got it.

I finally got that one metered parking space, right behind Center Hall, where we normally haul worship equipment.

It just required that I be pulling up at 2:20 am.

:)

Worth it.

am i crazy?

Am I the only one who doesn't look at Chris Brown any differently than before?
This is not to condone whatever it is that he did.
But really...he's a 19-year-old superstar. Don't expect him to be a saint.
Now he just joins the long list of other messed up celebrities.

And yet we still idolize celebrities. We dress like them, talk like them. And often we wish we could live like them. Because they have it all.
I do not claim to be immune to this, either.
I mean...I am the one who was wearing those glasses at Muir Semi (pictures soon).
But just something to think about. Why do we follow celebrities' advice? Why do we want to be able to live like celebrities?

"My name is Chris Brown, and I'm awkward!"

cupcakes.

I stuffed two cupcakes down my throat in competition with Leslie at Hao's surprise birthday (which shall hereafter be known as Haonnukah).

Hopefully the video will be up soon.

Other impressive performances - Leslie, Rebecca, Gloria, James, Matt Davis, Allen, Alex, Jon Sha, Jon Stember, Elliot. I hope I didn't miss anyone.

If I'm not careful, pride will bring me down.

It's tempting to listen to that lying voice in my head when it tells me that I'm limiting my potential by embracing Christ. "If you would just let go of this rudimentary way of thinking, you could reach new planes of knowledge and existence. Think of the philosophers you read who are such intelligent and deep thinkers. You could be one of them!"

Spelled out in this way, the appeal to my pride is quite clear. That voice is suggesting that the potential of my mind is greater than the infinite God. How foolish! Please help me cling to you, Lord, and not listen to the lying voice that wants to make me my highest god.

Fresh and clean, finally.

I am fresh and clean, finally.
This past weekend was Harvest Men's Retreat. We camped out in Ramona somewhere. At my greatest clothing depth, I wore 6 layers on top, 2 layers on bottom, two socks on each foot, gloves, and a hat. It was cold. We ate well, though. I've never seen so much protein in my life.

I am very encouraged by the brothers at Harvest. My favorite part of the retreat was the many side conversations that I had - where I and another brother stepped away from the rest of the crowd and talked. Everyone's desire to pray and to grow as biblical leaders and men ministered to my own heart.

Something that Chris said during the first message has stuck in my mind. We need to not only KNOW truth, but to have an AFFECTION for truth. If we merely know truth, when push comes to shove, we won't act upon it. But if I LOVE truth, then I will stand for it. Knowing something doesn't necessarily attach an obligation - but loving something certainly does.

I was also humbled by Chris's desire to speak the truth in love, and preach it straight. I balk from such direct confrontation as what took place in some of those messages. That's something that I desire to grow in - caring more that the truth is being preached than caring about people's hurt feelings, if they are in sin.

i need Thee every hour.

A humbling quote from a faithful sister -

"Jesus is the Bread of Life. Do I really know my need?
I should be desiring and yearning for God, especially in those times that I am busy and overwhelmed, as much as I think I need more food and sleep. It is so easy to think dang i need more food to compensate for my lack of sleep, or fureak i should spend more time sleeping so i have energy the next day, but why not SHOOOT i needa spend more time with God today because i am SOO gonna fail without Him!"

from iloikesfood.blogspot.com

profound spiritual wisdom in the midst of studying.

From John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, II.xii.35 -

"It seems so established and settled a maxim by the general consent of all mankind, that good, the greater good determines the will...But yet upon a stricter inquiry, I am forced to conclude, that good, the greater good, though apprehended and acknowledged to be so, does not determine the will, until our desire, raised proportionably to it, makes us uneasy in the want of it...
Let a drunkard see, that his health decays, his estate wastes...yet the returns of his uneasiness to miss his companions; the habitual thirst after his cups, at the usual time, drives him to the tavern, though he has in his view the loss of health and plenty, and perhaps the joys of another life...
'Tis not for want to viewing the greater good: for he sees, and acknowledges it...but when the uneasiness to miss his accustomed delight returns, the greater acknolwedged good loses its hold, and the present uneasiness determines the will to its accustomed action..."

This is a profound truth which sheds light on the human spirit, especially in its sinfulness. How often have I recognized the greater good of pursuing and obeying God, yet succumbed to uneasiness and fallen back into the sinful "accustomed delight" in which I had previously been taking part?

I think that the major issues is that the sin is an "accustomed delight." We're used to it, and it gives us pleasure. So, if we don't want to fall back into that sin as a result of pleasure-seeking, we have to find a new source of pleasure, a new "delight." If Christ is not our delight, then we will never escape the whirling cyclone of sin that currently holds us in its grip, pulling us to the dark center. But imagine the difference if we were uneasy when not partaking in Christ? Then this natural tendency to avoid uneasiness would be harnessed for good.

The only way that a change of desire like this can happen is by direct intervention of God. And that is what I ask for.