JP

Hey everyone, I haven't had time yet to write a new blog, but one is on the way! A LOT happened on the weekend that was all great stuff and I'm not even quite sure what I want to write about yet o.0

The weekend was awesome and I had a great time! Everyone generally got along and we all seemed to enjoy ourselves (excluding a few minor issues). So I just want to say thanks to all those who I went up with. I had an awesome time guys and gals! You guys are awesome, all of you and thanks for everything you did this weekend whether you wanted to or not - I appreciate it and I am honored to have friends like you. YC 06 was one for the books! Have a great week, see you all soon!

So tomorrow we (a crew) are off to YC and I am SO incredibly looking forward to this trip, you have no idea! Tonight will be crazy busy trying to get everything ready for that.. okay, well not crazy busy, but busy nonetheless. I'm off till Tuesday so that's incredible! a 4 day weekend after a long weekend from last weekend! That's a lot of weekends. No... the word weekend, I wrote it out a lot. Weekend. Weekend. Weekend.

o.0

So to anyone who reads this, have a great Weekend! and see you next week when I get back. To those who are coming with me - we're gonna have an awesome time! A weekend filled with friends, God, 16,000 people, and a few other things ( ;P) how can I go wrong??

God Bless ya'll! (Insert American accent here)

JP!

Seasons

3 definitions that stuck out to me.
-To render competent through trial and experience
-A period of time
-A suitable, natural, or convenient time


Funny how you can never see your own journey at times, yet at other times it's generally easy for someone else to look at you from a distance and see a wider picture than you do. When you're clouded by your own doubt and confussion; your own wonder and expectation; Your own hope and desire for 'something' to just happen; Somewhat fearful because you don't know if it's you that needs to step out or if you simply just need to wait. Where does the line draw for common sense to move forward or faith to wait?

If it is true that a man is fearful and always sub-conciously asking, 'do I have what it takes?' If he struggles with fear, struggles with wanting to 'be someone' of importance; wanting to feel of worth; to feel valuable. To not just be another named to have lived and died under the sun without making an impact in a positive way; Without being another story of failure and discouragement because a life was wasted. What then, shall I do?

An elderly man spoke out and thought that when he gets to heaven, he'll see a large warehouse with it's big, heavy, hangar doors open and he'll see the warehouse 3/4 full of blessings that God wanted to give him, but he never did what he needed to in order to receive them. How sad... but it makes you wonder. Reality check. This man is old and done the majority of his days. I am only 22, not even half over yet - with insight like that, perhaps it's time to move.

How many times do I fail, how many conversations have I blown off, how many times have I backed down, how often have I 'not felt like it' - (whatever that means to you). How have I robbed myself from my own blessing God wanted to bestow upon me? How many people could I have impacted but never had the care to listen or speak because of my own selfishness?

I sure have been seeing a lot of things I've been doing wrong lately and it has almost left me layed out on the ground...weighted and unworthy. Will I ever get it right? It's moments like that, that it's hard to think that I....how can I possibly please the creator of the universe with all this baggage?
When you can't even connect, and constantly try - When you're a leader and feel your relationship merely scratches a surface that has a depth you're completely unaware of. Never give up, keep trying through faith, one day you'll get it. One day it'll click.

From a outword glance, can you smile and say, 'you're human, you make mistakes' and extend grace, but from the inword position, you really feel the weight and definately isn't the same. How often do I sub-conciously think that I need to be holy and pure before God can use me? Where did this mentality even come from? The world would never see grace, mercy and love if we had to be pure before we could serve. Oh, how often do I forget.

I'm thankful that God is bigger than sin - I'm thankful that I can be used in my filth and my corruption. My mindsets, my pharisee heart, my laziness, my lack of due care or attention. My lack of commitment. My lack of speech or boldness when it's needed the most. All the lies that are spoken over me that I accept so easily while I stare at the floor and hopelessly listen. How frustrating it must be... I'm glad I can't exhaust the love of the Father because no one else could certainly bare it.

