Chosen By God

Currently Listening
Merry Christmas With Love
By Clay Aiken
Mary Did you Know?
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[Broken Image]

Birth of the Virgin
Luis Juárez, 1610,
Oil on copper, 39in. x 32-1/2in.,



Recently we were talking about art in my theology class, such as the effects of art in theology.  After class, I was reminded of this painting, which can be seen in the Denver Art Museum.  It is a painting of Mary, when she was born.  Notice the cloud on the upper right hand corner.  It is essentially God looking down on her, and I wouldn't doubt that God told Mary something like what he told Jeremiah...

Jeremiah 29:11-12

11'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  12'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

God knows the plans he has for us, will you listen to Him?  This also reminds me of the song... "Mary Did You Know?"...



Lyrics:

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know.. Ooo Ooo Ooo

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

What if Mary did not listen to God's plan?  What if she did not want to obey?

God uses ordinary people to carry out his plan!  Will you listen?  Will you make yourself available?



God, thank you for sending your son to rescue us from our sin.  We thank you for your love and mercy.  Help me to walk uprightly and to seek after you.  Use me, O Lord, to do your works!  Amen.

Random

Well, things are going great here in Denver, Colorado.

Just got back from Thanksgiving break and got a number of presentations to give this week. One for Research Writing, one for Operation Systems (computer class), and one for Microeconomics.

Three weeks left in this semester and I will be going into my last semester of college, that is pretty exciting.

Well, so I have been doing some reading on Linus Torvald for my computer class and wanted to take notes and offer my two cents as a computer nerd, as well as a place for me to include some of my research.

Linus has developed an operating system (comparable to Windows), but offers it for free. It can be downloaded all over the internet, including linuxiso.org.

I currently run Fedora Core 6 on my computer with Windows XP, in an attempt to move away from Microsoft. Why pay for Microsoft products when you can legally get identical products for free, saving hundreds of dollars!!!? Not only is it free, but safer, more secure, and more stable than Windows.

Articles about Linus:

Linus with CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/05/18/global.office.linustorvalds/index.html

Tanenbaum-Torvald Debate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanenbaum-Torvalds_debate

Linus with Time: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994026,00.html

Linus with Time (Europe): http://www.time.com/time/europe/hero2006/torvalds.html

Anyway, so there's my quick nerd entry. Things with Heidi are going great, I've been greatly blessed by our relationship.

Yesterday, while eating a Panda Express, a lady came up and thanked us for wearing our sweatshirt (on the front it reads, "How can you worship a homelessman on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?" or something like that, and then a verse on the back). The lady went on to say that she has seen a homeless guy standing at a corner the past couple of days but ignored him, and after seeing our sweatshirts, felt convicted by the Holy Spirit and is now on her way to give him a meal. How awesome is that?

Well, off to more work. Hope your thanksgiving was amazing...and remember,

JESUS IS THE REASON WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS!!!

One Year Later - Still Rebuilding

Aug. 27th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit land, and broke a levee in New Orleans. A year later and New Orleans is hardly coming back to life. The economy as a whole in Louisianna is barely running at 50% the usual, and many suburbs/parishes have yet to rebuild.

Much help is needed still, and I long for the day to return to New Orleans to help rebuild. I want to be down there so bad right now, helping and working. When can I return, O Lord?

The Sunday Denver Post, anybody read it? Article after article talked about Katrina, and the rebuilding that still has to take place.

Priority Mail - Check it out. There were a number of articles about St. Bernard parish - where we served!! Still a sad time for New Orleans and the people.

It is a current event, a process that will still take years to get New Orleans a place it used to be. Yes, there was evil and sin in the city, but it was also the home to thousands of people, who now have nowhere to live. I said it before and I will say it again, God was not judging the city, it was simply a natural disaster. Tourism is down, income is down, production is down, the economy is down.

Check out the articles in the Denver post at www.denverpost.com , search for Katrina, or start with this article http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4244065

Please continue to pray for the evacuees, many of which are still away from home, some have returned to try and start over again. Colorado is still a host something like 14,000 evacuees, while other states are hosting a lot more. Many evacuees are have a hard time surviving, they can't find jobs, they can't work, they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and culture shock.

