The Gorge.........This is WV! 

My sister Michelle and her boyfriend Matt at the NRG.

 

Answered Prayers and Rantings About WV...

I want to begin by thanking everyone for your prayers. They are very much appreciated. My dad is doing well and should get to come home in the next couple of days. They found a blood clot in his lungs on Sunday and put him on blood thinner. It's a good thing they found it too. The doctor said if they hadn't found it, it could have very easily killed him. It's ironic because he didn't even go to the ER for that reason. His blood pressure medication was causing fluid to build up in his ankles and the doctor decided to run one more test and that's when they found the clot. So, I can see how God protected him from certain death. I'm thankful that we have such an awesome God.

My family will continue to need prayer. My dad will have to be out of work for at least two months because he can't be on his feet for more than two hours at a time. They are also testing to see if the blood clot was hereditary in which case he could never return to work. So, pray that the Lord provides for my parent's needs during this time. Also my oldest sister is flying in tomorrow night from Massachusetts. It will be good to see her. Pray for her safety.

Other than all that jazz that's going on, life is good! I've been working my little "backside" off if you know what I mean. This is typically one of the busiest weeks of the year. Ski season is in full swing and we have massive amounts of travelers. Good times, let the business flow, Amen?

Tomorrow I'm going to Fayetteville with my sister and her boyfriend Matt. We're going to get coffee and I'm going to check out some gear at the shop. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll talk them into taking a winter hike. There should be some waterfalls freezing soon and some snow left on the ground. Makes for a great picture. I just really love the Gorge. It will always hold a special place in my heart. To me, that is WV! They even put it on the back of our quarter for crying out loud (and yes, WV finally has their own quarter). It cracks me up because a lot of people don't even know that WV is a state. They think we're a part of VA. I don't know how many times I've had to stop and explain to people: "I'm not from "western" VA, I'm from WV". It's really annoying! Don't people take geography in high school or elementary school for that matter. Now don't get me wrong, I do love VA as well, but WV will always be from where I hale (I think that's how you spell hale; or is it hail; I know it's not hell, at least I hope not). To all my fellow WV compatriots, we have an awesome state! So, get out and see what you have here. I know that most of you that read this actually do take advantage of it. I get so excited when I'm climbing or hiking and I actually meet a native WVian. It's pretty rare!

One to Remember!

Merry Christmas to all! This has been one Christmas to remember. Let's see, where to begin? I worked a ten hour shift yesterday from 12PM until 10PM. We were slow all day until right around seven o'clock, one hour before we closed. So, that meant I had to stay late until everything was cleaned up. On top of that, my dad was admitted into the hospital during the evening due to swelling in his feet and some heaviness in his chest.

Christmas Day:

The doctor came and saw my dad and said he was good to go home and that he was just going to switch around some of his meds. In the process of all this, one of his tests came back positive for a possible blood clot, so, he gets to spend the rest of Christmas day in the hospital. It's been me and my sis at home going intermittently to the hospital off and on all day to visit my parents. We haven't even got to open presents and our "Christmas Dinner" consisted of pizza bread we bought at Rite Aide because they were the only place open. This is definitely one to remember. So, to everyone out there, please pray for my dad and family and pray he gets to come home soon.

Love you all! And Merry Christmas! (Oh yeah, it's rainy and gloomy here today as well) ;o)

Andy toasting to a cup of Joe (God's gift to man), L'chaim! 

Matt and Caroline saying the vows. 

Jimmy (aka the best man) sportin' a pose. 

Haskel posing for the camera. 

Kenny giving the thumbs up. 

Caleb and Myself 

Mary (Brent's girlfriend); Rebecca (Tommy's wife); and Emily (Andy's wife). 

Haskel and Gabe enjoying a little bubbly bubbly (aka sparkling cider). 

The crew! Need I say more? 

Me and the groom (Matt). Congrats! 

Haskel and Gabe at the reception! 

The bearded wonders--Andy, Kenny, and Tommy. 

Andy and I hangin' out! Good to see you buddy! 

Our friend Elmer works at a cheese factory in Ohio. He snagged cheese for the past two weeks to keep the tradition alive. We had swiss, colby, pepper jack, lacy baby swiss, baby swiss, muenster, and sharp cheddar. This is Caleb saying cheese (pun intended).
 

Caleb and Tommy hanging out before the wedding. 

Elmer with his girlfriend Mary. 

Me, Tommy, and Gabe. 

