A Skinned Knee

Rain Rain go away
come again another day
I've cried and I've prayed
Father wont you come again

Rain Rain fallin from my face
fall again into your place
this seed falling from my eyes
it will fall and it will die

You've turned my morning into dancing
You've turned my sorrow into joy
You've started my heart again romancing
I've sown in tears now reaping songs of joy

Rain Rain you can come again
I never new that you're my friend
The pain and fear that held me tight
I release and give you back your fight

Where do I get my inspiration from?
How does the spirit teach this hardened heart to hear?
A skinned knee
Your rod and staff that comfort me
The release as your loving discipline helps me
Pry my fingers loose
again

You've turned my morning into dancing
You've turned my sorrow into joy
You've started my heart again romancing
I've sown in tears now reaping songs of joy

Rain Rain I don't mind
If you show your face tonight
Neither way will or shine
change Jeremiah 29

Embraces like Bullets

A Friend from place speaks destination,
From city creates fantasy,
Their home, our dream.

Time and conversation
I have food you do not know about...
To do the work of my father.
Love revealed in her.

Dorm of acquaintances,
Barracks of brotherhood,
Home is family,
Friend in fantasy.

Dreams compel hearts and hands
To leave father and mother
Become one flesh

To make home anew
One step closer to heaven
Your kingdom come

Man, master, mission, mate
Genesis as thesis
Jesus the argument
Spirit like breath

GOD as GOD

Father make my destination you
The city on a hill
Not Portland, Nashville, or Paris
My dream, Love is you.

You and I and her
Freedom in labor
Mission minded dreamer
Adrenaline in embraces like bullets,

Grace tangible, the cross
My gun, my books, running shoes.
The resurrection life
Time and conversation

Love revealed in him
For her….my flesh.

All you need is Love… and a French press.

I have become convinced through the many hours of study, thousands of push ups, and hundreds of songs this season has provided that there is are only a few things needed to be genuinely happy. Love… and a French press.

When I moved away from home 5 and a half months ago I started writing a list of things I am thankful for. As I wrote I realized more and more the value of a dollar and the irreplaceable currency of time. I began to grow in the revealed value of simplicity. I remember distinctly one specific chilly morning in my small cement room where I sat wrapped in shirt upon shirt upon sweatshirt with my French press brewing. I was overwhelmed with thankfulness! I was in new territory…

Back in Bend and only a month before, I had opened my first bank account and dumped all my pennies and dimes in. The day after I joined the ranks of those packin checks and debit cards I needed to make an initial payment for an internship with The City Church in the amount of 1075 dollars. The only money I had been successful in bringing in was from singing songs in a breezeway downtown. Our family has been fighting waves in a financial storm that seems to never end its climb to climax. My parents had been supportive but not gung ho about me moving up to Seattle early. The money was not there to send me but after praying for months about this summer the internship returned over and over again to my heart. I knew it was what God wanted me to do and continued to believe that he could provide. My first little white receipt reporting the sum in my account proclaimed that he did. I had 1086 dollars.

A few weeks later and only days before I was to leave, I had my graduation party and released my little CD needing to make 650 dollars to cover the second payment for the internship. After the songs were sung, food was eaten, and hugs were liberally distributed the party came to a close and I counted opened the gifts. Bill after bill came in and I counted, 100 to 200 to 300…. 656 dollars total! This confirmed it for my Mom and she proclaimed, “God provided and even gave you change for coffee!”

Side note: Listen to your moms! If they are anything like mine they are wise ladies!

Through this process of learning to trust God with finances not only for a family but also personally, I began to realize the importance of thanksgiving. Hence the thank you list! This new territory opened my eyes that morning to remember where God had brought me from and the value of my family. Now I sat where God had brought me and looked at my French press. Steam rose piercing the cold air in my little room with a robust fragrance!

I am not just a lover of coffee and its culture! It symbolizes for me the extravagance of God provision. Coffee is expensive and I cannot afford to do all my studying in the nooks and crannies of coffee shops but even now in my dorm here at SPU, I have my French press. I have the extravagant love of God and he has provided for the big things like school and the little things like coffee. It is a beautiful simplicity that has been revealed freshly in my life. My coffee may be black, I may be in need of a car and a job, but God knows my needs and he provides more than enough! I can trust him with my heart. Big and small issues have become my vehicle for growth. I find that often I could believe for the big stuff like provision to intern but then when I need a power strip I figure I need to find the finances in my own efforts. It got to the point that I needed a spatula and a power strip and prayed. Like ten minutes out of prayer I walked to the trash room and found a spatula, power strip, and a sweat shirt I forgot to ask for. :)

We have no need to worry friends! We have a good dad who is not affected by any economic downturns. He is not even fazed by our lack of faith. He teaches us lovingly and patiently. How beautiful is the simplicity of the Gospel! All we need is Love…. and to respond with a life laced with thankfulness.

Poetry, Prose, and a Prince in Process

"Sometimes you have to feel the fear and do it anyways."

I feel the fear of team mates more prepared,
drive to win
terror to fail.
My pride, my pride!

I have heard and now believe, "perfect love casts out all fear." I am a fish once large in my bowl now tossed into the sea. What adventure! What unknown! The decision to feed my heart from fear or excitement is in a waltz with the fickle verdict between pride and humility.

Freshmen once again. My choice meets me face to face, moment by moment, day by day.

Will it be Daniel today? The Angelic voice picks him off his face to say.. "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard..."

Is my silence heard? That which is done in secret? Or shall I market my skill? Tell the world what I have done in my little bowl?

Listen here! I was once a big fish!

Times, grades,
height, and weight,
I will sing you my songs!
It is a clean slate.

Terrified by innocence
years since Mind raped Dream.
Forceful terror
exclusive motive.

My Virgil asked me if it was for grade...
or fear...
or for love that I study...
My Dream answers LOVE!
Resume says under its breath... Grades!
And still, Truth makes known to my heart the resonating answer,
it is fear.

I awoke from a dream and knew it was time to run again. After a year off of track and the decision not to run XC this fall at SPU, it was a dream redeemed. To add to the dreams recovered from my passionate youth I have also seen special operations resurrected. The success of these pursuits is tied to the grace of God that allows me to "humble my heart to understand."

The opponent that has proved itself most formidable is that of pride. I find my self set in a new city, a new church, a new school.... no longer in the town of 80 thousand. I had 18 years of tears planted, relationships watered, and respect earned in Bend, Oregon. Now in Seattle, about 3 million strong, with my leadership now caught by the pack.

In the past I have tried to distinguish myself in running with a guitar, in music with a mile time. I don't know if you can sympathize, but that is the truth of my pride. Now that I am in a place where my running is mediocre and I am chasing the team rather than being chased... I have the opportunity to grow. The limiting factor is no longer time, but pride. I find myself afraid to be behind... afraid to feel the pain of the climb. If I could lay down my fear of failure, this pride, I will have growth.

Once again comes the question of motive... why run? For Love? For Grade? For Fear? I believe I can defeat fear as I assault my pride with every race towards Love. In that pursuit I cannot lose for Love is my goal but also my teammate, my coach, and brilliant redeemer.

