| Writing and Artistry - A Common Goal |

After getting off work today, my friends and I attended an art-walk in downtown Pocatello, in which there were a number of paintings displayed which had been painted by my friend's grandfather.  Pictured below is one of my favorites from his display.  (Although, the picture that I was able to snag does not do it justice!)  

It was during my time of examining this piece of art when something came to me.  (It isn't a novel idea, but I hadn't ever considered it this way before.)  What I saw sitting in front of me was something that I myself am working on accomplishing.  Now, I am by no means an artist, at least, not in the sense of one that can command a brush or pencil to work out an image that others will appreciate.  I have not acquired that skill - yet, (I have wild dreams).  But as an aspiring writer, I try to capture an image and construct that scene in someone else's mind.  I try to paint an image that will come across the pages of my writing.  

I think that artists and writers have this similar goal.  They both see something and then try to recreate it.  Whether it is a fictional piece that we have imagined in our mind's eye, or something that we have come across in real life - it is still an attempt to emblazon that on the minds of those who are appreciating our work.

I have been seriously impressed by an artist's ability to capture life in a single image.  It blows my mind when I look at an eye and see a twinkle of laughter represented there.  Or I look at a caricature of someone I know and see a part of their character captured in a drawing.  A capable artist captures a part of life and conveys it in a single image, emotion and all.

It truly speaks a thousand words.

Hopefully, I can come close to that one day with my writing.

| A Little Rest and a Sharp Look in the Mirror |

Dear blog,

What's it been?  Three weeks?  I don't know if it has been quite that long, but I definitely have been taking a hiatus from creative writing.  But, here I am, rectifying that.  History papers have a way of consuming every bit of energy that one may have left over from the rest of school.

For that fact, I am quite appreciative of Thanksgiving break.  It couldn't have arrived any sooner.  I was definitely starting to feel the pull of the holidays, and the drain of not being around family for those times.  And also, sleep.  To be able to sleep is something that one shouldn't lose touch with, but I have managed that with flying colors.  So, this last weekend was spent in getting back in touch with it.  And also, catching up with my Bible reading.  The was another thing that I allowed to fall by the way side. Currently, I'm working through Deuteronomy, and I was reading a passage in it the other day of the importance of having multiple witnesses before convicting someone of a crime.

And it struck me that I do that all too often.

More specifically, how easy it is to jump to conclusions without knowing exactly what is going on.

This thought sunk in again the other day while I was working at a local coffee shop.  A friend walked by and we ended up having a really good conversation.  We covered a lot of ground, but one of the things that came back to me was how easy it was to make a judgment call on a friend or acquaintance.  I've noticed how quickly I can jump to conclusions when it comes to certain events, people, or things.  I assume that my small sample size with them counts as the whole story, even though I know that there may be more to it than what is evident.

And in our conversation, we discussed friend groups.  Friend groups can be a paradox.  It is wonderful how great it feels to be included, and then the ensuing growth and maturation of friendships because of it.  And yet there is always a danger to a blessing, and the one that I've noticed is the development of cliques.  Or the sensitivity that we develop in regard to other friend groups.  It is easy to see and point out how many flaws that they have, but yet we fail to regard our own groups mistakes and weaknesses.  The classic log in your own eye.

And that is something I've been learning about in the last few weeks.

So hopefully, next time I start making a judgment call, I'll take a sharper look in the mirror and evaluate the situation with more grace.

Confronting the Darkness Within

Confronting your shadows and fears may be the most difficult thing you'll ever have to do.  Whether that be your anger issues or addiction to alcohol, they're a part of you that you will eventually have to deal with.  You may not want to, but you know for a fact that you'll have to face it eventually.  We call these growing pains.  They show up differently in everyone, but everyone has them.  It requires a special kind of courage.  It isn't a courage that others will necessarily see, or a courage that will receive a high-five at the end of the day, or even a courage that you will muster in a sudden moment.  Rather, it is a courage that requires a slow build up.  The first step down this path is to acknowledge that you have this weakness.  The second step is where you take on the desire to rectify or fix it.  The third...?  It is fixing it.  This so called process is known as maturity.  And it is a steadily growing courage that is the type of courage that enables to not only deal with the problems without, but also the monsters within.  This courage laughs in the darkness.  It dances in the trials.  It stares down the doubt.  It is:  Joy.  Laughter.  Strength in hope.  Family.  Friends.  

