Between The Lines

2006-12-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

FINALS...

I'm about to go take my last final of the semester and possibly last final at the University of Arkansas. This semester has seemed kinda differenent than past semesters, why, I'm not quite sure. I guess one reason for this is because I have been considering transfering next year. I am in the process of withdrawing from UA and applying to other schools. I have several reasons for doing this that I may touch on at another point, but I am excited about the chance for a new beginning.

Oh, and go check this link out. Malia won third place for this peice that she did in an art show. Its pretty stinking good.

2006-10-31T09:44:00.000-08:00

Lunch:

Had lunch with Harry this weekend. It was good to get together and catch up. He has been a huge part of my life and I just want to thank him for that. Thanks bro

2006-10-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Why Am I Alive?

The topic of the sermon tonight at chuch tonight talked about why we are here on earth. This is a topic that I have heard a couple of sermons on and it got me thinking. There were several good points that were covered in this sermon but it got me thinking that there has been some things that have been left out of (or not clarified) in several of the sermons that I've heard on this topic.

First off, Life (in the beginning of time) and life now is all about a relationship with God. In the garden of eden there was only God, Adam, and Eve. When I think about this I picture Adam and Eve having the deepest relationship with God. I imagine them talking with Him, laughing with Him, and having a very intimate relationship with Him. Genesis 1 and 2 are talk about what life was like before man screwed everything up. Because we (man) screwed things up, everyone will be judged by Christ when he returns. Phillipians 2: 9-11 says "...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Life really is about having that relationship with Christ. He wants us to be intimate with him. At camp this summer, one of the speakers said something that really caught my attention, "God doesn't want to be apart of your life, He wants TO BE your life. He wants the reason that you live to be for him and him only.

Secondly, Jesus says in Matthew that the greatest commandment is to Love God. This includes loving him with your heart, sould, mind, and strength. I think that our society has only gotten half of what this really means. What does it mean to Love God? I don't know if this is due to the fact that the church has not taught us what it means really love God or because we have just missed the mark on this one but I'm coming to realized that a lot of christians don't really know what this looks like. Now I definitely don't have it all down or close to it, but Jesus gives us some glimpses into what this means. In John when he is talking to Peter he askes Peter if he truly loves him. When Peter answers that he does Jesus says, "feed my sheep." This also goes back to what Christ said in Matthew when he says whatever you do to the least of these you do unto me. I think that is what it means to love God, to do all of those things. Mabey I'm off but that is what I've been thinking.
I doubt anyone reads this but if you do, what do you thing?

2006-10-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Casual Christian:

That was the topic of the sermon today at church. It has been something that I have been thinking about latel. And it's something that I DON'T want to be. It think it is something that is becoming more and more popular, at least it is what I see a lot. Mabey it's because I have grown up in the "Bible Belt" and everyone seems to be a "christian" here.

Here were the main points of the sermon:
1. Guard your steps. Don't worship arrogantly. Realize that I'm NOT God-It's not about me.
2. Watch your talk. Don't worship rashly.
3. Keep your promises. Don't worship casually.

This has been on my mind lately. Do I come across as a 'casual christian"? Do people look at me and see Christ in the way that I live my life? If not, then that is pathetic on my part. I feel like for the longest time I have proclaimed to be Christian but I don't live my life like it. I may not be a drug addict or anything that extreme, but not fully giving myself to Christ is the pretty much the same thing. In Matthew it says, "Fo I was hungry and you gace me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ...when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or in needing of clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you. The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these bothers of mine, you did for me."

I know of people who do not proclaim to be Christians and are doing more of this than I am. I want to be someone who does all of these things. Not for me, but because I love God, and that is what he wants. I was reading in James the other day where it talks about faith and deeds and how faith without deeds is dead. I want my actions to reflect my faith in Christ.

Lord, help me too look for opportunities to do these things and not just sit back and wait for them to fall into my lap. Help me to reach out and have my actions be a reflection of my love for you. Amen

2006-10-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

WOOOO Pig!!

After Arkansas upset of the # 2 Auburn Tigers I beggining to stop hating on the hogs. They played a good solid game saturday. I just hope they don't come out and loose to a no name team next week, which is exactly what would happen to us.

2006-10-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

http://jesuscreed.org/

There is a very interesting discussion about youth ministry on this blog.

...got me thinking.

Check it out

2006-10-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

I want to be different. It seems to me that in todays world everybody is doing the same thing. They are all looking at the person next to them and imitating what they see around them. I don't want to be like that; I want to stand out. What really gets me is that a lot of these people are people that you see in church. They go to church for one hour a week and get their "fix of God", which is just enough to make them feel like they are good people and then they go about their life until next week when its time to get another "fix". I'm not trying to say that I don't do this because I am definitely not even close to perfect but I am saying that I don't want to do this anymore. I want to stand out as a person that does not look to what the world is doing for guidance but what Jesus did. After all, He was perfect, who better than to imitate than Him.

2006-10-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've tried this whole blogging thing before and I never really stuck with it. I never really posted or kept up with it and I am going to try and change that. I could never really think of anything to say and when I did want to say something I could never put my thoughts into words. But this time I am going to. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it