Feeding the Homeless

In some major cities, such as Las Vegas, Nevada, it is now ILLEGAL to feed homeless people...the cities claim that it attracts more homeless and creates a bigger "problem"...

What is our nation coming to? Okay, I can see their point, but here's the problem:

The "problem" of homelessness will not go away if you stop feeding them, or make panhandling illegal!!!! All you are doing is making it difficult for the homeless to survive...and now they will have to dig our leftover food out of tash cans and dumpsters, but the "problem" will not go away: why? Because panhandling and feeding is not the source of the issue.

Before cities enact such laws, they should, and in my opinion must, first develop and implement a plan to end homelessness, and hopefully a successful plan at that...this will cut down on the issue, allow the homeless a way out of their current lifestyle, which is what many of them are looking for, a second chance. This does not mean, however, give them a job and expect them to succeed at it, many of them first need counseling before anything else (and help with some of their addictions they picked up while trying to survive on the streets).

Panhandling and feeding of the homeless is not the issue! The issue is a lack of needed and helpful services to get these men and women (even children) off the streets! Our city needs to quick avoiding the problem and start acting, but not issuing these laws to end panhandling and feeding. The homeless survive off of these (and barely at that), until they can get a second chance!!!! Law or no law...I will be a good samaritan and help a man in need...many of them are our brothers and sisters in Christ, on their hands and knees begging for help...

Check this video out:

• Windows Media Player: undertheoverpass_20050930.wmv

• RealPlayer: undertheoverpass_20050930.rm

You can download it: www.undertheoverpass.com

Read this book: Under the Overpass, by Mike Yankoski

You'll understand my frustrations, or begin to, after reading the book and seeing the video! The homeless are humans...we want to end world poverty, not put laws into place to allow people to starve...our goverment has it backwards...

Summer

Summer is coming to a close...school work for the summer is starting to get a little lighter (down to just one class left)...

Heidi is gonna for about another month...I miss her oh so dearly...

Getting ready for the school year...got some books to read before I am prepared...gotta get ready to pour into ministry leaders and encourage them...as they lead ministries...

"Thank you God for the positions you put us in...and the lives that we get to invest into...Give me strength and guidance as I encourage the ministry leaders, so that they can stay strong as they lead the ministry that has been entrusted to them according to your glory...Amen!"

World Cup

so...both teams that I wanted to go are going...Italy and France...however, now I don't know who I want to win...I wanted Italy to win...but with Zidane retiring after this cup...it would be sweet to see him leave after winning the Cup....hmmm

I hope I don't have to work...but I probably will....sad day...

Other than that....things are going good...and really wet...two heavy rainstorms in two days...that's a lot of water....and soakedness...(yeah, that's definitely not a word...but I am using it anyway)

Italy won!!!

Two goals against Germany in the 119th and 120th minutes....amazing...(that's the 29th and 30th minute in overtime). Germany defeated in Dortmund...Italy to the World Cup!!!! WAAAHOOOO!!!!!

Happy 4th July to you all....remember our troops who are fighting, or who have fought, for freedom....

Brazil is out!

Sorry to all of the Brazilian fans, but yes, they are out of the World Cup, and now it is down to four teams, Germany vs. Portugal and Italy vs. France. This has been an exciting World Cup to watch, at least the games that I have seen.

On to other things: It is a sad night in Kevin's world. I miss Heidi, I miss InnerChange and the OuterCircle team, I miss San Francisco, and I really want to go out there to see everybody.

Also, helped a homelessman tonight who had a bunch of blisters on his foot that were bleeding. Bought a first aid kit and helped him, he was very thankful. It is sad to live in a world that ignored his wounds, ignored him, and didn't even treat him as a human being. He told me he was thankful that I stopped and cared, that I did treat him as a human. It made me sad, and I felt for him.

Anyway, sorry such a sad post, or at least I feel that way, happy Fourth of July!!

Italy Wins!!!

