Christmas Card

Here is our Christmas Card. Click it to make it bigger.

Leaves

City Park is just two blocks away, and with free internet there I find myself making up to 3 trips a day. Its nice.

The leaves colors are changing, oranges and reds and yellows bursting forth, screaming "Chlorophyll be damned! I am not green!"

I wonder if perhaps this is the only time of year when we get to see the leaves true colors. If they did not depend on photosynthesis I suspect they'd be this color all year. Can the leaves sense that their time is almost through? Perhaps they are saying, "No more hiding, I'm the color of rust. If you don't like that you can go to Hell. I'll be dead and gone soon anyway."

Leaves live a short life, arriving in April, gone in October. Barely making it 6 months. I'd probably be bitter too.

Do leaves believe in reincarnation? Do they say to one another, "Being a maple leaf has been nice, but I hope I can come back as an elm, or a sassafras." What do they think of pine needles? I imagine they call them pretty nasty names.

As much of jerks as I am making out leaves to be towards others, I would guess that they are still pretty kind to their brothers and sisters on the same tree. They probably have endearing names for each other, like "Leafy" and "The Leafinator." When one of them falls off the tree, or gets eaten by a bug, I imagine they have long moments of silence. Perhaps the rustling of the trees is not the leaves rubbing each other, but the leaves crying over their lost brothers and sisters.

Fall is nice. The temperature is comfortable, the colors are stunning. Pumpkin finds its way into all these foods it leaves well enough alone the rest of the year. I am ready for it all.

Merry Autumn friends.

Book It

Today I was approached by a math teacher I know in Fostoria. He saw that I had a novel in my hands and said, "You actually like reading?" "Yeah, I love it." "Whats the point if you aren't getting information from it?"

Rather than explaining the joys of fiction or telling him about the importance of story or daring him to walk down to the English hallway say that, I just shrugged and smirked. I did have class going on and students to attend to. But still, even if reading is not your thing, how can you not at least see that there is value to it?

Today I finished my 8th book this year (9th if you count the audio book I listened to). My little sister has probably read twice as many. Reading is just so good. Through stories we can tap into emotions often neglected, challenge our world view, laugh out loud with no one around, increase our effectiveness of communication, and do so many other things my friend Melissa would likely be ecstatic to list.

Donald Miller recently wrote on his blog about the importance of reading. In that he talked about how few Americans read beyond the requirements of education, and that if you read only one book after college you are already further ahead than the majority of Americans. What the butt?

Here is my proposed solution. Bring back Book It for adults. When I was in first grade I got stickers for every book I read, and every so many stickers got you a free personal pan pizza. If book reports meant free food, that might be enough to get some more people reading, or at least further reward those who already do.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on reading? Or what are you reading? I just finished "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and loved it. I would love to hear from you.

Teleportation: a real possibility

I was reading in Acts this morning when I came across a story about Phillip talking to an Ethiopian. In the story the Ethiopian was having trouble interpreting a passage in Isaiah. Phillip comes along and explains how it is about Christ an then the Ethiopian asks to be baptized in some water that they were passing by. After the baptism "the Spirit of the Lord carried Phillip away," and he found himself about 30 miles from where he was.

I want to do that.

Now at that time, even though Christianity was on the rise, there were only a small number of men going around spreading it (probably something to do with the whole Paul dragging Christians to jail thing). God wanted someone in Azotus, and no one was there, SO HE TELEPORTED PHILLIP THERE! This is one of the coolest things God has done via awesome power of the Holy Spirit, and if I had to pick one awesome thing for the Holy Spirit to do to me it might be teleportation.

What would be you Holy Spirit powered awesome thing?

Vacation: All I ever wanted?

I've been on family vacation now since Thursday. We started off going to New York City for a few days to spend some time with my brother and sister. What a blast! Most of our trip centered around what restaurant we were going to visit next, but no complaints here. Here are a few of the things we've experienced so far.

