tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90301174564771449922024-02-18T19:13:54.897-08:00Here is my attempt...Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-18881016175870207462010-11-01T19:18:00.000-07:002010-11-01T19:22:00.170-07:00Freaking Dance<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am scared </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have to admit it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am looking at my dreams </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My passions for my life </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And honestly, I’m scared </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">How in the world am I supposed to pursue those? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">How am I supposed to do these world changing things that I long to do so badly?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You see</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am obsessed with Changing the World </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Not just a little bit </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But I find myself thinking about it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Stinkin</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Time </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Day in </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Day out </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Call me crazy </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But I think our generation can actually </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change the World </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I believe it at </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My core</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">With everything that I am </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But I have come to a point </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Where I can no longer just talk about changing the world </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There has to be actions taken </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Words spoken </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Passions harnessed </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What is that exactly? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That is a great question! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am not sure yet, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have a few ideas </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I want to challenge you though </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My fellow generationers (new word) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To first</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Never lose your imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When our generation loses our imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We cease to be world changers </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Keep an imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its ok if they call you crazy</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They are just envious of your imagination</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Never settle for just your imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let your imagination fuel your passions </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A life lived in imagination is without mission </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Without mission we lose meaning </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has wired you to be who you are </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are an imaginative individual </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are now free to be who you are supposed to be </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The world will try to place prisons around you with their definition of you</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">No longer be offended by things in the world </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But be </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Provoked</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you see something that needs changing </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Act on your passion guided by your talents </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you are good at dancing </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And if you love it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Then freaking dance </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let no one but God stop you </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Trust me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Our generation will change this world </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We need you to</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Become who you were supposed to be </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-58667836773555831012010-09-12T19:39:00.000-07:002010-09-12T19:40:34.596-07:00Be A River Jumper<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have been wanting to write a blog lately</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I mean I have moved to </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">An </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Entirely </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">New </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">City </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is awesome, and I have been learning a lot </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And there are a lot of things I want to write about </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But this is not this blog </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I saw something tonight at church </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Moved </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So much, I had to put everything else on the backburner that I have been wanting to write</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let me set it up for you </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have been going to Elevation Church since I have been in Charlotte </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Unbelievable </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I talked with the campus pastor about leading a High School eGroup</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He told me to come back to the 6 o clock service</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So I could get a feel </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">For the </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Elevation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Students</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Whoa</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was blown away at how they were worshipping </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And serving </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There were probably more students serving than adults </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I just started thinking and began writing on the sheet they hand out everybody some thoughts on: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The next generation</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World Change </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Prayer </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Here are some of them</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its kind of funny </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you were to tell me I would have been this fired up over the next generation two years ago I would have laughed at you </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">(I always thought I was gonna be a senior pastor leading 1000s… haha)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has changed me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He has changed my perspective </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The world’s hope is in this generation</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My generation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I had kind of lost my perspective on this</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was so caught up in me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has a way of bringing you back </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I really think </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I really believe</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I really know</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At my core </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That my generation will </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change the world </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We are so great at identifying the impossible </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So good at it</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Put a bookmark here </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Don’t worry I’m coming back to this</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have always been passionate about world change </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you know me you have probably heard phrases such as</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Safe people never change the world” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Careful people never change the world” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Always said in a context of humor but with meaning</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Of Course</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">However, in all my thoughts on world change I have learned </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is so easy to talk about Changing the world </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So easy to say it, read it, pray it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But do it… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have been asked, “Collin, when will you think the world has changed?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“How will I we really know the world has changed?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Typical of us </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We always want answers </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Before we act</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Back to the bookmark… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We identify the impossible </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We see it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We live in it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In fact if the impossible in life were a river</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We would all be standing </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">On the bank of the river</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Staring</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Wondering </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Dreaming</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Conceiving magnificent plans</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Of how to swim it</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Then theres the one </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He is that guy </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He just jumps in </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To see what happens</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Here is the thing</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We talk about world change</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change in our school </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change in our family </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Change in our friends</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Neighborhood</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Nation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The questions posed above are the wrong questions! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The question is </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“What are you doing?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“What are you doing to bring about world change?