It is unbreakable.

Trust the Process

Emotions, you're a funny thing.

Sometimes, I can't put my finger on you.

It's very much like trying to describe beauty such as I witnessed this afternoon.  When I looked out over Moscow from my perch, I've realized how difficult it is to describe something so beautiful and still be able to capture the emotion.  Because, as a writer, it is easy to catch a scene.  But every scene has something more to it.  Emotion.  Every interaction, every thought, everything we do is colored and fueled by some emotion.  Describing a scene without emotion is reducing something from 3-D to 2-D.  Hopefully, I'll be able to get to the point where my readers feel when they read.

Just Let It Simmer

This summer, I have had plenty of time to think.  Whether that is sitting on a mower for eight hours, with nothing to listen to but podcasts, music, and the voices in my head, or entering a quiet apartment, after a long day's work. It was during one of those times that I realized that I was starting to sift through the previous year's lessons.  Some of the things that I had thought that I had learned and experienced, I realized that I hadn't really had time to fully process during the craziness of the school year.

I had this thought again after I binge-listened (yes, that is a thing) to Cross-Politic's podcast.  After having listened to a few of them consecutively, I tried to remember what the topic was that they had discussed in the first one.  It was then that I realized that I didn't really remember it.  And not only that, but I couldn't recall one of the sections that had really struck me at that moment.

Looking back on this, I realized that this is very easy to do in life.  I've had to check myself multiple times to slow down and let it simmer.  Whether that be in class, or talking to a friend.  When I was a freshman in high school, I always thought being the fastest to raise your hand to answer the question, would impress the teacher.  Not only that, but you could also impress the pretty girl in the class with the amount of times that you would raise your hand.  But then, after a few times of opening my mouth and stumbling over my words and losing my thoughts, I realized that I should take a few seconds.

Obviously, if you have an answer, you can express that, but it doesn't hurt to stop and gather your thoughts and nerves and then speak your mind.  I would force myself  to jot a few notes down, so that I could refer back to that if I lost my place.  (I still do that, because sometimes the professor may not call on you when you have your answer on the tip of your tongue.)

It is the same thing with my interactions with my friends.  I would have to make a conscious effort to shut my mouth, and listen.  (I still need to, sometimes.)  Sure, they may be asking for a solution, but they may also just be looking for someone that they can talk to.  And if they are looking for advice, they are much more receptive to it, if I don't cut them off midway.  (I've found this out the hard way.  Siblings are good at checking you if you cut them off.)  If I keep my mouth shut, it shows that I really do care.  And that I'm not just here to slap a band-aid on the wound and move onto the "next problem."

Sometimes, it is best to just let it sit there and simmer, before offering a solution.

Finding Joy in the Grind

It comes in different stages of life.  Sometimes it is doing something we love.  Other times it's doing something that we don't necessarily love, but it is a thing that has to be done.  We call this "the grind."  Generally, we use the phrase when describing the middle of the work week.  It has the connotation that whatever we are doing has begun to feel repetitive.

For me, the grind has been this summer, working two jobs that aren't necessarily in my career path.  But it has also been doing something I love in basketball.  For a sport that came naturally for me, and one that I had devoted so much practice toward, it was an uphill battle when my senior year rolled around and I had to fight to get just a few minutes on the court.  I experienced the grind last year during my first year of college, when I took a year long course in music.  This, unlike basketball, did not come naturally to me, and that felt like I tried to run a marathon without so much as getting out and walking in preparation.

So, all that to say, I understand those seasons where there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  I've questioned God's plan plenty of times in those moments.  I have often had to wrestle with the petty tendency to ask: "What's the point?"

Since it seems that God is trying to make a point of it, I've had to wrestle with myself to find the "joy in the grind" if you will.  I know that as a Christian, I am supposed to live joyfully before the Lord. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." (Philippians 4:4 ESV).  But what should that look like?  An active joy is different than being happy-clappy all of the time.  If I were happy-clappy all of the time, my co-workers, roommates, and classmates would soon be driven up the walls.  There is a difference.  But what is that supposed to look like?