-A doughnut shop that makes the following flavors of doughnuts: PB & J, creme brule, carrot cake, blackout(4 forms of chocolate), and more.
-The best coffee ice cream on the planet
-rice coffee (iced coffee from a store called Rice)
-Manhattan's best coal baked pizza
-A sandwich from where Harry met Sally (I'll have what she's having)
-Lobster Rolls at a flea market
-Sweet Potato Cheese Cake
-Corn on the cob on a stick with cheese and paprika
-The best steak dinner ever...ever.
-Brooklyn Lager, Coney Island Lager, Luger Lager, 6 Point light, and my sister's grapefruit beer.

And that's just the food. We also walked to Brooklyn Bridge, went to Liberty Island and Elise Island, saw Million Dollar Quartet, went shopping in SoHo (got a pair of H&M jeans for $10), and spent plenty of time playing with Megan's dog, Cliff.

Yesterday we arrived in Rehoboth, a beach town in Delaware. We'll be here until Saturday. Already we've had some great food and beer, and later today I'll be hitting up the ocean. Not to mention there are enough books to keep me satisfied far beyond our stay here, and bikes for us to use in the garage.

All in all sounds pretty great, right?

I've converted back to little kid mode. Dad is taking care of everything and I'm just having fun. However, the timing of this vacation means that I'm missing everyone coming back to BG. I'm missing the start of the Cru season and catching up with friends who have been gone all summer.

Bummer.

Also, despite having plenty of time for it, I've been neglecting making time for God on vacation. Maybe now that we left the business of New York it will come a bit more naturally, but nonetheless I don't want my vacation to be a vacation from God.

I would like the rest of this trip to not only be a time to have fun with my family and relax, but also to be an opportunity to reflect on what God has done this Summer (it seems like so much) and to continue to draw near to Him.

My friends, I cannot wait to get back to BG and see what God had done for YOU this summer.

The Barnly House: A Reflection

This summer our community in Bowling Green has been greatly blessed by the acquisition of the Barnly House. Open to all at all times, it has been a central hub for hanging out, parties, fires, hooka, praising God, Lifegroups, and shenanigans of all kinds. As I sit here in the living room, Dylan and Cory asleep upstairs, I can't help but be glad for the area they have provided, that God has provided this summer.

I am saddened to see this place move to new hands, but grateful for the time I was able to have here.

But really, is it a location that makes the place great? Well, that helps a little. But really, it is the people and how they choose to live there. This place was great because its doors were always open. Because people were encouraged to come over literally any time. Because the people who live here sought out earnest, deep relationships, and shared all that God provided. Do you want to get back to the way that the church was early on in Acts? Start with the guys at the Barnly House.

I don't know that there will be a place in our community this year quite like the Barnly House. People will be much busier. And everyone will be centralized around campus again. But the Union does not quite do this place justice.

Nonetheless, I certain the community will survive. It will grow again as the kiddies all return from their summers. If anything can be taken away from here this summer may it be this; that people would live there lives openly, intentionally, together.

Persistence

Lately I've been reading through Luke. Something that seems to keep popping up is the idea of persistent prayer. The idea of continually and constantly asking God for something until He gives it to you. And I must says, it has me thinking.

I've been unsatisfied with my own prayer habits for years. I've often felt I don't pray enough, and most of my efforts to revise this have ended poorly. However, recently I've started something new. I set up on my phone three events that happen everyday, and sure enough everyday at 8:30, 2:00, and 7:30 my phone starts beeping telling me to pray. It has been working well so far, I've only skipped a couple times. My hopes though are that soon I won't need the alarms.

But back to the idea of persistence.

So Jesus says a few times that we should keep on asking God for things in prayer, and he will give it to us. He said, "Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened." There is another example in Luke 18, and a few other places. But is this really true?

When I was in fourth grade I had a little girlfriend, Christina. However, at the end of the school year Christina was going to move away to Eastlake. I prayed every night for a long time that her house in Eastlake would burn down and that she would have to stay in Euclid. That didn't happen.

Why though? Was I doing something wrong?