If you didn't see this World Cup Game, you certainly missed some great action!!! Game was tied, 0-0 in the Australia-Italy match this morning, at least until Injury Time. Three minutes of Stoppage time was added to this game, and both teams pressing hard to continue on to the next round.

Finally, in the 93 minute (that would have been 2 minutes into injury time), with only a few seconds left to play, Italian player draws a foul in the box (there was no foul, but he made it look like there was tripping, and scored a penalty kick for Italy). The foul was in the box, and thus Italy was awarded a PK, and when all was said and done, Itlay won with a goal scored from the PK, which sends Australia back home, and Italy to face the winner of this afternoon's match between the Ukraine and Switzerland.

Off to read and work on hw...

My Heart Is In San Francisco

Heidi left today for San Francisco, to work with a ministry out there for a couple of months. Sad day, it was not fun seeing her off at DIA this morning. However, we both know this is God's plan and God certainly knows what He is doing, we must remain faithful to Him, but that doesn't mean it is easy.

Rolled my ankle today playing soccer with a group of guys, that is no fun at all!

Keeping busy with work and all, and classes.

Well, that is the quick 4-1-1 from me, gotta go elevate my ankle now....God bless to you all!!!

Mt Elbert

God is amazing!!! Went climbing the other day...Mt Elbert. Got to the top and saw nothing but snow-capped peaks all around, it was amazing!!! I felt so small, so insignficant to everything around...Ps. 8:3-4: "When I look at your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?" In this case, it wasn't the moon and stars, but the mountains, as far as the eye could see, and to think this was only part of Colorado, which is part of a country, which is part of a continent, which is part of the planet we call Earth, which is only part of our universe...and so on, in the end, we are only little creatures, and when oyou look at everything God created at a whole, we are smaller than an ant, and yet God, creator of everything, gave us this planet for us to take care of, for us to enjoy...and God created us in his image, unlike every other creature...and to go on...the details this planet has, everything to the little sand grains, all from the mouth of God, spoken into existence...God is amazing...so powerful...so wonderful!!! Check these photos out (taken from the top)....





Above is my good friend Mike...








Little superhero man above...
















That's the view from the top...Mt. Elbert, tallest peak in Colorado standing at 14,433 ft. (trailhead starts at about 10,500)...it was one heck of a climb...but totally worth it...the view is like nothing I have ever seen...Praise God for the work of his hands, for this world he has created...and it is only a glimpse of his power and glory...God is great!!!

Class

In class all this week, 9am to 5pm...alright...that's exciting...it won't be too bad...minus the long class day...but an interesting and helpful class at that...that's if i can put my complex thinking aside and come down to this simple way of thinking...

In Problem Solving and Decision Making (PSDM) there are simple questions to ask for every problem...what's the problem, who's involved...what's the solution...along those lines....who needs to do what, when, where, and to what extent...none of this theory analysis and finding reality stuff...the reality is there is a problem to solve or decision to make and here is the process to find the solution or right decision based on the said steps....wow, so simple!!!

The reading, compared to them books about critical realism, self-evident way of reading nature, postmodernism and other complex issues...the books that I am still trying to determine if they really do exist in my hand or am I imagining that I am holding a book and reading it for class as required...is it really required or is that a false reality as well...
now it is about management, the book is real, this class is real, I don't need to define reality, or problems, or solving problems, it is assumed that the meanings are universal and everybody knows the meaning...the steps...also universal and used in all kinds of corporations today...this is a good class and huge for future job applications...I don't know if I can wrap my mind around something so simple without thinking about philosophy and integrating it into PSDM business class....

Anyway...a busy week, but shouldn't be too bad...staying around CCU for the summer, taking this class, and three online classes, working with Summer Conferencing (helping the groups that come use our facilities during the summer), and if things work out...I will be graduating next May...alright!!!!