The character of an endurance person is what I am after. He who endures to the end...

The discipline of embracing restraints to bring freedom is my radical revelation, and my conclusion is that these growing pains are worth the growth. Conscience to creativity! Zeal married to knowledge, and Love that has lost its blindfold!

I have so much I would love to share but my eyes burn with tiredness. The prospect of my Thanksgiving coming to a close causes me to remember the dead lines that rudely continue their request of my time. I love you all and pray that you all seize your opportunities for growth.

Grace and peace!

Earshot Jazz Festival

There are times when I am convinced that jazz in the only methodical madness that can effectively outdo my own mind, will, and emotions. This last Tuesday night was one of those times and I was once again overtaken by the power of good live jazz. I received an unexpected invitation to Earshot Jazz Festival and accepted not knowing Earshot is praised as “one of the best Jazz festivals in America” (Seattle Times). After spending 3 and a half hours attempting to count the complexity of rhythms and being consistently surprised by the beauty of melody lines laced with in, I would whole heartedly agree with the praise.
Not only was the music superb it had a tasteful accompaniment with the atmosphere of the club itself. In my limited experience with jazz clubs it has been rare to find a classy joint without overwhelming smoke and the strong aroma of wine. This was good clean, classy, fun, without compromising the character of the atmosphere. And I must say the fun was aided by the musical and intellectual competency of the young lady I went with. Jazz, Atmosphere, and good conversation...
It was swingin!

Friend, Fantasy, and Allegiance

With a to-do list the size of Texas and my heart constantly desiring to love anything shinny I find myself a wee bit busy. It is a new busy for me but I still do not have free time enough to do the kind of blogging I have dreamed of. This new busy I would like to describe to you in the first of what I am hoping will be a three part series describing the newness of life. Part 1. Friend, 2. Fantasy, and 3. Allegiance which will be my focus tonight.
When I wake up at 4:30 am after a night of trying to hide away from the traditions of a scandalous floor I wake to the darkness. This darkness I have known before and I have charged into it morning run after morning run as I strained towards my dreams in high school cross country. This darkness and I have become the sort of friends where silence has become the best solace.
When I need to vent my frustrations I beat the air and the pavement, I throw my heart out to the Wind and I bring my body to an endorphin stimulated attention.
In this attention whether prayer be my vehicle, the power of the darkness my cloak, or the breaking of silence my release I come into fellowship with revelation. You know that place, that state of being where human understanding is at its hight yet still you are left with desire? That place I find regularly in philosophy, theology, art, and all the things I love but at that moment of weakness comes revelation.
My revelations have been sometimes to complicated to tell and sometimes to simple in their beauty that I must share them in person or keep them locked in the intimacy of memory and prayerful meditation.
One I will be free to divulge is that of a revelation of my allegiance specifically in the growth and process that Air Fore ROTC has instigated. Our first flight letter was sent out on the second week of SPU classes and I climbed through the thickets of antonyms I found the order to learn the Airman's Creed. I opened the attachment to read...
I am an American Airman
I am a warrior
I have answered my nations call

I am an American Airman
My mission is to fly, fight, and win
I am faithful to a proud heritage
to a tradition of honor
and a legacy of valor

I am an American Airman
Guardian of freedom and justice
my nations sword and shield
its sentry and avenger
I defend my country with my life

I am an American Airman
Wingman, Leader, Warrior.
I will never leave an Airman behind
I will never falter

and I will not fail.

This is a declaration that I found myself immediately judging. Thinking, "I am not a warrior. Would I give my life for this country? A nation? What is this legacy? I worked on memorization but my intellect fought my heart into a disposition that was less than amiable. I found myself in a tension caught between the dreams of my youth and the visions set before me and those laid behind. My struggle was not birthed by the Creed alone but was rather more grounded in years of questioning the military with the new testament.
These struggles came to yet another point where I needed Revelation to send aid badly. And aid came in the form of my uniform, a benefit concert, and a counseling appointment.
I received a text asking if I was available to play a benefit concert this last friday and in summery I was able to make it. Not only was I able to make it but instead of just playing drums for the main band I played my own music for an hour during the silent auction. This allowed for me to be able to grab time with the director of Stop Child Trafficking Now. He is a pastor of warriors and has been involved with special operations militarily and inside of criminal justice with the demand side of trafficking. He was able to draw out a specific passage in the gospels which describes a centurion who comes to Jesus and asks him to heal his servant. In the Jordish paraphrase Jesus offers to go with him and he says he is not worthy but knows because he is under authority that Jesus has authority to command healing and see it done. Jesus goes on to praise his faith as the greatest in all of Israel.
From this one account he fed me some thoughts. First, Jesus never condemned a soldier for his job or told him to change his profession. In fact in this instance he is praised for his faith and understanding of authority. My teacher then began to point out the obvious that the old testament was not meant to be apart from the new, nor do they contradict. Also that God told warriors like David and Saul to kill whole people groups even though the fifth commandment says we are not to murder. "There is a difference between kill and murder" he elaborated. "God does not contradict himself."
This was Revelation that confirmed what I felt God speaking to me but could not surrender to which is further solidified for me through my uniform.
I wore my uniform it for the first inspection of the year and was again given the instructions to know the Airman's Creed well. This time I spoke it out into my empty room as I prepared the night before. The louder and more sure I became with the words the more my heart was able to grab hold. My heart and spirit finally collided into alignment with my mind when inspection came and Detachment 910 yelled in unison our Creed. It became mine just as the uniform aided the revelation of my commitment. I stood at attention eyes just above the horizon proclaiming I am an American Airman, I am a warrior! It was not brian wash or fear that instigated Revelation but the realization of begin a part of a cause much greater than I, a proud heritage.
I was no longer in conflict in my mind and my heart was at peace even while begin inspected! I wish I could be dancing excitedly in front of you to add emphasis to my fresh joy. This joy was sealed in me during a counseling appointment with my teacher and captain who are one and the same. Capt. Morgan told me about the lounge of the special forces units she has worked with. She said the lounge was lined with books,their was often chess going on, and it was surprisingly calm. She told me that they are not looking for crazy people but normal people disciplined in doing crazy things.
That Revelation brought my heart to life and my childhood dreams claim to a hold in my practical pursuits once more!
Oh the adventure I have been lead to! I my pledge allegiance to God and he guides my steps some times in spite of my plans.
Signing out! Dream well and God bless you!

