Thoughts going into a new year...

Finished reading "Radical" by David Platt, which was a very good and challenging book. Disagreed with him on a few minor issues, possibly in the way he phrased some thoughts. I recommend the book but only if you are willing to change or more accurately be changed by the book.

My one resolution for this coming year is simply this, though when you think about what the resolution is it's not so simple, that I would continue to grow more in the likeness and less in the likeness of the world around me.

I thought of this resolution the other day and found it to be challenging and attainable yet only through keeping God foremost in my sight and not letting anything slip in between myself and Him. This seems to be done by vigilance and watchfulness of my position to God. It is very easy to allow little areas to grow further from Christ and His call on my life.

Another thought going into the new year is I will continue to cultivate relationships both with my fellow followers of Christ and even more importantly with those who are not in a relationship with Christ yet and look for opprtunities to share Him through invitations to my church: www.houstonsfirst.org and events related to the church.

Looking back at a blessed year

Yes I said blessed year, because this year came from the Lord. Truly it did, for myself and everyone on this wonderful planet. Now we need to learn to live out our days like the days are being done for the Lord, because in truth the days are being lived for the Lord.

My year started out with me living out of a hotel and some on the street yet ends with me staying with a friend who has been gracious beyond belief.

I will have a job with Express clothing again after the start of the new year and for that I am grateful, the Lord allows some difficulties to enter into all our lives, yet He also carries us through them. Never forget that. I have learned so much about God and my relationship with Him this year. The song "Stronger" by @hillsong kind of is like a musical example of how my year went a bit, about God being "Stronger, You are stronger. Sin is broken, You have saved me. It is written, Christ is risen. Jesus You are Lord of All."

I have had an extraordinary Sunday School class, yes still call it a sunday school class, despite the church's changing it to "Sunday Bible Studies" a few years back. Bottomline, the class is made up of, of just amazing individuals, who will continue to change the world. I will have the privilege of helping faciltate and teach our Midweek Bible Study this Spring. What an honor and privilege indeed!!!

Will ask the church I go to: www.HoustonsFirst.org on what kind of apologetics we are teaching to our high schoolers specifically the juniors and seniors as they prepare to enter the warzone that is college. Also hope to challenge our class to reach out in a get-to-know other classes time, so we are not meeting people for first time in times of service, such as at "Houston Project" and we already have a basis to build on. Not sure how to go about doing that, but will chat with outgoing director of our class.

That's all for now, but keep looking for more as the year winds to a close...

More on what I have learned...

Another thing I have learned from a friend, very recently is that either can live in the past or move past the past and concentrate on the future. "Mourn what might have been or what you perceive as might have been or move on and be the man that will get who and what you want in the present and the future." Just a great thought.

I also learned that life will hit you with the past and past misdeeds at the most unexpected times, but expect it and know that you will get past it.

Change occurs whether we want it to or not, what we do with the change ultimately determines our growth from the change. So accept the fact that our life is never at rest. It is in constant motion. Now secret is to figure out where the change is going and either go with the flow or if it is going somewhere you are not up for, figure out what you need to do to change or get off the chosen direction changes is going. I know, very Zen, haha.

There are alot of people out there that have clue to their purpose or that purpose even exists, help enlighten those who will listen, all that we do is for the glory of God. Simple, easy to remember and usually overcomplicated by us humans,hmmm.

Never underestimate the power of a smile or taking the time to stop and chat with people on the street. These people are going through life being ignored both deliberately and unintentionally and just taking the time to say "hey" can make their day. Slow down, if you cannot, then maybe you are too busy for your own good or consistently late for stuff to the point you can't slow down or stop to see what's going on around you. I always allow some extra time so I don't have to rush like a madperson to get somewhere, I know the Lord has things for me to see along the way if I will just take the time to see them.

Things I learned/applied in 2010

First off want to thank my friend ( who I wish was more than a friend) Miss Jessica , who I would say in my eyes is the most beautiful woman alive. She has challenged my faith, my belief system and caused me to desire to grow even more as a believer in Christ and as a man, more than probably ever before.

I read and have had the pleasure of applying a book, which I highly recommend, "Beyond Belief" which is a compilation put together by Ravi Zacharias, of different authors and speakers on the topic of apologetics, which quite simply the defense of the Bible. The book deals with different groups who attack and belittle the Bible, and how to answer their attacks and doubts. As soon as I started reading the book, I got the opportunity to start applying the principals presented. While it was a bit scary, and overwhelming at first, once I saw that God was preparing me and using me to reach people, who may not be reached by others, I became eager to be used and ready to share my thoughts with these people.

I also learned from Jessica specifically that we are given opportunities to share God in a veriety of ways and means that God has specifically equipped us for. Now if we choose to not share God, then He will still reach those people, but we may have passed over the chance to grow the way the Lord wants us to or delay the sharing of Good News with the people God is trying to reach. I think I was kind of blase or calloused to the thought of sharing God with people. I suspect I kind of passed the buck and assumed that the people would be reached regardless of whether I did anything or not.

I also learned the power of prayer in a person's life, again from Jessica, by her allowing me the privilege of praying for her and stuff she is going through. I again, don't think I ever took prayer as seriously as I did, as when a woman I care deeply about, asked me to pray for her. I was affected enough by her, through the Lord's help, to wake up on several days, very early and often, to pray for her and her well-being. I have not missed a day since she has asked me to pray. I cannot ever name a time when I have consistently prayed for someone and not given up or forgotten, until Jessica asked me to pray. For that I am deeply indebted to her. A great deal of my spiritual growth can directed correlated or was caused by her. I think I have grown more spiritually this year than ever before, possibly more than all the other years put together.

I saw that God provides, even when we don't think it is possible, specifically in my own life and being on the street and then the "Night Light" class at http://www.houstonsfirst.org/ reaching out in love and helping me get off the streets. God is always ready to reach out and love us, we just need to get out of the way and accept it!

This is is part one of possibly many "What I learned..." Stay tuned for more to come....

Feeling disconnected for no reason...

I usually give updates, or thoughts on the wonderfulness that is the show #Glee, but going in a different vein today, for that I apologize in advance, for those who only want happiness during the Christmas season, I am not feeling it today. I have been feeling disconnected from church and family for about a month or so and have not been able to put a finger on the reason for it. On the outside everything appears normal or even accomplishing great things for God. Inside, I have felt an intense loneliness and loss of connection with those around me.

An example of this was at two separate get togethers that occurred within a month, one I fixed beef brisket and had about 13 people over, to enjoy some time together. Yet, even being surrounded by people the whole night, still felt incredibly alone and not happy. It even got to the point, that I walked off and went downstairs to get away from everyone and reflect, yet, that did not help the feeling of aloneness.

Then on saturday, at sunday school party, with about 25 people there, still was feeling disconnected from everyone around me, even in a big crowd, and big crowds don't help, been to church at my church: www.houstonsfirst.org and that seats 3000 or so in worship center, and still felt alone and out of sorts, to point, that I was supposed to eat with class at a get together with out pastor: Gregg Matte and just went straight out the door instead of hanging out.

I am puzzled by what is causing this and if I had any common sense would probably really freaking out on my current emotional or lack thereof emotional state. The song "Stronger" by Hillsong helps some, sometimes doesn't make a dent in my emotions.

I just wanted to put this down in writing, just to get it off my chest, it accomplished nothing, but it is done.

Enjoyed the week so far...

This week has been fairly good, still looking for a job but continue to not give up. That would be easy and what I might have done in the past but have grown in that area and don't just quit if things don't go my way. I am reading Max Lucado's "Outlive Your Life" again, read it through really fast, but wanted to absorb the material this time. Also teaching myself German. That is easier than it might seem at first glance, since English is an evolved version of German. Also have reserved a book on learning Mandarin, that will be very difficult I have heard, but I shall see for myself. Blogging like cooking for me is somewhat relaxing, it's not like I ever could run out of thoughts to share and think on, so no writer's block here. Just the proper filter of what to blog on and what to consider before sharing is neccessary. Hmmm. Well that is life on the Corbin-front, just a short and sweet update.

It's been such a long time...

Hope all is going well for you all, it has been busy time of year with all the Thanksgiving and Christmas (yes I said the "C" word, I don't shy away from controversy) planning and parties and such.

I got thinking of Thanksgiving and the hard time some friends get when they are eating less "Thanksgivingy" food than the traditionalist and purist choose to eat.

I can't say for certain what the menu was or wasn't on the original day, obviously there probably were turkeys since Mass. has them up there and probably venison...my point is, where does it say that a meal is any less of Thanksgiving if it isn't traditional, then if you go straight by the book?!? Especially if we are not sure what is or isn't in the book to begin with?!? Hmmm.

My point in bringing up this gross hypocrisy, and it truly is a hypocrisy. If we are gathering together to remember to give thanks for people,objects...in our lives, then does it not follow that if a certain type of food makes a people group feel more comfortable or possibly focus their thankfulness better, why not just let them eat it?

