|
|
Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007
| |
12:32 pm - house building
|
|
| Tuesday, November 7th, 2006
| |
5:14 pm - clay
|
I am an imperfect man moving toward perfection solely by the grace and power of God.
He will finish the work He began.
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
| |
11:32 pm - loneliness
|
I was writing in/reading my paper journal and I came across an entry that I always find encouraging, so I thought I would post it.
----
10/20/04
Last night I was sitting in the church parking lot after tues. prayer meeting. The weather was rainy and windy and the darkness and gloominess seemed to carry over into my mood. I had been calling my brother all day and still had not talked to him. I was now hungry and did not feel like just going home. After calling every friend in my phonebook to find someone to go eat with, no one came through. I started to feel lonely and depressed and I heard God say, as He always does, that “You always have me to turn to.” I shrugged it off, as sadly I often do, and continued in my carnal thinking saying “See, this is why I need a girlfriend. She would always be there to hang out with.” God spoke, determined to break me out of this thinking saying, “No she won’t. You know that I have a wife planned for you in the future, but even she will be unavailable sometimes. Then you will find yourself right back where you are now. Situations like this will always happen so you might as well learn the solution to your loneliness right now. It’s me. You are depressed because your eyes are focused on all the wrong things. You see the dark gloomy weather, no one is around to hang out with, you’re bored, you’re hungry…these are all worldly things. Look instead at what is true, what is eternal. Look to me. I will always be the closest one to you. You are never alone and you often shrug off this assurance because you desire “real” company. I tell you that it is the spiritual things, the unseen things, which are more real than anything on earth. Take joy because, although the world is dark and lonely, your life is blessed and full of light, and, although at times you will stand alone in the world, you need only focus your mind on what is true to see that I am right by your side and that my company is the most cherished of all.”
Thank you Lord.
----
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, January 5th, 2006
| |
12:02 am - "...those happy seasons for becoming like God."
|
"Neglect. The Spirit of God is grieved by that. Often he prompts us to pray; he disposes the mind to seriousness, to the perusal of the Bible, to tenderness and penitence. We neglect those favored moments of our piety, and lose those happy seasons for becoming like God." Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (commenting on Eph 4:30)
Lord, help me to always answer your call. I love those happy seasons of growth spent studying your word, sitting in your presence, seeking your counsel, being encouraged by your forgiveness, and sharing your truth with others. Let me never miss an opportunity to become more like You.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Monday, October 10th, 2005
| |
10:14 pm - Help us to know You.
|
What hope is there for healthy relationships when respect for a woman is seen as rejection?
What hope is there when lust and emotional attraction overrule the responsibility to make righteous choices?
It hurts me to see men and women bound and broken by sin and have them consider it normal.
Jesus, you're the only hope. Help us to know You.
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Sunday, September 18th, 2005
| |
8:58 pm - food + friends = my kind of party
|
|
| Sunday, May 15th, 2005
| |
11:17 pm - "Negative, I am a meat popsicle."
|
1) Total number of films I own on DVD/video: I own zero films but one DVD. I love movies, but I watch most on tv and in the theater.
2) The last film I bought:
I guess it's odd that I've only bought one DVD/video in my life. The last one, and the first, was "Drift Bible: The Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya". Haha. It's an instructional drifting video from Japan.
3) The last film in the theatre I watched: Kingdom of Heaven.
4) Ten films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me: (not even enough slots, by the way)
1. Man on Fire - I saw this movie about 3 times in the theater and I'm compelled to watch it every time it comes on tv.
2. Grosse Pointe Blank - I will watch this movie everytime it comes on...maybe even back to back.
3. Captain Ron - Kurt Russel's cinematic masterpiece. One of my favorites. Seriously.
4. The Shawshank Redemption - This is top 3 for sure. Great acting, awesome plot, very uplifting.
5. Good Will Hunting - This movie is so awesome. Again, top 3 material.
6. Fletch - Chevy Chase is gold. Plain and simple.
7. The Fifth Element - You can't beat this movie. Willis, Jovovich and Chris Tucker? come on now.
8. Bio-Dome/Son-in-Law/Encino Man/In The Army Now/etc. - I cheated, but it's Pauly Shore.
9. Office Space - For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when Michael Bolton sings 'When a Man Loves a Woman'.
10. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Classic.
5) Tag 5 people and have them put this in their journal:
kristeeeen3
saibotik
simplylan
olivialove
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, May 13th, 2005
| |
1:39 am - Burn out the dross. Bring forth the gold.
|
The purpose of my life is to glorify God. If what I'm doing doesn't glorify God, it doesn't belong in my life.
I don't want to try and walk the edge between glorifying God and tarnishing my effectiveness as a witness and a model of Christ. I want to be FAR from that edge, nowhere near it, completely above reproach. Just because something may be permissible does not mean that it is beneficial to the purpose of glorifying God.