Theology in Crichton's Timeline

Currently Reading
Timeline
By Michael Crichton
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I finished all of my homework for the rest of the semester on Sunday!!!  I picked up a fictional novel this week from the Library, just a fun read (from my favorite author outside of theology/philosophy and all that jazz)...having nothing to do with Theology, Philosophy, or any of my other majors/classes...it's been a while since I had a fun read that didn't involve any of the above...a novel that only required imagination and not hardcore analyzing or deep thought...however...that doesn't mean i haven't thought deeply...

Check this out:

Background:  The book is about time "traveling" and a group of people who were working on an excavation project in France, traveled back to that era, France in 1357 AD.  Having stepped off the time machine, here was one of their reactions...

...something about this forest struck him as sinister.  He [Chris] turned round and round, trying to understand why he had the distinct feeling that something was wrong with what he was seeing--something was missing, or out of place.  Finally, he said, "What's wrong?"
       She [Gomez] laughed.  "Oh, that," she said.  "Listen."
       Chris stood silently for a moment, listening.  There was the chirp of birds, the soft rustle of a faint breeze in the trees.  But other than that...
       "I don't hear anything."
       "That's right," Gomez said, "It upsets some people when they first arrive.  There's no ambient noise here: no radio or TV, no airplanes, no machinery, no passing cars.  In the twentieth century, we're so accustomed to hearing sound all the time, the silence feels creepy."
             (Timeline, pg. 163)

Amazing picture...and yet true...how often do we take time out of our days to just be silent, and not in the city, but in God's creation?  We have missed it...we live in noise and in a fast-paced, constantly moving world, and very little do we take the time to just stop, and be silent.  Very little do we go to the mountains and just listen to God's creation, to the peace..."Be still and know that I am God," (Ps. 46.10)...take that time...that's my challenge...stop working, stop running around, stop!  Be still in God's creation, and know that He is God, that He loves you, and the creation we miss everyday was for you!

I also thought it was interesting later on in the next paragraph or so, Chris explains the air seems to have more oxygen....what are we doing to this world God created, and to ourselves?

...sigh...i can't even read fiction books without thinking deeply...oh well....

God bless to you all!!!!

SoulForce Equality Ride to CCU

SoulForce Equality Ride went well....the group was pleased with our response and no problems that day.

It was sad to hear the stories of how they are being persecuted by the church. I may not agree with them, but I also do not agree with how the church has responded, with either violence or complete rejection. Where are they supposed to run and find help or love? If it is not in the church, then where?

Some of my questions that I am struggling with:

• Where do we, Christians, (or the Church) draw the line between pointing out sin and showing compassion or love?
• When should we give a rebuke, and when should we "love" the sinner?
• Side note: I am not sure how I feel about the "love the sinner" phrase, John Piper has an interesting point of view on this phrase. Where is that phrase in the Bible?
• John 8:7 "...'Whichever of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone...", How is this, if at all, to be applied to the Church? Why does the Pastor have the right to point out sin and rebuke, when he himself has sinned, or is sinning? Does he have the right to do such a thing? What about Matt. 18, when it talks about a brother sinning against you, and you have the obligation to point out his sin? How is this different than John 8:7? How do we apply both verses when one says we have no place to judge, and the other says we must point out and rebuke our brother or sister?
• How do those questions relate to today and the Church? Does the Church, consisting of members who have sinned, have the right to rebuke, or must the Church first remove the log in their own eye first, Matt. 7? Bottomline question, does the Church have the right to judge, and how must the Church handle the sin of those in the congregation?

These are some questions I have struggled with prior and since the visit of our Equality Ride friends. Let me know your input and opinions on the above questions!

Other than that, things are good, and remember, CHRIST HAS RISEN!!!!!

Homeless Man Calls me Ugly

Only a month or so left of school....

Last night at Fatboys was told I was ugly by a homelessman...that's quite the insult! He was flurting with one of the girls, and I tried to step in and distract him, he looks at me and says, "Man, your ugly." He also said, "Man, I am going to show you how to come your hair, cause you are ugly."

Later I tried to distract him again and he said I looked like the Apostle Paul. He also said I was like John. While walking, he stumbled and said to me, "Man, you don't even know how to walk." What in the world, he is the one who tripped, not me.

