Road Less Traveled

Something i find extremely amusing is the way food is arranged in my dining hall, especially the dessert table. The dessert table is ironically situated next to his polar opposities the fruit basket and the flavored water dispensers. Here we see a true clash of the titans kind of showdown which pits man against his conscience, well being, and health. After the meal is over the real fun starts, and it's time to make a descision. This is no easy descision because based on which course is chosen drastic diffrences will ensue. I must add that it's really not a fair fight, the dining crew does a tremndous job of providing a vast array of delicous delectables hearty enough for even the most diehard sweet tooth. On the contrary, the David to the dessert's Goliath, lie crowded on top of one another, virtually safe from the onslaught of passer byes. One provides immediate satisfaction, the other lasting benefits. One gets you hooked right away, the other takes time getting used to. One is very popular, the other is only followed by a few. Yet the opportunities exist for individuals to sway on both camps. Doesn't this sound a lot like choosing to live a life for God or not? We love immediate gratification, like those provided by sweets and sin, but are never truly satisfied. Bad choices seemingly always outweigh the good. Living for God is not all that popular or easy but the greater gain down the road is worth it. Sin always starts small just like 1 cookie becomes 2,3,5,6. When we choose God, we tap into the ultimate living water and the fruits of the spirit. Our peers play a big role in developing either lifestyle, or changing from one to another. The dessert tables of life will always exist, but so will God's fulfilling basket of fruit. We either get hooked to sin or hooked to God, developing habits along the way. So give the road less traveled a try, your waistline and soul will thank you.

Hey Baldy!

Respect your elders. On the surface it seems like a simple, innocuous task but in reality it's quite difficult to put in practice. For starters it involves getting over the stereotype that the elderly are intellectually deficient, out of touch with reality, and socially inadequate. It takes a leap of faith into the realm of the unknown and uncomfortable, it could be uncomfortable. With age comes life experience which leads to the accumulation of invaluable wisdom. Elderly who are Godly are even more of a treasure ans should be revered. This is clearly evident in a bizarre passage I came across today in 2 Kings 2:23-25. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20kings%202&version=NIV
We clearly see what happens when we disrespect elderly Godly men. Now in this day and age something as extreme as that wouldnt take place, but it's the principle here that matters. Rejecting the Word of God brings serious consequences to our lives. It may not be an attack by bears ,instead a slow degeneration away from God which will eventually lead to spiritual death. Elisha was a prophet sent by God, to set the people of Bethel (Center of Idolatry) straight. These lads decided to mock God's messenger and were wiped out. We must take advantage of the people God places in our lives, regardless of their age. In my life I've been extremely blessed and encouraged by elderly men of God. So save the insults, some of these geezers are actually great. Just give them a chance, or watch out for wildlife!

Soul Searching

How do you determine the goodness of a person? Do you even evaluate the character of the people you most often pal around with or are you happy as long as there is no tension? Is goodness based on appearance or reputation? I believe the term good is so loosely thrown around this day and age; we merely believe what our eyes tell us. Too often we allow pre conceived notions and presuppositions gauge our view of a person. I think you need to strip a person down to their core values, their inmost being to see what they really stand for. Traumatic events sometimes peel back the façade and expose true character. That moment of chilling, brutal honesty is evident in a favorite short story of mine “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, by Flannery O’Connor. This story really rattled my cage, forcing me to take a look at my own values. I encourage you to read this story it’s linked below; what in the story was most significant to you? Feedback is greatly appreciated and encouraged!
http://books.google.com/books?id=a19bBAt1gx8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=good+man+is+hard+to+find&cd=2#v=onepage&q=&f=false

An Exquisite Exposition

Blogging is something I really never gave much thought to, an endeavor I never thought I would ever undertake, but that all changed when I was given an assignment in my Writing for Publication course to make my very own blog. My professor is giving us the liberty to write at least 2x a week on anything we like and I’ve decided to utilize this opportunity to share my insights, views on life and various forms of pop culture. I aim to highlight the joys and passions of being a fan of Philadelphia sports teams. Discuss wonderful treasures of movies starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Christian Bale and others. Venture into the world of classic and contemporary literature. Expose the highs and lows of my internship at a middle school this semester. My love for the outdoors, and my weird, eclectic, random music taste
Notably, the title of my blog is derived from a favorite verse of mine Joshua 1:9 in which God instructs Joshua, the newly elected leader of the Israelites to “Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”! That verse has been so powerful in my life, whenever I have fears or doubts; I know that God is with me through it all. We live in a fallen world filled with suffering and pain, but there’s comfort in knowing were not alone in this fight. I feel this world needs leaders who stick to their morals and make a true stand for what they believe in. Young people need good role models to emulate and follow after, and that’s who I want to be. I want this blog to be interactive, dynamic and most of all a fun place to talk about interesting topics. So here goes nothing, no turning back, this marks my epic saga into the perilous world that is cyberspace on the planet Blog.