I feel the weight of being unworthy. Maybe it's humbling me - stripping pride. I hate pride, yet I can feel it in me as well. I really do feel like a broken man. I really am a broken man. Never forget where I brought you from, God says, "Never forget your Egypt."
Always praise, always push, always fight - they battle for you night and day, light and darkness. The least we can do is tell God we love him. The greatest gift I can give is my life, because my life is all I have, and it's technically not even mine.

Seasons...
try to take a step back and see the journey but can't - faith builds, the word says. Looking forward for God to bring me out once I learn what it is I need to learn or see. There truly is no where to go but straight ahead because there's only death behind me and left or right will lead me astray. Focus on the sky, close my eyes, inhale & exhale; smell the beauty, take hold of peace that your life is held in the palm of his hand - just don't stop, just don't quit. Perhaps this is what it means to be living under grace...

Ever since the beginning of time it has been a long, enduring heated debate of who would win between a ninja and a pirate. Some say pirates, some say ninja's. Today is a good day to solve this mystery with true facts that could only express nothing but solid truth. Let's explore shall we?

First off - Pirates

1.)Pirates have bad hygene.
EVer find yourself cringing over their disgusting teeth? Or how about the bad breath, drunkenness, torn & ripped clothes? A true warrior would not be as ugly and smell as bad as a pirate. Yet on the other hand, a pirate is MADE by this foul appearance. mmm... if that won't attract a woman...nothing will...

2.) Pirates DO have some pretty cool stunts
I'm just reminded by Captain Jack Sparrow - pretty much the coolest pirate I've ever known. That guy has crazy pirate skills. Very cool. humorous sword fights, stunts he pulls off without even meaning too - Captain Jack Sparrow is a true pirate. An inspiration among men!

3.) Pirates carry big daggers and funky swords.
Alright. I'm sold on the daggers, knives and swords. That's impressive. They have sweet battles with swords, as they should, because if they didn't have some sort of acrobatic stunts it would be a shame and long pieces of metal aren't that exciting without some other source of action. And what would be cooler than seeing someone get stabbed with a rusted out, dull dagger?(that's a joke...calm down, I'm not really that sick.)

4.) Pirates force people to walk the plank
Now this is always so coolest thing about a pirate! Making someone walk the plank into the ocean while tied up, in the middle of no where, in shark infested waters. Ruthless! I like it! Besides the fact that that is probably one of the WORST feelings in the world, although.. I've... never...really stood on a plank. But I HAVE stood on a diving board and the two circumstances are rather similar!

Next... - Ninja's

Ninja's are by far, the coolest piece of artwork in terms of a death machine created by God... or... the Japanese.. or wherever they came from. Come to think...I don't even know why they had ninja's - they're crazy I guess. Which is pretty sweet.

1.) Stealth
The stealth of a ninja is impeccable. Only Jesus knew when a ninja was near by. (Because Jesus WAS a ninja.) Fact: Chuck Norris nearly learned how to become a true ninja and Mr. T pitty'd the foo.)A ninja is so stealth-like, he would kill you and you'd be walking around for another 5 minutes before you realized you were killed by one.

2.) SWEET clothes
black. unless you're a white ninja, (like Scott) and then you're only good in Canada out in the snow country, otherwise, you're an idiot because you're white...in a dark environment. Jesus said a light on the top of a hill cannot be hidden. And the whole point of ninja's is to not be seen. So just don't be a white ninja in a dark place - there's no use.

3.) Coolest weapons ever!
C'mon! Throwing stars! Sighs, nun chucks, bows, staffs, bamboo stick, flying acrobatics (like new age ninja's that are TOTALLY unrealistic - Hidden Liger, Crotching Dragnon - I hate that movie.) What would be better than seeing a big, sharp, shiny throwing star fly through the air and clip some guy in the neck. The accuracy is astonishing!

