Losing Steam

Why is it that I always lose steam? I'll working along at a good pace but, as the days turn into weeks, I start fading. It doesn't matter what the subject is. It could be school, reading a book, or staying on top of your Christian game. I think that is why the Apostle TBA wrote this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  (Hebrews 12)

The Holy Scriptures breathe life into weary lungs.  What an incredible blessing we have from God!  The piece of this scripture that resonates with me is the end.  I have never resisted sin to the point of shedding blood.  But Christ, for the joy set before him, endured such pain.  For the JOY set before him.  What an amazing God we serve that sees the cross as joy for our sake. Even though we do not deserve His grace, He joyfully has secured it. 

Next Stop: Camelot

At an event for work yesterday, a colleague informed me that someone said I looked like a young Ted Kennedy. You be the judge.

Senseless

Time is, of all the things in the world, what has baffled me the most my entire life. I'm not talking about some abstract scientific principles. I'm talking about 12AM and 12PM. Lets examine this starting at midnight.

12 am
1 am
2 am
3 am
4 am
5 am
6 am
7 am
8 am
9 am
10 am
11 am
12 pm
1 pm
2 pm
3 pm
4 pm
5 pm
6 pm
7 pm
8 pm
9 pm
10 pm
11 pm

Since when do we count zero as a 12? Instead of 10 am and 10 pm, should it be 112 am and 112 pm? It doesn't make any sense people!

Hi-Ho

I'm trying to not love the Gators as much as I do. That is my goal for football season. The reason for my goal is because it really should not be that important in my life. I put plenty of things on the back burner in my life and sports has never been one. I always make time to watch the game. Always. In fact, it will take up most of my Saturdays this fall. It will also take up a lot of internet hours during the week. I think I am going to try an put sports on the back burner for once. It won't be easy though.

For as long as I can remember, I loved sports. Whether it was playing or watching, I was always fully invested. When I was regenerated by Christ in high school, I began to see how unimportant a lot of things in my life were. Sports was at the top of my list. But I never gave it up (and I probably never will). Now, let me say here that there is nothing wrong with watching or playing sports. I have a ton of fun doing both and probably will for the rest of my life. But I can't serve two masters. And even though I do not think of sports as my master, I probably invest more time in sports each week than I do in scripture. I think that is wrong of me. So I have been trying to change it.

A couple of extra points:

Sports provides an awesome opportunity to hang out with my friends. It is great that we all have it in common. That is partly why I do not think there is anything wrong with sports.

It also helps you meet new people. I have made a ton of friends in Gainesville playing frisbee. It is how I met Chase Madden--who was my first male friend in Gainesville--and all of Shady Oaks.

As a former coach, sports is a great teaching tool for kids to learn about how to work as a team and how to deal with success and failure.

Finally, I am not posting this because I think everyone we know has a problem with sports. I am only posting it because I was convicted of it. James teaches us, "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." So this is me confessing to the everyone in a sense.

Memory Verses

I had a youth pastor in high school who instituted memory verses in every youth group for a whole summer or so. His way of making us remember the verses basically consisted of him acting out the verse as animated and goofy as possible. The great thing is that I still remember most of the verses. I think there we about four of them; each one containing 5-10 verses.

ex. Ephesians 5:15-20
5Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lately, I have been pretty convicted about my scripture reading and application. Therefore, I am starting my own little memory verse program. It won't be as fun as Pete's, but still good.

John 6:63
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

This is my first one. So if you see me, feel free to ask me what my memory verse of the week is or of previous weeks. If I blow you off, feel free to admonish me...gently.

Time Vampires

Oh Sony, you do suck.

WTWTA Trailer 2

I think everyone speculating about what this movie is going to be like has come to the obvious conclusion that the plot is not going to be identical to the book--after all, the book contains about 100 words and is 12 pages long. But what is the plot going to be like? We get a little more light shed on it in this preview. I have gone from ultra pumped to pumped and worried. I hope it is awesome.

Also, the Arcade Fire for two previews in a row? C'mon people. Give me something fresh!

Urbz

A Must Read for Gator Fans

For all the commentators who will not hush the Notre Dame talk, I think this article sets it straight. Urban loves Gainesville. And if he wins three of four this year, I have no idea why he would eff with his perfect situation and take a risk elsewhere. 3 out of 4 makes you one of the greatest of all time (not to mention that it would be 3 of 5 since being at UF).  

By the way, 29 days!

NEW BIKE

After a little over a year without my own two wheeler, I finally have a new bike. Well, it is new to me at least. My good friend, David Claytor, left his old Giant Rincon at Shady Oaks over 2 years and eventually relinquished it to me. I have been trying to fix it for a while now but lack of money kept getting in the way. But everything came together this weekend with minimal money expended. In fact, I rode that bad boy to work today.