Waves of an Ocean

The ups and downs of life remind me of waves of an ocean. I mean...Have you ever seen the waves....They never cease...Always slowly washing away the shore with their constant monotonous pounding. Life is like that. If you have something that you try to push out of mind...something you just don't want to deal with...something you just want to block out of your thoughts....it begins to act like small ripples at first and eventually becomes the ocean of relentless waves. It will surface unexpectedly...creeping in at the most inconvienent times...Like when you are just about to fall asleep. Some might call it conscience...others over active emotions. Maybe it has to do with both. Maybe neither. Sometimes the emotions overtake you and you are left feeling sad and lonely...mad at the way the cards have fallen.

But then comes the light...at least it does for me. A warming sensation that there is still someone who loves you...even if other people may not. He knows you by name...has seen every mistake and success you have ever had....and love you despite it all. He has paid the price for every horrible thing you have done, are about to do, or will do for the rest of you days on Earth. He is like the Lighthouse and peir....protecting you from being totally washed away from the taunts of Satan telling you that you are no good, no one loves you, you aren't good enough, you are a failure, no one could forgive you from that!, etc. The truth of the matter is...despite these fleeting emotions...God is in control...if you will let him be. He wants the best for you...even if you don't agree with what the "best" is. Letting go is hard...especially when you are scared of what you might lose by letting go. But even if I stumble and fall...he will be there to pick me back up and love me. Sometimes he just needs to move you a little. Check out the lyrics from the band FFH....it describes how it feels to need God to move and show you things will be ok.

I can't find the words to pray, I'm a little down today
Can You help me, Can You hold me?
I feel a million miles away, And I don't know what to say

Can You hear me anyway?
What I need is for You to reach out Your hand
You have taught me no matter what You'd understand

CHOURUS:
Lord move in the way, that I've never seen before
Cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move (move), or move me.
END CHOURUS

I've looked every where to find a simple peace of mind
But, I can't find nothing on my own
So I gotta leave myself behind, take up this cross of mine
Give away everything I hold onto
Lord I know the only way is through this
But Lord, I know I need You to help me do this

CHOURUS
Lord move in the way, that I've never seen before
Cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move (move), or move me.

Out of this place of complacency
To a place of fellowship with Thee'
Cause I am weak, but Lord, You are so strong
And You know it's been way too long It's been way too long

Lord move in the way, that I've never seen before
Cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move (move)...,CHOURUS

I am now a Master!

Ok...maybe not officially until I get a diploma...but I have just finished all of the requirements for my master's class including the infamous portfolio! I am so glad to finally be done with school. NO more for me...unless I take classes just for fun. If I take something it will be like automotive mechanic or something that I really want to know. Maybe a painting class or a class on web design or something like that. So now....what to do with all the free time I am going to have this year? Hmmm...taking suggestions....

Storm Chasin'!

In my quest to finsih my master's program by editing together my final video presentation, I stumbled across a video of me being stupid. I love storms and chasing them. I found an entire video of my quest to meet God via being struck by lightening. It is hillarious because it starts off with the radio blairing the advanced weather warning beep on the car radio....telling everyone to take shelter...but where am I...in my car shooting video :o)

I know I am crazy...but when I watched this video....I think I may have had an appipahny....I really may be nuts! :oP It looks almost like I am driving through a tornado....but it is just a really terrible thunderstorm. There is even a spot where my car is being pelted with hail...and the cops blocked my direction on the road. Gosh...I miss the Jimmy and the thunderstorms we had last year. We could use some more....I want to try out the Albatrous...AKA..the Impala in the nasty weather. I bet she doesn't handle as well as the 4 X 4. Maybe we'll just have to work on getting a new truck. :o) Or maybe an STi Subaru...that would be sweet. Anyways...if you ever want to see me being nuts...just ask me to show you the video. :o)

Friendship Prayer

Ok...so it's not what you think. I got this from my mom. It is pretty funny!



"May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day...and may their arms be too short to scratch...AMEN"

I was suppose to be there today!

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mediacenter/index.jsp?c_id=det

This link will take you to the Detroit Tigers home page...and click on top plays if you have windows media player...you should be able to watch the entire brawl. I was suppose to go to the game. I kind of wish I would've gotten to go now! The Tigers lost, but Farnsworth kicked some "Royal" butt!I am against fighting in baseball, but sometimes there are exceptions to the rules.

You can check out the USA Today recap.

Here is the start of the brawl. Guillen was hit in the head on purpose!

I have officially started my own compound complex

For the past two days straight I have been erecting a very long six foot tall fence that encompases my entire yard. It kind of reminds me of a fort or something when I was a kid. My body aches and my hands have blisters. But it is complete minus the two gates I need to install. All the fence is hung, and the poles were cemented in. Was it worth it? Right now I say yes. The kids can't get in, which kind of stinks...I liked hanging out with them...but they can't really scale the wall and that makes my yard safer. My dogs love it! No more chain...just free to run around!

My next door neighbor even helped me put up some of it. This whole fiasco with the pond has turned out to be a good thing, and another way for God to work in my life. I had the high of serving in Germany, and then the devil tried to ruin it by blasting me with trials. But I survived and God is making it work for good. That is so awesome...God rocks and satan sucks :oP

You think your week was crazy

Long story short last week sucked... and let me explain why. First, I got home from Germany...and that was nice....but we got to my house and HMB says:

"Joey What HAPPENED to you pond!?"

SOB....some little brats had poked holes throughout the whole thing and it only had maybe 1/2" of water in it. I was so pissed....then I saw one of the culprits....Mr. Corr the Terrible took over.

I yelled and demanded to know what happened. All the people in the apartments start coming out on their balconies to watch and I interrogate the suspect. Through tears I got the explanation...turns out I was sort of right about which kids did it. So luckily HMB tells me to call the police...and I did. The entire apartment complex behind watches as the blue flashing lights pull into the driveway...then take my report...and then goes over to furhter interrogate the suspects. After I filed a report, I had then calmed down enough to talk to the other set of parental figures. Kind of responsive...but not very. I see why their kids are such brats. Filed a report with my insurance...they came through...so I was doing kind of better right....

Then I decide hmmm...I can rebuilt it. So I buy the materials and redo it...next day...some other little runts push all the rocks into the pond...so I blow my top! I go and yell at the kids till I find out which ones did it...and tell them if anyone for any reason steps one foot in my yard they will be going to jail for tresspassing...I then post 5 big orange NO TRESSPASSING sign along my back yard. So far...not one soul has dared enter the lair of the terrible beast Mr. Corr!

Because it sat so long in the heat with no water...it killed most of my plants...so I get the idea to go to Home Depot for some new ones. I am looking at a new pump and looking back at me through the shelf is a kitten. I try to catch it, but it runs away. I get an employee and he tells me they have been trying to catch it for two weeks. I show him where it is and we decide it is time to catch the kitten. BAD IDEA...We catch him alright...but we both get bit! Damn thing was so scared it nearly took the end of the dude's finger off...and bit me after the employee dropped it and I picked it back up. Long story short we caught it, and it is safe and acting normal. But I found that out after I went and had to get a tetnus shot, and was scared I might have to get rabbies vaccinated! I did get some plants for free though...on a positive note.

So then I decide I can relax....WHAM!....I catch a nasty cold. In fact I am still sick and it has been three days...I was scared it was rabbies at first....but it is starting to slowly go away. Hopefully it will be gone by this weekend when we put up the military style fence around my yard...complete with a sniper tower...and machine gun turret to keep little kids from vandalizing my yard any further. :o)

Koln 2005.... 

Germany Day 2

Today we made some really good contacts. One which actually let up to meeting up with someone tonight. Three of us met up with a student here to play some pool. We had a great time and we are probably going to see him again. This rocks for several reasons...

First...it gives us a chance to share our faith in Jesus with him.

Second...it allows us to make our friendship stronger.

Third...we made a new friend...etc...etc.

Keep praying for us and for Bjourn...that is his name.

Germany day 1

Flying sucks....actually jet lack is why it sucks. We were up nearly 24 hours and it never felt so good to sleep. Today is our first full day here in Germany and I am really excited. We are going to campus and hopefully we will get a chance to share our faith stories with some people today.

FYI...eroupean keyboards are hard to use because they put letters in different spots!


We have gotten some chances to help out people along the trip so far...mainly in airports...it is amazing how much showing a stranger love impacts them. It is like a totallz foriegn concept to some people. I will blog more about that when my money isn't running out on the computer. Keep praying...we will need it.

Here is what happens when you get sick of a side yard that looks like crap. You call up a couple of friends and you dig a big hole. Then you call another friend who has lots of rocks and go get them. Then you order some crushed limestone. Add some water and shake.... 