The key for me is "active joy".  "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12).  Thank you, Paul.  I realized that joy is a constant, growing state of being.  It is a maturing faith.  And what produces maturity?  Trials.  More specifically: persevering through those trials.

The other answer that I stumbled on to, is the fact that there is no purposeless moment in my life.  I always knew the Bible verse that says that God has a plan and a purpose for us, but it wasn't until recently that I have actually begun to think about those words.  If there is truly nothing that happens outside the sovereignty of God, then everything that is was meant to be.  And that is more comforting than I can really express (which is actually a back-handed way of expressing that sentiment.)

Obviously, this is all a work in progress.  I will still grumble and complain and whine about the part of the story that God has given me.  But next time I'm tempted to grumble, my hope is that I will remember that this has been given to me for a reason, and even if I can't see the forest through the trees, I should remember that God meant it for a reason.

So, here is to finding and taking the joy in the grind.

Ten Strides Down the Way

August 1st marks my ninth move.  Although it is just about ten strides down the hallway, it still counts as a move in my book.  The last three academic school years have been hailed in with a transition of some sort.  Whether that be transcontinental or moving into your very first apartment, there's something unique about each and every one.  Sometimes, you may be getting a complete change of scenery, or you may find yourself in a quiet apartment without the rest of the six members of your family.

I guess this is a eulogy of sorts for Apt. #6 on 6th St.  It has seen some crazy times, and although the walls have weathered some storms (quite literally), it has been home for the last twelve months.  I have been fortunate and blessed to have three roommates that were in the same class as me this past year.  It was quite the adventure that yielded it's own story, which we acted out in our own way.  

August 1st will find me in Apt. #3 in the same complex, rooming with a familiar face, but also with the addition of a couple new ones.  This is the fourth year running that the next chapter in my life has been marked by a move of this sort.  I'm looking forward to sophomore year and everything else that begins in the fall, which is just ten strides down the way.  

"There's a Reason Classics are Classic. They're Classic."

"There's a reason classics are classic.  They're Classic." - Mark Frost.

Classic is defined by the Webster dictionary as, "serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value."

I do realize that my blog is starting to feel like it's been turning into a movie/book review blog.  Mostly because my most recent post I did was on Christian movies, and then I did one on a new book that just came out.   And it is a little different from what I usually do.  But.. I've really wanted to branch out into new areas.  Which can include giving my thoughts on movies like this, or wrestling with recent cultural issues.  I started this blog because I wanted to begin learning more about myself as a writer.  And writing on many different subjects is a very good way of accomplishing that.  

As a young adult preparing for college, I get asked the age-old question: "What are you going to do with your life?"  But, it is more along the lines of, "What are your plans now?" "What are you majoring in?"  "What do you want to do after college?"  And to that question I generally reply with, "I really would like to be a history teacher and author."  (Lord willing!)  And that may change, you never know.  But I really enjoy writing, and already have different ideas rolling around in my noggin.. and one that is already halfway invented.  If you have followed my meanderings and wanderings on this blog for some time, you may have caught it in the past.  If not, it was basically me just running with a story that I first found while writing for my Comp. 1 class.  (Go figure.)  

But as I said before, this blog was for me to learn and grow, and I was learning as I started writing The Sterling Prophecy.  Now this is the first book in The Sterling Trilogy, and I did end up posting the "final chapter" on this blog.  So, I guess you could say that I finished it.  But as time has rolled on, I found that there was more that I could add and flesh out.  I could give the characters more depth and character.  I could add more storyline here and there.  My picture that I was striving to paint had the raw essentials, but I really want it to be more vibrant.  

 I recently watched the movies Gladiator and Braveheart.  And in my estimation, these are classics.  These are movies that others should strive to be.  And that has been stirring in my mind.  If I'm going to somehow publish this book or a book like this, I want it to be the best that it can be.  And that takes time and editing, adding and subtracting, and persevering and pushing.  And so that is why I'm looking up to the classics as I'm writing.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think I could ever even reach the level of classics like The Chronicles of Narnia or Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, but I definitely want to set this as the goal.

