Don't call it Single's Awareness Day. seriously, that's bitter and annoying. It's a lovely day, just enjoy it!

Put a smile on your face and be a happy little human!

Snowy days are the best days for spending some time with old friends like Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, yes?

And when they've concluded their visit, Winnie the Pooh. He's a perfect companion on a blustery day.

A blog just cuz!

This will be all over the place because I simply don't feel like taking the time to organize my thoughts.

First.
Just read this great blog. Ok it's not like it's real deep or anything, but it's an interesting topic that is never

really discussed. I've often wondered how introverts are supposed to share the Gospel with people. If God wants them to share their faith openly with anyone, why make introverts? The church always seems to treat and preach as if everyone is extremely extroverted. I've thought that was an intriguing topic, and I've never found much written about it from a Biblical perspective (not that I've really searched). So I'm pretty jazzed about reading this book. Of course, that's once I have $13 to spare and a giant chunk of free time to read. hahaha....right.

Second.
On my way home from the gym yesterday, I was mindlessly listening to my iPhone and this song came on, which I also wasn't paying attention to until I heard a couple lines that rang out as if sung from a bullhorn. They've have now been echoing around in my brain for the last 17 hours or so.

It's Tenth Avenue North. I looked up the lyrics just now so I could post the couple lines that blew up my

heart and I found that it was written by Phillip LaRue (from that brother-sister group "LaRue" from back in the day! That's the picture on the left. Remember them? hahhahaha!!) and Jason Ingram (I went to school with his brother, Ryan!) I thought that was kinda funny, but I digress. 
The song is called "By Your Side" and if this is some old song that everyone knows but me, then just sue me.
The two lines my heart is hung-up on are:


"Why are you striving these days? Why are you trying to earn Grace?"
and
"Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?"

whoa. simple...but....hit me right where I'm at. Earning grace and looking for love are the two biggest issues that have been weighing on my mind/heart lately. I'm not going to elaborate bc I know this entry would instantly become unreasonably long. I love this song and I'm going to listen to it a lot now. I know I can't earn grace, yet I still catch myself conforming to that mindset. shhhhh....you said you weren't going to elaborate! oh yeah. my bad!

Third.

Have you noticed there's been an resurgence of bands from the late 90's?? yeah! For some reason they're all magically popping up with new albums out of the blue! Third Eye Blind, Our Lady Peace, Collective Soul,

Better Than Ezra, uhhh...there were several more, but I can't remember. I don't think that Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls have released anything very recently. Maybe a few years ago? I'd love it if they made some

new music for me! But only if it's awesome. If it sucks, then don't bother. I want it to sound like the old stuff that we love. Maybe the Goo Goo Dolls could write a new one called "White Balloon" or "Acoustic #4" and Matchbox20 could record "4AM" and "Pull" 
These are serious suggestions, people! Somebody make this happen!!

Breasts are the BEST!

What's wrong with this picture?

Hahaha!!! I know I'm not the most brilliant guy around, but I fail to see the relation between the two. Anyone?
The closest connection I can come up with is maybe...breast cancer? HA!
Yeah, I didn't click the video to reveal the mystery.

Kinda funny though, right?

It's Tuesday, I'm in love

   
           Here’s another simple, easy concept that I’ve begun to see from a different angle. I know this isn’t revolutionary, but sometimes when things are said in a certain way, it allows me to see the same old truths in a different light. I was thinking about how the disciples were constantly misunderstanding Jesus and even though they thought they understood, they were completely missing what He was actually saying or doing. They really thought they got it, but they simply couldn’t see what was actually going on. When He drove the money changers out of the Temple and dared them to tear the Temple down and He would rebuild it in three days, they were pretty much lost. But after He died, BAM! that instantly made sense to them and they suddenly seemed to understand everything!
They had lived their whole life seeing things one way (ie – believing the Messiah would come to bring political peace) and when confronted with the truth time and time again, they still couldn’t see correctly. They were constantly jockeying for position and favor, thus missing everything they’d been teaching them! Time and time again they were missing out on what was really going on even though it was staring them in the face. But once He died, they started to remember what He’d told them and everything suddenly made sense.
Then, of course, He appears to them and instantly they’re like completely different people - they finally understand, they’re confident, they’re bold with no fear. They’re completely different from who they were a few days ago. Once they saw things through the context of the cross, it all made sense.
        
                In thinking about this, it made my heart soar with the gratitude that we (as Believers) already have the cross. We don’t have to stumble around trying to guess at what’s really going on. We don’t have to be clueless. He’s already revealed Himself to us and shown us the truth about Himself, about the world, about life, about everything! The disciples weren’t able to see things through the context of the cross until after it happened. But for us, it’s already happened, so there’s no guesswork! We get to see all of life through the cross, which make everything make sense! How blessed are we?? We know that life is not as it appears. We know what’s really going on. We can see the world & life as it really is, without the mask of the superficial daily life. We understand the meaning behind life.
    Okay, here’s an infamous lame Jordan analogy….it’s like we’re watching life on a blu-ray player and can see the behind-the-scenes at the same time as we’re actually living life. Hahaha….I know, I know, but that’s the best I got! But I think that makes sense, right? We see the deeper meaning, we see the purpose, we have a better idea of what He’s doing. The disciples just saw the external actions of what Jesus was doing and didn’t really get what He was doing spiritually. We’re prone to do the same thing, except we don’t have to! He’s given us Christ, He’s given us His Word, He’s given us the Holy Spirit. So we aren’t left to our own devices in trying to see life clearly. No, He reveals it to us and guides us along the way.
          
                Without Jesus, you’re only seeing the top layer, the superficial external actions of the world. With Jesus you get all the depth and richness behind it all. We can see the overall context in light of His glory and the purpose of our existence, and that makes it all make sense. Not to say that non-Believers can’t enjoy life deeply. Of course they can! But you won’t be able to enjoy these gifts on the deepest level until you understand their intended purpose as you see it all through the cross and understand that we’re just victims of grace.
Looking at all of life through the cross, makes everything make more sense.

Thinking of it from a fresh perspective again, absolutely blows my heart up with joy and gratitude. We’re so blessed to be living in the time we’re living in! We have the cross, He has revealed Himself, He has given Himself to us! I’m overwhelmed and humbled.

I apologize if I lost ya’ll at any point during this. Sometimes words (& especially emotion-filled words) don’t translate from my heart to paper very well. I think I repeated myself a lot and probably should have gone more in-depth with examples to illustrate how rich and beautiful life is when seen correctly....buuuut...i didn't. Oooh and can I say that it's not really that life itself is so beautiful, rather that He is so beautiful that His overwhelming love for us (and really, His love for Himself) breathes meaning into life by allowing us the joy of knowing, experiencing and serving Him.
or yeah.

.

.   I just really like this picture. It makes me feel.