Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Wants...

Just in case anyone might be interested in knowing what music I am currently seeking after:
1. Out of the Fierce Parade: Velvet Teen
2. Elysium: Velvet Teen
3. You are Here: +/- (Plus/Minus)
4. Blue Screen Life: Pinback
5. Eyes Open: Snow Patrol
6. Mean Way In: Division Day

I've recently really enjoyed the CD Howl Howl Gaff Gaff from the Shout Out Louds. I suggest getting it.

Changing

I changed some things...
Sure wish I had better design/coding skillz...

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Needed this...

So many times I get caught up in trying to dicern what God's Will is for me at any given moment. That's why I needed this today. (Thanks David). If you have a chance, read it.

Mem Day

Here's what I've learned over Memorial Day weekend:

PF Changs is the best darn Chinese food you'll ever have the pleasure of inserting into your digestive track.

Moving sucks. I hate it. But thanks to Melissa, Mom, Garrison, Brian, PJ Angela and Andi, it went quickly and smoothly. And I mean smooth like butta. I think I'm really going to dig G-vegas too. I went running up and down Main Street today and joined Pivotal Fitness. Pivotal: Because I won't have to pay for a bunch of crap I'm never going to use (I.E. raquetball, pool, basketball court).

The movie Cold Mountain is most definitely a chick flick. Unfortunately for me, I was unaware of this fact and was duped into watching it. At no point whatsoever did I find the plot even mildly plausible. While they attempted to parlay the overwhelming estrogen level with short, unrealistic battle scenes, the end result was...well...bad. But, I guess if you're a chick, you can look past all that and simply fantasize that Jude Law is trudging across hundreds of miles on foot after escaping death numerous times simply because you spoke two sentences and kissed him for 5 seconds.

I miss the lake, terribly. I got out on Hartwell for about 2 hours...but then the boat broke. So I had to hotwire the battery to the starter while I'm standing in the lake. I admit, it wasn't smart, but it was necessary. Not long after the engine started running again, the steering cables broke. Ok God, I get it. No lake for today. Then straight to a Memorial Day cookout. Pics here (via Candice) and here (via Paul).

On a more personal note, I'm starting to learn and deal with the idea of "freedom in Christ." While I had heard that phrase so many times, I haven't given much thought to what it really means. What am I free from? Well, the first thing is freedom from the penalty of sin, but Jesus and Paul (in Galatians) talks about being free from sin in a current state. As Christians, we aren't bound by it anymore, even if we feel like it. On the same token, being a Christian isn't a license to sin either. So it sets up two opposing ends: the first being that we don't weigh ourselves down with guilt and legalism; the second being we don't just go do whatever we feel like doing. I'm trying to feel out this "happy medium" and what exactly it means. I can forgive myself for sinning because God has forgiven me, yet how do I stop myself from taking advantage of that? As to be expected, the ultimate answer lies in my relationship with God and doing my best to "live by the Spirit" as Paul states in Galatians 5:16-18:
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
I suppose what I'm seeking out is the details on how exactly to go about doing this. What exactly does it mean to be "led by the Spirit?" How does one make sure you are being led by the Spirit? How can you tell the difference between your own sinful nature and those of the Holy Spirit? Sometimes it seems very obvious, others the waters get murky. Man, I think too much...

Friday, May 26, 2006

Cookies

Tears came reading this

Baseball and the Current State of Affairs

So I went to a baseball game last night. Yea, baseball. Is it really any wonder that the official "American Pastime" is one of the least athletic sports out of the 4 big 'uns (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer)? Just a thought. And why is it that baseball games must have random injections of pop culture and poorly performed entertainment during the game? Wait...is it because the game itself is not entertaining enough? Could it be?

The one saving grace is that you are outside, and being outside is great, even if you are sitting around eating peanuts and hotdogs the entire time.

But did I have a good time? That, of course, is the question. Of course I did. I did because I was with the right people. I could probably attend a funeral of a deeply loved baby raccoon who had been mauled by gang-banging wharf rats and, with the right crowd at hand, have a blast. Andi's sister and her sister's husband had box seat tickets which is a level of richness and glory I could've never have hoped to attain by my own means. (Thank you) The running commentary on the surroundings alone by all of us was better than 6 hours of watching Clint Eastwood squint.

And that's why people rock. Get the right people around you and any potentially bad situation seems to come out smelling like roses.

Today/Tonight: moving, PF Chiangs, possibly bowling...life freakin' rocks

Thursday, May 25, 2006

LOST Finale

So, after months of missing Lost, I made it for the season finale...and now I'm more confused than ever. Just kidding. It certainly has resparked my interest in the show so I think I will recap myself on all that I've missed thus far via DVD.

Beyond that, the outdoor viewing went exceptionally well, if I don't say so myself. Wings, stars, people, mosquitos, what's not to love? I have some pictures, but it may be a little bit before getting them up. So, here's links to others.

Will

Ken

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

I Mean One More...

Oh yeah....I'M OFFICIALLY A GREENVILLIAN NOW...OR GREENVILLEIAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

One More

So the verse for today on my own blogsite was Romans 12:10:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Such a simple statement yet somehow ridiculously difficult to do in life. That's what is great about being a Christian: you know it's real because it continually flies in the face of what you naturally want to do yet you always have so much more peace living the way Jesus describes. God is an infinite paradox.

So how can I apply this verse? How can I really honor the people around me? How can I lift them up and not myself?
(Yet another list. *sigh* I'm such a sucker for organization and process flows)
1) Talk less about myself, ask more about someone else
2) Tell the truth...always, even when they might get hurt and even when it might make me look really bad.
3) Give of myself to people I don't even know that well
4) Tell someone the good things that I think about them and why. It is easy for us to say, "I think you are great" but I'm wondering what people will walk away feeling like if I say, "I think you're great...and here's why"

So now I've got a plan and a tasking. Now all it takes is a little action...and man I love some action.

Lost party tonight. Food, people, giant pictures of the only non-Simpsons TV show I watch with any regularity.

And oh yeah, I think you're great.

Yep

Man, it feels like FOREVER since I wrote on this thing. Wait a minute...it has been! And although I think it's a mild cop-out to say things like, "Things have been really, really busy" and "man, I just don't have time" I must admit that this has been the case for some time. But finally, things are looking up...in terms of actually getting a social life back.

So I remember back in Decemeber how I felt like God was telling me things were going to change and when they did I would be surprised at how quickly they would do so. He could not have been anymore more correct! Here's a recap since January 1, 2006:
1) Moved out of rental house into house with three other guys...haven't had a roommate in 7 years
2) Sold Jeep Wrangler (..sniff) for '88 Toyota Camry (*sigh*)
3) Went to Honduras/Guatamala, found out God wants me to be a missionary pilot (actually makes sense if you know me)
4) Got moved to BMW contract through MAU with huge increase in responsibility and workload...finally love my job.
5) Just found an apt in G-vegas that freakin' rocks. 10min WALK to downtown Main Street for under $500/month. (I've been praying for something like this for a month!)
6)(Soon to come) Will re-initiate my flying lessons to finally get my license!!

So God wasn't kidding. Not....kidding.....at all.

Things really are slowing down at work and are finally getting into a routine. It just makes me laugh to think that I now have 8 employees that I'm directly responsible for. I mean, come on, IT'S ME!

In other news, I've recently been in the midst of a resurgence of new music. Here's some worth noting:
1) Velvet Teen Out of the Fierce Parade
2) Snow Patrol Eyes Open
3) +/- (Plus/Minus) You are Here
4) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah self-titled
5) Dave Barnes Chasing Mississippi
6) Hillsong United United We Stand