I guess it doesn't, really. Or, if it does, I am certainly not "thoughtless" at the time. Actually, if you really want to get technical, those thoughts are 'speech' in my head, and often they translate into verbal speech. As in, I talk to myself. Ok... so, I prove that even when I'm speechless, I talk a lot. Greaaaaaat.
Anyhow.
Last night was pretty much amazing. "Wild Bill" Johnson is at our church... (and of course, Hannah might be the only one who reads this, in which case, you already know. Also, that little piece of info kind of makes me want to just say things that are pertinate to you, Hannah. Such as...) I think David had a good time. :) He was a bit nervous about getting prophetic words for people, but he sure did! Holy cow. It was so great. Awesome timing on God's part. It was funny too; at one point he was like "Woah, my dad's name is Fred, and he's a pastor, too!"
So that was fun. And... yeah. Love you!
P.S. That had to be my most random blog post ever. So, just to add to the randomness...
19 November, 2008
14 November, 2008
NaNoWriMo.
I don't know whether or not you have heard of "NaNoWriMo", although I am willing to bet at least one of you has. NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November every year. Basically, the point of this event is to try to write a 50,000 word novel, in the course of one month. It doesn't have to be perfect; in fact, the website "headquarters" states that it is about "quantity, not quality". The point is just to whip out 50,000 words in some sort of novel-esque form by the 30th of November.
And of course, I have undertaken the task (along with thousands of other folks around the world.) I'm a bit behind at the moment, with only 16,000 words instead of 20,000. However, I can see myself finishing in time. With this vision, I am moving forward.
I feel kind of silly doing this, but I think I may post a bit of the novel here. Laugh if you will, just don't tell me that you did so. =)
I love you all.
The King looked at the boys, his own eyes now filling with tears. “Oswald, you have done well. You have represented my character and held yourself to firm discipline. Please, bow, that I may honor you officially, and before this witness.” He gestured to Ander and then continued. “I have little to offer you that you do not already possess. There is one thing that I have, however, that you do not. It is the only thing I own that is of any value to anyone in this kingdom. It is… my name. Wear it proudly, my son.” He lightly tapped the boy with his sword on either shoulder, and then rested the weapon lightly on his head.
“Benjamin, stand up into your new identity.”
The boy stood, unbelieving and seemingly unsure of his feet. “Sire… your Highness. I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Majesty!” He bowed and kissed the hem of the King’s robe, while Ander looked on and smiled. “And what can I do for you, my Liege? Surely there is some way that I can repay you for such a kindness. I will give anything, do anything, to be worthy of this name.”
The king just shook his head. “You needn’t do anything, child. You have already done it, by obeying me, by staying close to my throne when your heart seeks to roam far and wide. I want to bless you, and I am glad to see that you have been blessed. Go, and represent me further, in your studies, in the hunt, and eventually, on the quest. I look forward to seeing what you do in my name.” He turned to Ander, and continued to speak. “My son, my heir, you know that I have always loved you more than anything that exists in this world. This is still true. My heart has expanded to include Benjamin, and yet, you are truly mine, completely and fully. You are a part of me, as I am the same to you. Never doubt my love for you. It grows increasingly, day by day. Always remember that. You are me when I’m not present.” The king sat back in his throne, satisfied. He looked at both boys, and breathed a sigh of contentment. “My sons, you are free to go. Prepare. Do what you must to get ready for the big day. I have much to do, and I don’t know whether I will see you before that day. I have no doubt that you will do well. You may leave; you are dismissed.”
As the boys left the room and went back to their studies, they were both quite overwhelmed with the emotion of what had just happened. Ander was silent, considering his father’s words. Benjamin was in shock, shaking and crying tears of joy and wonder. Why would any king want him as a son? Yet, the King had called him "son”, and had even given him a new name. He was undoubtedly a son of the King now.