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World change happens when people act to make a world change </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World change happens when people believe impossibilities to be completely and totally </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">doable</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World change happens when people step off the banks of the river and get wet</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World change happens when people stop using prayer as an excuse for their inactivity and do something </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ouch…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Trust me, if it is not God’s will for your life it will not happen </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Why do we always put “qualifiers” on our prayers? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As if God needs them? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Did it just get personal? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let me explain something to you </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Prayer was never </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ever </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ever </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">EVER </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Intended to withhold people </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But rather propel people into what God has called them to</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To propel people into world change</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">World Change happens when we stop asking questions about world change </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And actually do something </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Seeing a group of students worship and serve messed me up </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This was more for me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Than you</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My temptation is to require answers </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do things, answers will come</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I promise you this</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jump in the river </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And you will not be alone </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">People will follow </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Be a river jumper</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This was told to me by a previous mentor and has always stuck with me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I hope it does the same for you </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-53745143976982912782010-07-15T20:27:00.000-07:002010-07-15T20:31:28.690-07:00Chacos<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span> <img src="webkit-fake-url://1CB1E03E-81AB-4442-BA7F-2573E4511408/image.tiff" /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These have to be one of my favorite companions these past 5 years </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I know </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They’re just Chacos</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You could say that</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But they have also been all over the world with me</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Literally</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These Chacos have seen the streets of Toccoa </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The trails of the Appalachian Trail </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The rivers of North Georgia </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Tennessee </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">South Carolina </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">North Carolina </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These have been held to my pack as I rappel down a cliff face </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hiked up the Maroon Bells in Colorado</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They have walked the streets of Liberia</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Trekked the thick jungles of Liberia </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Seen the slums of Guatemala City</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These carried me to class almost every day for all four years of college</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I could go on about the adventures of me and my Chacos </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Most importantly and almost tragically these Chaco’s life is almost coming to an end</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Through the adventures they have worn out </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The sole is almost non-existent </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Just as these adventurous sandals life is coming to a close </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The season they carried me through is also coming to a swift end </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Quicker than I could imagine </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is a weird feeling </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I just graduated college </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Working for a company </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Moving to Charlotte, NC</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I guess this means</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have to grow up…? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Part of me really is looking forward </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To the new city </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The new people </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The new apartment </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The new job </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The new church </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">etc… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But I am gonna miss </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Much. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I seriously have the best friends a man could ask for </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They have played a crucial part</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Into my story </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The turning points of my story would have been </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Much more painful had they not been there </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am forever grateful for these friends </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You know who you are </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you’re reading this thinking </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Am I that?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Yes </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thank you for who you are </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am already anticipating my first vacation to come back and visit </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have found that life is full of seasons </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I mean we all know it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We know the joys </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The pains </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The fears </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The worries </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All of which play into seasons </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If there is one thing that I have learned through my four years of college </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is simply </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do not fear the changing of seasons </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So often our fears hold us back from so many good things </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Many</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Good</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Things</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Believe me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The changing of seasons is scary</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am a man that has experienced many</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has called me into this new season </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Despite my fears</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And believe me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They are there </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I know God is going to grow me in this </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He is going to change me </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Into who I was created to be </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A kingdom-minded person </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is a conqueror of fear </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And a trekker through seasons </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If my chacos can teach anything to anyone </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Know this </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Seasons change </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fears want to hinder </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But we must continue </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Besides </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A life full of fear </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is simply boring</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">No one wants to have the same fear their whole life </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do something about it </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Get some chacos</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-12393489149581065092010-05-16T17:14:00.000-07:002010-05-16T17:15:11.878-07:00There for a Reason<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This blog was bound to happen. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I mean how can it not…? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I just went through four of the best years of my life and completing my college career. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have some thoughts about what happened and whats going to happen as my adventure continues</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The thing everyone asks me is this </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Whats next?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That is an excellent question </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It usually is followed with something along the lines of </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Hows it going with the economy how it is? The job market isn’t that great…. Scared?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I find myself thinking all the time</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Should I be scared of the economy? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Of not really having a job cemented in yet? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Scared that I don’t know where I am living come August? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Collin </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are in the real world now<br />It is a brutal place. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And it is </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The thing I am scared of is not that I do not find a job </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its not that I am scared of having to call mom and crashing in the basement for a month or two </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its not that I am not sure where my income is gonna come from in August (I have some strong leads) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The thing that I am scared of the most </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is that I would </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">lose my </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">imagination</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Heres the thing: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My imagination fuels my dreams</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">dreams fuel my passions </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Within my passions my “calling” is found </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its so easy to lose ones imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It happens all the time </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">the </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">stinkin </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">time </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Trials rob us of imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Our pursuit of what we believe to be </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">our “right” to wealth and happiness </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">steal our imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">and in turn our dreams suffer</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All the while, our calling dies </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When a persons imagination/dreams die they tend to believe they </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Don’t have what it takes</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What it takes to find the right job</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To be the right guy for the job</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What it takes to find the right girl </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">to be able to provide. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To be able to have good friends. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What it takes to be liked </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To be successful </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What it takes to make a difference in someones life. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What it takes </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To change the world</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thats what I am scared of </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The job market changes </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The economy will pick up </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or crash more… depending</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I never want to be that guy who </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ten years down the road am still seeking out what was left of my imagination</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I can never lose sight of my imagination</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have to keep my dreams close </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Proverbs 13:12 </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” \</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was created to have an imagination</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To have dreams </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To have passions</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And, so were you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So to all those who have graduated either yesterday</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Five years ago</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">40 years ago </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or to those who are graduating soon </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Never lose sight of your imagination </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Chase your dreams</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pursue your passions </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">They are there for a reason </span></p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-89839589495767073402010-04-18T20:51:00.000-07:002010-04-18T21:27:35.430-07:00A ToastHere's a toast to the last four years of my college career. A written toast of course. To my fellow classmates of Toccoa Falls College 2010:<div><br /></div><div>To the most expensive piece of paper we will ever buy</div><div>To the late nights </div><div>To the early mornings </div><div>To the homework completed </div><div>To the homework forgotten </div><div>To the A's </div><div>B's</div><div>C's </div><div>...D's </div><div>And yes... even to the F's </div><div>To the best friends a man could have </div><div>To the best days </div><div>To the worst days </div><div>To addictinggames.com for keeping us distracted while papers are due tomorrow </div><div>To procastination </div><div>To Facebook</div><div>To Twitter</div><div>To Myspa... nevermind. Myspace is lame. </div><div>More importantly, to hard work </div><div>To our professors </div><div>To the papers written</div><div>To living in the library</div><div>To those of us who never stepped foot in the library and probably should have</div><div>To MLA </div><div>APA</div><div>To those who stayed </div><div>To those who left </div><div>To those who left and came back </div><div>To the victims of swine flu </div><div>To those who never got swine flu </div><div>To Spring Breaks </div><div>To Road Trips </div><div>To random weird jobs </div><div>To minimum wage</div><div>To the relationships </div><div>To the hearts won </div><div>To the hearts broken</div><div>To laughing so hard you cant breathe</div><div>To those who shouldnt really laugh so loud... </div><div>To those who should laugh more in life</div><div>To bad jobs </div><div>To little Caesars, McDonalds, and Taco bell. </div><div>To Wal-Mart, where else can we buy supplies at 1 AM </div><div>To free t-shirts </div><div>To Aramark </div><div>To changing the world </div><div>To being broke </div><div>To the diseases fought </div><div>To the lives changed</div><div>To our parents</div><div>Brothers </div><div>Sisters</div><div>Families</div><div>To the unanswered prayers </div><div>To the answered prayers </div><div>To the surprises </div><div>To the regrets</div><div>To the coffee shops </div><div>To Ramen noodles </div><div>Frozen pizzas</div><div>Easy-mac</div><div><div>To those adventurous enough to cook for themselves </div></div><div>To Halo 1, 2, and 3</div><div>To Call of Duty </div><div>To saying you're going to bed at 10 </div><div>Then going to bed at 2 AM</div><div>To the best four years of our lives </div><div>To the rules followed </div><div>To the rules broken</div><div>To what God has done for us in the past </div><div>And what He is going to continue to do in the future</div><div>To changing the world, again</div><div>To the best graduating class to come out of Toccoa Falls College </div><div>To 2010!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-64304910107409920502010-02-14T21:12:00.000-08:002010-02-14T21:13:24.868-08:00The Curse of Good<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">How many times has this happened to you: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It happens to me a lot</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Everyday</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am walking</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I see someone I know and this conversation ensues: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Me: “Hey” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Them: “Hey” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Me: “How’s it going?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Them: “Good.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Me: “Good.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We both then walk our separate ways. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What does that even accomplish?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Other than acknowledging they exist…? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Maybe that</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">However, I am guilty of this so often everyday </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I mean I am in a rush </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Gotta get to class </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Gotta get to work</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Gotta get to the gym </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The car </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Home</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am a man on a mission</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Places to go</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">People to see</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In fact, I am an important person </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To have a small conversation with someone would mess up my plans </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or would it? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I hope you catch the sarcasm in my writing </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Because, we are all victims of the curse of “good” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This actually happened to me today</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I thought about it and my thoughts were as stated above</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“What did that accomplish?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If anything its actually slightly insulting </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is as if I am saying,</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Hey, I know you are breathing, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">however, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am too busy to say how I really feel, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In fact I’m incredibly busy,</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To inquire how you are doing</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Would affect me.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now don’t get me wrong here </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am not saying that its a bad thing if you don’t have a 5 minute conversation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">With everyone that you see </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I would reckon that</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There is a difference between acknowledging someone’s existence</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And interacting with their presence </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You could say I am playing with semantics</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">People who focus on semantics never accomplish anything</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Give this a try: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Next time you are in danger of this conversation happening</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Inquire of something unique about their day</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If they’re holding coffee</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ask them how it is</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Interact with them </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It can be quick</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">People are affected when other people notice the small details about their life</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And ask about it</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It leaves an impact</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Maybe its not coffee </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Maybe its a book </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Who knows </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">People will notice though</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But this seems so small and trivial</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I would challenge you to this though</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">See what happens </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus was a man who impacted people </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Still does </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When he was on this earth </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I think he understood this a little bit </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Matthew 8:3 reads, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man….” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus reached out and touched the man</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He was a leper, people don’t touch lepers </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Jesus did</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br />So as small and trivial as this may be </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Despite the rush of our important lives </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The challenge is this: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do not be a victim of good </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Interact with people’s presence </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We as a generation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Facebook generation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Are good at being in a rush </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Bad at interacting with people </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Take this challenge for a week </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">See what happens </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I dare you</span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-48982753663181711732009-12-22T12:48:00.000-08:002009-12-22T12:59:02.714-08:00Not that guy on tv<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have been learning a lot lately. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Through methods I would have deemed unnecessary. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But God has a way of doing things that surprise me.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Know what I am talking about?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Of course you do. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So here is what I have been learning: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“I am me” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Weird thought right? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But let me unpack it for a second. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I a</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">m graduating college in May, and that is crazy. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I always am comparing my life to others that have gone before me. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Like, “Oh, this happened to this guy, so that must be whats in store for me.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or, “This person got my degree, and this is what they are doing… so why not me?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its almost as if I am waiting for all the right things to happen </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That I may be like _______ or do _______. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its weird right? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But we all do it. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This constant comparison of ourselves to what others have gone through. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It can even carry deeper than that, to the level of lets say… mistakes. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">For instance, “My parents did that, I have no hope…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">if they can’t stand up under the pressure, I won’t be able to…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">if they can’t have a good marriage why would I be able to…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If they can’t hold down a job why should I be able to… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If they can’t break the alcoholism I won’t be able to resist alcohol…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or even </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I will never be able to live up to what they have accomplished… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He has done so much...</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">She has raised an amazing family…</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I’ll never be able to do that… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Am I hitting home here? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Here is the thing I want you to take away. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">These comparisons </span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">always</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> result in fear. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear cripples. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear hinders. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear destroys.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear prevents good things. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Really good things. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This is a very elementary thought </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But we all forget it. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not your parents</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not your brother</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not your friends parents </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not that guy on tv </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">that girl on tv</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not the character from the movie you saw last night </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Last month</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are simply you.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“For you created my inmost being; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>you knit me together in my mothers womb” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-Psalm 139:13</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I love the language David uses here in this Psalm. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Knitting us together </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Now, God is not an old lady in a yarn shop with knitting needles… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">however I think the point here I think </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is that there is an intricacy. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A purpose here.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God knit you together with a distinct purpose. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Not your mothers purpose</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Your purpose</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We are all called to walk the path to God,</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The narrow path as Matthew 7:3 suggests </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">(to read a great blog on this passage by my good friend Cory click <a href="http://www.watersedgeatl.com/we-news/the-path-of-progress">here</a>)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Same path. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Different travelers. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I think our purpose is found when we realize th</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">at we are ourselves. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My purpose is found in being Collin. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has given me specific giftings, abilities, and passions that are for me. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Not you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And you have specific giftings, abilities, and passions that are for you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Not me. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has put you where you are for a distinct reason. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You are not to be held captive by your fears. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If only we understood the damage fear does to us.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Because really we make the decisions that shape our future.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you are scared of ending up in a dead boring job that you hate</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Well then don’t decide to work there. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">And if you are in a place you are hating</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Quit. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Don’t be held back because of fear. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear will prevent you from so many good things</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That I will promise you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear is the enemy of the Gospel </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear is the enemy of us becoming who God made us to be</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear is the enemy of our generation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear is the enemy </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Fear </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">is </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">the </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">enemy</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“No, in all these things</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">we are </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px">more than conquerors</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">through him who loved us”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-Romans 8:37</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicWKF-c6oAUtEeyshUUl6Dp0gdxGzf8aUbewou3tuFQmMDYiMa84EifCJRGTmgy6pnC7DD7_2-aSXucVGYmAsMWVxPfCnm-82xXXuP6ghNvdROaCEtbIfda4i2xiicnbycIV3WSGFfoPw/s320/gladiator.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418167218187474562" /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-4841652541661854182009-11-20T21:03:00.000-08:002009-11-20T21:31:22.149-08:00Heart and Soul<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So here I am in Charleston, SC. Its dark, we arrived around 9 ish to Stephen and Laurie's place. There is just something about arriving at night to a place you have never been to before, and when you wake up its just an awesome feeling, maybe I'm just weird...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are 8 of us that went. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A pretty stinking awesome group! We are up here to help out a church called River Church. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For those of you who don't know Stephen and Laurie, you really are missing out! They are some of the coolest people I have ever met. Not to mention Stephen by far has the manliest beard I have ever seen. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It just reeks of manhood. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They have four little girls, Charity, Sarah, Chloe, and Hosannah. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Joseph and I spent about forty five minutes on their trampoline tonight with them, they kept talking as if they were my brain. Telling me to do all kinds of things. We also spent about 15 minutes coming up with different alien names. Some of them were... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fungus Face</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hookie goohoka</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Protoevangelion (this is what happens when you are a theology geek's child...) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yo Momma </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Leafakiki</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and many more... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Their names changed about... every 6 seconds. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was one time where I just zoom out and take a google earth perspective on life, and think</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Man, life is good. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Although, I have a lot of homework to do this weekend I still came. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While they are out changing the world, I will be writing a paper in a coffee shop down the street. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Awesome. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow is gonna be a good day though. I love the people I am with. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Something I have been learning lately is friends really change everything. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Life is never meant to be lived alone, it is best when shared (thanks Chris McCandless). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The guys I have spent the past 2-4 years of my life with are probably some of my best friends in the world. I am reminded of 1st Samuel 14 where Jonathan's armor bearer says to Jonathan</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"I am with you heart and soul" </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thats the essence of brotherhood.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And I have been blessed beyond belief throughout my life with men that have been with me heart and soul, and for that I am eternally grateful. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We have walked through a lot of stuff together, I would not have made it through this past season if it wasn't for the men around me. I know they would say the same. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reminds me of the mini series Band of Brothers. Those guys fought together, laughed together, died together. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Something about that just makes me wanna... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yea... its good. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So here we are in Charleston, sitting in the living room its 12:28 AM saying the stories we have all heard and experienced a gajillion times laughing harder each time, when we should be sleeping since we are getting up in 7 hours. Yet, God is here. God rejoices in this, I know He does. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Friends. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brothers. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sisters. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heart and Soul. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yea. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div></div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-70199040244795827282009-10-27T19:42:00.000-07:002009-10-27T20:44:01.281-07:00God's Mistake<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, it seems to be as of late that my life has been chock full of relationship stuff. A little bit in my own life, but more in other people’s lives. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I love it. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God has called us to be in relationship with each other, and its through that which God’s love is fully expressed. Although I could go on and on about this, I do not want to, I want to focus on something else in this blog. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I want to focus on a “pre-Eve” or “pre-woman” time in the history of this world as we know it.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am withholding all jokes. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I want to focus on “the hunt” the hunt for a perfect helper. And here’s the question: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Why did God place Adam in the garden alone to begin with?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since God is all knowing wouldn’t it make sense that He would know that it is bad for man to be alone?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Maybe He just forgot that man needed woman? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Or. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Maybe, just maybe he wanted to teach Adam something that could only be taught in solitude… </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God placed Adam in the garden in solitude, with the responsibility of maintaining the Garden (Genesis 2:15). He placed Him alone. There is something about being alone that teaches us about relating to God that nothing else can compare to. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When you are alone. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You really find out what you are made of. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You find out what you believe in.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What you trust in. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Who you trust in.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its in solitude where God forms the inner parts of your being. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Your character. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Emotions. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thoughts. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Are refined.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But then there is this. Adam is alone. Always has been. He has never seen another human being, let alone a woman. All he sees is animals. Being together. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Dogs</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Giraffes</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Elephants</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Squirrels </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Moose</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Encouraging. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So why create the animals before the best created being of all time? God says this, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He then brings the animals in front of Adam so Adam could name them. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But why?<br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is this a representation of God’s “accident” of not creating a helper for Adam? And Him trying to cover for that accident? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Here Adam, here’s a zebra.” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“….oh, that doesn’t work does it?” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“… a camel…? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“…no”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">NO! Thats not it. I don’t think God is trying to match Adam with an animal to be his helper. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God knew what it was like to be in perfect community because He is part of the Trinity. He knows that a panther is not a good fit for a helper for Adam. God is refining Adam. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The animals were brought to be named, yes. But they were also brought before him to bring a yearning inside of Him for Eve. A helper. Adam had to realize that the future Eve would be a perfect fit. He had to realize that it is not good for Him to be alone. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its different for God to know something about us. Then it is for us to know the same truth about us. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">God knew that it wasn’t good for man to be alone, but Adam did not know that yet. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The delay in Eve’s arrival shows Adam the perfectness of Eve for Adam. Because he knew the importance of a helper. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I love how God takes from Adam to build what is missing. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">His wholeness. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, for those of you in solitude. Keep pressing in. Keep going. God is doing an unseen work inside of you that will only be able to be seen in hindsight. Go forward in light of this. He is forming who you are. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">For those of you who are married. What a blessing! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Men. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You have a wife. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">That perfect helper. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Love her with everything you got. In fact, I challenge you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pick up the phone. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Call her. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Tell her you love her. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thank her for being who she is. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sure, there are troubles in marriage. Being a single dude, I can’t speak of those with much authority if at all. But, I know God has ordained marriage. Its worth dying for to make it work.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do not give up on each other. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ever.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><i>“Ascentus mentis ad Deum” </i></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-61136121233286053962009-09-22T20:58:00.000-07:002009-09-22T21:00:06.979-07:00Sloppy Knots<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Gosh, life is hard. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Life requires a fight. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let me rephrase that: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If you want to get anywhere in life, you have to fight. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Being lazy is easy</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At first</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You see let me walk you through something here: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As some of you know lately I have been training on a volunteer Search and Rescue team here in Toccoa. Its a lot of fun. To do a typical rescue requires a lot of work. Let me lay down some basics. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You first have to carry all the equipment to the site and being that we are SAR its not an ideal location for lugging 60-80 lbs of rope, too many carabiners to count, a basket, and many other things that are really heavy. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Then, you have to pick the best spot to tie the ropes, then you have to tie the ropes, with the right knots, using the right type of rope and so on. You then have to attach the gear, in the right way, and the right order. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You then do the rescue. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Put the person in the basket, who is usually hurt, unconscious, not responding. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pull the person up the rock face in the basket. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Carry the person back to safety in the basket. All the while the person is writhing in pain, vomiting over me. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There is NO room for error. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sure, I could sloppily tie the knots to make it easy on me. It would be quicker. I could not rappel down and pick up a 180 lb. man and put him in the basket, I mean, thats heavy. I could just tie him to the rope right? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ok </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Enough, are you getting the point? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Being lazy is always harder than doing the hard work upfront. To not tie the rope right affects other people. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“The Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing…” </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There is no room for lazy people in the Kingdom of God. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Period. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, to you suffering in the midst of trial, in the midst of difficulty. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Welcome to the Kingdom. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Keep your head up, keep fighting. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” - 2</span><span style="font: 8.0px Times New Roman; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>nd</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> Corinthians 4:17</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do not give up. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I promise, He sees you. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There is a work going on inside of you that is unseen now, </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">but it will come to light, </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">and when it does,</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">the troubles you have faced will be worth it. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It doesn’t seem like it</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The light at the end of the tunnel has been snuffed out, you are burned out. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman">I know what you're thinking </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman">"I'm walking through hell," </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman">You are. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I tell you though, keep fighting. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There is a light.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Each new day brings you closer. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman">I promise</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">2</span><span style="font: 8.0px Times New Roman; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><sup>nd</sup></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> Corinthians 6:4-10</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">so that our ministry will not be discredited.