And walla...you get a nice little pond :)

Wookie Guitar Solo

Thanks to HMB for this one. If you like Journey, Star Wars, and Wookies....then check this out.

Store Wars

Oh my gosh...this is so frickin' hillarious. One of the funniest things I have seen is such a long time. If you like Star Wars, you are going to die laughing.

Germany 16 days and counting...

Ok...so here are two links that I hope you bookmark on your own blogs. This first one is our blog for the trip

http://erivmissions.blogspot.com/

The second is the Website for the trip. You can see us all...for the most part, and we will be putting updates there while in Germany...assuming we find a computer with the internet.

http://www.freewebs.com/erivmissions/index.htm

Please make links on your sites...Please pray for us....and please check the sites as we will try to update them daily...or bi-daily.

Jury Duty

Opened my mail yesterday to find out that I am suppose to serve jury duty for the week of June 20th.....ummm....ya right....I will be in Germany for my mission trip.

I panic...call the number and leave a message. Then I call my good ol' friend HMB and get the advice to call the number (which I had already done). But for some reason she calmed me down a bit. So I tried to relax and just be patient for a return phone call........

After I return from my baseball game....which we won our very last game...yeah!!....I check the messages...

beep!.."This is the clerk at the court office for jurers...we can re-schedule your jury time for whenever you would like...please call back tomarrow."

So today I call and God fixed everything. I am not sure why I even really worried in the first place. God was probably laughing at me as I learn to trust that he is in charge and I am not.

Now isn't this the life! It was so nice outside today that I took each of my classes out to draw some wildlife (trees, flowers, and what not). I got to sit down and enjoy the sunshine while they drew...how great is that. 

Sometimes in life, there are opportunities you think only knock once…and if you don’t answer you are out of luck. Other times there are situations where you have to let things go, which are never going to return. But there are brief moments in life that are so amazing, and some call to chance, an occurrence in which you are giving a second go around. If you die to yourself, and give up control…you realize that God is in charge…and he has his plan. His will is what is important not ours…but oh how hard it is to really let go.

Will I ever truly let go and trust him? There is one thing in life I want more than anything else…the drive inside of me is so strong it makes me feel like I will burst sometimes. The girl I would like to marry someday…will God ever allow that to ever happen? He may not, and I am supposed to be ok with that. The fact is, I don’t know that I am. It is hard to imagine what it would be like without her around. How much I see God through her, and God work through her makes me so amazed at his power and sovereignty. She is so beautiful, funny, smart, stubborn, fun, and did I mention beautiful. The list is endless of why I want to be her husband, but does she want to be my wife? No...just friends I suppose...but will she ever want to be more? That question haunts me like a shadow…I can’t shake it. I know deep down she loves me, even if she won’t say it…her actions tell me she does. Her words and actions tell me how deeply she cares for me...without ever having her say "I love you." So here I continue to sit, patiently waiting for God to make the move and for me to be moved. Trying not to crumble in my doubts, and fears...trying to hold on to the hope that God knows best...and the knowledge that he loves us all very much. He wants the best for us...even if we won't admit it...which is hard to do sometimes. There is nothing else I can do, except to wait for God to move in one direction or the other, pray for continued patience, and strong faith to know HE has HIS plan...even if it does not come close to what my plans want to be. I want to do his will...and give up my own.

Being Darth Vader rules

Darth Vader....or is it?

So I went to the movies dressed as Darth Vader...since Anikan finally becomes Darth in the movie. Note...that this is only part of the costume. It is missing my light saber, and cape...which I did wear at the theater. I brought it to school on Thursday and wore it for my kids. That is where this picture came from. I will post pics from the movie when I get them. I won best costume from Z101.7 and I got my picture taken with little kids and even some adults. Jason Adams from the Morning Show interviewed me on the radio the next day. My students thought it was really cool.

Although I was a rather short Darth Vader....it didn't stop from instilling fear into one small little girl who cried because I was so "scary". I came back a little while later and she finally shook my hand and gave Darth a hug. :o) Another little kid walked up to me and asked "Are you dat guy from the moothie?"...it was so cute. Holly couldn't believe it. I also had a light saber duel with another movie-goer in the theater before the movie started....the place went crazy...it was so much fun.

I know...I am a dork...but it was so much fun.

Full Costume Shot without saber and cape

The Force is Strong with this One.

In lieu of the Star Wars hype...I wanted to toot my own horn.


I won opening night tickets off the radio last week....HAHAHAHA!

"Luke....I am your Father!"

Buying stolen cars...

So another reason not to go to auctions...the car you buy is a stolen vehicle.


Ya..that is what happened to me. I was on my way to get the title for the vehicle and I get a phone call from the sherriff's dept. "Mr. Corr...were you aware that the 1950 Suburban you have purchased may be a stolen vehicle?!" (WTF! what I say to myself in my head).

"Ummm...No!" I reply

"Well actually sir, it was a "misplaced" vehicle two years ago and it has come to our attention that you may have said vehicle"...the sergent

"Really...but we have the title"..."am I in trouble"...

"No...it is a civil matter now and I will leave it up to you and the previous owners to decide what to do."...end of conversation

So I get the owners telephone # and give 'em a call. They are surprised and interested in coming to see the vehicle. Now legally the vehicle belongs to me...even though circumstances took it out the their possession 2 years ago. But I tried to do the "right" thing and let them see if they wanted it back. Long story short...that was Saturday, and they haven't gotten back to me after they looked at it. So I still have my cool 50's cruiser...for now.

Of all the luck!

Modern Day Dukes of Hazard

Think they got away?

My crazy car friend Keith sent this to me the other day via email. It's kind of entertaining if you like car chases ;o)

Why I shouldn't go to auctions...

My dad called me yesterday to go check out an auction for him. I didn't buy anything that he wanted though...I didn't make it in time.

However, I did by something kind of by accident. You see they started the auction for this car...and asked who would start the bidding...so I said $50. The auctioneer went on and on...no one else bid. So he said he would have to check with the owner...the owner sold it for $50.

The cool part is...It is a 1950 Suburban Carryall...which is rare...and it is 90% complete. It is just in pieces. SO now I have a new project or I am going to sell it and make $$$. We'll see...it depends if someone lets me keep it or not. ;o)

Mission to Germany Webpage

Ok...so I was decided upon to create a website for the trip. Here is a link for it http://www.freewebs.com/erivmissions/

Tell me what you think so far.

Eventually it will have all of the people who are going pictures and faith bios. We will be able to update it too...oh ya...we are also going to have a blog site linked off the page.

Gum Update

After telling many people about the "gum" incident, I have been overwhelmed with choices that I "should've" made. My personal favorite, open a hymnal and tear out a page to spit it into. But no...would be wrong....FUNNY...but wrong.


My father preceeded to tell Holly and I about how my grandmother (all of 4 1/2 feet tall) and my great aunts (very similar in stature) balled him out at the luncheon following the cemetary visit. I kind of wish I could've been there to see a bunch of little ol' ladies give it to this guy. I had to go coach a baseball game, otherwise I might've seen it all unfold. I guess they were kind of relentless...not to the point of yelling....but really guilting him and scolding him for his poor actions. WOW!

Anyways...I knew that some of you might want to know that.

Would God chew gum?

My aunt passed away this past week. She was 89 years old, and was the last one of my deceased grandfather's 4 sibling still living. Five in all, with my grandfather being the youngest. She was Catholic and most of that side of the family is, so of course there was a Catholic funeral at a Catholic church. It was a descent service with the priest delivering a fairly "heart" felt message like he knew the woman as well as the rest of the family (which I am convinced he did not). But that is another story....

So there I am sitting third row from the front, along side my grandmother (to my right), and my father (to her right). There is some immediate family in the second row, and her son and step daughter with grandsons in the first row. My legs began to get tired from all the ups and downs and different prayers. It seemed strange to me (I am not Catholic), but I tried to be honoring to my grandmother and deceased aunt and did my best to follow. Finally there comes a moment for silent meditation...we are asked to remain standing. I am there thinking about Aunt Frannie in heaven (or pergatory if I was Catholic) playing shuffle board with John Paul II...when all of a sudden I notice the paster coming down from his pulpit and walking down the second isle in my direction. He stops right in front of me and leans in to tell me something...

Figuring it had something to do with being a casket bearer, I leaned forward to hear his instructions...and his response....

"You must remove the gum from your mouth...this is the holy temple of God and it is rude to have gum in your mouth so you need to get rid of it immediately!"

