the spectator becomes the audience and the audience is left to talk

A lot of information and questions are being raised recently about the situations dealing the Biblical view of man's responsibility versus God's sovereignty. Much like Justin, I have been attending our cozy lil' Bible college for a while. I've seen people who had no idea, have an idea. I've seen people jump on a bandwagon and then jump off. I've seen people seek the truth and then I've seen them fall away. There really is never going to be a solution, resolution, or revolution to all of these events. The truth shall set you free. I pray that anyone who claims he or she has found the 'truth', in whatever view, will honestly seek and continue to seek what God would reveal to them through the Holy Scriptures. I encourage all to study and learn the opposing view. But more importantly, never be lacking in zeal; keep on, keeping on. Never become stagnant and let your faith dissolve within you. This truly is the test of Christian living. A quote that hit me quite hard the summer of 2001, I think is relevant here (a close friend sent it to me and I smile when I think about her). Thanx be to God that He delivered us, when yet we were undeserving of deliverance for our transgressions.

"Calvinism emphasizes divine sovereignty and free grace; Arminianism emphasizes human responsibility. The one restricts the saving grace to the elect; the other extends it to all men on the condition of faith. Both are right in what they assert; both are wrong in what they deny. If one important truth is pressed to the exclusion of another truth of equal importance, it becomes an error, and loses its hold upon the conscience. The Bible gives us a theology which is more human than Calvinism and more divine than Arminianism, and more Christian than either of them."
- Philip Schaff -

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death. Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."

Romans 7:21-25 NIV

...love...

Best Friends Forever

First, I would like to say that I am not a former writer. I am still writing for this fine site. Don't count me out yet. I plan to be a part of this site as long as you both(Jeff and Justin) shall live.

Yesterday my dvd's came in.

1. Good Will Hunting

2.Forrest Gump

3.Almost Famous

4.Memento

5.Saving Private Ryan

Another thought: Seeing how Jeff and Justin are best friends forever and how they both have made statements that
I no longer write for the site I wonder if they want me to continue. Perhaps, they would prefer this be the best friend blog: The lives and loves of two broke and sad Graceville college students.
>
Forget Calvinian conversation, I think we should all take a moment of silence. Let us pray that Justin would understand God's calling on his life to write a screenplay with me. It's time to stop dreaming. We shall have that Oscar, even if we thieve if from Tom Hanks. I appreciated Jeff's blog for three reasons. One was that he linked me in the post. Second was that he rarely writes and so we thought he had quit. Third is that he spoke some of his thoughts on calvinism. I agree with him. Jeff is the kind of guy to be agreed with. I plan to write a similar post in the upcoming days but I don't have the time today.

Jeff, I'd like to dedicate this song to you. Nothing better explains all you mean to me. It's been a personal favorite these days.

THE CLOSEST THING -The Juliana Theory
you're the words that come out easy and i am speechless at best your star it seems to shine above the rest you're the face before the cameras the smile i'd like to earn the closest thing to perfect in a hollywood to burn your the beauty that is deeper than than eyes can merely see the closest thing to perfect but the farthest thing from me and i'd love to be the shoulder that you cry on and i'd love to be the friend you call when things are great you're the dream that hasn't ended and i'm still anxious for rest your words they seem to hang above my head you're the bud before the flower unfurls into full bloom captivating beauty but it may be all too soon you're the song that writes a story but leaves alot to read the closest thing to perfect but the farthest thing from me and like i really deserve a chance to sit across a table and tell you that i think you're wonderful and i think you're something special i guess this is my only chance to say i wish i knew you because i'm sure you're wonderful if i'd get to know you.

Justin you're cool too.

We Know It's Not Right

Greetings! Another week and not quite a month, I'm back with my addition of comments to whom it might or may concern (sorry Justin, I like my 'might' in there. Well, a lot has gone on since my last post. I'm gonna actually take this time now to let you all know that I am gonna take my writing privilege/responsibility a little more seriously and post something better, sooner than my previous attempts.

My last post was about a friend, a relationship, and a whole bundle of confused emotions. I can honestly take peace in the situation right now, possibly more, than ever before. Crazy, eh? I'm glad though. There still is no absolute result but maybe, just maybe, there will be one sometime before God calls me home... Haha, I can laugh about it now, but it's been a burden to my weak heart for a week. I've gotten caught up in commenting on other people's websites, so I'll post some things I wrote. This is in response to my personal situation, in relation to a couple of other friend's trials:

"Just to add to the madness... I much like Chase and Donna have my own situation/dilemma that I am in process of dealing with. IT'S HARD!!! Knowing, understanding, discerning, and seeking God's will. We know that His will isn't some hidden, foreign, unfindable object of truth. Granted, that often times it takes a strong, hard effort to find. I take joy in the fact that God has blessed me with a feeling of love and peace in my personal situation. Granted that the other element of my equation isn't convinced that it is God's will. I definitely think that this is a "GOD" thing and not just a "jeff" thing. I know that he will indeed reveal it to all the concerned parties when His time is here or break my heart of this fake pride that I believe to be true. All I can do is be a friend and pray that the next day will be the one where he bears her soul the truth or bends mine and I see the truth. Thank God that he is sovereign. Thank God that he is our best and only example of LOVE and that Jesus Christ was our living, breathing, human example!"

