Monday, November 9, 2009

Life and love and why

I don't know why that title just came to me, but it's a fantastic song by switchfoot... those not familiar with it should take a listen:




However, the title came to me i guess as i'm sitting here at my computer having a vaguely reflective moment. Life is good. Love - the reason life is good. Why? because Christ made it possible.

In a few weeks i'll be 26 years old... no it's not 30, or over the hill 40, but in the past few weeks, 26 has had the affect of a 30 or a 40 year b-day. Nursing a broken heal, trying to figure out how long it'll take me to get rid of the spare tire i've managed to pack around my waist since high school, and all together feeling somewhat frustrated with where 5 years of college has landed me, when i stop and reallllly look at where i am i realize - I have life, i have love and the why will always be a act of grace and love from above. I don't love my job, but i thank the Lord i have it. I hate that i have a busted up foot that could potentially plague me for the rest of my life, but i'm thankful that i can still be active somehow and that really, there are still plenty of options out there for me to be able to get back in shape.

I need to come to grips with the fact i'll never be a pro-anything and the idea that THAT is perfectly okay. I might be past my physical prime, but that i now is when i should be focusing on all the years that lie ahead and how i can learn to love my wife better, be a better husband, learn skills that will make me a good father someday and get off my butt and get involved in the community around me.

I've spent most of my life striving to be SOMETHING - Wrestler, biker, Judo player, Engineer, the smart guy, the funny guy, insert "that guy" stereo type here______. I need to learn to take God's word for what it says, he's created me in his likeness and for good. I still don't know what it is, but i know that he's been more than gracious and willing to reach down and pick me up and keep me going. He's given me a wife to encourage me, love me, and keep my eyes set on the things that are truly important, and not everyone has that in life. I have a comfy home, and a plan to move forward.

life and love and why.... man, who really knows. But i'm thankful i have HIM, and thankful for his grace. I just know i need to be more thankful in knowing i have been given a good life, true love and that the why will always be outside of my realm of comprehension.

and ya know what... i think i like it that way.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

some comforting, true words.

The last week has been rather horrible, with a rediculous mixup with a class i've been taking. Needless to say i haven't got much sleep and been struggling to keep the anxiety welling up inside me calmed.

We went to a Good Friday service at Mars Hill last week and one of the songs really struck me. I've been listening to it on repeat for a big part of the day and thought i'd share the words. Sometimes just reading and listening to what Christ did for us helps calm the soul and keep perspective. My chest is still stirring with anxiety, but my heart can be calmed by Him.

One Righteous Man - By "Red Letter", Based on Isaiah 53

All we like sheep have gone our own way
And distanced ourselves from our only help
One righteous man, God’s perfect plan
To pay for our guilt, tear down what we’ve built
Seeing His face, nothing would catch you at all
The world that He loved, despised him, this man of sorrows

First He’s betrayed, then taken away
His friends turn their backs and hang by their necks
Silent He goes, as one one who knows
Despite any plea, the verdict will be:
‘Guilty as charged! Now, beat him till no one can tell...
Who He once was, then hang up His body with nails!’

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations...

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely up there, our sorrow He bears
See how He shakes, life slowly escapes
The King is crushed, collapsing His lungs
Showering the...nations in blood
Yet this is the way His Father has chosen to pay
One righteous Man has many more righteous men made

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.