Why the Steelers are great...

Decided to do a blog on why I like the Steelers and why I think they are the best team, period, in the NFL. So here goes.
The defense unit is just amazing, you look at that defensive line from Aaron Smith to Casey Hampton and that is enough to ruin your day if you are an offense trying to get a win, but it only gets worse from there. then you have some of the most dominant linebackers ever to play the game, in fact they hit so hard, the league has to change the rules to save other teams from these linebackers, guys like James Harrison, www.twitter.com/LaMarrWoodley , Lawrence Timmons, and list goes on. Then you got the best safety in the game: www.twitter.com/tpolamalu who changes the way offense approach the game. Then there are all the unsung heroes who keep supporting the rest of D and make those guys look good.

The offense doesn't get recognition that it deserves, for example Big Ben is rarely if ever listed as one of top qbs. but other than Tom Brady, who has more superbowl wins than ben, answer: no one, not Brett, Payton or anyone else currently playing,hmmm. The league had to go and change rules to keep Hines Ward from blocking people too hard downfield. Sad commentary, he blocks which really no other wide receiver does on a consistent basis and gets penalized for it, if a competing player cannot keep watching for people blocking, how is it Hines' fault?!? Hines is a former qb, so for him to accomplish what he has, speaks volumes to his character and determination.

So I get why people hate on the Steelers, their team just doesn't match up to the Steelers, the players don't try as hard as them, and the list goes on. Hate on em, but recognize that they are the model of what teams copy in the effort to get a superbowl ring of their own.

Been reading some

Like the title says, been doing some reading. Mostly on Max Lucado's "Outlive your life: you were made to make a difference" and Ravi Zacharias' "Beyond opinion: live the faith you defend" both very good books. Max's book deals with the book of Acts in the Bible and how the apostles dealt with the issue of poverty. Not putting it back on government or some social agency to ineffectively deal with it, but trying to make a difference themselves. This book challenged me to realize who the people that are "lepers" or those I don't want to associate myself with and to be ready to reach out to them. That was convicting and somewhat upsetting to my worldview and caused me to look at myself and my opinions a bit more closely.

Ravi's book challenges me in a whole different way. This book deals with apologetics, which simply put is the defense of the Bible. The book looks at different challenges that arise from other worldviews: atheist, youth, eastern religion, islamic... different authors contribute from their areas of expertise and Ravi comes around at the end to show how this book can be used to answer the challenges that arise.

Recommend both books, if you are person looking to be challenged and changed by what you read and then go apply.

Our call on our life from God...

Kinda continuing the thought from last blog, that ultimately our call is to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever" to quote the Westminster Catechism. Anything else or anyone else that gets in the way, is quite simply not our call. Now there are causes and areas that call for us to support and bring attention to, but those should never become our chief end or supplant God in who we glorify or pay attention to.

As I stated before, in my discussion with @SophiaBush on twitter, I bought into making a cause my chief concern, instead of bringing God glory and bringing people who did not have a saving relationship with Him, to Him to learn Who He is. May I never forget that lesson. Causes are great and can help the world be a better place, but that is not the end goal or endgame for God, relationship with Him is the call on His follower's lives.

I continue to be convicted, on so many levels, that I need to invite more people to church, to at the very least, extend the invitation. So, as in lots of areas, am beginning to keep a list, to help remind me of who I have invited and need to invite to church. As I have reminded other people and evidently need the same reminder...the real worst a person can do in our country is say no thank you, when invited to church, or think you are weird, in goign to church, so why do we here in America, who profess to be Christians, shirk our responsibilites to share the "Good News" with those around us?!? Hmmm.

Been reading Max's last book...

I have been reading Max Lucado's latest book "Outlive Your Life: You Were Made To Make A Difference" causes me to think as all great books do. I have been thinking back on my discussion with ms. @SophiaBush about the controversial mosque in NYC and mine and a large amount of people's reservations about building a mosque or as the muslims are calling it a "community center." I realized I had fallen into the mentality that causes non-Christians to not trust or believe in Christ's message.

Mine and all followers of Christ, have one call and that is to bring glory to God in all we do. Plain and simple. So my arguing over whether or not a mosque should be built at that site, is truly inconsequential. The world and all that is in it, is of secondary importance to bringing those in and of the world into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

So whether the muslims take over the US or not, which with the way the politicians are making accomadations and all, will be sooner rather than later, is not consequential in God's eyes and those are the only eyes that matter in the eternal picture.

I am continuing to explore what my call is and how it plays out in everyday life. Come with me and enjoy the journey...

Hellcats lesson learned last nite...

Hellcats was another fairly good episode, not quite as good as first two episodes, but good. Seemed to have a similar theme as Glee the other night. Insecurities roamed freely through the whole episode.

Savannah was insecure about her date with Dan, not really going out on a "secular" date with a guy who didn't share her faith. She covered this insecurity by bringing the whole cheerleading squad along with her on a inpromptu group date.

Alice continued her war against the rest of the squad, by "dating" the quarterback to make her supporting guy jealous and ends getting him thrown in jail for fighting the qb.

Marti shows her insecurity over her budding law career and if she can match up to the demands of balancing being a law student and a cheerleader with fighting to keep her scholarship.

Insecurities are a very relevant issue that plague us all and till they are ackowledged and dealt with, they will hold us down.

Glee last night's season premiere...

Insecurities, we all deal with them, figuring out our place in the world, our school,our lives, other people's lives...That seemed to be the theme for last night's Glee episode. I like the life lessons that are available from Glee and Hellcats, don't know if the writers intended these lessons to be learned from their shows or whether it is purely entertainment for the masses, hmmm.

Rachel's insecurity shined through in her desire to not give up the prized solos that came her way, when the new girl she was recruiting for glee turned out to be better or equal to her, in ability to sing and perform, so Rachel sabotaged the girl at every turn, all the while claiming she did it for the team and their "chemistry"

Fin's insecurity shined thru in his inability to figure out his identity aside from being qb on football team, and whether he was anything besides that.

Santana and Quinn's showed in their view of their body's: Santana getting breast augmentation and Quinn's body coming back to amazing from pregnancy of last yr. Quinn reclaimed her position of head cheerleader by pointing out to Coach Sylvester that Santana had plastic surgery and disqualified herself from being leader in cheerios.

Those were just some of the insecurities running through the whole episode and some were resolved, some were wisely allowed to continue to run and will make for an interesting season.

"after 4pm"

After 4pm was a part of the message that our pastor: www.twitter.com/greggmatte spoke on, kinda indicating, instead of diving further into work or something else equally mundane, we should be looking to use that time to work on relational issues and developing the relationships around us, into more of the image that God has called us to.

That got me thinking, as stirring and well done messages often do. Too often in my past I would rather watch tv, chat with someone on the computer or fill my time in some other "relaxing" way. Now there is nothing wrong with any of those hobbies or pasttimes, but if they are being done at the expense or in place of relationships that God has called us to, then they become wrong or incorrect for us to be involved in.

I watched latest Hellcats episode with: @ashleytisdale and @78violet (Aly) and was struck with another great thought to apply to my own life, and to share with my friends, so bear with me as I try to formulate and unpack it for you.

The first thought that occurred to me is that everyone in our life that has repeatedly hurt us or embarrassed us, ie. our family, deserves to have opportunities to show they have changed and are growing themselves. I draw this from Marti (Aly Michalka) and the relationship with her mom, her mom screws up over and over, but still wants to be in Marti's life and be her mom. Marti at first, wants to exclude her mom from coming to her cheerleading competition, but then realizes if she doesn't try to grow beyond the traumatic experiences in her past, then she will forever be stuck in her past and limit her growth.

The second thought that occurred to me is that Savannah (Ashley Tisdale's) character, has come from a strict Christian upbringing, which kinda goes to the extreme and uses religious blackmail to get her character to conform to her parent's wishes. I know that Christ never called for the relationship He has with His believers to be misused in such a manner, but then I realized it occurs all the time. People using Jesus to get people to help with church activities by making the people feel bad or lesser than if they don't want to help out, or can't help. Back to Savannah, she literally has to choose between obeying her parents and their misapplication of the Christian faith or be thought of as a lesser Christian by not showing up for a prayer meeting for the healing of her sister. She does the wise thing and prays for sister's healing right before competing in the cheerleading competition.

I think there are opportunities to gain wisdom and learn life lessons, from all types of sources, it just requires us to dig deeper, not just look at the surface lesson or entertainment value. Watch Hellcats and Glee and see what lessons are there to be gleaned.

Just felt like writing some...