In need of Vaseline

So my friends I decided to write a little training blog because I am terrible at keeping a log and I can both update you on my life and record at least some basics of what my training has been. Generation Interns ended about two and a half weeks ago and I moved yet again into the wonderful Russell household in the little country city of Monroe. As I drove the 40 minutes or so it took to get out there from Issaquah I decided I really want be a to runner again. The issue I had with running is that my whole has been a very inconsistent schedule packed with multiple moves, trips, camps, and late nights. (that were mostly out of my control due to the financial necessity of car pooling.) I had been running at best 20 miles a week and hitting the gym on average about three times a week when I was at the church dorms and had the Y accessible. I had been eating anything that was free so my nutrition was basically lots of barbeque that I tried to adapt into a salad by stealing all the condiments and throwing them around. All of this is the rough frame for my frustration the inconsistency I was hoping to kill while in Monroe.
The morning after I moved in I went for about 6 miles, it felt good to be out but slow. The next day I did three on the treadmill one of which was a five minute mile and then hammered some weights. The next week the Russell family went to the beach and I was house sitting so my plan was to rest, eat better, fast coffee, and get back into running shape. Then I got sick and was forced to sleep more and train less than I had wanted but I continued to run light miles non the less. After a week of sickness and sleep the Russells came home and I tried once again to regain a somewhat normal sleep and eating schedule.
On the Sunday of the 30th my room mate from the Plateau dorms told me that his buddy was putting on a 50k race and gave me the info. A couple days later after getting back into my normalish-mildly-crazy-running-self I posted a Facebook status asking if anyone would be willing to pitch in and help me run a race. Within about 20 minutes I had the race, new shoes, and some fuel paid for. I also sent an email to the race director asking for any sort of a scholarship and he knocked off five bucks. After that I immediately threw on the short shorts strapped on my shoes and did an hour and twenty minute run before I had to take off for worship practice. It hurt so good! For the first time since my last high school cross country race I felt adrenaline pulsing through my veins as my legs struck the pavement with new purpose and my mind ran wild pondering the pain and possibility of what this race in 20 days could hold. For those of you who are not runners and do not understand the joy released in the pain of endurance I encourage you to move beyond your mind and try it sometime. For those of you that are runners and are thinking me crazy for running a 32 mile race with only a month of solid training I would say move beyond your head sometime too and don't get caught by what is the supposed right way to things. Running is science but it is also madness and you need both to maintain the wonderful adventure of it!
The next day I sent my registration in, bought some electrolyte mixes, slim right drinks, and some disposable razors. Within about four days I had my legs freshly shaved, my spandex dug out of the back of my truck, and almost 50 miles fresh on my legs. The adventure begins!
So how do you train with under three weeks till a 50k, I don't really know... But I know the coarse has 6000 feet of elevation gain and 7000 feet of decent strung out over three major peaks so I decided I should do some hills. Now usually hills are a part of base training but remember I did not have time for that so I would have to depend on the weights I had lifted and a couple of quality hilly runs. It worked out wonderfully that two days before I knew I was going to race I did a workout I call the 800 of death on SPU's track. The 800 of death is basically 400 meters of lunges and then 4x100 meter build ups sandwiched in between a mile warm up and a mile cool down plus a few recovery laps here and there. I did this workout after meeting for prayer with two awesome guys Josh, and Stephen and I wanted to push myself and help them push themselves. Little did I know I was not in the fitness I was used to when I would do the 800 of death. It felt great while doing it but what was awesome is that we had an all church get together the next day and non of us could hardly move. We walked around laughing at each other because of or funny looking limp. That workout was fallowed by a rest day then I tried to run three recovery miles that felt as though I was running on two stick legs. The next day was when I was crazy excited and hammered out an hour twenty all jacked up with my head in the clouds. since then I have alternated usually a five to eight miler with a ten to fifteen miler. Two days ago I got the the ghetto Monroe middle school track and had my host bro Andrew time me as I did a little over a five mile tempo. I consistently ran under seven minute pace until my stomach decided to launch a revolt reminding me I still need to do better on my nutrition. I got onto runners world and used the pace calculator to figure out what it would take to finish in under 4 hours with the result being a 7:30 pace. Yesterday I plugged away at another hilly long run of about 12 miles with 4 hill repeats at mile 5. I managed close to goal pace but felt my legs lagging from the tempo the day before and the soreness of legs surprised by lots of miles thrown at them over a short period of time.
At the moment I am spending my day at my home away from home (Starbucks) and writing, resting, and reading away from the house for a bit.
Oh and the reason for the title.. ask a runner who has ever run long miles. Love you guys!

Question for the Ladies?

I have been falling asleep at random times lately due to severe exhaustion from a crazy summer and a bitter fight between me and a cold. Today as the cold was beating me down I decided to retaliate with lots of OJ and a nap. After the nap I was supposed to get up and go to Cadre (small group for all you non-seattlites) but I did what I have been doing more and more in these days of late and rolled back over to sleep some more. So I slept off and on from three to ten pm, missed Cadre, and missed dinner. Though I do have great drive and hunger for relationship with fellow men of God and super smash bros I am pretty sure that my stomach was the only driver that was able to move me from my bed today. At ten o clock the master driver of my stomach led me into the kitchen where I found unguarded left overs on the stove. As reached out to take of them my housemate whose name I still do not know came around the corner scaring me half to death with a kind suggestion that I should help myself to the spaghetti he had prepared.
All of that was to say I am up still now at 1:33 in the morning I cannot sleep, I am fighting a cold, away from home, living in a house with a kind man whose name I do not know, and I am thinking. My thought and question go as follows...
I brushed my teeth again around midnight due to finding some mint hot cocoa mix. The hot cocoa compelled me to get a blanket and the blanket instigated the thought that I should go on a trek to the lake across the street. As the water was being warmed I decided that I would probably get tired by the time I got over to the lake and it would be a pain coming back so I found a compromise with the back porch and a comfy little chair under a beautiful star lit sky. As I sat I began to think about the teeth I just brushed and how they reflect my character... strange I know. After I thought of the teeth I needed something to write with because I already had to many thoughts going through my head I need to sort them a little bit. So then I grabbed my mac as the tool of choice and have planted myself back on the porch. Out of the many thoughts I contemplated sharing with you I fought with three main ideas. First the analogy of my teeth and character which I decided was to personal. Second, I thought about writing a list of things I do not like about myself because I am in that sort of mood, decided that is not a very hot blog topic. So my third and my final decision is a Question for the Ladies.
My question stems from the thought string that I was flowing in earlier which some may describe as self hatred but I would rather deem as the inspiration for escape, adventure, and pursuit of improvement. I am completely and theologically convinced that the only real improvement that lasts and allows the settling of a person is found in the person of Jesus and his grace. The thoughts that cause me to write out a list of things I hate about myself also inspires me to dream. This may confuse some but when reality of who you are is something you hate, you must find some hope of escape in some other source. Jesus would be the lasting and real hope for change, redemption, and holiness but I tend to lean more towards goals, dreams, and drive. This drive leads me to the end of myself (law) and makes me want more... adventure, life, relationship,jumping trains. How about you? I need to sleep, this will be continued in the morning.

