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...