Chronicle

The Truth will set you free indeed! I no longer stand in condemnation before my God and Master! He has forgiven me of all my sin--past, present, and future! I am no longer in bondage to this force we call sin! I am a new creature! I am restored back to what I was originally created for--to glorify and reflect God's glory! He continues to chip away every area of my life that is not like Christ, until one day when I stand before Him, I will be like Him! I am a citizen of heaven! He chooses not to view me for what I am here on this earth (aka a sinful human being), rather He sees Christ in me and for who I will be some day when I stand before Him. I have a mission! I have been commissioned by Him to live my life in such a way that represents Him to the unbelieving world! "Go into all the world and preach the gospel". This is a high calling, but how many times do I misrepresent Him? How many times do I allow my pride get in the way of the opportunities presented to me each day to share my faith? How many people will I have to look in the face with tears in my eyes and with no excuse tell them I'm sorry for not telling them the answer to why they had a void in their life that nothing would fill? How many souls have I let slip away without taking the time to go out of my way to build a relationship with the outcasts? I am guilty, guilty, guilty! Every day I allow these opportunities to slip out of sight and I blatantly misrepresent Christ to these souls I encounter! Do I really believe that every knee will bow before God? What am I doing to really make a difference? Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to experience separation from His Father or Abba for the first and only time in His eternal essence and being. My sin was laid on Him and He paid the price for my soul with His blood. The least I can do is give my life to Him fully! Go wherever He wants me to go! Do whatever He wants me to do! Maybe it means I will go without the luxuries of a good paying job! Maybe I will have to suffer physically or be ridiculed publicly! But so be it! "Whoever desires to live godly will be persecuted!" That's a promise! I am a man who has lived for twenty-three years without fully giving every area of my life to Him! I worry about things that I shouldn't worry about! How many times do I pray without faith? How many times do I read the Bible not really believing that God is speaking to me? I have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe! I can "come boldly before His throne" anytime I please! That's a privilege that many of the Old Testament prophets, priests, and patriarchs didn't have! Better yet, His Spirit lives within me! I am commanded to be filled with the Spirit! The very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives within me! Why do I doubt? Please, God, give me faith! Give me passion! But most of all, give me a desire to love! I cannot help but be drawn to you! The more I know you, the more I don't understand! But at the same time, I cannot help but stand in amazement that you love me! And I "know" that you present to me so many opportunities to represent this love to others! But I choose to spit in your faith and abuse the grace that you have given me so freely! God forbid! But for some reason, you continually draw me back to you! Everytime I give into the passions of men, you stand ready to receive me back into your arms with outstretched hands showing me the scars! Need I see more? You took upon yourself the punishment that I should have received! I should be damned to spend an eterninity in Hell! You chose to experience the separation from God for a temporary time so that I would not have to spend an eternity in separation paying for the debt that I rightfully owed! I don't understand! This blows my mind! What can I ever do to repay you! Even my "righteousness is as filthy rags"! I cannot possibly earn favor with you! It's futile! There's only one thing that I can do! Take what you have given me and live my life in such a way that other's can see You living in me! There's nothing in me that is worthy! But you are worthy! You chose to come to this earth so that I could catch but a glimpse of what it is to love my brothers and sisters, outcasts and sinners! You showed me what it meant to speak to a known whore at a well and have the courage to open your mouth and proclaim to her that only You can satisfy and to go and sin no more! You showed me what it meant to be accused of being a "wine-bibber" and a friend of sinners! You took the time to get to know these souls! You saw them not for who they were, but for who they would become complete in your love! You showed me what it means to surround yourself around a group of believers who were committed to Your cause--the Gospel! You showed me what it meant to weep and cry over souls that would not accept you, and a dear friend that had died! You showed me what it means to be beaten to a bloody pulp, stripped naked, spit on, humiliated, nailed to a tree, but ultimately proclaim--"Abba, forgive them, for they know not what they do!". Just as God made His appeal through Christ, You are making your appeal to man through me and the body of Christ! I cannot do this on my own, but You are continually taking me by the hand and showing me that I am not alone. You have given me parents and a family who have taught me to love You and Your Word! You have given me friends devoted to You and Your cause and like "iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I believe that You have given me a wife someday that will be devoted to You and Your cause and together we will be commited to growing closer to You and what You have! You have given me time! Precious time to take each second and make it sacred to take what is temporal and turn into the eternal! I am on this earth to impress no one! I am only here to be vessel in Your hands and accomplish what You have, so that one day or moment I can stand before you and here you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Enter now into the joy of the Lord!" As I continue to live this paradox called life, may this forever be my prayer, Amen!

It's only a tree...

So, there's been a lot in the news lately about this whole "Christmas" vs. "Holiday" tree controversy. I think both sides are off their rocker. Does it really matter? After all (I may step on a few toes here, so, sorry if I offend you. Please forgive me?) Christmas technically is a man-made "holiday" that replaced a pagan holiday where they worshiped the sun god around the winter solstice. And, let's see here now. Is there really a decorated tree in the Bible? I wonder where this tradition even came from. I mean, I'm all for the tree, I have one in my home, but it just seems petty to be arguing over what to call the stinkin' thing. The "Christians" say their trying to take Christ out the season etc. Then you have the PC crowd that wants to include all Holidays during this season. Here's the bottom line. I know what I believe. I do celebrate my Savior's birth and I'm all for Christmas. It just seems futile to be arguing over a stupid tree. It's a plant for crying out loud, and most of them are fake!

