Simplicity

To enjoy life I have found that I need to focus on the little things, the simple things.
This break showed me how to truly enjoy the simplicity of life.
Hanging out with friends just blasting music in the car and taking pictures. Setting up a tent in record speed and thanking the Lord for amazing weather at the beach....in the winter....
but what truly reminded me of the simple things in life were the people I was with, the food we ate, and the time we spent enjoying everything that was so beautiful around us.
Watching the sun set into the ocean (even though it was covered by clouds sometimes) left me awestruck, how great is the creation God has made, how amazing is his imagination and design?!
Standing in the sand with my camera I couldn't help but feel like I was capturing a little piece of God with every snap-shot I took.
Even when I had to get up at 4 am both nights to fix the rain flap on the tent (which was 3 tarps) I still loved every moment, every person, and everything that happened this break. I missed my main wing men there fo sho tho!

Enjoying the simple things in life bring me the most joy, I don't even understand why sometimes...why should sitting down with my arm around someone special or sitting around austin's house eating food be so much more fulfilling than inner-tubing on a hot summer day (which is awesome don't get me wrong)? I think it's because I am learning to be content and that God is showing me to live in the moment instead of looking towards the future.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."- John 17: 24

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."- Psalms 19:1

life as a preparatory academy.

"this whole following Jesus business is largely about giving Him control, or more, realizing we don’t have control to begin with. and a great way to measure whether or not we’ve given Him our lives is to ask ourselves if we’ve given Him our death. by that i mean are we are okay with the fact that some day soon we are going to part with all that we’ve made, all that we’ve done, and no longer have an ounce of control over what happens on the earth?

i’ll be very candid with you here. if it weren’t for the reality of death, i’d have much more trouble following Christ. death means some day i have to trust Him, and life is something like a preparatory academy for that moment. if i can trust Him with my death, i can trust Him with my life, and that means my next book and my romantic confusion and my anger and desire to get even and my money and all the rest. death doesn’t give me a choice. and so i’m thankful."

~ donald miller's blog

francis and don.

i've been feelin a bit of the spring spiritual blues (made up emotion) and some of this might have to do with school stepping up a notch and the subsequent distraction from God.  but this week francis chan came again and spoke at school and it was so awesome! should be up on itunes soon to download and while you wait you can always download when he spoke in the fall. on top of that donald miller (holler at your portland boy!) had some amazing blog posts concerning death. i loved them. so i'll attempt to post those links at the end of this...

francis spoke and as a brief synopsis he spoke about how our lives can be so out of balance with what we believe.  he took a recent trip to asia to look at missionary opportunities for himself and his family and came back realizing that american christianity is straight up ridiculous.  when he told chinese christians how we did church with child care and ushers and services in big buildings every sunday, they laughed.  they are persecuted and hunted for being christians.  francis asked if there are any "lukewarm" christians in china and they laughed and asked, "why would anybody do this halfway? we lose everything for our beliefs."
am i willing to lose everything? am i willing to be alone in this world so that i might live in the next? this is as good of a segway into don's blog posts. the links are below.

http://donmilleris.com/2011/03/24/grappling-with-control-and-the-fear-of-dying/
http://donmilleris.com/2011/03/25/jesus-comforts-our-fear-of-death/

finally, francis said this near the end of his visit, "i'm not trying to be radical or some extreme Christian i just want my life to make sense in light of what i believe." take it for what you will.

follower.

side note. can we give props to our first official "follower"? yeah jordan!!!

and here is the call out to all our anonymous followers who just check our blog all the time. i see you anonymous follower.

armor.

my brothers. i stumble and trip up and allow the devil to tempt and trap me.  but these verses in galatians 6 are awesome because they put a metaphorical spin on the spiritual battle and when i read the verses, i can't help but think of gladiator and maximus putting on his armor before entering the arena.
galatians 6:10-20 tells of the whole armor of God, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit.  the message puts it so succinctly (s.a.t. word anybody?) in that these "are more than words.  learn how to apply them.  you'll need them throughout your life.  God's Word is an indispensable weapon."
we are not fighting in a saturday football grudge match but a battle for keeps, all-or-nothing, life-or-death fight against the devil for not only our own eternal salvation but others around us as well. i encourage you to see the devil's stumbling blocks in your life and eliminate them.  the block doesn't have to make you sin, even if they just keep you from experiencing God to His fullest. call it lent, call it whatever you want but i can personally attest to how great it can be. i love you guys.

books.

my books are my girlfriend. by austin. 
a haiku. 

let me explain myself.

i spend a lot of money on my books.
i spend a lot of time with my books.
my books are always there for me.
when i do well on a test, my books make me feel good about myself.
i usually close the door when i'm focusing on my books.
my books don't judge me.
sometimes i take naps with my books / i fall asleep on top of them.
my books are fun to take to coffee shops, and sit with for hours.


why my books are better than a flesh and blood girlfriend

they say what they mean.
i don't need to buy them things.
they can't talk back.
they don't nag.
you can close them when you don't want to listen anymore.
they can fit into any time schedule.
they don't make me be someone i'm not.
i don't have to meet the parents.
they are not emotionally unstable.


i love my books!