WTF....Is he serious?! I am suppose to be meditating about my always smiling aunt. I couldn't believe it....as I remove my gum...he wanders back to his authoritative throne in front. The kicker is...I wasn't even chewing the gum...it was kind of just in my mouth...I don't even know how he saw it...let alone let it bother him so much he needed to interrupt my silent meditation over my aunt's death to tell me to remove it. I was so mad that I really didn't even respond to him...except to say "sorry I offended you" as I removed the gum. I should've handed it to him and said "thank you for being a servant of the lord", and asked him to "please throw it away for me". But I didn't...I didn't want to make a scene at the funeral.

Afterward, I helped carry the casket to the hurse...and stopped him. Sorry I offended you I said. And before I could say another word, he said that "it is ok, it is just sad that in a Christian society people just do not know how act properly and next time you will know better"....and walked away. Are you kidding me right now?! I didn't even get to say something...I wanted to tell him that first of all...society is far from a Christian society...I don't know what box you are living under...and even if it were...would God care if I had gum in my mouth at my aunt's funeral? NO!! Secondly, I would've said that building of brick and wood is just a building...it isn't a holy temple of God. God doesn't live there...he lives in our hearts...not in buidlings! And lastly, that if Jesus were standing there with me, do you think he would've care that much...or would he have maybe had gum in his mouth too?! What a confused and power hungry individual! I tried not to judge him in my heart, but I think I may have. I wanted to rebuke him, and correct his wrongful actions, but he didn't even give me a chance to speak. Only God can change a man's heart. So I will pray for him.

But when it comes down to it, I hope there is Gum in heaven so that Jesus and I can meet that man...both of us blowing bubbles with our gum and asking him if he might want some. That would be great...cuz I really think that God would chew gum.

Dreams and God

I woke up from a vivid dream early this morning. It was the strangest I have had in a very very long time.

Chuck Hill and I were fishing. But we did not have any poles. Simply a strange fish manual and our hands. We wadded in the water and scooped up fish by the handfuls. The water was warm, and the sun's rays brushes our faces. It was a warm yet cold day. Despite the sun's warm appearance, there was a coldness to everything around us.

The sun was shinning bright and you could see down into the crystal clear water. The suns rays revealed the multitude of fish in the stream running into the open water. We each carried a special fish book with instructions on how to catch each of the species of fish. I eagerly wanted to catch some perch for some reason and Chuck agreed it would be beneficial. I didn't want to read my book, so Chuck open his book. It's slimy coated outside cover needed prying open to read it's liquid like content filled gooey sheets. Our books appeared to be fishlike themselves...so odd. But hey had the answers...how to catch the fish.

To our right was a ledge, and I walked far up it to look down into the water. It was a ledge against a cliff wall, about ten feet from the water's surface. From the ledge, I could see some huge fish that I wanted to catch. Chuck warned me to come down, and I ignore him. I wanted the big fish....CRASH!!! The ledge gave way...sending me plunging into the dark clear water. The fish don't move...so I try to grab them...but they grab me instead. They took me deep into the water and I faught against their sharp razor teeth. They let go...and I swam hard to get back to Chuck. For some reason I could breath under the water...but it was getting harder. The giant fish swam with me and stared me in the face...smiling and revealing their teeth once more. I reached for Chuck but he can't get me.....The giant fish raced toward me...teeth glaring...

POOF! The dream ends...and I am in my bed. I immediately ask God what it means...and he answers me in my head. (I am not sure what is more fightning...the dream or the instaneous answer from God) My answer...Do not always go after the big fish. I give you what you need and people to help you. Be prepared for what you seek and the big issues won't tear you apart. You had the answers in your book, but refused to be prepared. You didn't listen to sound advice and you were reckless. I am in control. Be fishers of men, but beware that not all men can be caught. Guard yourself in me, do not let temptation drown you.

I tried to go back to sleep...but I was a little freaked. Eventually I managed some beauty sleep, but the dream was still in my head with those words when I awoke in the morning. I told Holly and she told me to blog it...so here it is.

More than meets the Eye

Ok...so it is coming...it is really coming! I can not wait...

Yes I am a cartoon loving freak and this is my favorite series next to GI Joe.

Hillarious...for any race fans out there

Ok you gotta turn your speakers on for this one. Brought to you by Crazy Frog.

It's been awhile

It has been awhile since I have blogged...so I kind of feel like I have been being a slacker. Which is most oftenly true. I tend to leave things until the last minute or forget about things I should remember. But I think everyone does that from time to time.

Anyways....

I have been struggling with giving God control lately...well actually it has always been an issue with me...but lately I have come to notice it more. I like to be in charge of the things I do. I always want to be the fixer of situations...gotta have my way. But recently, I have been trying to do less of it. It isn't so easy...especially if you have been doing it for like 26 years. Listening for God and being quiet...letting him move me like the wind gently moving a feather through the sky. Geez...it is tough though. There are some things in life that I want to happen and I want them right now...but I am learning to be still. My friend HMB can attest to the fact this is an issue with me...or my friend Nick....or Eric....or just about anyone who knows me well.

It becomes ever so evident in things like phone calls. I give my friends like ummm....maybe an hour to call me back and then I bug the crap out of them by calling and calling and calling repeatedly because they haven't called me back yet. What the heck...am I an idiot...that drives me nuts when people do it to me...so why do I do it then? What did I ever do before I had a stupid cell phone. I feel like that with God sometimes...I will pray...but if I don't get an answer right away, then I do the phone call thing. Patience is a virtue that is hard to achieve....but I know God is working on me with it.

Mission Trip

Where I am going: Koln, Germany

Time Frame: June 25th-July 3rd.

Purpose: To talk to people and build relationships, in a hope that I can discuss God's desire to have a relationship with people and maybe plant a seed for God to grow.

What I will not be doing: Passing out Jesus pamplets, digging wells, etc. etc.

What you can do: Pray for me to reach people, and raise the funds for the trip. Some of you may be getting letters asking to help me go...if you feel God telling you to help out than please let me know.

Thanks!

My Car

Ok, so I finally started my website for my car. I know it is wierd, but I am a gearhead and I really want to finish my car. So I made a website to entice sponsors. Let me to what you think if you feel compelled.

State Wrestling Team Finals

So Mason Wrestlers pulled it off...a perfect 36-0 season. The team won the State Division II Team Wrestling title. It was cool being back there after almost ten years...man I can't believe it was that long ago. It was different this time...I was a coach, not a wrestler. I really didn't do much except encourage the kids and aid them in yelling out moves to use. But they toughed it out and won. Congradulations to Mason High School Wrestling Team!

A Dan Update...

Dan's dad is getting worse, the chemo isn't working on the cancer. I have been praying like crazy and I know several of my friends are too. I am asking anyone who reads this to please pray for him and his family.

When in doubt...consult God.

I was having a conversation with a friend about faith and wondering if what we believe is real or not. It wasn't that they doubted things, but that they just had some fleeting questions. I mean sometimes I am even like why is life sometimes so crappy(ak.a. cancer, tradgic deaths, etc.)...what makes God real? So I consulted God's word for some answers. And this is what I came up with:

1 Corinthians 15: 1-6 "Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I have preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I have preached you. Otherwise, you believe in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."

1 John 5:11-13 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

John and Paul both write to us explaining that our belief in Jesus is what gives us eternal life. They even give us proof that Jesus's resurrection was real. Faith is something God gives us...it is ok to question...but listen for the answers when the come. God is real.

The case of the missing snow...

Thanks to Noel for pointing out this wonderful theory on missing snow....

My Friend Eric...

My friend Eric came to Riverview with me on Sunday. Hols introduced him as the friend whom I met in a junkyard. Which is totally true, but it sounded like we met there last week, which made it funnier. I have known him for the better part of ten years. He is one of my closer friends….and I would say he believes in God but isn’t a Christian. He doesn’t really like organized religion…and I can’t blame him on that one. It was so cool that he actually came to church with me…didn’t think that would ever happen. After church HMB, Eric, and I went to eat some Jersey Giant Subs. Good food!

He was telling us this story about this "church" his company is putting exterior brick on and these guys who work construction for him. He said the guys have manhood issues. He went on to explain how each one tries to prove how big his cahonies are, and how many guys they’ve beat up or could beat up. This one guy who voluntered from the church was a high school guy and talked a ton of trash. He said he was studying to be a black belt from the pastor. He also said that the pastor would just keep hitting him in the face until he could block the punch! The hard-knocks way to martial arts. (This reminded me of the self defense instructor from Napolean Dynamite).

Eric-"He would've hit me in the face once, and I would've kicked him in the balls!"

