Bad Choices

Sometimes I just want to go out and make some bad decisions. I'm too dang intelligent to not realize they were stupid, so blatant idiocy is the only available explanation if I chose to make one of those bad choices.

Anything from completely blowing off the rest of school to pursuing an available girl just to make out to spending an outrageous amount of money on stuff I just want.

It is interesting to note that these urges to purposefully make mistakes often coincide with times I am discontent with God. As a friend of mine put it, "Christ isn't going to give up on us," and I sure hope he isn't.

I'm so dang tired of trying to live according to the faith I claim, and so dang tired of being tired of it.

I need some restoration up in here.

Overnight Hammocking

Last night my friend Andy and I slept in our hammocks instead of our dorm rooms. I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty dang cool. However, I must qualify it's dang coolness.

First, it is very difficult to sleep in a hammock, as it is not flat like a bed. That problem will hopefully be remedied next time we do it, with a little adjustment of the hanging technique.

Second, people are ridiculous. First, at about 2 AM, there was a group of 5-7 seemingly intoxicated people that came out to the pod-living structures near where we hung our hammocks, and proceeding to be ri-dang-diculously loud and obnoxious. Also, at a approximately 4 or 5 AM, two people came over and something along the lines of the following:

"Hmm, I wonder what these are?"
"I think they're hammocks."
"Yeah, it looks like that's what they are."

At which point one of them proceeded to lean down on Andy's hammock, which he had drawn over himself and was therefore not visible, to which he replied "Who's there!?"

"Oh F*CK! There's f*ckin' people in these hammocks!"

Which of course was very conducive to sleeping.

Overall, it was good though. Out of the 6 hours we were out there, I slept probably 5. Next time, though, armed with better technique and hopefully a better location, we should be solid for the whole night.

A Music Video

Music video for "Her Morning Elegance" by Owen Lavie. Pretty good stuff.

Tim Hawkins

I'd only seen some of his stuff, and it wasn't very funny...but these two, classic. Especially the Bible verse one:

Predestination vs. Free Will

I'm thinking about starting a blog called "Presdestination vs. Free Will." I've actually already registered the URL just in case.

The basic premise would be this: I'd get a few of my reformed friends and a few of my non-Calvinist friends, and we would look for examples in everyday life that represent our (or the opposing side's) view. Just little things which you could point to and say "Aha! Predestination!" or "Aha! Free will!"

The point would be to point to the fact that while it does matter what you believe, the really focus should be on going out and loving God and loving others.

So, anyone interested?

I Am A Fan of Mark Driscoll

Literally. When I was still on Facebook, I was one of his fans. Here's a hilarious passage from Vintage Jesus, by Mark Driscoll. I highly recommend this book:

"I have never had a suicidal thought, but in the darkest seasons of life I do find myself daydreaming about Jesus' return, some people getting loaded into a wood chipper, the curse being lifted, and the never-ending sunshine promised in Revelation so I won't have to put the top back on my Jeep. In the meantime, the feces and the fan are certain to continue interfacing until the day Jesus gets back and cleans up the mess we've all made."

Feces and Fan Interfacing. I love it.

Quotes o' Funnies

"If Tom Gill were in the military, there would be no more wars."
--Tom

"Get food and do your job."
--Joel, in reference to the conflict between ministry and obtaining sustenance

"They weren't being emergent per sé, but they were asking a lot of good questions and coming to not so good conclusions. Which is emergent."
--Me

"Seriously, Rick went to Palestine and came back with like 1,000 camels. And now they're all over the house."
--Joel

Why Reformed?

I understand there is a balance, but I agree with what he said:

"We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner. But the chief needs of people are still spiritual, and social work is no adequate substitute for evangelism. In fact, efforts to help people will only be truly effective as their hearts and minds are changed by the gospel."
--James Montgomery Boice

Health and Wealth Gospel, Revised

Here's a "corrective tract for the prosperity gospel" from John Piper's blog:



Harsh, but true. John Piper really despises the prosperity gospel. He followed up this picture with this verse:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" [Mark 8:34-36]

Dry Bones Becoming As Flesh

I saw this picture on John Hendrix's blog. He is an amazing illustrator. I don't care if you don't really care for art, you should definitely check out his blog.



I've always been intrigued by this particular passage of scripture. It's one of those ones that I'd cite in reference to the fact that we've lost a sense of wonder at what God can and will do.

I'm almost positive it's symbolic (even though no one has really figured out Ezekiel), which, for someone who often feels like a skeleton of a man, is very heartening news.