Reflections from Louisiana

Well, it's Christmas break and there ain't been much of anything to do around here. Last Wednesday afternoon, Dad woke me up (about 12:30p.m.) and said something along the lines of "If you want to go to Louisiana, get ready." Seeing as how there was nothing that sounded the least bit interesting at home, I said alright. My sister decided to come too. I guess she used the same logic... We took Dad's red Peterbuilt with the sleeper on it and were on our way to pick up a new trailer from my great aunt and uncle's house in Goodwill, Louisiana. We arrived at Uncle Butch's and Aunt Kathleen's house pretty late. I called couch over sharing a bed with Heather. I read the last few chapters from Hebrews as well as Psalm 118 before going to sleep. After a restful night, I woke up to discover that my hopes of wandering around on my aunt's and uncle's abundance of land had to be put aside when I discovered that it was raining out and I only had one pair of shoes. We eventually left as the beautiful sun began to shine. Either way, that didn't make all the pools of water as far as the eye could see dry up. That part of Louisiana is a lot flatter than I ever realized. I'm going to continue with a different format and mention a few of the things I thought about while on my trip.

While exploring in their back yard, I found a sign nailed to the fence. It said "Trust your neighbors but brand your calves." I had to think about it for a few minutes to get the meaning of it. They have always been farmers, and I have had no experience in that area. There is no question that we aught to love our neighbors as Christ loves us. I tend to love people and then put too much confidence in them. I'm still learning the concept of being prudent. By watching the actions of one of my neighbors, I was able to understand why they had that message on the sign. I trusted my neighbor, I had no reason not to... A few years ago, a friend of mine sent a Christmas card with a ten dollar gift card in it. While my neighbor was inside my house visiting, they tore into my Christmas card, took the gift card, and threw the card and tattered envelope onto my brother's bed who had been out of town with me before it happened. There wasn't really a way that we could have "branded" my mail. You'd think federal laws would be enough. I guess I learned that I should trust my neighbor only so far and keep any type of temptation out of their sight even if that translated to my parents no longer allowing that person into my house. Although the person was a thief, I still have no excuse not to love them. It also reminds me of all my crimes against God (sins) that I've committed. It sure makes me glad that He still lets me come into His house. That sign also makes me think of the fact that we shouldn't clutch anything too tightly and that when it comes down to it, it is the Lord allowing things to happen. He's working all of it together for good. I'd like to take this opportunity to quote Job 1:21. It says, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Anyways, what all of this has to do with branding your calves, I'm not quite sure. I'm just narrating the long journey that my mind went on after reading that sign. Here's the disclaimer: In no way am I trying to make an allegory of everything that ever existed on this earth. I'm not saying that these comparisons are all correct and that they line up perfectly with each other. I'm just mentioning some of the things I thought about after seeing these different things. Please, take my words with at least a tea spoon of salt instead of just a grain. All I'm saying is that this is what I thought of. Not necessarily the only interpretation of these things.

While at their house, my Aunt showed my sister and I their pond full of catfish. She threw some food on the surface of the water by the shore for the fish to eat. They swam up and I was reminded of why they are called catfish. They had such funny looking whiskers... The wind began to push the food to the other side of the shore into the weeds. We walked over and looked into the shallow water where the feeding frenzy was taking place. While all of this was going on, my aunt boasted of the freezer full of fish they had. While gazing through the shallow water and looking at all the fish, I couldn't help but wonder why they didn't just grab a net and catch them there instead of fishing for them. It would have been so simple. They got hooked on the free food while it was in the middle of the pond appearing to be far from the danger area. Then the food drifted closer and closer to the shallows where they could easily be ensnared and have their life taken from them. Once again, I was reminded of pecado (sin). In a way, it's kind of like the free food that those fish so often receive. It begins in the middle of the pond where it feels like you're in safe waters. The more you continue to give into that temptation, the more dependent you become to it and the deeper and deeper you continue to fall in to it. The line with the bait on it keeps moving and then the hook finally snags you for good, well until God pulls you out of it. Those fish were going after the lust and desire of their flesh. They didn't realize that they could be caught at any second my aunt and uncle desired while enjoying that food. It reminds me of the importance of not getting hooked on sinning to begin with. As you do, it pulls you closer and closer to death. The only thing that can change the inherent feeling of needing to sin is Christ giving you a new desire and making you a new person with a new way of life. A life that leads to eternal life with Him. A life far away from that net of sin that can so easily entangle. Each time we enjoy that food that seems to be free, we need to think about where that leads in the end. We need to be like Moses in choosing not to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. Once again, all that leads to is death. Not just death, but an eternal death.

