to at least show up. This is when you see the most pairs of headphones in chapel, the most people asleep, and generally the most confused or disgruntled faces for being there.
So the band started the service off. As we were playing I realized I don't think I had ever seen that many people at chapel before. It's a little scary to play worship music for people who don't listen to worship music, nay, can't stand worship music. Part of me was thinking: "wow, i'll bet some of these guys think i'm a total tool standing up here singing about God".
I started to be bitter about people being forced to attend chapel: "if they don't want to be here, they shouldn't be" started ringing in my head. At first I was enthused by so many people filling the pews of the sanctuary on campus, then I turned elitist because some people there might not "understand" anything about worship.
But then I prayed that God would use the time there to speak to people's hearts. I realized that chapel wasn't about me, or my guitar, or the powerpoint slides, or sport teams. The attention should not be on me, or the band but on God. For it is not my business to change people's hearts, but God's. Who was I to think that I had a monopoly on worshiping. How could I think that I was in a position to judge the hearts of the people who filled those pews? I asked God to help give me humility, to use me for his will.
Then this scripture came to mind....Even if people weren't Christian maybe chapel could be a time where they could encounter God. And ya know what, even if no one made any big life commitments or "saw the light" that doesn't mean we don't keep trying. Read this:
Matthew 13: 1-23
Or if you prefer to read it right there on your computer screen:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013:%201-23&version=31
This is from biblegateway.com a crucial website for all things biblical.
The reason I say all this is that i've seen lots of chapels in my (almost) four years of school. The first Tuesday of every year is always....the first chapel! The funny thing about the first chapel of the year is that usually people are required to go. First year freshman and most of the athletic teams are required to at least show up. This is when you see the most pairs of headphones in chapel, the most people asleep, and generally the most confused or disgruntled faces for being there.
So the band started the service off. As we were playing I realized I don't think I had ever seen that many people at chapel before. It's a little scary to play worship music for people who don't listen to worship music, nay, can't stand worship music. Part of me was thinking: "wow, i'll bet some of these guys think i'm a total tool standing up here singing about God".
I started to be bitter about people being forced to attend chapel: "if they don't want to be here, they shouldn't be" started ringing in my head. At first I was enthused by so many people filling the pews of the sanctuary on campus, then I turned elitist because some people there might not "understand" anything about worship.
But then I prayed that God would use the time there to speak to people's hearts. I realized that chapel wasn't about me, or my guitar, or the powerpoint slides, or sport teams. The attention should not be on me, or the band but on God. For it is not my business to change people's hearts, but God's. Who was I to think that I had a monopoly on worshiping. How could I think that I was in a position to judge the hearts of the people who filled those pews? I asked God to help give me humility, to use me for his will.
Then this scripture came to mind....Even if people weren't Christian maybe chapel could be a time where they could encounter God. And ya know what, even if no one made any big life commitments or "saw the light" that doesn't mean we don't keep trying. Read this:
Matthew 13: 1-23
Or if you prefer to read it right there on your computer screen:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013:%201-23&version=31
This is from biblegateway.com a crucial website for all things biblical.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Chipotle, Chijuajua's, and the Price Is Right.
So this week I went back to college. College is always much more glamorous in the movies/TV. Really, it's as time consuming as it is expensive. It was cool to be back though and see all my bro-bro's. The highlight of my week was probably consuming a giant burrito in Columbia with some of my buddies (http://www.chipotle.com).
Some buddies of mine live off campus and one of them got a chi-wa-wa over the sumer. His name is Jaws, its great. However Jaws took a giant leap off of the couch and ended up dislocating one of his shoulders! But he's got a little itty bitty splint for it, i'm sure he'll recover soon.
Another highlight of going to school has been assembling enough people to go to the Price Is Right. I HAVE 20 TICKETS! Here's the schedule: Now until May 5- Sr. year of College....May 6- Graduate College....May 7 DRIVE OUT TO LOS ANGELES....May 9- PRICE IS RIGHT....May 14- Resume full time at EUMC. I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it.
I'll try and update this more often too, past two weeks have been c-r-a-z-y. Thanks for reading.
