What If...

What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captive free
And not let satan have one more

What if the Church, for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took a stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates

What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His faith, yeah
And turn from their old ways

And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day

What if the life that we pursue
Came from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus
Stopped asking Oprah what to do

What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face yeah
And turn from their own way

He said that He would hear
His promise has been made
He'll answer loud and clear, yeah
If only we would pray



From What If His People Prayed by Casting Crowns

My Favorite Song

This is, by far, my favorite song.  Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mvewRB9CN4



What's yours?

Always Yours

I was watching TV this evening when an Overstock.com commercial came on and the background song playing was "Always" by the band Switchfoot.  The lyrics of the song were being used to make you think that you can have whatever you want. Anything can be "always yours" as the lyrics of the chorus say.  But these lyrics have been sadly taken out of context.  Rather than explain to you, in my own words, what the lyrics mean, I'd like to share with you the explanation of them by Jon Foreman.  He wrote the song.

"I am continually searching for meaning in my life. Why am I here? Why is there so much pain? This cold, dark stream of sorrow runs through my life. Why does it run alongside of the warm beautiful waters of joy and beauty? Why do the two rivers collide and intertwine? The dark and the light. The death and the life... Most of my songs become outlets for these questions. The music becomes place for the cognitive dissonance to chew away at something other than a broken heart or an ulcer. The music becomes a place to sort through the dark and the light. I love crosswords, sodoku, solitaire- games with a simple victory that allows me the momentary thrill of setting the world right. But song- writing feels like a similar discipline to me. A puzzle of letters and math, theory and rule, expression and passion.

The lyric of this song attempts to start at the womb and follow a human soul through life. And so it begins: the heart beats, the eyes open, breath floods the lungs for the first time- what incredible experiences! What extraordinary sensations! I wanted to write this from a father's perspective, from the eyes of the father of life. One look into the eyes of his son and the father is smitten for life. The possession that the young infant has over the father is complete. Always yours. The second verse speaks of the pain. This pain is always with us. We are born into a world of pain, the pain of losing a child, the pain of rejection, of racism, sexism, fears... these experiences rip us to pieces.

Everyone feels pain. I look to those who have been through more pain than I will ever know for guidance on the subject. The Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist Victor Frankl survived several Nazi concentration camps with his life and his hope intact. He lost more than I'll ever know... his wife, his parents, and his family did not survive. His understanding of pain is in direct opposition to our western world that is often found running from pain at all costs. Frankl’s “Case for a Tragic Optimism” speaks of turning suffering into human achievement and optimism in the face of tragedy. The memories, the pain, the scars, these are yours. Yes, the things that you and I have lost. These are yours and they have meaning. No, these could never be The Ultimate Meaning in our lives, but let these scars drive us towards "turning suffering into human achievement and accomplishment."

The bridge in the song is the acknowledgment of my own shortcomings. As a man born into beauty and pain, there is a moment of surrender where I lay down my life. This is a free volitional action, a gift, just as the father's love was given to me- this became the response. A simple surrender to the Infinite Maker of The Finite acknowledging that I need his love. The meaning in my life is often found in surrender rather than mastery."

It is unfortunate the the lyrics and meaning of this song have been misunderstood and misused. Rather than being used to express that fact that God is always ours, it is now being utilized to portray that we can have whatever worldly things we want. I hope that people will be able to see though the veil and understand what Mr. Foreman is trying to say and truly realize that God is always ours.  What an incredibly comforting thought.


Here are the lyrics for your reference and a link to the song:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85vi2pB1T5c

This is the start
This is your heart
This is the day you were born
This is the sun
These are your lungs
This is the day you were born

And I am always yours

These are the scars
Deep in your heart
This is the place you were born
This is the hole
Where most of your soul
Comes ripping out
From the places you’ve been torn

And it is always yours
But I am always yours

Hallelujah!
I’m caving in
Hallelujah!
I’m in love again
Hallelujah!
I’m a wretched man
Hallelujah!
Every breath is a second chance

What do you think?

A Petition of Christian Conscience

Read this...

http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/14164-a-petition-of-christian-conscience



What do you think?

I Miss Kenya

Check out this video on the latest that the VU Engineers Without Borders Chapter has been doing. This is some really awesome stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ydtgLlZDg

Can you spot me in the video? I'm in it more than once.

In Remembrance

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and his works and sacrifice, I'd like to share this song with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9c24_lw_24

Here are the lyrics as well:

Pardon me, your epidermis is showing, sir
I couldn't help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
Cause I see the beauty in the tones of our skin
We've gotta come together
And thank the Maker of us all

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace
 
A piece of canvas is only the beginning for
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an Artist's heart
By God's design, we are a skin kaleidoscope
We've gotta come together,
Aren't we all human after all

Ignorance has wronged some races
And vengeance is the Lord's
If we aspire to share this space
Repentance is the cure

Well, just a day in the shoes of a color blind man
Should make it easy for you to see
That these diverse tones do more than cover our bones
As a part of our anatomy
 
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
[Oh, colored people]
We're colored people, and we all gotta share this space
[Yeah we've got to come together somehow]
We're colored people, and we live in a tainted world
[Red and yellow, black and white]
We're colored people, every man, woman, boy, and girl
[Colored people, colored people.
colored people, colored people, yeah]

Deathbed

Check out this video someone made for Relient K's song "Deathbed."  This is a great song.  Watch the video all the way through, especially the last half.  You'll like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhf-BO_2wGw&feature=related

What do you think?

