Happy Christmas

I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

God Bless!

Or the Warm Tropical Beaches of the Florida Coast

Some have said that my appreciation for the state of Florida borders on obsession rather than admiration and affection. This might be true. I do love the state, and think it is one the better ones in the union.

But as I drove to Melbourne, FL from Louisiana last Thursday something funny happened. If you paid attention to the weather in the Southeast at all last week, you may have heared that a big low went through from Texas to the east coast. It rained profusely. I left New Orleans Thursday morning, and as soon as I made it to the Louisiana/Mississippi border it began to rain. Not only did it rain, it stormed. Did it just storm? No. There was 40 MPH winds, lighting, hail, everything. It was crazy. I think it was the worst storm I ever drove through (with the exception of Hurricane Ivan in 2004). At one point, I was on I-10 driving about 30 MPH! I couldn't see for hours. It was horrible. I just wanted the storm to end, for it to get quiet, and me to drive the speed limit.

Yet, as I approached the Alabama/Florida border, I experienced a relief. As soon as I crossed into the 27th state something happened. The rain stopped. Sure it sprinkled here and there. But it was like the clouds parted and there was a little light from the sun behind the many large clouds. As I crossed into Florida I thought to myself that this was significant. It stopped raining as soon as I got here. It was like God was saying, "You are home." Even if it had not been raining, once I get to Florida, things always just seem better. And maybe, just maybe, God turned the water off just so my obsession/appreciation would continue.

Maybe it's not that weird after all.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Music and Lyrics: Traditional
Additional Lyrics by David Bazan

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And after Thanksgiving, our folks unpacked the manger scene
With Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and three kings on bended knee
But left the manger empty til we slept on Christmas Eve
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And now my wife and children dream of gifts beneath the tree
While I place in the manger baby Jesus figurine
Sipping Christmas whiskey wondering if I still believe
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Oh Come, O Come Emmanuel

Veni, veni Emmanuel,
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei Filio.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.

The Cost of Living Through "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

I love Christmas, this you should already know. I enjoy the season, the cool air, and the music this time of year produces. I'm especially a fan of the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (which, surprisingly, Relient K does a great pop-punk cover of). CNN has recently published an article online that shows how a report by a money management firm calculates the cost of what it would be like to get all of the items listed in the aforementioned song. The total cost? $78,100! You can read the humorous article here.

LSU SUCKS

Haha. Louisiana State University lost! Although I live in the state, I cannot stand LSU. Last night, I was so thrilled, even giddy. Haha. LSU sucks.

November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving.

Blog

I'm an adult. I have been one for some time. But adulthood isn't defined in what you do. Paying rent, bills, going to work, etc, these are surely adult activities. But, being an adult is an attitude, as well. However, I think I have uncovered a new level of adulthood. I have a workshop this weekend. A whole two-hour course in three days and a lot of pre-class and post-class reading and assignments. I had to skip a couple classes this week, just to allot more time for myself to finish the pre-class requirements. I started on this mess a week ago, and I'm still working on it! This is adulthood: skipping class not for fun or sickness, but to work on other assignments for a different class when there was no slacking whatsoever!

On Internet Sales and Marketing

I listed seventeen items on eBay the other day. Fifteen sold. This is by far the best success I have ever had. Since Michelle asked for the results, I figured I would post it for all my business constituents here. These are the sale prices not including shipping (which means I made a few more bucks). Some of the highlights include:

1. The Apologetics Study Bible – Purchased this for $15; sold for $31
2. Northern Exposure: Seasons 1&2 – I bought these for $20; it sold for $42.01
3. Lot of 5 New Testaments (new/sealed) – I got these for free; sold for $18.01
4. World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade (Limited) – I got it for free; $20.50
5. Lot of 30 DVDs – Obviously paid a lot but, I’m glad to get rid of them; $83.71
6. 10 XBOX games – I bought a few of these but got the others free; sold for $40.95
7. First Christmas Ornament – I paid a buck for it, and shipping is a buck; made $5
8. Vincent’s Word Studies (4 Volumes) – I got these for free; $11.60
9. Lot of 15 Theology books – Bought some of these, wanted to get rid of them; $12.51
10. Scrubs: Seasons 1-5 (used) – I bought seasons 1 & 2 with a gift card from Best Buy, and I paid around $70 for the other three; the DVD’s sold for $112.50

Total Profits for this Quarter: $401.67

Sell, Sell, Sell

It's that time once again where I get tired of having a lot of junk and decide to sell off my life. This occasion, it's mostly books and DVD's.