Chicago Trip was amazing...and frustating at times...some of the homeless we talked to... like

"Hey, are you guys Christians?....Good, are you going to ignore me like the rest of the world or are you actually going to listen to me." He then tells us that he needs $7+ dollars to buy a meal at McDonalds. What McD's does he go to?

Here's the plan: 3-4 summer classes, work full-time, 18 credits in the Fall, one winter term, 17 in the spring, and then I can graduate next year, and move out to San Francisco to work with an amazing ministry out there, InnerChange. It's going to be a busy year, but I got a lot to look forward to.

Soul Force's Equality ride will be here on April 13th....be prepared CCU!!! Pray for us!

There's the quick update. Been busy this week, had many interviews and a few more for next years ministry leaders, and I had to be at all of those!

SoulForce and Chicago Upcoming Events

So, it's been a while I know....life has been busy.


Reminder: Please be in prayer for our campus regarding the SoulForce Group coming to visit, April 13th.

I leave for Chicago in just a few days...Friday Morning to be exact...wow! I got a whole lot to do between now and then!!!

Looking forward to the trip...it will be great...please pray for the trip and all other CCU2theWorld Spring Break trips...

That's mostly it....and planning for FatFest....which is inviting our homeless guys/girls to campus to hang out for a few hours....get some free food...and just relax...

my dream

So Monday night, I had this sweet dream...

I had a dream that CCU was without electricity for some reason, and it was on the news, it was even on CNN...not sure why, but it was...(and now that I think about it, how would I know, I can't watch the TV, we don't have power remember). Anyway, they announced that night that all morning classes were cancelled, the 8am and 9:25am classes, and hopefully by then power would be up again. So, Tuesday morning, my alarm really goes off, I wake up, turn off my alarm, convinced that classes were cancelled, so I went back to sleep. Yeah, I my dream had me convinced that I didn't have to go to my 8am class, and so I didn't. ooops. now I have to explain to my professor why I missed on Tuesday, do you think he will believe me?

This summer....fasted Tuesday...don't think InnerChange is where i belong, but I don't think I could sit here in Denver, or anywhere, and just make money...I want to be in SF, I want to be at IC, but I can't....God, is this the plan you have for me? Do you want me to stay here?

School...FatBoys...responsibilities....all to overwhelming to even think about right now...oh boy...

FatFest...only a month away, that's four weeks or less of planning....I want to scream!!!!

Homeless things and such

Currently Reading
God in the Alley : Being and Seeing Jesus in a Broken World
By Greg Paul
see related


I still don't know what I am going to be doing for the summer...as of now, looks like one week will be out on the streets....that's exciting....


Got a couple books in today...just "fun" reads...books that I would like to read in my oh so overwhelming free time that I seem to have plenty of (sarcasm, I have no free time, or at least not a lot of it)...anyway, started one of those books today...God in the Alley...

Here's a quote from it that I simply found amazing, and true:

"Society in general tends to dismiss them [people on the streets] as losers.  I have come to see them, battered and broken as they are, as tragic heroes." -pg 9, Greg Paul.

It's true, society views people on the streets, the homeless and others, as losers and reject them...say they are lazy...but little does society know about these people...if we only took time to hear their stories...to listen...we might understand how they ended up on the streets...many come from broken families...parents were drug addicts, whatever the case...they have fought huge battles...some still fighting and struggling...some just need counseling and help to get going again...need some guidance and someone to be there for them every step of the way...whatever the case may be...

Hmmm...do you see a trend in my life?....like maybe I am called to homeless ministry after school....I don't know....but I am praying that God shows me....oh I can't wait until I am done with school sometimes....I don't like being stuck in classes....I want to be out in the world doing ministry....or something...but alas, this is where I am supposed to be, learning and growing...grant me patience Lord to stay where you have me until the time is right and you send me elsewhere...

FEMA, what a mess...

I really don't like FEMA...check out the latest on Fox News at:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184891,00.html
Click on FEMA Fallout and Katrina Waste videos

Hearing news like that reminds me of why I want to be back in New Orleans...reminds me of the people still without homes...the city is still cleaning up...not ready yet for rebuilding...what a mess...

