Yet another reason why I love my job: today I got to take home a Fender Strat with custom pick-ups to use on some stuff I'm recording. I'm so spoiled. I'm going to miss this job in the fall.

Three words: God is moving. I had a really intense day today, but it was really cool and God was totally convicting, challenging, and encouraging me. It's been a really intense last couple of days. I know I'm using the word intense a lot all of a sudden (that's three times in three sentances) but there's no other way to describe it. And you know, I don't mind it at all. I learned today what it means to seek God with expectation. I need to do it more often. Heck, I need to do it daily.

In completely unrelated and superficial news, it stayed under 85 degrees today. I wore pants, and there was much rejoicing. Maybe I won't want to pass out tomorrow at work from the hard labor they have me doing lately. Ooo and I get paid this week. That will be a happy occasion.

Lately I've felt like someone who was converted under Apollos' teaching. Powerful and truthful, yet missing an important element. I could elaborate more on that, but I'm brain-dead from a long week of working and not getting enough sleep. So if you wish, in the time you've saved by not reading a long post, you can pray that I really press in to God, stay in His Word, and hear from Him more clearly and powerfully than I ever have before.

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"

"John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Acts 18:24-19:6

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:3-4

That verse has been on my mind all afternoon. I went to my first memorial service ever today. The girl who died was about 6 1/2. I'd never met her, but it sounds like she was amazing. She'd had a brain tumor since she was two. The service gave me a lot to think about on reflect on. There's so much running through my mind but I don't know if I can write it now. I don't know if I can write it ever. I know I should, but that doesn't mean I will. More later...maybe.

Not a lot to say. I don't even know why I'm typing here beside the fact that I feel I should. I just figured a lot of time has passed since Saturday, and I might as well write something. The problem is, whenever I feel I have something to say I'm never around a computer. So I guess I'll just babble a bit until something comes out.

Life lately is work and hanging out. Two very positive things in my opinion. I'm still loving my job, and hanging out it always grand. Last night I went to our first Junior High group of the summer, which was a lot of fun. The new seventh graders are really cool and made it a great night. I think the dynamics of this class are going to be really good for the group. They seem really excited to be there. Maybe that wears off after a while (this was their first time after all), but I'm hoping it doesn't.

Basically I'm just stoked about Australia. Life's great right now and I'm trying to tell myself to enjoy the moment and not look ahead too much. It's hard when something so good is looming out there ahead of me though. So I guess that's it. Maybe I'll have some substance in the near future.

If you've been over to Mel's site recently you've probably read her little bit about me coming to Australia. Well my friends, that is indeed true. At the moment I have a ticket on hold, which will be finalized on Monday morning. It's a long story, but basically God is amazing and I think He's been flashing a silly grin the whole time this ticket process has been going on because he's been so excited to see how excited we've gotten about all this. And let me tell you, I'm excited. Though I think I'm in denial. Mel on the other hand, is not. She definitely screamed in my ear several times when I called her last night. She's a funny kid.

So that's been the major even of the past weekish. Last night I went to the graduation at my high school. It was so much fun. I think besides missing out on grad night, I might have actually had more fun last night than I did at my own graduation last year. Maybe that's because I didn't have to stress about giving a speech. I cried twice. Why in the world do I cry at someone else's graduation (multiple times) when I didn't shed a single tear at my own? I have no clue. I guess I'm just weird that way. It was a great night overall. I got to talk to all the people I wanted to, including some members of my class (that had siblings and friends graduating) that I hadn't seen for a long time. Yesterday was just a really happy day. I got things with my ticket finalized for the most part, I saw both my grandmas and my step-grandpa, I had an excellent time at the grad, and I got to hear Mel scream on the phone. Today has paled in comparison, but that's alright. I think if every day was as exciting as yesterday I'd be dead after a week from sheer overload.

You are Psalms.


Which book of the Bible are you?
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Written last night but blogger hasn’t let me post it:

It's been a while since I've written anything remotely thought provoking. And quite honestly, I'm not sure I'm capable of it at the moment, since I'm so out of practice. But I'm going to try. I don't know if my thoughts will come out in a way that makes sense or can even do them any justice, but I have to try.

