A House Doesn't Make a Home, Don't Leave Me Here Alone

To begin with, I will answer some of the questions that Joey posed to me in his comment on yesterday's blog. First, Joey asked if I think the new guys do not know what it means to win with class as a part of Gamma Sigs, and to that I would say there are some of them who get it, and some who don't. I think our pledge class is the same. We have had a little more time in club to realize that the reason that we win things is not because of sheer ability, but it is a product of hard work and commitment to the whole. When you realize that in order to achieve great things, you have to put in tremendous work, you learn to not play up your highs too much and to not sulk too much in your lows because the joy is not in the end but the process.

Second: Is SA buying a bunch of Blackberry PDAs? And if they are, why? Toward the end of this year the current XOs have been talking about buying Treos, which looks like Oreos, but are miles apart. They are much the same thing as Blackberries. They want to buy them to allow text messaging to XOs while they are in class, and they also have a stronger feature for cell phone calls because of the large amount of time that XOs spend in the SA Office (located in the basement). Personally, I am not a huge fan of PDAs because they make me feel old. I feel like if I start carrying a PDA, I need to start wearing my cell phone on the outside of my pants and at 21, I refuse to do that. I might as well start playing golf and doing other middle-aged things.

Before I move on, I must be noted that Joey also won by guessing "Not for All the Love in the World" by The Thrills in the Song Title Lyric Contest. Joey wins good health after all the junk he has gone through this week.

Today has been a pretty big news day with Terri Schiavo's death, the report on U.S. Intelligence (or lack thereof) on WMDs in Iraq, and updates on the Pope's Health. With all of that, a news story that is pretty significant might have slipped through the cracks, but here I will put a special spotlight on the current events in Rwanda. Here is an article detailing the ceasefire decision of rebels from Congo concerning raids into Rwanda.

Current Listening: "Use Your Voice" by Mason Jennings.

It is late, for me, and I need to work on a project. Over and out.

Not for all the Love in the World

I have been thinking about this day for about 2 years now. The day when I would be able to speak in Chapel about running for SA President. I don't mention that to a lot of people because it seems awfully pretentious, but nonetheless it was one of those things that crept up again and again in my mind.

Now that it has happened, I feel strangely at peace. I think the speeches and debate/question and answer session last night went as well as can be expected, and a lot of what is going to happen now is out of my hands. All I can do now is remind people to go out and vote, and trust that the best thing is going to happen for all of us. If you are an ACU student who reads this, go vote in the Campus Center this week. Polls will be open today until 5:00, Thursday from Chapel until 7:00, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Current Listening: "Pinkerton" by Weezer.

Aubrey Eyer is today's winner in the long-forgotten Song Title Lyric Contest. She correctly identified yesterday's title from the Damien Rice song "Cannonball." Aubrey wins a Robert E. Lee 2004 5A State Football Champs shirt to go along with her Southlake Carroll state champs shirt. Enjoy it Aubs.

Stones Taught Me to Fly, Love Taught Me to Lie, Life Taught Me to Die

One of the things that I have been thinking about lately is how difficult it is for something to keep our attention in the fast-paced world that we live in today. On the day after Christmas, when news began to trickle in about the Tsunami in SE Asia, we were all horrified by the death toll and amazed that a sudden act of nature could cause that much destruction, but even after a death toll that reaches in six figures it barely crosses our minds. We have moved on to Jacko, Terri Schiavo, and the shootings in Red Lake, Minnesota.

I realize that part of this phenomenon is one of the basic tenets of life: Events happen, we are changed, and then we move to the next event. With that said, in our media-saturated culture that affords us endless options for entertainment, how do we make things stick in people's minds? How do we keep the things that truly matter in the forefront instead of always being blown about by the latest trend? How do we make people care about the AIDS pandemic in Africa instead of Scott Peterson?

Current Listening: "O" by Damien Rice

If anyone remembers my earlier post about my conversion from Aggies fan to Longhorns fan, you will appreciate this editorial by David Brooks in the NY Times. Opening Day is just ahead and I cannot wait.