Then there was this other 60 year old guy who claimed to hold over 30 world weight lifting titles. Eric said he was nice, but really old. Eric also said the guy wasn't strong enough to sqeeze a hot glue gun! So he felt like he was surrounded by guys still living in the past or thinking they had to be the toughest man and one up the other.

Eric- “I wish they would just take it out back and settle it once and for all. I would just club them all once with a 2 x 4 and walk away!”

We all laughed…he really is hilarious. He then goes to tell us he doesn’t really care who is toughest or how many people they were able to beat up while in 11th grade. Like I said his sarcasm is so funny.

Eric- “If they want to see just how much of a man they are, they should come spend a couple of hours with my four kids. Try taking an elbow the size of a quarter to your left testicle and see how tough they are. Think about it...have you ever seen how pointed and sharp little kids elbows and knees are...they are like leathal weapons. I have seen my father drop like a rock because my daughter's head was waist high and she ran to give him a hug...and smack! I have never seen a grown man drop so fast! He had to hold onto the fridgeto keep him from falling to the ground. Or how about waking up to a poop filled diaper to the face as your kids jumping on you to get up and make breakfast...that will test your real manhood.”

He then procedes to tell us about this "church" he was invited to in Maryland which they were doing brick work for. He said the only way you could attend the service was through an invite...it wasn't open to the public. They had a service that lasted like 4 hours long on Sunday, like 2 hour services on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Eric and his buddies debated on going. "What if we get stuck there and it sucks...we are there for frickin' four hours! But get this...and they had cheerleaders running up and down the isles during the service. That is what got them to go :oP. After he went with some of his worker buddies, they concluded that it was a cult. He also said the Pastor sounded like a salesman and said that "it was peoples' duty to give money to the church for God and it could be spent at his descrestion..."

Eric-"I guess that is why the dude rolls in a 2005 Escalade with $12000 optional wheels."

He said this one guy from the church invited them over for dinner one night and treated his wife like she was his maid or servant. They were going to take their shoes off because they were muddy and the gentleman said "don't worry...leave them on... my wife will mop it up later." He then proceeded in ordering her around and to wait on them hand and foot...and she did.

Eric-"If I ever treated my wife like that she would beat my face in with a bat!"

When we came back from eating and story time, we decided to go online to see the video feed of this church...it was odd for me....but we all laughed and watched them sing a song that lasted a good ten minutes and it just repeated itself over and over and the pastor jammed on the organ. We also saw the cheerleaders...and the guy who orders his wife around...the weight lifting champion...and the kid who thought he was Jean Claude Van Damn.

I wonder what Eric thought about our church?

The Bible...Lego Style

This is fricking Hillarious...you gotta check this out. Thanks to Hols and her pals for this one! Check out The Flood. It was killing me I was laughing so hard.

Am I Job? (pronounced..JOBE)

Ok so this day is finally done! And I am so glad...it was the day from hell. I felt like Job from the old testament.

First I got up early from a whining puppy...no biggie...it happens when he has to go potty. So I let Titan out and left Cain to sleep some more....which is normal. But I came back in and he was pissing all over the brand new bed I had bought him. So I had to take care of that and all that jazz. As I turn the corner I noticed some cat puke. As I am cleaning it up, I notice five more spots of cat puke. Now I feel like Noah...can you imaging the work he had to do on the ark just feeding and cleaning up after those frickin' animals?! I now have to find the culprit.

(read with an Aussie accent)
As I put on my crocodile hunter moves trying to stalk Chessie...I follow her distinctive "yacking" sound....only to find her hiding up inside of the bottom of my couch. I carefully tip over her nesting place and remove the ferocious calico from her resting spot. While doing so, I gracefully put my hand in an unseen pile of vomit! CRIEKIE...she's got me. I wrestle her into her crate and plan for the move to the vet.

Ok...no more accent. I go back to bed for 40 more minutes of sleep. Back to feeling like Job and not Noah. I get ready...I am running late...I go to start the car...and it won't start! I try for fifteen minutes to get her running...but nothing. I call my father...he can take the cat to the vet. I call a friend for a ride to work...but then the dang thing starts. I am ten minutes late for school. Kids are waiting in the hallway...the bell had already rang...man I should've stayed in bed. That was the kind of day I had...no fun!

Starting a zoo

It's official. I am startng my own zoo. I now have two kittens and dog and a puppy. I may have to charge admission to my zoo to pay for the food it takes to supply their nutritional need. No wife or kids, but a butt ton of animals. And exactly what is a butt ton you ask...well let me tell you.

After cleaning up after four animals fecal matter during the week, I figure that it must weigh approximately a ton. Thus I have a "butt Ton" of animals. And no...it is not button....it is Butt Ton.

Coolest Teacher Award

I got the most amazing thing today when I got to school. A student whom I taught last year was recognized by Scholastic Services as an outstanding student and has the chance to get some major college scholarships. In doing so, they asked her to nominate her most influential teacher that she has had. She nominated me and they sent me a certificate in recognition. I almost cried. It was the single coolest thing a student has done for me in my short teaching career.

A little background on this student. She took art as a whim...and she just had a natural talent. I encouraged her and she got really good. Her effort and determination is what made her so good. This year she came to my room to tell me that she was moving schools because her family situation was bad. I was disappointed because I thought that Mason had the better art program and thought she would get more experience here. HMB and I saw her at the mall during Christmas and that was the last time I have heard from her until today.

It's amazing how sometimes you never know who you effect and how you effect them. God allows them to grow and sometimes you never see the end results. Thank you God for letting me know with this student, and that I am being effective because He allows me to be.

Young Life

James Granger invited me to visit a Young Life meeting yesterday. For those of you who don't know what Young Life is...it is a bunch of young high school students getting together to learn about God and have fun. If you have ever been to Campus Life in high school...it is pretty much the same thing. One of the biggest differences was that the kids form small groups and have older Christians help lead. That is kind of why James invited me. He wanted me to check it out and see if I would be interested in being a leader. If that is what God wants me to do then I am definately up for it.

The coolest part was that I knew about 80% of the kids from the high school and they all couldn't believe that I wanted to hang out with them at Young Life. God is definately showing me ways to interact with my surroundings and opening doors to talk about him with kids. I've been praying for that for awhile.

Dying to yourself

First I must admit...this is barrowed from my friend HMB, which in turn she took from the author Bill Britton. But it is totally awsome and wanted to blog something really good today.

Dying to Self by Bill Britton

When you are forgotten or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy - being counted worthy to suffer for Christ; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself - but take it all in patient loving silence; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance ... when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility - and endure it as Jesus endured it; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption - by the will of God; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or record your own good works, or itch after commendation - when you can truly love to be unknown; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and honestly rejoice with him in sprit without envy or question of God - while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstance; THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you receive correction and reproof from one of less stature that yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly - finding no rebellion or resentment rising up in your heart; THAT IS DYING TO SELF ARE YOU DEAD YET?

In these last days the Sprit would bring us to the Cross."That I may know Him ... being made conformable to His death"

update

Ok...long story short. They cancelled the pre-liminary hearing. Both sides decided that there was enough evidence to go straight to trial. So I got the day off...didn't have to sit in court...and didn't have to see the guy who killed Kris. Kind of wierd.

Drunk Driving Revisted

I was invited to the arraignment of the drunk driver who killed my friend Kris. I was invited by his best friend and his family. It is on Wednesday. I am going, but I am a little torn. Deep down I am mad at the 20 year old who made the crappy choice to drink and drive and think that he deserves whatever he gets. I also want to see justice be done. But I also pray for the guy. I have never met him. His life is ruined now...because he carelessly took the life of another.

But I don't want to have hate for him in my heart. I am afraid I am going to hate this guy when I see him for the first time on Wednesday. I mean does he feel remorse or is he a big fat jerk. I want to believe he is a jerk...so if I hate him I won't feel bad about it. I've been praying a lot about what I will do. How do you love someone that killed one of your friends? Love your enemies...kind of hard. I just want to go and support his family and Shawn (his best friend). God is in control...and I am trusting in that.

Being me...

Ok listen up. I am constantly in self frustration mode, because I know that no matter what I do I can't make myself any closer to God. I can't buy my way to God. If I could, than everyone could just pay some silly toll and be right with God. But that isn't how it works. I mean read what Jesus said. He said "I am the way, the truth, and the light. No one comes to the father except by me." John 3:16...most misquoted verse in the bible in my opinion. Meaning that nothing we do gets us closer to God except for following and submitting to his authority over us. Think of it. The word "Lord"...what exactly does that mean? Lord is someone who has complete power over you. Someone you serve, and give authority to. To put it simply...letting God have his authority over us and obeying his word...aka...the bible.