Jig-Saw

Moved out from the dorms in the Cascade wing and am now sharing a small apartment with 3 guys. Like a jig saw puzzle we are slowly piecing our belongings into place. food, instruments, a bunk bed, a full size, small desk, suit cases of clothes, shoes, and everything else. Ernest (my trusty red truck) has been a servant worthy of mentioning due to his incredible size and hence ability to store the excess. Though Ernest is nearly impossible to park in busy Seattle he has non the less been an awesome blessing.
I just returned from a trip to Christian Renewal Center in Silver Falls Oregon and on the way back up drove in tandem with my wonderful friend Emilie, my accomplice in crime Elisha , and my beautiful sister Jessica. These three have helped me move in and are now accompanying me in my explorative adventures of Seattle area.
I am having a blast and continuing to learn and grow a ton. Still struggling with my self and battling with many ideas, possibilities, and opportunities. Experiencing freedom in a new degree and learning the responsibilities of that freedom. I have begun to realize more and more in being away from home that my real home is the presence of God. I am learning to be vulnerable which is a massive challenge for me, learning to be confident with pride or false humility, I am learning that self discipline cannot be the main vehicle for change but rather the presence of God and vulnerability inside of covenant relationship with him and people. It has been a very good, very exciting, and subtly hard adventure but I cannot wait to see what is coming.
Don't relent! I love you all...

Sleepless in Seattle

So they say it rains in Seattle but every time I have visited and for the entirety of the time I have been here it has rained a maximum of four or five times. In fact I would absolutely love to have some rain, cloud cover, just a little something to break the heat. It been such a challenge to sleep in the heat I have almost mastered an art of opening and closing doors windows and positioning fans. (and lake jumps throughout the night) We set an all time record in the heat yesterday and I chose to go on a little run/exploration of some trails which gave me a fresh realization of the power of heat to drain the body. At the moment I am chillin in my dorm room which praise the Lord is on the ground level and taking the lunch break to hide from the heat. Today we studied Melchizedek and the continuance of the Abrahamic covenant which rocked my world and after lunch we are headed to do ministry track at a city ministry call Jubilee Reach. Gonna be fresh! Hot and fresh! Tonight we have to move our stuff across campus to some apartments where I will be sharing a room with I believe four or five other guys while remodels and maintenance are being done on our dorms. So at the same time as I pack my room I will be packing for a trip to Oregon for family camp in Silver Falls. Praise the Lord that Central District service was cancelled due to the heat or rather lack of air conditioning, otherwise I would be rockin out on the drums being cooked by the sky light that shines solely on the drums. Anywho, I am way excited for this weekend and the summer has been incredible. The freedom is awesome but also comes with a new degree of responsibility and so I would say to all my high school friends do not rush. Be excited and pray and plan but live well where you are right now. What you do now is what builds the platform for your life and ministry in the future. And before I say goodbye I want to dispense the lie that says when you leave home you will be able to change a lot easier and run after God more passionately with less distractions. Totally untrue, it is the day to day pursuit of God that brings real and lasting change in life not solely a change in environment although physical positioning has benefits. I love you all and pray that you would know who you are, a kingdom of priests and kings!

A penny worth

Focal Point Series, part 5 entitled Him We Preach by Judah Smith. June 21, 09
First Sunday at the Plateau Campus and exactly what I needed. This message was so on target with where my heart has been these last couple weeks it was as though almost every thought and prayer I have prayed Judah had studied out. The message was out of Colossians 1:21-2:3 and one new thing I learned in his introduction is that Colossians is referred to as the most Christ centered book in the bible because how many times it references Jesus and how it explains his relationship with the Father. In interior design a focal point needs to be decided off of which you then construct the flow, placement, and pattern in which everything else is placed. The focal point is Jesus, he is the corner stone, not a topic or discipline but the person of Jesus Christ. There must be a renewing of the mind that allows us to put Jesus as focal point and not Jesus + other things. The message was basically that maturity is to be basic, to be simple. The gospel is simple and we need to return to simplicity. It is all about Jesus, not Jesus and a degree, or Jesus and an internship or the right pastor or anything else. It is not about prayer from an anointed leader, not about the most recent book, not about 21 steps or a secret to life. Jesus is it and there must be a return to him. Be mature, be simple.

Devotions Monday June 22, 2009
1 Tim 4: This whole section has always been one of may favorites because of its never ceasing relevance to my life. I am young and I am an athlete so verse 8 which talks about physical fitness and verse 12 which talks about setting an example for believers in youth, speak to me clearly. I have been trying to study a little deeper when I read by using multiple translations. I find that with the diversity of word choice I can usually wrap my head around it a ton better. So today I have been in the ESV and The Message translations. One of the verses that stuck out to me was verse four and five which in the ESV say, "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if accepted with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer." In The Message, "Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God's word and our prayers make every item in creation holy." Stinkin awesome! This connects back to yesterdays notes when talking about the simplicity that truth is as opposed to the lies that would say salvation is found in not eating this or that and never getting married. Sorry, it is just Jesus. It is all about the pursuit of him and in that comes an incredible holiness, because as we run after God we are also fleeing from sin. Okay verse 8 in the ESV is a verse most of us know well, "for while bodily training is of some value, Godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise fro the present life and the one to come." I love the Message on this one, "Exorcise daily in God- no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever." It is all about the daily pursuit of God. Training for godliness. Finally lets look at verses 15 and 16 in the message, " Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. the people will see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on your charactor and your teaching. Don't be diverted. Just keep at it." Practical application: Keep at it.

Pursuit Beyond Program

1 Timothy 1-2 Devotions: June 19 and 20

Chapter 1: 3-11 Was rich this morning! Specifically in its reference to the use of the law. The Law as verse nine says is for the lawbreakers and rebels, ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious. One of the most massive mistakes we make with the law is making it for the righteous. We try really hard to keep it, to run from the sin it reveals, and focus on the law as the vehicle or the standard of holiness. We need new some new perspective. 2 Timothy 2:22 Says, "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." This one of the things Paster Elijah was showing us yesterday, it first says "flee from youthful passions" Then secondly says, " pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. So often we focus on fleeing, which is instigated by law, rather than the pursuit of God, which is inspired by grace. When caught up in the pursuit of God in faith and by grace it causes a dual effect on our lives. First, we are running after God then secondly, as a result, we are fleeing from sin and unholiness. The focus should not be on sin or upon fleeing but rather on the one who has saved us from sin the pursuit of him. The worship, the focus and effort should all be unto him to make him paramount on our lives. When this happens sin is not only left behind but it is not given the same focus we allow it when fleeing from it.
The commission we were given from Elijah who is the new youth pastor at GC was simple and powerful, make this summer a pursuit. A pursuit that goes beyond program, beyond requirements, and even beyond previous sin issues in our lives. 1 Tim 6:11 "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness."
So what are we pursuing? How do we do it? Practical application anyone? Well, I think one of the most powerful pieces God impressed upon my heart is that of pressing on. Phil 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ has made me his own. Brothers I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I believe it is time to forget the past of the sin that used to master you and I. It is time to press on and make it mine! Practically that means it is time for me to place God as the only one in my scope. For the last four years it has been God and this, that, and the other. Not that God was not still center stage but in this summer he is the only one, the only thing. Memorization has become something high on my list of valuable disciplines.
Psalms 27:4 "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and inquire in his temple." One thing... Strange concept for me. The power in having vision that is singular i that of unity. Division=double vision. I have had up to 8 visions pulling on my heart and it caused such turmoil and ineffectiveness that I have become willing to lay down things that I love and surrender them to the vision of God for my life. He has proved a much better visionary than myself and he is faithful. When he says seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added to you, he means it! So it is a one thing summer, it is about pursuit and not about fleeing, it is about grace and not law.