If it strikes your fancy, take a peek here!

A Critical Review of Steven C. Roy's "How Much Does God Foreknow?"

The book, How Much Does God Foreknow? A Comprehensive Biblical Study, is a fantastic work written by Steven C. Roy. An associate professor of pastoral theology, Dr. Roy teaches at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. The central issue of the book delves into the subject of God’s foreknowledge. The discussion regarding this topic deals with the extent to which God has knowledge of future events. The question the author hopes to answer is whether God’s knowledge of what will occur is exhaustive and comprehensive or limited and indeterminate.

Within the first pages of the book, it becomes obvious that Dr. Roy subscribes to an exhaustive view of God’s foreknowledge. He does not limit God in any way, but simply states his opinion in the opening sentence: “God knows the future” (Roy 2006, 9)! The author’s thesis illustrates how God’s omniscience and omnipotence give Him the ability to know what lies ahead. In other words, it would go against God’s all-knowing and all-powerful nature for Him to not already know future events. But, a problem arises in the exhaustive view of God’s foreknowledge and quickly becomes an inquiry that must be answered. The main issue, then, being how can God know the future events of humans if they have free human agency to make choices that will effect a final decision or event? The writer spends a great deal of time making arguments to answer that very question which is raised by a relatively new theological position known as open theism.

Open theism denies the very claim that Roy originally makes, that God does not know the future because it has not occurred yet. The author does a great job of making his claims for why someone should view God’s foreknowledge as meticulously far-reaching as possible. He writes the book so persuasively that all who read it should see the faultiness in trying to understand a God who does not have future knowledge of His free creatures’ actions. The author astutely posits that God does know the actions humans will take, and even more, why they will act and speak in certain ways. Using examples from the Old and New Testaments, the writer shows how God lets people make their own choices, yet He knew before the foundation of the world what those choices would be. As well as presenting biblical evidence for an exhaustive view of God’s foreknowledge, Dr. Roy defines every possible position addressed in the book.

The writer of the text explains what he means when speaking about foreknowledge, as well as fairly assessing what open-theists mean when they speak to the issue God’s limited knowledge. Exhaustive foreknowledge implies an infallible, all-encompassing knowledge that God possess of every thought, action, and event of every human or creature within the realm of every possible outcome that could potentially occur. That is to say, God knows everything before it happens! An open view of God would contend that God cannot know the possible decisions humans will make because they are creatures with libertarian freedom, so how could God know what humans would do if they themselves do not know? Roy’s book really emphasizes both views by comparing and contrasting each of them, showing why one lacks not only a solid biblical reflection, but also a well-reasoned philosophical foundation.

Although open-theists oppose the writer’s orthodox stance, a non-exhaustive view of God also sites biblical precedence for why God does not know future free choices of His creatures. The author examines this kind of argumentation that open theists use to show how God is limited in what he knows. According to open theists, that idea is best represented in several passages contained in the Bible that seem to assert that God repented, recanted, or changed his mind. But brilliantly, in the very next section of the book, the author quickly rebuts those examples and shows that, again using biblical evidence, the text affirms that God does not change his mind or repent or recant.

Dr. Roy helps readers to pinpoint how essential an exhaustive view of God’s foreknowledge is to understanding many things that have happened in human history. Also, the author is quick to recognize the implications that proponents to the openness of God do not take into consideration. While Pinnock, Sanders, Boyd, and others think one way about certain theological instances, the writer calmly and gracefully shows them the road back to orthodoxy. Throughout the text, there are many instances where he illustrates these qualities. This is especially evident in chapter four, where Roy makes the claim for open theism. He examines the view, but notes how inconsistent it is with Scripture, and how poor the argument is hermeneutically. These are just some of the many insights gained from reading the text.

