DONE....South Africa Here I come

My first year at Appalachian State is completely over and now its time for me to find a new school to transfer to. Not really but I'd love to see where you think I should go next. Leave a comment with you school suggestion. Anyways, summer vacation is officially here. Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while but you can't expect me to do much of anything during exams. As sorry as I am about not posting anything lately, you will have to get used to it because on Monday I will be boarding a plane to South Africa and will be gone for 3 weeks. I'll try to get a post or two in before then. Actually I guarantee that I will.

But while I'm on the subject, I might as well share a little bit about South Africa. I am going with a group from CCF to Capetown. We will be working with two full time missionaries in a slum area. Most of our work will be with the children of the area, with a special concentration on the teenagers. We will have the opportunity to hang out with these kids, play some games, do some crafts, show some love, and we will get to tell them about Jesus and His love for them. We will also spend some time with the elderly of the community and we will be visiting an orphanage.

This area that we will be in is desperately in need of love and hope. These people are surround by despair. In these communities, poverty, alcoholism, sexual abuse, and violence are the norm. There is also a serious AIDS problem in South Africa. Erin went a year and a half ago and her stories about a couple of the kids are heart breaking. There was a three or four year old girl who had already been raped TWICE in her lifetime. You can understand why she wouldn't go near the two guys that were on the team when Erin went. There is also a teenage boy who is pretty much taking care of his younger siblings on his own and he witnessed his aunt being burnt to death.

Though we are going into a depressing situation, I am excited. I am excited because I believe there is always hope. I am excited because I get to show love to some kids who really, really need it. I am excited to see what God is doing there because the last time CCF was there, the two full time missionaries were just starting to see fruit from their ministry.

So over the next three weeks the team and I could really use your prayers. Even though I am excited to go, I know I'll be excited to get back home after three weeks. Stay tuned for reflections on the trip and there will definitely be pictures making there way to the blog. Thanks for the support.

Cats and Dogs

*Analogies are not perfect. They break down at some point. So just follow me for a minute and don't be too critical.
Are you a dog person or a cat person? No, I'm not talking about pet preference. Which animal are you most like? I believe all of us should be dogs, well at least when it comes to our relationship with God. Sorry cat people. I'm not saying this simply because I'm a dog person. I am saying this because most dogs have the right relationship with their master.

Dogs always want to play. They always want to be around their owner. For example, Erin's dog Coconut always wants to be with the family. Whenever they leave the room he whines. He would follow them but he is afraid of the hardwood floors so he never leaves the couch. Anyways, he is always looking for something to do with his owners. He always wants to be around them, no matter what. Whether it is cuddling on the couch, being rubbed while everyone is watching television, going for a ride in the car, or just rough housing with Doug and I when we come over. He loves being with his so called "masters." Also, dogs are more like to come when called. I've never seen a cat respond to "here boy" or "here girl." They are obedient. When it comes to our relationships with Jesus, dogs give us a good example to follow. We should desire to be around our Master. He desires to be with us. We should also have obedience like dogs.

Cats are the opposite. They only come to the owner when they feel like it. Mainly, when they need something. I have never seen a cat that constantly desires to be around its master. The cat controls things, the cat is in charge. This is the wrong relationship to have with Christ. We should always desire to be around Him. Every day. Not just Sundays, Easter, and Christmas. When we have a cat mentality we control when God comes in and out of our lives but we forget that he is every where. We can't escape our Master and go lay on top of the couch or go mouse hunting. Our Master is always there. He wants to spend time with us and wants us to desire spending time with Him. Sadly, too many churches are filled with cats. They show up on Sunday morning for some petting and then leave and do their own thing the rest of the week.

I know the concept of being like a dog is somewhat crazy. We are prideful and don't want to refer to anyone as our Master or Owner. But God is the greatest Master and Owner any "dog" could have. He's not like Michael Vick or Clark Griswald (National Lampoon's Vacation). He loves us and takes care of us. He is the kind of Master that you can't help but love and run to whenever you get the chance. The beauty of it is that we always have the chance. God, unlike most dog owners, doesn't leave for a 9 to 5 job everyday while we are stuck in a crate. He is always with us. Ready to love on us and receive our love.