Cause People Believe That They're Gonna Get Away for the Summer

There are sometimes when I stray away from posting here for one or two days. I begin to think that my writing here is probably not noticed by anyone, and I wonder why I continue to put my thoughts out there for public consumption.

Then I have encounters that remind me why I sit down each day to process my life and to try to make some sense of this crazy journey. As I was walking into Business and Professional Communication, I saw Carla Burger. We began talking and she said that she just started reading this blog, and how she was so interested in really talking about things that matter in our lives. That was music to my ears. This is often my forum to discuss things that other people may not always be interested in, but here it is just the keyboard and monitor that are my audience, and I am freely able to express my views and thoughts.

If you read Carla's comment on the earlier post today, she raised a very interesting point about the U.S. occupation of Iraq, and the sometimes misguided view that people have taken about U.S. involvement in that nation. I do not believe that U.S. involvement in Iraq is part of some modern-day crusade against Islamic extremists from a Christian perspective. The misguided Constantinianism that some Americans have bought into in believing that the church and state are the same thing and that if the state is prosperous the church will also be prosperous are some of the most dangerous beliefs that have threatened the church in modern times.

When I look at the past and see how the church had made huge inroads in the past, it has been as a countercultural force instead of being the force "in power." Our actions in Iraq cannot be justified by our religious beliefs, but because of our belief in the power of democracy and self-rule. That is not to say that democracy will be the end-all, fix-all solution for the Iraqi people, but it is a much better solution than simply trying to impose our culture upon them. The conspiracy theorist in me also believes that if N. Korea had some of the world's largest oil reserves, we might also be there right now, but I digress.

Current Listening: "Hot Fuss" by The Killers

I feel like this post was long, rambling and disjointed, but if I made any sense and there was some thread of continuity that you could pick up on, feel free to leave comments, criticisms, or other statements.

Remember When You Were Only a Child?

Back from LTC and wondering where the years have gone. I am not sure of the exact reason that I felt really old or detached this year, but I think two of the reasons are that neither of my parents went this year (seeing as though they don't have a child participating) and the fact that everyone I was in high school with has almost graduated.

Another thing that I realized again this year is the amazing impact that youth ministers can have on the lives of kids. When I think about how much Tim Henderson has taught me and how he has been one of the examples that I have looked at growing up, I also realize that he has done the same thing in the lives of hundreds of other kids. When a youth minister comes to a church and sets down roots and stays for 10 years or more, he or she makes a lasting impression on the lives of an entire generation of kids who come through a church. During those formative years if you have someone helping you to find your path in life in addition to your parents, you will be that much better off than if you are simply trying to find out who you want to be and do on your own. I have no doubt that the reason that there are so many youth ministry, children's ministry, and missions majors from the Shiloh Youth Group is the positive influence of a youth minister like Tim.

Current Listening: "Rubber Soul"-The Beatles

In Your Love My Salvation Lies

I have written before about what a blessing the group that I meet with on Friday mornings is, but today was just another drop in the bucket of wisdom and strength that I have received from those guys. We met today because of tomorrow's holiday on Good Friday, and I think we had one of our most thought provoking discussions.

Luke (not the disciple, Reeves) talked about how he has this desire for greater intimacy with God, but he is not sure how that is achieved, and sometimes it seems as though you have to go through some difficult, trying circumstances in order to find an authentic, intimate relationship with God. Luke wondered aloud if he is really asking God to make things bad so that his faith and relationship with God would mean more because it cost something.

We also talked about how faith is not authentic unless there a sense of desperation or discomfort. If we are completely self-sufficient and we do not feel as though the grace of God has delivered us, our faith will not mean nearly as much. This is the idea that Bonhoeffer talks about throughout "The Cost of Discipleship" when he urges us to throw off "cheap grace" and to live out a faith that calls us to "costly grace."

Current Listening: "Early Days" by Led Zeppelin.

Backwoods Bash was a lot of fun last night. There are a lot of great girls in Siggies and it was fun to just relax, laugh, and cook S'mores over trashcans. I am not sure what these next 8 days will hold, but I do know that I am surrounded by some of the best people in the entire world and I would not want to be anywhere else. How many times do I forget that?

