"It is my experience that those who have no vices have very few virtues"-Abraham Lincoln
I'm pondering this thought at the moment. I'm not totally sure what I think about it. I suppose I have and have had vices from which my virtues have risen. Well, from which I have learned virtues, you know what I mean. It made sense along with the topic of broken people being more likely to be saved than people who are doing just fine. I don't know, the quote intrigues me, think about it.
Am I alone in not understanding tattoos? I mean, I know a lot of parents, like mine, don't like them, but it seems like most people think they are pretty cool. Whatever, I will start with my critique. Note, this is MY reasoning for not getting a tattoo, if you want one, I don't care. Go for it. Hence, the pain of a tattoo is not really a factor in my reasoning. First off, random pictures and designs are stupid. If a tattoo is just because it looks good, not because it has personal significance, I have my doubts about it being a good decision. I feel like this would inevitably lead to "why the heck did I get this stupid design on my arm?!" Just kind of pointless, no point in saying more.
Secondly, if I were to get a tattoo of personal significane, like a Bible verse or something, I will eventually stop seeing it. Using 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 as an example, at first I would be like "Oh it's a nice daily reminder of God's grace in my weakness, cool." But after a while I would just look at my skin the same way as if there was no tattoo. "Oh, my abs look nice today." Ha, but really, I can sort of give a personal example from my birthmark. As a kid, it was kind of a big deal to me, I always saw it. Now I just look in the mirror or lie in bed and don't even see it. I'd like a significant reminder every once in a while, not a daily reminder that's meaning fades over time. Those are my main reasons for not getting tattoo, notice again I didn't mention some people's reason like how they look unprofessional when you want to have a classy job.
I finished Fame Is Infamy. I don't feel like looking into it more now though, I just wanted to tell you I finished.
I have previously mentioned how I write blogs and then end up having to learn from myself. Yeah, I think its one of God's ways to make me humble, because it happens far too often to be coincidence. So of course, last week I wrote a blog about being angry, trying not to get mad at people and keeping my anger from sin. Then I met someone very hard to deal with that I had to spend several hours with... Basically, I would say something or do something that would then be insulted. Not like in my face insulted, but like the person was just self absorbed and just didn't notice what they were saying. Needless to say, my annoyance was out the roof. But through it I think I learned what I can do in certain situations next time they happen. I can improve, I will improve.
It is so easy for me to lose focus on my goal: to become more like Christ daily. Our search is basically to become little Christs, but when do I ever try to act that out in daily life? I just go about my daily business, so consumed in self improvement at certain aspects, rather than in focusing them towards Christ. I'm not exactly sure how this looks, I will think more about it and pray, but I am a bit too tired to delve into it right now. So that's all for tonight.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Do Not Let the Sun Go Down
Well, I held up to my word. I released some music for you peoples. I laid down the vocals and guitar this weekend in Sam's dorm studio deal, and then he mixed it. I think it came out great, so check it out: http://youtu.be/iJVB4cSqSXo
No seriously.
Paste the link in and listen to the song.
Oh, I haven't done a church update in a while. I am pretty settled on Solid Rock. It's about a half an hour away, but the pastor is really good, the music is incredible, the Sunday meeting is a large congregation, but they stress mission minded small groups, or house churches, which we could easily form out of some people at Fox. So that has been pretty awesome, and I'm excited to get more involved.
They say that you don't really know a person til you have seen them at all emotions. I would tend to agree, but I would say you really get to know people when they are angry. Face it, there are not many people who aren't reasonably nice in a normal situation. No one is going to cuss you out when talking about the weather. This is common knowledge, but filters come off when people are angry, and you are given a clear glimpse at their real personality. What are they getting angry at? To whom is their anger pointed? Are they mad at themselves for a lack of perfection, angry at a heresy against Christianity, or did someone just do something they didn't like so they turned to constant insults? These all say very different things about people and I think it is important to consider the implications of others' anger, and your own anger.
Dang it, I was going in a different direction with these points. I was going to warn in depth about associating with people who are defined by anger. Which I still think is a good idea, but the more I tried to think of examples, the more I realized I had examples of when I was angry like that. My anger tends to be more passive agressive than others, who will get angry in your face, but I still use anger for unrighteous reasons. Yet I still think that I am someone worth associating with, so what is up with that? I guess the real root is the word defined. When I am angry, I need to get out my frustration so I can calm down. Once I have had time to sort out my frustration, usually through some sort of rant, I can move on. Or write a blog...
I'm not actually sure what I think about this anger of mine, because I often learn things through my sorting, but it would be nice if I could keep myself to contemplation instead of turning my anger to sin. Oh snap that just reminded me of the Bible verse that says in your anger do not sin(Eph 4:26), which brings me to the point that you can be angry without sinning, it is what you do with that anger that makes it a sin.
I love it when I start writing and I end up coming up with things I hadn't considered beforehand. So I guess my goal would be to decrease how much my anger turns to sin. Thank God it is by grace I am saved.
That is all for tonight.
No seriously.
Paste the link in and listen to the song.
Oh, I haven't done a church update in a while. I am pretty settled on Solid Rock. It's about a half an hour away, but the pastor is really good, the music is incredible, the Sunday meeting is a large congregation, but they stress mission minded small groups, or house churches, which we could easily form out of some people at Fox. So that has been pretty awesome, and I'm excited to get more involved.