The tough thing is, this is a process. It doesn't happen all at once and, most times, it doesn't happen easily. When I'm doing something God doesn't want me doing, the Holy Spirit convicts me of it. It is then my choice to repent, to turn away from it, or force God to make it more clear to me. That second path can be tough, but I thank God for it, because it is often necessary for my growth.
You see, He is refining me. He's removing the imperfections, and polishing me, so that I might better reflect His glory; so that I might better represent Him to the world. This process is continual. That means that what was okay for yesterday is not okay for today. This is growth. This is maturing.
A few weeks ago, I put a sticker on the back of a stop sign and received a misdemeanor vandalism charge because of it. I don't care to argue the fairness of the charge and, in fact, I don't defend my actions. I don't believe that it is qualified as vandalism by the penal code but, if the judge decides it is, I am willing to accept it.
It has helped me to realize that whatever good putting up stickers may do, is not worth the harm it may do to my witness for Christ...so it's out. This is a step in the process. Lord, help me to yield to the Holy Spirit, that I may continue to grow in You.
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you." Philippians 3:12-15
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Saturday, April 30th, 2005
| |
6:52 pm
|
Since my car was stolen I've been looking for a new car. I could never bring myself to just buy an interim car, one that just gets me to and fro but that I don't really like, because I like cars. I like cars that have some history or interest to them and I like to have a project car to work on.
I was looking for either a 1991-1993 Nissan 240sx coupe 5spd or an early 1960's Ford Falcon. Why those two? I don't know, that's just what I wanted. Anyways, I was looking on cragislist early wed. morning and I saw a 1960 Ford Falcon for sale and, after talking to the guy, I decided to skip school and my brother and I drove up to Adalanto (in high desert a little past LA) with $2500 in cash in my sock.
Long story short, it has a recently rebuilt stock engine (144ci inline six) that runs solid, a two speed auto, a fairly straight body (primed light blue with a white top), and is in generally pretty good condition. It has the original hub caps, keys, and even the owner's manual. I'm probably going to get it painted black or some dark color to show off the lines, redo the interior, fix the gauges, and most likely work with the 144 or swap in a 289 (probably not, but maybe in time).
Anyways, all you non-car people who stopped reading after the second paragraph, and everyone else,
( here is an old ad to get an idea of what it looks like. )
|
|
(6 comments | comment on this)
|
| Monday, April 18th, 2005
| |
12:59 am - Excuse me while I get real for a minute.
|
As I get ready to go to bed with two assignments due, class tomorrow, a cover letter to write, a resume to touch up, insurance papers to file, and clothes to wash, I feel a longing in my soul.
Right now, I am going to college, taking classes, hanging out with friends, going to church, and looking for an internship. In a while I will graduate, get a job, work my job, buy a car, buy a house, get a promotion, get married, have a family, go on vacations, and start my retirement.
This is what life is about. Right?
If these things come about in step with the will of God for the primary purpose of glorifying Him, they are all good things. However if these things themselves are the goal, if they are the focus, if they are no longer used primarily as settings and instruments to reveal God’s glory but instead are made out to be the foundation and substance of life, then a terrible thing has happened.
If my life is built on and motivated by these things, then my life will always be lacking and unstable, because it is without true passion and rests on a hollow foundation. If these things are the purpose of my life, then my life has failed its purpose. The purpose of my life is to glorify God. It is to know Him deeply, to share the knowledge of Him, and to be more like Him. All these things may fit to serve this purpose somehow, but it’s not about me and it’s not about these things. It’s all about Him.
I pray Lord that you would help me to remember that even though I live in this world, it is not this world that I am living for. You are my desire.
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Sunday, April 17th, 2005
| |
9:02 pm
|
I found this picture from about 2 weeks ago, when I had my beard. I thought I'd post it because I kind of miss it and also so you can share in my full-grown-manliness.
|
|
(7 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, April 14th, 2005
| |
9:48 pm
|
I decided to make a separate entry for this, because the other one would be really long.
I had my car stolen about a week ago. I had my stereo and some other stuff stolen about a month or so before this and I got the insurance money for the deck, but never replaced it. Anyways, my car was stolen on thursday night and the cops found it on a side street stripped. I went to look at it and they took the headlights, corners, side-markers, battery, wheels, front and back seats, and shift-knob. They took pretty much all the things I expected them to take, seeing as almost all of those items were not stock and most I had swapped out for Japanese domestic parts, which fetch a nice price.
The insurance company is going to claim it a total loss, as expected, and as soon as I send in some paperwork I can buy a new project car. I'm looking to get a 1991-1993 Nissan 240sx coupe 5spd which is pretty hard to come by, but I should be able to find one.
I liked my car, a lot. Sometimes I would just stand and admire it. I drove long distances to find parts, worked long hours and spend good money to make it what it was. However, in the end, it was just a car.