Notes on Green Jesus

Green Jesus
Ken Johnson
June 14, 2009

What is green? To prosper and foster life and the process of becoming more and more alive. What is good gives life. Bad=decrease in life. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Inside of the environments we are exposed to some will allow you to blossom, others will keep you alive but not allow growth and others still will kill you. (Smog) Jesus left the environment of heaven which is total purity to come into our polluted home and allow an option of purity. So what do we mean by green Jesus? The definition of an environmentalist is simply one who is anti pollutant, pro purity, and believes philosophically that the environment effects us and should therefore be protected. Jesus is the most green thing that has ever happened to earth, inside of sin or impurity the wages are death. Inside of Jesus there is life, growth, renewal, and forgiveness. We are called to be green, to be keepers of the earth. Gen 2:15. What can we do to practically to be green?

How about bringing a reusable mug when getting coffee, or your own bag when shopping, or taking less trips by planning out your driving to reduce gas expenditures.... Be green. Foster life in the environment and in people.

As my very wise mom was saying this morning when talking about our lawn, "It just takes maintenance, the yard, the house, relationships... they all just need faithful ." Especially in my transition out of home I see the truth and value to being a faithful keeper. There is such value in a little extra effort to manage our stuff.

Come on church! Lets rise up... The concept of being green even in its over used and extravagantly praised position in our culture is only a counterfeit of a Godly principle.

Revision

Unobtrusive

Understanding becomes
Needlessly complicated when
Obvious is
Besieged.
Truthfully the
Reduced,
Unexpected, and
Subliminal constructs
Instill confidence and inspire
Vivacious joy.
Evidence of the Unobtrusive

Undone. Revised

Undone
Monday Tuesday WednesFriday
Sat and Sun I come undone

We go on breaks and stay up to late,
thrown into the motions, while emotions
find new fuel for there longing to be free.
two months two days, I gra du ate.
May 1, the fateful day we sign our lives away.
Or we continue to flounder in a free flow pattern.
Make some money, hunt for a honey
to mine out meaning from the menial.

Monday Tuesday wednesfriday
Blast! Here comes Thursday seeking revenge
despite our best efforts
yesterdays activities remain memories clouded by
day to day to day
One to two, three to four
please sir, can I have some more...
time.

Bailout, word of the year yet we get no attention
left treading water, left to wonder
when the political game reaches the practical
beyond distant fame, someone to blame.

Stuck in a lame video game
jumping through hoops, level to level,
in a world with no emotion.
I shot you for bonus points.
Stole your gun and your girl.
just to take what I could.
it's a fleeting romance
a futile adventure

Monday Tuesday Wednesfriday
Sat and Sun I come undone

Touchable Theology

Touchable Theology
Upon the streets and in the fields, in the ghettos and in the hallways of Universities it is not hard to find those that love extravagantly, fight viciously, and do not settle for the love of “Christians” that has been tied down with the ropes of religious practice and mindless tradition. As you walk the streets of Seattle you will see the homeless and abandoned, you will see power in the buildings that pierce the sky. Down on the docks the cranes move endlessly the trade of an empire, the life flow of this massive city.
I traveled only hours away from my comfy home in the Bend and my eyes were opened, I was challenged. I looked into the faces of the poor and homeless and not only through Seattle’s display of her wide array of colors but also through a book, Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.
My accomplices in crime were my awesomely awkward, skyscrapishly tall, and always glee filled friends Kyle and Jesse. Kyle is like seven hundred feet tall, blond, a fellow senior, and man of prayer. The kind of guy who engulfs you in his long arms as he hugs you. Jesse is comparatively tall, Dutch, and hilarious! These two along with my wonderful dad were the team, our mission: To explore and experience Seattle and the little university of Seattle Pacific.
As we drove we rocked out to music as long as my dad could handle, then read out loud the thoughts we deemed worthy from our various books. While we journeyed, read, and rocked, we also dreamt and prayed about the next four years of life. In the thoughts we read I began to get uncomfortable, being challenged by the thoughts from this Shane Calyborn guy who lives out what the bible says like he really believes it. He challenges people to give away there things and follow Jesus. To love like Jesus did laying down his own life to love those that to society were untouchable. To Live to serve, give, and feed the hungry giving names to the faces of the homeless and hurting.
These concepts are all based on the bible that I read each morning, concepts that I know well and even preach, so why only now does this revelation come? I am now uncomfortable with my life and its bubble. I seemed to be gliding a little to the ground that it began chipping away my insulated shell of theology.
After hours of being trapped in the car with my thoughts and all their turmoil we finally reached our first stop in Portland where we were to have dinner with some wonderful friends of mine. After we had begun discussing the possibilities it came up that Mackenzie (one of my wonderful friends) loves to make lunches and feed the poor. In fact it was Her favorite activity when friends come over. Everywhere I looked I could not escape! It was like the prodding of the Holy Spirit saying, “Hello? Do you get it yet?”
As we sat down for our wonderful meal we discussed the homeless, the 36 thousand a year it takes to go to college, socialism, funding, compassion. We argued and laughed and then I stopped painfully realizing the real content of our conversation. We sat at an expensive meal talking, arguing, and debating about how we should love those who don’t have anything while living out a much different conversation of a bubbled up and insulated theology. Where is the contact point?

Sagacity

Jordan Wolfe
5/29/09 Religions

Sagacity

This was an assignment in Religions of the World to create or own religion.

Origin: Sagacity grew from Adam and Eve within the Garden of Eden. As the story of Genesis goes the devil embodied in a snake tempted Eve saying, “You shall not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it (the forbidden fruit) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Knowledge of what is good and evil entered the world in the fall.

Sacred Writings: The Bible. Great value is also placed on historical accounts, biographies, and academic texts from which you can glean knowledge. Every text or instrument of learning when sifted through with discernment which comes based off of the Bible can be found to have some worth.

Figure Head. Jesus, the prophets, and the characters of the bible.

Creed: Love God, Love people, and serve others.

Heaven and hell are the end point of the journey of life. The focus is not on Heaven and Hell it is on the journey and what is learned in the journey. The goal is to embrace the process and in it find wisdom. If you find wisdom you will live a life established in Love, Faith, and intern enter into eternal life in heaven.

The higher power is God, the I am, he is love and in him is the fullness of wisdom.

Miracles are a by product of being connected with God who is supernatural. The focus is not on miracles. We do not chase miracles as thrill seekers but as we chase God and miracles follow.

A fundamental Sagacist is one who pursues wisdom. Wisdom is not limited to the storing up of knowledge but rather wisdom comes through the application of that knowledge. Therefore a true Sagacist is one who applies knowledge upon application increases in wisdom.

The prayer of a Sagacist is one from the heart. It is a prayer both of asking questions, listening, and meditating. Then as you follow the leading of God your life becomes the prayer and you draw closer and closer to the Source.

