Elder Scrolls and White Space

The act of creating has to be the most horrifying thing in the world sometimes.

I mean this in all seriousness: I'm sitting here looking at the post box, with all of the white space, and am getting nervous about putting words in it. What about uncreated potential can be so disturbing that it would prompt me to be actually fearful of typing words into it. I don't even have to publish them; just words. 

The more I search the gospels, and my own heart--more my own heart--I find that what is really the root of it is the distaste of pushing on and expanding the map. The only image I can think of when it comes to this is how in a game called Elder Scrolls you take the fog away from the world map by exploring the uncharted areas. It may seem childish, but it is just as true in life, I think. 

Whether it is progressing your degree, career, or stepping away from what you thought you were meant to do and search yourself I honestly think that it is these uncharted bits of map that hold us back from what we want to do. 

I'm gonna try and show this white space who's boss--no matter the monsters that lie there.

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, and all the ships at sea--

Work has really been occupying most of my time and I'm not sure how I feel about it. While I love being able to pull in nice sized paychecks, and paying the bills (that old chestnut), I sometimes wish that money would just fall out of the sky and make things easier. And while no money has fallen out of the sky for me yet, I did have some cookery fall into my lap yesterday.

A while ago I entered a P.F. Chang's (I now endorse everything about this company) sweepstakes. I didn't really know what I would win but you only needed to send in a text to enter. In a day and age where I can send an unlimited amount of texts for a low rate of $15.99, why the heck not?

So I get the call from a guy who works for P.F. Chang's saying that I won the sweepstakes (which I had forgotten I even entered) and asking for my address to know where to ship it. More than curious about what I won, I had to ask. He said that I won: a crap-ton of vouchers for food, a set of plates, a set of wine glasses, some knives and pots, a set of Bose speakers and some other swag. I was floored. Also, I might add, at the time I was being given a whole bag of fresh veggies and a set of glassware pots from my Grandmother.

I don't say all of this to tell you how I had a lucky day, or that I am trying to gloat or something. I wanted to bring up how it makes me revert back to this idea of Grace that I so desperately cling to as a follower of Christ. What makes any of my dealings with God and Christ possible is that I have been given this free gift, totally unearned and undeserved that is continuously offered to me. I really think that once this idea of grace is accepted, we see all the other millions of ways God freely gives.

Like a $25-tip day, or a whole ton of swag from P.F. Chang's.

Hello Again

Ladies and Gentlemen and all the ships at sea---

I'm back. 

I've been away for while and apologize to those who have possibly checked this blogs and found that it isn't very useful. It has been awhile and lots have changed in my life. The more I think about writing and the process of looking for knowledge and truth in all things the more I realize that blogging is an outlet for that. A way for me to let the good and bad out in a format for all of you to see and give feedback on.

The style of posting will be a bit different than my prior posts. I'm gonna try and shot for a little less high-brow and opt for a bit more of the mundane and simple. It is in the little and simple things were we find: truth, sorrow, joy, God, lack of God, and get a window into our hearts.

So we'll see how it goes. I can't give a specific on how long the posts will be or how frequent. My wish is that all of you will stick around and hear me out on what I have to say. Hopefully we can learn, and learn how to make our mistakes gracious and educational.

Much love

Million Miles Video

Are you living a great story with your life?

Okay guys. It's been a long time. I hope you all can bear with my first post in a while being a plug.

This book, Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller, has fundamentally changed my life in a way that I wasn't sure was possible.

Please, make sure you:
Buy the book here!

And look for more posts to be coming soon!

FYI

Hey all:

I feel bad that I am not in a position right now to adequately publish to this forum as I wish. So, I just thought I would take a break until summer hits. Thanks for sticking around, I promise I will be back.

--much love
Josh

Rise Against

I promised that my next post would be on Part Two of why I love Elijah, but that will come in time--promise.

Lately, I have been listening to a band called Rise Against. If you know anything about them, you know that they are advocates. Their neo-punk riffs never cease to amaze me. The music is genuine and the singer has a great voice.

There songs plead for the reclaiming of humanity and for justice in the world. "Prayer of the Refugee," in particular, talks about all of the brands that claim to be "Made in America" and are actually made in third-world countries. The song, in essence, is about Fair Trade and the necessity of it.

You won't notice this much in the lyrics. The lyrics are written in a wonderful style that allows them to be interpreted in multiple avenues; however, watch the music videos. They are what shines the light on the lyrics. The videos are where the true intent of the song can be found.

The guys get a bad reputation for being anti-everything. This is true, in a sense. They are anti-consumerism, anti-drugs, anti-republican, anti-democrat, anti-government, anti-selfish, anti-faith, anti-(fill in the blank).

They are anti-everything.

Frequently, I ask myself, "Josh, you are a very professing Christian; you love God; you follow Jesus; how can you listen to these guys when they are anti-faith?"

Because they get it.

These guys, being anti-faith (which means that they are not a fan of Christianity as well) and what most church-goers would call heretics, get it. They understand what Isaiah was talking about in Chapter 58 when he talked about, "freeing the wrongly-imprisoned, free the oppressed, feed the hungry, help the needy."

Their song, "Give it All" talks about committing to a cause that helps others. This song talks about "giving ourselves to the distance-muffled voices." Seriously, these guys may not be fans of Christianity, but they seem to be stealing Isaiah's words from his mouth.

For those of us reading this post, and call ourselves Christians, I pose a question: how are you learning from this? What are we doing with our lives that can match, or maybe out-do these guys in an attempt to bring the Kingdom to Earth?

I am not saying we don the mentality, "Well, I have to out-do these heathens." I am saying we need to take a look at ourselves, and evaluate our abilities.

These guys are clearly gifted musicians. They wouldn't be where they are if they weren't talented. With their abilities in music, they are changing the world--one song at a time.

All of us have abilities. How can we follow suit and give our abilities to God? When we do something for the least of these we do it for God.

Who out there is a doctor that can give up 50% of their income and not feel the financial crunch? Who of us can sing and be leaders in outreach to the lost and broken? Who can write, and inspire you guys (hopefully me)?

Seriously, I listen to these guys because they make me question the validity of my faith. Faith that is pleasing to God is taking care of the orphans and widows (the poor and needy).

What are we doing?