So
sorry that it has been some time since my last post. I am discovering
that there is some measure of temptation in blogging; temptation
to say something great or magical that will change people's lives.
Perhaps even the temptation to be ridiculously witty. With nothing
terribly witty or magical in my head lately (sorry) it has been
hard to sit down and hammer out a blog...but it is time.
We just finished out our mid-terms (ridiculously hard tests
to let you know you're half-way done...thanks, I probably could
have just checked a calendar), and this semester is flying by.
It always surprises me how excited I am to begin the semester,
and ready I am for it to end just a few weeks later.
There is a weird draw in Bible school to finish up quickly here
so that you can jump into real ministry, or begin the rest of
your life. I am learning, though, that this cannot be the case.
In studying through the Gospels I have realized that Jesus would
speak against this notion. Our Shepherd and King tells us that
those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much.
In other words you cannot be faithful with much until you have
at first been faithful with little. There is a peace then, that
comes upon the believer that recognizes that God has him where
he needs to be. It's not that in 4 or 5 years God will finally
have you where he wants you but rather today, tomorrow and the
next. Our job is to be faithful before God daily. Thinking through
this has given me a burden for Holiness right now, not in a few
years. It's not that one day God will give me a ministry but
tomorrow he has ministry lined up for me. The college student,
then, has extreme purpose. To be faithful daily in all that God
has prepared for us.
P.S. You ever notice that Food advertisements always make the
food look ridiculously better than it actually does? I was driving
the other day and I saw a sign for steak and eggs at a travel
stop (fancy word for big gas station) and the food looked awful.
What must the food be like if the advertisement doesn't even
make it look good?
Today a fellow student offered me some of his microwave dinner. Salisbury
steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, and corn. A complete feast for
$0.99. Now whether in jest or with sincerity, his action of offering
to me part of the little that he had, has completely rocked me. I
have not stopped thinking about this unique action of generosity.
This seems funny to say, since the last blog I posted related
to food, but I have always hated microwave dinners for a specific
reason. There is just simply not enough food in one small plastic
tray to satisfy my hunger. Any microwaved dish has always just
left me hungry still. My thoughts in relation to microwave dinners
have always been: "Well I could get that turkey dinner meal
(with 100% real turkey...oh cool, now I really want it), but
I am still going to have to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
to go with it." It is because of this fact that I would
never dream of actually sharing one with someone else. My fellow
student's generosity was not based on what he had. His generosity
was not based on his surplus. His generosity, instead, came from
a redeemed heart.
In studying a lot of the gospels this semester, and in
really looking at the life of Christ I can't help but think
that this is exactly how Jesus calls his followers to live. Jesus
fed over 9,000 people with a collective 12 loaves of bread and
a few fish. Jesus doesn't need our abundance. In fact I would
dare say that he doesn't even want it. In Mark 12 Jesus praises
a poor widow for her gift of two small copper coins to the temple.
He credits her with giving more than others who in their wealth
were giving large amounts of money. Jesus wants the hearts of
his children.
As college students we cannot be selfish with the
little that we have. It is easy for us to say, "Well as
soon as I get that new job maybe I could sponsor a kid." Or, "How
could my small amount of offering really make a difference in
this enormous church." How about, "All I have is this
semi-still cold frozen dinner, I don't need to share"? These
are all legitimate excuses in our world's economy but unfortunately
they do not transfer over into God's.
So a small frozen tray of Salisbury
steak, mashed potatoes with gravy and a fellow student have rocked
my planet in regard to generosity. As backward as it may sound
my generosity can never be based on what I have.
P.s. I can say
without a doubt that I will never view frozen food in the same
way again... And, how true is the fact that we have no idea how
God is going to use us daily?
If someone were to ask me what one thing a college student should
know absolutely, I would respond, the location of the nearest Taco
Bell restaurant. There is so much that comes to mind when I think
of this wonderful Mexican-american food chain. Knowing the location
of the nearest Taco Bell is essential to the college student; especially
the incoming freshman.
The sad fact of this blog (weird Microsoft
Word 2004 is telling me that blog is not a word... how lame is
he) is that this evening while waiting for a break in one of
my classes, I spent half an hour thinking about what I would
get to eat at Taco Bell. The twenty minute break in this class
would give me the perfect amount of time to grab some friends,
go grab some taco bell, and then run back to class. Would I go
old school (just a couple of bean burritos), or would I hit up
the new hotness (79/89/99 menu... if you don't know what this
is then go right now to taco bell, seriously do yourself a favor
and just leave right now)? Perhaps I might even hit the premium
menu (higher priced items, for example: the Grilled Stuft burrito,
the Crunch wrap supreme, anything with steak or chicken).