I'm on My Way

These next 10 days are going to be pretty crazy. I think a large portion of my work is behind me now that I have turned in my petition, but a lot of the work of putting out campaign materials, going to debates, and giving speeches is still to come. I think that is why this weekend at LTC will be so good. It will be a great chance to relax, catch up with people from back home, and to look forward to what next week will hold for me.

Seeing the news from the last few days about the school shooting in Minnesota, just brings back the memories of the Columbine shooting. It has been one of those landmark events so far in my life, and definitely a "Where were you when you heard?" moment.

Here is a link to another excellent editorial by Nicolas Kristof about the plight of Zimbabweans under the regime of Robert Mugabe.

You Don't Have to Go It Alone

Well, Kojie formal was tons of fun this last weekend. The best story of the weekend was passed on to me by one Christopher Lee. As I said on the last blog entry, South by Southwest was going on in Austin this past weekend. The greatest event that I heard of was the Vanilla Ice concert that was taking place at 1 a.m. Sunday morning. We did not make it, but thinking that I would spend the entire show waiting around for him to sing "Go Ninja" and then "Ice, Ice Baby" and then we would all go home satisfied.

Current Listening: "Bringing Down the Horse" by The Wallflowers

I haven't written anything about the steroid hearings on Capitol Hill, but I think I am going to break my silence tomorrow. I know everyone will be waiting with bated breath. I honestly cannot wait for Opening Day in baseball. There is something comforting in the day in/day out progress that comes from the baseball season. It will be alot of fun to follow the Rangers this year.

Speaking of the Rangers, Jake Roseberry and Bryan Preast went to them today to see if they would donate for Insanity, but they told Jake and Bryan that they don't just give money out. I beg to differ folks. I mean, what do they call what they're doing with Chan Ho?

That's all, you've been great. I'm out.

I've Had You So Many Times, but Somehow I Want More

I've only watched a tiny bit of the tournament so far, andI think I will keep it that way until my "Geography Theory" has a chance to really be shown for the work of pure genius that it is. I guess in actuality the "Geography Theory" is pretty narrow since it only applies the University of North Carolina winning the NCAA Tournament, but trust me, this is only the first case and I will continue to expand and refine my criteria so that the "Geography Theory" is comparable to the Sport's Guy "Ewing Theory."

This weekend should be a lot of fun down at the Kojie Formal in Austin. I am really glad that I will be able to spend time with old friends like Clint Askins and Lance Agan and to continue to get to know people that I have just met this semester like Heather Norman and Shelbi Watten. The South by Southwest Music and Film Festival is going on in Austin this weekend so we might have to check that out.

As we have been talking at Devo about the idea of costly grace, I have begun to think that the reason Christianity means something is because it requires so much of us. The things in my life that I value are the things that call me to sacrifice, grow, stretch, and sometimes feel pain. If being conformed to the way of Jesus did not cause me to do these things or present significant questions in my mind, it would be of no value at all. If my idea of grace does not call me to become someone else because of it, I think I have the concept all wrong. The grace that God gives is costly because we cannot come into contact with it and not leave that encounter changed significantly.

I Drove for Miles and Miles and Wound Up at Your Door

Today might be one those rare occurrences that happens every 7.5 years like when the moon and Jupiter line up. How often do you have two days that are as much fun as St. Patrick's and the First Day of the NCAA Tournament on the same day?

On a sidenote, if anyone uses my "Geography Theory" in a large-scale betting scenario, and you end up in the trunk of a big guy named Vinny's car because you could not pay off your debt, let's just call this a disclaimer that any and all gambling losses are solely your responsibility. Now, that important information is off of my chest, let's move on...

For those of you who have been following the events in Sudan and remember one of my previous posts about contacting your Senator or Representative about the response of the United States to the genocide in Darfur, we now have someone and something to rally behind. Senator Jon Corzine of New Jersey and Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas introduced the Darfur Accountability Act on March 2 in the Senate. You can read the full press release about the exact contents of the Act and Corzine's speech on the Senate floor here.

Happy Conan O'Brien Tribute Day Everyone!

