Back in the Burgh

Hey all,
Sorry its been so long since I've been able to blog everybody, I have been rediculousally buisy with school- its been nuts. I was in a New Testiment class, but it was insanely hard to carry with the engineering load, so I had to drop it. It kinda stinks, but now I have 8 more hours a week to read, journal, & blog, and realax in general. Ergo, you'll hear more from me, like it or not.

So all year, I've been getting really involved with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at school. This is an amazing group of people seeking the Lord in one of the most godless settings known to man. I've been really growing in my faith and developing realationships within this group- seriousally I have a family down at school. I'm also starting to realise what God has planned for me down at school. THE COLLEGE DORM IS ONE OF THE GREATIST MISSION FIELDS IN AMERICA. There is no other setting on Earth where you can take a dozen strangers and force them to engage each other. What better place to show the love of Christ? My floor has four Christian guys, and the time we spend togeather is awesome. Its really cool to see God work through this group of brothers to minister to the guys on our hall. The realationships you build through Christ are 500 times more genuine, and meaningful than those built without.

On a completely opposite, but no so unrealted, note- girls who live their lives to serve Christ ROCK SO HARD.

So I'm finally on spring break. BOOM. This week is such a blessing, and i got almost nothing to do, its awesome- so give me a call if you want to hang out or whatever. I'm trying to catch a Pens game sometime while I'm here- yea right. But seriousally, hockey is dead in the south. They're too caught up with freaking NASCAR.

Spring break!!!!!!!!!

Dude, spring break is like a day away! Cant wait.

Vietnam

Wow,
This trip was amazing. It opened my eyes to the world outside our little bubble of America. Kind of makes me sick at our culture- to say that we consider these folks as equals before God, and allow them to live in conditions such as these. Beyond that, the thing that was most powerful to me was that I could see the Spirit at work in Vietnam dispite the circumstances. Not only did he keep us safe, but he is stirring in the hearts of the Vietnamese people right now. I'm excited to see what God has in store for his children- just look at them, they're adorable.

Caffeine

This past semester, I've gotten really hooked on coffee. I feel like an addict- and I am. I drink about two 16 ounce cups of really strong coffee a day. For all of you non coffee drinkers, that's 700 mg, or over 18 CANS OF MOUNTAIN DEW every day. Its really bad. I'm gonna try to go cold over break- so if you see me & i'm cranky or tired, that's why.

Finals

Finals make my brain hurt. I got one test left. But its not for 2 days. Ugh. The cool thing is I'M DONE WITH CHEMESTRY FOREVER! Booyaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!

Window in the Skies

Christmas is coming! I'm so exited- only a few finals to go then its no school for a month! Anyway, Amidst this joyful spirit of the holidays, I just discovered a new U2 song called Window in the Skies. Its an awesome song of joy for Jesus' triumph- & I can't help but smile. Here's the lyrics.

The shackles are undone
The bullets quit the gun
The heat thats in the sun
Will keep us when there's none

The rule has been disproved
The stone has been moved
The grain is now a groove
All debts are removed,

ooh Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done
What it's doing to me

Love makes strange enemies
Makes love when love may please
Soul in a strip tease
Hate brought to its knees

Sky over our head
Can reach it from our bed
If you let me in your heart
And out of my head

Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done
What it's doing to me

Please don't ever let me out of here
I've got no shame oh no oh no

Oh can't you see what love has done
Oh can't you see
Oh can't you see what love has done
What it's doing to me

Oh I know I hurt you and I made you cry
Did everything but murder but you and I
But love left a window in the skies
And to love I rhapsodize

Oh can't you see what love has done to every broken heart
Oh can't you see what love has done for every heart that cries
Love left a window in the skies
And to love I rhapsodize

Oh can't you see

God is sooo....rough & amazing

God has placed me in a really difficult position that I dont want to be in. It is so clear what I must do. It is also so clear how challenging it will be. God's path is so narrow! And so magnificent. I can see pain in the future, not only for me, but for others. In fact, whatever I'm experiencing is a fraction or what others will deal with. Its unbelievable how God works. I can see the troubles to come, and the blessings on the other side. Its so clear- I've never felt like this- I'm in awe- and I've never wanted God more in my entire life.

My Brother is John Lennon......

God is so awesome.

So Engineering is a pain in the butt, right. Yea. That's what I thought. And up until yesterday I saw very little connection between the crap that they dish out here at VT for me to do, and the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven. I've been praying for so long that God would reveal himself. Then I talked to a bunch of unbelievably wise mentor/ friends yesterday & today. They have amazing insight. Basically this is what God said. "Can I trust you with this much? Because SURELY greater things are yet to come". OH MY GOD! YOU ARE AMAZING! This is the greatest piece of motivation I've ever been given. Basically today was a turning point for me in my relationship with the Lord. I surrendered alot of crap today & God smiled...it felt really cool. The worship at church was unbelievably powerful. Honestly, the best I've had in a long time.
(Another random sidenote/rant, Christianity at college is awesome because people dont BS each other. If someone is sad, or overwhelmed- they cry & are comforted, If someone is elated or filled with the joy of the Spirit, they dance, raise their arms, and do everything they can to magnify the glory of God to those around them. If people go to a small group, they are hungry... no starving for knowledge & insight from above. There are no retarded Sunday school answers to mundane everyday questions. Questions down here are gripping & real. They pierce to your soul. Faith and emotions are RAW, THERE IS NO SUGAR COATING, if you're living wrong, YOU'LL HEAR IT- and you'll be uplifted, comforted, and prayed for by your BROTHERS AND SISTERS. STUDENTS RUN THE SHOW. EVERY ASPECT. People realize that Jesus and his followers were dangerous people. They DO NOT CARE IF THEY'RE NICE as long as they're one with the Lord. They DO NOT CONFORM, and they LOVE THE LORD WITH THEIR WHOLE BEING. This is what God intended & I love it.)

