What do yall think?

I wonder how many people creep onto my blog and see my photo. (the one where the skeleton is praying) I wonder what they think when they see the photo and then see the blog is christian based. Are they hypocritical? Who know's.

I chose this particular photo because I think it accuratly depicts what we are, Hopeless humans. We are dead, we have nothing to live for, we're hopeless. Unless, you have Christ. Actually Im gonna change that, unless he has you. Since we have done and cant do anything to earn Christ. He choses you. Anyway, I understand to some this picture could be edgy and somehow going against what I am trying to spread. Though, is it really? Here is my question, Is it bad to be edgy/tenacious when it comes to your faith?

Personally I dont think so, to a degree. We as christians should not go out and be hypocrite's saying to everyone that they stink and should recieve no mercy. Because ultimately that would extend to you as well, would it not? What Im saying is we should be crazy. We should be "dare devils", stare in the face of fear and laugh. Do you get what Im saying? We need to not be afraid of spreading God's word, nothing should stop you. You should be tenacious. Think of it this way, you should be relentless. Nothing should ever stop you from sharing your faith. Im not saying that you need to go around saying to random people and telling them they suck. No way, because what would have happend if God had done that.

In most cases it's what you dont say ,or do, that can make the biggest impact. Fear or whatever else shouldnt stop your proffesing the faith.

"Man I wish I was addicted to crack...."

Testimonys. Intresting arent they? I think so. Recently I have noticed something though. If you watch videos on people's testimonys they seem to sing a familiar tune. (These people Im refering to are usually recovered addicts or from another incredibly bad situation. Anyway) They seem to talk alot about love. I have chosen to compare the testimonys of Brian Welch, former Korn guitarist. And Aaron Gillespie, of The almost. Brian was a drug addict, he did about every drug possible. Aaron was having premarital sex with his now wife. Both were spiraling out of control and were headed for disaster. But God had other plans. Anyway, during the videos of these guy's testimonys one thing they keep repeating is how God loves you.

We forget that God's love isnt a concept, but a reality.

I was listening to a Switchfoot song recently and one of the lines goes, "...what a mess we made of love.." or something to that effect. The line finally clicked in my head. We have made a mess of love! We think of love as something that we make, or some tingly feeling we get every so often with a girl/guy. Rather than something God constantly gives us. Love is serious. You cant take Love away. Love is fortress that can never be seiged. Its relentless.

Disney world, Is it just an illusion?

This past week the relatives and I ventured to Disney World. Its been seven years since the last time I went, so you could imagine my excitement. Anyway, we've all seen the commercials about disney being the happiest place on earth or something to that effect. So I got to thinking, Why is it that everyone is so happy at disney world? I think Ive come to the conclusion that its expected for you to be happy. What I mean by that is when Disney World first opened up it was huge. The world had'nt seen anything like it. So its always had this legend of being so grand and happy and exciting, so we just carry on with it. We are happy there because what else can you possibly be? Angry? How would that make you look?

What a world it would be if you were expected to be happy. You know? If it was looked down upon to be crabby all the time, because after all. Should happiness be limited to a location? I dont think so. So what is happiness? Or joy? Ultimately its God, or it should be.

Dont look down! Keep Going!

You know. Risk is can be a good thing, as well as a bad thing. Yes your an idiot if you jump off a bridge. No its not insane to conquer a mountain with trained professionals spotting you. There is a book called, “Fathered by god” (John Eldredge is the author) and one of the stages is called “cowboy”. Basically this stage is all about discovering, taking risks and how doing that will help you grow into a man as well as a good christian. In lehmans terms, be a “safe” idiot.
Yall should know by now, Im a goofball. I will do stupid things to make you laugh. Wether it be running in the grass while its raining so I can catch a ball then right when Im close enough I slip and fall in the mud. Or it could be wrapping my head in christmas lights then turning them on. Ya neva kno. The point is I do stupid stuff all the time. Sometimes my mom, dad, or sister will tell me, “LOGAN thats a bad idea”, or “LOGAN thats stupid”. Then my typical response is, “CAN YOU JUST LET ME FAIL!”. Unfortunately, that request sometimes comes true where in I hurt myself. My uncle said,” I look for challenges to see if I can fail”. If i remembered right thats correct. :)

Anyway, RISK. Not really a favorite of our moms, but its still one of the fabrics of life. (next to cotton) Im one of those people that is deathly afraid of trying something new. I hate, hate, hate to be the new guy. I hate when people look down upon me for what I dont know. Along with this I have also found that I will research and research until I get carpal tunnel. So that way, I can suprise critics and impress coaches/teachers/etc, etc. Recently though Ive tried just throwing caution to the wind and just saying what the heck. Overall though my ways have served me well. I do apreciate not looking like a goombah on my first day. Which hasnt always worked out. Anyway. My main point with risk is that its not something thats bad. Yes, there are certain degrees to risk that are more dangerous than others. But still. risk isnt something to be afraid of. Look at Paul, he was beaten in several of the places that he went. That didnt stop him. He just kept on evangilisn. Not saying you should go get beat obviously.

A black eye doesnt seem so bad when your doing what is right, or standing up for it.