It is an understatement to say that viewing God’s foreknowledge in a particular way will shape one’s view in other areas of theology and ministry. The author understands this, and that is why he spends a great amount of time in the book researching those conclusions one will inevitably come to if he or she lands in the camp of the non-exhaustive view of God. There is a section of the book that is a perfect example of this. In the final chapter, the author looks at the practical implications of open theism and shows how many things will be evident if a person falls into this theological trap. By investigating worship, prayer, and struggling with the issue of evil, as well as others, the author shows why a view of exhaustive foreknowledge is of the uttermost importance for understanding God (as much as humanly possible). As the author expresses, “Exhaustive divine foreknowledge enables a level of expectation and practice that much more closely corresponds to the vision of the Christian life portrayed in Scripture” (Roy 2006, 278).

A novel idea that resonated with me was the discussion of how, according to open-theists, Greek philosophy plays an important role in the way the church understands the philosophical implications tackled in the book. Even though some theologians in the past have been influenced by Platonic or Aristotelian thought, Dr. Roy demonstrates how God’s foreknowledge must be handled strictly with biblical testimony and not philosophical inference. This is not to say that philosophy is absent from the Bible, but that when Scripture verifies something so significant as God’s foreknowledge, it is wise to heed to its underpinnings.

There was nothing within the pages of the book that really challenged the way I viewed God. Since the author and I share the same presuppositions, it would be hard for me to disagree with what he wrote. Dr. Roy is such a convincing writer that while I was reading his review of open-theism, he started to sound like one himself. I believe this example really shows how much he knows the material, because he wrote in such a way that gave good evidence to support the view. In the end, it was his reexamination of the exhaustive claims that really hit home and especially emphasizes the importance of relying strictly on the validity of Scripture.

I enjoyed how the author pointed out positive aspects of open theist’s argumentation instead of just nitpicking particular theological positions. An example of this is found when Roy presents the case for open theism. He highlights doctrine that open theists correctly interpret the Bible to teach. Even though the author’s position on this heated issue is contrary to open theism, he is very careful to treat his challengers with respect, and he still considers them brothers and sisters in the faith. Another aspect of the book that I appreciated quite a bit was how the author soaked this book in biblical basis for every claim he made. A large portion of words in this book are from the Bible; select passages that do not serve as proof text, but rather strong examples of the way our Lord is portrayed in the Bible (as a God who knows all things before anything occurs).

While How Much Does God Foreknow? has many positive aspects, it is not without a few problems. The weaknesses of the book are not so much theological in nature. The contention lies within how the author organizes and structures of the book. From the contents page, it would seem as if the author arranged the book in a logical order. However, when one reads the text, it seems very redundant at times, and topics run over into each section. Although I agree with the author on most of his positions, there are times when the language with which he writes is very passé. I found myself just glazing over the words, not because of their technicality, but because it was just a bit superfluous and boring. This is not necessarily something the author could have fixed in editing, yet he could have wrote with a little more excitement at times.

As Dr. Roy concludes the book, he shares the same sentiment as he did in the introduction: “God knows the future—exhaustively and definitely and infallibly” (Roy 2006, 279)! That is a good place to start and end. God has to know the future. If He is waiting on time like his creation, than we are all in trouble. God has to be beyond time; immutably sovereign while his creatures do their best in their marred state to glorify Him. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book anyone who wanted to know more about the subject of God’s foreknowledge, especially if that person was leaning toward open theism. While the language of the book might be technical for some readers who do not read critically in theology, there is enough practical information for readers to be able to understand what the author is saying.

I Got This Email Tonight

Welcome!

Thank you for registering with the Sanity Score, a service of Psych Central. Your registration gives you access to the full range of free services offered by the Sanity Score, including saving and tracking your score over time. You also have complete access to the services at Psych Central, including our online support community.

Your username is: shawn
Your password is: fuckyou

(Remember, your password is case-sensitive, so type it in exactly as shown or copy and paste it into your Web browser.)

Yours truly,
Dr. John Grohol
Sanity Score
http://www.sanityscore.com/
____________________________________________________________________________________

Now, all I have to do is figure out who is this mysterious Shawn.

{politics}

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Ethics: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

I Miss Fireworks On The Riverwalk

Yes, I am alive. I do wish to blog again, although now is not that time. A hiatus will resume.

P.S. I got new shoes.

P.P.S. My friend Phil and I will be putting out something that you all will be able to download. Expect little, and be happy.

Due To The Overwhelming Response

This is what they call a hiatus.

It's June And You're A Goon

Some days I feel like giving up blogging. I'm so tired of it. It's a hassle; a chore most days. I've been doing this site with friends for five and a half years, and solo for a couple years. I'm just done with it. I will still post, maybe. If you really want me to keep it going, let me know in a comment below.