Hey all,
I am sitting here, enjoying the day. I saw my parents and sister and brother in law and 2 nieces last night and had dinner at P F Chang's for the first time. Had a beef sichuan dish, which was pretty freaking hot,wow and wow again!!! Kinda set my whole very being on fire. Tingling all over, fun and painful all at the same time. Haha, I know that makes no sense, but comments on my blog sometimes end up not making sense, in a wonderful way.

Semi watching "Huge" a tv show on abc family. Starring Nikki Blonsky, who is very funny and self depracating in all she does.

Again been very impressed with Hellcats, Nikita and the second season of Vampire Diaries: Katherine is truly one scary individual. As much as Elena is sweet and cool in a down to earth way, Katherine plays games within games. Very much looking forward to season premiere of Glee and the great and wonderful: www.twitter.com/nayarivera she is just so incredibly beautiful and funny in a mean way.

Well that is my wonderfully (totally kidding) and randomly way of blogging. I still am exploring the "correct" way to blog and express myself,hmmm. That looks like a blog entry all of it's own...

Hellcats this season's glee?!?

As you all probably have figured out, I enjoy glee, primarily for the lessons, life lessons, that I can learn and apply in my own life. I see the potential lessons coming out of what most of you all would say is an unlikely source... the CW's "Hellcats." I will do my best to explain and demonstrate why I think this show has potential to bring life lessons that Glee did last year.

Hellcats like Glee starts out with characters within the show, coming in with preconceived notions about the people around them. One of the main characters has her thoughts and ideas about what cheerleaders are all about and how "easy" it is to be a cheerleader. Other characters have their ideas of what this girls is all about and in both cases the characters are mistaken or wrong in their views of each other.

@ashleytisdale plays the head cheerleader, which if played as stereotyped in the past, would have her be playing arch-nemisis to her co-star: @78violet (Aly Michalka). But wisely the show starts out with her and Aly getting into a heated argument over the merits of cheerleading, and probably going "oh I know how this is going to play out..." But then it flips the script and has Ashley voting Aly onto the squad, to replace an injured cheerleader and then trying to learn more of how this incredibly talented and gifted tumbler wasn't a cheerleader already. Ashley's character has potential to be a bit more deep then normally played cheerleaders in the past, as she reveals, when she puts the team and what is best for the team, first, before and ahead of the past argument she had with Aly's character.

I will look forward to this show and how it can develop and show more lessons that each of us can apply in our daily lives, similarly to Glee's lessons on a weekly basis, last year. So watch and see if you agree,thanks.

"Love At Last Sight" book review

The book issues a challenge to those who read it to deepen their relationships and not settle for shallow "Love at first sight" type of relationships that naturally occur.

I enjoyed the fact that the book is not an end-all,cure-all to relational issues, rather the book helps point out areas that can challenge the development of richer and fuller, more God-centered relationships that we are called to live out.

Relationships are a skill and like all skills, it takes time and work to change or hone these relationships. Kerry and Chris help us the reader, in a practical manner by giving us four areas, broken down into weekly topics that we can work on. The weekly topics are: 1) The art of being there 2) The art of acting intentionally 3) The art of risking awkwardness 4) The art of letting go.

I recommend the book for those people who interested in developing relationships that go beyond twitter followers and facebook friends. To go where there is genuine sharing and connection that cannot be achieved through electronic media. To those who realize relationships like life can be difficult and are up to the challenge...read this book!!!

Links to check out: http://lastsightchallenge.com and http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/2010/06/28/sneak-peek-love-at-last-sight/

Touching off a firestorm,by accident...

Evidently I touched off a firestorm, the other day, when I was chatting with: www.twitter.com/SophiaBush from a variety of Muslim/Islamic faith type of people. Wow such passion and interest regarding my views on mosque/community center that could be built on Twin Towers site in NYC. Again I will state my views, I think it is disrespectful/in poor taste, to build a building that has become associated, right or wrong with the Muslim faith, through the hijacking of the faith, by terrorists. This seems to touch too close to home, for myself and a large amount of people who live here in a the United States of America, ms. Bush pointed out that this is America, land of religious freedom, which is incorrect, as demonstrated by more and more Christian symbols and the faith itself, being not allowed into public schools, whereas Muslim faith is being more and more accepted and expected within public domain. Should Islamic faith be considered or given special consideration simply to be "politically correct?" Categorically not, nor should Christianity,of which I belong to, and am active in sharing my faith. Exclusion of faith, any faith, changes the dynamic of "religious freedom" Yes, there will always be those of the extreme nature who take a faith and distort it to their own personal uses.

To those "Christians" "Muslims" ...whoever takes a faith and uses it to their own ends, you will be found out and exposed for what you are. In this life or the next.

I am not anti-muslim or racist or whatever, fun and descriptive name chosen for my views, nor a "hater" which no one seems to be able to apply or correctly use, even that race that quote/unquote came up with the phrase to begin with. I am pro-Christian and a follower of Christ, I am not perfect, nor is any follower of Christ, but am attempting to become closer to the image of Christ and what He desires for me to be. I will not back down or be "Politically correct" another curious phrase, a phrase used to demonstate universal acceptance and sit around pretending to accept everyone and be all-inclusive to the point of ad nauseum. There has never been anyone accepted by everyone and the attempt is futile and the time would be better used in trying to make a difference in the world we live in and not placating everyone's feelings...

Hope my views are better understood, twitter is great but there are times for sharing beyond the "140 characters" and unpacking thoughts so as to not be misunderstood or misquoted.

Attraction/lust vs love

I have been asked my opinion of love at first sight theory. I have come to the conclusion that it does not exist. Let me unpack why...

I believe that attraction/lust for a person can and does occur all the time, that is natural and the norm. We see a person and their body, personality or other physical aspect is attractive to us. But that is purely physical. True love takes time for the reason that love takes in both the good and less attractive qualities a person has and loves them anyway. Love sees the irritating and bothersome quality and realizes it is part of a person's character and accepts this quality along with the qualities that makes feel attraction to them. Love is neither a feeling or action first, in my opinion, it is rather the very character of God Himself. For it says, "God is Love." Thus our love for a person flows out of Who God is in our lives. This brings up another interesting question, that I am still considering, and that is: "Can you or I truly love if we are not followers of Christ?!?"

Love says, "You are not perfect nor am I, but just as you accept me as is, I also accept you." While attraction/lust says, " if you don't keep changing and fixing yourself to keep me interested in you I will find someone else who will."

So attraction/lust is fine for causing desire for someone, but seems to not be there for long run, thus if we build a relationship or worse yet a marriage on this, good luck to us, when tough times occur in our relationship. Shallowly built relationships seem to be doomed to failure and divorces occur, since we nothing to fall back on. That is what I have come up with so far on the topic of is there such a thing as love at first sight. Thanx...

Just kinda an update and some thoughts...

Hey all. Sorry been trying to do an update, but blogger.com has been not allowing me, hmmm. Aggravating.

Was recently challenged by an announcement time question that John Bolin one of the worship pastors at my church: @houstonsfirst, in giving, do I give it all or only some of my stuff? I had to honestly, up till recently, didn't much give anything. Or maybe more gave what I didn't need to the Lord. Can you imagine my audacity?!? Give the Lord who has provided it all to me, my leftovers or junk I didn't want anymore?!? Really struck me and has stuck with me. Now try to be who God has called me to be, to who He wants me to be and striking up conversations and dialogues with the people he needs me to reach.

On a separate and somewhat related note, been loving "Your Love Never Fails" by @JesusCulture. The song is loaded with powerful images of God and His Love for me and all my "running away" that the song talks about.

Currently been watching a few different shows on: abcfamily. They are: Pretty Little Liars with: ashbenzo @Sleepinthegardn @lucyyhale and Shay Mitchell (who is just memorizingly beautiful), Huge, Secret Life Of An American Teenager and Make It Or Break It. They each bring a new and different message and thoughts I enjoy. Yes probably too much tv shows, but watch em online.

Learning to be who I am called to be and not who I am thought to be...think on that and apply where applicable...

Houston Project 2010

I wanted to write this a couple of days ago, but for some reason the site wouldn't allow me to log in, hmmm. I wanted to share what Houston Project is (@houstonproject) and what we are doing to reach our city of Houston.

First off Houston Project is a outreach to our city, by the church I go to Houston's First Baptist Church (@houstonsfirst) as we share God and His love for the people of Houston through Bible Study, Vacation Bible Study, Feeding them nightly, giving the children school supplies and going back throughout the year to continue share God's love and care for the people in the communities we go to. We are currently involved in reaching out to over 12 communities and apartment areas.

Alot of these areas we go to are government run housing projects where people go and almost end as forgotten cast-offs that society would be as happy to forget about. These people are in desperate need of God and all the love we can share, for some have forgotten what love is or worse yet, have no true idea of what love is.

The church gets opportunity to sign up for specific sites, some close to where they live, some places they have served before and some just feel that is where God has called them to serve. Then we meet together and see where we feel like serving within the site, such as Vacation Bible Study for ages 3-10, or SPAM which is the middle school and high school outreach, men and women's Bible study, prayer and evangelism teams or food team that prepares food every night.