A Sad Day

So as I was perusing the popular networking site "Facebook," I noticed some friends of mine were members of a group called "Have the President's speech moved so it won't mess with the Lost premier!!!"  Following some basic investigatory work, I discovered people were upset that there is a chance that the President's State of the Union address will be held on Feb. 2, the same day as the Lost premiere apparently.  When I read this, I was rather perturbed.  Have we, as Americans, really become more worried about watching a fictitious television show, rather than what our nation has accomplished in the past year and where it is going in the next?

To you a little background, Lost is an American serial drama television series following the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island.  Imagine Gilligan's Island on steroids.  The State of the Union address is a speech where the President outlines where he(or potentially someday she) feels the country has been in the past year.  they outline the good and the bad of what we has done economically, environmentally, militarily, etc.  They also take the opportunity to outline their plans for the upcoming year.

To think that people would rather get their fix off of a TV show rather than learn about the future of their own country baffles me.  I just don't understand how people can choose to be so ignorant to what is going on around them.  Our nation is going through major historical changes that affect everyone, and whether good or bad, the American people need to be aware of what is going on in their own country, state, and even city or town.  I guess it doesn't surprise me that much though seeing as only 57% of Americans seemed to deem it important to vote in our last national election.  People in other countries are intimidated, threatened, and even killed for voting.  That is if they are even given the opportunity to.  Here is American we would rather watch fiction rather than worry about what is happening in real life.

Now I have no problem with watching tv and following your favorite, but at some point, people need to wise up and start taking responsibility and pride in their country.  We take what we have here for granted far to often and I pray that Americans would begin to take more interest in their country instead of their TVs.  People need to stop being so self absorbed in themselves and their interests and begin looking at the bigger picture.  Missing or moving the premiere of a TV show won't kill anyone.  Get over it.

What do you think?

Happy New Year!

To anyone who said/thought that Brett Favre should have retired and was no longer good at football,  I think you're a complete moron and shouldn't be allowed to publicly speak about sports.

With that said, welcome to 2010, the second decade of the 2000s.  It's pretty crazy to think that 10 years has gone by since we all thought the world would end due to our computers changing dates.  And now we are worried about it ending in two years because of an ancient civilization that is now gone and whose ancestors no longer follow said calendar.  It's pretty crazy.

Anyways, I thought I'd say a few comments about what I've seen God doing in my life in the past year.  I decided to do this based on the BreakPoint blog by Charles Colson and I highly encourage you to read it. (http://www.breakpoint.org/commentaries/13944-reflections-for-new-years-day)

I'll start in May because a lot began to happen then.  7 months ago I walked across a stage in front of several hundred people to be handed a blank folder and shake the hand of a man that I didn't know, and then take a very awkward picture as I was hurried down a ramp back to my seat.  In America, we know this as graduation.  1 day prior to this, I walked across another stage, was handed a folder (this time with stuff in it), shook another hand of a man who I didn't know and again took another awkward picture.  This occasion was more meaningful to me whoever as it marked my commissioning into the U.S. Air Force.  These two events were a culmination of 4 years of hard work which provided me with a college degree and a job, both of which were completely God driven.  As you may imagine, college isn't the easiest task to accomplish, and to throw ROTC on top of that makes it an even more daunting task.  Looking back on those 4 years, it is easy for me to see where I failed time and time again and yet I continued to push forward due one reason and one reason only, the grace of God and his hand in my life guiding me on the path that he had in mind for me.

After graduating and commissioning, I had an entire summer to myself.  Actually not really.  God provided me with a great job with Youthworks! in Raleigh, NC working with youth from all over the country to minister and serve the residents on Raleigh and Durham, NC.  I saw God move and work in so many ways throw myself and the youth that I lost count.  To see God use 6th graders to minister to kids in YMCAs to the elderly in nursing homes is so incredible to see.  Through those experiences, God showed me a great deal about myself and my weaknesses in following others and in my walk with him.  It is only by his hand that I was able to have those amazing experiences and stories. 

Also during this summer, God introduced me to a very special someone.  She was a youth leader for one of the groups that came and we throughout the week began to get to know each other.  After they left, we continued to keep up correspondence via texting and phone conversations. One thing lead to another and what do you know, we're now dating.  I couldn't ask God for a more amazing person and I'm so excited to see what he has in store for us in the future.

As the summer came to a close, my mind rapidly changed gears into getting ready for begin my job with the Air Force.  At the end of September, I left Aurora to begin a new part of my life in Santa Maria, Ca, a state I had never previously made an acquaintance with.  As it turns out, God was right with me there too.  I have a great squadron that I work in with great co-workers and he showed me a great church that I know attend.

It's crazy, everywhere I look God is in everything that has happened to.  It is incredible what a great and amazing God we serve.

These are only a handful of instances where God has had a presence in my life (seeing as who he does everyday).  I encourage you to take a second and look back on 2009.  What was good?  What was bad?  What did do in your life?  How do you plan on continuing  to follow his will in your life in the new year?

I hope that we can all look back on 2009 and be happy with the outcome of it, and I pray that everyone has a fantastic and God filled 2010.

And once again, you should really read Charles Colson's daily blog at http://www.breakpoint.org/bp-home
You won't be disappointed.