Some buddies of mine live off campus and one of them got a chi-wa-wa over the sumer. His name is Jaws, its great. However Jaws took a giant leap off of the couch and ended up dislocating one of his shoulders! But he's got a little itty bitty splint for it, i'm sure he'll recover soon.
Another highlight of going to school has been assembling enough people to go to the Price Is Right. I HAVE 20 TICKETS! Here's the schedule: Now until May 5- Sr. year of College....May 6- Graduate College....May 7 DRIVE OUT TO LOS ANGELES....May 9- PRICE IS RIGHT....May 14- Resume full time at EUMC. I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it.
I'll try and update this more often too, past two weeks have been c-r-a-z-y. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Hillarious
So, you need to check out this website:
http://www.dontbethatguy.com
I really learned a lot about myself and my annoying tendancies. Another great site to visit is:
http://www.doineedajacket.com
Thanks to Johnny V. for this one. Who amongst us hasn't thought: "Hmm....its a bit chilly outside, should I wear a jacket?"
http://www.dontbethatguy.com
I really learned a lot about myself and my annoying tendancies. Another great site to visit is:
http://www.doineedajacket.com
Thanks to Johnny V. for this one. Who amongst us hasn't thought: "Hmm....its a bit chilly outside, should I wear a jacket?"
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
The Spittin Image
Hey, this happened to me a couple days ago. Thought i'd share it with anyone who is interested....
A couple of youth and I were at a local mall to enjoy some Chic-Fil-A and then heading to the “Christian bookstore.” As a small caveat, I normally cringe when thinking about these establishments: Jesus fish erasers, WWJD oven mitts, and other objects of Christian consumerism (and overpriced objects at that) give me an uneasy feeling. Nonetheless this vendor of Christian paraphernalia carried a book I had unsuccessfully shopped for elsewhere.
When we walked in, I commented to one of my cohorts that I would hate to work at one of these Christian bookstores because if someone was a total jerk to you, it’s not like you could react negatively. I’ve never seen a Christian bookstore clerk cuss someone out.
As usual I meandered through some isles trying to avoid the stole section in search for the book I came to buy. I wanted to be in and out of there quick. I was unsuccessful in locating my desired purchase and asked an employee for help. She was indeed helpful. The “Christian Clerk” was perky, polite, and punctual in her assistance. She walked me to the appropriate section (which was a comfortable distance away from the novelty jewelry) and then we headed for the register.
I was in line behind another young gentleman and while he was being rung up by the same employee that assisted me I thumbed through my new book, read the back and inside covers, etc. As the guy in front of me walked out, with no apparent commotion I stepped up to the counter, looked down, noticed something was amiss and said: “Whoa, did someone spit on your counter?!” Up to this point, the kind young woman hadn’t noticed the stealth of the last patron.
The Christian Clerk then explained to me that he was upset because she wouldn’t let him return an opened CD and apparently he thought it appropriate to express his disapproval by emitting saliva before he left. As she was realizing what had just taken place, she started crying.
You have got to be kidding me. The youth I was with were at the front of the store and noticed my scrambling for how to react. I muttered: “Uuhh….do you have a towel or something?” I then proceeded to grab the Windex and paper towels from the sobbing girl’s hands and mopped up human saliva from a Christian bookstore register. I glanced at the employee’s nametag so that I could call her by name and explained that I thought she had been very helpful and that the anonymous spitter was a goon who had probably copied the CD to his iPod and was just trying to get his money back. I did all of this while trying to remain calm as a man reacting to a woman crying freezes up.
In the aftermath of the silent spit assassin, the youth and I went on a brief C.O.P.S. style search of the food court to find this guy and instruct him that spitting on a counter implies poor social and hygienic skills. To our disappointment he had left the mall, perhaps trying to rip off another Christian bookstore down the street.
Given my comment when I entered the store (the one about Christian bookstore employees having to be nice) it was ironic that I was an eye witness to an employee in a difficult/strange/gross situation. Initially the youth and I admired the poor girl who had to deal with a man spitting in her direct vicinity, for being such a “good Christian”. We talked about how we couldn’t believe that someone would do something like that in A CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE! *gasp* But it was then that I realized the “moral of the story”.