Now I know that life isn't like a bowl of cherries or something else stupid like that just because I choose to follow Christ. In fact the opposite seems to be true. Think about it...yours friends peg you as a nut; you start to realize there is more to life than having fun and living for the moment; things like drinking and sex and whatever else suddenly become issues for sinful acts. You become a social outcast in a sense. Realizing sin is what keeps your from God. Realizing that relationship is what you have been missing in your life. So, you go against the world....and follow Christ.

But there is hope in the life you choose....or more so....the life that chooses you. God picks us first...we don't pick him first. He plants the seed that we choose to either continue to grow or chop down and play in the thorns. The thorns of sin are so tempting...luring us away from truth and creating a larger gap between us and a relationship with God. God frees us from the thorns...lets us know truth and frees us from the sin. The sin that is like the flower of a rose bush...beautiful....but only sucks us in and prick us with the thorns of sin. The sin that widens the gap of a relationship with God. Jesus died to repair the wounds the thorns cause. To love and heal our hearts. That is why Jesus died. So that the thorns wouldn't have the control...he gave us the choice.

Getting real...

I learned a couple of weeks ago that my sister has chosen the homosexual life style. I really don't know how to feel about it. I knew she was living the lifestyle for awhile now, but she accepted a ring from her friend. Though I don't know why I should be so shocked...actually I wasn't.

I love my sister, but I think she makes rash decisions about her life choices. She is as stubborn as I am, so that makes talking about things just that much more difficult sometimes. In the past two and a half years she has been engaged to be married to a man, and broke that off. Was breifly carrying a second man's children, (that ended) and broke that off. And now has decided she is gay. Like I said I really love her...she is my only sister...but I don't know how someone can waiver so much on such life changing decisions over such a short coarse of time. Trying to talk to her about biblical truths (which she was raised by) is near impossible. Almost always a fight, so I try to just be her brother...which is bad too sometimes ;o)

The thing is, I don't know what to say to her...or not to say...so I just try to be as real as possible. She knows I disagree with her choice (not going to stop loving her though). She knows that the bible says it is wrong...though she thinks the bible is just tainted human ideas. No one was ever won to the Lord through argumentation....or so my friend RB says. So I am left with just voicing my opinion and agreeing to disagree with her. And of course prayer....so that is what I do. I pray for the situation and my sister.

It was a good day

Today I spent time with my best friend HMB. It was good. She is one of those people whom I trust with everything. The sucky thing is she lives an hour away, but the good thing is I get to see her about once a week...if only at church. We hung out with Lindsay and Brad. They played with the kittens, and Brad played some Halo 2 at my crib. It was good times...we also sat in the hot tub...but it was freezing outside. The water felt great, but man that air froze us. Brad figured out the hard way that it took about 2 minutes for your hair to freeze...that was kind of funny.

My dog was hillarious...he kept jumping up on the edge of the tub because he wanted the rubber duck thermometer in the tub. It was pretty funny. Then, HMB took the kids home and we met up for dinner at Olive Garden. Like I said...good times with HMB. We talked about life and hung out. Then went to good ol' Meijers for some supplies for the week. I said my good bye and off she went to D-town. It was a good day.

kitten 

Insane Kitten

Last night, I got home from our Wrestling match against Eaton Rapids...which we won...and I noticed something about Hemi. He had a turd hanging from his butt as he was getting out of the litter box...there was something wierder though. I inspected it closer only to see it hanging by a rubber band. My frickin' cat had eaten a rubber band....and it was holding that turd there. It freaked me out cuz the turd bounced by the rubber band while he walked.

I was ticked...so I went to grab him and of course he took of on a dead sprint. SO I give pursuit. I felt like I was cat hurding. Down the hall...around the table...up the stairs...down the stairs...back up the stairs. I finally grabbed him. A cat that doesn't want to be held is like trying to hold water in a strainer...near impossible. Trying to be as delicate as I can, I remove the issue...kitty cat...all better. Now it was 10:30 and so I washed my hand and tried not to vomit and went to bed. Think twice before getting animals ;o)

New insight...

My friend told me to quit running around in circles chasing my tail, by doubting. Thank you Mike for that insight. He was absolutely right. That is kind of what I was struggling with...the fear of not living right...instead of just living. HMB told me that I do that earlier today too (2 times in one day...I get it God)...I spend too much time worrying about whether I am doing something good enough, or am good enough, instead of just doing it and having faith that God will work out the rest. Which is absolutely true.

I think that Satan gets in our heads and makes us think we aren't good enough to do something...so instead of doing things...we worry. I know I do that waaaaaaay too much. Am I doing it right...is it good enough...blah blah. Like Nike said..."JUST DO IT". Not to say that you shouldn't question, but knowing that God is with us can make all the difference in the world. Sometimes, that is where we have to have the faith to step out on the water and know that God isn't going to let us sink. By doubting, that is all we will do...maybe just enough faith to keep our heads above the water...but I want the faith to walk on the water! I want God to "look" at me the way he "looked" at Peter. And to have the faith Peter had to come out to him on the water.

Shattered again....

Ok...so I was listening to Noel on my computer. It was his Easter message titled "Shattered" ...and again there I am feeling like there is more for my life...that God needs to use me more and am I letting him do it?

...so I listened to another one of Noel's messages "Community"....again...same feeling. It is like the lyrics of one of my favorite Switchfoot songs....which Noel used in his sermon of course. I want to live for God alone...not for myself...or by myself.

MEANT TO LIVE

Fumbling his confidence
And wondering why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he's bid for more than arguments
And failed attempts to fly, fly

[Chorus]
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

Dreaming about Providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we've been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we're bent and broken, broken

[Chorus]
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life,

yeah,
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live
We were meant to live

It is interesting everytime I hear this song I hear God telling me to live...for him...to die to myself and live for him.

The Church Thing

Okay...so church today was pretty good. Normally it is...but normally I don't write about it. I like that it challenges me and fills me back up after a long week. If I am feeling down, or frustrated, the act being with other Christians and listening about God tends to lift me back up. I think it is a combination of the music and the message. They always hit me. They always deal with real life and what the bible tells us. Now I know....Riverview is just a building...and the body of believers is the "church", but that is why it is so good. As my friend R.B. would say: "there are really real Christains" there. There are also people from all walks of faith and non faith, and outlooks...but the focus is God.

I don't normally invite people to church, and I don't know why. My friend and I talked today about that subject. I guess, I was being afraid a little to invite some of my other friends who really aren't into "the God thing" or "church". I wasn't having a willingness to trust God with everything....to step out of my safety and comfort of what my friends might think...to maybe help them get to know God as the personal, caring, loving creator he is. Which is kind of ironic, because that was part of the message today too. The message was centered around four areas. These areas were: Having a willingness to trust God with everything, a willingness to submit to his authority, a willingness to take risks for God, and a willingness to be truely authentic.

Steve...the pastor...also said we have two primal fears. The fear of failure, and the fear of rejection. Isn't that funny. Sometimes I feel like God is talking directly at me. Those reasons are why I steer clear of the subject of faith and God with some friends. The are fears God wants me to overcomb...be authentic...be willing...don't be afraid of failing or rejection. I don't want to push my beliefs onto other people. I just want them to know God like I do. To experience how much he cares...and loves each of us. I want God to use me to reach others.

Napolean Dynamite

So if you haven't seen this movie...I highly recommend it. Especially if you like stupid funny movies. I have seen it about six times now. My roommate bought it and I watched it on a whim...now it may be on my top five favorite movies for humor!

So if you want to see some clips check this out:
http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/napoleondynamite/epk/index.php

Friends

What are friends? Are they the people who know us best, even when we don't know ourselves? Are they the ones who "are there for us" when we need them? The ones we can count on? The people we hold dearest to our hearts for whatever reason....?

I have always had problems with "friends". Some friendships last only a short time, while some have lasted most of my life. Throughout it all, I know that some friends are better than others. The good ones we don't always hold onto, and the ones we should let go...well...we cling onto with a death grip for some insecurity buried deep within the soul. Some hold special slots in our life which we can never let go of, even if we really wanted to. They are the ones that we want to be there, but aren't. They are the ones that we poor out into, and yet we can never seem to fill. They are the ones that know us inside out, and on some level have love toward us, but for some reason keep their distance or keep looking for someone better. Why?

Or maybe it is just me? Maybe I am too intense, demanding, open, serious, and goofy. Maybe I just have one of those personalities where people can only take so much of you before they really need a break. Really though, I think that it is because I come across judgemental too often(even though I am not really that way). But for some odd reason that is how people sometimes take me. I ask too many questions, and care way too much. People label me as nosey...not caring.

