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| So I proposed to Melissa last week, I am still in disbelief I am engaged. Especially, to someone who is such a wonderful woman of God. I look at her and think, "Holy cow!! I am spending the rest of my life with her!! How did I get so lucky??" It seems almost surreal to me. I am overjoyed, ecstatic and overwhelmed at at once. I am not sure what I should be feeling. I do know though, that I love her. I am looking forward to the day when I am able to call her my wife. I have never felt more blessed. I am still processing all the things that have been happening. To all of you who have congratulated me for the engagement and those who will, thank you. Well I need to go. May God bless you and keep you.
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| I visited West Lansing this morning. I have been looking for a ministry to be involved in lately. I really feel those strings being tugged at by the Lord. I am not sure what kind of ministry I am looking for, I just know I am looking. I suppose I will know when I find what it. It seems weird to have those type of thoughts. I am normally one who does a lot more soul searching. This is just not one of those instances I guess. I know I have been praying more than I have in a long time. I don't really understand why, I have just found a lot of solace there. Since I have gotten back to Michigan, I have found myself changing in ways I had not considered before. I have not been as cerebral as I have been in the last 6 years. It feels weird some of the time. I am not sure this is a good or bad thing, I think it is just a thing. I do know that I have been feeling the need to minister to people and their needs.
Well, it is getting late and I should probably think about going to bed. God bless and keep all of you. Peace.
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| It has been 14 years since my last drink or drug. I have done a lot of contemplating today. I have thought about the last 14 years. What has happened? Where have I been? Where am I headed today?
I remember as young person in recovery, I had a lot of difficulties. One of the greatest was wrapping my head around the concept that absolutely nothing happens in God's world by accident or happen chance. It all has a reason for happening. I have found this to be true every time I have watched this. There have been times I have not liked the reason for things to happen but nonetheless they do happen and it is for a reason. It is in a spirit of contemplation I have looked at my life or the last year. I have been wondering why God would bring me back to GLCC, which is in the state with the worse economy in the union. I am not sure why but I have my hunches.
I am sure there is more I could say, but I feel as if I am about to go on a very long diatribe I am not sure I wish to go on with this medium. So with that I wish you, adieu and good night.
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| Many amazing things were discussed this morning in class. The topics we were looking at were the Roman government, social life and religions and philosophies. I have so much bouncing around in my skull right now I hope I can make it coherent. If I do not I apologize.
The first thing we talked about was the governement. Much of this I covered in classes at GLCC. There was one point that was brought up about Paul discussing freedom from the law with grace. It is interesting to think of this in light of the Torah and the Roman law. This is an interesting point. I am wondering if the first century believer would have placed both of those into this particular context. Jesus was ushering a new kingdom so I imagine people would have at least entertained the idea. This is something I am going to need to contemplate more on later.
The second thing was the life. Again, much of this was covered in my classes with Lloyd. One of the interesting insights Dr. Lowery brought about was that prostitutes wrote their name on their foreheads. He said it was a marketing ploy. I also imagine it would make it less awkward as you would already know her name. But what if she had a really long name that would not fit on her forehead? Would it continue down her neck? I don't know. He brought it up in light of the harlot in the book of Revelations.
The third area we discussed was the religions and philosophies. Much of the religions were civic and not personal. The senate had to approve them. The most important thing he brought up to my attention in the last few weeks though was the idea of how much politics, economics and religion were wedded. They were a synonymous entity at the time of the first century. He also stated there were 4 charges brought against Christians. They were atheism (not believeing in all the gods but in only God), anarchists (Jesus as King of all kings, ushering in of the Kingdom, etc.), cannibalism (due to misinterpretation of the Lord's Supper), and incest (from them calling each other brother and sister). The last of these is the most intersting thought to me. I wonder how many Christians view each other as brothers and sisters? Coming from the background that I do, it is a view that I have imported with me. When a biker calls someone their brother, they are literally their brother. They are in their minds related from that point on. Hence the formation of biker gangs many times is that of a family albeit quite a vicious and lethal family. I speak of course to those inside the family. I know I have very few friends but a very large family. Much of that family is Christian. I wonder though if the church were to view each other as family if it might help alleviate some of the petty squabbles we get into. It might intensify the fighting as well. It is only a thought that I have had. Well I need to get going as it is time for some lunch and then I need to head back to class. May God bless each of you today and may He find you to be faithful this evening as you prepare to lay your head down for rest. | | |
| I thought I would give a quick update before I go to my next class. This morning I sat in Scripture In Context and had some thoughts I wanted to put down before I forgot them. The first idea is found in the opening chapter of Luke. We find Zacharias in the temple. A little information on Zacharias is needed before I continue. Zacharias is a Jew and a priest. That means there is a good chance he is a sadducee. They only believed in the first five books of Scripture. They did not believe in resurrection or angels. Furthermore, Zacharias was not a young man. His worldview changes this day. He sees an angel something that he does not believe in. Further he is an older man and his wife is older. They have a child, John. I thought of this and instantly went to thoughts of Abraham. I asked Dr. Lowery and he said that would have been the writer's intention. That God was again working in a mysterious way would have come to Theophilus' mind. I need more time to contemplate this to further speak on it more. The other thing that stood out in class was in Acts 16:13. Paul and Silas are in Phillipi. It is the morning and they have went to the riverside where they figured was a spot for prayer. There are women there and they evangelize them. Lydia understands them and converts. This struck me right away as being very similar to the women at the well in John 4. I recognize that John was probably written after this. Well I may post again later. I need to get to class now. | | |
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