Then Monday through Wednesday we serve in areas we have signed up for, with Thursday being the final day, that has small amount of Bible Study, and then a carnival outreach for the kids and the community as a whole.

This is a tiring but very rewarding time for all who help, a good type of tired. My Sunday School class, is in charge of leading a team to continue follow up throughout the year, so the community doesn't feel abandoned or reached out to for only a specific time of the year. We will help continue the growth that was begun by Vacation Bible Study time and help the people learn even more of God and who He is.

Sorry, complete and total randomness...

Hey all,
sorry haven't put up any new blogs for about 2 weeks and I know, thanks to people on twitter, that violates every blog etiquette known to man, for that I apologize.

first off, my take on LeBron situation. May I first say he and Carmelo Anthony are my 2 favorite players. I think that this whole primetime announcement was an incorrect way to handle signing with a new team, be a pro, sign, play well, hopefully help new team to win a championship and handle yourself respectably. Now I know that LeBron has some sloppy unprofessional people representing him and they have his ear in giving advice. The primetime announcement just looked and reeked of unprofessional behavior from start to finish. Whoever recommended this to him only wanted to bring even more of a spotlight to a situation that was only going to hurt a whole community who have loyally backed him from day one and before. I still hold to the idea even with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, he will not win a championship, there is no team chemistry there and they are not the most team oriented players despite what everyone thinks. People will say I'm a hater, I say a hater of what?!? My crew in Denver will be right back in the thick of things in the real deal Western conference.

Secondly, I was challenged in church this last sunday, by Tony Perkins, in his message to us, in that, the leaders we elect, are not responsible for change, we the everyday normal Americans are. Think on that, let it percolate for a moment. The leaders we elect, are just public faces, they really can accomplish no change on their own, they are not equipped to do that, yet we as Americans can challenge those around us to change to become men and women of Christ that we are called to be. Follow Houston's First Baptist Church at @houstonsfirst on twitter, and look at houstonsfirst.org for their website.

Thirdly, we at Houston's First Baptist Church are beginning our annual missionary outreach to our city: Houston, in what is called the Houston Project, to learn more go to our website: HoustonsFirst.org and read about it.

Fourthly, everyone of us can make a positive impact in the people's lives around us everyday, by paying attention to them, giving our time and investing in them. I challenge each and everyone of us to be a light in someone's life, which has the natural result of getting the attention off of us and onto those around us. Thank you for reading this...

Just some randomness...what's new?!?

First off huge props to @JohnIsnerTennis the man should be vaulted up to #1 and left there permanently in my humble opinion. To win a match 70-68 in the tiebreaker of a 5th set at Wimbledon is just huge, to play for over 10 hrs to achieve this is way beyond any words to adequately describe it accurately. Thank you again sir, for representing the United States so well and conducting yourself with honor in the aftermath of the win.

Next this debacle that is the Oil Spill. My opinion of Pres. Obama continues to spiral further and further down. He has shown a consistent track record to not step up to the call in his presidency and in previous times, so why are any of the liberals and malcontents surprised he took so long to "act?!?" He is merely showing shocking consistency in being able to talk a good game and fool the general public into believing he is about change. The African-American community to their credit continues to hail him as their president, purely on his skin color, newsflash, I base a man's worthiness and reputation on something other than his skin color. When I look at him, I see yet another guy determined to mess up nation even further, the fact he is black, African-American, negro,colored or whatever your political correctness demands of you, which it makes no demands of me, I only see a guy, period. Now this guy has done something Pres Bush never did, he bows to every leader of the world that he can find and some he can't find. Thus, how can he hope to implement anything when he has established a perceived weakness in his strength and character in leading our country by those opposed to us, worldwide? The answer as hard as it is to you liberals, it can't be done or accomplished, thus even in nationwide catastrophes very little will be accomplished because those same videos of him bowing are available to those national leaders he is trying to command or affect, hmmm. The fact the oil companies are allowed to self-regulate and basically above everyone including Pres. Obama, rules or regualtions is lost on Obama and his administration. Expressing outrage and anger at a situation, anyone and everyone has already done that, supposedly as President, Obama is supposed to be able to affect more change, quicker than the average citizen, yet it has taken the average celeb and normal everyday person to bring about change.

I am thrilled the US soccer team and I use team loosely, has made it to the next round in WorldCup, yet am convinced we will never win or do really well as a country, in both baseball or soccer till we operate as a team. Rarely does the most talented group of individuals win at those levels, we as a country have some great talent, but almost no cohesiveness as a team, due primarily to fact we hurriedly throw together talented individuals and hope they come together as a team, which as pro teams of all sports show won't work.

Just random thoughts, agree or disagree is fine. My thoughts on some current events.

Glee season finale...what I learned

Watched the Glee season finale last night and came to the conclusion that it is pretty much the best and most dominant show on tv right now, falls into the Seinfeld, Cheers,24, Lost category, it is what everyone, even those who don't watch the show, end up talking about, wondering about...I learned or saw several items of interest last night, so let me dive in, in the deep end as usual...
1) The group: New Directions, which is the name of the group on Glee, for those uninititated or the non-watchers, showed in last night's episode that they truly love and care for each other, kind of a progression that had begun at beginning of the season. They even kind of had a "I learned this during the year" session together as they were watching the year and their hopes of staying together and not being disbanded, slowly disappear. The group went from a bunch of individuals with their own goals and dreams to a team that was unified even in face of guaranteed defeat. Wow, live and learn and watch the episode people, seriously.

2) Unity in face of defeat, sure defeat, the arch-nemisis of glee is Sue Sylvester who hates glee, the glee sponsor and pretty much anyone's dream that doesn't match up with her own. Sue has stated that there is no chance of the glee club surviving through regionals, yet the leader, leaders actual of glee realize, despite a guaranteed loss, their job is to do their best, present themselves with a professional decorum and not back down. How often would we actually choose to stand up for ourselves with knowledge of a sure loss?!? Probably if we were honest and realistic, not very often.

3) Courage,honor and not giving up on glee club, each other and not giving up on dreams. That is just a huge area that I think myself and a lot of other people do, give up on dreams or modify the dream to fit other's perception of the dream. Yet, glee club stood up for each other, stood up for group and stood up for dream that group had presented at beginning of year, to win and do best at regionals. The group didn't stoop to Sue's level and try to damage her reputation or anything at regionals. They conducted themselves with honor and grace, even knowing there was no way she would allow the club to live on beyond regionals, due to rigging the results.

4) Sue Sylvester not only putting "New Directions" at top of her voting but going to principal and forcing him to keep glee around for one more year, going against her original deal with Will Schuster of if glee lost at regionals, they would disband and glee practice room would become her personal trophy room. The heart of non-champions trying against impossible odds caused a change in heart for her, wow. Just a powerful episode and watching full season is a definite recommendation of mine...

Oil Spills, missteps by our gov't...

I have several thoughts and questions regarding the disaster that this BP oil spill has become. To deny it is a disaster is kind of like hiding your head in the sand and going into total denial. I'm firmly on the oil companies in regard to opening up ANWAR to be explored, but not exploited or destroyed as the LA coast is receiving. My question that has not been satisfactorily answered yet, nor do I actually expect it to be answered, is this: why do these oil companies and before you say you have no experience with this problem so stay out of it, my father is and has been in oil business forever, so I have some knowledge, thus I can speak. My question is how can all these big oil companies have the technology to drill sometimes absolutely amazingly in tight spots, places considered undrillable, yet not taken time to develop non-toxic dispersants beforehand?!? People have thrown out it is purely greed that drives them without thought to a possibility to a spill occurring. Yet, there are 14 different dispersants at the oil company's disposal. None will handle the current problem without doing untold damage to the enviroment. Now you will never find me coming down on the extreme and most of the defenders of the enviroment are too extreme, side of defending the enviroment. I will never join that side unless they put that much passion into defending innocent and helpless fetuses or as I see them, babies or even more to the point, human beings. There seems to be such a crazed passion to defend our enviroment for future generations yet at same time we, and I say we, because if we are not keeping abortions from occurring, then we are responsible for this atrocity occurring as much as those who actually perform the abortions, do the enviromentalist realize by not defending helpless fetuses, that those part of the "future generations" are not going to be around to enjoy the "saved" enviroment?!?

As to why I government is not working as awhole, that is a bit complicated yet is not when you think about it. With all due respect to our Pres. He spends more time trying not to offend anyone in the world and finding new people to bow down to, then he does standing up for our nation and working to make our nation better. Now before you say, well your obviously a Republican and am just bashing Democrats, I believe both parties are completely and totally screwed up and people tell me to vote Repub because they are the "lesser of two evils" yet do they not realize that voting for a lesser evil, is still a vote for evil?!? No I expect not. People on both sides have tried to convince me that their party is the correct one to support, yet the way I see it is that if the system has proven itself to be broken, then it might be time as a nation to remove all the elected officials and start over?!? I know it is not realistic, since we are all fallen humans and any chosen to replace the previous officials will be flawed, yet can we as a nation just allow the current system and people in charge to continue on without standing up for what we believe needs to be changed?