God gave me that car and He will give me another one. I thank God that even when I saw my car was stolen, He allowed me not to be angry or sad about it. Everything in this world belongs to God and we are just stewards of it. I thank God for this trial because it has helped me to realize, even further, that the possessions of this world mean absolutely nothing and He is all I need.
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
| |
9:24 pm - Summertime(almost) and the livin's easy.
|
I get out of school at 12:15 on tuesdays and thursdays and, this week, I've been going to the beach to swim when I get out. I usually swim in the morning before school on these days, but since it's been a little warmer I want to start swimming in the ocean instead.
The somewhat warm weather doesn't mean that ocean is warm though. No sir. I can handle it and I actually kind of like it, because it gets my heart pumping, but today was rough. It was cold when I went to Mission on tues. but today I went to Imperial Beach at around 3:30. Oh man, whenever I would duck dive a wave, my head would actually hurt like a really bad brain freeze and it would almost give me a headache. I guess that seems logical since I was sticking my head into freezing water, but I've never had that happen before. I swam for about a minute and then I went to sleep on the beach. Haha.
On a similar note, I can't wait for my surfing safari to Santo Thomas, Mexico. I have an upper division GE class called Leisure and Wilderness that requires us to sign up for an Aztec Adventure, outdoor pursuits organized by SDSU, for the final. I decided to sign up for the surfing safari trip. I can't surf but I figure a weekend camping on the beach in Mexico can't really be that bad. It was $195 and that includes transportation there and back, all the gear (tents, surf boards, etc.), and 3 meals a day.
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Saturday, January 22nd, 2005
| |
1:55 pm
|
So...My brother and I almost got arrested last night. Looks like postering is now officially out. The police officer didn't see the poster go up but she found us on the shoulder of 8 east at 3:30 am with my brother out of the car and we had no identification at all. It just looked really shady and I thank God she let us go without even a warning.
Anyways, I started feeling convicted about postering a while ago, but I reasoned it would be okay as long as we only hit unpainted surfaces or spots that were re-painted every week anyway. The method we use really bonds the paper to the surface (think strong paper mache) and removing it tends to be difficult without damaging painted areas. It's funny that I really kept trying to justify it to myself and make concessions, and when that happens, you know it's obviously not something you should be doing.
"'Everything is permissible'–but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'–but not everything is constructive."
(1 Cor 10:23)
I don't consider it vandalism, or I wouldn't do it, but to a lot of people it looks questionable (hence, doing it at 3am in the fog). The fact is that it's not above reproach and so I don't need to be involved. I still want to do some other public art stuff and continue stickering but I don't want to do anything that could possibly be construed as vandalism.
|
|
(5 comments | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, January 19th, 2005
| |
11:00 pm
|
I read a book the other day and a certain line stuck in my head. The author was speaking about standards of purity but this is true of every situation.
"There are only two choices: either you will follow God's standards by deliberate choice, or you will follow the world's standards by default." Waiting and Dating. Myles Munroe. p14.
I sometimes fall into the deception of thinking that I can rest in an imaginary middle ground of inactivity. Hearing God's instruction but just not following it. In reality, that is simply defaulting to the world's standards, it's disobedience to God and that is sin. plain and simple. It's especially easy to fall into during long breaks with lots of free and idle time. Every moment of life holds the choice to serve God or default to sin.
Lord, help me to deny myself, take up my cross daily and follow you (Luke 9:23).
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, November 19th, 2004
| |
10:03 am - Back to the mat...
|
|
I'm going back to wrestling practice at Kearny today for the first time in probably 3 years or so. The season just started and me, my brother and Spencer are going to practice with them hopefully once or twice a week from now on. It's really just to keep in shape and to have a chance to really push ourselves. I lift somewhat regularly, about 1-3 times a week, but I want to get back into the full body workout and wrestling is definitely that. Plus, I always had a lot of fun wrestling in high school, even though I wasn't very good, and it's going to be interesting to get back in it.
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, November 16th, 2004
| |
10:07 pm - "...that it may benefit those who listen."
|
I know I don't really write in my journal anymore (maybe I'll start again) but I just wanted to let everyone on my friend's list know that I'm praying for you...along with all my other friends. I don't mean that as a figure of speech, but I mean it as me actively speaking to God on your behalf, asking that He would bless you and your family, and asking that His will would be done in your life.
You might find that odd, seeing as I don't know all of you that well and maybe we've only met a few times, but I do pray for you...all of you. God knows you and He knows what plans He has for you. I'm just asking Him to work out his good, pleasing and perfect will in each of your lives, to give you strength and draw you closer to Him, and I thank God for his faithfulness in answering these prayers.
Prayer in and of itself is effective but knowing that you're being prayed for is a special blessing to me and hopefully to you too. I realized the only thing stopping me from writing or speaking these things is my self-consciousness and that's not a good enough reason to keep someone from possibly being blessed. Besides, I wanted to start writing in this again and what good is a journal without depth or honesty?
Beau
|
|
(5 comments | comment on this)
|
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
b3au's journal