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And this is Elaine. She speaks Spanish. Here (pulls Elain towards Gilberto), you two speak.
Christy, introducing her boyfriend to everyone
Saturday
The college small group at RBCPC started a Christian apologetics series. Ever since I first heard the Reasons.org segments on Spirit FM, my interest in how my faith and science complement each other has grown. The six-day creation is a significant issue. Ken’s theological perspective and his guest’s scientific perspective both say that one day of creation is symbolic for a period of time. I am not so sure that I agree, but am (as usual) open to thoughtful discussion.
Sunday
Caleb picked me up early for my first experience of RBCPC’s high school ministry (i.e. "The Highway"). After months of no volunteer activity, I am so excited to help the leadership of this fun group. Today was mostly Ken embarrassing me before I did the announcements, meeting people, forgetting all of their names, and observing the group’s dynamics.
Elaine picked me up for Simpsons’ Night at Caleb’s house. Basically, the college small group just meets again for fellowship during The Simpsons every Sunday night. We later went to Durphey’s to watch the first half of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The rest of the movie is probably just as funny, but Elaine had to go home and I lacked wheels of my own.
Tuesday
The RBCPC high school group took Communion tonight. I do not like churches that perform Communion as a ritual. Tonight proved anything but. For the first time since moving away from Blue Ridge Community Church, Communion was the encounter and experience that it was intended to be when Jesus first started the preceding.
Thursday
I watched A. I. tonight. (Yes, I know the movie was released forever ago.) The movie performed horribly in theaters, but that is because most movie-goers are shallow and refuse to think. Spielberg = genius. One day, nearly all that we hold to be true will be ancient history. God will still be God and His truth will remain, but if the world is still around two thousand years from now, will the truth of Jeremiah Cohick’s life be relevant to matter? Everyone alive today will be like the people buried five generations ago that have no living relatives today who care to remember them or their lives. Rather depressing, but true.
Friday
After watching Are you Hot? via tape delay, I feel even more confident in not pursuing a talent agency for acting/m odeling. I am happy with my appearance and would not tolerate critical comments about inferior genetics.
France’s Unpaid Debt by CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney
From 802.11b standard in all laptops to eliminating the floppy drive, Dell cannot be original and continually copies Apple. While a particular member of the Apple Switch campaign may look like a drug abuser, Dell’s Dude was arrested on "suspicion of trying to buy marijuana." Ouch! This is just one more example of Dell duplicating Apple; this time in its advertising stars.
OneStat‘s report on Apple Safari usage is not only good news for Apple’s newest software pre-release, but also a strong indicator on the adoption rate of Mac OS X.
I mumbled, "Whoa!" after reading an excellent article on enhancing the tabbed browsing concept for the Mac OS desktop metaphor and Safari. My Uncle Jonathan dropped in and asked what I was reacting to. I explained why the Mac OS document-centric approach is superior to Microsoft Windows’ application-centric approach in usability terms in order to explain why the article’s author is a genius.
He, though impressed, commented how sad it was that he works for a software company (Siebel Systems) and is not as excited as I was for software to which I had no affiliation. I retorted that my reaction had nothing to do with me being fanatical, but rather appreciative. Art comes in many forms. One form is functional design. As an artist, I appreciate small details, the logic and refinements that are so obvious yet groundbreaking. Apple hit a home run with Mac OS X and Safari. Too bad the OS is confined to underperforming hardware.
Adam turned me on to Let It Come Down by Spiritualized. This is a must-have emotional music journey. Modern orchestra masterpieces meld with trance-style music production to give intense lyrical contemplations the most perfect stage to leave the listener in awe of man’s duality.
“If I am good, I could add years to my life. I would rather add some life to my years.
Life is really what you make it, they say. I can’t even make my mind up today.” –Out of Sight by Spiritualized.
Full Metal Jacket presents the simple truths of war that my generation does not fully understand. War is hell. People suffer and die. Real heroes return home as mere memories. The physical fighting may stop, but the repercussions never cease to impact the future. I am most grateful that my Uncle Jonathan recommended this movie.
“God has a hard on for Marines, because we kill everything we see. He plays His games, we play ours. To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep heaven packed with fresh souls. God was here before the marine corps, so you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the corps!” –Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, Drill Instructor
Prevent yourself from reading From a Buick 8 by Stephen King. The character development is at the level expected from King, but the plot is sickeningly shallow. Those Who Trespass by Bill O’Reilly is a better read (or "listen" since I am addicted to audio books).
Despite iTunes‘ random play having the best mix of the 70s, 80s. 90s, and today, two songs have especially resonated with me: I Won’t Take You for Granted by Greg Long and Johnny Cash‘s cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt (brought to my attention courtesy of Adam). I am not as strong as I think I am and these songs bring me to the utmost point of humility where I can truly see God’s grace.
Wilderness by The O. C. Supertones
Have you ever held a doubt
what this life is all about?
Have you questioned all the things
that seem important to us?
Do you really want to know
or are you a little scared?
You’re afraid that God’s not exactly
what you’d have Him be.
What should I hold to and what should I do?
How do I know if anything’s true?
I’m somewhere in between Canaan and Egypt,
a place called the wilderness.
Now that my location is secured for the next six months, getting involved in ministry again has been on my mind. Fortunately, Ken (my youth pastor at RBCPC) asked me on Thursday about serving in the high school ministry. Sunday morning cannot come fast enough. I am so excited to start building relationships in the church after being void of this for the past five months. God amazes me. After blessing me with the most incredible community at BRCC, He has brought me to another church growing under the inspiration of the Willow Creek Association. Here I am God, do something incredible!
Adam blogged about his recent spiritual contemplations early Thursday morning. We are at totally different points spiritually, yet we draw many of the same conclusions. My faith is unorthodox. I read the Bible and make educated, personal interpretations with little respect for tradition. God’s message throughout history is the same. The church has (as it should) adapted that message for the changing culture, but I fear that Christ’s message of love has been minimized under layers of obscure doctrine. Jesus was and is the way, truth, and life. His love penetrates economic, geographic, generational, political, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and social barriers to transform all lives into something eternally pleasing. Faith is a journey and each question is a step closer to truth; don’t question it.
Americans had rejected royalty but eagerly embraced media stars and professional athletes, bestowing agglutination on them that was almost frightening in its intensity.
Those Who Trespass by Bill O’Reilly
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