"Imagine a poem written with such enormous three-dimensional words that we had to invent a smaller word to reference each of the big ones; that we had to rewrite the whole thing in shorthand, smashing it into two dimensions, just to talk about it.  Or don't imagine it.  Look outside.  Human language is our attempt at navigating God's language; it is us running between the lines of His epic, climbing on the vowels and building houses out of the consonants." - N. D. Wilson

This is me.. running between the lines of His epic.

Eat Lucky Charms /The Nostalgia Surrounding Christian Movies/

"They got a bunch of Christians to mistake promoting this movie as promoting their faith."

When it comes to Christian movies, books, and music, we tend to give them a pass.  Mostly because it falls under the genre of "Christian."   We overlook the quality and forget to keep a sharp mind, because it is "on our side."  One of the major flaws in the church today is: that it is so busy with pointing out the speck in unbelievers eyes, and trying to convert them, that we forget to look in the mirror and examine the log in our own.  

I found this Youtuber, who reviews Christian movies.  He holds them up to the standards of other movies.  Say Goodnight Kevin is himself a Christian, so he understands the pitfalls that we can stumble into.  Now it could very easily turn into a game of bash-the-Christian, but I believe he does a very good job of spotting the inconsistencies and errors in movies like God's Not Dead, Facing the Giants, Do You Believe? etc. without becoming spiteful.  Movies like these find a niche.  They like to exploit the victimization that many Christians often feel.

Movies like this make it seem that we have the power to persuade people to become Christians.  And although we are called to witness and bring the Gospel to the ends of the world, it is ultimately God who brings someone into His family.  To think that we can make someone believe is over stepping our bounds.  Not to mention impossible.

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

So by all means, text "Eat Lucky Charms."

*This review video is quite long, so if you skip to 33:30, it will take you to the meat of his breakdown.*

What America Wants to See

I looked up at the colossal masterpiece set against the dark, blue backdrop of the sky.  It was definitely imposing and strikingly beautiful.  This was the Basilica in St. Louis.  It took eighty years to build.  When I walked inside, the extensive and intricate artwork floored me.  The marble pillars held up detailed mosaics and statues, which pictured stories from Scripture of the saints and angels.  It must have required elephantine efforts to polish and finish.

As I walked the aisles, gaping in wonderment, it brought to mind the age old debate on where the line should be drawn.  When does the created become so glorified that instead of worshiping the Creator, it becomes worshiped itself?  Buildings and cathedrals like this can be amazing, but slightly distracting.  Many Protestants may look heavenward and think, "Thank goodness we're not Catholic."  "Atleast we don't make graven images."  "Thank the Lord for Luther and Calvin."

But main-stream evangelical churches today struggle with different idols.  Many churches conform to what is popular, flashy, and attractive.  In their quest to save souls, they damage the message that they are delivering.  They want to be accepted in today's culture.  They want to be what America wants to see.  Unbelievers have become so accustomed to seeing this harmonious attitude that the church assumes, that is has become blind to what the actual love of Christ can accomplish.

After the Orlando shootings, Chick-fil-a did this.  Not exactly what Liberals would expect.  Not after what the owner of Chick-fil-a made it clear what his position is on homosexuality and the like.  Not surprisingly, this hasn't really made the news.  This can be very demoralizing, but the way we change this, is by continuing to show the love of God.  When the world is met with fierce compassion, unconforming love, and tenacious grace.. it won't know what to with itself.

Casting Humility

This past week was a humbling experience for me.

For those of you who don't know yet, I fractured my left hand last week in a summer league basketball game.  Which I am very thankful for two things: firstly, that it isn't my dominant hand, and secondly, that it wasn't worse.  The way that I landed on it, it could have been much worse.  Although, the fact that I still have work and that we will be moving in a month or so, had my parents and I abit worried.

As it is, I get my cast off in a week.  (Praise the Lord.)  But, having to work one handed is especially frustrating when you're used to being able to pull a certain workload.  After a particularly difficult day at work, I came home exhausted and drained.  It had been a busy day at the restaurant and not being able to perform my usual duties was frustrating me to no end. By the end of my shift, I was just ready to be home.

But it still bugged me that I wasn't able to get the normal amount of things done.  My mom, seeing that I was still pretty irked, sat me down and talked it out.  And it was a good thing she did.  I realized after our conversation, that I was trying to do it on my own.  Meaning, I was so drained, because I was trying to sustain myself by my own power.  I now know what it means to "chase after the wind."  It is vanity without the power and strength of the Lord.