There's ample evidence that points to Christ being born during Succot (Feast of Tabernacles) which would make sense, but that's a whole other topic. So, whether you celebrate Channukah (which is very fun), or Christmas, or Kwanzaa, just remember--it's a tree for goodness sake!

Why I am a Nomadic Soul

I was browsing the net earlier today when I came across a very interesting messianic Jewish site. I found a meditation that referred to Psalm 39:12b which states the following: "For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers." Now, to us in our modern American English dialect, this may not sound like much. One has to dig a bit deeper to gain a glimpse of the Hebrew connotation of this verse. In Hebrew the word for sojourner (ger) implys that one is passing through like a tourist. The other word (toshav) implys that one is a resident, settler, or citizen. Now this is a paradox. How can one be a toursist (visitor) and a resident (citizen) at the same time? How can one "pass through" a place he is said to dwell? This doesn't make much sense initially. But think about it for a moment. I will quote the site on the following:

This paradox means "understanding that the changes of life are the medium for that which is eternal and abiding. We neither detach from life nor cling to it, but live in the mediation of time and eternity. Every moment of life is therefore made sacred, since it is the occasion to transform the temporal into the eternal.

Like a stranger, the ger v’toshav holds on to things lightly, yet at the same time is passionately committed to them as a gift from God. He is both infinitely resigned and infinitely engaged in life, since he understands that all of life is ordered to ultimately reveal the glory of God. He dies to this present world and is resurrected in the undying life of God.

If we are given grace to answer the call of Jesus to 'take up our cross,' we presently become ger v’toshav. As gerim, we confess that we are strangers in this present world, but as toshavim we believe that our labors are not in vain, and that our true citizenship is in heaven.

We must die in order to live." http://www.hebrew4christians.com/
That my friends is what this life is all about. Seize the opportunities that Christ gives you on a daily basis! As the quote in Gladiator goes, "What you do in this life echoes in eternity." This is the Gospel! Realizing that we are here to glorify God and represent Him and His cause to the unbelieving world. Don't get attached to this world, but at the same time take advantage of the opportunities God gives you daily to prove your love for Him.

I hope I didn't bore you with this Hebrew lesson, but this struck me to the core of my beliefs. This is why I am a nomadic soul. I am a stranger on this earth, but I have been commisioned by my God and Master to represent Him to an unbelieving world and the choices I make will echo in eternity.

Please, Adonai, help me to not lose focus of why I'm here. Amen!

$20,000 for a Piece of Paper

Why does school have to be soo annoying this time of year. I mean, I'm starting to really consider why anyone even goes to college. How much does it cost? Like $20 G's minimum maybe. I could travel in Asia for a decade on that sort of money. Do I really need to spend four, five, or maybe six years of my life to obtain a piece of paper that says I'm credible when comes to the Bible/Theology. Please, I'm just beginning to tap into this keg--the Word. In reality, can anyone really teach you theology? I want to know what "I" believe and why "I" believe it. This is a process that's going to take the better part of a lifetime. But, I'm committed to this journey called life. God has plans, I make choices (some good and some bad). Don't even get me started on Calvinism. I could write an entire book on why I'm not a Calvinist (TULIP head), why I'm not an Arminian, or a Fundy, or a separatist, blah, blah, blah.

I just want to get back to the very basics of why I'm here. The relational aspect of this idea we call the Gospel. The real-life, experiential, spiritual idea that is lived out in everyday situations. God is constantly placing me in situations and testing me to see how I respond. I fail Him soo much it's ridiculous. But, you know what, my heart is sold for Him. I have a passion for people and I just want to represent Him and His cause. This life is soo short. You cannot waste time and I've already wasted too much as is.

I've been frustrated this week because of future plans. I have several ideas out there. I would prefer to go back to Colorado for the summer, but I have to purchase a vehicle (preferably a used Toyota 4Runner, Amen?) due to the fact that my car was totaled back in early September. Anyways, Redcloud is volunteer and I have to save a heckuva lot of cash to pay for my bills, gas, living expenses, etc. while I'm out there. Then, I received an e-mail today from a guy from an organization called LeaderTreks. They do adventure-based wilderness missions trips (exactly what I have a passions for). Those organizations are few and far between. So, I have this opportunity, but it's faith-based. I know that God can and will meet my needs, but I'm so dumb when it comes to trusting Him in regards to finances. So, basically what I'm saying is--I need to get over myself and trust Him completely. "Don't worry about tomorrow, because there are enough worries to deal with today." Like people dying and going to Hell. Ugh, I'm an idiot. I need to MAN Up and show people what Christ can do when I am 100% sold out for Him.

I love you Adonai! May I never forget what You've done for me!