I haven’t blogged in a little while…

This past month has been very busy. And it has had emotional highs and lows. On November 14, 2008 at about 3:30 in the afternoon, I lost my grandpa, one of my heroes. I knew that his passing was eminent, and I thought I would be ready, but I wasn’t. Oh how I miss him. I just want to go into your office and see your big smile and talk. Maybe add some more additions to your desk. Grandpa there is so much I wish I could talk with you about. I miss you. Your legacy was left across the world. You’re the best grandpa I could have ever asked for. Love you.

Since then I was up to a lot as well. My roommate from boarding school flew into the states mid November. It was good to be with him. We headed down to Salt Lake City and saw the most legendary band of my generation. Coldplay, you guys were amazing. Thanks for putting on an awesome show. It was quite something to be packed into the Energy Solutions arena with 15,000 fellow fans. Hope to see you again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-j4vB0B6Mg

Then Wray and I headed out east to meet up with another 17 of our classmates from Kenya. Wow, it was such a memorable time. Some of you I hadn’t seen since 05 and it was great to be able to see your faces again. It was awesome to be with people who understand my third culture craziness. Thank you to the Duncan’s and your family for allowing us to crash your place and thank you so much for all you guys did.

While in West Virginia we did a lot of fun things. One of these things was running a 5k race in 27 degree weather. That was pretty chilly, and having frozen sweat on my face at then end of the race proved it. It wasn’t too fun having to throw up 6 times during the race either, but I finished, and that was fun. I also watched the new Bond again, and this time I thought it was great. The first time I slept through parts, and now I realize that those were some good parts, and that missing them made me miss the plot. So yes, that was actually a great movie. It was quite the experience to be on the local news in Parkersburg, WV. I wish I would have talked in my South African accent though. Oh well. Anyways, all that happened in West Virginia was awesome. Thanks to all of you former classmates that were there to share in the fun.

Now I must get back to adding the finishing touches to this paper due tomorrow. Only one more week and a few days left and then this semester will be finished. Wow it flew by.

Technorati Tags: Floyd,Jerry,Perkins,Africa,RVA,West Virginia,Thanksgiving,Coldplay,Turkey,Trot,5k

You will forever be missed…

Grandpa, I am so glad you have no more suffering.  It was so great to be with you as you passed on.  I love you, and will never forget all that you have taught me.  You were the greatest example anyone could ever give me.  Thank you for living your life of faith, hope and courage.  I will miss you so much.  I am so glad that we got to see each other so much the past 3 1/2 years.  I love you, and I hope heaven is amazing. 

Check it out now.

So this is the costume that I wore for TWIRP (The Woman Is Required to Pay) last night.  It was probably my best costume ever…  By the way, that stache is real, 100% human hair, made in China.   So I don’t know who’s human hair, but it’s real baby!And I bowled my best game ever wearing this, so that must be a sign.  I was at 180 and then we had to leave.  Sad. 

Politics

I definitely used to have set out views on politics.  I will admit that I was one of those people who liked republicans just because I was a Christian.  Now I have changed.  Now I am wondering if Christians really should be so in to politics.  I mean I have no problem with being excited with how the government works and all of that.  But should we really be expecting to get the kind of change that Christ wants to see through the avenue of politics?  Should we be labeling people as the “Matthew 25” president?  I really do not think so at all. 

Christ has called us to be the ones to be the change we want to see in the world.  He has called us to feed the hungry and to clothe the poor.  I honestly believe that we shouldn’t look to the government to do that.  Yes, they most certainly can help, but should we put our hope and trust in them? 

No, we should not.  As a follower of Christ our hope and trust should be placed in the hands of God.  We should be willing to do the things that Christ has called us to do.  If Christians actually lived out what they believed, and are told to do by Jesus himself, the world would see the change that presidential hopefuls claim they can bring. 

Yes, I do have my views on politics.  And I do believe in certain rights, and in certain ideologies.  But I will not look to a president to bring change.  Either republican or democrat.  They simply cannot bring about all that they promise. 

My vote is with Christ and what he has called us to do.  We are to do whatever necessary to bring the Kingdom to earth.  Yes, I will cast my vote for the next president of the USA, but I will not do it because I think that will bring about huge change in America.

“Be the change you want to see in the world”

What do you guys think of this?

This is a pretty long video.  But I wanna know what you think about this…

Technorati Tags: How,He,Loves,John Mark McMillan

I don’t know why…

We get into the circumstances that we do.  But I do know that we can learn from each of them.  As I have grown older in my life I have realized this more.  And I have also had less and less regrets as I learn to make wiser decisions.  But the truth is that life can hurt sometimes.  But I am one of those people who believes that everything happens for a reason.  Sometimes this reason is because our choices have taken us there, but most of the time it’s because God wanted us to experience something.  I have always been a person who regrets some of the things I have done, but now I want to be one of those people who doesn’t have regrets. 

Throughout life we are faced with many different circumstances.  And for whatever reason we have the possibility of doing one thing or the next.  But like I said, I believe that all of this happened for a reason. 

I want to move on from my past.  I know this is really childish, but it’s what popped into my head:  It’s like on the Lion King when Simba gets all sad about his circumstances and mad at himself for being the “cause of his dad’s death.”  Even though he wasn’t in the end.  Simba couldn’t move on from that pain.  I don’t want to be the old Simba.  I want to be the Simba that was ready to be king.  I want to be ready for the circumstances in the here and now. 

I didn’t go down the path I wanted to 3 years ago.  And that left me in pain, just like Simba had been.  But now I have the chance to live for the moment…  God has something else in store.  And I’m hoping I can live for that, rather that live in the past and live in the happiness that I once had.  True happiness comes when we are in the center of God’s will.  I haven’t been for some time, I will freely admit that.  It’s time to turn over a new leaf. 

Oh to be a monk…

This past weekend I had the privilege of going to up to Jerome, Idaho to stay at the Monastery of the Ascension with my Spiritual Formation class.  When I heard we were going to a monastery, I figured it would either be like one of those old stone castles or it would be like one of those old wooden churches from Europe.  It wasn’t really either.  It was actually more like a small catholic church with a conference center attached to it. 

But it was a great time up there.  Whether it was Father Norbert saying damn or the monk from Spain falling asleep before it was his turn to lead a chant, it was all great. 

I had the chance to think about my life for the last three years.  I am now a senior here at NNU and a lot has happened.  But my mind kept on travelling back to one place in time that happened two years and four days ago.  It was one of the best days of my life.  But I screwed it all up.  She meant a lot to me, and has never left my mind or my soul.  I miss you and would go back in a heartbeat. 

It was a good time of reflection.  I was thankful for the beauty of the countryside and for the rain that came down as I journal-ed.  I was able to look back and think about the good memories, and the bad.  The happy times and the sad. 

Those monks live an interesting life.  But it is one of great spiritual devotion.  In some ways I wish I could live like them, and have my devotion structured the way they do.  I learned so much from them.  Just because they do things differently doesn’t mean it’s wrong, in fact, what they do is extremely inspiring to me. 

There were some funny moments while I was up there.  Like Josh and his lady.  And like getting sprayed with Holy Water.  Like saying the wrong words in the services.  Like walking through the corn fields.  Like Matt’s knitting. 

Oh to be a monk…