I was also reminded today that I wanted to be "homeless" for a while...and I think that would be sweet still...man I love Under the Overpass...what a good book...

CCU Men's B-ball...what a good game...we lost in over time...but man, so intense...I love watching CCU Basketball...good games....

Gotta work on homework still and be at class at 8am, now going on 1am, gotta run...just thought I would share that FEMA stuff....urrggghh, so frustrating...

PS...new sermon outline coming soon...come back to check it out...

What Am I Doing This Summer? What about Student Director?

CCUers...if you have not been to the prayer room in Yetter, go!!! It is good place to be with the Lord...and to pray for our campus...for one another...or simply to be in His Presence...

San Francisco...amazing!!! I am going back to that city...when? I don't know...How long? I don't know...but I am going back! It was a sweet place. Normally I wouldn't be so excited about it...but there was something there that I liked...maybe a need I saw for God's Word...for ministry...I don't know...but I will be back.

Not sure what I am doing this summer...maybe going to SF, maybe working here in Denver, or maybe going to New Orleans for a while...just simply don't know.

I think I am starting the process for applying for Student Director...pray as things start to take place...pray simply for God's guidance and His will...doing Student Director would give me an opportunity to really be involved in each ministry and learn about the other ministries...which may help me later down the road...I think I also desire for a position to encourage and such...and not necessarily to plan...being SD would give me the opportunity to encourage the other leaders...

Despite the rumor around campus...I am not applying for Student Body President...

There's the latest in life the way I live it...

SoulForce is Coming to CCU

Snow Mass is amazing...I love all of you guys....yeah!!!!

Room 104....next week....same place...

Leaving for San Francisco in less than 12 hours....yeah!!!!


It's amazing to be used by God and spoken through the Holy Spirit....

We had a meeting tonight concerning an issue at the school. Soul Force, a gay, lesbian, bi- and trans-sexual group is coming to our school to speak, whether we want them to or not....the meeting tonight was to discuss the issue and how we are to respond to the group...do we close the door or engage in dialogue. I have seen God work in dialogue in the past, and it has opened up many doors of ministry....for those of you who did not make it to the meeting, let me know your thoughts...and for those who don't attent our school, I am curious to your opinion as well...Soul Force is visiting something like 20 schools and trying to get accepted into the Christian community...

My challenge to CCU and others: Pray...pray for our campus...pray that our hearts and ears are in tune with God's will...pray for our staff and faculty as this is dealt with...that the decision they make is God's will...and pray for Soul Force...again for God's will to happen in this group...

Something I shared at the meeting...something that God put on my heart...and this is where the Holy Spirit spoke to me...I was looking for a verse, just one, about praying continually, and remembered Colossians 4:2, and found that the whole passage was applicable to our situation...it's amazing how God works...anyway, I want to share this with all of ya'll:

Colossians 4:2-6 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone."

• Challenge to campus: pray continuously, devote yourselves to it. There is power in prayer, let's not take this based on our own hearts and desires, but let us tune ourselves with the will and love of God before we act.
• Vs 3 - Pray that God will open doors for the word to be shared, this was a prayer that Paul requested while in ministry and traveling, and in this case, in prison. Today, on this campus, it should be our prayer that this opportunity, which ever way it goes, opens up doors of ministry.
• Vs 5-6
• Outsiders - those who are not part of the church
• We must be wise when we are talking and engaging with outsiders, and in our case on campus, with the Soul Force group, the "outsider"
• What does this mean? If they come to speak and engage in dialogue, we need to be ready, and as it was mentioned at the meeting, setting up informational meetings, forums, and things to educate the campus on what the Soul Force group is about and standing firmly on our own ground.
• This is very true with the outside world, with the lost. If we as Christians are completely ignorant about our world, there is no way we can discuss and engage with the lost on any intellectual level, and chances are they will not believe our ignorant arguments for what we believe as Truth.
• Making most of the time
• If Soul Force comes to visit, let's make the most of it.
• Again, in our modern world and in terms of the non-Christian, when you are out with a lost individual hanging out, make the most of that time, you don't know when that person may depart, and go to hell if he is not a believer.
• Let your speech be gracious, seasoned with salt
• Do not speak in words of hatred and anger, but with compassion and demonstrating God's love. Is there a time to condemn and such? yes, Christ overthrew tables in the temple, but he also was loving towards the people. Love the lost individual, care for that individual, but also proclaim truth with that individual, without words of hatred.
• Heavenly Father...gracious God...we thank you for your love and compassion...we thank you for who you are and the blessings you have given us....God I pray for this campus, for CCU, that we can unite in this time and stand together...that this event does not divide the university...God, I pray for the Soul Force group, that you be with them...with their travels...but God, that you also show them the lifestyle in which they live in...I pray for the sanctity of marriage as you created it to be...God, be with the staff and faculty as they discuss and prepare for the visit by this group...I simply ask your will is done in all of this...help us to make the most of this time...be with us, O Lord...In Christ's name I pray...Amen.