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in great endurance; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in troubles,</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">hardships and distresses;</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in beatings, imprisonments and riots; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in hard work, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">sleepless nights and hunger; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in purity, understanding, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">patience and kindness; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">in truthful speech and in the power of God; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">through glory and dishonor, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">bad report and good report; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">genuine, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">yet regarded as impostors; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">known, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">yet regarded as unknown; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">dying, and yet we live on; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">beaten, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">and yet not killed; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">sorrowful, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">yet always rejoicing; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">poor, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">yet making many rich; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">having <i>nothing</i>, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">and yet <i>possessing everything</i>.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Do not give up. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Don’t sloppily tie knots</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its not worth it. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Its worth it to fight. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman; min-height: 15.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So fight. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman">Forcefully advance the Kingdom. </p>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-55448023707696228072009-08-10T19:51:00.001-07:002009-08-10T20:04:27.503-07:00So, tonight I went road biking. It was by far one of the hardest rides I have gone on. Maybe thats because I am not in the shape I used to be in. The point of this story is not how bad I am at road biking. But rather what happened afterwards. I went over to some friends house to hang out. Not everyone was there, but there were some good friends there and we were talking. <div><br /></div><div>Life</div><div>Growing up </div><div>Friends</div><div>What were gonna do when we graduate (9 mos. and counting) </div><div>Illnesses</div><div>Family </div><div>Homeschooling or not homeschooling our future children. haha</div><div>Ministry</div><div><br /></div><div>I was driving home and thinking. This is the way it was supposed to be. Im actually reminded of the show Friends where they just sat down in Central Perk, "their coffee shop" and just talked, laughed, and cried. It kinda felt like that. </div><div><br /></div><div>You see life was never meant to be absent of friends. Life is supposed to have friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>This next year is going to be one for the record books. It really will be. I can not wait to see what happens this year. Its gonna be good. </div><div><br /></div><div>stay tuned. </div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-16679427339329077052009-07-12T13:28:00.000-07:002009-07-12T14:10:30.007-07:00God's Will or bust?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yesterday, the beginning of one of my dreams since I was little started to come to life. Its not there yet, but it is in the process of it. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I started training for a volunteer Search and Rescue team in Habersham County.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Its not important how I got to do this, if you really want to know, then let me know and I can tell you. But, what the neat thing is, is the fact that this has always been kind of one of my dreams to do. I love being outside, climbing, and helping people and I have always thought to combine these would be so stinkin awesome.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And, I have come to find out that it is. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What's neat, is I am still able to be committed to all my ministry and school endeavors while doing this, which is primetime awesomeness. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When the opportunity presented itself, I was kinda hesitant, because I was not sure whether or not I should do it, because I am not that great of a climber, and I am not a very strong kind of person, so to be honest, I was bit intimidated and almost did not do it. I am so glad that I did. The moment came, I saw it, and I seized it, despite my nervousness or uncertainty of my ability to do it well. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have got quite a bit of training ahead of me, but I am so stoked about that future training. I can not wait for it. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This summer has been one of reaping fruit from seized moments. Some fun and awesome, others not so fun and awesome, but rather difficult and tough. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sometimes seizing a moment isn't always what you want it to be but rather, something you know is right. That you know is for the good. Ya know? You see it is so easy to seize a moment when it is good for you and of course its God's will. But the moment that you need to seize a moment and its not so fun, it makes you uncomfortable, and you question it, it can't be God's will. Right? I mean I think that all the time. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">c</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">m</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">g</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">p</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">G</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">m</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">p</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">g</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">g</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">v</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">u</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">G</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> or bust. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Its so easy to pray for God's will, but when it comes time to live out His will for my life, its sooo stinking hard. Sometimes, so hard that I convince myself that it is not God's will. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Difficulty does not equal an absence of God. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But, there is sweet times ahead. For instance, I am trying to get a college ministry going up in Toccoa, GA at this awesome church Foothills Community Church. Its so weird to be away from 12Stone but I know that I am growing SO much as a result. I really miss home, but being away from home has a way of teaching me that I can not describe. I am learning through the hard, fun, and sad.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This college ministry excites me so much. God has his hand over it, some of the things that are happening already are just indicators of God's favor of this. He is putting together a team of people that are just incredible. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No one is doing this well in Toccoa. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No one. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We hope to change that. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Again, ministry has always been my number one dream in life, and whether I am just here for the summer to get this thing launched or what, I do not regret this summer one bit. Hopefully God will do something through this, and I alread know he has done a ton in my own life as a result of it. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, in the midst of seizing moments we find God's heart for our lives. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Keep Trekking</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-26371494106149957152009-05-21T19:50:00.000-07:002009-05-21T19:51:54.675-07:00Little Boy RunningI was running again today. Something really neat happened. <br />I was running at a park where there is a 2.2 mile loop and I was just starting on the second loop. I had run past this dad and his son fishing on the first loop and as I was on the second loop I was passing them because I was running, and the son had to be no older than four. As I ran past them, I heard these little footsteps quicken and I realized that this little boy was running behind me, trying to keep up. He was so cute.<br />I am not gonna lie. It was an awesome moment. <br />I slowed down and let him run with me for a bit.<br />All I could do was just smile. <br />He eventually slowed down <br />smiled<br />and went back to his dad. <br />I am not going to try to come up with some spiritual metaphor for this. <br />I could try though. <br />All I want to say. Is this: <br />Don’t forget to enjoy life every once in a while. <br />Don’t be afraid to run after something even if you can not keep up. <br />Thats all.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-26943846271976737682009-05-16T16:22:00.000-07:002009-05-16T16:23:37.315-07:00RunI have forgotten lately how much I love running in my life. Running is the one avenue that I think God speaks to me the most. Some very key moments of clarity have come to my attention in the midst of a run whether it was 3, 6, or 13 miles long. God has used running in my life to show me very important things about myself in a way nothing else has. <br /> All that to say, I was running today at Little Mulberry park, and a lot of thoughts just started streaming into my head about life and about where I have been these past months spiritually on this trek through the desert and what God has been teaching me. Like usual, my ideas are rather random, and jumbled together in the midst of ramblings. So here are a couple thoughts that have been in my head. <br /> Being an avid runner, I am convinced that God gave us legs to run, so that through running we may have metaphors for our walk/run with Him. <br /> If you run, you know the terms of “hitting a wall” “runner’s high” and so on. Just like in Christianity there are those cliches as well. We all know what its like to “hit a wall” spiritually. <br /> Where it seems like prayers are hitting the ceiling and then bouncing right back down to hit you in the face. That is not an unknown feeling to most. <br /> Then on the flip-side we know what its like to have a “spiritual high” <br /> There are those times where everything is going right, where you just wake up and things are just right. <br /> The reason behind this is because as Christians, at our core, is a runner. (maybe not physically for some…) <br /> God has created us to run. <br /> God has created us to endure. <br /> Now I say all of that to come right back to my run today. I was running and was on the other side of the lake and I heard rain coming and then it just started moving across the lake ever so swiftly right to where I was running. Now I was at mile 1.2 on a 4.4 mile run. <br /> And it was a hard rain for about 5 minutes. Not quite pouring, but hard enough to where it was not that much fun.<br /> The easy thing to do was turn around and finish my run with 2.4 miles. But I came for 4.4 and I was not going to give up. To a runner, what matters is not the conditions in which he runs in but rather that he continues. The runner knows the results that are necesarry for training and refuses to cut short the training despite the temptation of an easy run. <br /> Again, this can all be translated to Christianity, to following Jesus. Christianity is never a guarantee of rain free runs. Our God is a wild God, and with a wild God comes wild weather, in which there is sunshine and rain. What matters is not the condition but the ability to continue. <br /> Well as many of you know and some of you don’t. My life these past two months have been an all out sprint in the rain. <br /> Sideways rain. <br /> I have not given up. In fact, I have never felt so strongly about where I am and what I am doing. I am for once in the past two months or so, incredibly happy. <br /> Now, there was a time where I stopped to think about whether I should continue or not. <br /> I Wanted to give up. In fact, I came VERY close to giving up. <br /> I am not going to lie. <br /> If it weren’t for key people in my life I would have. <br /> But, instead I saw the goal, I saw where God was leading me. I stood up, put my head down, and continued the run. <br /> Again, its not the conditions that matter, but rather the ability to continue. <br /> I am certainly not saying this to say how awesome and spiritual I am.