They say that you don't really know a person til you have seen them at all emotions. I would tend to agree, but I would say you really get to know people when they are angry. Face it, there are not many people who aren't reasonably nice in a normal situation. No one is going to cuss you out when talking about the weather. This is common knowledge, but filters come off when people are angry, and you are given a clear glimpse at their real personality. What are they getting angry at? To whom is their anger pointed? Are they mad at themselves for a lack of perfection, angry at a heresy against Christianity, or did someone just do something they didn't like so they turned to constant insults? These all say very different things about people and I think it is important to consider the implications of others' anger, and your own anger.
Dang it, I was going in a different direction with these points. I was going to warn in depth about associating with people who are defined by anger. Which I still think is a good idea, but the more I tried to think of examples, the more I realized I had examples of when I was angry like that. My anger tends to be more passive agressive than others, who will get angry in your face, but I still use anger for unrighteous reasons. Yet I still think that I am someone worth associating with, so what is up with that? I guess the real root is the word defined. When I am angry, I need to get out my frustration so I can calm down. Once I have had time to sort out my frustration, usually through some sort of rant, I can move on. Or write a blog...
I'm not actually sure what I think about this anger of mine, because I often learn things through my sorting, but it would be nice if I could keep myself to contemplation instead of turning my anger to sin. Oh snap that just reminded me of the Bible verse that says in your anger do not sin(Eph 4:26), which brings me to the point that you can be angry without sinning, it is what you do with that anger that makes it a sin.
I love it when I start writing and I end up coming up with things I hadn't considered beforehand. So I guess my goal would be to decrease how much my anger turns to sin. Thank God it is by grace I am saved.
That is all for tonight.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Elitists
Alright here goes another blog.
I have been working on some music stuff recently. I wrote two songs in the past week or so, including a whole one yesterday. A whole song in a day. Like all the lyrics and progressions, which takes more time than you might think to get stuff right. I will probably right a riff and a solo to go with it, but that is just to improve it, it isn't really necessary. Anyway, I would like to continue writing music at a nice pace, but it might have to wait til next weekend due to my schedule. Hopefully I can get some music out for you people sometime soon as well.
The more I experience people's egos, the less I want one. The whole concept of trying to be cool is really starting to get on my nerves. What I mean is trying to be cool for the sake of being "elite" is ridiculous. By all means, pursue your dreams, try to be an elite athlete, an elite musicians, whatever, but do it because you love what you do, not to be better than someone or to be recognized. A C.S. Lewis reference from Screwtape Letters comes to mind. It's the idea that Satan cannot create any joy, he can just pervert what good God has created. So the good that God created by giving people gifts and talents for building the kingdom and as acts of worship, gets perverted into an elitist search for recognition and fame.
Now let me be clear, recognition and fame in themselves aren't bad things. It is when achieving or maintaining these things leads to tearing others down that it becomes wrong. And stupid. I understand not liking people, being annoyed by people, or just being sort of indifferent to people. I mean, I just don't always get along with people due to interests, mannerisms, whatever. BUT, there is a difference between that and tearing others down. One is just people being different so you choose to not always associate with them, the other is treating people as less than you, often because they are different.
And what does it lead to? What does your ego get you? What does recognition get you?
"I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." Ecclesiates 1:14
It's vanity.
One last note on this. If any guy had the right to an ego, he would have to be the picture of manliness, right? So who is the manliest man ever? Oh yeah, Jesus... think about it. Or watch Mark Driscoll's sermon Marriage and Men. I don't remember if he covers fame but he covers acting like a man for sure.
Well, I might have written more, but I should probably go to bed. That's all folks.
I have been working on some music stuff recently. I wrote two songs in the past week or so, including a whole one yesterday. A whole song in a day. Like all the lyrics and progressions, which takes more time than you might think to get stuff right. I will probably right a riff and a solo to go with it, but that is just to improve it, it isn't really necessary. Anyway, I would like to continue writing music at a nice pace, but it might have to wait til next weekend due to my schedule. Hopefully I can get some music out for you people sometime soon as well.
The more I experience people's egos, the less I want one. The whole concept of trying to be cool is really starting to get on my nerves. What I mean is trying to be cool for the sake of being "elite" is ridiculous. By all means, pursue your dreams, try to be an elite athlete, an elite musicians, whatever, but do it because you love what you do, not to be better than someone or to be recognized. A C.S. Lewis reference from Screwtape Letters comes to mind. It's the idea that Satan cannot create any joy, he can just pervert what good God has created. So the good that God created by giving people gifts and talents for building the kingdom and as acts of worship, gets perverted into an elitist search for recognition and fame.
Now let me be clear, recognition and fame in themselves aren't bad things. It is when achieving or maintaining these things leads to tearing others down that it becomes wrong. And stupid. I understand not liking people, being annoyed by people, or just being sort of indifferent to people. I mean, I just don't always get along with people due to interests, mannerisms, whatever. BUT, there is a difference between that and tearing others down. One is just people being different so you choose to not always associate with them, the other is treating people as less than you, often because they are different.
And what does it lead to? What does your ego get you? What does recognition get you?
"I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." Ecclesiates 1:14
It's vanity.
One last note on this. If any guy had the right to an ego, he would have to be the picture of manliness, right? So who is the manliest man ever? Oh yeah, Jesus... think about it. Or watch Mark Driscoll's sermon Marriage and Men. I don't remember if he covers fame but he covers acting like a man for sure.
Well, I might have written more, but I should probably go to bed. That's all folks.
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