That was from Chase's website (former writer) EYE LEVEL. You nice folk can access it through (shameless plug for his site) http://www.eye-level.net In another random commentness (is that a word), I posted my opinion on a dispute between some friends on truth becomes lies :

"So... just to throw my two cents of non-reformed mumbo jumbo in, here is what I think. Both points are valid. However, I tend to believe that we wouldn't call God's Word, Calvinism or Arminianism one thing or another if either were 100% accurate. In that, if the Bible was visibly transparent, than the truth would indeed be revealed. God's word is not as simple as an Archie comic and I think that we forget to leave a little space open in the back of our polluted minds for a 2nd thought on a subject. Once we get comfortable with a belief or view we tend to become dogmatic and site all other's opinions as such heresy. The out come there is that we become disheartened with a friend or foe and loose our Christian fervored love towards them and for them. We then forsake the 2nd greatest commandment to love one another. I guess, then, as so eloquently as Scott Schultz puts it, Truth becomes Lies."

Yeah, rock the Kasbah. ANYwho, nodda whole lot more coming to my brain now. When I wad doing my reading for my New Testament class today, I found a intriguing quote. Milks (my roommate Michael Miller) and I decided to use our message board for more than it's original purpose today. We decided we would have a quote 4 the day from now on and switch on and off. Today was the inaugural celebration of that. Of course he went with a timeless quote from the 70's by a band some of you might be familiar with, Pink Floyd:

"You were nearly a treat, but really a cry."

Oh yeah, that quote I found is:

“The renewed mind knows that life will end with judgment. We must therefore live each moment under the scrutiny of the Judge. We may rejoice to know God as Father, but there must also be reverent fear! Every moment matters, eternally. The thought that we are to be judged according to our work could lead to despair; but our eternal salvation is not judged by our moral feebleness.”

So, that's about it for this session. I appreciate you all putting up with my tardiness and slacker qualities, I will try to improve. Thanx Justin for calling me your best friend. You're mine too, buddy. Oh yeah, BEST IN SHOW IS THE GREATEST, DRY, INTELLEGENT, FEELGOOD, COMEDY OF WHATEVER YEAR IT CAME OUT.

Goodnight and God bless,

Pictures, Stars, and Dreams

Blame The Old Guy
Dr. Purcell told Dr. Rathel that his class could take Dr. Rathel's class in volleyball anyday. A tournament has been arranged. Today we were discussing the upcoming battle. He said he wouldn't be our coach and I said,"You got us into this mess." Everyone laughed a lot. Then he said,"Since Chase is so hilarious, let's call it a day."

Actually, class commenced as usual. I just added that last part cause I'm a pathological liar and I realized the story wasn't as funny in print as it was in reality. You should feel sorry for me.

Alas, Another Day....

Much like Mr. McLeod I have been in Miami as well. I work for a phone survey company called Turner Research and we are down here working for the week. We are interviewing pastors of local churches and asking them their visions, joys, and struggles. I think the most 'vital piece of information I've gotten out of this is the fact that I can honestly say, they're some deeply concerned ministers in the world. Not to bash on my ''white' heritage in all, but we as Americans are so spoiled. I see hispanic, haitian, french/creole, Caribbean pastors just doing there thing for the Lord. While I see a lot of bickering and complaining amongst the white anglo saxon protestant pastors. Jeez, if I could share more or say more or tell stories I would. I even got asked by a french/creole pastor to come down and speak to his english speaking youth during my Christmas break. I gave him my address and information. I was really encouraged. Tonight we went to this huge, massive, indescribably large fair. We helped the Miami Baptist Association hand out copies of the New Testament. Talk about 'Christian Ministry'. That in itself either gets you really fired up or really disheartened. A lot of smiling joyous faces and then some not so friendly ones.