We Go Out in Stormy Weather, We Rarely Practice Discern

You think about going to college all of your life, and then one day when you actually are in college, you wake up and realize that you know all of the classes that you need to complete your degree, and the number of hours you have to take is lower than your age.

I'm sure that when I actually register for the classes for my last semester here at ACU, I will become a bit nostalgic, but I was taken back today at how close I am to the end of my time here. Part of me will be glad to move on to whatever is next in my life, but a big part of me will definitely miss this place when the time comes to leave. I've always heard people say that college was the best time of their life, and when you hear someone talk like that, you don't really want to leave that behind.

Current Listening: "Kill the Moonlight" by Spoon.

I am not sure who everyone has picked in their NCAA Bracket, but I am going to use some crazy logic to pick my champion. The first ever Final Four that I watched was 1993. The championship game that year pitted Michigan vs. North Carolina. The 'Heels, led by Eric Montross and Donald Williams, defeated the Wolverines after Chris Webber's ill-advised timeout call at the end of the game. New Orleans is located on the Mississippi River.

This year North Carolina probably has their best all-around team since the '93 squad. Led by Sean May, Rashad McCants and Raymond Felton, the 'Heels have been highly ranked all-season. All of that is well noted, but the main reason I am going with UNC is the site of this year's Final Four, St. Louis, which we all know is located on........the Mississippi River. That's right folks, geography not defense wins championships.

Today is Gonna be the Day that They're Gonna Give It Back to You

I don't think I really believe all of this talk about snow. It just seems like a big tease after we were promised snow earlier in the semester and a drop of rain did not even fall. Trust me, I want to be wrong about this, but I just do not see it happening.

In other news, today might have been the best chapel talk that I have heard in my time at ACU. Damon Parker, former Gamma Sig and fellow Whitehouse High alum, spoke on the passage from Jeremiah 22:13-19. In the text, Jeremiah delivers a scathing rebuke of King Jehoakim, who has unjustly built his kingdom by oppression and explotation of the poor and destitute. In many ways, Damon came as a modern day prophet calling us out for doing much the same thing today. As we sit here comfortable on our secure campus, people are scrounging for things that we throw away each day. We would like to think that our cars, clothes, and trinkets are in a different category than huge palaces or monuments, but it is really a heart issue at the core of the matter. I don't think Damon was saying that Christians cannot own nice clothes, new cars, or live in nice homes in every instance, but if you sacrifice service to the destitute, time that could be spent reaching out, and resources that could transform someone's life at the altar of self-glorification, we are not any better than the Pharisees or King Jehoakim.

The best point that Damon used to illustrate this idea was a list of "Dont's and Nevers." The first was "Never own a piece of furniture that you would not let a homeless person sit on." This is a narrow example, but the greater idea seems to be this practice of weighing the value of people vs. stuff. The reason I can't own a BMW, besides the lack of $40,000, is that if I owned it my thoughts would constantly be consumed with keeping it clean and making sure it does not get scratched. Tyler Durden had it right when he said, "the stuff you own ends up owning you."

There are Places I'll Remember All My Life

Sometimes, just when you come back from Spring Break and all feels right in the world, you are blindsided by things that turn your entire world upside down. I am not talking about midterms, preparation for Insanity for Humanity, or the fact that the 1st season of MacGyver is now available on DVD.

No my friends, I am talking about that black hole of productivity that is known as the ACU Facebook. I have already countless emails from people that basically read like this: "Justin, Insert name of person who is wasting as much time on the internet as you are, wants to be your friend." The thing that I love about these emails is that you have to confirm that you are in fact friends with this person. I am not sure if it worse to be blocked by someone on AIM or to be completely denied by them as a friend on Facebook. That debate could rage as long as the Apples vs. Oranges or boxers vs. boxer-briefs arguments.

That's all for right now. There will definitely be more later.....

I Had a Dream, I Stood Beneath An Orange Sky

I'm back in Abilene from the expedition to Big Bend. That is really beautiful country, and because it so far out of the way, it is incredibly uncrowded. The longest conversation that I had with another human being from Sunday morning when I left to this afternoon when I returned was a "good morning" or "have a good one" in passing on the trail. Yesterday was my longest hiking day, and I think saw 1 or 2 people the entire day. It was a great time to sit and think about what has happened in my life these past 6 months and to look ahead at what is to come. One of the downsides to camping alone is that when it gets dark, it is no use sitting outside, because that is just the same as sitting in the tent. Therefore, you spend about 11-12 hours in the tent each night reading, falling asleep, and trying to fall asleep.

