I should follow Black Country Christian's lead and blog more often.
I've been really busy, but I don't have a lot to write about. Work was fun today, because I was in a good mood.
I think I'm going to eat a coconut tonight.
OK. If you want to read some good writing, read this two part story by Real Live Preacher called "Came Grief and Compassion." Here's part one and part two.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Today at work
It felt like I was at work forever. I was only there for 4 hours. I think that's the shortest possible shift, maybe 3 hours is. But as soon as I got there I wanted to leave. I checked the clock every 3 or 4 minutes which helped make those hours drag on and on.
So a woman wanted to buy some flowers. The stems were wet and they were loosely wrapped in little plastic sleeves. She handed me the flowers and I tried to scan the bar-code. But those little lines wouldn't scan. I tilted the flowers this way and that trying to find an angle and distance at which it would scan. Just before I was about to move on to more drastic measures, such as typing in the bar-code numbers, I heard a bleep. So I finished checking her order. "Thank you, have a nice day, yadda yadda yadda."
Then I looked down. I don't remember which I noticed first; the small puddle of water on the counter, or the relatively big spot of water on my pants. Those stinking flowers! The placement was perfect. My little brother couldn't have placed a better wet spot on my pants.
I grabbed a paper towel and wiped off the counter, and I helped the next customer. But I didn't dare step out from behind my one and a half foot wide counter of protection. I think she saw it though. She smiled. I think my face felt warm.
"Thank you. Come again." I knelt down behind the counter and scrubbed my pants furiously with a paper towel. And of course I had to decide to wear khakis today. I usually wear jeans, and the spot wouldn't have been as noticeable on jeans. But no.
A pleasant lady pushed her cart up and said, "You look like you need something to do." (No I don't! I'm definitely doing something right now!)
I stood up and scanned her groceries. She smiled. Sure customers smile all the time. But she was inwardly laughing at me. I just know it.
I had been wondering what I should do. Should I call a manager and explain what happened and get permission to go clean up? I finished with her and switched of the register light and walked quickly up to the bathroom. Grabbed some paper towels and used friction and absorption to dry my pants.
My pants dried and I finished the four hours. I don't think any of my coworkers saw the spot. So I wont be mocked unless they happen to read this. Not likely.
Stupid flowers.
So a woman wanted to buy some flowers. The stems were wet and they were loosely wrapped in little plastic sleeves. She handed me the flowers and I tried to scan the bar-code. But those little lines wouldn't scan. I tilted the flowers this way and that trying to find an angle and distance at which it would scan. Just before I was about to move on to more drastic measures, such as typing in the bar-code numbers, I heard a bleep. So I finished checking her order. "Thank you, have a nice day, yadda yadda yadda."
Then I looked down. I don't remember which I noticed first; the small puddle of water on the counter, or the relatively big spot of water on my pants. Those stinking flowers! The placement was perfect. My little brother couldn't have placed a better wet spot on my pants.
I grabbed a paper towel and wiped off the counter, and I helped the next customer. But I didn't dare step out from behind my one and a half foot wide counter of protection. I think she saw it though. She smiled. I think my face felt warm.
"Thank you. Come again." I knelt down behind the counter and scrubbed my pants furiously with a paper towel. And of course I had to decide to wear khakis today. I usually wear jeans, and the spot wouldn't have been as noticeable on jeans. But no.
A pleasant lady pushed her cart up and said, "You look like you need something to do." (No I don't! I'm definitely doing something right now!)
I stood up and scanned her groceries. She smiled. Sure customers smile all the time. But she was inwardly laughing at me. I just know it.
I had been wondering what I should do. Should I call a manager and explain what happened and get permission to go clean up? I finished with her and switched of the register light and walked quickly up to the bathroom. Grabbed some paper towels and used friction and absorption to dry my pants.
My pants dried and I finished the four hours. I don't think any of my coworkers saw the spot. So I wont be mocked unless they happen to read this. Not likely.
Stupid flowers.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
22305
I discovered Yahoo! Calendar. Well, actually, I didn't discover it. I was shown it. It's been a tab in my mailbox the whole time. Why didn't I ever think to use it before? Now I can finally see how busy I actually am.
I recently started my practicum for my counseling degree. Three days a week I hang around at a Counseling Center that works mostly, but not exclusively, with recovering adicts. I attend group therapy sessions and the weekly staff meeting and I sort papers. I'm enjoying it so far for the most part. I probably wont talk about it much on here for ethical/confidentiality reasons.