It shouldn’t matter that it was a Christian bookstore. There should be no heightened sense of moral conduct when you’re perusing Christian resources and novelties. No matter where you are, you should treat people the way Christ calls us to even when they spit in your face. If I was able to find that guy, approach him, and drop the a-hole bomb, what good would that have done? Believe me I wanted to. But would I have been any better than him? In chastising him for acting “un-Christian” I would have been perpetuating un-Christ like behavior.
That day at the mall I had an attitude check. I re-evaluated my understanding of my call to be the spittin’ image of Christ, whether I’m at a Christian bookstore or not.
A couple of youth and I were at a local mall to enjoy some Chic-Fil-A and then heading to the “Christian bookstore.” As a small caveat, I normally cringe when thinking about these establishments: Jesus fish erasers, WWJD oven mitts, and other objects of Christian consumerism (and overpriced objects at that) give me an uneasy feeling. Nonetheless this vendor of Christian paraphernalia carried a book I had unsuccessfully shopped for elsewhere.
When we walked in, I commented to one of my cohorts that I would hate to work at one of these Christian bookstores because if someone was a total jerk to you, it’s not like you could react negatively. I’ve never seen a Christian bookstore clerk cuss someone out.
As usual I meandered through some isles trying to avoid the stole section in search for the book I came to buy. I wanted to be in and out of there quick. I was unsuccessful in locating my desired purchase and asked an employee for help. She was indeed helpful. The “Christian Clerk” was perky, polite, and punctual in her assistance. She walked me to the appropriate section (which was a comfortable distance away from the novelty jewelry) and then we headed for the register.
I was in line behind another young gentleman and while he was being rung up by the same employee that assisted me I thumbed through my new book, read the back and inside covers, etc. As the guy in front of me walked out, with no apparent commotion I stepped up to the counter, looked down, noticed something was amiss and said: “Whoa, did someone spit on your counter?!” Up to this point, the kind young woman hadn’t noticed the stealth of the last patron.
The Christian Clerk then explained to me that he was upset because she wouldn’t let him return an opened CD and apparently he thought it appropriate to express his disapproval by emitting saliva before he left. As she was realizing what had just taken place, she started crying.
You have got to be kidding me. The youth I was with were at the front of the store and noticed my scrambling for how to react. I muttered: “Uuhh….do you have a towel or something?” I then proceeded to grab the Windex and paper towels from the sobbing girl’s hands and mopped up human saliva from a Christian bookstore register. I glanced at the employee’s nametag so that I could call her by name and explained that I thought she had been very helpful and that the anonymous spitter was a goon who had probably copied the CD to his iPod and was just trying to get his money back. I did all of this while trying to remain calm as a man reacting to a woman crying freezes up.
In the aftermath of the silent spit assassin, the youth and I went on a brief C.O.P.S. style search of the food court to find this guy and instruct him that spitting on a counter implies poor social and hygienic skills. To our disappointment he had left the mall, perhaps trying to rip off another Christian bookstore down the street.
Given my comment when I entered the store (the one about Christian bookstore employees having to be nice) it was ironic that I was an eye witness to an employee in a difficult/strange/gross situation. Initially the youth and I admired the poor girl who had to deal with a man spitting in her direct vicinity, for being such a “good Christian”. We talked about how we couldn’t believe that someone would do something like that in A CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE! *gasp* But it was then that I realized the “moral of the story”.
It shouldn’t matter that it was a Christian bookstore. There should be no heightened sense of moral conduct when you’re perusing Christian resources and novelties. No matter where you are, you should treat people the way Christ calls us to even when they spit in your face. If I was able to find that guy, approach him, and drop the a-hole bomb, what good would that have done? Believe me I wanted to. But would I have been any better than him? In chastising him for acting “un-Christian” I would have been perpetuating un-Christ like behavior.
That day at the mall I had an attitude check. I re-evaluated my understanding of my call to be the spittin’ image of Christ, whether I’m at a Christian bookstore or not.
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