I suspect I have only raised more questions than provided any answers, yet hopefully we receive this as an challenge to make changes instead of sitting on the sideline and grumbling about problems we see, without doing anything about it...

More #FF to follow

Then there is @ninadobrev @CandiceAccola @KatGraham @IanSomerhalder or some from #VampireDiaries all incredible in their own way, of course my heart belongs to @ninadobrev. Nuff said bout that, haha.

Some from the Make it or break it crew or #MIOBI as it is hashtagged on @twitter: @CassieScerbo @ChelseaHobbs and ms @josloren if I had to choose, don't think I could name my fav from those 3, just amazingly cool chicks.

@marily2500 she always someone for you to help promote or follow, but it is rare that they are not worth checking out and following, plus she helps you get followers.

Oh my girl @BobbiBillard since she is the one who turned me onto blogging, w/o her none of this is possible, and she is just a down to earth supermodel who I really and truly enjoy!!!

Two ladies that will keep you all guessing in a good way, of what trouble or fun, depending on how you see it, is ms. @ambermeade and @Sarah_Michaels they combine to be a deadly combination of fun and "how did they manage that?!?" in all they do,haha

A young woman to follow, not overly well-known, yet...she is just an incredible singer, started out doing covers and now sings with Justin Timberlake. So go follow: @esmeeworld she will knock ur sox off with her passion and ability to sing her lil heart out!!!

Some of my my #FF

Just a partial list and some reasons why I follow/followed by these people. This is not a completed list, as usual sure I will miss someone, not intentionally.
My first follow is @adventuregirl she is one of my oldest follows/followers. Plus she is just darn cool. Tweets from all over, wherever she happens to be at the moment tweeting out helpful tips for travel,life and everything in-between. All the first follows have been following/me following for awhile.

@CarinaK an amazingly talented singer out of Miami, though she ends up in CA all the time too, beautiful, charming and a fast-rising talent. Expect she will be a natinal, then worldwide talent before too long, yet incredibly down to earth in who she is.

@ChantellePaige been with her since #myspace days, where to start?!? Well she is another one of those fast-rising musical talents who is warm and kind in her tweets, much more to her than just music, so go follow, catch her blog and see the woman she is.

@NorCalChika she is impossibly beautiful, musically diverse, does some DJ'ing and is really funny in her tweets. Loves her jager, but loves life even more. Brings a smile everytime I see her on #twitter.

@ItsKimMartin both she and @g0tbliss are great women, two friends who share a small pic into their lives with their tweets, they are another pair, who are more than their professions and obvious passions.

@Kristinia Kristinia DeBarge probably could have rested on her musical-legendary family name and done alright for herself, but she challenges herself musically, as well as her fans through her songs and videos.

@Gavin_DeGraw He is easily one of my favorite singers, just touches my cold-heart (kidding bout the cold-heart) with his songs of life, that reach out of his own experiences.

@bep hey it's the Black-Eyed Peas just a funny group that has an amazing gift to produce songs that reach across people groups, age ranges and life in general to be hit after hit.

@DaveMatthewsBnd alongside with Van Halen they remain as all-time favs, people hate on Dave cause he produces hits and has his own viewpoint that won't be silent or match-up with people's desires.

So this is part one of hmmm....however long it takes to "git er done"

Are you close to your family?!?

That was the question posed to me by a complete, well not complete, but pretty much a stranger, last night. I was at a loss of how to answer this particular question, it would have been a simply a yes, as recently as a couple of weeks ago. But life and circumstances have changed and not for the better. It started out innocently enough, a saturday and my sister calling my cell and leaving a message that she and the fam might come down to my place of work to see me. Which would be all well and dandy, if I was still employeed there, which I wasn't, but hadn't had the heart to tell them yet. So next message I get is that my sister had gone ahead and gone to my old work place and asked for me and they said he doesn't work here. So she promptly called my dad who left a bunch of messages and emails.
This is where it gets tricky, since my sister didn't mean to "bust" me on not telling them I wasn't working there anymore, but she has done this before, "innocently" checking up on me. So I haven't talked to any memeber of my family for over 2 weeks, and currently have intention of ever talking to them again. Think it will be best for all concerned.
So, to answer the guy who out of the goodness of his heart stopped and picked me up to help stop me from walking all the way to find somewhere to sleep which was bout 2 1/2 miles away after I had already walked 3 miles was nice. But hard to answer w/o getting into details I wasn't comfortable sharing with a virtual stranger. This blog unfortunately has been a more poor me, life is tough, then I meant it to be and for that I apologize. oh if you hadn't seen it I pretty much blog the same way I talk, so as you read it, if u read it outloud, this is how I talk,haha. Pretty neat,huh?!?
Again, I find myself drifting back to two songs that are floating around in my head: T.I. "Live Your Life." And "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner. Next time I do karaoke I will do "I Want..." for sure, Lou Gramm style of the later years, kinda gospelly and raspy,haha. "I want you to show me, I want to feel what love is" And with that I'm out...

Lessons to learn the easy way

I call this lessons to learn the easy way as opposed to getting the opportunity to learn them the hard way. The hard way is going to hurt both physically mentally and emotionally. On that you can almost be certain.
1) Life is unfair, never assume otherwise, it will be easier for some around you, those who get by on looks, by cheating, through their connections...whatever. Still expect this and anticipate the fact. This knowledge will keep you pressing on despite the desire, the overwhelming desire to complain, whine or whatever else there is to do, except for the task at hand. But in those times that you want to do something else or give up, DON'T!!! This is the time to push forward even harder and show that you are made of tough stuff, not prone to crying and giving up, just because things haven't gone as you planned them.
2) Keep up a good working relationship with all those around you. Let me unpack this one for you. By this I mean, develop the relationships that God puts in front of you, all of them, not just the one's that seem easy or the people you have the most in common with. I say this, for the reason that you never know who's help you may need in the future and those you may have alot in common with right now, may be nothing like you in the future.
3) While there are no true guarantees in his world, hard work and perseverance usually pays off in you achieving your goals, so set your goals high and then start striving for them. If you find that you cannot achieve this goal for a reasonable reason, then don't be afraid to sit down, consider if your passion is still leading you in the direction you are currently going or if there is a new direction you are being called towards.
4) Being afraid when you are doing something new or getting ready to do something new is normal. But don't allow that fear to paralyze you and cause you to miss out on the experience. There are countless great examples both current and in our glorious past of people overcoming the fear and achieving greatness, do not be afraid to follow in their footsteps.

This will a multi-part series of blogs I can tell, cause sure I will think of more lessons to learn easy way.

Why I'm obsessing on Boston's song "I Need Your Love"

My blog is on...wait for it...wait for it... the rock band, hard rock, progressive rock, this is how wikipedia described them: Boston. And their song "I Need Your Love." Now if you have been with me since early yesterday 5/17/2010, you noticed I started chatting non-stop about this song and group. Probably to the point, you all were like alright SHUT UP about Boston and their wonderful song: "I Need Your Love" already!!!
I think possibly I'm obsessing on it, since it takes me back a more stable less frentic less rushed time in my life. Kinda comfort song for the soul, as it were. The song is a sad song of goodbye to a girl that a guy is realizing is gone. But the music is complex and beautifully placed. A challenge to keep up with. The song is a relative newer one, compared to the one's I know from 70's and 80's, but is in same vein that put Boston on the map alongside Aerosmith.
"I Need Your Love. I want you everyway. I need your love. Can't help this feeling coming back everyday." See just a classic chorus that will have you singing along!!!
I am hoping this song will knock me out of my current funk and help me get my rear in gear. A recharged optimism as it were. Funny how a song takes on a life of it's own to each one of the listeners, and how it might be different for them each time they listen. What a power musicians have and responsibility.

Life is a funny thing...