I'm still tutoring at uni (I think that's some sort o' british type slang for university. Black Country Boy can clear it up for ya in the comments if he wants) in the Achievement Center. But I'm only tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I have one student each of those mornings.
And I've been working at Central Market. Yipee!
Tonight I went to Bible study at Olive Tree, the place I go on Saturdays. I just think it's so cool how Bill, the leader/teacher guy, lets the kids interupt any time. No matter how weird, off topic, and silly their question or comment may seem and no matter how long it takes for them to spit the words out, he listens and responds with respect. I think that's very cool.
I thought this was going to be a more interesting and not as generalized post, but now it is what it is and I gotta go and my brain is turning to mush and my roomate's talking to me about his My Little Pony.
I recently started my practicum for my counseling degree. Three days a week I hang around at a Counseling Center that works mostly, but not exclusively, with recovering adicts. I attend group therapy sessions and the weekly staff meeting and I sort papers. I'm enjoying it so far for the most part. I probably wont talk about it much on here for ethical/confidentiality reasons.
I'm still tutoring at uni (I think that's some sort o' british type slang for university. Black Country Boy can clear it up for ya in the comments if he wants) in the Achievement Center. But I'm only tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I have one student each of those mornings.
And I've been working at Central Market. Yipee!
Tonight I went to Bible study at Olive Tree, the place I go on Saturdays. I just think it's so cool how Bill, the leader/teacher guy, lets the kids interupt any time. No matter how weird, off topic, and silly their question or comment may seem and no matter how long it takes for them to spit the words out, he listens and responds with respect. I think that's very cool.
I thought this was going to be a more interesting and not as generalized post, but now it is what it is and I gotta go and my brain is turning to mush and my roomate's talking to me about his My Little Pony.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
In finite
LORD, compassionate, gracious, abounding in love is undefinable. Moses wanted to see the glory of I AM, but such infinite being would penetrate every aspect of Moses. The finite time and space occupied by Moses would be obliterated.
Moses would later go on to infinite time and space, unbound. And so will we. But we must not forget that we are in eternity now. Eternity, without beginning or end, includes now. You are in the presence of the omnipresent God now. Our time on earth is but a vapor in eternity, each moment of our brief earthly existence is relatively significant. If my life-span on earth was a million years, then one day would not be as significant as in a life-span of only a few years.
The infinitely infinite God is interested in the finite. He created this finite time-space world. The universe seems so huge, why should God care about me? But he does. The infinite stooped down and took six days to make this world. The infinite meddled with the finite creation and stooped down to the level of going one-on-one with Pharaoh, he decided to use the descendants of one man for his universal plan. The infinite became a finite human man living on this earth for only 33 years, so that we can have eternal rest after our finite existence takes on its ultimate infinite form.
Through Sabbath we are making a statement that we are not defined by our finite existence. We demonstrate that our provision is not our own. Our striving and building are not what makes our life. We ought to be reminded and refreshed in the knowledge that the infinite one decided to create us, he chose to free us (by the way, the word for Egypt means a tight and enclosed space), he chose to stoop down and love us. Our time must become his time.
Moses would later go on to infinite time and space, unbound. And so will we. But we must not forget that we are in eternity now. Eternity, without beginning or end, includes now. You are in the presence of the omnipresent God now. Our time on earth is but a vapor in eternity, each moment of our brief earthly existence is relatively significant. If my life-span on earth was a million years, then one day would not be as significant as in a life-span of only a few years.
The infinitely infinite God is interested in the finite. He created this finite time-space world. The universe seems so huge, why should God care about me? But he does. The infinite stooped down and took six days to make this world. The infinite meddled with the finite creation and stooped down to the level of going one-on-one with Pharaoh, he decided to use the descendants of one man for his universal plan. The infinite became a finite human man living on this earth for only 33 years, so that we can have eternal rest after our finite existence takes on its ultimate infinite form.
Through Sabbath we are making a statement that we are not defined by our finite existence. We demonstrate that our provision is not our own. Our striving and building are not what makes our life. We ought to be reminded and refreshed in the knowledge that the infinite one decided to create us, he chose to free us (by the way, the word for Egypt means a tight and enclosed space), he chose to stoop down and love us. Our time must become his time.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
ran/som
Exodus 30:12 - When a census is taken of Israel, each man is to give a ransom (a half shekel) so that no plague would break out.
