Hey folks. I know it's been a while since I wrote anything. Quite honestly, nothing has happened. Classes are going good. Rugby is in full swing, we had a game yesterday and lost. We've got 6 more this semester before it gets cold so that's something to look forward towards. Swing club has also started, which I'm leaving for in a few minutes. Time to show the ladies I can dance, and help the fellas that don't have a clue.
That's all I have for now. I leave you these words from "The Reason":

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

If you look at what time it is, you'll realize how early this is for me. Well it's rush week and quite a busy and sleep-deprivating one it is so far. It's awesome though, because we have quite a few guys rushing, which makes it even more fun. Not only is it rush week this week, but also rugby started this week. So to say the least, it's very busy.
I was at a friend's house last night and we were talking about next year, what I was going to do. I mean I need to be considering these things now. So out of the options I've considered, I felt like going to Germany for a year was what I wanted to do most, if I had to go right now. I'm still not sure what exactly I want to do. This isn't a small decision like where to go to college, this is more like deciding what I'm going to do with my life.
Ah well...I need to get ready and watch a movie for class before noon so I'm going to head out. Later.

Hey there from Anderson! I've got some free time so I thought I'd drop a line.
It seems like everyone on campus is getting sick or some kind of virus, and I've gotten it as well. There's nothin better than feeling snot slowly drip out of your nose in Econ with no tissue on hand to mop it up. But I'm getting better which is nice, cause rush starts this week, and I'm really excited for where Dux can go this year!

As some of you know, I went up to Otsego the other night and spoke at Invasion, a youth service. The topic I talked on was Pain. And as I prepared for it, I started to realize that despite what I was writing down to talk about, pain is really a complicated theological reality in Christianity. Here's what I wrote/talked about:
It always rains...
Why is it that we run from pain, that we dislike it? Is it because of the hurt that we feel and experience in the moment? Or because we are so caught up in our lives and our reality, that we see nothing else beyond it, no possible workings of God in our situation?
Sometimes, that is the only way God has available to talk to us. C.S. Lewis wrote in his book The Problem of Pain, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It's his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." While this quote is talking about the pain we experience from our sinful ways, I think it also holds true to normal people who experience pain, seemingly for no reason. God is trying to speak to us.
God also allows pain to happen to us. Now, initially, that seems cold of God to allow pain to happen us just to get our attention, doesn't it? But there is a purpose there. And you'll see that only if you study the Scripture carefully. Read the book of Job. God allows Job to be tested and experience pain. He loses everything, but gains everything in the end. Pain without purpose is cold. But while God may allow us to experience pain, we aren't left there. He comforts us.
You see, pain is one of these strange dichotomies in the Christian faith. Christians acknowledge pain as a part of life, but do anything to avoid it, and with all the advances in technology and medicine, this is possible. But pain is a reality we must face as Christians, not run from it. "You can't be my disciple if you don't carry your cross and follow me." Luke 14:27
Think this is a harsh reading, or a misinterpretation? Look at the life and death of Peter. The man follows Christ and is the Rock of the Church. How does it end for him? Crucifixion upside down. Pain shapes us into the kind of disciples God wants. Otherwise, would pain have any other purpose? And suppose pain was taken out of the picture? Guess what that means. Christianity doesn't exist. Jesus isn't crucified, Stephen isn't stoned, Paul isn't converted...you get the picture.
I cannot believe that a God that allows these painful and terrible things to happen doesn't have some purpose in it.
What is it in your life? If you're hurting or not sure why things are going the way they are, remember: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matt. 11:28-29.
This isn't all to be explored when it comes to pain, but I'm sure you realize the complexity that is involved when you look at pain objectively and how it plays into your life, and God's will.

Also, school's goin great, likin my classes, especially German and Human Sexuality. Both great teachers. I don't have a job yet, but I'm hopeful because sometimes it takes about a week or two to see some turnaround. That's about it. I hope ya'll are doin well.

P.S. Send money. Peace.

After all is said and done, I'm just ready for something good to happen in my life. A person to come into my life, get a job, whatever...
Well I need to study my "Deutsch Vokabular". So goodnight from the land where Arizona Stress Herbal Tea is the rain and the Juliana Theory is my soundtrack.

continuing from where we left off...

8/17
I gotta say, love can be a [messed] up thing. At one moment in your life, it fuels you to drop everything and focus on this one creature of God's that you just think the world of. At another moment, it's the twisted knot in your stomach that no amount of Tums can take away no matter how badly you want it to.
Jen has led me on (at least that's how I feel), led me to think she liked me and wanted something to do with me. Then something went wrong somewhere and then nothing about her tasted good.
I've been praying about this, telling God that either something needs to happen or to take these feelings away. I don't know where I'm going with all this. This summer has just been a big disappointment. I just hope this school year has more promise.

Today, 9/6
Well school has finally started. I really like my classes. This semester I'm taking German (yeah it's almost favorite class, definitely in second place), Human Sexuality, Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith, Pauline Epistles (letters he wrote from prison), Econ (boring), and Recreational Games. Monday, Wed, Fri are my long days, starting at 9 and ending at 4:15, except on Fri when I'm done at 2. Tues and Thurs are real nice. I wake up for chapel at 10 and I'm done with classes by 1.
I'm also living in a house with 6 other guys. And yes at times, it's a bit much but for the most part, I really like it here. My room's kinda small but I've got it working well. Plus it's only 3 blocks from campus, so I can walk every day. A nice change from having to drive every day like I did last year. The guys here are great too, real active and social which is a nice balance for me, cause at times I can be the un-social type and they can bring it out of me.
So far, things are going well for me. Little by little, I feel like my life is getting better.
Here's something interesting. This Saturday I'm driving up to Otsego to talk at this youth service. The subject: Pain. Yeah my summer was riddled with it. But hopefully, from this video I'm going to show and some of my own thoughts, I can show people that pain can actually be seen in a positive view, with the right mindset. Basically, human dislike pain. It's annoying and ruins our flow of our lives. But in times of pain, isn't that when God holds us closest? C.S. Lewis wrote a book entitled The Problem of Pain. In it, he talks about a lot of different types of pain, one chapter dedicated to Human Pain. Check this out: Suffering is God's will in preparing the believer for heaven and for the full weight of glory that awaits him there. Pain is not a present burden, but a preparation time and a time of closeness to God. I haven't sat down to write it all out yet but that's the gist of it.

Well, it's 2AM and I'm beat. Bis später!