Maybe it's a continued thought of last blog on being homeless and hopeless, or maybe it's an off-shoot going somewhere else entirely. I know at least part of this goes to the homeless section of my blog. That is the circular trap I'm in at the present moment. No job = no place to stay = no feelings of stability. I feel stuck in this, possibly due to the fact my rheumatoid arthritis causes me to wear down even more and sleeping on bus stop benches probably isn't conducive to a goodnight's rest either.
A person who is homeless well three of them rather, attempted to jump me and take my money and backpack. I simply said, boy did you three idiots go after the wrong person, a guy with no future, no job, no place to stay. In essence, nothing to lose. They walked away and left me to my thoughts, dark and gloom-filled as they were.
Let me set the record straight, I'm not suicidal or anything, but lack a purpose or reason to go on living. So if I were to die, it would be ok. This makes me a bad person, sometimes the most deadly to mess with, for a person with nothing to lose will do whatever it takes or cost to beat the other person. And they will go after their enemy with a ferocity that cannot be rivaled.
That being said, I am struggling with idea of God watching over me and protecting me and just allowing me to suffer on the street. So, I vacillate between belief in God and a pure belief in myself and that I'm the only person who is going to look after me. Equally, probably will cut off communications with the rest of the family for good. Just seems like nothing good will ultimately come of my staying a part of the family. In process of deciding if moving away, getting new SS number and DL would help me disappear for good as far as family is concerned.
I think I'm probably just rambling now, but have learned that life is hard and anyone saying different has forgot true life or never lived it.

Homeless and hopeless in Houston

Well decided to do this blog, ever so reluctantly, while walking out of the downtown area in Houston. Why was I walking and not riding in car or bus, you ask? No money to do either. So I was walking up to an area that is less frequented by homeless and less likely to disturb me or whatever. I don't have a job,no place to stay and feeling of hopelessness is there, but still I press on, for the fellow followers of Christ, they say it's God's strength carrying me, but I say different. It is my strength carrying me along. Having gone hungry for last 4 days I see no sign of God in the equation at all. He seems to have deserted me, which upon reflection, is fine by me.

I write this blog, kind of as a last will and testament, since death is inevitable with me having rheumatoid arthritis thus weakening the immune system, further without food and limited access to water, death seems to be coming sooner rather than later. Which is equally fine.

Have I accomplished all I have set out to do? No, but no one ever does and what I have done, I have done well. Made an impact in lives beyond my own. And really that is all we can ask for.

Remember we are only given one life, possibly with several do-overs, by that I mean second chances, not re-incarnation. Use the life that you are given, don't let it use you. "What we do in life echoes in eternity"

Glee part 2,hmmm

Watched Glee last night, have kind of fallen in love with the show, and @msleamichele and @alittlelamb (Dianna Agron) two absolutely stunning beauties. Think that Lea Michele has the most pure and incredible voice I have heard in a long time. Just mesmorizes me, everytime I hear it. Listening to "Don't Stop Believing" by the cast of Glee, just a great new version, that will probably be as iconic as the original is and was.

I enjoy the show, or continue to enjoy it, because of the complexities of the show, singing and dancing one moment and discussing the reason for being unpopular the next, without missing a beat. I don't think that there are alot of actors that can do what these young people do, week in and week out. It's the whole acting thing, that alot of actors struggle with and then you throw the dancing and singing in on top of it,wow!!!

The show gets my vote for best new and best show on TV right now, know alot will disagree, but with all they do on the show, it keeps it fresh and unpredictable and new for new fans to enjoy. Their version of "Don't Stop Believing" and "Ice Ice Baby" revive the songs and make them completely relevant once again. So rock on Glee, I will continue watching!!!

Mickey D's and randomness

Watched the finale for Bachelor last night, several thoughts occurred to me, none favorable toward the show, so for those who love bachelor, you may want to stop reading, but if you can stand criticism and questioning of the show, continue reading.

First, the word Love is tossed around way too casually and too much. The guy Jake must have said the word 100 plus times on the 3 hr show. Not to mention the times the ladies said it. At on point, he said that he loved both women. Impossible says I. He confused attraction and desire for love. Easy to do, love is a deeper commitment, given to one person, not multiple persons as happens on bachelor, this is why show participants never survive in the relationships that occur on show and probably never will...substituting attraction and desire for love and building on those. Physical attraction is great, but building on it as Jake did with one girl, just b/c she has breasts and butt and used them to desire her is no way to strengthen a relationship. Tenley had beauty, character, charm and more to offer than a stripper's body and not muc else as other girl did.

Second, both girls showed desperation on a show that feeds off those emotions and for a "reality" show, how real is it for 25 of one sex to be pursuing 1 of the other sex?!? Doesn't happen, naturally and realistically there might be several relationships going, but really maybe one or two leading to more serious level, not 25 and eliminating on down. Reality shows are not remotely grounded in reality, so understand appeal there, it gives average looking girls opportunity to live out fantasy through favorite contestants.

Ok onto fun topic: Mickey D's. Was in there around 7 am , getting sausage egg mcmuffin w/cheese and coffee. Sat down, watching people come and go, rushing to wherever they needed to be, so much hurrying. Anyways, this guy in a wheelchair comes up, and starts chatting me up, and askign what I was up to. He then needed a cup of water to take some pills with and asked a guy who worked there for one, guy says there's a charge, guy asks why and wants to talk to mgr. Mgr ignores him, so he asks to use my phone and calls and asks for corporate number, but getsd owner's number instead. Now it would have been easier and is going to be less messy to just give guy cup of water, but McDonald's will be stupid and kinda typical for businesses today and not give good customer service. Why, because it can, simply through fact people don't complain enough to make change, but from determination, similar to my own on problems like this, the guy who was angry, is going to make effort to bring this to people's attention. Well looks like you will be getting some real bad press Mickie D's. Sloppy, but typical. Customer service is a misnomer, it's what's best for company first and foremost and that is sad commentary on life today.

Do we Americans and Christians feel we are entitled?

Thought of this as I listened to two people in front of me on the bus argued. They were angry because the government had lowered their amount of money given to them each month since one had gotten a job. They felt the government owed them money from time they were unemployed. Never mind that the government had been paying them falsely for Hurrican Rita claims that they had said they had damages, but don't even own the house they were claiming on. Still the people were arguing on the phone with agent from disability that they should continue to receive same amount of money regardless of even if both people got jobs.

I open with that, to say I think we as Americans have bought into the belief, that purely because we are in America, everything should be given to us or easy for us to achieve. Life is hard, God declared when Adam and Eve sinned, that working the soil, aka. work in general would be difficult and hard as opposed to enjoyable and easy before the original sin. For more on that look at Genesis 3 I believe.

When did we are Americans and we deserve whatever you can give us and we can take from you replace we are Americans and we work harder than any other country to be the best at all we do?!? Let me unpack this: My question is when did our nationality and purely who we see ourselves as become more important than good hard work? I have thought about this a little, and can't really pinpoint the exact time this occurred. I know I constantly hear African-Americans,blacks saying how they wish they were in the NBA or making that kind of money. Yet at same time they are unwilling to get regular job or put in effort to get to the NBA.

I expand this now to followers of Christ, when did we believe that Christ will automatically change us and make us into His image once we started following Him? Christ Himself says that life as one of His followers will be difficult to the point of death, yet, lots of us say oh life will be easy as a Christian and my becoming like Christ in character will be accomplished easily also. If the Apostle Paul felt basically unaccomplished at becoming like Christ in character and felt like he had a long ways to go to be like Christ, who are we to assume we will ever have "gotten there?" Christian life like any other life is one that is a journey, journey's are rarely ever accomplished right away, or finished without effort.

So I think we do believe we are entitled as a nation, but should make the effort to get back to made our country great to begin with. Hard work, sacrifice, looking out for those around us not just ourselves, not hustling but being honest in our work. Speaking out against social injustices instead of assuming someone else will take care of problem. We can be great nation again, just going to take some good hard work.

Random thoughts...what's new?!? haha

Well went to church with my sister and brother in law and two adorable nieces. My brother in law, who kinda had no interest in church a few years ago, was raving bout how great the pastor and worship time was. The service was well done and can see the appeal that the church has for them. I go to Houston's First Baptist Church, who you can follow at @Houstonsfirst or go to site: houstonsfirst.org. Was pleased that all of my sister's family has found a church they enjoy and can relate and grow in. Think that God can do all things, sometimes it is not in our time or the way we expect, but that's what makes Him God.

God works in our lives when we are His followers, in ways we don't see or expect. Sometimes it is in huge and dramatic ways, sometimes almost completely behind the scenes. Still He works. I have learned the hard way to never put a time table or limit on what God is doing or going to do. He is just not someone to put in a box or label.

Labeling those around us sometimes works and is ok with them, but just doesn't fly with God, purely because He is so much greater than anything we can imagine or even begin to describe. So I do the best I can in describing Him but know that it falls completely short of Who He truly is.

I know that His work in my life is not done or complete, for the fact I am not perfect or anywhere He desires me to be. I sometimes wish He would pick up the pace or finish up already, but He quietly says no, you are right where I want you to be, so be satisfied and allow me to shape your heart mind and soul into a clear image of Me.

My take on health insurance and other govt organizations

I was asked what I thought of the health care reforms that are possible and should the government become involved.

My first thought is this: we as a country have become more and more a country following the Utopia "dream" I say dream because that's what it is. Basing our life and future on the ideal that takes the humanity and free-will out of the equation. Really going to have to unpack this one. Been reading Chuck Colson's book "How Now Shall We Live" There is sections in there on health care and other current topics that are controversial and this book was written 11 years ago. Yet it could have been written today for how prophetic it is.

