Nun danket alle Gott

Wellp,
1 big ole paper down, 1 1/2 remain.  Then the BIG BIG BIG Dawg is due... but that's not till April.
I like Thanksgiving.  I like everything about it.  the food, the fun, the time off work and school, the snow...  When I was a younger lad I would go out the night before Turkey Day with all my old chums.  Many, many good times had.  Tonight was just as good- if not better.  Good time of worship then Harry Potter.  Granted, I was a tad confused for... well, the whole movie... but still a good flick with good friends. 

I have so much to be thankful for.  That goes without saying... Tonight, however, I'm prayerfully requesting contentment, perspective, humility, clarity, and wisdom.  I was talking to my man JG the other day and I asked him to keep me in his prayers and, as usual, he spewed wisdom without even trying.  "Your asking is God's desire to give" he said casually. I'm thankful for him.

Tomorrow...  fun with loved ones doing things I love to do:  eat, play games, laugh, and smile... smiling's my favorite.  
nun danket alle Gott.

I journeyed to school tonight because the wet roads were supposed to freeze over again.  I didn't feel like battling death in the morning.  I've put in another 5 or 6 hours on these papers.  I decided that I am not leaving Mankato until my menopause paper is done.  I only have one change of clothes with me.  Either I'm going shopping, or I need to get writing.  Regardless, it's due Wednesday at 10:30am.  chop-chop!

thank God for 4 wheel drive!

holy moly!
a tiny bit of rain + freezing temps= looooong, scary drive home.
Wowzas.  I slammed into a curb pretty bad... I may have messed up my alignment, AND I slid- no lie- slid sideways down a hill.... but I made it home... It took me 2 hours to go a total of 15 miles.  Nutty.
Sadly, it is now 1:15am, I need to be at church in 6 hours, but I'm totally wound up over icefest 2010...

gotta love winter!

chicken

Wow.  It has been way too long.  I had no idea what taking all these credits would do... It is absolutely insane.  Total mental exhaustion is really the only way I can describe it.  I honestly lack the energy to do even the most mundane tasks and everything is kind of blurring together.  It's totally surreal.  You'd think that I'd be really excited that it's almost over, but now is crunch time!  I have 2 major papers due next week and I have 3 tests that I've been putting off waiting for me on Monday.  Not to mention the backlog of youth work that awaits me in my office... oh and I currently don't have a car as I'm waiting to find out how much my transmission is going to cost me.  The chances of the bill being more than I have in cash and savings has got to be 75%.  oiy.

I don't mean to complain, its just what's going on right now.  I have been trying to think of bla(h)g topics, but my well is running pretty dry right now.  My head is consumed with my papers on male menopause and the apologetic approach to ancient "Christ" stories. (I bet you never thought you'd see those two subjects in the same sentence...)

Alas, it IS almost over, and I really hope I finish strong.  I'm disappointed because I know that a couple professors think very little of my writing because I've only handed in hastily-written drivel that is intended to merely suffice, not surprise.  I come off as a fool, and yet I'm too busy to care.  no good.  I'm actually pretty concerned about my GPA, to be honest.  Don't get me wrong, I have little doubt that I'll end w/ B's, but I really want to be better than that and actually graduate w/ honors.  All my silliness as a lad and my unsuccessful bout with two semesters of 10 credits Hebrew has left the ole GPA pretty dinged up, if I have any hopes of grad school I need this semester to be stellar. 

Speaking of grad school, that is what I'm using as a distraction. I check out different grad school websites every day and day dream. I really want to keep on going to school.  I absolutely love learning currently, so to just stop going to school would be pretty disappointing.  My top choice is Biola University in southern California.  I would pursue a MA in Christian Apologetics under the top apologists in the country.  How cool would that be?  I'm trying to convince myself that it's a viable option, but with my house worth nothing I just can't see how it'll work.  There's lots to think about...

I REALLY

want to go, though.  we'll see, I guess.  I hope more and more that a change

is coming... I... eh... I dunno.  It would be unwise for me to even

speculate right

here and now what the next step will be when this step is still far from over. 

You'd think if I should know anything from this whole experience, its that steps are best taken

one at a time.  Man, sometimes that's

unbelievably hard.  So tonight I'm working on one of those papers generally

uninteresting papers and buying way too much

new music.  I'm in one of those moods where no song can

definitively

encapsulate how I feel, so I'm buying gobs of new stuff in hopes that one

really strikes a chord.  "Due Tramonti" is how I want to feel.  Take a listen below. Gorgeous. I 
suppose I'll find out what I'm made of in

these next couple of weeks.  In the past I ran away from the hard stuff. 

Obviously, there's a reason why I went to three schools in three semesters.  

Often I would ignore

deadlines, fail classes, and shrug it off as the instructor's fault (or at least not mine...)