When I've heard people preach on 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 (David's census), they talk about David's pride and stuff. They say that the reason a plague broke out was because David took a census. But actually the problem wasn't the census. If David would have had each numbered person give a half-shekel to LORD, there would have been no plague.
Exodus 30:13-15 - Each numbered individual, rich or poor, was to give a half-shekel to LORD for atonement, no more, no less.
An individual is incomplete (half-shekel) without the congregation. Atonement is found in unity with the whole congregation.
The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less for their atonement. The pious can do nothing extra to gain atonement, the wicked or ignorant are not given lower standards for atonement. There is to be equality in the congregation, we all have something to contribute, and whatever we have is of the same worth in God's eyes (and incomplete in isolation from the congregation).
When I've heard people preach on 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 (David's census), they talk about David's pride and stuff. They say that the reason a plague broke out was because David took a census. But actually the problem wasn't the census. If David would have had each numbered person give a half-shekel to LORD, there would have been no plague.
Exodus 30:13-15 - Each numbered individual, rich or poor, was to give a half-shekel to LORD for atonement, no more, no less.
An individual is incomplete (half-shekel) without the congregation. Atonement is found in unity with the whole congregation.
The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less for their atonement. The pious can do nothing extra to gain atonement, the wicked or ignorant are not given lower standards for atonement. There is to be equality in the congregation, we all have something to contribute, and whatever we have is of the same worth in God's eyes (and incomplete in isolation from the congregation).
Thursday, February 17, 2005
one yeer
Today marks one year of being a boyfriend and having the greatest girlfriend in the world. She's so smart and beautiful and silly and compassionate. I don't deserve her, but I love her.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Momentum
I went to the Counseling Center today. It looks like I'm going to be doing my practicum there. I'm a little excited about it.
As much as I want to be a teacher, I also want to do this counseling stuff. It's okay, I'm young. This is the time for me to test a bunch of water before diving in anywhere.
Hurrah! I just found my contacts case! I'm getting tired of only wearing glasses all the time. I was planning to go buy another one this afternoon. But there they are.
I am planning to go get my phone fixed today. It's doing this thing where I can clearly hear the people talking to me, but they can't hear me. I don't know why Joy seems to think that I enjoy not being able to respond to her on the phone.
My roomate, Ben, got asked to preach at campus days chapel on the 18th. That's one of the biggest honors for a ministry student here.
gotta go
As much as I want to be a teacher, I also want to do this counseling stuff. It's okay, I'm young. This is the time for me to test a bunch of water before diving in anywhere.
Hurrah! I just found my contacts case! I'm getting tired of only wearing glasses all the time. I was planning to go buy another one this afternoon. But there they are.
I am planning to go get my phone fixed today. It's doing this thing where I can clearly hear the people talking to me, but they can't hear me. I don't know why Joy seems to think that I enjoy not being able to respond to her on the phone.
My roomate, Ben, got asked to preach at campus days chapel on the 18th. That's one of the biggest honors for a ministry student here.
gotta go
Monday, February 07, 2005
uninspired
Tommorow's Fat Tuesday. The next day is Ash Wednesday. Those of you who follow church tradition already know that. The rest of you Christians need to get with the pope and open your eyes to the multitude of pagan holidays that you can celebrate. Easter just isn't the same without Mardi Gras.
I haven't felt like writing lately. Well, actually, I've wanted to write, but I don't know what to write about.
So the Super Bowl was last night. John Elway wasn't playing, so I didn't really care. In my mind I can still see #7 making that dive toward the endzone and getting spun around like a helicopter by those Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
This week's Torah Portion is about the tabernacle. When people decide to read through the Bible and start in Genesis, this is where most people begin to give up.
Ok, that's all I'm writing tonight.
I haven't felt like writing lately. Well, actually, I've wanted to write, but I don't know what to write about.
So the Super Bowl was last night. John Elway wasn't playing, so I didn't really care. In my mind I can still see #7 making that dive toward the endzone and getting spun around like a helicopter by those Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
This week's Torah Portion is about the tabernacle. When people decide to read through the Bible and start in Genesis, this is where most people begin to give up.
Ok, that's all I'm writing tonight.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Master
It's been so very cold. And wet. It was supposed to snow yesterday/last night, but it didn't. It takes a discerning eye to see the beauty in this weather, but it has been beautiful. Because God controls the weather.