The drive back was very eventful... yea right. I gazed out at the endless rows of crops for miles. The time spent doing so allowed me to notice something that could very easily have been missed had I just glanced out the window and stared at the nice yellow stripe the whole way home. As we were speeding by, the rows of plants seemed to take on a life of their own. It was still ultimately the same view the entire way. \\\ I /// The entire trip, there was only one straight row at a time. I guess to begin with, the purpose of each of those rows was to grow tall so the "fruit" or vegetables or whatever it was would be useful in the end by being used for whatever purposes it was grown for as well as producing seeds to make more plants. Each one of the rows of plants that I saw had quite a few things in common as well as some differences. They all depended on God for rain and water to drink and grow. Some of the crops had fertilizer spread before they were planted. Some didn't. They all had the capacity to grow, although some started out in easier circumstances than others. I kind of relate the various farmers to the diverse types of parents that we have. Some parents are Christians, others are not. Some know how to till the ground and help the plant to grow by putting all the minerals and stuff into the soil that can go. Some don't. I also noticed that the rows all ended at the roadside although I couldn't see where all of them began. Some rows were different lengths. I'm going to relate that to how long different people have been Christians. Some, a lot longer than others. The point with that was, each ended in the same place although the beginning may not have been visible from my point of view. I'm thinking of the parable of the talents by saying that. Different amounts of time spent harvesting in the fields (emphasis on bringing in the harvest and spreading the gospel), yet the same wage- eternal life. I also thought of how I saw different types of crops planted in the vast collection of rows. I couldn't help but think of the different fruits/gifts of the spirit that we have each been given. Once again, back to the view always being the same as we went along. \\\ I /// I thought of how my views have changed over this last year. If anything, especially denominational views. Not in any way that I'm not Baptist anymore, but now I've learned to try to move over a couple steps so I can look down the row to see it straight on. I know that I believe what I believe for a reason and have realized that other people do as well- for the most part. Sometimes it's important to realize that just because at the time you are looking at it it's slanted \ and a little different from yours doesn't mean that you will always have that view. You're moving forward in life and the way you look at things changes. Either way, you'll always have your current view that seems to be absolutely correct and infallible, yet in a week, after some experience, it could be different. Then you look back at that view as being a bit slanted. The point is that you continue to move forward. I've heard it said that if you still have the same views at the age of fifty as you did at twenty, you've accomplished nothing... This year, I finally had the breakthrough that the purpose of every Christian is to glorify God and to go out and make disciples, no matter what denomination.

Contentment

I got everything i wanted for Christmas, as i probably stated before. Among all the fancy new toys was a Verizon Chocolate V Cast phone. It's beautiful with a nice maroon finish. The top part (the part that isn't the number pad) is the neatest thing since sliced bread. It's like a touch screen computer! You don't even have to press down. I am currently the owner of a vintage, two and a half year old unbreakable phone. The problem is that it ran out of memory about 6 months ago. No pictures, no receiving of texts with pictures, 2 minutes for it to store the phone number, as you can see, i clearly needed a new phone. I was so excited about my new toy that I stayed up Christmas night and spent a couple hours transferring my contact list and learning about all the new features. How excited I was to have a phone nice enough to get new songs on it from that fancy feature I have only heard people speak of- blue tooth. Well, just to say once again, as far as i can tell, it's the perfect phone for me. How useful it will be in bringing me into the 2008th year. Well, that's what I thought at the time. The long awaited night after Christmas arrived. My sister called to activate my new phone. Everything was going as planned, I would finally have a phone that hadn't quite had time to become obsolete. She asked for my phone package and started reading the numbers off of the package. It was all going fine... until there was an F at the end of the bar code instead of a number. How could it be? My brand new phone having to go back to the store after all the time spent putting numbers into it and personalizing all the settings. I guess I learned something out of this whole ordeal. Maybe something along the lines of don't count your chickens before they hatch. Perhaps that I should be content with what I have. Every new phone becomes out dated in less than a month, every new computer probably just as quickly. Even houses built to stand fall in. It's strange to think that each house falling apart in a field somewhere used to be some body's dream house. I was reminded of the importance of building on something that will stand. The things of this earth fade away although not quite as quickly as technology becomes outdated. I spent a lot of time typing that stuff in to find out that that time had become worthless and irreplaceable overnight. I could have spent it building on the solid foundation. Christ lasts. So do his words. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The things of this earth shall pass away. I guess I need to remember that the next time I feel like wasting a bunch of time, or even a little. Live each moment for God as though it could be your last here on earth. How different this world would be if we actually lived by that.

Alpha

Of all the days to get on myspace. I was excited to see that someone had started a blog apart from myspace and facebook. I knew it was possible, but didn't know the first step to doing so. I now have my very own account for the first time ever. It's kind of exciting. I guess the next question is will anyone actually read this?

'Tis the day after Christmas and all through the house, every critter is stirring including my sister's pet mouse. The stockings are still hung on the bedroom doors with a hook but mine is on the floor, beside my new book... Twas a good Christmas, but not the best. Something was different this year that made it seem less. I got everything i asked for, including some Tolkien books, an ipod shuffle, and a new chocolate phone (it was way over due, my last phone had lasted over two years and is now out of memory with a battery that lasts a mere 4 hours). I got scratch offs as well as cash, some checks and gift cards too. Before Christmas, i decided that all the money i got would go towards a mission trip to Japan- then i looked at my bank account and the grand total then descended to only one half. I now have $130 in gift cards that need to be used. How fun it will be to have a shopping spree at Wal-Mart. Or maybe, i can afford to buy some gas for my truck now! Yippee! Christmas day was spent in Tyler with my uncles and aunts. I played You Think You're Smarter Than a Fifth Grader and won a million dollars. I can't say I'm surprised, considering that I'm in college. My family did the usual thing after we left my uncle's house. We went and had Chinese food. If you've seen A Christmas Story, you'd know why. It's become a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My family likes the Chinese food but despises the fact that I put the TV on TNT, hide the remote, and watch the movie over and over and over and over, well, you get the point. It's gotta be the best movie ever made. After Chinese food, we came home and finished opening presents. I was so tired I thought I'd be in bed by 9:00, but then i discovered my new cell phone and played with it til after 11:00. I read the real Christmas story from Luke and then went to sleep thanking God that America's commercial Christmas was over. I was kind of tired of hearing things along the lines of, "Fine, if you're going to say that I'm taking your Christmas present back."

Last semester was quite busy, i needed to rest. I think I forgot how, but then i rediscovered sleeping til noon. Things have been better since. I've had plenty of free time on my hands and have read a few books. I got the Golden Compass series for Christmas and think I'll read it to find out what all the controversy is about. It should be finished in a couple days, so let me know if you have any suggestions of other things to read during the holidays.

Also, last weekend i took a trip to Louisiana, learned all kinds of cool stuff. I think i shall save those things for my next blog. For now adieu.