This pipedream that our current leaders of our country have bought into, is just a new and improved version of Utopia. The idea is flawed in that people who believe that if conditions are correct and people taught correctly then Utopia will occur and that if Utopia doesn't occur that the system and thoughts just need a little tinkering with. The reason or one of the reasons that system is flawed is that utopia removes personal responsibility and moral compass from equation and tells the people to rely on system and government to "save" them. Throwing more and more government run agencies to create utopia doesn't create desired result, just separates people from ownership of what is given them. For example, government provided housing, supposed to create personal utopia for people living there, but instead separates them from ownership and they don't take care of property, protect the neighborhood from undesirables like drug dealers and criminals. So much for utopia. To me, and this is my opinion and only that, people seem to thrive under more moral responsibility and ownership of what they do, than to not have that at all. Probably has to do with the way God hardwired us or something.

Think on the controversial topic of abortion for a sec and how much government has "improved" that sector of life, bit ironic there, that abortion is a section of life or the ending of it rather. Think one of major reasons that abortion has not been re-outlawed is that we strip or allow the stripping away of the humanity of the baby being aborted. Now it might be a fetus or unwanted "complication" that needs to be dealt with. Nothing more. Kind flys in the face of what we are all pursuing according to the constituition of "Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" Eliminates that as an option for the baby being aborted, doesn't it?!?

This is why utopia will never work, those being brought up to the level of the rest of society are thought of as victims of circumstances, people holding them down...and all other excuses that people give as to why they don't succeed in the system provided. Again, if current system or idea doesn't work, then government throws another idea at people, continuing to not require personal moral responsibility from people being "helped" If system is flawed then throwing as many programs at people will never work, no matter how much government hope it will.

Colossians 1:16-end of chapter

This is kind of an overview of what a friend spoke on at First Baptist in the Heights, here in Houston, last night. His twitter acct is @afshinziafat and he is a definite good person to follow. With that here goes the main points and small summary of what he said:
1) Jesus brings the personal of God to us in His very form. Thus it is not legalism or Gnosticism or any other ism that will bring you closer to God, it's all about Jesus and what He does to bring us to God.
2) Jesus is Firstborn in rank or Sovereignty. All that is has come through Christ. Thus it is a slap in the face to worship creation and take our eyes and worship of the Creator. Interestingly Afshin pointed out something I hadn't noticed, but is completely true. The 1st and the 10th commandment are essentially dealing with or are the same topic. That is that 1st: You shall have no gods before me and 10th: don't covet... Hmmm. That being said, "All that we run after are poor gods in comparison with the One True God"

3)"For Him" this small section seems to get skipped over or ignored. Yet it is a key point to understanding how to deal with life's struggle against materialism or any other ism that we put before God. Everything was created for God. The end, period. Nothing more needs to be said.

4) Everything that is, is held together by Him:Jesus. So without Christ in my life, it goes into chaos. So great as anything else is, without Christ it ultimately comes up meaningless.

5) Jesus brings an ultimate level of reconciliation to us from God!!! By this I mean Jesu restores us in spiritually with God our Father and Creator.

Why I follow people on twitter and friend people on facebook

Thought of this new blog while on the way to Popeye's today for their tuesday special, love that chicken from Popeyes,haha. This blog is on why I think that I and others have for following people on twitter and also friending people on facebook.

This is my two cents, not scientifically verifiable or anything, so don't be using this as actual fact or anything,haha. I think we as a people are social in everyway shape and form. So the minute that Myspace came along it gave us an opportunity to reach out across the world literally and sort of get to know people from places we had never been before or possibly even seen.

Then facebook came along and helped find friends, acquaintances from long ago, people we had forgotten about, or wondered "I wonder whatever happened to..." So the social connection moved a step further. Now it offers us an opportunity to connect, play games with and "be" with 24/7, 365days a yr. Now this ofcourse should not take the place of actual human contact and going out with "real" people that are in your lives daily, but does allow us to keep in contact with some people who we might not have any other way to talk to otherwise.

Twitter seems to take this a step further and also forces us to think before writing or...we may run out of the 140 characters and have to do a new update,haha to finish our thou..ght,see it will help us not just throw out whatever is on our minds. Plus we connect with celebrities we enjoy, sports figures and again people all over the world to see a peek at what they are all about. So social networking, socializing, whatever your politically correct venacular calls for is healthy and filled with endless possibilities. So enjoy, use the resources, but don't let the resources use you or take the place of going out and being with friends and family right there to be met with.

Some of my favs,not exhaustive,haha

Asked about what some of my fav books,authors, movies, celebrities, music...you get the idea,haha. Well here goes:
Music is easy: @davematthewsbnd is my fav, followed by Van Halen, @taylorswift13 @NickiFoxxMusic @ChantellePaige @CarinaK @GDGOfficial (Gavin DeGraw) @bep (black-eyed peas) Brooks and Dunn, U2 and a few others.

TV shows: Leverage,Burn Notice, all the CSI's, Criminal Minds, White Collar, Gossip Girl with @itsJessicaSzohr, Vampire Diaries (dream date is Nina Dobrev, she is sooooooo hot,haha) House, and Bones, kind of all over the place, I know.

Movies: Twilight series, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Spiderman series, new Star Trek, X Men series, Tombstone ("Why Johnny Tyler, you madcap, where you going with that shotgun?") Gladiator, Man on Fire and a few others.

Celebrities: @Schwarzenegger @Brittanysnow Blake Lively, Jessica Szohr, Nina Dobrev (@ninadobrev), Hugh Laurie, Jennifer Morrison and a few others, see not totally an exhaustive list.

Christian music I like : @ChrisTomlinband @DavidCrowderbnd,Hillsong, Charlie Hall, @louiegiglio (one of leaders of #Passion movement) @matt_redman and Caedmon's Call all of em are incredible musicians, so check em out.

Friends who I chat with on twitter on regular basis: @NorCalChika @Bolanile @NickiFoxxMusic @ForeverAliceC @itsJessicaSzohr @msjlowndes @ChantellePaige @CarinaK @adventuregirl and I recommend all these as great follows, if I missed one of you don't sweat it, will get you on next go around.

Life is what it is...I guess,haha

Had some random thoughts rolling around in my head, things that have been posed to me either in a lesson in Sunday School, go to two of them, so can't necessarily remember which lesson had which illustration. Or I got this thought from the lesson in "Big Church" which always makes me laugh when someone says that.

One thought that has occurred to me, regarding Jesus and His teaching. He always seemed to teach for quality over quantity in how He approached the people He was with. As humans and especially as Americans we seem to value quantity over quality approach in how we deal with life and what we seek in life. When did that become the most important thing we seek out of life? Hmmm, I guess it was when we became such a consumer-driven people that accepted the mentality presented to us, but that is just my thoughts. Jesus said I have some specific areas I want you to learn and learn well. He seemed to understand, the axiom of "learn a few things and learn them well" rather than throw a bunch of ideas out and hoped some would stick as much of our teaching is prone to do.

Another thought that occurred to me was Jesus also had both teachable moments and challenges to the religious authority's way of thinking in His answers He gave to His disciples and the religious leader's questions.

Not sure where I am going with this or if I'm even going anywhere, just throwing out a few thoughts that I thought of from this weekend. I guess one other had came to mind, in regards to the NFL playoffs this weekend. Just because one strategy worked against one team and worked for you to get your team into the next round of the playoffs, does not guarantee success the following weekend. Also the experts are correct on occasion, but rarely right on what worked and succeeded for a team. By this I mean, the experts might be correct on a team winning, but their predictions are rarely right on what worked for the team. The team, what they do to win, and the adjustments the team does as soon as right before game starts causes all predictions to go flying out the window. I think that this is true in life. Just because one thing worked for you one day, one week...doesn't guarantee that it will the next, life is full of changes and we need to be changing too or we will become irrelevant or just passed by in the game of life. Hope you got something out of this, will try to be a bit more cohesive in my thought process in my next blog. Till then...

Suffering

Hmmm, this is a more dificult blog to write from the standpoint that it is controversial in nature. Someone asked me the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people. This was in reference to the devastation in Haiti and as I write probably in Venezuela also. This is a hard question, especially for the fact that the person followed it up with, "I can't believe in a loving God, who would allow this to happen, can you explain how you would believe in God, after this disaster?"

