Thursday, August 19, 2004

I love da People

I just got back from FCA. I really love God's people. Not the ones you neccesarily see sitting on a pew every Sunday morning, but the ones you see with a smile on their face and good words on their lips. Seriously, being at FCA around a bazillion people makes me feel like Christmas time. You wake up Christmas morning at the buttcrack of dawn, run out into the living room and just look at all the presents. You don't know which one to open first. That's how I felt tonight. You see people that you haven't seen in such a long time, and you just don't know where to start. Gosh I love people. I never want my relationship with Christ to depend on people, but they sure help a whole lot. It does something to you, to be surrounded by genuine people that really care about you and how you are doing, most of these people do.

It's good to have people around you, Godly people. It's so tough to live this life for God when you feel like you are out on your own. I know I need people to dig in my life like a gopher well nevermind. I just need people like a fat kid needs cake. A friend tonight brought up the fact that the Bible tells us to not forsake meeting with each other. I love that verse and I'm glad she brought it up. It's straight truth. It's easy to sin when you don't have anyone in your life to hold you accountable. Did I say that I love people? I hope so, they are great.

On a sidenote. I go to get my hair cut every few weeks. I can cut my own hair but I really do like meeting people at the hair place and we always swing around to talking about God, well most of the time. It's fun to talk about God at a hair place because well, if you don't know, everyone listens to others' conversations at the hair place. It's like living in a gossip column. One time, the lady that was cutting my hair and I started talking about God, next thing I know, it's a group conversation! What a great thing. But one thing I don't understand. Everytime I walk in that place...they say..."Welcome to _______, are you here for a haircut? I'm like, ummm no, I'm the guy that was signed up for the oil change and brake job. Haha. I'm so tempted to say it. I would get slapped or have my ear cut off. I love my ears, cept for the one that sticks out to the side, ok, so I don't like my ears so much....

Monday, August 16, 2004

On the Inside

There are so many people in this world that walk around with secrets bottled up in them. Their entire life is spent with something hidden, tucked away in the crevices of the heart, and in the caves of the mind. Some people hold grudges. They hold grudges against people and are held captive to those people their entire life. In turn, the people they are holding grudges against, don't even know there is a problem. Some people have things they should have told their parents years ago, some people have things they should have told their brother or sister. Some people just need to call their parents up and tell them how much they care about them and how much they love them.

Well I also have a confession. I've been keeping something inside for a long time and I think I'm now comfortable with telling people. Yes, by now, you are wondering. What is wrong with you Justin? Oh well. Let me just say it. I pee in the shower. Yes I do it. I have done it for years now and I am now just going to come out the closet. I pee in the shower. There is something liberating about sharing that. It's 7 AM, you are tired, you stayed up too late, you're in the shower, the hot water hits. Man what better thing is there to do than PEE. It's the way God programmed us. Do not fight Him! Liberate yourself.

This isn't so bad. I'm feeling good about sharing. Ok, I pee in other people's showers too. Not everyone's! But there have been times that I have peed in friends' showers!

For all of you out there who are upset about this and no longer want me to spend the night at your house...there is something you should know. I PREVENT FOOT FUNGUS. Yes you heard it right. Urine prevents foot fungus. Well Dr. Jason Grier is currently researching this to find out for sure. But I believe it does. I met a girl a few weeks ago that also pees in the shower. There is nothing greater to hear from a girl! Umm. Yeah. But it was good to hear that there are "others."

Friday, August 13, 2004

Blue Like Jazz

Yeah that's it. Blue like Jazz. I just read a really interesting book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. If you had to put it into a category in Barnes & Noble, I don't really know of one that would be appropriate. But don't just take my word for it...I really sound like Reading Rainbow reincarnated. I apologize. I do/did like Levar Burton. Mainly the one where he goes to the honeybee farm. Man!

Back to the book, Donald Miller writes just about as random as I can imagine but keeps you glued to the pages. It's a fairly easy read, and I don't read fast. He is very honest, real, and he shoots straight from the hip.

One part in the book, he discusses how people think he is on top of things because he is a writer and speaker. People assume that because he does those things, he does not have problems and his life is clean as well, whatever you know of as clean.