A couple quick last things...I want to clarify that the University did not ask them to visit and the university is not condoning or necessarily accepting such a lifestyle, but this group basically said they are coming whether we want them to or not...and this is where the University is question....How are we to respond? Do we close our campus and not let them onto it...or do we let them visit and discuss with them?

What are your thoughts, opinions, questions...so forth? CCUers, don't let this divide us as a campus...pray, pray, pray!!!!

5 Wierd Habits

I have been tagged by Teresa:

Ground Rules: The First player of this "game" starts with the topic
"5 weird habits of yourself", and people who get tagged need to write a
Xanga entry about their 5 weird habits as well as state this rule
clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next (insert number here:
as many or as few as you want) people to be tagged and list their
names. Don't' forget to leave a comment that says, "You are tagged" in
their Xanga and tell them to read yours.

1. I cannot sleep without some sort of blanket, but I cannot sleep when it is hot either. The room must be cold and I must be covered up.
2. I cannot sleep with the door open.
3. When I use the computer, I start to analyze the program I am using. I start to think in my head how they made buttons do certain things and what I could do to make it run better or what changes would I make to the program. (That's the programmer coming out in me I guess). I do the same similar thing with advertisements, after I took a marketing class.

4. On my computer, I can't stand a lot of icons on the desktop or a lot of windows open. I feel cluttered and overwhelmed. Everything has to be organized on my computer.

5. I comb my beard more than I comb the hair on top of my head.

I have tagged: Zeal, Pamela, Brittney, Lauren, and Claire.

Feeling better this evening...today I was just tired and overwhelmed with everything...but I have rested and now i am ready to go...finish the hw and such...

On my decision: I think I am going for Student Director...still praying though...

Scattered - My Decision and Desk

aaaaahhhhhh!!!! That is me screaming....overwhelmed...

Still, no decision as to the question on the previous post...however, I am thinking student director...

Okay, so I was tagged by Teresa, and I will respond and let you all know what that means...

Here's how I feel...scattered...and look at my desk!!!

What's next for me?

The question of the month...

Question: Do I want to lead FatBoys again or take on the Student Director of Outreach Ministries?

Answer: Praying...

Pictures from New Orleans - Post Hurricane Katrina

A few pics of New Orleans....(caption below pic)


church foyer before cleaning...

church foyer after cleaning...

Nursery Room...

church sanctuary...notice the dirt pile on the carpet...it's hard to believe there was carpet underneath...

sinks in Men's bathroom...

the pile of trash...all from within the church...it was an empty parking lot before we started...

notice the foundation with the house...this is the house in the middle of the street, 6 blocks from its lot...and not a single brick missing...

some of us distributing food on last day in New Orleans...
look at the suits and masks we wore all week...I got a good taste of my beard throughout the week in that mask...and pulled out a lot of hairs...lol, I love you guys Priority Mail...

For more pics...go to my facebook...

