So I've been thinking a lot lately.
What am I showing to people with my actions, with my words?
Last night in Bible study we talked about Paul in his letter to the Philippians, and how he has so much joy in the situation he's in. His situation was being in jail for spreading the Gospel...Not being afraid to speak. All of Paul's emotions, thoughts, words and actions were completely for the Glory of Christ perfectly exemplified in these words, "For to me,To Live Is Christ and To Die Is Gain."
That verse raises a lot of questions
What does To Live Is Christ mean? Die Is Gain?
What does my life look like?
How could my life or death glorify Christ?
If threatened with torture or death, would I Proclaim His Name and His Glory?
Would people say that my life was for Christ or for me?
Paul
Paul knew the answer to each of these questions, and more. The life that Paul lived WAS CHRIST and he didn't have fame, he didn't have success. Paul was killed for what he knew was TRUE...Not being afraid to speak.
At Bible study we were given cards to write what we could do to change, to make the statement "To Live is Christ and To Die Is Gain" to be true in our lives. Yes I wrote things down like "don't be selfish." On the other side I wrote the quote
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK
When asked what I meant by that, I merely said...don't be afraid.
My brother had someone ask him "If a meteor was coming, and you had 3 days to live what would you do?"
I immediately thought of people I would talk to about Jesus. I didn't think of things I would buy or do, but people
This also got me thinking why wait for the world to end...why am I afraid to speak?
Write songs, write poetry, write blogs, get tattoos, talk to your friends and family...however you choose to speak, SPEAK LOUD. Speak about what you believe is true and realize the urgency of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Blessings all around
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Sun! (Son)
I'm at a very odd point in my day right now. Call it a battle between life and death. I say this because of the beautiful day that is happening at this very second outside...and yet I am inside a classroom in a Death investigation class.
On my way to this class, I couldn't help but realize the LIFE that the Sun(Son)gives us and makes happen. As I walked I noticed the quads of Radford University were full of life. People throwing frisbee, playing football, lacrosse, and even laying out catching a few rays to tan the skin making for a visual playground for any type of audience. Under these human bodies was a very vibrant, green grass that also served as a habitat to the smallest of animals and organisms. LIFE was happening right before my eyes and I almost had to stop walking to take it all in...because it hit me like a ton of bricks.
My thoughts
"It is nothing short of sin not to be outside right now"
This thought allowed me to think further. Which leads me to the term Sun (Son). I was blown away by the symbolism right before me. The days when the Sun (Son) isn't out, the campus is a dull place, dorm rooms and apartments are filled as the search for an artificial life occurs and continues through out the day. Sitting in this class, the cloud of death can suck the life right out of my mood, and usually leaves me feeling a little sad when I leave. The point is LIFE is hard to find with out the Sun (Son). BUT when the Sun (Son) is out, is present, LIFE is hard to miss! I look forward to walking out of this building and being an audience of the show that GOD is putting on for me to see!
My next thought
"Holy crap, even with out daylight the Sun (Son) is present!"
Be it cloudy, thunderstorm, rain, snowy, day or night the Sun (Son)is still around to give life. It may be hidden or on the other side of the planet...but it's still there giving life. Such is Christ! whether I can see him, hear him, or feel him, he's there giving me life!
Think of how awesome thunder storms are!
Think of the LIFE that rain gives!
Think of the drought that is released by a heavy snow!
Think of how much you want to go outside right now to just play and forget about what you have to do!
The SON gives us life in all facets of LIFE...without him, we might as well not have anything
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
On my way to this class, I couldn't help but realize the LIFE that the Sun(Son)gives us and makes happen. As I walked I noticed the quads of Radford University were full of life. People throwing frisbee, playing football, lacrosse, and even laying out catching a few rays to tan the skin making for a visual playground for any type of audience. Under these human bodies was a very vibrant, green grass that also served as a habitat to the smallest of animals and organisms. LIFE was happening right before my eyes and I almost had to stop walking to take it all in...because it hit me like a ton of bricks.
My thoughts
"It is nothing short of sin not to be outside right now"
This thought allowed me to think further. Which leads me to the term Sun (Son). I was blown away by the symbolism right before me. The days when the Sun (Son) isn't out, the campus is a dull place, dorm rooms and apartments are filled as the search for an artificial life occurs and continues through out the day. Sitting in this class, the cloud of death can suck the life right out of my mood, and usually leaves me feeling a little sad when I leave. The point is LIFE is hard to find with out the Sun (Son). BUT when the Sun (Son) is out, is present, LIFE is hard to miss! I look forward to walking out of this building and being an audience of the show that GOD is putting on for me to see!
My next thought
"Holy crap, even with out daylight the Sun (Son) is present!"
Be it cloudy, thunderstorm, rain, snowy, day or night the Sun (Son)is still around to give life. It may be hidden or on the other side of the planet...but it's still there giving life. Such is Christ! whether I can see him, hear him, or feel him, he's there giving me life!
