Ode to '08, a year that will live in infamy

The years are flying by, and every year it seems that the things I learn are simply overwhelming.  Last year it seemed like I couldn't learn much more.  And the year before that it seemed like that was the year where I truly arrived.  2006 was the year I found God.  2007 was the year I found purpose.  And 2008 was the year I found meaning.  The three most monument-us years of my life.  And it seems that every year I discover more truth, and yet every year I am attacked more and more by Satan.  I can't explain it, this year I have never felt more persecuted by the Dragon they call Satan.  I have been taking major advances in my spiritual life this year.  It seems that Ever since I went to preach in Africa I have been attacked harder and more persistent.  But that is simply the nature of the experience with Christ.  It has it ups and downs.  I feel like God will be with me wherever I go.  This year has been crazy.  But nothing was crazier than an experience I had this past sunday.  Me and my dad were trying to move a cabinet up stairs in my parents house.  After it would not fit through the inside stairs, I suggested that it would work to take it up the stairs and onto the deck through the living room. after going up the stairs we were moving the cabinet and the deck collapse.  The disaster that insued is one that i won't soon forget.  My dad was going first, and as the deck collapsed he tumbled down our now pitched deck.  As he tumbled he hit his head very hard on the post.  Although he wasn't knocked out, he still sustained a mild concussion.  I was able to stay up on the deck and watch my dad tumble I thought for sure he broke his back.  But it turns out he was alright.  I can't describe to you the pain that one feels when they truly believe that someone they love has been injured very badly.  It was definitely an experience that I do not want to relive.  But the images in my head of that experience I will probably think about for awhile.  But there is no doubt God lead in this whole ordeal as everything turned out fine.  And now since the cabinet is in a million pieces it will fit up the stairs on the inside.  So here is a list of what I like to call the fine fifteen "My top fifteen favorite moments of 2008".

1.  Trip to Tanzania.

2.  My Nephew James being Born.

4.  Winning All Night Softball for the 4th straight year.

5.  The Brett Wedding Experience.

6. Buying an IPOD touch.

8. Austins Wedding.

9. Donavan Frankenreiter Concert in Maryland.

10. Finishing My Summer Classes.

11. Tanzanian Group Reunion.

12. Watching the Titans go 10-0!

14. Back Packing in North Carolina.

15. Thanksgiving Break.

And now its time for 10 things I think I think.

1.  I think that this internship is going to be a lot longer than I think.

2. I think that 2009 will not be as good as 2008.

3. I think that the Titans will not win the super bowl, but I will be happy if they do!

4. I think that My dad is one funny son of a gun.

5. I think I need to lose a lot of weight.

6. I think working in the woods this summer will help with number 5.

7. I think that Whatever I ate tonight I shouldn't have.

8. I think that God needs to take control of my life.

10.  I think that my rice cooker is the bestest thing ever, of all time.

Hark, a child is born!

Babies do a wonderful thing, they bring people together, more importantly they bring families together.  In a time it seems the earth is eroding, morality is decaying, and the people are degrading, it is the blessed hope of a child that creates smiles and and stimulates the family economies.  James is a slender young fellow, a good sized frame at 19 inches, and weighs in at a modest 6 pounds 7 ounces.  He shows promise as an olympian, maybe a swimmer, but I think I will train him in the families favorite past time; baseball.  I will be there for him through the years, to show him how to be a substantial man, but it will not be my primary responsibility as an uncle.  I will be more of a spectator, and will become a better father because of it.  As someday I will have my own children.  I love being an uncle, no diapers, no crying, just plain fun, my duty is set, and my mission is laid out; be the cool uncle, and thats exactly what I will be.

Nothing to fear but fear? Or evil?

Do you ever get that feeling that their is an evil one lurking on this earth?  I mean that terrified feeling that we need a saviour, we need someone to save us, because you feel you are not safe?  I got that feeling.  I just heard that Valerie Miller Elliot died last week.  I was reading the great controversy last night, about persecution of God's people.  Yesterday I heard my friend Jon Moya's mother is not doing well.  I heard of an adventist school teacher that left her family to marry a muslim man in egypt.  I heard of missionaries who's plane crashed.  Last night at the church I was closing the doors and I felt terrified, not because my faith in God is weak, but because I was overwhelmed with the struggle of this earth.  And I felt in the realest since that someone hates me and wants me to die.  The great Controversy comes alive in the strangest places, and times.  For some, during a horrible experience they have, such as a loved one dying, or being persecuted because you are a christian.  For me, the Controversy tends to touch me when horrible things happen to other people.  I have always been sensitive to that sort of a thing. I grew up in an area of the world, and a family of the world where tragedy didn't happen as much as most other places.  Collegedale is a place that is not of the typical world.  I feel it is not reality.  Its not cold, violent, ugly, or un safe.  When somebody dies it affects me on a deep emotional level, sometimes I cry for people I don't even know.  I had a dream the other night about the sunday law, and I was terrified during the dream because my relationship with God isn't where it should be.  God tends to do that doesn't he?  He tends to nudge you in the right direction.  Its not force, but it really opens your eyes nonetheless.  Death and Dying is not something that I should fear.  What I should fear is people are being lost because I didn't share the light that Jesus is giving me.  One of the saddest things to me is people that are distracted from our true purpose on the earth.  That is to spread his gospel, to go and share it with every tribe, nation, and tongue.  I look around and all I see is selfish people (me included), why is it like that?  Because the dragon called satan has God's people on the ropes.  But you know we may be a church that is divided right now.  We may be a church that is predominately straddling the fence.  But a time is coming where polarization will tear our church in two.  And the true christians will follow Jesus wherever he goes, while those who don't care to do the latter will side with the prince of darkness.  Speaking of prince of darkness, I was watching ESPN the other day, and they were calling Ozzy Osbourne the prince of darkness, thats the same name as Satan!  How horrifying it is for me to see the subtleness of the evil one attacking everyone, and how so many have ignore the subtleness of evil.  May we all realize the deception of satan, and focus on Christ, in the days ahead.