Maybe, I am too sensitive. Caring about other people costs...no matter what anyone says. But isn't that what Jesus told us to do? Love your neighbor. Count the cost. Die to yourself. If I do that, then it shouldn't matter what my friends do, or how they act, or what they think about me....right? Unfortunately, it does matter more often than not. I do care about what others think...and say....and how they act toward me. But what matters most, is what God thinks of me as his servant. Am I doing good? (despite my feelings of unworthyness, sometimes loneliness, pridefullness, self rightousness, etc.)....Am I bearing good fruit or am I a branch that needs to be cut off? What does God think about how I am loving my "friends"?

Original Poem

Written by me :o)

Which Is Worse

Is losing someone in death as bad as in love?
For neither a pleasant experience one should have to think of.

Some might say death,
Because it seems forever...
But isn't true love lost,
A pain felt together?

Possibly not, but I think it is so,
either path is a terrible road to go.

And what about the brokeness of a once loved heart?
Surely that shatters one's world all apart.

But Death in it's silence,
shares lost loves sad tears.
And brings with it stifling,
questions of everlasting fears.

Both send spirits sinking, which one can not deny.
For when a love is lost forever, the heart truely dies.

The News Sucks

I hate the news. Television pisses me off! I was watching it tonight and they only showed a blurb about the terrible situation in Taiiwan. Over ten thousand people have died, and yet their top stories are about the day after Christmas shopping sprees and markdown sales, and which hills are best for sledding!! What a frickin' load of crap!

If that disaster had been in the U.S., you would see nothing but that devestation on every channel. No wonder so many people outside the U.S. hate Americans. I know that people care, so why then does the news have to be so idiotic and protray us like uncaring selfish morons! I am insulted! I am not saying that it should be glamorized, but give me a break. At the very least have it as the top story, and provide the public with information about how to help or something useful! No one should give a rats rear about the day after Giftmas sales events when so many people are in such distress and pain!

Wisdom and baseball bats

Funny how things in life always look better initially or look more in perspective in hindsight. It really pisses me off when I think about the mistakes I have made, and how dumb I have been in the past. But then I am thankful for the lessons that they have taught me...isn't that ironic?!

I often wonder if the mistakes we make, dictate the outcome of our future events. For instance, relationships. If we don't start off good in a relationship, does that mean it won't ever find a way to be good? God being all, knowing all (past and present)...knows which choice we will make. Why then should I be angry about the outcome I recieve, from some obscure lesson God is trying to teach me? Shouldn't I be thankful?! But truth be told, I am usually pissed off for not getting my way and act like a spoiled frickin' brat. I want my way. I want my needs to be met...and when "my needs" aren't what God knows them to be...I act like a punk...why?! I should be more committed to him, and more content of his sovereignty.

Sometimes though, I wish God would just hit me over the head with his wisdom, instead of the quiet whispers in which it is endowed. I would spend so much less time in inner turmoil about things that I don't get my way about. It kind of reminds me of the time I got hit with a bat in the face. I mean the time I got hit in the face with a baseball bat...I knew it hurt...I didn't need to get hit in the head to know that...but it confirmed the living crap out of the "wisdom" that a baseball bat to the face hurts. I often feel like I "know" things but I need to get hit in the face with it to really "KNOW" the wisdom behind it.

Yellow Snow Fun :o)

Thanks to HMB for this one :o)

Close call

So I am driving home from "time wit da family" and a little voice in my head tells me to slow down at a green light near the Mason Meijers store. So I listen to the voice....which is so not typical of me....and I catch a blurr out of the corner of my eye.....

I slam on the breaks to watch a car fly through the red light going about 50MPH. I would've hit him corner to corner....I only missed him by like ten feet. The driver never even hit his brakes to slow down...just flew through the red light. I got home and was a little shaken...I have had close calls before, but never going that fast....thank you God for the still small quiet voice in my head!

Family Fun!

So tonight I felt like I was part of the Sopranos! or maybe in a bad version of the Godfather movies. I went Christmas shopping with my father, his two brothers, and my little old grandmother.

You see...they made me an offer I couldn't refuse..."free dinner" :op

I come from an Italian background on my pop's side of the family. My grandmother was first generation born US. Her father was from Palermo, Sicily (Italy). He was a rum runner for the mob in Detroit (or so the story goes). No one knows for sure...but you can definately tell my family is Italian. It was so funny...three men in the back and one in the front (with Grams riding "shotgun")....It must have looked even funnier. I laughed the entire night...those guys crack me up. My grandma only had three boys...and I am the only grandson....so I am kind of like the little brother in that group!

They have the talk and the walk of the typical Italian man. No greasy hair, but the isms of Italian talk like "how ya doin'?" and "watcha lookin' at?"....like I said it is hillarious! We had fun and laughed the night away...got to spend quality time with Grandma too...what a shop'aholic!

Victory

Last night I experienced something cool...a victory in a high stakes wrestling match. I was so proud of our wrestlers, but I couldn't help but think about how very short glory lasts. And the glory that I felt was directed inward and it should've been reflected to God. What a challenge...

You see as an athlete I think I did a good job of giving God the glory....now I am in charge...and yet I am not in charge...God is...so how can I show my team and wrestlers this difficult task? Glory fades...but God doesn't...I want to be a good leader to my boys on the team. I want to teach them about things that last forever, not just a glimmer. I want to see them shine in success and in life, knowing that God loves them. Knowing that I care about them.

I talk too much...or do I? :o)

So I was sitting here relaxing...thinking about life. I do that way too much I am told...I am too serious about it or something ;o) But I couldn't help wonder, why it is so hard to just sit and relax...I mean...I start feeling guilty or something if I am not busy doing stuff.

A friend of mine said I talk too much...and they are probably right. It drives some people nuts! I guess that is why I don't listen enough...too busy talking :op So today I tried to just relax and be silent...which of course for me is hard. It's the ADHD in me...or whatever I guess. But today I relaxed for the first time in awhile...reflecting on stuff. Stuff like my priorities...what do I believe...where am I going...then I started talking about things to myself in my head(talking too much again)....

Of course...that made me not relax...so I just tried to blank out and listen to my kittens purr and pet my dog. But a thought hit me...kind of like a brick over the head. It was a little random really, but really made me think. Another friend of mine and I had a conversation, and I asked that friend of mine, not to long ago, about "What do you believe in?" "What do you have faith in?"

-"God" they said!

So being my talkative self...I asked another question "What has your faith/belief made you change about your life I asked?"

-"nothing much I guess...."

Trying not to be too forward I asked "What has your faith/belief made you do?"

-"Stuff!"...I was starting to annoy them...

So then...you believe/have faith in God...which you don't know how it's changed your life, and that has made you do stuff....WOW...really sound like you have a strong faith/belief there....strong faith! (I thought this to myself...cuz I wanted to ask some more questions!)

Then I asked a new question...similar to the first....
"Do you believe/have faith in money?"

~"I guess..." they said

What has your belief/faith in $$$ made you do?

~"Get a job...to pay bills, buy things, eat, etc, etc"

Hmmm...what has it done to change aspects of your life?
~"I have to budget it, I got an education to get a job to make it, search for a career, etc., etc.

So I asked my friend..."which do you have more faith in based on your response? God or Money?" They kind of were shocked...

Now I know my friend very well...and I know they have a strong faith in God. But expressing their faith in God was so much harder to do than explaining their faith in money. Do we live our lives like that? Does our faith show through to others? Or are we fitting into culture, living our faith in earthly things rather than Godly ones? These questions challenged me to think and reflect about how I live...am I living in faith....and what proof do I have that I am doing so?

Good friend...short time....

A few months back I met this guy name Kris...he was a cool guy. We had a lot in common. He liked cars, going fast, racing, and the list goes on. He was a little older than me, but we kind of struck it off...starting talking cars and motors (gearhead talk). He was of course a mechanic. http://www.eandip.com/443732.html

He was funny, and a nice guy...oh ya...and a good mechanic when it comes to making a car go faster. That is why I came to him in the first place...for his expert advice. I asked him if he could get my performance parts to work correctly...and of course he agreed...that is how our friendship began.

.........Last week I heard some terrible news......Kris died on his way to work via a 20 year old drunk driver...Kristofir Enniss passed away Saturday, November 20, 2004...I guess I am still in shock...I mean Kris and I were only friends for a short while...but I liked Kris, we could've been really good friends! Good friends are hard to find...and that makes me sad...and angry...cheated out of a good friendship!