Think of how awesome thunder storms are!
Think of the LIFE that rain gives!
Think of the drought that is released by a heavy snow!
Think of how much you want to go outside right now to just play and forget about what you have to do!
The SON gives us life in all facets of LIFE...without him, we might as well not have anything
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
So first of all, I'm that guy that said "i'm gonna wait till something interesting happens in my life before i start telling everyone about it" and I came to realize...I tell stories all the time and I could TOTALLY start a blog!
To get things started, I'd like tell a story of a recent experience of mine. This past Saturday I had one of the most interesting days of 2010 so far. I work for Tangent Outfitters as a tube/kayak/canoe renter, shuttle driver, and fishing guide and my day started at 5:45 AM because I needed to be at work by 7 (a 45 minute drive) and pick up a bike on the way. 6:15 comes around and the bike is loaded in my Jeep...but the Jeep started making some really loud squeaks and rattles. My timing belt had all but snapped in half, leaving me immobile and in desperate need for a ride. So I called ma' twin Cody and woke him up to give me a ride to blacksburg where he would be dropped off to start a Wilderness First Aid course that morning at 7:30...I got to work at 8.
I was a shuttle driver Saturday. I had to drive all over Giles County and everywhere else and everything went smoothly for the most part until...I had to make a WATER RESCUE! HAHA! While loading a raft into the water (my final one of the day) the current decided to kick the boat sidewards, just out of my reach. I seriously felt my heart and stomach become one with each other while I watched the raft start to float away from me (note that there was a client right there the entire time shaking his head). After my buddy Mike Schleeter said "somebody's gonna get wet!" I kinda knew I was the one he meant! 10 seconds later my shoes were off and my phone was on the ground...and I was in the New River swimming after this run-away raft! I seriously think the water was about 36 degrees! Buddy Mike had insulated bibs and a windproof jacket for me to wear once I got out and I had to borrow some of his clothes after we got back to Tangent. Small detail...i'll just tell you ALL MY CLOTHES WERE WET and his were dry (aka comando).
Finally, while waiting around for my Mom to pick me up, I was getting tired of thin clothes, and wind making me miserable, so I decided to pursue new underpants or a way to dry my wet ones. I went with the latter. The interesting part is HOW I dried my underpants. Though it was windy, it wasn't inside my brother's Durango and there was a lot of sun outside. So i turned the defroster on High and set my underpants on the dash! letting one side get heated with air and the other with the sun. IT TOTALLY WORKED!
So after being in 6 different towns/counties in 5 different vehicles (car trouble and shuttle driving) my interesting Saturday ended with mexican food and The Blindside...which I seriously recommend.
Calloused hands, Calloused Feet, but a completely Open Heart
In Christ
To get things started, I'd like tell a story of a recent experience of mine. This past Saturday I had one of the most interesting days of 2010 so far. I work for Tangent Outfitters as a tube/kayak/canoe renter, shuttle driver, and fishing guide and my day started at 5:45 AM because I needed to be at work by 7 (a 45 minute drive) and pick up a bike on the way. 6:15 comes around and the bike is loaded in my Jeep...but the Jeep started making some really loud squeaks and rattles. My timing belt had all but snapped in half, leaving me immobile and in desperate need for a ride. So I called ma' twin Cody and woke him up to give me a ride to blacksburg where he would be dropped off to start a Wilderness First Aid course that morning at 7:30...I got to work at 8.
I was a shuttle driver Saturday. I had to drive all over Giles County and everywhere else and everything went smoothly for the most part until...I had to make a WATER RESCUE! HAHA! While loading a raft into the water (my final one of the day) the current decided to kick the boat sidewards, just out of my reach. I seriously felt my heart and stomach become one with each other while I watched the raft start to float away from me (note that there was a client right there the entire time shaking his head). After my buddy Mike Schleeter said "somebody's gonna get wet!" I kinda knew I was the one he meant! 10 seconds later my shoes were off and my phone was on the ground...and I was in the New River swimming after this run-away raft! I seriously think the water was about 36 degrees! Buddy Mike had insulated bibs and a windproof jacket for me to wear once I got out and I had to borrow some of his clothes after we got back to Tangent. Small detail...i'll just tell you ALL MY CLOTHES WERE WET and his were dry (aka comando).
Finally, while waiting around for my Mom to pick me up, I was getting tired of thin clothes, and wind making me miserable, so I decided to pursue new underpants or a way to dry my wet ones. I went with the latter. The interesting part is HOW I dried my underpants. Though it was windy, it wasn't inside my brother's Durango and there was a lot of sun outside. So i turned the defroster on High and set my underpants on the dash! letting one side get heated with air and the other with the sun. IT TOTALLY WORKED!
So after being in 6 different towns/counties in 5 different vehicles (car trouble and shuttle driving) my interesting Saturday ended with mexican food and The Blindside...which I seriously recommend.
Calloused hands, Calloused Feet, but a completely Open Heart
In Christ
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