I remember one answer that was given and it seems fairly satisfactory if not the most desired answer for this question. I believe in God, go to church and am a follower of Christ. So I get this question all the time when I talk to someone who is not a Christian and cannot follow Christ due to Him allowing bad things to happen to good people argument. The example was in regards to free-will, the thought that God did not create us as puppets to do His bidding, but with minds and wills of our own. Now this example was this, as a parent we do not choose to shelter or protect our child from every possible danger or possibility of them getting hurt. Instead we give them instructions, warns and possiblilities of what might happen if they choose to touch a hot stove but we cannot shield or stop them from possibly doing that if we want them to grow and to develop their own free-will. The person giving this example went on to say we as humans need to remember that due to sin or our exercising our free-will in a way other than God created us for has caused not only us to be fallen from the image God created for us but also the world to be fallen. Living in a fallen world has consequences and difficulties that arise, but this is due to God giving us as humans the option of exercising our will and allowing us to live with those consequences. So as long as we live in a fallen world there will be disasters and difficulties arising in our life.

I feel for the people in both Haiti and Venezuela and am praying for their safety and quick return to the way of life they had before the earthquakes. But I am not shocked or surprised at possibility of these "natural disasters" occurring due to the world's fallen state, away from the "Garden of Eden" that God created for us as humans originally.

What I learned part two and more random thoughts

This is kinda a continuation of yesterday's "What I learned last yr" and some more random thoughts. Someone asked me, since I am in Houston, which is somewhat University of Texas country, if I thought UT got robbed the other night in the title game. Will talk about that too.

Another thing I learned last yr is, life alone is not really life, but maybe just survival. By this I mean, I am very comfortable doing activities alone or by myself. Probably a bit too much, so toward the end of last year, got into a sunday school class at my church Houston's First Baptist Church or @Houstonsfirst on twitter for my twitter readers. This gave me and the girl I go out with some opportunities to get connected with other people and hang out together without any kind of pressure or expectations. Life seems to be at least a little bit seems to be about us developing friendships and relationships with those around us, at church or anywhere we are and sharing our lives, experiences and difficulties together. Now, living life alone is an option, but we as humans seem to be social creatures, and to ignore that almost seems to go against the way we are created.

We give as good as we get, is not true, going either way, giving or getting...we should always give our best, even knowing that we may not get the best or get anything back at all. Still knowing this, give our all, and let God work out the rest. At least we know, we didn't hold back or shortchange someone. Life lived in 1st or 2nd gear is nice, cautious, predictable, but going all out and cranking it up probably is the way we were called to live.

Now to question I was asked, I think UT robbed itself of opportunity to win national championship, by playing Colt McCoy almost exclusively throughout season, and sacrificing experience for backup in order to pad Colt McCoy's stats for Heisman trophy consideration. I said in one of my blogs early on in season that neither Colt nor Sam Bradford nor Tim Teabow would win Heisman. There was plenty of time during season for this "national powerhouse" to play the true freshman Garrett Gilbert when team had blownout their opponent, yet they only got him chance to play enough during season to account for 124 yards?!? No one to blame but yourselves UT, when Mark Ingram wasn't playing during game, Alabama still had a player to step right in and produce for them, hmmm. Yes, qb position is harder to play then running back, but with a bunch of unranked and low-rated teams that UT uses to pad schedule, plenty of time to get playing time for young mister Gilbert, so that his first significant playing time wasn't on the biggest stage of all: national championship game, hmmm. So, play your backup quarterback enough during season, so that he is not thrown into fire with no experience but is ready to contribute. Also, noticed a trend, Linas Sweed is playing for my Steelers and drops alot of passes and the "star receivers" for UT were all dropping passes the other night. Sweed is a former UT player and now other receivers both in NFL and current Longhorn players are dropping passes,hmmm

2 blogs in one day,haha

So, decided to do a second blog and also realized I write pretty much the same way I talk, not sure if that is a good thing or what,hmmm.

What to blog about when it's a second blog of the day...this one maybe a bit random, have a few thoughts and topics I want to go on about, so bear with me. First is some of the things I have learned from last year. I learned in life, I need to treat people better than I am looking to be treated, that treating someone well has just as much effect on how they treat you as when you treat them badly. Almost the reverse effect of if you are treated badly and retaliate or if you treat someone badly and they have a tendency to treat you just as badly or worse. Equally I have found that I go out of my way to be nice to someone, they respond back equally nicely. Guess it is kind of like that "Pay it Forward" mentality.

Another thing I learned is that while life is not fair, and never let anyone tell you it is, you don't have to just sit there and let life run you over. Think about that for a moment...You always have an option to make changes and do something different to change the outcome or way life ends up. I think myself and probably other people as well have the "victim" mentality and just go "poor me, nothing I can do, now that life has happened to me and happened unfairly." NO, we still can respond, always have that option, now our options maybe limited for a moment, but even then we still have freewill and the option to do more than just sit there.

Thirdly, continue to garner and grow friendships. By this I mean, continue to make friends and develop these friendships beyond, "hey how's it going?" stage. Deepen these friendships, for you never know when you might need help or a friend who you can turn to in time of need and if all you have is those shallow conversations, who will you turn to, for more?

Life will continue to happen whether we want it to or not, by this I mean, "nature abhors a vacuum." That sounds very mysterious, but truly isn't, put quite simply, life doesn't just stop because we want it to so like life we need to keep moving and not stand still or we may get run over,hmmm.

We are all role models, so despite Charles Barkley's infamous words, "I am not a role model" we all are. From the greatest to the least of us. We are on display for the world to see, you can say, "I'm nothing special, no one would possibly care about what I do or say," I think that would be incorrect, seems that there is always someone seeing or hearing what we say or do and then scarily, following our example. With that in mind, what example or role model are we?!? What a heavy burden or a golden opportunity, depending on if you are a half empty or half full type of person. We can influence those around us, just have to be willing to do so. I suspect that there are enough out of control, foolish, non-thinking rolemodels out there for the world to see. This world needs leaders, true leaders, not the kind that has to tell people to follow them but lead in words and actions toward a better world, again, hmmm, is that you?!?

Just some of my random thoughts of what I learned, garnered, observed and contemplated from this last year. Hope it held your interest and makes you think some also.

Sports in general

I have become slightly disillusioned and I guess maybe less tolerant lately of sports in general. I think maybe it is due to several factors. I am in the camp of banning Gilbert Arenas forever from NBA, this due to his inability to actually show any intelligence and maturity, dispite being given lots of opportunities to do so. This latest fiasco with the weapon in the locker room just exemplifies the need to go extreme and ban him for good. People including him will argue against such extreme measures for the "reason" that he was asked by people close to him to take weapons out of home and bring them in to arena, for whatever reason, that is all well and good. BUT and this is a huge BUT, that does not excuse away his attrociously bad judgement in bringing them out in what he calls a bad attempt at a joke or all his lack of remorse or good judgement since the incident occurred and came to light, trying to joke about incident with reporters and pretending to gun down teammates in huddle. Why should league waste their time and keep him around?!? He is no rolemodel, which unfortunately for Chuck Barkley and every other pro athlete is, no matter if they want to be or not. That comes with the territory, you want to be an athlete, make obscene amounts of money have the fame, then expect to be scrutinized and watched on what you do by those around you and sadly often imitated. Hmmm.

On role models, do we realize, each and everyone of us are a role model for someone? Yes, it is a huge responsibility, but equally an incredible opportunity also. Embrace and accept it, for that is life, and then go and be the person God has called you to be, both before Him and all those around you.

I have become less tolerant of foolish behavior, including overhyping of sporting events by the media and excusing of bad behavior by them as long as you are rich and famous and make an impact in both their lives and ultimately their wallets. Tiger, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Jordan, Brett Favre all do horrible things toward those around them and people they work with and the media excuses it and we the public just accept this action as "just the way it is," why is that? We the public can make a huge difference by calling these people and their actions into question, yes one person can make a difference, it's through that one person that others become aware and begin to change alongside them and before long it is millions of people changing and not accepting status quo. hmmm, just something to think about

New Year so new blog,haha

Hello all,
To all my friends and confidantes on twitter, no I'm not dead, the rumors are greatly exaggerated. I have been busy and have not been on the way I should have been, for that I do apologize. Hope life has been going well for all of you, my parents come into town from Colorado later this week, so that is a good thing. Spent Christmas with my sister and her family,including my two incredible nieces: Ava and Emma.

Saw the following movies, more than I had seen in the 8 previous months combined, was impressed with them for the most part: New Moon (Too much hype, lead to being a little disappointed overall, but that was the media's fault on trailers and commercials every few seconds, set my expectations way up there, but good movie overall. Also saw Avatar, thought it was very well done, and also Sherlock Holmes another fairly well done movie.

Have made resolution to be the same person in public that I am in private, that is a WOW resolution, when I think of how I don't always match up, all the time. Also to get to a position, where I am not required to rely on someone else to accomplish my goals, still not there, but working on it.

That is kinda where I'm at right now, will be on more to chat with you all in twitter and chatzy, have missed you all horribly and terribly, but am back now, so watch out world, haha. Continued success in 2010 as we strive to be the person we have resolved to be.