Yall also know I can run my mouth. Im not proud of it. :) Do I think its neccesarily a bad thing to say what you think, no. Experience will tell you though that it can come back and bite you in the butt. I will relate this to another stage in the book, “warrior”. The book says this stage is from your teens into your early twentys. I think I can confidently say I have semi-reached this stage. The book, in this chapter, says that when your a “warrior” your instincts will look for fights. :) Need I say anything? Haha. Im pretty darn good at pushing your buttons and getting you to retalliate. I think the creepy thing is, I know why I want to make you retalliate. So I can zing you more. Its like fire ants. Do you poke the hill once? Or do you poke it a billion times and then maybe kick it some to get the reaction you want? Im going with the second choice. Being the warrior isnt something that is bad. You have to win some ,lose some to really grow up. (not that i can speak with absolute authority about growing up, but im not stupid) Its an ongoing process. :)

I recently got my license. Its like christmas everytime I drive. Windows rolled down, classic rock station on. Oh yeah. Anyway, I know its cliche but there is a certain freedom you get when you have your license. Everyone knows exactly what Im talking about. :)

Anyway. My points are that taking some risks and dealing with some scraps. Isnt a bad thing. You know also. Yes as christians we need to have mercy, because we were given mercy. Anyway, God didnt say we had to stand back and let the world push us around. Well to a certian extent. I mean look at paul, martin luther, DAVID. Etc, etc. Talk about warriors for Christ. Anyway, thats all I got to say about that.

Yall seriously just abandoned me? Seriously?

I dont really have a particular incident that spured this post, but I thought it was a valid point to make.

"...I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered..." Mathew 26:31

People like people. People raelly like people that dont run away from them when they are in a sketchy situation. The most noticed biblical abandonment was when Jesus was being crucified and all the disciples split like atoms. I dont know about you, but if I were Jesus. I would have hated their guts. I would have destroyed them then and there. Thankfully God is God and I am not. :)

This is what I want you to do. Think of all your friends, or the best's rather( you could even make a list on paper). Then think to yourself in a bad situation, would they abandone you. If they would, personally, I would get rid of them. Real friends dont do that. Then again, the disciples were followers of Christ. The Christ that walked the earth. They stood near him and talked to him all the time, and they fled in a hurry. So you could also make the point that should you really not hang around your "friends". Still, I think its best to find a few good friends that wont leave you then have a few hundred that will.

I have mine, go find yours.

Why so somber?

"I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
When you're gone
She says, I love you
I'm gonna miss you
And your songs

And I said, please
Don't talk about the end
Don't talk about how
Every living thing goes away
She said, friend

All along I thought
I was learning how to take
How to bend not how to break
How to live not how to cry
But really
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die

Hey everyone
I've got nowhere to go
The grave is lazy
He takes our body slow

And I said, please
Don't talk about the end
Don't talk about how
Every living thing goes away
I said, friend,
All along I thought
I was learning how to take

How to bend not how to break
How to live not how to cry
But really
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die
Die, die
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die"

Learning how to die- Jon Foreman


Your most likely thinking, "what the heck...". But honestly I dont care. Heres what the post is about.

Why are people so transfixed on the meaning of lyrics? Why do they have to make sense to the listener? They dont!

I love this song. But to me the lyrics have a meaning. I think the best song writers are those who are selfish. I think the key to songwriting is writing for you first. Who cares what the listener thinks. This is your time. God gave you a talent of expression. So sit, express. Look at pop music. Its manufactured for mass emotions. But look at indie music. Its growing at an amazing rate. And what makes indie different? Its INDIEvidual.(crappy attempt at comedy :)) The lyrics are what the individual feels. The music is what they want it to be. Im not a relativist thinker but I think the one thing in life that is "relative" is music. Let the listener take it the way they perseve it.

Why cant you be individual? Its what you were made to be.

"Sittin on a plane, sittin on a plane, feeling like crap while sitting on plane"

(I wrote this on a flight back to Texas, leaving North Carolina)

On a plane to Texas. Memory's, reflections, emotions all running through my mind. This weekend was fun. I was able to surprise my friends in NC. My biggest thing right now is the goodbye. I woke up knowing what I was gonna have to do. Say goodbye. The word carries a bitter taste in my mouth. You know the song "Enough to let me go?" by Switchfoot? Well that song sums up my life experiences. My motto should be "Do you love me enough to say goodbye?". That's better. To alot of people I come off as a total jerk. I'm really not. I just don't want another friend. Because at some point I will have to say it, "goodbye".

Why is it that my life is like this? Whats God's plan? The big surprise. I cant wait for the day where my goodbyes turn into hello. I guess the absence of someone accentuates the need for them. If so, I really need you. I only have a few good friends. They really are out of my league. In my book, the girls in my "sacred quad" of friends set a perfect example of the kind of girls guys need to look for. And the guys in my "quad" are great examples of good christian guys. I think what separates them is there self control. There are alot of guys that will take advantage of a girl. But they wont. As a guy, I give them amazing respect. Only if everyone could have my friends. What a world it would be.

When I was hanging out with all of them I remembered the name to a Switchfoot song "This is home". They really are home.

Ironically just the other day I was thinking. My life is fandangtastic. Even though I don't live near my friends. I still have them, what a great life.