That night, it felt like I hit a wall.  And the wall didn't exactly budge for me.  In fact, it landed a punch in my gut.  I was doubled up wheezing because of the futility of it all.

It is so easy to forget the God we serve.  Somehow, we get so caught up in what we are doing, that we forget to find our strength and refuge in Him.

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." - Psalm 18:2 (ESV)

Tell Me Stories About the Saints of Old

"And did they tell you stories 'bout the saints of old

stories about their faith

They say stories like that make a boy grow bold

Stories like that make a man walk straight."

- Boy Like me/Man Like You by Rich Mullins

I never got to meet my grandfather.  He died at the age of thirty-three.  My mom was only twelve.  I've been told he was a great man, and it pains me to think that I never got to meet him.  But today, we went to Floral Hills to visit his grave and my great grandparent's and great aunt's grave.  It has been over a decade since I last went to his resting place..  

Today is a day of remembering.  We remember and honor those who went before us.  We remember those who laid down their lives so that we could be free.  We remember and are reminded so that we won't forget.  Because if we lose those memories, and forget about what has been sacrificed so that we can live in freedom, we will stumble and lose what has been gained.  Never forget.

Ronald Reagan once said that, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn't pass it from our children in our bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."  The way we remember what our ancestors gained is by story-telling.  If we are told of the stories of those who laid down their lives for us, we won't as easily stray.  Just as the law of the Lord is written on our hearts so that we won't forget.

"You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, ad when you lie down, and when you rise." - Deuteronomy 11:19

Missing you, Grandpa.

Floral Hills.

So, please, tell me stories about the saints of old, so that I will never forget.

~ Repititio Mater Studiorum.

Eighteen Year Old Brick ~ Senior Speech Edition

I am an eighteen year old brick.

Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. – (Nehemiah 4:17-18)

 When the Israelites were taken into captivity, the walls of Jeruselem were thrown down.  When they returned, Nehemiah and the leaders of the Israelites desired to rebuild the walls, but they encountered fierce opposition from Sanballat and his minions.

This passage from Nehemiah plays an important part in New Saint Andrews’ mission.  New Saint Andrews is where I will be attending school this coming fall, and I couldn’t be more excited.  It is a place that aspires to shape and mold young men and women into master-builders and crafters.  Christians have this mission to rebuild culture and to inspire others with the Hope of Christ.  Our Jerusalem is this world, and its walls are in need of repair.  I desire to not only help fill the gaps and rebuild the wall, but to build it up in a way that reflects Him.

Not only are we inspired builders, but we are a wall that is being built up from the ashes by the ultimate Builder.  We are bricks that make up the church, not a Pink Floyd brick. We were designed with a purpose.  We are bricks that were molded and shaped by a Creator that has a Plan.  We are not just another brick in the wall, we are participants in a living, breathing wall.  This wall is made up of many different bricks of all sizes and colors, and it looks like chaos from the outside, but they work in concert because of the Love that connects them.

But, even though I know all of this, I have caught myself many times impatient with His Plan.  It is easy to feel this way, whether it be at work, at school, on a team, or anywhere.  Sometimes I don’t feel like I am making much progress. 

This year, in Humanities, we read a book called Citizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose.  It is a historical account recounting the battles and strategy of World War II; starting with the invasion of Normandy by the Allied forces.  At the outset, the soldiers of almost every division were eager to commence the invasion, but one month later, when they were stuck in the hedgerows of Normandy, the men on the front-lines were disheartened, to say the least.  They could only see what was right in front of them: hedges upon hedges that stood nearly six feet tall, but which were planted on three foot mounds, so they could not see over or through them.  But as soon as they were able to find a gap in the hedges, they were met with enemy fire.  Whether it was grenades, small-arms fire, sub-machine gun fire, or tank fire you imagine it, they probably had to endure it.  It was a veritable hell on earth, having to endure the uncertainty, wondering if the next step around this corner would be your last.

They were disheartened because they couldn’t see the overall plan. 