One
of the things that is interesting about taco bell is that one
does not measure the food he or she should eat by what they are
getting but rather by how many items they are getting. In other
words at Taco bell it's, "Well I have three things, should I
get a fourth?" "Would two chalupas and a nachos really fill me
up?" It's funny actually to think that as the price of food goes
down we think we need more. At a nicer burger place, say
Red Robin, the average guest would get a hamburger, one hamburger.
At McDonalds or Burger King one might grab a couple of chicken
sandwiches. But when you come to taco bell you end up with: a
couple of burritos, a taco, some nachos, some weird cinnamon
flavored twisty things, and another taco just for good measure.
For some reason we think: "Well I'm only spending four bucks,
I might as well get more food than any human should ever consume
in one sitting."
In all seriousness though, taco bell is outstanding.
The fact is that a lot of students move from the east coast to
Simi Valley simply because there is not a taco bell in their
home state. It is absolutely essential that the college student
think outside the bun. He or she must know the location of their
nearest Mexican-american goodness, taco bell.
One
of the things that I have enjoyed most about living here in Simi
Valley and attending Eternity Bible College is the ability I
have had to get involved in the local church. The past year I
have spent working with the 5th and 6th grade ministry (called
Ascent) at Cornerstone, and I have been stretched and I have
grown in so many ways simply by hanging out with kids. Your faith
becomes so much more real to you when you are required to live
it.
So I sit here, drinking some tea and listening to some
sweet mellow tunes, going over tomorrow's Sunday school lesson,
and I am blown away by the greatness of our God.
Though different
from Ascent, I have also been able to be a part of the Sunday
program for our 5th and 6th graders. Our curriculum this year
walks through the purpose of God, and how his purpose (his plan)
will stand, and has stood through all of time. Tomorrow we are
going to be going over the idea that there is no one like our
God.
As I read through the lesson I came across this passage
in Job where it says that God holds lightning in His hand and
commands it where to strike on the earth. I'm like, "No
way, that is crazy." It's not this part though, that blows
me away, it's the next: "Its crashing declares His presence." Are
we so in tune with our God, and his absolute greatness, that
lightning declares His presence to us? In any situation are we
so enamored with our Holy God that we cannot help but see Him
proclaim his greatness? Do we recognize His involvement in our
lives? Do we praise Him for His Holiness?
Alright, my name is Dan and this is my blog. To be honest with
you right off the bat I wanted to begin this first writing with
a really thought provoking, totally cool, quote. So I Googled "famous
philisophical quotes." Google then informed me that I actually
meant to search "famous philosophical quotes"... Of course. Unfortunately
after reading about three of them I realized that I really didn't
understand what any of them were saying. My next try was "famous
c.s. lewis quotes,"... Bingo. This was much better, not
only did I somewhat understand these quotes, but a lot of them
were about our great and Holy God. In light of my findings then
I will begin my blog with this catchy and thought provoking,
totally cool, quote:
"God cannot give us a happiness and peace
apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such
thing." C.S. Lewis
Well I would assume the best way to begin this sort of thing
would be to give you some information about myself. So that is
exactly what I will do. My full first name is Daniel
and I was born in 1986. I will do the math for you: this puts
me at 22 years of age. I grew up the child of a missionary family
in the beautiful country of Papua New Guinea. Home for me has
been a variety of places, most recently northern California.
This is my third semester at Eternity Bible College and I can
say without a doubt that there is nowhere I would rather be than
here. There is nothing like knowing that you are where God has
specifically placed you. It is amazing to look back at the last
three years since high school and see where God has taken me.
As far as hobbies are concerned, I pretty much fit my demographic.
I enjoy music, photography, playing the guitar, hanging out with
friends, the beach, playing basketball... I wish I had a scooter.
My favorite color growing up was blue, but I'm pretty sure I
like green more now.
There you have it, Dan "in a
nutshell" (I wonder where that expression came from, because
it's kind of ridiculous). I will be honest with you
again and say that I am not entirely sure why I was asked to
write a blog. My hope then is that you will in someway benefit
from reading this blog. If anything, perhaps reading this will
keep you from pursuing something sinful, like rock 'n' roll or
dancing. There is no specific direction that I will head with
this blog, instead I am going to be relying on the Holy Spirit's
leading.
Ok, this
is too long, until next time...
P.S. Currently listening to Phil
Wickham, Sigur Ros, The Anniversary, Pedro the Lion, the Weakerthans,
and Greg Laswell. |