I believe God want us to be persistent in asking Him for things because it gives us time to analyze our own hearts. Are the things we are asking for good things? Or am I praying that God will give me something that I will use to replace Him, or at least distract me from Him.

Truly God would like to bless us, but are the blessings we are asking for really what we need? If so, God will provide. If not, He may very well say, "no."

Keep up your persistence in asking God to bless you, to bless others, or whatever it is you are petitioning God for. I hope you get it, but if you don't, I hope God is teaching you something by saying, "no."

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

is the title of the newest release from John Green, who incidentally is one of my favorite authors. It was actually a tag team effort, co-written by Green and David Levithan. At any rate I started reading last night at 2:45 in the morning, and then finished tonight at 11:50. So all the reading took place on the same date.

When did I turn into a book worm?

Seriously though, I couldn't put it down. The amount of painting I did today was pathetic. I'm going to have to bust my butt tomorrow to make up for it.

Here is a link of John Green reading the beginning of the first Chapter to his brother Hank and the followers of the Vlog Brothers (aka Nerd Fighters). I'll let him tell you about the book, but I will say this, it is pretty fantastic.

John Green has three other Novels out: Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns. Alaska has been my favorite so far, but the others are good too.

In case my Currently enjoying section on the side of the blog isn't enticing you enough to read the same things I do, maybe this will.

Missed Opportunities

You ever feel like you've missed a great opportunity? Like there was an open door, and all the while it was open you couldn't care less, but now that its closed its all you want?

That's kind of how I feel.

Trying to care less. Trying to trust God.

Test Run

One of my favorite Christian Blogs, "Stuff Christians Like" has opened up the doors for guest posts. Here is the entry explaining. At any rate, I want to do this, so I though I'd test my draft on you, the readers of Christ and Calculations. Let me know what you think, won't you?

Replacing Your Entire Music Collection with only Christian Music

It is a well known fact that God hates secular music. Try as they might, those shout outs given so freely at the MTV awards are earning no merit for today’s musicians and their worldly music, even if God does make the top of the thank you list. And if you listen to their music, well you’re a sinner just by proximity.

A few years ago I bought my father a Casting Crowns CD. I figured he would like it, but I had no idea that it would soon start a war with the rest of his music collection. In a realm once ruled by The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, and Chicago, the power of classic rock and 70’s pop was disappearing faster than crock pot casseroles at church potlucks. Not only that, but soon there were more Casting Crowns CDs, and the assault moved to his wife’s music, and soon my little sister abandoned her Miley Cyrus CD for “The Alter and the Door.” Casting Crowns even worked its way into my own music library. Before I knew it, the only chance of hearing any secular music was in the short pauses while turning the knob on the radio to the Christian station.

I soon found Grits replaced any and all rap I had, Thousand Foot Krutch came in to replace that double dose of rock/rap heatheness from Linkin Park, and even Jars of Clay made a comeback to replace any music from the 90’s. If my music wasn’t praising God, or challenging my faith, why should I bother listening to it? Sure, James Taylor hasn’t really sung anything against God, but unless his next single is “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” I’m not getting it, and neither should you.

“I need more variety,” you say. “It sounds like you’ve replaced thousands of songs with three Christian CDs.” Yes, yes I have. If you find that you need more Christian Audio, get an audio bible. Those things take over 24 hours to listen to the whole way through. Consider each book a band. You just got yourself 66 new albums. That enough variety for you? My iPod, now affectionately referred to as my iGod, contains nothing but the music from my Christian CDs, an audio bible, and sermon podcasts. I’m currently working on installing a shofar as my car horn, so that as I’m driving I can add some extra praise to my listening experience.

Seriously though, God may be calling you to give up explicit music. I love Wu Tang Clan, and God does too, but He probably isn’t wild about all their songs. Is God calling my Dad to give up James Taylor? I doubt it. But if my Dad chooses to give up The Doobie Brothers for God, rather than giving them up out of some sort of religious obligation, that is pleasing to Him.