When the going got tough, I got the heck out of there.  I know that's really not an option anymore, but honestly it takes every ounce of strength to fight the flight urge that I've grown so accustomed to.  I'm really good at getting out of things, but the things ahead of me are get-out-of proof. 

scary.  
Press on, I shall... press on.

Psalm 3:3
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,my glory, and the lifter of my head.

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wow,

Wow.
ESPN shares some amazing stories.  E:60 and 30 for 30 are both outstanding programs that show the amazing impact sports have on our lives.
This story is simply amazing.  I have chills just thinking about it.
amazing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=5781989

poetry smash

*cue bongos



give... give... give...



weary.



*extinguish candle.

sometimes we all just need to be coddled.

icky...oiy.

YIKES!  I'm falling behind here.  Lots of papers to write... little to no desire to write them.
icky.

My car could be really messed up.  that would not be good... at all.  oiy.


ok nothing good here, sorry.  This paper should/could be done soon then I'll get back into routine.

stay classy, bla(g)h readers

A Good Thing.

Love Is A Good Thing
by Andrew Peterson

It knocked me down,
it dragged me out,
it left me there for dead.
It took all the freedom I wanted
and gave me something else instead.
It blew my mind,
it bled me dry,
it hit me like a long goodbye,
and nobody here knows better than I
that it’s a good thing.
Love is a good thing.

It’ll fall like rain on your parade,
laugh at the plans that you tried to make,
it’ll wear you down till your heart just breaks
and it’s a good thing.
Love is a good thing.

It’ll wake you up in the middle of the night,
it’ll take just a little too much.
It’ll burn you like a cinder till you’re tender to the touch.
It’ll chase you down,
swallow you whole,
it’ll make your blood run hot and cold.
Like a thief in the night
it’ll steal your soul, and that’s a good thing.
Love is a good thing.

It’ll follow you down to the ruin of your great divide,
and open the wounds that you tried to hide.
And there in the rubble of the heart that died
you’ll find a good thing.
Love is a good thing.

Take cover,
the end is near.
Take cover,
but do not fear.

It’ll break your will,
it’ll change your mind,
it’ll loose all the chains of the ties that bind.
If you’re lucky you’ll never make it out alive,
and that’s a good thing.
Love is a good thing.

It can hurt like a blast from a hand grenade
when all that used to matter is blown away.
There in the middle of the mess it made
you’ll find a good thing.
Yes, it’s worth every penny of the price you paid.
It’s a good thing.
Love is a good thing.
Do not fear

woweeeeeeeeee there is so much to do!
I... wow.
I am focused on December 19th.
breathe in... breathe out...
breathe in... breathe out...
breathe in... breathe out...
breathe in... breathe out...
breathe in... breathe out...breathe in... breathe out...

winter

talented people make me smile.
This is my buddy Marc Martel's (Downhere) brother... really really sweet tune.
I'm not sure why they're wearing masks... they're Canadian, that might explain it...

"Winter" By David Martel

Barney is the man

I was watching a little Andy Griffith on TV Land today, and Barney Fife preached himself a sermon.  Check out this little clip (By the way you can find EVERYTHING on the internet... crazy) especially 1:50 on.   Anyone in a position of authority- whether it be a "law-man", pastor, or manager needs to learn that when you're dealing with people you do a whole lot better by not going so much by the book, but by the heart.  Wise words, Barney... wise words.

a quest to find my strengths.

more on these later... maybe?

Positivity

Maximizer

Belief

Woo

Communication

Positivity

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

By nature, you habitually create up-close and personal relationships with people. Knowing what makes individuals unique usually provides you with clues about the best way to support or inspire each person. Driven by your talents, you enjoy discovering as much as you can about the people you meet. You are friendly and enjoy socializing. You quickly put at ease those you are meeting for the first time or the tenth time. Instinctively, you customarily take on additional duties or tasks when you feel optimistic about yourself and your life. Chances are good that you undoubtedly are talkative in social situations. You have a good time circulating from group to group. You feel wonderful about life when people appreciate your unreserved, gregarious, and friendly nature. It’s very likely that you normally tackle projects with gusto. New assignments or challenges energize your life. Facing mundane, tedious, or routine chores day after day eventually undermines your upbeat attitude.

Maximizer

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

It’s very likely that you are likely to do your best work when someone truly recognizes your strengths. You want to be appreciated for the talents you own, the skills you possess, and the knowledge you have acquired. Driven by your talents, you assist others by using your talents to fill gaps in theirs. You realize practice is one of the best ways to add skill and knowledge to your talents. By nature, you probably enjoy life more when you can practice using your dominant talents every day. Not surprisingly, you reach your goals, excel, and gain confidence when you are permitted to do things you naturally do quite well. Instinctively, you sometimes pause to savor or simply reflect on your current accomplishments. Because of your strengths, you exhibit a heightened awareness of your talents. One of your top priorities is building upon these natural abilities to create strengths. You undoubtedly find opportunities to practice using your talents in new and different ways.