I sent in my application for the teaching internship. But I still need to find a place to do my counseling internship. I have choices I must make and things I must do. Still God is in control of my future.
I wonder where Nathan is. I haven't heard from my cousin in a long time. Only crude forwarded emails. I wonder if any of my family knows where he is. Maybe I should try emailing him again. That boy needs to get his life straightened out. He's got some real potential. God knows where Nathan is.
In chapel today, the speaker told about 8 stories about people. At about 3 or 4 I began analyzing his style, because I want to be a great storyteller. We are God's story. And God is the best storyteller.
This week's Torah portion as well as my own wandering mind have led me to think more and more that God is The Boss. And we are small and depend on him for everything. We really have no say in the matter. We may feel powerful, but we're not. We may think that God had elevated us to a level equal with him, but we're not equal with God. He owns us. Our job is to obey. We don't have any room for negotiations. No room to say, but I thought we were buddies. God is the Sovereign Lord and Master.
I hear testimonies about how people have been supernaturally brought to Christianity. But I've also read amazing stories about how secular Jews have come in contact with a Rabbi and later became devout Orthodox Jews and were so glad because it changed their lives and they really got to know G-d. Mormons feel a burning in the bosom when they read the Book of Mormon. Buddhists talk about how freeing and wonderful Buddhism is. People give testiomnies about how some self-help guru changed their lives. What is real? What matters? Do many roads lead to God? I don't think so. Counterfeit is so close to the real thing. We don't decide who goes to heaven or not. God decides what happens after we die. He can judge however he wants. In the meantime, he has told us what we ought to do. Just because we do what he told us doesn't mean he has to be nice to us in the afterlife. But I figure it's a good idea to obey God. He keeps his word. That's the only limit on what he's gonna do. It has to line up with scripture from beginning to end. The only security we have is his Word. For those who don't have the Bible, there is the hope for Mercy. But we've been warned. I don't know what I'm trying to say in this last paragraph. But I'm convinced that we ought to obey the commands from Torah. Yet God seems to use people who have aspects of truth, but trample the rest of truth underfoot. Maybe if you comment, I'll be able to explain some more. God is Merciful and True.
I sent in my application for the teaching internship. But I still need to find a place to do my counseling internship. I have choices I must make and things I must do. Still God is in control of my future.
I wonder where Nathan is. I haven't heard from my cousin in a long time. Only crude forwarded emails. I wonder if any of my family knows where he is. Maybe I should try emailing him again. That boy needs to get his life straightened out. He's got some real potential. God knows where Nathan is.
In chapel today, the speaker told about 8 stories about people. At about 3 or 4 I began analyzing his style, because I want to be a great storyteller. We are God's story. And God is the best storyteller.
This week's Torah portion as well as my own wandering mind have led me to think more and more that God is The Boss. And we are small and depend on him for everything. We really have no say in the matter. We may feel powerful, but we're not. We may think that God had elevated us to a level equal with him, but we're not equal with God. He owns us. Our job is to obey. We don't have any room for negotiations. No room to say, but I thought we were buddies. God is the Sovereign Lord and Master.
I hear testimonies about how people have been supernaturally brought to Christianity. But I've also read amazing stories about how secular Jews have come in contact with a Rabbi and later became devout Orthodox Jews and were so glad because it changed their lives and they really got to know G-d. Mormons feel a burning in the bosom when they read the Book of Mormon. Buddhists talk about how freeing and wonderful Buddhism is. People give testiomnies about how some self-help guru changed their lives. What is real? What matters? Do many roads lead to God? I don't think so. Counterfeit is so close to the real thing. We don't decide who goes to heaven or not. God decides what happens after we die. He can judge however he wants. In the meantime, he has told us what we ought to do. Just because we do what he told us doesn't mean he has to be nice to us in the afterlife. But I figure it's a good idea to obey God. He keeps his word. That's the only limit on what he's gonna do. It has to line up with scripture from beginning to end. The only security we have is his Word. For those who don't have the Bible, there is the hope for Mercy. But we've been warned. I don't know what I'm trying to say in this last paragraph. But I'm convinced that we ought to obey the commands from Torah. Yet God seems to use people who have aspects of truth, but trample the rest of truth underfoot. Maybe if you comment, I'll be able to explain some more. God is Merciful and True.
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