This book forced me to look at myself and who I really am and the stupid things I do. Some of the things I do, well I don't know why I do them, maybe I see other people, I'm reduced to a monkey. I feel like most of my life I'm trying to catch up to the image that some people think I already am. I just want to be myself without all the politics of this and that. I want to read books because I want to read them, not because it's some new things sweeping the nation. I don't even read much anyway. I also learned that everything boils down to sin. All problems in this messed up world go back to sin. If you look at any problem you have, trail it back, follow the lil marks in your life, you'll be led back to sin. I wish I hated sin and I wish I understood that everytime I sin, I trample Jesus under my foot. Here is the verse.

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Yes She Did

There are so many interesting things that happen at Walmart. In our town, Walmart is like a High school reunion, it's the redneck hang-out, and many more things. I've come to discover that Walmart stores throughout the US serve the same purpose. The Walmart in the town I live in now is very close to my house, how convenient.

A few days ago, a friend and I made a nice little trip to that very Walmart. Strolling around the store, enjoying and coveting all the things you never thought you would need, you know, just another day at your neighborhood Walmart. Or is that Applebee's? haha. My friend Lisa and I are just browsing around and eventually make out way through the toy department and IT happens!

Let me say one thing up front, women are a beautiful creation from the hand of God. He created their bodies very uniquely different than man's body. Ok, let me just go ahead and tell you! This woman was breast feeding in the toy section of Walmart! Right in front of the power rangers basically, you have a woman allowing herself to be milked! I'm not trying to be insensitive and I know this is a huge part of life. But now there are 7 year old kids that are walking around with a scar for the rest of their life because they saw this strange sight. Walmart is not the only place it happens. I used to work at an upscale steakhouse and the same thing happened! Table #1 was drinking something that we didn't sell on our menu! At Table 1!!! The first table you see when you walk in the steakhouse! Another time, while working at a hotel, another woman was breastfeeding at the checkin lobby!

Don't get me wrong, each time these things have happened, I have laughed hysterically, but it doesn't mean I want to continue to see them!

Sunday, August 01, 2004

A New Episode of Friends

"Are we content in God when no one but God knows that we have done what we ought to have done?" -John Piper

A friend of mine sent this quote to me. I read it three times to really get a grasp on what it means. Ok, so I read it 4 times :). There is a suitcase of meaning packed in there.

Lately I think I'm learning how crappy I really am, to put it in a blunt way. I don't even do the things I know to do, the things I do, I shouldn't do, and I'm learning how much sin is really in me. You think in your spiritual walk, "As I grow, I'll have less sin." I'm not sure if that is true. It seems that the more you grow, the more you realize how far you have to go to be like Jesus. We'll never be Jesus, but we should die trying to be.

On to other news. Today was a relaxing day, I spent most of it piddling around the house, working on my motorcycle, a neverending project. The night was spent eating homemade icecream at some friends' house. It's amazing what it does to you inside to be around Godly people. I didn't say perfect people, I said Godly people. People that genuinely desire to be used by God and genuinely seek Him on a daily basis. When you aren't around a lot of encouraging Christians, and you get the chance to be, I soak it up. I really love people. I love icecream too, but I'm lactose intolerant, can you say, stomach ache? Dude, my stomach will rumble for hours after a nice blizzard from McDonald's! It makes noises that sound like someone is actually talking. It's amazing, doesn't feel amazing though.

Late breaking news: I love being single. I'm not saying that I jump up and down everyday and thank the Lord for allowing me to be single at the age of 24, but I am glad and thankful for the things He has taught me. Being content is probably one of the biggest struggle amongst mature Christians. Nobody likes being single. To be honest, I'd luv to have a girlfriend and eventually a wife, but I'm surely not going to settle for anything less than what I think is God's best for me. You can learn so much by just watching other people and how they date. You can learn a lot by observing girls in group atmospheres, I luv it. You don't have to go on 50 dates a week to see what you like. Well 1 might help, haha. It's easy to think that God has 1 person picked out for you. Lately I'm beginning to wonder. Ultimately, we know that the Lord knows who we will marry, He is sovereign, He knows everything! But I think now that He has given us some freedom. There are many people we could just settle down with and probably be happy. Is there that one person? Or do we really have choices in the matter? All in all, you want someone that brings out the best things in you, and you want to do the switch for your mate. It's a team, you build each other up right? When God made Eve, He made her to be "complimentary" to Adam. A "helper." It's so neat that marriage was God's idea. Sex was God's idea. And bringing animals to Adam right after God says, "It's not cool for you to be alone, i will bring you a helper." God then brings animals! Hilarious! They weren't cool enough, so He made Eve! Woo Hoo!