The torah along with the near entirety of the Old Testament spells out the law. The law is wisdom but it is an unattainable righteousness as we are fallible beings. The fulfillment of the law is a more perfect order, that of Grace which fulfills the law. Grace is a free gift from God and the rule over those whether followers or not. Grace extends to all.

A life full of Joy is always a celebration. We celebrate each other, we celebrate wisdom, and we celebrate even the trials of life because out of there pressure character and fresh depth is produced.

To use an icon as representation for Sagacity would be to throw limits on wisdom by narrowing it to an image.

Kilts, Togas, and Drum Lines

24 days till the move date. Headed to Seattle, leaving what has been for 18 years, Bend and family, familiar and what has become so known that I have almost become that which I know.
Senior meeting today to receive cap and gown. Campaign day today and speeches tomorrow.
today we campaigned with drum lines, togas, and many slices of gum with candidates names tagged to the back. It was wonderful. As we drummed and yelled our support for the candidates we support hundreds of kids watched, clapped, danced, and lunged for our sweet little enticements.
23 days till move date. Speeches today and wearing Kilts rather then togas. The music got botched for our Scottish jig along with a lot of warfare spiritually. I was tortured in a skit, played organ, shot the British. It was a pretty epic day. After school I will be picking up my little sister from the middle school and singing a duet with her. I speak for the first time tonight at the church I have been involved in my whole life. Senior speak out it is called. Tomorrow I take off for the Christian Renewal Center and get to lead the high school section of the camp from Friday until Monday. Tuesday is seniors last day of school. Tuesday, through Friday morning I will try to track 5 songs for a demo CD. Thursday is Graduation, Friday is grad party and benefit concert. Saturday and Sunday I was invited to be the service host for Westside Church.
It is a full and exciting, mildly stressful and joy filled season. Lord help me focus!

Brief Thoughts on the Communist Manifesto

Analysis of the Communist Manifesto
I strongly agree that the classes, which are set up in society, that separate and place at odds different people groups in society need to be simplified. Just as strongly as I agree I also disagree with the philosophy and the vehicle of communism as a governmental order.
I agree that the exploitation of the working class is a valid crime and needs regulation, I agree that we should take care of the basic needs of our neighbors, I believe that if the sinful nature of man was taken away from him we could just about do away with governmental systems. The issue I find is that of stealing the incentive to work hard by only allowing what is considered necessity.
Limiting the identity, passion, and the desire of an individual by harnessing him to pull the load for those that cannot pull their weight for the same reward as those he is pulling is oppressive. Now if the situation is truly inspired out of a desire for unity out of a heart changed from the inside I am all for it! Then it freedom rather than oppression, then it is true selflessness not requirement.
In a society without the internal change of heart that I have only seen in a lasting way by revelation of Jesus Christ there would be great disorder, exploitation, and crime. That is without governmental hierarchies of control. Each law that has been established or at least the majority of laws are proofs of society having broken restraint and needing governance to prevent harm and maintain order.

The Abraham of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity

Who Is Abraham?
By Jordan Wolfe

Who is Abraham? Was he a prophet, a teacher. the father of many nations, or the father of a belief system? Depending on how we classify Abraham we could find ourselves fighting with Islam and camping with Jews, or making faith claims with Christians. To Islam Abraham is father of Arabs, to Judaism he is the father of the Jews, to Christianity the father of faith.
In The book of Genesis the story of Abraham begins for both Judaism and Christianity. G-d calls out to Abraham and says, “Go forth from your native land, and from your fathers house and I will make you a great nation.” Abraham follows the leading of G-d and even though he does not have an heir, he is old and his wife is past the age of child bearing Abraham and his family set out for a land they did not know. The split between Islam and Judaism comes inside the argument of lineage. G-d fulfills his promise to Abraham for a son through Sarah but not until after Sarah first loses hope and gives his husband her maidservant by which he produced another heir. Ishmael is the son of the maidservant Hagar and Isaac is the one born of Sarah. Isaac is said to be the covenant blood line by the Jews.
The Muslim Arabs and even those Arabs who have not submitted to God argue that the son Ishmael which God also promised a lineage of twelve tribes is the chosen blood line not Isaac. The larger difference here though is found in that difference of belief and submission. Although bloodlines are important because of Gods covenant with Abraham the Muslims believe that commitment is more important than lineage. If you believe and submit to God then you follow Abrahams example of a surrendered life and therefore are under the covering of Allah. There are many differences aside from simply the bloodline but the basic dividing factor is that of lineage of this case because if what the Jews claim is true then the Arabs are not Gods chosen people and therefore will not have his blessing or reward.
Christianity is similar to Muslim belief in that it agrees that lineage is not the end all but rather belief. Christianity is although more so in agreement with Judaism in the account of Genesis. The Jews and Christians share the same old testament and belief in the blood line but as the apostle Paul says in his letters to the early church it is by faith that we are grafted onto the chosen people (Jews) first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. The split is there in the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity because Jews believe it is the law not grace that is the sacrifice for forgiveness of sin.
Politically each of these claims has caused great havoc throughout history and even in present day the war still rages over who is credible in their claims to this Father Abraham. There is war over land, war over practice, war over war, and war for the sake of allegiance to one party or the other. The Jews and Arabs in the middle east are ever in conflict over who really has original and justifiable claim to the land and to sacred places of worship. Some would say that there is no proof if this man even existed but millions have died over which of his sons is the rightful heir to the promise of God and now this Father of many beliefs and bloodlines is written into our history books with the stain of blood.

Pre-Life Crisis

Pre-Life Crisis

Welcome class, please sit, get a pencil and fresh sheet of paper and plan out your life.
To succeed you need to find out how to sit into the boxes we have constructed.

Teacher, what is the purpose to life if just for me? If just for the boxes?

Good question, good thinking but don't try to merge philosophy with life
To succeed you need to find tolerance, be passionate, but be yet passive.

Teacher, why do we do so much until we die? Is it for memory only?

Good question, and good thinking but please don't buck the system
To succeed you need to do more and more, get credit, certificate, accomplishments.

Teacher, I don't understand why it is those who give away their lives in service that seem so happy, seem to have purpose.

It is not a question of purpose or destany, it is more a question of what you believe. Purpose comes from in yourself, you create your destinany.

What about the bible?

It is a good book of concepts but no more... It has lost most of its meaning in the translation.

Teacher I see no controdiction in it, it lines up with history, it is the only philosophy that lasts outside of meaningless, anthropology points us towards its truth.

They are only good concepts! Be a good student and respect what I say! That is what the bible says, "respect your elders."

Teacher, Jesus served God rather than man. Peter and Paul both both asked the elders the question of whether it is right to serve man over God? What do you say.

I am to I Am

I am to I Am

I am a son
loved by mother
loved by father

I am a brother
loved by sister
loved by brother

I have been a singer
singing songs from nursery rhymes
to songs of the times
played on heart strings pulled taut.