P.S. This is not a sad attempt at getting comments. I just really want to know what people think.

Brian Was Wrong

Green Day are not the clever, political rebels some once thought they were. No, it appears that their overnight consciousness comes at a time when it's what they have to do to stay current, rather than what they should do out of generosity. I'm glad they're helping raise awareness about Darfur. Hell, I don't even mind them covering a John Lennon song. But at least, when you go on American Idol, sing the song with some damn conviction! It's not your song to butcher with your mindless drone! A working class hero you are not boys.

This brings me to my thoughts on Idol last night (Matt should love that). A two-hour finale is way better than 2005's three-hour final episode. The celebrities that appeared last night made more sense than the previous two finales (or maybe even all of them). The entertainment was nice, except for Tony Bennett. Seriously? That guy really doesn't shine well at his old age. Unlike Johnny Cash or even Frank Sinatra, Bennett just looks old. He should just quit trying to talk on pitch. The fat Elvis period in the late 70's was better than Bennett's performance last night.

The tribute to the 40th anniversary release of The Beatles' magnum opus, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, was a nice change from the usual trite tributes American Idol is known for. I'm glad someone gave them permission to cover Beatles songs, although the botched words of the classic long player were noticed by me, as well as all the other fans of that great album. I actually think Carrie Underwood could cover "She's Leaving Home" and would it do it honor. I'm not so sure about the rest.

Finally, I must say that I'm glad someone who actually sings well won last night. Jordan Sparks sings so great and she's only seventeen! On the other hand, Blake Lewis just kind of talks in a key and adds a little vibrato. I was so disappointed last year with Taylor Hicks winning, I'm glad the show redeemed itself this year. I know America picks the winner, but the judges opinions do have a say on who the audience typically votes for.

So with that, I look forward to Hell's Kitchen which premiers in July. This is the third season, and Gordon Ramsey looks meaner than ever. The new film director's show On The Lot was pretty good Tuesday night, too. I will be sure to tape it tonight.

All I can say now is, "I get high with a little help from my friends."

"School's Out For Summer...

I am done. No classes this summer I don't think (they're really not offering anything I need). I'm debating about adding a second degree to my already too long 68 hour program. I have a new job, and hope to start it within the next few days, but I'll save that story for later. I slept in today, and it was glorious.

...School's out forever." - Alice Cooper

"Fewer Moving Parts Means Fewer Broken Pieces"

Eschatology is the branch of the theology that addresses last things. This includes many facets, but specifically, what happens when humans die and the issues dealing with the end times. If someone were to do an eschatology of me, right now, I wonder what it would show? I can tell you, at this point I'm slacking horribly. But, the good news is I only have two more finals (Old Testament tomorrow and Greek on Thursday). Usually, at this point in my graduate school career, I'm trying to finish up everything that's due. But that is not happening today. I'm done. No papers, projects, nothing. Now, this could simply be that my classes require more tests than papers this semester. Either way, I am done and I need to attempt to study for these tests. So, as it was once said, I bid you a fond farewell.

if only i knew what to do

my life moves on
and i want it to stop
i want to push the pause button
and make it hold still
but that's not going to happen
and really, what would it solve
expendability is a clue
things like this only matter to those who allow it to

how do i go about writing
with the purpose of the angels
revealing myself in hidden form
a view that's not really noticeable
or detectable
and how do i let you know everything i want to say
without having to say one thing
i need to get this off my chest, fast

do i lay my head down to sleep tonight
only to forget the troubling thoughts
that are causing my heart to hurt
or do i rest with my problems
and allow them to keep me awake
and follow the only course of action to take
which is swallowing enough pills to forget the problem ever existed
that will only give me more dilemmas

i want to be right
but not about the petty stuff
about how i'm living rightly
and doing all i need to
to help those who need my help
not because i'm some special solution or a hero
but because it's what i ought to do
and living like the former is just way more tiring

but when do i reach the point
when i get to confess all of my troubles
when others problems outweigh mine
and issues like my self-esteem don't mean much
compared to the real calamity that others live through
when does it happen
somebody tell me when i can move on

do i need advice
or counseling
or medicine
or just to get away from sin
do i care about these problems
or only the solutions
is asking too many questions
a form of hysteria

clue me in
so when i speak emphatically
i will know all the information prior
this is my goal
to shut my mouth more
and to think through the issues
will i suceed
or will i be defeated
will I ever learn how to be
more than just me

Barack Obama Is A Christian, But...