There's something that comes with summer that gives me the inclination to think. Maybe it's the fact that I actually have the free time, or maybe it has something to do with how much more relaxed I am. At any rate, the wheels in my head have started to turn again, and it's something I've missed. That's not to say I've been completely brain-dead the rest of the year, I just haven't had time to ponder a lot of things. And I'm realizing more and more than pondering things is a part of my nature - it's a part of who I am.

Right now I'm reading a book by Darlene Zschech called Extravagant Worship. The chapter I read yesterday was about obedience as an act of worship. It's a concept I've heard many times, and it's a subject I'm convicted about each time I hear it. Ultimately our love for God is measured by our obedience. It's not in our words, it's not in what we sing, it's not in what books we read or what we do or don't allow ourselves to watch on television. If we love God we will keep His commands. I was reflecting a bit on my own obedience in different contexts today as my mom and I were driving home from my grandma's house. In the past couple months God has really placed a vision in my heart about the community I'll be living in next fall, as well as my relationships with my coworkers this summer. And as I thought about those visions I started to ask myself, "If I don't try my hardest to realize those visions, if I don't pour my heart and soul into seeing this vision that God has given me become a reality, then am I living in disobedience to Him?" I'm starting to think that answer is yes.

Maybe the way I phrased that makes it seem too obvious. Or maybe I'm just stupid and the answer really is obvious. Let me work through this. I'm thinking now that maybe all the times God has placed some kind of vision or ideal on my heart - maybe a way to encourage someone, the type of relationship I'm to have with someone, the kinds of conversations I'm supposed to initiate - that I have lived in disobedience to Him when I have not followed through on those actions. Perhaps by not doing those things I have fallen short of God's best for that situation or relationship, and I'm realizing that's a horrible place to be.

God's really given me a vision about where I'm living in the fall. What kind of environment it's supposed to be, and the kind of relationship I'm supposed to have with my roommates. I can either follow through on that vision - share it, pray over it, strive for it, and continually surrender it to God's control - or I can say "stuff it" with my typical lack of action. It seems like such a simple answer, but there are many circumstances like these which I have let pass me by in the past. I want to resolve to do that no longer.

Lately I have found myself willing to obey in some of the little things, which is a passion I have not had for a long time. A week ago I found myself in a really sticky situation with an acquaintance of mine. She said some pretty harsh words via an email, and there was a large part of me that really wanted to nail her for it. But I didn't. I stuffed my pride and realized that honoring God and this person was more important than saving my own hide. So rather than telling her off, I apologized for the misunderstanding between us, and asked for her forgiveness. It was difficult, and part of me still wants to "teach her a lesson," but my obedience has worked out for the best. This person accepted my apology, and recanted her own overreaction. Problem averted. In actuality though, this situation wasn't all that difficult. I hope that as these situations become more and more challenging, I find myself more and more willing to sacrifice for the sake of obedience; because that is the number one way I can show my devotion to Christ.

I'm back to the life of a sloth today. Thursday and Friday I spent 6-7 hours each day at work. Can I just say: I love my job! I work my butt off, but it really is wonderful and the time goes so fast and the people I get to work with are so cool. Let me give you a glimpse into what I do.

In essence I get assigned something to do either by my manager or the owner of the store, and when I finish that job, I report back to them and ask for something else to do. So I really am busy ALL THE TIME. Things I've done thus far include: cleaning hideous parts of the store's office (I have to tackle the funkshwa room sometime soon AKA the pile of crap room), organizing and cleaning the rental area, stocking anything and everything, pricing then stocking WAY too much equipment, watering all the various plants around the store, and basically doing anything else anyone tells me to do. Now let me explain to you the reasons I love my job.

1. I'm working at a store that I love and am familiar with
2. My job involves working with other people, but not annoying customers
3. What I do varies from day to day, so I'm never bored
4. After hanging out with girls all year long I finally get to be around some guys (don't take that the wrong way)
5. I work with musicians
6. My bosses and the employees are really nice, down to earth people
7. The store's website can be viewed in brooklynese.

I just wanted to say: HOORAY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Well, here it is folks. There's a couple things I might shuffle around a bit, but at long last that orange is gone. I was really sick of it. Unfortunately, I might get tired of a pinkish base even faster. It's only three months, I can do it.

Home again, finally for the long haul. I have a new layout done but the server I need to upload my graphic on is being stupid. So, no layout until that decides to work again. More later.