Hippies write pretty songs

I was listening to this song. I don't fully agree with everything said, but I don't fully disagree either. I think there is some truth to it. God is in us and with us and around us. Even when we don't realize it or want it. God is there, and available.


This is another pretty song. No real revelations from this one, just pretty.

Getting Fixed.

I was at Erica's place and I noticed a chair with a broken leg. As soon as I noticed it I flipped the chair over and examined it to see how I could make it better. However I couldn't. It was busted beyond what I could fix with just a little bit of manly elbow grease. I didn't have the tools or the know how to make that chair whole again. I did however try make the semblance of a fixed chair by propping it against the wall. I hid the shame of my failure by making the chair appear to be fixed, but as soon as it moves you've got yourself a broken chair again.

This is how I deal with my own life. Here am I, a man pretending to have it all under control, but in reality I'm struggling with sin. I feel lonely and scared. And I have direct access to an Omnipotent, all loving God, who knows my shit and is ready to clean it all up and forget about it. But I don't use Him, because I can handle it. Right?

Don't get me wrong, its not like I don't want to spend time with the big guy, I just don't want to burden him with having to be the one to make me clean. Last night at lifegroup we looked at the end of Romans 3 where Paul explains that we are saved by faith, not works. There is nothing we can do to become righteous in the eyes of our Lord apart from accepting Christ as the savior.

I can't do shit to fix myself.

And that can be frustrating. I'm a man. I like to fix things. I'm working on learning to let God be God, to let his love in completely, to come to him even when I feel like I'm too dirty or broken to be fixed or loved by anyone, and to cast my cares upon Him.

Ultimately, I am working on believing that nothing can separate us from the love of God.


Also, if you get the chance read this post by Jonathan Acuff on the Stuff Christians Like blog.

Home?

I've just arrived today to Kirtland, Ohio. I'm now sitting in my father's house, bored already and missing Bowling Green. Sure, being home is kind of nice. You get to see your family and maybe some old friends, and my Dad will pay me to work around the house while I eat all his food. But it isn't really home anymore.

Home doesn't really feel like home anymore. It hasn't for a little while now, but each time I come back it just affirms that all the more. Its more like I'm coming to visit my parents home. Sure this place is comfortable and I know it really well, but its not the place I want to be. Its not my safe haven or my fortress. Its not what I think of when I think, "I want to go home." Not anymore.

My home now is where my community is. All I really have left here is my family and a few old friends who only get together a few times a year anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love all these people, but they are not the folks who are in my daily lives anymore.

We'll see how long I can manage out here. I hope I can break some of these projects up throughout the summer and not be away from home too long at any given time. We'll just have to see.

Getting Started

So it is official. I'm now unemployed until the start of the next school year. However I'm still super unmotivated to much of anything.

I'm starting light; today I'm going to clean my house. Last time I cleaned I was able to get in my application for Renhill and start subbing.

Its a start.

The end of a season

Tomorrow will be my last day subbing for the school year, and as long as I find a job this summer it may be my last time subbing ever.

Over the past few weeks I had the distinct pleasure of filling in for a 5th grade teacher on paternity leave on a pretty regular basis. I've gotten to know the students and their daily routine. I didn't feel as much like a sub as a co-teacher. These were not just some kids I was going to spend a day with and then for the most part forget about. They became my kids.

Today I didn't take a single break from them. I ate lunch outside with them, and spent recess playing frisbee and racing around the track with them. It didn't hit me til the end of the day though when one of my students asked if I would be back tomorrow.

I told her I would be at the school, but not in their class. I'm done as their teacher. She then proceeded to reach in her desk and retrieve a piece of notebook paper that had been folded in half hamburger style. Scrawled in pencil across the front in as fancy as a block print as a 5th grade girl can manage and underlined with a squiggle was written, "Mr. B." She told me not to open it until I got home, and I told her I wouldn't and tucked it in the front cover of book I managed to finish today. However, I couldn't wait, and as soon as all my students has left the room my hand darted for my book and pulled the letter out of its temporary home. I unfolded the letter to find one of the most precious things ever written to me.

