Not Who I Am...

I woke up early this Christmas Eve. My thoughts were not on gum drops and little babies but on what I have become. I don't know if Christmas is a good time to take personal inventory or not, normally a thing left for New Years, but I have and so I will.
I couldn't stop thinking that my spirituality has been beaten and bruised and because of this brutality I have not been the man I should be, not for God, not for Jenni, not for the students in my ministry (I am not looking for accolades so please don't tell me how wrong I am). It is not as though I have abandoned any of those three or others, it is more like I have been choosing easy routes. Churches can be messy places, having people in them an all. Sometimes what should be is a far cry from what is, and when you are young and idealistic and run into those walls of resistance and messiness, it can really throw you off course. I have literally not done things in my youth ministry in the past few years because I have said "it is not worth it". Not, "it's not worth the time," or "worth the effort", "money", "sacrifice", etc. the "it" is the putting my neck on the chopping block in order to maybe share the gospel with a few kids. Doing something that might rock the boat a little bit, not for the sake of rocking but for the sake of the gospel.
Realizing that my bruises have left me a bit broken is one thing, but beginning to choose the path less trodden is another. I want every area of my life to be centered around Christ like compassion and service, often times it is centered around Kent like desires and complaining... I need the renewal of the Spirit of God, I need the Christ Child to smile on me and heal my brokenness. I need the self-control and servant heart that only God can deliver. I don't know that big changes are necessary, rather, small changes - after all, life is lived in the details with rare moments of grandness and beauty.
Well, how is that for confession and repentance.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

I sing the song let it snow as my prayer for snow, I'm pretty sure God thinks it is wonderfully entertaining, and I find it rather pleasant to sing. My only complaint is I keep missing the snow. Last year during the big snow I was in Chicago with only flurries, this year it skips over us and hits Wichita. I believe that enough of us sing this song as our snow prayer, that maybe, just maybe, God will dump on us and we will all get to go sledding and drink hot chocolate.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

I don't want a lot for Christmas.

I was just thinking how funny it is that people get upset about the commercialization of Christmas, and yet they buy still go out and buy gifts... If you are upset that Christmas has become more about selling and buying goods than the Christ Child, then maybe you shouldn't add to the problem. I personally don't expect the world to stop. Stories of babies come to save the world do not put as much cash in your pocket as ipods & Wii's. Sometimes I think Christians hurt the cause by whining and complaining and trying to change the rules instead of trying to change hearts. Christmas is going to be commercialized until Christ comes back and we don't need it anymore, or until we as Christians get busy about sharing the gospel with those who are lost in this world without a savior...

Turkey & The Speed of LIght

Hey everyone, first, I just want to wish anyone who looks at this a happy Thanksgiving. I thank God for all of my friends, their faith and families!
Second, I was thinking this morning when I woke up about the speed of light. Is it possible to create slow light? I mean does all light have the same speed? What gives it it's speed. The same with sound, are there slow sounds and fast sounds? Do different frequency's travel at different speeds?
I was laying there at 6 in the morning thinking how cool it would be if you could figure out a way to slow down light enough that you could see it move...

Anyway, happy Thanksgiving!