4.) Miscellaneous Ninja Facts

A Ninja can kill a man 39,506 ways with a rubber duck.
Ninjas hide in the tiolet and assassinate you at the worse possible moment...
Unlike humans, Ninjas can lick their elbows.
Ninja's have one weakness...they will drop what they are doing and sing along with "Black Betty" anytime it is played. (Does this remind anybody of Kurtis?)
When not engaged in combat, Ninja's collect sea shells.

So you decide which is cooler. I like ninja's because that's up my alley. Stealth. Stealth is cool. Ninja's are suspensful thrillers. Pirates are entertaining action. Make your pick - who do YOU think would win? Would you rather be a pirate or a ninja?

May will rule. Simply for a few various reasons, some which I'll keep to myself and the ones I'll share is because I get a lot of time off this month. Almost a week split up. Can you spell... awesome?

It was nice to vacate away from the Hat and spend confined time with friends because that means bonding time! I realized that our group is far too sarcastic and that needs to cut back. I also got to have some good conversations, a LOT of laughs, meet new people, have A LOT of fun, learn about 'vital signs' ;) and just have an awesome time. Now as I go to bed I get to let it allll sink in and in 3 weeks, go do it all over again. I have to work in the morning and I'm really not upset at the fact I have to get up at 7 - I really don't mind. this makes me happy that I'm not dreading work. It's nice when you enjoy your job!

Anyways, Dave from the ranch called me on Friday to tell me my position out at the ranch. what? What is it? I dont know, I didn't talk to him, he left a message, I really hope I'm on the worship team being as that's what I want to do. Now... if I could only assembly my gear by the summer, i'm set!


anyways, short post, not specific, no detail, I like it! Awesome weekend

Guys, I had an awesome time with you and Nikki, I'm honestly really proud of the stuff you did this weekend. It's a pleasure to be around that and see if take place. And I enjoyed that parilamnt building to, and I hate politics, so don't worry - you're not a geek!

Night!

Walk with me

Walk down a narrow road

One has to stop at one point and question himself

Challenge the belief

Those cherished most; closest to you turn on you to question

are you a fool?

Feel like they think you’re an idiot

pass up the opportunity, pass up the ‘security’

literal ‘down to earth’ thinking is too grounded for my liking.

Is my head so far in the clouds I overlook common sense?

Forced to take a moment and stop on the path I’m heading.

Look behind, look up and down, look all around

Only one man stands at your side whispering in your ear;

but won’t let you think

I have to sit back and ask, ‘where am I going..really?’

stand alone, look straight up into the blue sky,

see and feel nothing

shut my eyes, attempt to block out the voices that scream in my ear

lifeless hands seem to reach my throat to choke me,

clench my fists, sweat beads on my forehead,

open my eyes to see the heavens

instead see nothing but blue sky and white, patchy clouds.

Stop in the stillness; alone to make a decision

Question everything you ever knew

Question the path you now follow

follow the one who doesn’t need to spit down your throat.

follow the one who stands in the distance and has a gentle mystery.

I’ll take my chances with him.

there’s your signal; there’s how I know who to follow

I believe in the unseen

I believe in the words of a book

Until this body, until these lungs have no breath

if my life was smothered out

my lasts words will be your name

He is good; He is holy

I will not back down

I will be strong

I will fight

I am not weak

I refuse defeat

I refuse to quit

I’m hopelessly trusting you

take me, make me

a somebody from a nobody

perhaps I’ll be what I couldn’t dream

to have a thief whisper agreement in their views

opposition speaks a volume of worth

for someone to fight so hard,

you must know something I don’t

but your very attack shows me a glimpse

your very attack ignites a flame in my soul

Fuel me, bestow strength unto me

I hope I put a smile on your face

I hope I’m pleasing to you

I hope I make you proud

this is all I’ve got

you are all I’ve got

I’ll be a ‘fool’ if I must

You cannot be mocked

My faith hopelessly rests in you

// posted by JP @ 11:04 p.m. 18 Comments