His views sometimes seem to conflict with what the Bible prescribes for Christ-like action and attitude. This could be, of course, due to his mentor as The New York Times Online reports:

Mr. Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate who says he was only shielding his pastor from the spotlight, said he respected Mr. Wright’s work for the poor and his fight against injustice. But "we don’t agree on everything," Mr. Obama said. "I’ve never had a thorough conversation with him about all aspects of politics."

I will vote for a leader who I think will do best at leading, Christian or not. But I don't know how to trust someone who seems to have one foot in the faith of Christ and another in syncreticism. I'm not saying that the previously typed statement applies to Obama, but it certainly does for a number of candidates of both major parties.

P.S. None of this conversation does, nor will it ever apply to Hillary. She's a wonky, half-socialist who flip flops worse than Kerry did three years ago. A woman will be president some day. But if you bet on her, I'm afraid you will lose.

My Fifteen Seconds...

In case anyone picked up the latest (and last) Further Seems Forever album The Final Curtain, you might have noticed your favorite New Orleanian on the DVD. The two disc CD/DVD has both the audio and video recordings of their last show, which took place in Atlanta last year. On the DVD there are some extras, one of which is a video montage of live shows from the past three or four years. The show I attended in Orlando (September 2005) is on there, and you can see me clearly singing along to my favorite band. I was so excited when I saw it. It's a nice swansong to a band I have loved for nearly seven years.

Further cannot be forever, but it seems so.

"It's Not Okay (To Be Gay)"

This is the kind of crap I was talking about. This was on God Tube at one point, but I found it on You Tube. It's a good song though.

The Fate of Tomorrow Rests in Today

I have the third of my four Greek tests tomorrow morning at 9:30 A.M. As of right now, I am not as studied up as I should be. But I still have tonight and tomorrow morning. I talked about taking Hebrew next semester, and I'm pretty sure that in the long run I would enjoy it. Yet, all the work it would take makes me think otherwise. I just want a C in Greek, then I'll worry about everything else.

You Knew It Would Happen

Perhaps maybe, just maybe, the world will forgive us for this. Introducing, Godtube.

Anyone interested in creating a sect of Christianity that refuses to try to be so separate that we mimic everything people who might not be believers create? Badly, I might add.

The Problem of Evil

In case you were no where near a media outlet today, an unidentified gunman senselessly murdered 33 people (made up of students and faculty) at Virginia Tech today. This number has grown within the past few hours and is likely to get bigger as the investigation continues. CNN also reports that there are nearly 30 people injured in this incident as well. They are calling this the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. We should all be praying for those affected by this grave and horrific event.

CNN has the best coverage of this tragedy so far...

An Exploitation of the Situation

Today, I almost got in an accident. Although it would not have been my fault, it scared me quite a bit. Let's just say, there is not a three second delay from one traffic signal to another in New Orleans. And a stupid women would have plowed into me because she was running behind, on a cell phone, or for some other minuscule reason. So in case you wondered, yeah, that's right, she got the bird! And a lot of profanity to boot. Then I had to apologize to God, 'cause you know, he was watching out for me all along.

Another weird story. I went grocery shopping the other day at Wal-Mart. The nearest corporate super conglomerate is about fifteen minutes away. But because I cannot drive on the interstate due to my car's faulty thermostat, I have to take the long way, which makes the ride nearly an hour long. That was okay though (I didn't have my afternoon class). It was, however, raining that day, so that was annoying and I wanted to avoid getting wet. Thinking ahead, I rolled my pants up and ran into the store with my Reef flip flops in my hands, and under the umbrella to keep them dry. When I got inside, I wiped them off, rolled my pants legs down, and proceeded to put my shoes back on. A lady walked by and asked if my flops were Rainbows. I told her they were not, but proudly boasted, "Reefs" (the best ever, in my long time flip flop wearing experience). We then discussed foot fashions for a couple minutes. It turns out, she had lived in Brevard County for some time (and more specifically, my hometown of Melbourne). So random. Small world crap, you know?