I can't imagine what the church and what the world would look like if we all became like dogs to our gracious Master and Savior Jesus. I can almost see Satan screaming "Who let the dogs out?" (Cue one of the worst songs ever created.)

I feel your pain Tyler

So I was on my way to class this morning when I realized that I was missing one of my contacts. Since mine are the kind that you wear for three months at a time, I wasn't going to let it sit on the floor and dry out for a couple of hours while I was in class. I began the frantic search only to come up empty handed. I have no clue where it went. The only scenario I can come up with is that it fell out while I was still standing over the sink and then I washed it down the drain when I washed my hands. Good job Stephen. To make things worse, my other set of contacts is in Durham and I had no intentions of leaving Boone this weekend. Now, I have to go meet my mom halfway between Boone and Durham tonight. Maybe God is punishing me for all those times I made fun of Tyler Hansbrough for losing millions of contacts during the course of a game.

Lessons learned from my stupidity:

1. Don't put contacts in while you are half asleep.
2. Keep your other sets of contacts with you. Don't leave them two and half hours away.
   

Ignorance Award

There should be an award given out to people who display great amounts of ignorance. If such an award existed it would go to the bright students at UNC-Chapel Hill who protested a speech given by former republican presidential candidate and former Colorado congressman, Tom Tancredo. If you are asking who Tom Tancredo is, that's one of my points. He isn't that big of a deal so don't throw such a fit when he comes to your school.

Anyway, Tancredo has been criticized for his anti-immigration views. From what I know about his views, I do not agree with him. However, whether you agree with someone or not, they deserve the chance to express their ideas. That didn't happen. Apparently freedom of speech doesn't apply to everyone. Tancredo was invited by a student organization to talk about his opposition to granting in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants. While he was speaking, two protesters jumped up and unraveled a large banner in front of Tancredo. Later, a rock was thrown through the window and many other protesters got involved. The event was shut down and police had to use pepper spray and threaten the use of tasers to get things under control. An investigation is currently underway.

I'm sure these protesters would consider themselves tolerant people. However, with their immature display on Tuesday, they showed they are quite intolerant. I guarantee their protest and rude actions did nothing to change Tancredo's mind about immigration. Instead, they showed that they are ignorant and intolerant people who are only open to ideas from people who agree with them. That is not tolerance or open mindedness.

Congratulations kids, you have just won the first ever Ignorance Award. Do UNC a favor and don't hang it next to your diploma.

Elevation Church Video

Amazing video made by Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. This was used as their opening for their Easter services.


Elevation Church Easter Opener from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Better is One Day?

The other week at CCF, we were singing that song "Better is One Day." It goes on to say, "better is one day in Your courts than thousands else where." That phrase stuck out to me. Sometimes, I don't think about the words that I sing...I just sing. Bad habit. But I started thinking about those words.

One day, in the presence of God is better than a thousands days else where. I asked myself, "Is this true with anything else?" I came up with some good scenarios:

Is one day at Busch Gardens better than thousands at Kings Dominion?

Is one meal at Chick-Fil-A better than thousands at Burger King?

Is one day at the beach better than thousands in the mountains?

Is one day on vacation better than thousands spent at school?

Is one day with my dad better than thousands with my mom?

The answer: NO.

Although, that one day of what ever may be amazing, there are going to be more amazing times in those thousands of days.

In the presence of God. That is the only place where one day will be greater than thousands. That's how great God is and although the song is true, it does not come close to capturing all of His greatness.

He must have eaten Mexican

A statue of Vladimir Lenin was bombed today in St. Petersburg. Bombings are serious matter but when no one gets hurt and when the results look like this....

you can't help but laugh. Looks like a bad case of diarrhea.