And this brings us back to the brick analogy.  Without a plan, a single brick has one use, a door-stop.  It doesn’t get much done.  It is borderline purposeless.  But it doesn’t have to be alone to not do anything.  Someone could pick up a brick and throw it onto a pile of other bricks.  Before this, we called it a brick.  Now, what do we call it?  A pile of bricks.

Exactly.  It’s still not doing anything.     

                                                                                

Although, you do have a lot of door stops now.

But, when someone comes along with a plan, a purpose, and starts stacking a brick on top of a brick on top of a brick, and so on, it begins to form something.  It begins to take shape.  It’s easy to feel pessimistic and discouraged when it doesn’t seem like anything is going to get better.  What is God’s plan, we constantly ask?  What is God’s will for me?  It’s very simple.  It’s right now.  It’s happening right now, in this very room, at this very moment, and it is sitting at the table with you.  It is the time He has given you to be productive with, it is the gifts that he has given you to impact the lives of others, it is the people in your life.  Your purpose in life is to work and excel at what is put before you and enjoy Him. 

"Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor.  This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.  For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment without Him." - Ecclesiastes 2: 24-25

This mission of believers may seem like it creeps by, and it may seem that we are barely making headway, but the advantage that we have over the private huddled against a hedgerow in Normandy on a blustery night, is that we know the plan.  We know what the end result is, and that is what gives us confidence and comfort. 

I picked New Saint Andrews because it was a natural choice.  It builds on the foundation that has been laid, especially in the past four years.  When my parents decided to homeschool my two sisters and I back in 2005, they did so with the classical education model in mind.  But first and foremost, their goal was to raise us in the ways of the Lord, and what better way than to do it themselves?  They wanted to be the ones to sharpen their arrows that would be shot from the quivering bow into the gathering darkness.  And I am thankful that they made this decision.  My parents have made tough decisions and stuck to them, even if it did seem odd and unusual at the time.  When we joined the army, almost ten years ago, they took us on an adventure that I will never forget.  My siblings and I have walked parts of the world that we had only dreamt of. 

Thank you, Dad, for taking risks and not playing it safe.  For being the father every son wants to have.  Our culture today is crying out for fathers, even if they don’t realize that they have that need.  I thank the Lord that I’ve never had a moment’s doubt about how blessed I am.  You were and are my coach, teacher, mentor, father, and confidant.  I may have heroes that I look up to in books and movies, and celebrities that I admire, but none of them will ever come close to you. 

Thank you, Mom, for everything.  I cannot count the times when I would be confused about a girl or how their emotions worked, and even though I don’t claim to know them even now, you were there to clear things up.  I apologize for the amount of times that I complained about there not being much food in the fridge on grocery day, I guess my only excuse is what an amazing cook you are.  When I get married to the woman that the Lord intends for me, whenever that may be, I will know what to look for, because I see how you and Dad interact.  I cannot believe I have been so blessed with parents such as you two. 

Micaiah, thanks for being the over protective sister.   You’ve imparted so much wisdom from perfecting the art of stealing balloons to swing-dancing.  You were the natural leader of the five of us. 

Abi, thank you for being my partner in crime.  From stubbornly following me over cliffs to getting into situations that I could pull the scary, older brother card.  That truly is a pleasure, even if you may not enjoy it at times.  Thank you for keeping me awake after a long day of work on the long drive home.

Brother Bear, thank you for adventures.  When you came along dad said that it would be amazing when you grew older and the three of us could go on adventures together.  I really can’t believe how time flies, and will miss playing ball with you and watching you grow up. 

Belle, baby Belle, thank you for making every single day a new experience.  From a baby to a toddler and on, watching you explore life reminds us how the simple things are beautiful.

Thank you to everyone who is in the room, and those who couldn’t make it.  Without all of your support, this would have been a much different chapter in my life.  We move around a lot, and we have been blessed with an amazing community and family at every station.

Thank you one and all.  I cannot wait for the next chapter in this story. 

I am just an eighteen year old brick with a purpose.+

Chasing Mists in the Jungle

As I am nearing the end of my senior year, I have started reading this book entitled The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.  Now I haven't finished it, but it is one of the most depressing and darkest books that I have ever read.  Sinclair initially wrote it to open the mind of the reader to the advantages of socialism and the evils of capitalism.  (Sinclair would be proud of Sanders.  He would definitely be throwing around the FeeltheBern hastag... If that kind of thing existed in 1906.)  But he even admitted that he failed somewhat in that, instead of turning the hearts of his readers, he churned their stomachs.