One more. Goodfellas is one of my favorite films of all time. Not so much for the acting, which of course is supreme, but because Joe Pesci cusses more eloquently than anyone else in all of cinema. Sometimes, it's hard to articulate in proper vernacular. Thus, you say something like, you know, nooch. Anyway, that's all.

Pictures, stars, and dreams...

The Weekly Playlist

These are the seven best songs with days of the week in the lyric:

1. "Sunday Morning" by No Doubt
2. "Monday, Monday" by The Mamas & the Papas
3. "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones
4. "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." by Simon and Garfunkel
5. "Jersey Thursday" by Donovan
6. "Friday, I'm In Love" by The Cure
7. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" by Elton John

Your Assignment - Come up with your own list!

My New Favorite Quote:

"To the real artist in humanity, what are called bad manners are often the most picturesque and significant of all. " - Walt Whitman

The Title of My Post is Called...

This week is spring break. I have worked three of the five days, which is what I need to do. I have a paper I should be working on, as well as Greek. But, I really just need to clean and straighten my room up. I like breaks, I really do.

Blue Like Mamma Cass

Today I heard Mr. Donald Miller speak. It was great. My buddy Matt and I drove the ninety miles west to Baton Rouge to hear Don and it was a very cool experience. I got to meet him afterward and talk for a few. He even signed my book. Yay. Donald Miller talked a lot about stories and how everyone ought to live within one. It can either be boring or adventurous but it's yours, and you should do something great with it.

i love to hate myself sometimes

pretensious, self-indulgent attitudes should be outlawed.

or, if it would make you feel better, insert a comment and guess what i was thinking.

Lennonology

If you're around me for long enough, I'll probably mention The Beatles. Most of the time I relegate myself to simple banter or trivia about the group, and I desperately try to avoid using the title 'The Greatest Band of All Time' in general conversation. (Although it is an accurate statement and if you want to debate me, bring it on; I will kill you with my knowledge!) So, previous rhetoric aside, I am interested in learning more about the individuals that comprise the Fab Four. An interesting article popped up on Christianity Today’s website a couple months back that I was impressed with. The article, entitled "John Lennon's Born-Again Phase," is an interesting read for those who are curious about studying in the area of said person(s), spirituality, or even Christianity. A Lennon quote for you to salivate on (then click the quote to read the entire article):

"The point is this, I want happiness. I don't want to keep on with drugs. Paul told me once, 'You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.' Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phony? Can He love me? I want out of hell."

Would You Listen To Yourself

Please don't keep apologizing
For the things you've done wrong
Ask for forgiveness once
Then just move on

It's not because I was mad
Or the fact that I got hurt
It's just that I want to get my life together
And not keep having my face rubbed in the dirt

Who was wrong that night
Pointing fingers to figure out
The right position to have
Replacing security with doubt

Expectations are hard to please
When you only live for yourself
Quit blaming your problems on me
I no longer have concerns for your health

You Shall Not Make For Yourself An Idol

Is anyone tired of American Idol already? This year is not interesting at all. Last year, and the season prior (four), I hardly missed an episode. Now, I don't really care. I've already missed so many episodes I'm not really sure who's still around and who's gone. Somebody should sing that Gym Class Heroes' song "Cupid's Chokehold. (I concede Sarah, it's addictive.) Their version sort of rips off the melody and chorus of Supertramp's "Breakfast In America" but without completely covering the song. GCH changes the lyrics, but the chorus and melody are pretty much the same. Oh well. That's my idol post for this season. Next year I'm watching a different show.

I Wish I Were This Big

Reflexive

I ran into a guy I am quasi-friends with the other night. Now this dude is a nice guy, generally. He can be a bit of jackass too. I have written him off several times and like last night, I wanted to the same simply because he's a dick. But, as our encounter passed, I got the feeling that I should let go of whatever was bothering me. Instead of holding on to bitterness and past bickering I have with the fellow, just give him a break. This is a revelation for me, of sorts, considering I can be a prick that holds a grudge. After I experienced this sense of forgiveness, the conclusion why I should follow through with this newfound act of dismissal wasn't what you might expect. It didn't feel as if God was telling me to do it, although it very well might have been Him. I simply deducted that I, as a human, am so fallible, that I can be a complete douche-bag sometimes. And my friends forgive me, most of them anyway. I need to remember that I have hurt a lot of people, and they have forgiven me. Surely I can learn from these people whom I love and admire and simply not sweat the small stuff. I think most people view me as an easy going guy. Let me tell you something: I can become a lot more easy going. Trust me.