<br /> I am so far from that. <br /> I can be so immature, and so unwise, but God has made me to run,<br /> And so I do. <br /> And, I am still running you know. <br /> I can’t give up. <br /> I am not going to give up. <br /> Because at my core is a runner. <br /> My heart beats to the steps that I take in accordance to God’s will for my life. <br /> So, friend, may you run. Rejoice in the sunny runs, and continue in the rainy runs. <br /> God is with you. <br /> No matter what, continue.<br /> <br /><br /><br />“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” <br />-Philippians 3:12-14Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-41987810014192973572009-04-08T19:41:00.000-07:002009-04-08T20:13:19.869-07:00The Heart of Paul a Desert TrekkerSo, I dont know why, but I have been stuck on this desert theme of Spirituality and God has really been showing me a whole lot about it lately. Essentially, all the big Bible characters I guess you could say learned how to walk through the desert. Just think about it. <br /><br />David<br />Paul <br />Abraham<br />Moses (literally) <br />Joseph <br />Etc... <br /><br />I was reading in Romans and 2nd Corinthians this morning and I was just blown away by the fact, that God puts us through the desert so that we may be stronger. <br />So that we may trust him more. Here is what I read this morning in Romans 5: <br /><br />" Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." <br /> -Romans 5:3-5<br /><br />Do you see that trend of development within the person there? Check it. <br /><br />Ok so as we walk through the desert/suffering whatever you wanna call it. There is a point where what we believe and what we have trusted in for sustenance fails. Through this failure we learn how to persevere in order to get to a point where we can eat and drink (metaphorically of course). It is through this perseverance that we develop our key character traits. Like, are you one to give up easy when things get tough? Or are you the one who takes charge and doesnt let the desert own you, but rather you owning the desert. And once a person starts to get tough in the desert, there is a hope that develops, a hope that the person knows that a desert does not go on forever, there is a horizon, and there is an oasis on the horizon. <br /><br />If anyone, Paul is the one that can speak the most truth to this. Check out 2nd Corinthians:<br /><br />"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine yet regarded as impostors; known yet regarded as unknown; dying and yet we live on; beaten and not yet killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor yet making many rich; aving nothing and yet possessing everything."<br /> -2nd Corinthians 6:3-10<br /><br />This is a description of his ministry as a missionary. Its crazy. He knew what it was to be in the desert. He knew what it was to have hope in the midst of uncertainty. In the midst of the desert. And yet he had hope in Christ. <br /><br />So, may you, the desert trekker keep on trekking. Know that there is an oasis on the horizon. Do not give up. God is doing big things in you. Embrace it.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-16008662073433393242009-04-01T16:34:00.001-07:002009-04-01T16:43:30.299-07:00The Heart of Jonathan A Desert TrekkerSo, This past month or so I have done the most writing I have ever done in my entire life. I have always enjoyed writing, but never really enjoyed sharing as you can tell by the 9 or so posts in the past two years... Ha. <br /><br />This past month, has just been a doozie. I have never felt so close to God, yet so far away. If you understand, you have been where I have been before, but if not, just wait. Your time will come. <br /><br />This is something I wrote. kind of like a poem thing, I dont know, I am no english major. Its from 1st Samuel 14, if you have had a conversation with me about spiritual things I am sure this passage has come up before... I would read it, and if you have not read it, I would HIGHLY encourage it before you read what I wrote, it will be much more rewarding. I think. So, here it is. I hope you enjoy it. <br /><br /><br />I find the weight of a looming risk<br />Weighing down on me<br />A stampeding stomach<br />Makes me think <br />"Should I really do this?" <br />A heavy heart<br />Tells me<br />"This is crazy" <br />What if this doesn't work? <br />This could ruin everything<br />What if it does work though? <br />This could fix everything<br />Bozez and Seneh <br />Stand before me<br />Beckoning me<br />To climb<br />An army on top awaits me<br />Like I said before<br />"This is crazy" <br />But, I will never know if I don't go<br />I'll be in stuck in the land of <br />What if? <br />Where dreams <br />Aspirations<br />And hope<br />Die. <br />I must do this <br />This<br />A necesarry risk. <br /><br />So, continue trekking, you desert trekker. Do not give up. But yet continue. For in the heart of continue you find God.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-72941369865682860292009-03-24T19:24:00.000-07:002009-03-24T19:49:07.777-07:00Desert Trekker.The past couple days have been rough. I am not going to lie. In the past month, month and a half or so I have been praying that God would bend me, that He would make me into the man that I am made to be. I have just recently realized the danger in praying that. The risk. <br /><br />Everything has been turned inside out in my life. I have been placed in the desert. To face everything that I am scared of. <br /><br />I feel that God is teaching me something big. <br /><br />I am not writing this for pity. I am not writing this to show you that I am a "spiritual guy." I am so not there. <br /><br />I am writing this to tell you, that I am not afraid of the desert. That if you find yourself in the desert that you should not give up and think life is a constant oasis. Because that is far from the truth. Oasis' exist in the midst of the desert to give you rest for the next trek through the desert. 2nd Corinthians 1:6 says, "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." This is why i write this. <br /><br />I was sitting in class on Monday, not paying attention, there was a lot on my mind. I pulled out my computer and typed this up. I hope it gives you hope as well as it did for me. maybe a bit of encouragement that though you are in the desert that you may have hope in that which God has called you to. That you might be a desert trekker. <br /><br />When a man walks out of the desert. <br />He comes out a better<br />Stronger<br />More dangerous<br />Noble<br />Loving <br />Man. <br /><br />For he has faced trouble. <br />For he has faced himself. <br />For he has faced discouragement. <br />For he has faced loneliness. <br />For he has faced sleepless nights. <br />For he has faced hunger. <br />For he has faced the enemy. <br />For he has faced doubt. <br /><br />And came out on top of these things. <br /><br />Its in the desert where what he believes<br />Is tested. <br />Its in the desert where he finds out<br />Who he believes in. <br />Himself? <br />Or Him? <br /><br />He does not trust in his bow.<br />Not that he doesn’t use his bow. <br />His sword does not bring him victory. <br />But it is in God that His victory is found. <br />He boasts in God alone<br />For He is with him in the desert. <br /><br />He does not confuse Desert<br />with desertion <br />He knows that God is with Him. <br /><br />So, you the desert trekker. May you continue. Have hope that God has counted you worthy to make this trek through the desert. You will come out stronger. Continue. <br /><br />Do not give up. <br /><br />Do not. <br /><br />Keep trekking.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-42974145741315985662008-12-26T21:30:00.000-08:002008-12-26T21:52:00.492-08:00Travel the World.So, in a little more than twelve hours I will be on my way to probably one of the biggest adventures I have taken so far in my life. I am extremely stoked for this and cannot wait to see what happens. I will be going to Liberia, which is in the armpit of Africa. West Coast for all of you that are geographically challenged. <br /><br />I dont know how I feel about it right now. I was explaining to Julisa (shes my girlfriend, I like her. :)) That I kinda feel like a soldier might feel flying into combat before (maybe on a different scale) they land. You know like when theyre in the helicopter or in the bomber about to drop out like in band of brothers. You have all this training that you go through and then its drop time. Its time to actually get your boots muddy, and go. <br /><br />I am all about that. I mean boots were meant to get muddy, really. I mean if you see a guy wearing shiny boots, you know he either A.) just bought them. B.) Is afraid of the mud. <br /><br />Catch my drift? <br /><br />I think through this whole thing God has been teaching me how to not be afraid of the mud. Which is kind of weird because fear has never really been a huge issue for me. I have always been the risk taking one. The balls to the wall guy (girls its okay if you dont get it). The "oops shouldnt have done that one, but it was fun!" kinda guy, The "hey watch this..." guy, The guy who's life could be modeled after, "pain follows stupid.", and so on and so on. <br /><br />I am all about risk, I really am. Sometimes i look at the mud and jump right in! Well... most of the time... And when I heard about the trip to Liberia, the risk involved, the mud involved, I jumped right on in!<br /><br /> But there is something about this trip that captured right from the start. I can honestly say that there were times when I believed that I was not supposed to go, that we had 2 months to go and yet I still only had 250 out of the 3500 i needed. There were times that I was sitting in the hospital because I reacted to a vaccination and had difficulty breathing. I look at it now and think,"Man, someone really did not want me to go on this trip." <br /><br />On the flip side, i can also honestly say that it was utterly dumb of me to think I wasnt supposed to go on the trip. I mean how else can someone describe raising $3000 in 2 weeks? You cant. How can someone describe the phone call I got that went something like this:<br />Them:"Hey Collin, I just want to let you know that I just got a bonus from my job and am going to pay for the rest of your trip."<br />Me: silence...<br />Me: silence... <br />Them: "Collin?"<br />Me: "Are you serious?"<br />Them: "Yes" <br /><br />Well there was a little bit more meat to that but that was the jist of it. I got that call the day before Christmas. Which was 4 days before I had to leave. insane. <br /><br />INSANE. <br /><br />I really wasnt planning on writing a blog tonight. But I think that sometimes I just sit down to write and it just flows out. You know like a... yea I got nothing. Think of something that flows a lot and smoothly too, and then just pretend I said it. <br /><br />So I leave you with this. I leave tomorrow at 1 PM to go to Liberia. This is a risk. I love risk. Liberia is in the armpit of Africa. I am a little anxious. Pain follows stupid. I am bad with analogies. God works in mysterious ways. Dont be afraid of the mud. Probably shouldn't put "balls to the wall" in a blog ever again. I have a neat girlfriend. She is cute. She got me a hammock for Christmas, and its awesome. <br /><br />So, when you think "what if God doesnt pull through for me on this one..." Think, "What if God does pull me through this one..." <br /><br />There is a world of a difference between the two, and the difference can change your life. Pursue that. Pursue it hard. Pursue it SO hard. <br /><br />Its been fun friends. I love you all dearly, and I can not wait to tell you guys the stories that happen while I am over there. I will bring back a T-rex for you. <br /><br />~Collin<br /><br />OH. <br /><br />Check out our daily blogs from when we are over there at: <br /><br />www.weliberia.blogspot.com<br /><br />www.servicetoservants.com <br />-To read this one you have to click on "Team of 14 heads for Liberia"<br /><br />PEACE!Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-55709691740942540112008-06-18T22:15:00.000-07:002008-06-18T22:47:09.604-07:00Describing Water...?So, here I am. In Colorado. I love it here. The abundance of mountains, big water, bikes, chacos, and more mountains makes me feel right at home. Although, my house is 1589 miles east... Home is where you make it right? Thats what my grandpa told me this week. <br /><br />My grandpa. Poppa. He is a trip. He's celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary this week with my grandma. Gommy.<br /><br />Yep. Thats what we call her. Gommy. <br /><br />Anyways... So Poppa and Gommy are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. 