So I haven't posted in a while. The reason is that I am probably the most swamped with things to do that I've ever been in my entire life. Not kidding.
Right now I'm drinking Starbucks roast in a Peet's Coffee mug.... and the thought struck me: wouldn't this be considered as some sort of abomination by both the Starbucks fanatics and the Peet's fanatics? I know that if my cousin Dave knew I was drinking Starbucks roast, he'd call that an abomination in and of itself. But hey, I got the pound of coffee for free; beggars can't be choosers.
There've been a lot of things I've wanted to post about. I've noticed a rising trend around TMC... I call it "the edgy Christian." I'm talking about the Christian who takes controversial standpoints and makes it known that they take controversial standpoints and takes some sort of superior-minded pride in the fact that they know that they rub others the wrong way. They are twistedly proud of their personal level of enlightenment over other simple, suburbian Christians. This is the kind of Christian who shoves it in your face that they are a democrat and proud of it (not that I'm saying Christians have to be Republicans-- I would never say that-- I'm just illustrating a point). This is the kind of Christian who cusses and watches disgusting things and listens to profane music all in the name of being in touch with "the culture". This is the Christian who calls disturbing and vile things "art" and calls anyone who holds to traditional values "simple-minded" and "legalistic". This is the edgy Christian; and I believe that he is profoundly sinful in a way that would make Christ want to spit him out of His mouth. But more on this later.
My brother's High School Football team lost in first-round playoffs in an unpredicted upset last Friday night. He was the Senior Captain, and just like that,
poof, this chapter of his life that monopolized so much of his time was over in a few mere hours. If you've played High School sports, especially if you played a sport you loved for four straight years or longer, you know the feeling I'm talking about-- the feeling after your last game. It's gut-wrenching. It's a sharp continual stab and a dull empty ache all at the same time. I felt my own three-year-old wounds re-open Friday night as I sat with my brother and watched the tears fall silently down his face. It hurts when it's over. But life moves on. The sun still rises. And best of all, God is still a good God who is in control. There are things bigger than us. There are still jobs to be done for the Kingdom. Life still has purpose beyond high school sports. It's like that line in "Jesus I My Cross Have Taken":
Joy to find in every station, something still to do or bear. Mikey will learn in time that God has bigger plans for him than winning a high school football championship. He's already learning that. I'm honestly very proud of my little brother. Maybe more on this later.
Dr. MacArthur preached in chapel on Monday,
and he brought it. My good friend Ben Blakey did a more masterful analysis of the message than I could do, so go read his blog. But one thing that stuck with me that MacArthur said was that "you only get one shot at a life of integrity... once you blow it, you're disqualified for good." This struck a chord deep inside. As I was thinking about this statement, I began to think about this present semester, and I adapted MacArthur's principle to the current situation: you only get one shot at living Fall '06 to the best of your ability... don't blow it. I've been trying to keep this ever-present in my mind for a the last few days.
Three of my closest friends are leaving next semester for different locations... in a way, you might say they're leaving "for good," though in most interpretations of that phrase, that would be an overstatement. But the way it looks like it's shaping up to be, I'll never be in school with any of them ever again. And to be honest, it's really sad. These three are guys who've done so much in my life to help me love the Lord more. They are three dear brothers who will be missed greatly. I really don't know what to do except trust God and hold on to Him. I guess it's all I can do.
There's way more I could talk about, but I have to do some more homework and then go to bed. Hopefully, I'll resurface in the blogosphere soon... this edgy Christian thing really fries my hotcakes, if you know what I mean.
