It's happening

Again!

How awesome! I had let my passion for Christ become swallowed, overpowered, eroded, whatever, by everything else!

But, how faithful is my God!? 2 Timothy says that even if we are faithless he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. AAAAHHHH!!!

The passion is growing again. How can a starving man thrive? Duh. This is so exciting.

I forgot. I forgot who I was. I forgot who He is. I forgot that I was Dead. Worthless. Useless. Dirty. Selfish. Insecure.

He loves. He loves. He love. He loves. Not did love, not will love, not old love. Constantly new love. His love never fails. So when I ignore Him, He never fails. When I choose a temporal god, He loves. And He loves without fail, without reserve, without mistake, without regret, without hesitation, without selfish motives. He loves.

Does that not make you crazy?

Create in me a clean heart, that I may worship You. I believe. Help my unbelief.

Hypocrite

So, I was just thinking, "Is Twitter going to try to get me to switch to the new Twitter every time I sign in? Should I just make the change and deal with it now?"

I know that the change will be awkward and uncomfortable and unfamiliar. I know that I will have to be lost with the new settings and re-find where everything is...It's going to a be about the same amount of work as continuing to press no every time I am asked to upgrade and turn off location updates, and navigate the search options.

Well, isn't that how things work with God. (Disclaimer: God is bigger than Twitter)

Aren't there moments (weeks) of hesitant and unsure transitions before we get used to what He is doing? Granted, by that time we are moving on again, but you see what I mean. I was practically contemplating something completely unnecessary (sshh! don't tell Adam I said that!) while continually delaying similar decisions about my relationship with Christ.

I am a hypocrite. Wow. today is a day for making decisions. New Twitter (cringe). New levels (smaller cringe).

I got a job!

I have been busting my butt looking for work in all the right/wrong/long shot places. And where do I find it? In front of my face(s) (you know, to make it rhyme).

What else? I am learning things about myself that make me a little uncomfortable. Okay, a lot of uncomfortable.

There were the things that I mostly already knew. Like, I like having a plan because that means that I am in charge and will know immediately if there is any deviation. Knew that. Didn't know, that when I don't have a plan on my person, I notice. Today, I realized that I did not have a list of who was supposed to be doing Kid's Church. So, if anyone asked me, I would not have been able to answer honestly...Does that rock anybody else's boat? I was mentally chastising myself for not writing the names in my planner (which, by the way, I did have with me).

I do not trust God. I trust Him for salvation (most of the time). I trust Him to provide (usually). But, that's pretty much where it stops. I am firm. I know there is a God. I know who He revealed himself to be. I know that He is just and good and righteous. I am firm in these things. But I don't trust Him to fulfill my emotional needs. I don't rely on Him when I have a bad day besides knowing that He cares, yet going elsewhere to ease whatever ache I feel. I am assured of His consistency. But I cannot recall times when I have sought, relied on, or experienced emotional support from Him. I mean, that's hard to do when I don't go to Him. Peace has come. But not really relief.

My self diagnosis is that I trust His actions, His motives, and His character. But, He doesn't seem emotional to me. I know He wept. I know His heart was grieved. I know He turned His face away in anger. But his emotions don't make sense to me. He always knows how things will end, always and forever. So I have a hard time trusting in that. Like Donny said, "If it's not a logical pain to me, then I won't cry." If He knows all, then how is any pain not logical, not simple, not purposeful. How is it worth crying over?

All that to say, I need to understand that. Because how can I trust His Creation's emotions, if I don't trust His? How can I rely on a human if I can't rely on the One who made him or her? How could I ever relate? How could I ever sympathize? How could I ever marry?

Is it even okay for God to be sad? Is it even plausible?

Frustration

I must have absolutely lost my mind to trust something I cannot see.

To continue to try to build with someone who is taking others away.

To expect an embrace from someone I say no to.

To feel anger towards someone who never provoked me.

I must be crazy.

To allow myself to become so attached.

That it hurts to think of the relationships changing.

That it feels like they were a failure.

As if they never happened.

And still expect that someone to look out for me.

Yeah. I have definitely lost it.

To feel anger. Such anger. Such abandonment.

And still try to hang on.

Why go deeper?

Why make memories?

Why care?

When it'll all be waste a year from now?

Well, obviously, I don't believe that.

