Livin4Christ83's Xanga

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:55:25 GMT

Seven years is a long time.

Last night I covered my last Hallsville football game. The Bobcats lost, 27-17, eliminating them from playoff contention and ensuring that my seven-season tenure as the Hallsville beat writer was officially over.

During the third quarter the PA guy totally caught me by surprise when he thanked me for seven years of coverage, told the crowd where I was going and said Hallsville wanted to wish me well in Alabama. It was really nice, although a little awkward when everybody started looking up to the press box to find me. I stood up and waved, although probably only the top few rows could see me.

As I walked to the car after the game, I looked around at the empty parking lot. Bobcat Stadium hasn't really changed since I first started covering Hallsville as a 19-year-old rookie. But I sure have.

After seven years and probably 800 stories, I'm leaving. I made a lot of friends. I became a better writer. I became a much different person. The kind folks in Hallsville watched me go from a boy to a man.

They were good to me.

And I'm going to miss them.

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:48:29 GMT

"The Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. Not only is there a God who loves you and has a plan for your life, but there is also a devil who hates you and opposes God's plan.

I am not suggesting that once you become a Christian, you will be sick, poor, and miserable. But the essence of the Christian life is knowing and walking with God. It is about sticking with Him when the sky is blue and also when it is filled with clouds. It is about pressing on."

Greg Laurie

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:20 GMT

Sunday night I went to the grocery store to pick up some needed supplies for pumpkin bread...Namely canned pumpkin.

As I'm checking out, the lady at the register, about age 50, asks if I'm making pumpkin pie. I said it's actually going to be pumpkin bread and she says, "Ohhh, you know how? Can you bring me some?"

At first I thought she was kidding - but she wasn't. With swine flu and everything else going around, there's only two reasons I can think of why she would be willing to risk eating a stranger's cooking....

a) She has the hots for young guys

b) I look like I'm 50

I don't like either one!

But I still took her a loaf of pumpkin bread.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:57:50 GMT

“When we cannot, by searching, find the bottom [of God’s greatness], we must sit down at the brink, and adore the depth.” - Matthew Henry

One of my all-time favorite quotes. God's greatness is so incredible, especially when we can see Him working in us.

This has been an interesting year. I was thinking today about just how much I've changed...and I knew I would. I knew this year would bring with it opportunities to make major decisions about my beliefs, standards, finances, education, career and just life in general. Sure enough, those things have happened. I can't say that this year has gone like I thought it would - far from it, actually - but the changes have been as drastic as I anticipated.

What I'm not surprised is to see God's faithfulness through it all. Every. single. time. Every time I start worrying about things, God provides again. I've seen over and over that the closer you draw to God, the more you realize just how far you have to go.

Even so, God is so patient with us. When I am weak, He is strong.

"Prayer wonderfully clears the vision; steadies the nerves; defines duty; stiffens the purpose; sweetens and strengthens the spirit." S.D. Gordon

I may not always be able to see what's around the next bend, but God always lights the way enough for me to take the next step. I'm getting kind of used to that now....It's taken a long time.

I'm so glad God has granted me a life where I'm forced to lean on Him for answers. It's like the butterfly who struggles to get out of the cocoon, which God has designed as a way to strengthen it for the rest of its life.

How much more does God care for us? He wants to make us stronger, and to do that we must be presented with opportunities to exercise our faith.

Which means there is no need to ever worry.

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?....So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25, 34

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:42:08 GMT

It just occurred to me that I turn 26 one week from today.

Wow, I'm getting old...

Friday, September 18, 2009

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:11:51 GMT

Recently it has come to my attention that my blog is ugly. In fact, it's been ugly for a long time. Well, I'm terribly sorry for this, but there is a reason!

See, the point of this blog is, ultimately, to point people to Christ....and I just didn't want my stunning design skills to distract from that.

Actually, the real answer is that I just don't really care. Is that wrong of me? I'm sorry if it is. My brother, Daniel, created this blog 3 1/2 years ago and I've just continued to write on it without a care in the world what it looks like. It was a couple of years into blogging before I ever touched one single design setting. *shrugs*

I guess the point is that I love to write and don't care much for design. We have a design editor at The Flare and I'm perfectly happy to let him take care of all the design and I'll just sign off on it. I'm much more concerned about content, and the same can be said about this site.

Of course, if you think I'm boring, then you just need to find yourself another blog to read...I know you're not here because of the design!

* In other news, it's been raining for six straight days here. *sigh* And this after a six-week drought. I will never understand Texas weather....