I would like to offer a bit of a tangent statement for those people who decry Abilene as one of the ugliest places that they have ever seen. Let me tell you something, you do not know what ugly is until you drive through Monahans or Fort Stockton, Texas. That is ugly. I have not seen that many shades of brown since the San Diego Padres uniforms of the mid 80's. The folks who live there would trade aesthetic surroundings with the inhabitants of the Key City at the drop of a hat. I digress, but I thought it warranted mentioning.

I took three books with me to read during the trip, and I think that if you look at the books that I selected, you will learn a lot about me. The first one was, of course, the Bible. The other two are probably less obvious: "Eiger Dreams" by Jon Krakauer and "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. I have read both of these books before, but when I looked at my bookshelf on Saturday night and mulled over which books to bring those two jumped out at me. I chose "Eiger Dreams" because of its content concerning outdoor adventure and the reasons that people head for the great empty and untamed places in our world, and I chose "Gates of Fire" because it contains much of what I wish to cultivate in myself and to understand about the things that drive me and make me who I am.

"Gates of Fire" details the stand of the 300 Spartan warriors against a Persian force of 2 million at the Battle of Thermopylae. The Spartans held the pass for 7 days against the great foe, and killed an estimated 20,000 Persians in the process. The book examines the basis of the Spartans skill and the physical, spiritual, and most importantly emotional foundations that enable and drive people to be able to withstand and thrive in the most distressful of circumstances. There is a running discourse in the book about what the opposite of fear is, and the answer is one that brings me great hope as I look at what the driving forces in my life are and the person that I would like to become. I will not give the answer away, because if you are reading this, you need to read the book. It is one of the most powerful pieces of literature that I have ever read. Go out and buy it. Seriously.

Current listening: "Four Songs EP"-Alexi Murdoch.

For those of you who recognize the song lyrics that I took for today's post, you have probably heard the song "Orange Sky", but for those of you who have not, go listen Alexi Murdoch at his website. You can find the link here.

'Cause I'm Just Running Out of Time

On Friday mornings I go to an accountability group that has become one of the portions of my week that I draw a lot of strength from, and I have the opportunity to be real with people who do not allow me to be anything else. I think that what we do there is what the church can be if we were to come to each other without pretense or sense of illusion. It probably helps that it is difficult for college students to put up any sort of a facade at 7:00 in the morning, but I think the thing that makes the group great and authentic is that people are willing to be vulnerable and candid. Whenever you see someone else stand in front of people and speak about something that you have either repressed or have been too afraid to even mention, you are somehow liberated when you see that they are not publicly shamed for their actions. You gain a sense of confidence and belonging by realizing that our shortcomings and struggles are not uniquely ours.

In honor of Spring Break and the many miles that will be traveled in the next week, today's Top 10 List is: The Top 10 Trips of All Time

• Lewis and Clark's Voyage to the Pacific
• Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
• Napoleon's Invasion of Russia
• Shackleton's Expedition to Antarctica
• Easy Rider
• Christopher Columbus' Discovery of Hispanola
• Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation of the Globe
• National Lampoon's Family Vacation
• The Scott Vacation to South Dakota/Wyoming in the Summer of 2002
• Magellan's Attempt to Circle the World

If anyone has a notable expedition, trip, voyage, or adventure that they believe should be included in this list, feel free to make your opinion known. I hope everyone has a great Spring Break, and experiences God's rest even in the midst of what appears to be chaos.

Can You See Me Floating Above Your Head?

I'll have a longer post later, but there is breaking news to report. I just got antiqued by a girl, and the worst thing is she was the first female member of the illustrious Project Mayhem Society. Apparently Miss Shelbi Watten does not understand the code and foundations that PMS was built on and what sustains us. Therefore, her membership is revoked indefinitely and all benefits therein are discontinued. The full weight of the PMS brain trust will plot her ultimate demise and when retribution comes it shall be swift and sweet. Her foolish decision will be an example to those who would seek to cross paths with the leftist guerrilla faction of GSP known as the Project Mayhem Society.