How Many Times Have I Quoted That Song?

"Monday Monday" is the one I'm referring to.

It seems as if all the writing I can muster up for this site are for posts on Mondays. I don't know why this keeps occurring, but I'd like to get to the bottom of it. At this moment, I'm avoiding Greek homework. It's not that I hate it or anything; on the contrary, I do enjoy it. But there are those moments where I wish I would have never signed up for the class, especially since it's an elective. That should actually give me a little more freedom to fail the class with grace, or to pass with a very low D. Oh well.


This past weekend my school hosted the annual Evangelical Philosophical Society which coincided with our own annual event, the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum. This year, the topic of discussion was the future of Atheism. Two reknown scholars, Alister McGrath (Oxford University) and Daniel Dennett (Tufts University) debated the topic with brilliance and wit.

My brain was fried after the five lectures I attended and the debate. I learned a lot of new words. One was 'conciliatory.'

Some books I heard about that I want now:

Peter Lipton - Inference To The Best Explanation

Sir Peter Medawar - Limits of Science

Denis Noble - The Music of Life: Biology beyond the Genome

Something that stuck out to me was this: Alister McGrath made a good point when he said that, "Atheism and Theism are both faiths; neither can prove their case with total certainty." I do enjoy talking about faith and disbelief. I myself was unbeliever at one point. Although my story isnt' as compelling as McGrath or C.S. Lewis, it's my story none the less.

Okay, that's enough. I need to do my homework now.

Semen est verbum Dei. Sator autem Christus.

Happy Mardi Gras

For us here in New Orleans, and other places in these United States of America, tomorrow is Mardi Gras, which means "fat Tuesday" in French. It is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lent. I have been to parades every night since Friday and I am beat. Spending six hours out on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street is tiresome, but very fun. I have lots of beads. If you would like some, let me know. I plan on sleeping in tomorrow and studying, considering the city is literally shut down. If you celebrate, be safe.

On Trucks

Before one applies for a loan. Even before they sign the contract. Whether a parent gives a child a used one or not. Before somebody gets to take possession of a truck, he or she should be required to pass a test. Not a driving test. No no no, nothing like that. This test will only consist of one requirement: parking. If that person can park the vehicle, they are gold. This inability to park is a problem. People who drive these insanely large automobiles and don't know how to park are ridiculous. I'm tired of trying to bend over backwards and dance thinly out of my car because of how inconsiderate they are. If you know you're not in the space good, do it again. For the love of everything sacred! Just learn how to park your freaking vehicles.

Recovery

Right now is the first time I've used the internet since Tuesday. Actually, right now is the first time I've been out of my room since then. Around 1 PM on Tuesday I started feeling sick to my stomach. Some would argue that it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. But you try throwing up and having the runs for twelve solid hours, then we'll see how quickly you turn into a drama queen. Anyway, A big thanks to Sarah for taking care of me during my near-fatal time (as I like refer to it). I'll get back to my fluids and soft foods now.

Hi

I can't manage my life, little lone a blog.

Thanks

Every New Day Ends The Same

So, a new semester has begun for me. I wait with heavy anticipation for what will occur. I like starts and finishes, beginnings and endings. Endings, although painful, usually bring about the most maturity, experience, and change. Change can be good. But as I learned from a Dr. Burns psychology class in undergrad: "Change causes anxiety." Yes it does.

I awoke to go to my first class yesterday with these feelings. I got ready on time, and even got there a few minutes early. As I approached the door, a sign saying "cancelled" was all I could see. Literally, they're not offering the class at all this semester. So I went to the Registar's office and got transferred into a new class for Friday. No worries. I went to my second class with no problems, and it looks to be both interesting and stress free (minimal stress atleast). Today, I woke up around 10 AM, realizing I had missed half of my hardest class this semester, Greek. My cell phone, which doubles as my alarm, was off, for no apparent reason. I yelled the F word. I feel behind already. The rest of the day wasn't bad, thank goodness. So, my 12 hour semester is as follows:

CESW6364 - Church-Community Ministries - Tue, Thur 2:00-3:20 pm
CEYH6240 - Youth Ministry in Theory and Practice - Tue, Thur 1:00-1:50 PM
DISC5171 - Spiritual Formation II - Friday @ 8 AM (but hopefully we'll change it)
NTGK5300 - Introduction to Greek (Grammar) - Tue, Thur @ 9:30-10:50 AM
OTEN5300 - Exploring the Old Testament - Wed @ 12:30-3:20 PM

Okay, that's all. I need a job now. My parents might let me buy my Mom's old car in a month or two if they can't sell it for $4,000. So I need like $2,000 pronto. We shall see.