* School is going well, but keeping me ridiculously busy. It's weird to see the strange mixture of instructors I have this semester.

~ One takes things way too seriously, is almost new age in some of her thinking and far too rigid in grading English homework. The answers to her questions are largely subjective...but her opininion is the only one that counts; not yours.

~ Another one doesn't give a hoot about the class. Very little teaching is done and she acts like you're already supposed to know everything. We meet weekly and have had four class sessions so far. She showed up late to one, left early from another and then this week didn't show up at all....but she's not too busy to keep from burying us with homework.

~ Then we have my music appreciation teacher, who I like. He doesn't care too much about class, but teaches nonetheless. Every day he says, "I think I'm going to let you out a little early today," as if this is something new. lol

~ My college algebra teacher is great...I'm just not too excited about the subject. But if anybody could get me to enjoy math even the slightest bit, it's Mr. W!

* In other news, I was nominated for Homecoming King. It was pretty entertaining because I thought I might actually get on the court....but it wasn't meant to be.

* Quote of the Day: "It is not enough to simply avoid the sins that our Christian culture says are the "worst"; we must also allow God's knife to slay the pride, the self-will, the self-confidence and the self-glorification that our backslidden Christian culture encourages." J. Lee Grady

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:26:29 GMT

Recently I've been pondering the meaning significance of faith. Of course, we know that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Without this saving faith being gifted to us (Eph. 2:8-9), there is no way for us to be pleasing to Him. But I'm not talking so much about the kind of faith that leads to salvation. I'm referring to the kind of faith that allows us to walk closely with God.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder if we have any.

When it comes to the every day battles of life, those difficult trials we all face, how do we respond? Hardly a day goes by when we are not forced to deal with situations at work, school or church; with health, relationships, finances, friendships and other areas. These things are typically anything but easy. However, we know that trials are intended to bring us to maturity in Christ.

"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope..." Romans 5:3-4

Although we know this is our God-given assignment, it seems to me we often run to the nearest means of human reasoning to solve our problem.

What do we do when we can't pay a bill? Borrow the money.

What do we do when we can't repair a friendship? Find somebody else to fix the problem.

What do we do when God gives us direction, but we don't know enough details? We sit there.

I can't help but wonder how many times we miss out on God's richest blessings because we didn't have the faith to trust Him. People complain about wanting more from their mundane Christian life, but how many opportunities do they give God to work in their lives? It takes a problem for God to provide the solution; it takes sickness for God to provide healing; it takes a question for God to provide the answer.

Recently I've seen God work in the lives of a couple of my friends, which is really what got me thinking about this. They did what didn't make sense in human terms because they believed God had directed them to do so. In the end, God provided, they were blessed and their faith was increased.

How many times do we miss out?

When God guides you in a direction, it doesn't matter how bleak the outlook may appear....Go for it! As the old saying goes, "Where God guides, He provides."

Do you trust Him?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:00:07 GMT

Today I was doing my English homework and came across some interesting facts about the famous writer, Edgar Allan Poe.

Did you know....

* Poe's mother died when he was two years old.

* He was expelled from West Point.

* After his first marriage ended in divorce, he married his 13-year-old cousin.

* He didn't become famous until he was 36.

* He died at age 40 after a drinking binge.

It's amazing what gets buried in the annals of history...

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:25:22 GMT

Last week I got a call from Ana Walker, the editor of the Longview News-Journal. She said she had entered my name to receive a scholarship from Cox, which owns the LNJ. This came as a complete shock, considering that I have never asked for a scholarship from them.

This week Ana called me back and said that it was official - I have the scholarship!

Since my books and tuition are already paid for, this means the money will be refunded directly to me later this fall.

Wow. I'm so glad God has chosen to show His goodness to me in this way!

He has such perfect timing.

Ephesians 3:20

Friday, August 14, 2009

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:37:54 GMT

I've been reading an excellent book by David Hagopian entitled "Back to Basics," and it's been really good thus far. I found a very thought-provoking quote and I'm throwing out for discussion....

"Christians who deny that God controls the free decisions of men have a real problem with inspiration. To be consistent, either they must assert that God destroyed the liberty of biblical writers and that God alone speaks in the Bible through some sort of mechanical dictation, or they must abandon the verbal inspirations of the Scriptures as an impossibility. If they opt for the former, then they must explain how the personality of the various writers is so evident ("Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus in Troas"). But if they opt for the latter, then we must bid them farewell on their journey out of Christianity."

Wow. I've never thought of it like that...