I am Overwhelmed by Waters

So today was a good day. No exams today or tomorrow, which means no studying, so I headed up the Hueston Woods. Four hours, 60 pages of A River Runs Through It, 30 pages of Desiring God, one lake and one barefoot creek walk later, and life was feelin allllllright. I've been wanting to just go spend a large chunk of time there for awhile. I sat shirtless on a peninsula into the lake, then headed over to the "Glory" creek to go walk around and read some Piper. I've been so enthralled with the grandeur and overwhelming size of God's creation as of late, it was amazing to just sit by a little babbling brook and realize he intricately designed this as well. Watch the little fish bob in and out of the current, feel the breeze come rushing downstream, sit with my feet in the cool rushing water, hearing nothing but the smooth flow of water and soft rustling of leaves in the trees.

Anyways, I'm moving to Hueston Woods, setting up a tent, and living there like a hermit. Ok, that's ridiculous, but I do wish I could/did spend more time there, in silence before the Lord in His creation.

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him." -- Psalm 62:5

PS - Got that verse in a random card from my mom. Judy Pruett - Awesome

Fridays

So, In my recent foray into the world of blogging, I've come to realize something. For me, I often have to stop and check my motives for saying/doing anything. Whether it's to garner to approval of others, look better than I am, hide something, whatever. I do it in life, and am even more susceptible in an environment where I can spend as much time as I want putting together exactly the right words with just the right pictures to envoke deep thoughts. This isn't a new realization for me, nor is it condemning serious thoughts on blogs. It's just a statement that what I sometimes do in life can translate here where it's easier to sound good.

On that note, I've decided that every Friday will be solely dedicated to the ridiculous. Maybe other times I'll use this blog will be used for the lighthearted, but Friday's are reserved for the funny. I mean, what is the point of a blog anyways? Put your thoughts out there . . . yeah. Convince other people of your position . . . well, i think less than 5 people regularly read this, and they are all in line w/ me on important matters, so not much there. I guess for me, I'd like to use it for ideas. I'm smart enough to know I'm not THAT smart, so this will be a forum for thoughts that aren't necessarily completely developed or maybe even right. But rather thoughts that the contemplation of which will hopefully push myself and others closer to Jesus and fullness of life in Him. Or just spend more time reading our Bibles instead of checking all the blogs you follow for new posts 15-20 times a day . . . or maybe that's just me.


Anyways, here is the humor. A picture I just found on my laptop from three years ago this weekend. J Crew U party . . . Band of Brothers house . . . The then four leaders of Young Life at Edgewood High School. Adam no longer rocks hair like that, Maren is gunna be a full time real deal teacher at Colerain, Dannie Ball is soon to be Dannie Gatliff, and I . . . well, I lost that hat, and that was definitely a major deal . . .

So, yeah, there's your post. Deciding to be random every Friday, with some "deep thoughts" on why sprinkled in too. Hope you have enjoyed this update!

P.S. - It's pretty freeing to not reserve blogging for serious thoughts only, because otherwise I feel required to make it a certain length, and can only write things that are revolutionary enough to make the cut.

Drive

If I could just drive for a living, I probably would. Not like NASCAR racing drive, or any racing for that matter. Just get paid to drive. Mountains. Forests. Plains. Sea side. Anywhere, just drive. On the way home tonight, I had, for lack of a better word, and epiphany. Not in the truest, life-altering, mind bending kind of way. Sometimes things just click in my head, like a giant jigsaw puzzle that suddenly all magically comes together. That's what I mean by epiphany.

Anyways, I'm scanning around on the radio, desperately searching for something to listen to, becoming frustrated because I've heard all the songs so many times, I just want something new. Then it dawns on me, hey, why don't you just TURN IT OFF!!! Huzzah! So I've got the radio off, just talking to Jesus, thinking about how great it is to just drive on an empty winding road, and it hits me. A lot of my life that I've been wrestling with lately can be understood in my radio dilemma. I sometimes get caught up searching for whatever will seem to satisfy me at any given moment. And eventually, it all gets boring because I've had it or done it or heard it too many times. Sometimes I even approach righteousness in this way, reading or praying or listening to a sermon because I want to, not because the Spirit moves me but because it will make me feel more holy. What is eternally more satisfying, long lasting, and just flat out better is putting myself at the feet of my God, my Father, my Savior, my King. It can be painful, different, and always involves sacrificing my pride. But the best things I can learn to do for full life in Christ is this daily realization.

It's moments like tonight, when some seemingly mundane or unspiritual thing clicks and opens a whole new way to see God and my relationship with Him, that I realize he truly works for the good of those who love him, in every part of creation and moment of my days.

Oh, and PS, a lot of radio HAS gone to crap. Case in point, Avril's new song "Hey You I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" I generally like her stuff, but this song . . . such a bad message but disgustingly catchy. If you catch me whistling it, singing it, humming it, or in any way supporting it, increasingly harder smacks to the back of the head are completely appropriate and appreciated.

Good night, blogging world (you 5 people that actually probably have ever read this, lol)

Deafening Silence

I think the biggest obstacle to hearing the God of the universe is us. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
I really like the NASB, because it says "Cease striving." That's why when we spend time, say, in the mountains of God's creation, we often experience an overwhelming sense of His grandeur and presence. We are removed from our lives in all the noise. He is always there, he is actively speaking to us. It is just so critical to the entire outcome of my day that it starts with a few minutes of silence. Be it prayer, reading the word, listening to a worship song, that communion with God sets everything back in rhythm. Read the beginning of a River Runs Through It, if you haven't ever, or for a much more articulate explanation of this.

Small side point, completely unrelated, I feel like so many things that I am convicted of are head knowledge that is being thrust into understanding in the soul. More often than not, I have at times had the same convictions. Maybe they dim in the soul over time because of my sin, or maybe He lets/makes it. Because in the end, the conviction comes, draws me closer to Him, and all works to His glory, His highest aim.

It's 1:30 AM, I've been hanging out w/ a small glass of the Rangpur and tonic, and I need bed. G'night.