Belief

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Chances are good that you might place particular value on the purpose and meaning you draw from your core values. Perhaps you aim to provide for your family’s physical, educational, emotional, or social needs. This partially explains why you work hard to ensure that their quality of life is as good as it can be. Instinctively, you try to be helpful to others in ways that may improve their lives. Perhaps you hope to leave the world in better shape than you found it. Driven by your talents, you have clearly defined principles that set the tone for your life and influence your behavior. They reflect who and what is most important to you. They guide your decision-making. As a result, the people with whom you live, work, and study can usually predict what you will say or do. It’s very likely that you place more importance on the purpose and value of what you do than on the monetary rewards that accompany success. Because of your strengths, you are likely to inconvenience yourself to help someone. The person’s appreciation, smile, or words of thanks usually make you feel very good about yourself and life in general. You tend to have much more energy for your own job or studies after you have done a good deed.

Woo

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

Chances are good that you are pleasant and amiable — that is, easy to get along with and likeable. You can socialize or work with just about anybody. Your congenial — that is, friendly — manner as well as your interest in people help you identify common ground, offer compliments, ask non-threatening questions, and effortlessly move in and out of conversations. By nature, you may be impelled to cheer up those who feel excluded with encouraging words or acts of kindness. Perhaps one of the reasons why you start conversations with outsiders is to make them feel comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. Maybe your smile, laughter, or friendly disposition gives them a sense of safety. As a result, some timid individuals may decide to share bits and pieces of their life story with you. It’s very likely that you are more optimistic about life when you can devote yourself to individuals for whom you feel much fondness and affection. Because of your strengths, you characteristically find the right words to express whatever you are thinking. You offer explanations, discuss ideas, give examples, or share stories. You effectively use the spoken word. Driven by your talents, you may energize discussions with outsiders and/or newcomers. How? Perhaps you encourage them to talk about their successes, talents, or big ideas. Your animated reactions or interesting questions might prompt them to further describe things in minute detail.

Communication

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

What makes you stand out?

It’s very likely that you very much enjoy the animated give-and-take of a lively discussion. Chances are good that you are quite comfortable talking about yourself. You also enjoy listening to people describe their talents, limitations, goals, worries, or successes. These insights often help you discover what someone thinks or feels. You probably acquire valuable information about the individual’s style of thinking, learning, working, playing, problem solving, or studying. Because of your strengths, you sometimes enjoy verbalizing your thoughts. You may want certain individuals to acknowledge your ideas and honor your feelings. Perhaps gaining and maintaining specific people’s attention pleases you. By nature, you are naturally open and honest about who you are, what you have done, what you can do, and what you cannot do. Your straightforward explanations and stories help listeners see you as you see yourself. You reveal your strengths and limitations. You are forthright and plainspoken. People generally seek your company and want to work with you. Many are impelled to move into action by your words and examples. Driven by your talents, you demonstrate an ease with language. You effortlessly verbalize your thoughts. You relish the opportunity to share your insights. You derive pleasure from actively participating in conversations when group members propose ideas, seek solutions, or debate issues.

webster's

I think that I need to add the phrase, "very well, then" to my vernacular. 
For instance: 
Man behind the counter of my local gas station: Hey man, can I give you $7000, just because you're a good customer?
Me: sure!
Man: are twenties OK?
Me: very well, then.


Watch for it.  It'll be added immediately.

filled to the brim!

Ephesians 3-
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I have been the worst at "filling my own cup" as my senior pastor always encourages me to do. But thankfully, we are finally offering a mid-week Bible study at church. It works out wonderfully because I'm at church anyways teaching Confirmation class, so I can hang and study with some pretty awesome people of faith. We're in Ephesians right now. Paul writes a wonderful prayer for the people of Ephesus in verse 3. He says he kneels before our Father and, among other things, prays that they would "be filled with the fullness of God". This is such a beautiful sentiment. Everything on earth is so empty. We fill our lives with emptiness, when you think about it. Even me and all my excuses for not being in the Word more- they were all empty. But our Almighty God is the absence of emptiness. He is the almighty, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent Divine. His fullness fills the infinite. He has no beginning, he has no end. He was and is and is to come. He is God.

But God doesn't keep it all to Himself. He doesn't sit on His throne above and watch his dilapidated creation wallow in their own emptiness. No, His fullness became flesh and saved us from the emptiness of sin.