But we catch him in the trap that all modernists fall into.  Throughout this year of Omnibus VI, we have discussed the theme in the solutions that are written by unbelieving authors.  And that is that man is the solution.  For example, Upton Sinclair is offering an alternative to capitalism.  But we see how flawed it is when we reach the center of the solution.  No form of government is exempt from this.  If we build a nation, an economy, or a government on the principles of mankind alone, it will fade and be vanquished.  (Capitalism included.)

If all we have is man, then it is all a vanity.  Or a chasing after vapor.

In Ecclesiastes, we find not a message of pessimism.  But one of hope.  When we read the text through the lenses of modernity, we only see King Solomon preaching a message of despair.  It seems like he is saying that everything that we do is vanity, that it is all hopeless.

It is all vanity... without God.

"There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.  This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?" - Ecclesiastes 2: 24-25

King Solomon writes that without the Lord, all is a chasing and grasping at the wind.  It is useless to try to solve our problems without God.  This is not a pessimistic view point.  Instead, it is a message filled with hope and joy.  In God, we move and have our being.

Stop chasing the mists we find in the jungle.  Rather, find life in the Way.  For it is the only Way to life.

Grafted Branches

I hope that you all had a blessed Maunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday!  It truly is a time for reflection and rejoicing.

Just recently I've taken a job at a local winery and restaurant.  And the past couple of weeks I have been working on pruning the vines out in the vineyard.  It definitely requires patience while trying to identify which branch to trim, trim it, then disentangle it from the arms of its' comrades.  It takes time.  But when you reach the end of the row, and look back and see it all trimmed back and neat, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction.  And it was during one of these moments that I thought of passages in the Bible regarding vines.  More specifically, grafting.

"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree.." - Romans 11:17

This is the message of Easter in one of it's purest forms.  Christ was humiliated.  Christ was crucified.  Christ rose from the grave.  For what, exactly?  For us.  We are the wild olive shoot that is looking in on something called eternity.  The Gardener claimed us, and brought us into this circle of light, and grafted us into His tree.  

God has adopted.  We are His children.

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba!  Father!" - Romans 8:15

Rejoice!  Death has lost its sting! Christ is Risen!

Once I was Seven Years Old

'Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,

"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."

Once I was seven years old.'

These are the opening lyrics to one of my new favorite songs.  7 Years was sung by Lukas Graham.  It's a rather sad, but reasonable thought that opens up the song.  But if you skip to the end, it definitely leaves you feeling a bit empty.  (If you're really paying attention.)

'Soon I'll be sixty years old

Will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?

Soon I'll be sixty years old.'

You could really analyze this song, if you felt like it, but if you just look at the broad picture, you realize this empty picture that he is painting.  He is searching for happiness.  But he is wondering if he will ever find true happiness.  Which man has been pursuing ever since the beginning.  Which makes this a rather acute post on a day like today.  Today is Palm Sunday.  Today is the triumphal entry of the King of the Universe.Today is the first glorification of the Christ.  

The Lord entered Jerusalem mounted on a donkey.  He was met with cries of, "Hosanna!"  He was borne across branch-covered streets.  This was his Triumphal Entry.  It was the beginning of a surprise ending.  

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your kind is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey." - Zechariah 9:9

It's easy to wonder and be anxious.  Especially in times of transition.  (Like preparing to go to college.  Or wondering who will be our next president.)  Just remember, every time that you begin to wonder how this or that will be resolved, that our King is enthroned.  And that is awesome.

The Glory of the Differences

Modern femininity is a lie.  It is a lie created to thwart the glory that God gleans from the beautiful institution of marriage.  It has helped widen the divide where there was suppose to be none.  It only takes a spark to light a flame, and that flame is raging now, because of the lie fanning that spark.

Feminists have reminded us, constantly, that women should not be so separated from man.  That they, in fact, can do many things just as well as or better than man.  But feminists have bought into this lie on the grounds that they were freeing oppressed women.  Although it is an honorable cause, they have become blinded by their hatred of the Creator.