Dear Mr. B,
You have been a nice teacher. I will miss you. Hope find a Job when were gone for the summer. Thank you for being my subteacher!

Bye!

Your Student,

At the bottom she printed and signed her name. I felt like I could cry. I knew my time with them was up, but I did nothing about it. All I have now is this one letter. This one letter which is worth more to me than most anything. I'll miss you too kids.

I'll miss you too.

Fighting Apathy

Apathy sucks. Since hearing last week that I did not get the North Baltimore job I have felt very apathetic. I got my hopes up for that job. I knew it wasn't a done deal, but I figured the odds were good nonetheless. I have much I would like to be doing now, as well as with this summer. I need to figure out how I'm paying back my loans, how I'm making money after schools let out, where I'm working next year, where I'm living next year. I'm not terribly worried about those things, and that is fine, but I don't give a shit about them and that isn't fine. These are big things, and even if they don't stress me out I should still care.

But I don't...

I'm making myself take care of the loan thing today, but I wouldn't be surprised if I convince myself to put it off again. I need a list, or a set of goals. Maybe with a reward system so that I get excited for accomplishing things. Maybe once I've done a couple of those things I'll be more excited for the rest. At any rate, here are some of the things I would like to accomplish this summer. Feel free to ask me anytime how my list is coming.

-Find a job for the fall
-Finish Lord of the Rings
-Write a song or three
-Read something that challenges me
-Make more of my own meals (maybe cook through a smaller cook book)
-Brew a pilsner or another summery beer
-Exercise, eat better, lose weight
-Get in the bible a good deal more
-Pray more often
-Lose a few strokes in my disc golf game
-Bike the entire Slippery Elm Trail
-Take sidewalk chalk to the trail and write encouraging messages for the runners, bikers and bladers.
-More hugs and high-fives

Its a start. This summer, let's kick apathy's ass. Let's grab it by the ankles, shake it and steal its lunch money. Let's get excited. This is a season to do stuff.

Its a start.

Like a tree by the water

This morning, I'm waiting to hear about my car, which is loud as hell again, and hopefully can be fixed for as cheap or cheaper than last time, especially since it seems to be the same problem that was just fixed. Nonetheless, I'm looking for a good way to use my time while I wait. Intermittent napping while watching Unsolved Mysteries was not cutting it for me.

So I turned to the psalms...

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.


I feel like a tree, stubborn of the abundant life-giving source near it, trying to grow on its own. The stream flows not too far, but I send my roots in other directions. I try to grow tall and strong on my own. I find, though, that I'm not as strong as I want to be. My fruit seems mediocre at best, maybe with a few good ones popping out now and again.

I certainly don't think I've pulled all my roots away from the stream, but I send more away than I care to admit. I know God satisfies best, but I want so badly to find that in other things as well. These other things always fail, but like a fool I run back to them time and time again. I say, "maybe this time it will satisfy me. This time it will have more to offer." Or, "I'll just go to this for a little bit and then go back to God." As a result I feel, tired, strained, and unsatisfied. In order to get back to where I want to be I'm going to need to be broken of a few things.

In other words, to have my branches pruned. Have the dead things removed from me so that new things can spring forth and I can grow by the strength of the stream. It won't be simple, or easy, and I will most definitely fail again, but its progress.

Its progress...

Prayerful Consideration Pt. 5, Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Finally, the last installment of the series. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

This one seems a bit strange. Sure, no one really wants to be tempted. Being tempted sucks. Temptation leads to sin, and sin to separation from God. It makes sense to ask to not be tempted.

But is that what Christ meant here?

Well, Christ may not lead us into temptation, but that does not mean that we are not tempted. There is a difference from being lead into temptation and being allowed to be tempted. Its not like Christ is taking me to a strip club or a porn shop. However, temptation persists.

The question then is what we do about this temptation?