That's why I trust. And build. And respond. And allow the anger to dissipate.

Because I believe in the one I can't see.

And I still know that he knows the best for me.

But shoot. His timing so sucks.

An Experiment, of sorts

Reading lyrics to songs makes me want to write. Write like I used to. When I would put my feelings to words, and the words would put feeling to themselves. There was a time when I was aware of what emotions I was feeling. A time when it was at least tempered if not filtered. And that time saw endless ups and downs, but at least they were marked clearly. And some of it embarrassed me, and some I won't permit you to see...but it was me. It was raw and unchanged. And it gave me a sense to make sense of this rage and now I can't find it, it's difficult to see because it's been so long that I long to be me. And what of this confusion? Confused I can't be. But the record keeps playing, what used to be me. And the sound of the lyrics is haunting my dreams and I can't keep the writing from coming in screams. There's no need to appease this beast that's in me, but it's me that I long for and me I can't see. Now the writing is coming and it's taunting in jest, but i like that it's flowing-I don't need any rest. Cause the moment is here now, and release is in sight, cause there's no other way to be fighting this fight and if you try to stop me, I'll bulldoze you down, cause the lost isn't lost now and I have been found.

Now on to the next verse, and on to the ground, there's no turning back...there's no slowing down. The only way is through, cause I've been around, and it always ends up that I'm not up, but down. And the fact that it's round, and the clown isn't brown, and now what I'm writing to you seems unsound. But it's real, can't you see it? The words are alive. And just try, can't you breathe it? It leaves in a sigh. Such a marvelous feeling, the escape of the kept, no longer hiding, no longer swept- By the winds and the rains and the fairytale songs. But out it keeps drawing and it's drawing you along. But it's okay to feel it. It's fine to be lost. Nope, there's no way to kill it, for you've counted the cost. And to stop now, oh now, would be a mistake. You signed on the line and accepted the stakes. So keep on to the third, I promise a prize. But you'll never find it if you look with your eyes...

Alas, to the third verse. And what, you discover? There's no need to brood. There's no need to hover. You're closer than ever, just reach our your arm. That's it, you feel it. No call for alarm. The freedom. You taste it? It's ever so true. It belongs to me... I belong to you. So, come, let us share it, there's more than enough. This freedom is tested. This freedom is tough. But it comes with a price that is higher than most, and I don't mean to boast, but here comes a toast: I've done it, my love. I've found it again. The joy that overcomes when I'm strapped with a pen. And the, feeling's momentous, I don't want to let go. But I know there are others who're part of this show. But, the last words, I'll end on, boy they'll be a treat. I only wish, this was put, to a beat...


To the one who is true, and the one whom I love, this toast is for you, from your only dove.

Frustrated Love

Is it possible to be well-adjusted just because you have to?

I really don't know why God chose me.

Sometimes I wish He hadn't. Cause I don't feel worthy. I don't like that there's a price and a gift that I can never repay, or cancel out. And, I mean, I get it. But, man, it would almost be easier if He hadn't. If I had been able to take all the hate and rage and bitterness with me to my early grave. At least then I would have gotten what I deserved. Wouldn't be under some God that expects the most impossible things from me. Expects me to be secure, and solid and trusting. Sometimes, sometimes I just can't! I can't and I don't want to.

And I feel like He loves me too much. Puts too much into me. Into our relationship. The way He is with me. How gentle and loving He approaches me. Like I'm so gentle, and He can't move slow enough, because I might break.

And other times, other times I think that He's rougher with me. And I know it's me, because He never changes. It's always my attitude. And I feel like collapsing into tears so much lately. But I won't, because that's weak. It's not what a strong person does. There is no last straw for those that bear others' secrets. Nor that bear their own.

God, I don't know what to do with this love. You can't expect me to handle this well. Why do you want so much of me? So much for me? Why isn't it enough to just save my soul? Why isn't it enough to call my name? Why can't you be satisfied with the least of me?

What is it that you see that's worth preserving? That's worth dying for? Why do you take pity on me?

I just want to scream and pull at my hair and question Him. But I can't face Him. I just think about Job, and how God responded to him. I don't want to darken the counsel of the Creator of the universe without wisdom and understanding.

I don't get it God. I just don't freaking get it!

Whirlwind

Lately, I feel like everything has been changing around me. There was nothing I could do to alter what was happening. There was nothing I could do to slow any of it down.