And of course, I have undertaken the task (along with thousands of other folks around the world.) I'm a bit behind at the moment, with only 16,000 words instead of 20,000. However, I can see myself finishing in time. With this vision, I am moving forward.
I feel kind of silly doing this, but I think I may post a bit of the novel here. Laugh if you will, just don't tell me that you did so. =)
I love you all.
The King looked at the boys, his own eyes now filling with tears. “Oswald, you have done well. You have represented my character and held yourself to firm discipline. Please, bow, that I may honor you officially, and before this witness.” He gestured to Ander and then continued. “I have little to offer you that you do not already possess. There is one thing that I have, however, that you do not. It is the only thing I own that is of any value to anyone in this kingdom. It is… my name. Wear it proudly, my son.” He lightly tapped the boy with his sword on either shoulder, and then rested the weapon lightly on his head.
“Benjamin, stand up into your new identity.”
The boy stood, unbelieving and seemingly unsure of his feet. “Sire… your Highness. I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Majesty!” He bowed and kissed the hem of the King’s robe, while Ander looked on and smiled. “And what can I do for you, my Liege? Surely there is some way that I can repay you for such a kindness. I will give anything, do anything, to be worthy of this name.”
The king just shook his head. “You needn’t do anything, child. You have already done it, by obeying me, by staying close to my throne when your heart seeks to roam far and wide. I want to bless you, and I am glad to see that you have been blessed. Go, and represent me further, in your studies, in the hunt, and eventually, on the quest. I look forward to seeing what you do in my name.” He turned to Ander, and continued to speak. “My son, my heir, you know that I have always loved you more than anything that exists in this world. This is still true. My heart has expanded to include Benjamin, and yet, you are truly mine, completely and fully. You are a part of me, as I am the same to you. Never doubt my love for you. It grows increasingly, day by day. Always remember that. You are me when I’m not present.” The king sat back in his throne, satisfied. He looked at both boys, and breathed a sigh of contentment. “My sons, you are free to go. Prepare. Do what you must to get ready for the big day. I have much to do, and I don’t know whether I will see you before that day. I have no doubt that you will do well. You may leave; you are dismissed.”
As the boys left the room and went back to their studies, they were both quite overwhelmed with the emotion of what had just happened. Ander was silent, considering his father’s words. Benjamin was in shock, shaking and crying tears of joy and wonder. Why would any king want him as a son? Yet, the King had called him "son”, and had even given him a new name. He was undoubtedly a son of the King now.
13 November, 2008
The Supernova... this is it.
As you can probably tell, I've been looking at pictures of space lately. Aren't they amazing? I can't believe that such things could even exist. The cool thing about these space formations is that God created them out in the middle of nowhere, for no one but Him and the angels to look at until we finally found them. I'll bet that there's a lot more in this universe that we haven't seen yet. He's still creating, widening the edges of the universe, birthing more stars and planets... filling up the heavens with creations to bring Him glory. For what other purpose could they have?
On a more solemn note,
I have something I want to tell you about myself. I doubt that many will read this, but those of you who do are learning something about me that no one else knows.
Several years ago, before I was ever interested in "space" or anything seen through a telescope, I wrote a song. I had just heard of a Supernova - an exploding star - for the first time. It sounded familiar to me; a supernova blows up from the core outward into a billion little pieces. I felt like that was an explanation of my life right about then. I was about 14 years old, and I felt like my life had just exploded. Everything was going wrong. I wrote a second song, later on, that reiterated my feelings on my life "as a supernova" I kind of felt like everything was wrong.
But God can make the best thing out of the very worst thing. He brought me through that trouble, and I didn't think again about the supernova for a long time. One day, though, I stumbled across a link to a picture titled, "The Supernova: A Glorious Death." I was wondering what that meant...
This star is exploding, as you can see. Its beginning to supernova. Watch what happens as it "dies"...
This star (above) is a supernova, dying.
And this star is a "dead" star. Notice it is the most colorful of the three. However, I think the star really looks the coolest in the middle picture. Its in the process of dying...