I have been a student
mentored, discipled, disciplined
learning the faith, logic, tact

I am leaving
loved by father
loved by mother

I am making it my own
and giving it away
taking singer and student
growing into I Was
because of I Am

I am a son

Ode to Life

Ode to Life
Monday Tuesday WednesFriday
Sat and Sun I come undone

We go on breaks and stay up way to late,
then thrown back into the motions, while my emotions
find new fuel for there longing to be free from this pattern.
two months two days, I gra du ate.
May 1, the fateful day we sign our lives away.
Or we may continue to flounder in some free flow pattern.
Make some money, hunt for a honey
O the terrible rhythm and rhyme
can our lives mine out meaning
in the midst of this menial.

Monday Tuesday wednesfriday
O blast! Here comes Thursday seekin revenge
despite our best efforts
yesterdays activities remain distant memories crowded out by
day to day to day to day.
One to two to the three to four
please sir, can I have some more?
More what?
Life! If I might have morsel to keep for the rainy day.

Bailout, word of the year but we get no attention
Could you spare 2.4 million for a small intervention?
When does the political game reach this practical
beyond just some distant fame or just someone to blame.

Do you ever feel stuck like in some lame video game
jumping through hoops, level to level,
livin in a world of no emotion.
I shot you for bonus points.
Stole your gun and your girl.
just to feel good. It doesn't last
but at least I have some fleeting romance of adventure.

I walk through the hall ways and it seems that we have so wrapped ourselves in this false reality of worth and a warped sense of purpose that we live from bell to bell, check box to check box. The only excitement is when he broke up with her and she hung out with him and so and so said her brothers- friends-grandmas-dog died so I am depressed. Have some sympathy

Stop, drop, think, search and you will find there is more than
Monday, Tuesday, WednesFriday.

Father What Now?

The road is gone now
Direction is blurred
We pray we cry out

Father what now?

These songs I sing seem
Just to add to the noise
Adding one more to this pile of questions
My reflection of the holy one grows so dime

Father what now?

My family father mother sisters and brother
Under pressure from a car crash
And the shattered glass
Of broken life surrounds me

Father what now?

I spent the night in the ICU
Sister in the bed with a bashed in head
Tossing and turning
At least she’s still breathing

Father what now?

Your grace is enough for me
Your grace has to be enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace has to be enough








Ballad by J. Wolfe on 3/24/09
G D Em C through the verses
Em to C with build through last two stanzas

Freedom in half an hour

Freedom Comes in Half an Hour

Learning
socialized funds
institutionalized
creativity, diluted
learning

Unobtrusive

Understanding complexity of concepts is often
needlessly painful when we are afraid to play with the
obvious, afraid of humble beginnings, afraid of
being deemed as silly.
The truth be told if we examine little things and then
reconsider the larger picture, often our turmoil turns'
unexpected joy,
speedily causing hunger to learn and
instead of overwhelming ourselves we become
vivacious for what previously proved
eminent confusion.

Post Secondary Plan

Post Secondary Plan... A little assignment for careers but I would like to share with all of you who want to know my heart for the next few years.
My post secondary journey will start next fall at Seattle Pacific University where I will study Urban and Global development with a minor in history. I plan to pursue Air Force ROTC as a method of provision for school and an outlet for physical competition, leadership, and international experience. In Seattle I will also be pursuing music, playing small shows in the coffee shops (as another form of resource), and serving at a local church working with the homeless population and mentoring young people.
After the four years of undergraduate school with all the extracurriculars that go with it I will present a request to the Air Force to postpone the required service in it and both allow and provide for me to pursue law so that I could better serve the Air Force. I believe that request will be granted because during the interview process for ROTC the major that interviewed me encouraged me telling me that it would not be the first time the Air Force has paid for law school and even Harvard Law School.
These plans for education in undergraduate will lay the ground work for graduate school, graduate school will lay the foundation for a career of international law in the Air Force, and the Air Force provides for the education, allows for a job after school, and lays the foundation for my dreams for life and law as a tool for mission and provision for my future family.
After I retire with the Air Force I will have the benefits of a veteran, experience that will allow for a good private venue to practice law, and the financial freedom to travel, serve, and pour into the church and my family. I am hoping to be involved not only in private law in the U.S but also in probono around the world for the poor and orphaned, the farmers and the organizations that cannot afford a professional voice in the legal system.
As a final goal I hope to pursue judgeship and civil service in whatever area I am led. All of these plans, hopes, and dreams are in the sifter but I do believe that they will prove gold refined in the furnace that has been my life these four years of high school and will continue to be purified in the crucible that life will continue to provide.

The Contrast Painted

Jordan Wolfe
03/09/2009
Philosophy

The Contrast Painted.
Plato vs. Aristotle
The teacher and the student, Plato and Aristotle both widely respected thinkers with radically different thoughts. Not everyone was satisfied with Plato's universal truth and higher reality that he found in the thought of a thing rather than its form. Aristotle was one of those that found himself not completely satisfied with the thoughts of his mentor. In his works he stands in almost complete contrast with the thoughts Plato laid out. This is Idealism vs Realism, Universal against individual, and form as opposed to the concept of that form.
Plato was an idealist that stressed the power of unchanging truths that he called universals. He painted his ideas in the allegory of the cave where he displays the power of shadows and of partial truth. His question was that if individuals are only exposed to the shadows projected on the wall then will they not consider those shadows to be reality? He argues that the world in which we live is only shadows and images of the real world. The more real world is one that is beyond what we can deductively or inductively understand with our senses and must be understood and applied through intellect and ideas.
Now we have Plato's student Aristotle who would say, “Wait just one stinkin moment! Lets use logic to study the things we see and then build off of them some more probable conclusions!” Aristotle was a realist and he teaches that reason is divine. He would say we should not go straight to the ideas that are untouchable but rather to what we know and then by understanding the shadows project probable conclusions. His political belief also stands in the face of Plato's ideals in that he believed the state to be the higher priority than the family. That individuals cannot be complete in who they are but rather are made whole by fulfilling they're part in society. He would say that slaves made by capture in war are totally okay because those that lose the war are inferior to the winners and will actually do better being ruled by their superiors.
Plato's political views are heavy in idealism which Aristotle criticized as being to far from this reality. Mr. P wanted a utopia and wrote about concepts of community even to the degree of communal ownership of wives. Aristotle although placing the state ahead of the family disagreed with abolishing he family because he said the state is made up of families. Communal ownership he argued would mean no private property and with out property the management of households and families is lost.
Each of these thinkers wanted to find universals but the arguments come when we put at odds their different vehicles for reaching them. Aristotle believes that through examination of particulars or what he called the “essence” of things we can reach the universals. Plato believed that universal existed outside of the particulars and extended further than Aristotle's natural philosophy. This is where the argument gets interesting in that you can begin looking into the concepts of love, hope, and faith. In plugging these concepts into their vehicles we see that it is at best it is hard to piece together particulars about them and at worst it is impossible. Love goes beyond the logic of Aristotle and though he dominated thinking for thousands of years on many topics I think I would have to give at least a piece of the battle on love as a victory to Plato.
Both of these incredible thinkers create a beautiful tension upon which we can stand and look into our lives, our society, and our world and question what is true and how the truth is applied. I believe that both of them would agree that fearless questioning and study of life, love, and all that goes with it is not only an honorable pursuit but a life giving one.