Colossians 1- 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus], 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

How wonderful that the Infinite Almighty had His fullness dwell here on earth among us. Because that fullness suffered and died we are no longer cut off. We are no longer destined to try to fill ourselves up with the emptiness that surrounds us. Through Christ we are made full. Full of love, peace, hope, grace, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, joy, gladness, and patience. These things cannot be found in the world, in the people around us. These things- these filling things- these are only from God. The world is empty calories; junk food that may be tasty, but provides nothing but gut aches and malnutrition. But God, He is protein full of healthy vitamins and nutrients that sustains life.


We have a cross-sized hole in our hearts, and as sinners we try and try to fill it with whatever empty, temporal things we can.  But thanks be to God through His Son we are made complete. Our cup overflows!

Paul's prayer is my prayer: Lord let me grasp how high and deep your love is. Let me be filled with you, the Living Water and Bread of Life, and not of the junk food of this word. May I be rooted and established in love- Your love- and may I reflect it in everything I think, say, and do. And may I always trust that you will do immeasurably more than anything I could ask or imagine, and may I always seek to do your will and let it be done in my life.
In the name of your Risen Son,
A-men.
May this be so.

frivolousness

Minnesota voters are pretty ridiculous. I really fear for our state if Emmer indeed loses. Wisconsin made some nice strides, maybe I should move. Weak third party candidates are a liability to the system, and 9 times out of 10 they hurt conservatives. The same people who elected Jesse Ventura and Al Frankin may have just elected Mark Dayton, the LOWEST RATED SENATOR of the past 50 years... congrats, Dayton, you're the favorite of a bunch of morons. Thankfully I'm totally broke, so they can't take too much away from me... right? Now there's talk that the reported numbers are wrong? oh man another recount... those never end well for the Right, let's be honest... how about a run-off without an platform-less dweeb running as an Independent? nah, that would make too much sense.

I shouldn't be so glum, the GOP made some bombtastic moves today! That is certianly heartening.

In my best Big Lebowski voice....."Your revolution is over, Mr. Lebowski. Condolences. The bums lost. My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose."

gah, who am I kidding, I really don't care anymore... they're all the same...
icky. I would like to move to New Zealand. That would be nice.
ALSO, I think I might throw in the towel on this whole blogging thing... I made it to 300 posts and that's pretty dece. 50% of them are me apologizing for not blogging more... so what's the difference if I stop all together?

frivolousness! its all frivolousness!

history in pixels

I uploaded a bunch of photos from the past decade to Facebook today. It was a blast to go through all the old pics. It wasn't too long ago that I couldn't go through them without crying... at least on the inside. There are a lot of memories in those old shoe boxes; lots of great times with some really, really good people. Of all the wild and crazy experiences I've had in my life, my summer at YNP was by far the best. If I could go back in time and relive any of my past, it would be that summer. over and over again. I tagged all the old crew and I realized- of the 15 or so that are in the pictures, all but one of us are single. Is that weird? We were certainly all of the same ilk, perhaps we're all still to adventurous to get "tied down"... OR the ladies can't get over me... haha
good times.

Televisiony

I respect those who have no emotional attachment to television, but I am fully enmeshed with the ole boobtube.
For instance, right now I'm watching Cheers. I have been watching Cheers since I was like 10 years old. Certainly I didn't really understand it as a lad, but during high school it was on before Leno and I'd watch it almost every night. I have to believe I've seen every episode. Just like I've seen every MASH (It was on from 5-6 on weekdays when I was in high school) and every episode of Star Trek: the Next Generation because it was on at 9 when I was in high school... man, I wonder why my high school grades weren't better..
I also have a strong affinity for Hogan's Hero's and the Andy Griffith Show because I would watch them every day before I went to work at the milk factory back in the day.
My roommate and I watched Matlock together the other day. Of all the ridiculous shows that my mom LOVES to watch, Matlock is the one I can tolerate. I've watched countless episodes with her over the years. My dad is a big old time TV fan- the Waltons and Bonanza are a couple of his favorites, I never go into them, however. Old school Nick at Night was good stuff- Patty Duke, My Three Sons, Mr. Ed, and Green Acres... ahhh memories. I don't know if its good or not that some of the most vivid family memories I have are when we're sitting around watching TV- that one invention completely changed the world... nutty.
Needless to say, they don't make shows like they used to. I like According to Jim as a sit com- it was still good for the whole family- but is any show currently on prime-time even remotely family oriented? I can't think of any. Even shows on Disney and Nickelodeon are sometimes a bit risque... its really unfortunate. I suppose at some point in my life I'll have to decide whether or not my family will be TV watchers... of course by that time every single show ever made will be on BluRay or available for instant download. Maybe my kids will be the ones to keep Magnum PI and Gomer Pyle, USMC alive. now THAT's a life purpose!

my inner ear itches.