Some of the things were: a very sick grandmother (who is still very sick, please pray God's will is done), a 12-page paper, one exam, regular classes, work, the Veritas Forum (behind the scenes and the actual event), trying not to crush on someone, responsibilities of my position in my church, changing my major, planning my summer and fall, my birthday, somewhat arguing with God, struggling to keep my quiet time, comforting a friend, keeping up with people and relationships that are too complex for me...

whew!

I just feel like there was so much going on, and nothing I could do about any of it. There were days in there where I just felt like crying and giving up. I just wanted to say, "Screw it." and let everything play out however. But I didn't. God definitely granted me peace in this whirlwind of events.

I was also on this ridiculous emotional roller coaster. I felt like crying, so many days, on so many occasions, for what seemed like no reason. I would be eating and a sorrow like no other would come on me. I would lose my appetite, tear up. I mean, I don't know where this stuff comes from. I know I have been feeling pretty helpless about my grandmother being sick. I can't be there because I am about 4 1/2 hours away, and can give no comfort but a few phone calls a day. And the only one who really knows what's going on is her, and she's too sick to give specifics.

I just, it's been so crazy for me, and I don't know how to deal with all this stuff, except to trust God. And it was hard. I was getting almost angry with God. I was frustrated, and couldn't let it show because it was no one's fault. I had all these bottled up emotions, and no one to vent them to, no way to legitimize my feelings because I had no idea where they were breaching from in the first place.

It has been such a tough last 2 weeks. While they were filled with joy, I couldn't let myself fall into it completely, because there was so much else that I was thinking on.

It has been a crazy whirlwind of emotions, events, happenings, and news the past few weeks, and I'm not sure how I handled it.

Well, I hope. What do you guys think?

Examples of God not being funny

1. Someone pulling the fire alarm at my apartments. That alarm sounding for 2 hours.
   
2. Being woken up, at 4:44am by the guys above me thumping like little bunny foo-foo.
3. Finding an unknown liquid dripping from my SMOKE DETECTOR at 5:00am.
4. Attempting to see why my ceiling is leaking and being confronted with: confused looks and a what I'm sure is a pretty plastered minor.
   
5. Staying up at 5:15am, waiting for the maintenance men and security.
6. Having only slept ~4 hours tonight and 3 hours last night.
7. Actually LOOKING as if I need more sleep.
   

Oh, the joys of Christianity.

Addendum(edited at ~6:05am): Other things that are not funny.

1. The guys from upstairs telling me they had no plumbing problems, and even invited me to come in and see for myself. I declined.
   
2. At 6:00am, the maintenance man confirming that they had in fact stopped up their toilet and flooded the bathroom.

One thing that is funny:

1. The maintenance man made them soak it up with their own towels.

Goodnight and Good Riddance.

Expectations-Social Situations

So, I guess it's a good thing that my ministry is doing a series about relationship expectations. But, man, I don't know how to do this. I just expect certain things from people. I think that they're pretty basic, but everyone grew up with a different set of rules.

I just am shocked by the lack of respect people have for themselves, others, and property not their own.

It just amazes me that there is so little respect in my generation, and I severely dislike it.

I was recently in a semi-professional meeting, and at the end, one of the participants laid down...okay. But then they put their shoes on the chair.

I don't know how many variations of this there are, but I have heard from a great many people that you never put your shoes on furniture. Your feet, yes, but shoes, no. Feet even have furniture, it's called an ottoman. There IS a reason that there are separate pieces of furniture for feet and bottoms.

I was also schooled that we should treat another person's property how we would like ours to be treated, and this works well in most situations. I would be quite taken aback if someone came over to my home and put their shoes on my couch! So I would never go anywhere and place my shoes on furniture belonging to someone else.

I was so unsure of cultural differences and customs that I conducted a poll. I tried to get a small sample from each socioeconomic status. I randomly called people and asked them, "If there is no precedence, is it ever appropriate to put you shoes (with your feet inside) on a piece of furniture not belonging to you."

All but 2 answers agreed that it was never appropriate to place your shoes on any piece of furniture.

The other 2 responses:
Joel- If they had a really disgusting house.
Brad- If they had just cleaned the floor.

To me, this is part of basic social etiquette. So, for all the 20 somethings and below out there:

Keep your shoes off the furniture!