I know God has his plans, but I want to know what they are somedays...like that day I heard about Kris. I just pray that God will be with Kris's wife, his friends, his family...give them peace, and comfort.


http://www.mitchellfuneral.com/Obits.html

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041125/NEWS01/411250336&SearchID=73191678148005

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Am I old?

Ok...so back when I was a kid......
Man is this kid adorable or what!?

Man you know you are getting old when you start saying things like that to high school students. As some of you may know I am a High School Art Teacher and the JV Wrestling coach for Mason High School. http://scnc.mason.k12.mi.us/

That is exactly what I said to some of my kids at school today...man did it make me feel old. Another thing is when they think that the eighties and nineties were eons ago! I show my age when I start jamming to Def leopard or some DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...HAHAHA! The kids get a laugh out of it. But hey...it is me! Actually I think my students think it is "cool" to be so down to earth with them...be a real person.

But back to me feeling old....it is intriguing to me that I think I am somewhere between the ages of 15-18 years old, but in reality I am the ripe old age of 26. Now that might not seem that old, but some days when I get home I feel like I am 90. I am sore and whipped from wrestling those young pups. What is worse is that I can't let them know it...cuz then they would rag on me :o) Even so, man am I sore!

Hey if anyone is interested in watching me coach...we are wrestling Lakewood at MSU (Jenison Fieldhouse) on Wednesday Dec. 8 at 9:30 PM...Admission is free! http://www.masonwrestling.com/dual.htm

Something different

I was wondering today about relationships. What God thinks about my relationships with other people. Sometimes I feel pretty good about my interactions with other people...other times I don't! I know Jesus wants us to love our neighbors...that was his #1 commandment. But what does that look like? Everyday God puts an image of himself in our lives....they are the other people around us...

That made me think...

So if the other people around us are images of God...why do I sometimes treat other people like garbage? I am Christian....so therefore I know the role God wants me to play...I know the example I should be setting...why do I have such a hard time then doing it on a consistant basis?

The reason...
I could say..."Well I am not perfect"...but I feel that is a cop out! I think the real reason is that I am selfish...and lazy. I don't want to put myself out there....so I hide behind my computer telling my feelings to no one...or everyone...depends how you look at it. I want to be part of the bride of Christ...beautiful and radiant...not bruised and battered. Just some food for thought.

Check me out! 

Do I pray right?

Ok so a friend and I were talking, and we dicussed how we prayed. We both noticed that we tend to say things like: "Lord please give me the strength, Lord allow me to love like you want me to, Lord please give me wisdom, etc." Is there something wrong with those kind of prayers?

If God is our ROCK, our SALVATION, our EVERYTHING...then maybe there is an issue. We both noticed that those prayers don't put the emphasis on God but on ourselves...(i.e. Lord give "ME")...in otherwords Lord I can do it if only....where is the reliance on God?

How then should I pray? Maybe it should be something more like this..."Lord be my strength, Lord be my love, Lord be my wisdom or Lord let my wisdom be in you, etc." I know it may be a symmantic issue, but we decided that the way we pray can reveal our unconcious heart. Who we want in control...God or us. Lord BE!...not only Lord Be in my life....BUT.....Lord Be my life!

Die to ourselves to live for God and let him be in charge! Shouldn't we show God that in the way we pray too!?

The Big Game

Sorry State fans, but it was the BIG HOUSE! Actually MSU should've won that game. Sometimes it just pays to be lucky...just ask TJ Duckett! :o)

Haunted House?

Ok....so here comes a long blog. And believe it or not...it is actually true! Today I had the previous owner of the house visit me, but before I talk about that...let me tell you a story...

So this past summer something strange happened to me at my house. About two weeks prior to the incident, the power company sent a letter out to Mason residents to inform them of a temporary power outage for the city grid. It would start about 11pm and last until early sometime the next morning while they checked their systems or something like that. Sure enough we lose power, so I go to bed about the same time the power goes out...11ish!

Knock! Knock! Knock!.....I wake up to a loud knocking at my front door. I get up...check my cell phone...it's 3:00AM or so. Stumble out of bed into the pitch blackness. Open my bedroom door and look at the front door to see a figure in a hat silouetted by moonlight on my front porch. I figure it's either the power company or my roommate. So I stumble my way to the door and open the door. As I look up....no one is there! Strange....I swear I just saw someone. I peer down the the sidewalk from left to right. Still no one...just an eerie moonlit lifeless stillness. It's almost like a dream. No streetlights...house lights...nothing...just the big bright moon casting some crazy shadows all around.

Then some loud footsteps behind me....
I turn around and I look through my french doors into the dark dinning room...
From the moonlight coming in from the back window I can see someone. There is someone on the other side of the dinning room table. Thinking it is my roommate coming home late, I start yelling at him. "WHY do you have to be so frickin' loud. You have a key...why did you have to wake me up by knocking?" I proceed through the doors ranting and raving about waking me up. I push open the glass doors...nothing there!!!! So I run upstairs ...and there is my roommate sound asleep....so I run back to my room...trying my best to not totally freak out. Eventually I fall asleep without wetting the bed. The next day I tell my story and everyone thinks I was just seeing things because I was tired...but what was the loud knock and the footsteps?! THE END


Now it's half a year later...construction is finally finished...kitchen and back room are mostly remodeled...and I get a visit from the previous owner of the house tonight. She and I talk and I show her the remodeling I have down...she is amazed....I smile. We talk. She then pauses and asks...

"Can I ask you something? Has anything strange ever happened while you have lived here?".......so I tell her my story....her response....
"Was the figure wearing a straw hat?".....I pause....thinking...oh my gosh....it was a straw hat!!!! How did you know?

Well...I saw him a few times when I lived here....everyone thought I was crazy...even my husband at first. Then we talked about some other strange things that have happened to each of us....both of us have labs and they both barked at the same walls in the house (WALLS not out the window...like something is in the walls)...for no appearent reason. I chaulked it up to my dog is just goofy...but she started telling me the exact locations in the house and that is exactly where my dog would go nuts sometimes. Same exact places her dogs use to go nuts!

"have you ever had a glass just break in your hands?" She asks....."it happened to me several times"

My response..."ya but they were old glasses....." I would set them down and they would just crack apart or shatter.....I figured they were just old...right?! By this time I start to question if my house really might be haunted....it was built in the late 1800's. But I don't believe in ghosts!....evil spirits and demons...but ghosts?!

There was another thing...she says...have you ever heard voices?

"Luckily...I have not!" I reply

"What about things being moved unexpectedly or falling off of the shelves?

She had given me some things they had found when they remodeled the living room...some 1890's newspapers (now in frames), an old button, and a bullet that was lodged in the wall...I use to keep it on the mantle of the fireplace...and I would oftern find it on the floor or sill of the fire place...I could never figure out why...so I mentioned that to her also.

Her Response..."We had a shelve about your TV with picture of my decesed father...and letter blocks that spelled out L O V E. They would be moved all the time....then one day...we were sitting there...and one by one the pictures and blocks fell off the shelve and then CRASH! The shelve itself falls."

I turn a little white.......pausing....I walk over to the TV and pick up a letter block sculpture made from old print blocks glued together that reads Faith (on top) Hope (in the middle) and LOVE (one the bottom). And the LOVE blocks were broken....from falling off of the TV. Now I have kittens and a dog...but the sculpture use to end up on the floor all the time before the kittys. I fixed the LOVE letter many times with glue, but they always end up on the floor and broken. I just figured the dog did it by bumping into the TV...but now I am questioning sound reason!"

Long story short...it may have been possessed?! (the house that is) I don't know...but some friends and I prayed about it after the incident with the figure I thought I saw ...and it was about the same time I finished up most of the reconstruction....I haven't had any weird things happen since....it has been a good 6 months I tell her. The only thing that still happens is the dog barking...but he's a dog...they bark right!?

Jesus is powerful...and even if something were up with the house....I know GOD is protecting me....and whatever thing or nothing that was there is gone because of GOD and prayer.

Powderpuff

Ok....so a friend I teach with and myself are coaching the Junior class powderpuff football team...we play tomarrow by the way. Girls are so much smarter than boys...they can memorize the plays faster....it is kind of fun!

Anyway...long story short...I was spying on the Seniors today and the other coaches sent a player over to ask if I was Mr. Corr while I was sitting in my warm truck watching them freeze at practice....of course I had to lie....which was hard to do with a straight face. She went back and told her coaches...whom I teach with....that it wasn't me....so they sent her back to varify. Again I lied....and laughed so hard as she went back to tell her coaches. Man, I thought everyone knew me at the high school...but I guess I was wrong. Now she is going to think I am a lier though. I convinced a senior that I was someone else....and not spying on their plays. We will probably loose now because I lied to her...hahaha! Now I am a big fat liar!