Jesus Christ! Ahhhh! For Philosophy

To answer the question, “How do you know something is True?” we must first define what truth is. The question of, “what is truth?” has been asked for thousands of years and is central to philosophy. Because the question is so big and so controversial I have researched what has already been argued and will use an essay entitled Truth from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy as a reference. I will also revisit what many of you have already said in our forum, each of you had some great thoughts, and finally, I will reference Websters Dictionary.

According to Webster truth is conformity with fact or reality: verity, a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle or the like: mathematical truths. According to the Neo- classical correspondence theory a belief is true if there exists an appropriate entity—a fact—to which it corresponds. If there is no such entity, the belief is false. If we were to ask a Pragmatist he may tell us, “Truth is the end of inquiry.” Or, “True beliefs are guaranteed not to conflict with subsequent experience.” You, (my peers) have said that truth is seeing, truth is individual, and truth you say, is when a belief is backed with evidence. There are so many thoughts here and I agree in part with all of them, with the exception of anything Bunker has to say.

Truth does not contradict, it can be verified, and there is no substantial proof to its contrary. A fingerprint can be matched to a suspect and used in a court of law when there are 10 points of correspondence with the reference print and no point that contradicts. When there is reference, evidence, and no proof to give substantive sway into disbelief then it is true.

Now the question of Universal Truth is where things get sticky, but I will say it straightforward, if there is no truth that is a common thread throughout the universe there would be no foundation off of which to build any sort of understanding or knowledge. I believe that there are individual beliefs and that there are individual convictions, but I do not believe that what is individual can in anyway unground Universal Truth.

With these definitions of truth I can place the Bible into a category of being true. It was written by 40 known authors over a period of 1400 to 1800 years and it has not one contradiction in it. It is backed up with reference points in history, archeology, fulfilled prophecy, experience, and thousands and thousands of eye witness accounts and documented experiences. So with the bible as a reference I will use John 14:6 to close and to open for discussion.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man come to the Father, but by me.”

Lullaby

Lullaby
C#m B A2
Lullaby oh goodnight my friend
C#m B A2
Wont you stay here beside me now
C#m B A2
And I will sing you melodies that
C#m B A2
Have never been sung before


Lullaby oh goodnight my friend

Let me stay here beside you now

And I will sing in harmony with

The beatings of your heart

E B C#m A2
I will sing you a song tonight, tonight
E B C#m A2
I will sing it loud and strong tonight,

Or if you’d rather I will just


Lullaby oh goodnight my friend

I will sing you a song tonight

And I will pour out a whispered prayer

For you to hold me tight


Take me there to the place of reality in grace
Take me deeper pull me closer now (X2)

All I Want

All I Want

Verse 1 G F#/G C
I cannot sleep tonight
G F#/G C
I don’t know why
G F#/G C
Its not that I’m thinking
G F#/G C Am
It’s more that I don’t know what to think anymore
Am
Anymore.

Verse 2 G F#/G C
Feeling poor and lonely
G F#/G C
There is a draught in my dreaming
G F#/g C
This heart is hard and hurting
G F#/G C
Would you please trade with me your magic seeds
Am G F#/G G
So I can climb, Into the sky

Chorus Am C G
All I want to do… is what your doing
Am C G
All I want to say… is what your saying
Am C G F#/G C
And All I want to be….yeah, is you have for me

Verse 3 G F#/G C
Castle in the clouds
G F#/g C
I will come to you there
G F#/G C
When I close my eyes

G F#/G C
And stow away upon the melodies you sing to me
Am
Sing to me in the night
Am
In the night

Verse 4 G F#/G C
Speak to me softly in the night
G F#/G C
I want to hear your voice in my ear (X2)

A New Week, A New Day, A New Moment.... A New Season.

I love the morning so much it drives me to sleep at ridiculously early hours. I sacrifice movies, parties, and a bunch late night hang time to be able to beat the sun up. The bible says that there are new mercies every morning, and wise people have said, "Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.  Those are not what have inspired me to rise early but because I do it just  supports my strangeness. There is something about the sun breaking through the darkness, something about a fresh start that puts the yesterday underneath you. I know I rant about the morning and how it inspires me often but it is not only a new morning, it is a new week. Last week carried many worries, although like most worries most never came to fruition. There seemed an endless amount of things to do and time seemed to be endlessly fleeting. When a friend and I talked about the stress of school, the emotional trauma that occurred during the break, and the giant deadlines that threatened to change our future, we came up with this picture. It is like you are tied to a treadmill that is cranked up just over the thresh hold level, just to fast to maintain. I love thresh hold training and workouts where you push your body right up to that breaking point but in life, not so much. Yes the hard stuff develops endurance, strength, and power like nothing else can but when it happens in life you don't see an end of the work out. there is no stop watch to pace off of, no defined finish line, or summit to the hill. When there is no end to  the speed  you begin to fall apart mentally as you anticipate the wall. The wall as runners know is when lactic acid and other wastes are flooding into your legs faster than your body can filter it out and all f the sudden you crash. Your legs feel like led or like you are running underwater. If you really push it your body will go into temporary paralysis. Most of us cannot push that hard because mentally we freak ourselves out before our body reaches that point.
 Last week was like running at just above thresh hold with no end in sight. My body was probably ok but my mind was tweekin. It is a new week! A fresh start and I have grown even from my experiences last week. I learned that when the eyes in your head cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel you are not allowed to freak out because we have faith. You turn to the eyes of your heart. One of the things that has been amazing me lately is the thought of Joy in Brokeness. Paul said, "Our heart break but we still have joy." It is all a perspective thing. Last week from my perspective I was going to crash and in turn I did. This week I have the same stressors but from a faith perspective all things will work together for the good of those who love him. (God) I read this morning I believe in Luke twelve some words that I need to remind myself of much more often. In summery: Do not worry about what you will eat or drink, God provides for the ravens and are you not worth much more than birds. Then do not worry about what you will wear, look at the flowers of the field and the grass, even Solomon in all his splendor could not compare. God open the eyes of my heart and let me see like that!
It is a new day, a new week, and a new season. Track training with the team starts today. I am inspired and ready to grow in my fitness and to lead my team! I know though that to lead even when you cannot see with the eyes in your head that the eyes of your heart need to be tuned in to what really matters.

New Years Resolution

I resolve in this new year to live barbarically, to run the back roads, and walk the narrow road. I resolve to run at new intensities both physically and spiritually. I commit to set aside 2 hours a day to dig into the word, pray, and journal. To fast one day a week and whenever the spirit leads. To be faithful in the practical of my room, my house, my grades. I resolve to run at new intensities both physically and spiritually. Begin running marathons and setting up habits that I want to carry through college and into the rest of life. To spend the rest of the time I have in Bend praying for, serving, and loving well my family. I resolve this year to return to my first love, remember from where I have fallen, and do the works I did at first. Rev 2:4-5 Sing unashamed love songs, new songs, and unfinished-unpolished songs of worship. To go back to playing drums and rhythm. Return to the childlike faith and live out the passion that has been muffled and beaten down in the past three years. To love because I have been so wonderfully loved!