I saw this and thought it was funny

"Don't Cry, Don't Raise Your Eye--It's Only Teenage Wasteland"

If it would suit your fancy, please take a look at what I am currently peddling on Ebay now.

Another Day Now, Another Year Tomorrow

Another year is quickly moving ahead. Pretty soon it will be summer, and then before I know it, Christmas will be here. Where does the time go? Life flies by faster as I get older. It seems like three years ago I was working a job that I both equally loved and hated. Now I'm just bumming around until I can find another job and waiting for school to start in a week. As I say, crazy.

I think the career I choose will have to be one that is surrounded by the school schedule, where taking winter and summer breaks off is mandatory. If I taught high school or even college, that could happen. Last semester I worked by tutored a kid in his home and that only lasted for nearly two months, if that, so now I look to something that requires less brain power. (Although I got to tell you folks, I didn't use my brain much with that kid.)

As I think back at last semester, I remember feeling overwhelmed quite a bit. But, grade-wise, I got all A's. This glorious feat was a first for me. But, this upcoming semester I will be taking Greek, for starters, as well as four other classes that prove to be just as much work. Last semester, I only took 11 hours (full time for grad school), and I had four classes. I had a children's education class, but it was easy and I only had one assignment. The other three classes, Interpersonal Relationship Skills, Hermeneutics and Philosophy nearly killed me. They were definitely the most work I've ever had to type up and turn in. Between them I wrote:

18 pages for Interpersonal (2 papers, 1 book critique, 1 presentation plan/report)
56 pages total for Philosophy (6 papers, 1 book critique)
34 pages for Hermeneutics (4 papers, not included is 70 pages of typed notes)
-------------------------------------
108 pages worth of writing

That is a lot. I'm really rethinking doctoral work, seriously. Thinking about all this has my head spinning. I'm going to avoid life now.

Breakfast?

My Dad has taught me many things in my life. He has imparted me with some valuable wisdom over the years. Whether it was to appreciate 60's music or to understand the importance of family values, I'll be forever changed because of his influence on my life. But the one lesson that I will never, ever be able to forget that he taught me is just how enjoyable breakfast food is at any other time in the day except the morning. Don't get me wrong, I eat breakfast in the AM occasionally. But, I mostly eat breakfast food post 5 PM. I don't know why, but it's just good that way. The McDonald's on Louisa and Old Gentilly here in NOLA is open 24 hours a day. There drive thru starts serving breakfast at 4 AM. Last night, after watching Florida victoriously win against Ohio State, I decided to stay up just so I could get breakfast early in the morning. McDonald's just tastes better at an ungoldy hour.

This One Time...

I guess I should mention that five years ago, Justin, Chase, and I set out on a mission to blog about our lives. Even though Justin started the site with the intent to write about his own life, Chase and I quickly signed on to be included in the job of putting Graceville, FL on the map. A few other people even came along for the ride with us by writing, linking, or reading our site and commenting regularly. While nothing significant has ever come from blogging, I thought it was fitting to include this reminder up for the guys. We may never live in the same town again, but I'm sure we'll always be friends. Happy 5th Anniversary, To Whom It May Concern.

You were the brightest one...

Like I Would Do That

We remember what we want
And forget what we can
The convenience to do as we please
I'm not sure if I'm capable of dealing with this kind of ease

Life shouldn't be so simple
But it often is
Replacing your stories with even more grandeur
The tendency to end every conversation with the magic cure

It's out of this field
Or has left without saying so long
Farewell to forever
It's time to work on getting past never

Because words like that are far too easily used
Nor do they denote comprehension
It’s fine to understand what you claim to demand
But you just can't get something by giving a command

Finally

My parents have left the building. I love them, and I'll miss them, but I'm glad they're gone!

Have A Great

New Year.