Temptation can be a good thing. As odd as that may seem, temptation gives us the opportunity to choose God. It gives us the chance to lean not on our own strength, but to rely on God and build our relation with Him. I suppose that is what the last line of the prayer is about, "but deliver us from evil." God is all about relationships, even in situations where Satan is trying to take control. God is pretty freaking kick ass.

Prayerful Consideration: Pt. 4, Forgive us as we forgive others

It seems appropriate to consider the idea of forgiveness on Easter. After all, it is because of Christ's death and resurrection that my sins are forgiven.

It makes sense to ask for forgiveness of sins. Sin separates us from God. However, "sin" may not be the best word here. While it seems clear that sin is what is being talked about, more often we find the word "debt." In days of old a sacrifice was required for the forgiveness of sins. You owed that to God. That was the price for restoring a right relationship. However now, Christ has paid off our debt. He is our perfect and complete sacrifice that restores our relationship to God. Great deal.

The next part is a little harder though; "As we forgive our debtors."

Sometimes forgiving others is easy. Someone accidentally bumps you, or spills your drink, that is easy enough to forgive. However, what if some jerk punches you in the face, or your boss fires you from your job. Those are a little harder to forgive. I know there are some people who I still have a hard time forgiving. Nonetheless Christ is adamant about us forgiving others. After instructing the disciples how to pray he continues by saying, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." That's a big deal.

Forgiving is a necessary step for love. We can't love others if we hold onto the things they have done to wrong us. It isn't easy all the time. Some people seem nearly impossible to love, especially forgive. I know I still have some work to do in this area, but it is nice to be able to ask God for his help.

Something too good to pass up

I was hoping to have my next post be the wrap up of my blogs on The Lord's Prayer, however I could not pass up this chance to talk about today.

Today I turned 23. Its weird to see it in writing. However, today I have been reminded how much I am loved.

Lately I have not felt that as much. I am my father's son, and expressing emotions is not a strength of mine. I find too that I don't allow myself to get as close to people because it means that I have to start expressing that more with them as that happens. I use jokes and humor to prevent things from getting serious and building more substantial relationships.

It does not mean though that I do not love my friends, for I do, very much so. And today, with all the warm wishes I received I was made certain that the feeling is very much reciprocated.

Furthermore I was able to spend time with my friend Matt today. Matt is one of my oldest friends. I've known him since I was about 4. I actually remember the day we met. Might be my oldest vivid memory. Anyways, we had some beers and smoked some cigars he had bought and talked of the incredible things God is doing. It is incredible to look back on the things Matt and I have been through, the different phases in life we went through, and where we are today. And no matter how much time passes between our meetings it is always like no time has passed at all.

Tonight Matt shared with me a bit of what his life has been like lately; going to Hawaii and Thailand, what God has been teaching him, and the work he has been able to do for the kingdom, as well as some ideas for the future. One thing that Matt kept bringing up tonight though was finding his identity in Christ, and that really struck me. Is that where I find my identity?

There are so many different things that we can use to find our identity: careers, friends, romantic relationships, partying, etc. And not all these things are bad, but what I am concerned with is whether my primary identity is found in Christ. Am I a math teacher who likes Christ or a Christ-centered laborer who teaches math? I really feel more like the former than the latter all to often, but I pray that that will start to change.

Prayerful Consideration: Pt. 3, Give us this day our daily bread

Christ's next line, "Give us this day our daily bread" is one that calls for our dependence on God to provide for us. Bread is the most simple, most basic food. The choice of bread seems to imply that we are asking not just for food, but for all our basic needs. Bread is not fancy or extravagant, so it would seem that we are asking God to provide within our own needs.

God has done this in a few fun ways lately.

A few weeks ago I had an empty gas tank and no money to fill it. I had to be in Fostoria in 50 minutes to sub. God provided in the form of a hungry friend who needed me to get him some pancake mix, who in exchange filled my tank.

Also, lately I have had many other great friends offer to buy me a meal with out any questions asked.