Disclaimer: These pictures are not mine, but are taken from another cite, from a team member that I worked with...All rights reserved. Copyright 2006. Lol, just kidding Heather.... www.xanga.com/canadaard

Technology Defined by the Homeless

So FatBoys...it was awesome...I was glad to be downtown once again...

Bad to the bone Mike...a group saw him...this man is amazing and FatBoys has known him for years, except we haven't seen him in a while...he's getting off of the streets today!!! How awesome is that...

Had a guy trying to tell me he was a hacker, was sent to jail for it....I wasn't sure to believe him or not until another homeless man asked him what a mouse was...the guy replied "It's the main tool to connect to the internet." He went on telling me not to use the mouse or the feds will come and arrest me. He also told me not to get online, or he will find out...

The life on the streets, you never know what can happen next...

Next year...I don't like this time of year...now it is time for me to make a decision about next year....praying about it....I have a couple options...also...March 12, fly out to New Orleans? Sounds amazing, but don't know...praying about that as well....so many things on my mind and going on....

1984 - Remember When - Return of the Jedi

Tonight....tonight I get to go downtown with FatBoys once again....talk with my homeless friends....so exciting!!! Been looking forward to this night all week.

So, I got this book for Christmas, "1984: Remember When...." It is basically a book about all the things that took place and such the year I was born, 1984. One thing really caught my attention, an advertisement for a StarWars swing set. Can you believe it? The year I was born stores were selling Star Wars swing sets! Here's the ad:

It reads:
Now playing in your backyard...
Scout walker command tower with speeder bike ride.



Featuring a 4-sound electronic console.



Gym-Dandy brings Jedi excitement to America's backyards. Little Jedi Knights can swing on the sturdy Speeder Bike and activate 4 great sound effects: Laser Canons, Turnstile Guns, Scout Walker and Proton Torpedoes!

To find the Gym Dandy dealer new you, dial toll free 800-447-4700.









That's pretty much the coolest thing I ever did see......

Been busy and continue to be as such....this is going to be a tough semester, but a good and interesting semester!

Reflections on New Orleans - Post Hurricane Katrina

Okay...finally...I am now going to talk about the trip to New Orleans...I am now home long enough too and the energy to do so...today has been very busy, although it is only the second day of classes!!!!

Okay, so about the trip...but this is the short version...if you want more, I can email a long version to you, but I don't want to intimade anybody from reading this post...

The trip was amazing, but it was hard to see the damage without hurting with the people! I am on a team of about 30 ppl, Priority Mail (and I say that with present tense because we are very much still a team). It is an amazing team, the unity we built in just one week has been unlike any other team I have been on. God did some amazing stuff through our team and I believe, and every Priority Mail member would agree with me on this, that God is not done yet with our team. We are committing to fast and pray together, and even talking about a reunion!

The damage, unbelievable, and as one team member said, it's like a dream, simply because it is hard to believe that what we saw was real! Neighborhoods leveled out flat, the whole city completely destroyed...they still don't have electricity, and it is going to take at least a year just to clean up....that does not include rebuilding! My team worked at a church, and our contact was Pastor Randy. He is amazing, he lost everything, except his love for the Lord (including his zeal), and his love for the people. He has an amazing vision. My team gutted out his church so he can rebuild, and then let the church rebuild the city and claim it for the Lord!!!

They need our help still (even if it is prayer, which in so many ways is important). If you can donate, visit www.prccompassion.org. I am praying about going down for the summer (anybody interested?). This was intended to be short, so I am done here, but have so many stories, email me or ask me if you want to hear more detail!

New Semester - Return from New Orleans

Well.....it is that time again....another semester begins!!!

New Orleans....what an amazing trip, yet tough at the same time. Priority Mail, I love you guys!!! (I wonder what others think of the name and such....makes me laugh)

Anyway, I was glad I went and after arriving into Houston, or a day or so later, I realized that Satan had been attacking me....trying to discourage me from going....but he failed! God did some amazing work with our team and in New Orleans, oh what an amazing team we had!

More updates about the trip to come later....come back to read about the trip....or ask me about it.....and for those who like coffee shops....let's go hang out and talk