Men and women are very different. They were created for different reasons and for different purposes.  Now, feminists, instead of helping better the condition of women, are tearing them down and helping break down the beautiful unity that exists between a man and a woman. 

We are so set on contrasting the two genders and pitting them against one another, that we forget.  We forget that their differences is what makes them unique.  And special.  And what sets them apart from the rest of creation.  Why do we not glory in those differences?  God made them different for a purpose. 

"If I set the sun beside the moon, and if I set the land besides the sea, and if I set the town beside the country, and if I set man beside woman, I suppose some fool would talk about one being better." - G. K. Chesterton

"For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man."  (1 Corinthians 11:7 ESV)

Just A Little More Alive

Today was the first day of the new year.  A brand new year.  The year of 2015 is in the books, and we get a fresh start.  Many of you know this quote by Brad Paisley: "Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one."

I have this mental image pop into my head, whenever someone says, "fresh start."  And it is of a blank page, waiting to be written.  Now imagine with me that this page has been crumpled and burnt.  It is just a touch away from fading to ash.  This is us.  This is what we are without a redeemer.  We are merely a page ghosting into ash.. a blade of grass fading in a breathe of wind.  It seems hopeless and dark, but we have been promised the Redeemer, and have received that promise.

We can do nothing but try to tape that charred piece of paper back together, but it is all to no avail.  Only the promised Messiah can give us new life.  A new start.  A clean piece of paper.  Yes, there is a new year, but there isn't anything we can do to change and fix ourselves outside of Him.  The new year is simply a reminder of the beautiful new beginning we get in Him.  Nothing we can do can separate us from Him.  With God, we have a clean slate forevermore.

"So I prophesied as I was commanded.  And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.  And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them.  But there was no breath in them.  Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army." -  Ezekiel 37: 7-10 (ESV)

God has breathed new life into us, the shattered bones.  Ever since we have become His sons and daughters, we have become more and more like Him.  Every day that passes, we become just a little more alive.

I hope you have a blessed new year!

The Next Step

Hello there, interwebs.  It has been awhile.  And I do apologize.  It's been incredibly busy recently what with finishing up the semester with finals, basketball winding down, and my sister returning back home.  On top of all this, it's the Christmas season.  So all in all, I have been in a very happy mood.  

But something happened two weeks ago that was just the cherry on top of the shake.  I received a phone call from New Saint Andrews letting me know that I was accepted!  I couldn't believe it.  I'm very excited to announce that I'll be attending NSA in the Fall of 2016!  Since then, I have been planning on where I'll be staying, hunting down scholarships, and getting in contact with future roommates.  It's all been a whirlwind.  

I can't wait to experience this next step in life.

Mission Impossible Day Seven: Where are the Men? (Part 1)

Many of us wonder to ourselves, "What has happened to us?  What happened to propel us over the edge and into this abyss?  What started this plummeting?"

I'll answer these ponderings with another question:  Where are the men?  

Let's tackle the tip of this iceberg.  The presidential election is just a year away, and already we are in the midst of debates.  These debates are made to show which man we think is most capable for the job.  It should be very illuminating.  Yet, how do we seemingly pick the wrong man time after time?  We may think that he is qualified for the job because of his capabilities, but we need to look deeper than that.  Yes, we do need a capable leader, but we need a righteous one. 

There are plenty of capable men out there, but how many of them are righteous?  A president should not only be a capable man, but he should be a righteous man.  When you are voting for a president, you should be confident in his capabilities as a leader of a nation, but, first and foremost, you should believe in his being capable of leading his family.  The family is the cornerstone of every nation.  If the cornerstone is weak, the nation will crumble.  But if a cornerstone is strong, then that nation will stand tall.  

And as the head of the family, the father has alot of sway as to the direction of his family.  He is the rudder of the ship.  If he is a weak father and doesn't raise his children in the ways of the Lord, then he has built a weak cornerstone for the world.  "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."  (Ephesians 6:4)  

Strong men, or the lack thereof, is what is hurting this nation. "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love."  (1 Corinthians 16: 13-14)  Righteous men do not leave their wives.  Righteous men do not abandon their children.  Righteous men are not weak.  Righteous men raise sons and daughters to become righteous sons and daughters of God.  Righteous men change a nation.

"If boys don't learn, men won't know." - Douglas Wilson.