There is also Renhill paying me part of my first paycheck early, allowing me to pay for my car insurance.

It would seem that God simply providing is a tremendous blessing, and somewhat miraculous. I think God likes to wait for opportunities like the above to remind us of just how good He is. Although I may have been close sometimes, I never was without my basic needs. God is good, and he certainly has provided me with "daily bread" all my life.


Next time, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Prayerful Consideration: Pt. 2, Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done

Your Kingdom Come- There will be a day when Christ returns and God's Kingdom will come to this Earth. Its going to be pretty freaking sweet, so why not pray for it to come sooner? I cannot begin to imagine all the great things that will come as a consequence of that, but it will be a pretty exciting event.

Your Will Be Done- This may be one of the hardest parts, at least for me. Sure, who can argue that God's will is not good? Its great. In fact, its the best. The very best. However, there is one distinct flaw to God's will: it isn't mine. I have some ideas for my life, and they seem pretty good to me. So do I really want God's will for my life, or just as much as it fits in MY plan. Saying, "Your will be done" means so much more than, "God, do the good things you have in mind." It means, "God I give up all my plans for yours. If ours happen to line up, that is cool, but if not, well I'm down with that too."

On Earth as it is in Heaven- God rules Heaven supremely. This part seems to reiterate the ideas from early. May Earth be like Heaven. May your kingdom be here. May you rule it supremely. May your will be done here.

I think though that it goes a bit further than this. In heaven all give praise and glory to God. "On Earth as it is in Heaven" is also a call for us to act as if we are in Heaven. It is a call for us to give all glory to God. Furthermore it is a cry for God to move in the hearts of all men so that they may praise him as well. It is asking that God save the world.


The hardest part of this whole section is that it call to give up ourselves for God's will. We know that it is good, and furthermore best, but it means giving all the power in our life to God. It seems like there is no better place to put our trust, but that still does not make it easy.

Perhaps an easier way to do this would be to pray, "God make my will reflect your own."


Cheers,
Nathan

Next time: "Give us this day our Daily Bread"

Prayerful Consideration: Pt. 1, Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name

I've decided to dedicate my next few entries on my thoughts on prayer. Praying is something I've struggled with on and off for years, and so hopefully as I gather my thoughts and reflect on the Lord's Prayer I can come to some insight as to why I struggle with prayer, as well as what to do about resolving this issue.

I chose to look at the Lord's prayer for two reasons. The first being that it seems to cover most, if not all, of the areas we pray about. The second, it is the example Jesus gives us on how to pray. So lets begin...

Our Father- We begin by addressing God as Father. I am certain that Christ was very intentional with his choice here of Father. There are many things we could say, such as Lord, God, Savior, Provider, etc., however Jesus choose the title that perhaps has the most intimate meaning. The one that puts the emphasis on God's closeness to and care for us, as well as our dependency on Him.

Think back to when you were a child. Provided you did not have a deadbeat dad, who did not think that their dad was the coolest, strongest man ever? I recall having debates with other school kids about whose dad could beat up whose. Our fathers provided for us and protected us, and even more so, they knew us intimately and cared deeply about us. When sad or hurt, they were there to comfort us. Even the scratch of his mustache when he kissed you was something cherished. It is precisely this kind of relationship, this viewpoint, this mindset of God that Christ is calling us to at the beginning of the prayer.


in Heaven- God, like Heaven, which he rules, is set apart and holy. I don't have much more to say on that.


Hallowed be your name- Now that we have established who God is, our first interaction is to praise his name. So often we take the gifts and glories of God for granted and fail to praise him for all the wonders He has done. It is easy to treat God like a genie, just saying, "God give me this." From there it is easy to get upset when God says, "No." Christ, however has us begin with thanksgiving and praise.

By starting your prayers with praise it reminds us of the goodness of God. It draws us back to how much He loves us and takes care of us, even when we do not get what we ask for. Furthermore it makes it harder to be upset with God, and better prepares our hearts to ask for the things that matter, and put aside selfish requests.