Remember everyone: Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Every Man and Woman Get Alive

Well, the first game for GSP-Team Moreland must wait until after Spring Break. That will give us time to hone our skills into the greatest softball playing machine that Abilene Christian University has ever seen. I am just loving the fact that I get to continue playing baseball/softball in some form. It was always the game that I loved growing up, and it is the sport that I follow most fervently now, baseball I mean. I love Lisa Fernandez and all those folks, but fast-pitch softball is not my cup of tea.

I am so glad that there are voices in the world that will not be silenced. Some of you might be sick of me linking Nicholas Kristof's Op-Ed pieces on this page, but I am going to do everything I can to join with him in not allowing the people that I come into contact with to forget the voices of the oppressed in the world. Kristof wrote another column today on the world's response to the genocide that is occurring in Sudan. You can read it here. Perhaps if someone like Kristof is the voice calling in the wilderness, others will pick up the call until it becomes a deafening caucophony that those with the ability to make a difference to make a difference in Darfur cannot ignore.

This Spring Break is probably going to be one of the most relaxing that I have ever spent. I found out the other day to my great joy and surprise that Cole Griffith and Jon "Kidman" Bruner are going to be staying in Abilene over Spring Break, so that might alter my plans just a bit. I am not sure what we will be doing, but a trip to visit Heather Norman and Erin McCall in the Metroplex is not out of the question.

The list for today: Top 10 Baseball Players of All Time

• Hank Aaron
• Babe Ruth
• Barry Bonds (As much as I don't like it)
• Ted Williams
• Cy Young
• Joe Dimaggio
• Ty Cobb
• Lou Gehrig
• Willie Mays
• Walter Johnson

The debate on this one could probably rage for hours, and I would be completely fine with that. Let's hear your picks everybody.

Drivin' Slow on Sunday Morning, I Never Want to Leave

Some of you know that my favorite sports writer is Bill Simmons of ESPN.com's Page 2. I usually call Bill by his nome de guerre "The Sports Guy" and that is how he will hereafter be referred to in this post. The Sports Guy is a huge fan of his hometown Boston teams, and many of his columns chronicle the ups and downs of being a fan of the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. Notice I did not mention the Bruins because I am not really sure that anyone in America cares about hockey anymore. Well, maybe Danny Echols, but that guy is just cut from a different piece of cloth.

Anyways, the Sports Guy is also a pop culture guru. I was pleased to see that very quickly after the OC pilot in the summer of 2003, he posted a bit of a review. He has always been a faithful follower of the show, but he has outdone himself now. A few times every month he will answer e-mails that are sent to him by readers. These are some of the most bizarre emails I have ever seen, and let me say, there are some people in America that are definitely not in the right career fields. His latest mailbag contains his response to one of those titanic questions for some people in America: 90210 vs. The OC: who comes out on top? Well, for those of you Jonesing for the Sports Guy's response, I have the link right here.

Shifting gears, the Devo on College St. has been one of the best things that I have been a part of in college. It is always a time of focused worship and authentic community that is one of the parts of my week that I always anticipate. Jeff Giddens, Patrick Vincent, David Chisholm and I were talking last night about the direction, and we are going to try to focus our thoughts by following along, to a certain extent, with books that have powerfully impacted our spiritual walk. We are going to start tomorrow night with Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Discipleship." I am supposed to speak about Bonhoeffer's life story and his idea of costly grace. How do you do that in 15-20 minutes? Bonhoeffer's life was one of the reasons that Christianity seems real to some people. He actually lived out all of the stuff that he read and the ideas that he talked about. How many of us do that? I know that all too often I speak in these lofty terms of sacrifice, self-denial, and Lordship, but when it actually comes to putting those into practice, I always seem to get in the way. Perhaps this fresh reading of Bonhoeffer's words will kindle something in me. Everyone feel free to come tomorrow night, and if you do not know where it is going to be just give me a call.