On a topic that I don't think has been addressed so much on here. Atleast it is relevant for us guys to talk about. LUST! It is sin and it sux. I often complain about the ''bubble'' our school is contained in. All the Christian this and Christian that makes someone go bonkers after a little while. Just ditsy girls, way too many smiling faces, and a butt load of fruitless conversation. Well, tonight I can honestly say I missed it. This is place is one big stumbling block. I even try to avoid looking at females and they are more in the opposite direction. It's crazy. What's scary is the fact that I realize this is something that all guys struggle with and my, myself, and I are my own worst enemies to me, myself, and I. I have a feeling though I know why this is happening. You see, I have a good friend who is one of my closet friends and her and I are praying about a relationship. Now, as of yet, I don't know the outcome. However, I have a feeling that satan is trying to use this worldly desire of the flesh to throw me off track. In my life, I can say I stumble, but I have been mostly victorious in this area. It's scary because I haven't had to fight so hard in my life, which leads me to think that this thing with my friend is real. Please pray for me as I try to discern God's perfect will for my so very inadaquit life. I don't pray for it to be God's will for her to be in my life, I pray to be able to figure out if it is God's will for her to be in my life. Just a note, if you haven't ever seen me on here or heard my name, yeah I've been gone for a month, but I wanted to throw this out while I had the spare moments of the evening/early morning. I'm Jeff and I'm gonna dip for now, but not forever.

Love and Hatred

Jeff Watkins

Since You Care

I know you've been concerned in my absence. So sensing how deeply you care I will now attempt to catch you up on the current events of my life. I've been going to classes most of the time. I've been taking mid-terms. I've been listening to and loving the new Jars of Clay album. Oh, and I've been working on my site, Eye Level. I did not mean that as a shameless plug, but since it will be taken that way I'll post an excerpt of an article by Peter Travers in Rolling Stone,

"This site is the best thing that ever happened to me, only being surpassed by the time I got Cameron Crowe's job here at the magazine. Whatever happened to that guy? I love that Chase kid, as though he were my own son. He and that Beardhat character are going to redefine the film industry. Believe me I've seen the home movies. And I hear they got the brilliant child prodigy, the young Watkins to arrange the soundtrack. Until the long awaited release of that film we should all do ourselves the favor of regularly reading their sites."

You heard it here first. Hey, anyone else excited about the re-release of E.T.this weekend?

I should really be asleep, I'll regret this tomorrow in church. Starting at midnight my mother and I tried to watch Memento. By 1 she had given up. By 1:30 I was asleep on the couch. My dreams were bizarre again(I returned to this non-existant shopping mall which is an amalgamation of all the stores I've ever been to). At 5:30 I woke up. The selection screen for the movie was on. I summoned the energy to turn it off and made my way into this room.

Oh by the way, I had thought of perhaps posting my top ten even before I saw this ridiculously predictable list of the so-called ten greatest. But hey, you're allowed to have everyone else's opinion. I'm just being a jerk. I agree with some of your choices, even though I wouldn't list most of them. But that's a different list all together.
Without Further Adieu....and withouht unneeded explanation.

My Top Ten
1.Twelve Monkeys
2.Fisher King
3.Say Anything
4.Shawshank Redemption
5.Royal Tenenbaums*
6.High Fidelity
7.Hearts in Atlantis**
8.Good Will Hunting
9.Almost Famous
10. O Brother Where Art Thou?

Or Something close to that....I hesitate to say that this is just how I want it, but that is how the draft stands at the moment. * and **-These are the only two that I saw in theaters. I liked 7. but didn't consider it for the top ten until I was able to watch it again this weekend. So it stands 5 is the only one I've seen in theaters and loved instantly.

I'm going to call it a day, or night, now.
Day/Night,

The Top Ten Reasons Why I Haven't Posted In 28 Days

10. I've been busy
9. I cannot devote my entire afternoon or even a minute of my day to something that isn't "Rudimentary" (go ahead, I dare you to look it up)
8. I have friends
7. Because I try to think intellectually and that takes up a lot of time and I don't usually have that much time in a day
6. If I don't have a quiet time in the morning, you can forget a post (today is an exception)
5. I have a job
4. I read my school assignments (sometimes 10% even)
3. I owe Chase $300 and I'm busy earning the money on my adult website @ http://www.punklove.com
2. I say stupid crap like this
...and the # 1 reason for not posting in 28 days...
1. It's not my freakin' website, I did not sign a contract, I did not agree to post all the time, part of the time, or even some of the time, Justin get off my back, dude......


So, I'm not humorous, even though i really try to be. I hope that made all of you fine people laugh, chuckle, and explore more ways to increase your enjoyable laughter throughout the plateau of existence. Good Night Saturday Night

I'm attempting to burn a cd. I plan on mastering the fine art of compilation. Oh, and it seems as though I'm posting as well. And you thought I died. When's Leap Year?