The Good and Bad

So a friend and I were talking today and I realized that I only seem to post when life is getting me down. Just thought I would throw it out there that I do have good days :o)

I am planning on updating this blog site with some other cool stuff within the next couple of weeks...so keep looking for updates...they will be coming.

Something good....
Well, I have two cool kittens...and an awsome dog! They keep me company most of the time. Actually it is kinda wierd because I am not really a cat lover. I actually didn't even like cats that much till I got mine. Sometimes they are a pain, but they are usually more fun than a pain. They are very friendly, and they kind of remind me of my dog. Speaking of which, my dog was actually the one who picked them out as strange as that sounds. So, I guess they are cats that act more like dogs...and that is why I like them. ;o)

you see...this is why I don't write more about good and happy stuff...it just sounds so corny! Nothing deep involved in it. Although, I find that when I ask myself why about the crumby stuff that goes on in my life...God returns the question to me asking why I don't question the good stuff too? Cuz really...what have I done that deserves special treatment from God? Nothing, we are all sinners and fall short of His glory...so if I am going to question something...I should probably question everything :op

It's been awhile

Ok...so I haven't written in awhile....and I guess we could say things are still kind of the same for me. My life sometimes seems like a bad country song. People die, friends leave, my car still doesn't run...etc. etc. But there isn't all bad in everything. I mean I still terribly miss my best friend, whom I still am lucky enough to converse with. I miss the way things were in my life, but hope in God to make things better. Things will get better...if not in this life time, then in heaven.

On a different note....
I have noticed also that I really wish that I could be less sensitive about somethings. I hate feelings sometimes and wish I were like a strong a steady western hero, riding into the sunset instead of an over emotional "artist". But God makes us who we are for a reason, and I have begun to see somewhat of why I am who I am.

I believe that God is in control (whether we sense it or not), and everything happens for a purpose. That purpose may be to guide our next move in life, or to find a hidden fault, or to simply honor God's work. I mean look at Pharoh and how God allowed him to have all that power, just so he could demonstrate HIS own majesty by Pharoh's downfall. Teaching students gives me a lot of influence and power too...but I don't want to be like Pharoh. I have found that I can reach kids by being who I am. Kids that normally don't feel loved. I mean don't get me wrong...I am still a man...and I am not always sensitive when I should be. But I have noticed that number of students begin to increase around my room just to "hang out". Is God giving me my own outreach right there at school? I think he may...now I just hope I can be more like Moses and help "rescue" God's people from the wickedness of our social diseases.

God let me be your hands and your feet. Let me not to be afraid, but instead embrace troubled times with a servants heart. Let me serve and not be a demander. Allow me to grow in your wisdom, strength, mercy, and spirit. Keep me from falling and straying far from that path which you have chosen me to walk. Allow me to love my enemies, and neighbors as you would want me to love them. Let me produce good fruit for your harvest....Amen!

Hardship

I am still freakin sick. Three days on meds and I still feel like crap! Think I am going to call the Dr. tomarrow and see what's up.

On a different note...
Some of my friends are going through some really tough times right now...and I want them to know that I will pray for them. Also sometimes it really puts lifes problems in perspective, when someone you know is going through something really really crappy. Not that our own problems aren't there anymore, but compassion for another person can put some(feeling sick in my case) out of mind for awhile.

I wonder sometimes what God thinks when other people are hurting or even when I am. I know he loves me, and I know he cares. I tend to think that he is crying right there with us in our pain, with his arms ready to wrap us in his comfort.

Today's the day!

Ok, so I am official now 26. Typical Birthday so far...it's raining and I woke up not feeling good.

Hopefully it does nothing but get better from here...right!

Turning 26

I am gaining a new year on my life this Thursday, and I realized that I am probably close to 1/3 the way through my life. I couldn't help but wonder if God looks down and sees someone who he is pleased with or disappointed in? I know either was nothing I can do will get me into heaven...that is by His Grace alone. Jesus always has kept his promises, and one of them is if we believe (really honestly believe) in Him and who he said he was, then he would save a room for us!

A friend of mine lives his life for other people 99% of the time. He is a definate servant of God. He is one of those rare harvesters Jesus talks about. I pray that God picks me to be the same way...deep down that is what I want...to serve God and love my neighbor. Hopefully for these next 2/3 or 3/4 of my years I have left I can live like that! Live like Jesus. :o)

Same as yesterday...

Nothing new...same as the other day.... My quote of the day comes from a book that I am sure many of my blogging friend know about or have read....Blue like Jazz


"I will love God because he first loved me. I will obey God becuase I love God. But if I cannot accept God's love, I cannot love Him in return, and I cannot obey Him. Self-discipline will never make us feel rightous or clean; accepting God's love will. The ability to accept God's unconditional grace and ferocious love is all the fuel we need to obey him in return. Accepting God's kindness and free love is something the devil does not want to do. If we hear, in our inner ear, a voice saying we are failures, we are losers, we will never amount to anything, this is the voice of Satan trying to convince the bride that the groom does not love her. This is not the voice of God. God woos us with kindness, He changes our character with the passion of His love."

This is what I am feeling and dealing with in my life.

There's an old saying...

There's an old saying that states if you love something, let it go....blah blah blah...if it comes back it was yours to keep. Well most times lately I feel that whoever said that never let go of something they cherished and adored and loved.....cuz that statement sucks.

They never mentioned anything about the pain, or feeling lost, or the rest hard stuff that results from letting go. If you think I am lying try letting go of something you really really love and still have the faith in God to have control. It is UNREAL SCARY! I mean most of the time you feel ok, but there are those moments where you feel like you are getting flushed down the toilet bowl and you'll never make it back to the surface.

Thankfully, I know that God is only going to let me get sucked down so far before he finally throws me that floatation device and I see what his plan was. Right now...having trouble seeing, thinking, and hoping clearly about just exactly that might be.

It's not the being alone that scares me, but the times where I have to sit and listen to the silence and my stupid carnal nature takes over. Which causes me to be angry, spiteful, hateful, and maybe even dreadful. None of which demonstrates my reliance on God...why? I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us....so why do I have moments of doubt? God is in control!

A friend once told me...."Joey, it takes a lot of manure to grow a beautiful rose garden!" I think he may have been right. The more "manure" that is dumped on my life, the more I see that garden grow later on. So in a way, I guess I am thankful to God for trusting in me to handle so much poop! I got a great life, with a loving family, a few good friends, a great job, and my dog and kittens....so what more would I need right? God has always provided (big or small), so why when I let go do I feel like my feet will stumble?

Big Ten Football

So tomarrow is the first day of Michigan Football...that's right U of M football. Now many of you wonder why I like Michigan...since I didn't even graduate from there. The truth...because my aunt and uncle both did...and when I was little they kind of got me hooked! So here I am living close to Spartan Country and yet I am a Blue and Gold fan.

On a different note...I hate moving. I should start my own moving business :o)

Silence and stars

Last night the sky was totally clear and the stars were out in full force, so I decided to go for a late night stroll.

As I walked I realized that everything was so still and silent. It made me wonder if I spend enough time being silent myself. I am a talker and can be pretty fidgity. There was no one around, just me and the stars...and yet there was a ton of noise. Not the kind of noise like cars and airplanes and people, but the noise of my thoughts, hopes and fears all taking the moment of silence to become loud. It was like my inner being could not just enjoy the night and the calmness, it had to break the silence.

Sometimes with God it is like that too...
I spend so much time talking to God and so much less time listening. My friend Noel preached a sermon on silence in church and we just sat there at one point making no noise. I felt like I was going to go crazy because I could talk, just sit there...no one talked. That is the same way I felt when I was walking in the starlight. Going to explode from silence! It made me think about my relationship with God. Do I wait on him, or just tell him what is on my heart and then fill the rest of the silence with other things...you know...so I don't have to listen.

Teenage kids

It is funny to me how similar and so different teenagers are from elementary ages students. I have found that my interaction with them when it comes to problems they face in their lives is so similar to the problems faced by younger children.

The dynamics of their problems seem to be more dramaticized for teenagers. I am not saying that their issues are not valid, but sometimes the drama that they infuse into their problems is simply amazing. I wonder as a teacher and a Christian, how I can help them cope with their issues in a God loving way. Is it possible to die to myself and serve God while maintaining the professionalism of being an educator? The line is very fine, but I am finding the doors to be opening more and more with my students.

God's power is ever present!

Lord, open my eyes to see! Teach me how to be an effective follower and disciple of Christ to my students!