Our God is an awesome God.

Ode to the Turducken.

This one goes out to Cam. Last night we had a jiant potluck dinner at IV. Each small group made their best dish and we all ate, and ate, and ate, and it was freakin amazing. My small group, "man group", decided that we would make the manliest dish on Earth. In our quest for the manliest dish ever we all came to the conclusion that nothing is more manly than meat. And what could be more manly than meat? Meat stuffed with more meat. And what's more manlier than meat stuffed with more meat? Meat stuffed with more meat, stuffed with more meat, stufed with varius cheeses, spices, and the like, and topped with...you guessed it- more meat. So we did it. We took cheese & spices and stuffed them in a chicken, then stufed that chicken inside a duck, stuffed that duck inside a turkey, topped the entire "epidimy of manhood" with bacon, and slow roasted the whole thing for 12 hours. May have been the best thing ever.

Update- Life in General.

This post is basically going to be me rambeling about what's going on in my life & some signifigant things going on with other folks. Yesterday, October 30th at like 4:00 am, BOSTON WAS BORN. BABY BABY!! Congrats to Shelly & Bob, I cant wait to meet him. Today is Halloween- I really am not a fan of Halloween- or the devil, but tomorrow is the start of November! I love November. The weather, the week long Thanksgiving break, the football...ahhh. Sorry the Steelers aren't doing too well- but if you want something to lift your football spirits check out the Hokies- we upset Clemson in the biggest game of the year, broke down the fence, and stormed the field- and my cousin Dave (who goes to Clemson) drove up for the game = GREAT TIME. There's nothing like bashing on your cousin/twin brother/best friend because your underdog football team demolished his #10 BCS ranked football team. On that note, I ABSOLUTLY LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL. Its exciting, unpredictable, and the players aren't sellouts constantly trying to get a better contract...yet- they're playing to either make it to the higher level, or pay for college. The college football atmosphere is amazing on gameday. You can snag free tailgate food just for wearing the right colors, the tickets are free, you're on your feet the whole game, and I live 500 feet from the freaking stadium. Its awesome.
In a completely unrelated story- 3 Months and a day after I left, I'm finally comeing home on Saturday the 18th. Its been a while. Not gonna lie- I miss the Burgh. Found out that you all have J-Town then. Oh well I'll be back the whole week- so If you guys wanna do something- give me a call.

A few things I've learned here at college.

1) Not only can your happiness be quantified, it can be negative.
2) A human life is worth $7 Million
3) You never learn Math or Chemestry, you just get less worse at it.

My Roomate May be the Dirtiest Man Alive

So yea here's my side of the room- somewhat crampt- yet clean by most standards:














This is how my roomate lives:















Yes. That is a bear skin- its from Bahrain.














Ya know when your mom tells you to clean your room?
I miss that because My room smells like a fig.

Sabbath

Well its been a while since I last posted. Got back from a trip with my family this weekend up in the mountains. Lots of fun. Saw beautiful scenery- seriously gorgeous. Had my parents buy me real food. Got to drive a car again (its been 2 months). Built 3 fires...its been way too long. Went golfing- ahhh. Fresh air, sunshine, mountains, trees, family...Paradise. Sunday was the best. I spent it disconnected. I turned of my laptop and cell phone and didn't care. Went to an awesome mountaintop church service with only a dozen other people... Played 18 holes...Didn't worry about a thing. In short I took my first Sabbath in a long time. I wish I had the discipline, and the faith, to do it more.

Paintin up.

I Love being a fan.

Pray

So I might have a chance to go on a mission trip over winter break to Vietnam. It looks amazing. Not sure where God is calling me. Pray for this trip, and that if it is his will, that he makes it clear.

Velvet Elvis

I started reading this book in July at the reccomendation of a bunch of folks, and I just finished it last week. Over the past few months I did this book dirty with a highlighter. It is one of the greatist books I've ever read. Rob Bell has an awesome gift. If you havent read this book, I strongly encourage you to do so. And for all you folks who've read it already, there's another Bell book coming out March 2nd!

Why not One?

So this has been bugging me lately. One of the saddest things in Christiandom is when one body of believers thinks that their interpretation of God is so fundamentally different than the others, that they need to separate from the church, and start their own. Now keep in mind that I am targeting the reformers and the traditionalists equally. I hate the fact that we have created denominations within the church. This has become especially relevant in the past few weeks, as I've seen some ministries campaigning their denominational ways over some others.
What the Heck!
Jesus did not come to Earth so that we might bicker over who interprets him best!
Last time I checked, there wasn't a Catholic God, a Lutheran God, A Presbyterian God, or a non-denominational God.
There is One God.
And If we are truly acting as selfless servants of that one God, then why on Earth aren't we united as one Church? I realize that I'm being an idealist, and we are human, and we are imperfect, but we should not use that as a crutch, we should be working to unify the Church for God's glory. I often hear about churches splitting, but when was the last time you saw two churches unite?

Am I going way out in the deep end on this one? Tell me what you think.

VT Football: Northeastern Game

Wow, Hokie football Rocks. We blocked two kicks & shut Northeastern out. All the IV people go togeather too. Great fun. Final Score: 38 - 0.


One of the best cooks on campus.



Painting up

VT Football: Part 1

Wow. Its currently 1:30 AM on the eve of the season opener against northeastern and as of 9:04 Am yesterday morning, I have a ticket. There are all kinds of people with all kinds of BAC's screaming outside, and its amazing. The alums drove their RV's in from all over Virginia, and it seems like every Hokie in the world is here. It's impressive. Tomorrow's game will be awesome.