So, someone who is struggling with the discipline of prayer might practice just periodically thanking God throughout the day. Its very simple (as you can see from my last blog) and very refreshing, and you don't even need to ask for anything as you pray this way. This is something I have been practicing myself, and I encourage others to try the same. If it does nothing else for us, at least we are talking to God.

Cheers,
Nathan

Next time: Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done.

Rekindling an old passion

I love Cavs basketball.

I'm a terrible fan. I rarely know when games are on and rely heavily on my roommate and my sister to keep me updated with what is going on. However, when I do get to catch a game it is simply, and absolutely wonderful. Top it off with a cold beer (in this case a blueberry oatmeal stout from Buffalo Bill's Brewery) and a game of PIG with my roommate on our home-made-living-room hoop (even though I lost), and that makes for a pretty sweet end to a pretty tiring day.

Speaking of refreshing things, here are some other things that I have been enjoying lately.

Monday night lifegroup
Tuesday night man group
Wednesday Action Panther Time
Conversations with Chris Helgeson
Time with Adam Lerma
Erica Reese telling me to suck her dick
Being back in Fotroit
Having a job
Aurgasm
Walking around town with my ipod
Blogging
Warm weather
How close it is to disc golf season
The Season Podcast
Figuring out different stats for Katie Barnett's test
Having so much to be thankful for

God is so wonderfully, so awesomely, so perfectly good.

Cheers,
Nathan

Eat! Drink! And do homework!

With the exception of making salsa one day, and baby sitting Robby another, I have been unemployed all semester until today. I finally have started subbing, and I can finally make some money. However that means that I cannot go to Steve's class on John anymore, at least not unless I don't have work on any given Tuesday. However, I did do the homework for his class (for once) and I wanted to share my thoughts.

Reflections on John 2:1-11

Christ's first miracle; turning water into wine. He take jars ordinarily used for cerimonial washing, has them filled with water, but when the servants go to draw from the pots they instead find wine. And not only that, but the greatest wine of the night. Furthermore the amount of wine was ridiculous.

Math Time!

6 pots each holding 20-30 gallons.
1 gallon is 128oz.
1 gallon contains 25.6 5oz. servings
Therefore Jesus produced in the range of 3072-4608 glasses of wine.

To put that into some more perspective, that would be enough to make all of McDonald Hall think twice before driving.

So whats this all mean?

According to Steve, and even more credibly, the ESV study bible, wine is used as a metaphor for joy. So here is Christ, bringing us the greatest, and seemingly endless joy. But what is he providing it in, but in making us clean and right with God. Pretty simple, right?

My friend Chris also pointed out to me that it was the bridegroom's responsibility to provide the wine. In this story the wine runs dry, and Christ then provides more and better wine than they had to begin with. Things of this world cannot provide like Christ does for us, and will not last either. Christ is the perfect bridegroom, and he will always provide.

Cheers!

A better use of time

So, after thinking on it for far too long I've decided to hop on the blog bandwagon as well. The past two months I've had nearly nothing to do and it has nearly driven me crazy. I've wasted days away doing little more than watching cartoons and CSI marathons, and playing video games I've already beaten a dozen times. Time to do something better with my time.

So here goes...

I want a place where I can process the things I'm thinking about already in a more concrete place, somewhere where I can come back to them so that they aren't just getting lost. As well, a place where my friends can explore with me the things that I find important, and maybe gain or share some insight. Lets do some math to elaborate this idea.

Let a=b,
then a^2= ab,
a^2 - b^2 = ab - b^2
(a-b)(a+b) = b(a-b)
(a+b) = b
b+b = b
2b = b
2 = 1

We all know that 2 does not equal 1, however this looks like a legit proof. Being educated in math I can find the error in this proof, however many people cannot. Just the same, there are many things that I may know to be, but I cannot explain them. My hopes are that this will be an a place where thoughts are put out there, and in return we find more solid understanding. Thanks for partaking in this journey with me, I hope you have fun.