An even cooler part of all of this is that the star doesn't just die, but creates new life as well.
This is the radioactive remnant of a supernova, which comes together to create more stars!! To me, this is unbelievable. 
(This is a picture of new stars being "born".)
To me, this says two things. The first is that I wasn't so very wrong when I compared my life to a Supernova. My life did feel like it was exploding into a billion little pieces. But it was a glorious death, and birthed new things. The secong thing that I have learned is that God can take any circumstance and make it beautiful. It certainly is amazing what He does with the stars. And of course, if he can do this much for the lights in the sky, how much more does He care for us?
On a more solemn note,
I have something I want to tell you about myself. I doubt that many will read this, but those of you who do are learning something about me that no one else knows.
Several years ago, before I was ever interested in "space" or anything seen through a telescope, I wrote a song. I had just heard of a Supernova - an exploding star - for the first time. It sounded familiar to me; a supernova blows up from the core outward into a billion little pieces. I felt like that was an explanation of my life right about then. I was about 14 years old, and I felt like my life had just exploded. Everything was going wrong. I wrote a second song, later on, that reiterated my feelings on my life "as a supernova" I kind of felt like everything was wrong.
But God can make the best thing out of the very worst thing. He brought me through that trouble, and I didn't think again about the supernova for a long time. One day, though, I stumbled across a link to a picture titled, "The Supernova: A Glorious Death." I was wondering what that meant...
This star is exploding, as you can see. Its beginning to supernova. Watch what happens as it "dies"...
This star (above) is a supernova, dying.
And this star is a "dead" star. Notice it is the most colorful of the three. However, I think the star really looks the coolest in the middle picture. Its in the process of dying...
An even cooler part of all of this is that the star doesn't just die, but creates new life as well.
This is the radioactive remnant of a supernova, which comes together to create more stars!! To me, this is unbelievable. 
(This is a picture of new stars being "born".)To me, this says two things. The first is that I wasn't so very wrong when I compared my life to a Supernova. My life did feel like it was exploding into a billion little pieces. But it was a glorious death, and birthed new things. The secong thing that I have learned is that God can take any circumstance and make it beautiful. It certainly is amazing what He does with the stars. And of course, if he can do this much for the lights in the sky, how much more does He care for us?
11 November, 2008
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Gen. 1:1)
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world." (Ps.19:1-4)
"I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command." (Is. 45:12)
"You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars." (Ne. 9:6)
"God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars." (Job 25:5)
"The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born." (Ps. 33:6)
"The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory." (Ps. 97:6)
"You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens..." (Ps. 104:2)
"His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise." (Hab. 3:3)
"The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything." (Ps. 103:19)
"...even the highest heavens cannot contain you." (1 Kings 8:27)
"O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" (Jer. 32:17)
"God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God, so majestically enthroned, surveying his magnificent heavens and earth?" (Ps. 113:4-6)
"When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?" (Ps. 8:3-4)
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world." (Ps.19:1-4)
"I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command." (Is. 45:12)
"You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars." (Ne. 9:6)
"God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars." (Job 25:5)
"The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born." (Ps. 33:6)
"The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory." (Ps. 97:6)
"You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens..." (Ps. 104:2)
"His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise." (Hab. 3:3)
"The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything." (Ps. 103:19)
"...even the highest heavens cannot contain you." (1 Kings 8:27)
"O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" (Jer. 32:17)
"God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God, so majestically enthroned, surveying his magnificent heavens and earth?" (Ps. 113:4-6)
"When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?" (Ps. 8:3-4)
06 November, 2008
Grand Rapids Choir Festival
Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a long, loooong time. It was a "grand" trip to Grand Rapids, about an hour away from here, to participate in a choir festival with the concert choir at my college. Besides the singing, of which there was quite a bit, we also were able to spend some time just hanging out around the city. I took some pictures:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)