50 years. Together. Wow. That is a long time. I asked him, "Poppa. How do you guys do it? I mean 50 years is a long time."<br /><br />He replied, "The only way is to keep Christ in the center of your marriage, could not have done it without Christ. But Collin, you know what that means.Right?"<br /><br />"Technically Poppa, I don't. Considering I have been married, oh, I don't know 0 times." Haha. <br /><br />We both just laughed. You know, he is quite funny for being old. And he has some good advice. Even though, I poke fun at him quite frequently, he is very wise. I mean who wouldn't be, he is in his seventies, and has been through quite a bit! I love sitting down with him and talking about life. I know when its time to leave the conversation though when he starts asking questions about the iPod he just got. Like, "Hey Collin, how do I put different songs from different artists together?" Thats my cue to leave. I love him though. He is awesome. <br /><br /><br /><br />So, on a completely different note. I love it here. I think I said that already, but thats ok. In the two days we have been here I have:<br /><br />1. Swam with my cousin JJ for multiple hours. He loves to Jump off the side of the pool and splash me. He's four. <br />2. go down a river in a Hyde Drift Boat. Its kinda like a raft, but made out of fiberglass... pretty sweet. We went down the river close to sunset, so it was pretty much AMAZING!<br />3. Went Offroading today. We pretty much had the time of our life. We got to a river where we could not cross it, because of all the snowmelt rushing down the mountain made the rivers quite large! SO we got out of the jeep, and went for a hike.<br />4. I got postholed. What does that mean? Well, being postholed means when you are walking across a stretch of snow, since its so sunny out and kinda warm the snow softens, and well a posthole, is when you sink into the snow. I personally sunk all the way up past my knees. Pretty Rad right? I was up to my knees in snow wearing shorts and a tshirt in June. SWEET!<br />5. Tonight, we went to this Jazz concert thing in the park. It was pretty lame. im not gonna lie. The music was alright. Nothing awesome and spectacular. <br /><br /><br />Thats only the first two days! I have a whole other week! Plans include... rafting, climbing up Maroon Bells (look em up) biking, hiking, fishing, swimming, eating, celebrating, and vacationing. <br /><br />I have a confession to make. I feel like a little school boy here. There is just so much stuff I want to do! If I tried explaining why or how much I love it here, it would be the equivalent of trying to describe the taste of water. You can not do it. You just know that water tastes like water. Just like I know that I love Colorado.<br /><br /> Everything is different here. I mean, not CRAZY different. I feel almost invulnerable to stress, because all I have to do is think, Man, I'm in Colorado. Or I just look at the mountains and think, "Wow... that sure is something, I am glad the guy who made that is on my side!" <br /><br />Today on the way to the off roading place, my uncle (who has lived here for 15 years!) would stop the car and start taking pictures of the mountains and stuff. The sense of wonder is still there in him and he has been here for 15 years. I mean, its just that amazing out here. Colorado is a place where 15 years has no effect on your wonder and awe of the beauty of the wilderness. And thats just one of the few things I love about this place. <br /><br />I truly think God spent a little extra time creating Colorado. I dont know I could be wrong. <br /><br />I love you guys, and i truly hope you guys have an amazing week! May you live in awe of Christ this week.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-75828768999539546282008-03-17T12:38:00.000-07:002008-03-17T13:16:01.051-07:00Life.St. Iranaeus of Lyons says, " The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God." <br /><br />I LIKE that! Its what I have been pondering, its what I have been pouring over in this little head of mine lately. And you know what I have concluded from this? What I have seen? What i think? <br /><br />I think as a follower of Christ. Life is supposed to be mind-boggling, its supposed to be excellent, amazing, stirring, jaw-dropping, inspiring, wondrous, and so much more. <br /><br />Its pretty awesome to think that God takes pleasure when we are having the time of our life. <br /><br />So, I am learning to make a little room in my schedule for life to happen. <br /><br />Sleep in a little<br />go for a run<br />drink from the stream instead of the bottle<br />cross through the creek, not over it<br />sing a little louder<br />sake up early for the sunrise, and take it in<br />feel the release of a frisbee from my hand as it glides through the air<br />climb a mountain<br />hug the girl a little longer<br />grab coffee with an old friend<br />teach someone something new<br />take a day off of work, just because its nice out<br />listen to Jack Johnson<br />eat an extra piece of cake<br /><br />"But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive" <br /> -Habakkuk 2:4 (MSG)<br /><br />So, friend, go enjoy life. God intended it that wayCollinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-3501784316289846852007-12-21T21:15:00.000-08:002007-12-21T21:36:44.232-08:00Broken down carHave you ever wondered why school is such a long process?<br />I mean, I am 20 years old and have two years left of school. My whole life has revolved around one thing. School. <br />School is such a buzzkill. Although I am in my fifteenth year of school, these upcoming two years seem like they are going to take forever to be done with. <br />I want to be done. <br /><br />It is almost like I have been sitting on the side of the road with a broken down car this entire time. Although it only takes a couple hours to get towed... it seems like eternity. So, here I am sitting on the ground with my back leaning against my car. waiting. <br /><br />But, what am I waiting for? <br /><br />I want to get out of school so I can do things that I cant do while in school. Yet, when I get out of school there are things I want to do that are going to prevent me from doing the things that I want to do when I get out of school. Make sense? <br /><br />All I am trying to say is that I am standing at the crossroads of several paths. Knowing that when I start walking down one of those paths, its going to be close to impossible to walk another one of those paths. Maybe I could walk to the end of one of the paths and start another one...? That would be nice. <br /><br />I do know one thing. I am going to choose. I am going to choose a path and when I do, I am going to stick to it. The curse of our generation is standing at the crossroads wondering what each path is like. Then if lucky when we choose a path, and it becomes mundane so to speak, we turn around and head back to the infamous crossroads that we know all too well. <br /><br />In the Old Testament in the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah says, " stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it..." (6:16)<br /><br />Notice two things. <br />1. He says "ask". Meaning pray. And pray dangerously. One thing I have been noticing about when the disciples prayed in the New testament is that they never beat around the bush. They prayed with authority, knowing God was with them. Read the book of Acts, and you will know what I am talkin about. <br /><br />2. He says "walk in it." Walking requires movement, just in case you did not know that. He never says, "stand at the crossroads and stare, and wonder" <br /><br />Getting back to the broken down car... Maybe instead of waiting for the tow truck, I should stand up and start walking. Maybe the fix to my "car" is my walking instead of wondering. <br /><br />I dont want to be known as the guy with huge dreams. I want to be a man known by action.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-11692537199651737442007-08-19T18:51:00.000-07:002007-08-19T19:12:34.621-07:00SoldierSo this afternoon I was watching a pretty rad movie. We Were Soldiers. It is definitely worth seeing if you have not. There is a part in it that leveled me. I have seen the movie 5-6 times and have never noticed this scene, because it is very quick. <br /><br />In the movie there is a guy that asks to go to the battle. He is a photographer and he wanted to take some pictures. Now he gets in the middle of the battle and realizes that that was a crazy idea. He is in the middle of a big firefight and an explosion goes off and puts him on the ground. Then a lieutenant comes up to him, grabs him and throws him to safety. He grabs a rifle off a dead soldier throws it in his lap then throws a couple rounds of ammo at him. The guys replies, " Sir! I am not a combatant!" <br /><br />To which the Lieutenant replies, " There is no such thing today." <br /><br />I heard that and I was leveled by what the lieutenant replies to the photographer turned soldier. You see, from there on out the guy was a soldier. He entered a civilian and left a soldier. He entered fearing battle, he left fighting.<br /><br />Yes, he still took pictures, yet during the battle his occupation so to speak was soldier. <br /><br />Then I began to wonder... Where am I taking pictures when God has called me to fight. <br /><br />You see as a photographer you watch everything pass by. As a soldier you are immersed into the heat of the battle, it progresses as a result of your actions. <br /><br />Matthew 11 talks about how the Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it.<br /><br />How is the Kingdom supposed to advance if we are a bunch of photographers...? <br /><br />Its not. <br /><br />I think when this was written, I think God is saying, " There is no such thing as a non combatant in the Kingdom of God." <br /><br />You see to be in the Kingdom we have to be soldiers, there is no room for people who just want to take pictures as cool stuff happens. <br /><br />So, <br /><br />You a photographer? <br />or... Soldier?Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-23216780952878177442007-06-11T20:13:00.000-07:002007-06-11T20:14:58.113-07:00Little BoyI was at work the other day and I saw something that reminded me of when I was a kid. <br />A dad and his two kids. <br />The Dad said he only gets to see them every other weekend. <br />The little boy, 11<br />The little girl, 5<br />At least I think<br />Still too young to understand, they were happy<br />Who wouldn’t be? <br />The Dad had given them each thirty dollars to spend<br />I wonder if the Dad was trying to buy their love…<br />It may work when they’re young<br />It gets old at 16<br />I wish I could tell the kids<br />That divorce is not normal<br />I wish I could tell them <br />At times they may make it seem like it is their fault, <br />Yet the weak will blame the strong. <br />The weak will blame the young and innocent. <br />I wish I could tell that little boy<br />That a family sticks together<br />It doesn’t divide in two. <br />I wish I could tell that little girl <br />That she is beautiful<br />And always will be<br />I wish I could tell them to not let their parent’s failures <br />Set them up for failure<br />Yet, success.<br />Maybe I am wrong<br />Maybe their family works best when divided<br />But what works best out of its original intent?<br />What works best when operated the complete opposite of the original design?<br />So little boy<br />Little girl<br />Be strongCollinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9030117456477144992.post-55004191860508903782007-06-11T20:12:00.000-07:002007-06-11T20:13:31.226-07:00Our GenerationWe want to change the world. <br />Not because everyone wants to.<br />But because it must be done. <br /><br />We want to change the world. <br />Not because it’s the cool thing to say. <br />But because innocent people die everyday. <br /> <br />We want to change the world. <br />Not for the sake of heroism. <br />But for the sake of others. <br /><br />We will stand up when everyone is sitting. <br />We will continue when people stop. <br />We will lead where others will not. <br /><br />We are young. <br />We are ambitious. <br />We are no longer country club kids. <br />We are no longer confined to a typical 9-5 job. <br />We are no longer held captive by materialism. <br />We are a powerful generation. <br /><br />We are willing to be poor. <br />So others may be rich. <br />We are willing to die. <br />So others may live. <br />We are willing to go. <br />So others may continue after. <br /><br />We will start what no one else dares. <br />This is no longer a dream. <br />This is no longer a distant fantasy. <br />This is here. <br />This is now. <br />This is it. <br />A revolution. <br />Waiting<br />Not for one. <br />Not for two. <br />Not for 100. <br />But for a generation. <br /><br />OUR generation.Collinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00068680712741153802noreply@blogger.com0