No Place Like Home

After this last Christmas, I have realized that I am so blessed to have 2 "homes." Chicago will always hold a piece of my heart, where most of Errik and I's family live. Then, I have discovered that Columbia, slowly but surely, is becoming home. And not because it's a place where they get 3 snow days for about 5 inches of snow and some ice or having the hustle and bustle of city life (ha) or being home to the South Carolina Gamecocks but Columbia is home to so many great friends and a church we just love even in its slight brokeness. Although Errik and I may be here for a season, Columbia is the first place Errik and I made home. So I apologize to those I have confused when chatting about home, because right now I am not exactly sure which one is home. And I am okay with that.

I was so blessed to be home (chicago) for 2 whole weeks! I miss my amazing family and our crazy hilarious nieces with a nephew on the way to spice things up. Errik and I wish we could be there for their birthdays, to catch their funny sayings, to babysit and spoil the heck out of them but I know the Lord continues to call us elsewhere for now.

Finally this past Christmas, I was DETERMINED to go back to my home church. The one that taught me what church was, who Christ is, what it means to follow Him, and encouraged me to grow in my faith. God had placed some pretty amazing people along my path there. It was SO refreshing to be back after 3 years. To see all what God has accomplished and continues to accomplish. I felt like a stranger but at home all in the same moment. I remember roller blading on cement floor that are now filled with the nursery, only 500 people attended at my first service where currently thousands of people attend on 3 different campuses not including the roughly 25 church plants worldwide, the crazy lock ins, the camping trips in Canada and Vermont.I even ran into my small group leader from 6th grade who I had prayed with to accept Christ. The list goes on. Lord, thank you for reminding me of a child-like faith and for placing so many people in my life to encourage me to grow in you, no matter where we live.

2011 can be the best year of your life

I'm back home from IL and I loved spending time with family and probably most of all my new nieces (one nephew on the way). While home we had the chance to go to church and Pastor James talked about 2 Tim 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. It was great for me because I often struggle with certain types of fear. Usually the fear of what will happen if I really let God take the reins. Non the less God has given us power (over that which we can not control), love (to over come pain, hurt and disappointment), and self control (power over the self). Pretty cool to think about.

Anyway it was great to hear a challenging and convicting message. So when I think about what I want to be great this year it really boils down to a few key things. I want to be a man after God's own heart, I want to be a devoted husband, I want to be a disciple with my guys, I want to work each day as if for God and finally to be more healthy (thats a major self control one there). So it is January 4th and there are still 361 days to get these things done...

It's December?!

I love nursing school. No actually I don't. I love the people I have met in class and love the thought of becoming a nurse. School stinks. Haha, and thats maybe the first time I have really ever said that because I truly love learning new things. Yeah, I think I just admitted to being a nerd. Oh well.

Today, I am one week away from temporary freedom and going home to Chicago (Chicago will just always be home). Thanksgiving break provided just enough re-energizing to hopefully get me through to the rest of finals. It was great to cook a Thanksgiving meal (thats almost 3 times now, thank you!). And I may still have a lot to learn in the cooking realm but it was fun anyways. We were able to hang out with family, which was one of the greatest blessings. It was quint and quiet...which I am definitely not used to. Holidays are always a hustle and bustle in our family. I was blessed to grow up with such a big loving family. And Errik and I were close to spending this Thanksgiving alone, which may sound super romantic but growing up with BIG holiday gatherings...it just wouldn't quite feel the same. It was wonderful and the Lord knew just what we needed.

Now, its December and my countdown until the end of finals and going home begins. But that's what I am afraid of right now. Countdowns. With going back to nursing school, my life is a schedule of deadlines and where I have to be and when. However, my hope this Christmas season is that I find time to stop and enjoy just being with friends and family that I cherish so much and to remember what Christmas is TRULY all about. Christ. I hope that as my calendar continues to fill up this month, that I will have time to just sit. Patiently. And enjoy where I am in life, right now... and not let life become all about deadlines and countdowns or maybe what's to come next in life.

Richly Blessed...

The past month has been super busy for Errik and I. I just don't know how that happens. I think we are both getting used to the fact that Errik doesn't have to work weekends anymore so we have been taking advantage of that! We love getting out of Columbia and exploring all thats out there. Here's what we've been up to!

Oct 2: We took the day and drove up to Hendersonville, NC. It's a quint small mountain town near Asheville, not too far from here. We had the privelage of hanging out with the newly engaged Brittany Jones and Zach Brady. They are way too fun. They showed us around town...the cute little local shops. Lots of antique stores much to Errik's dismay but I loved it and I think he is beginning to also. The leaves were just beginning to change and we were SO happy to be wearing very light jackets (it was still 90 in Columbia!). I just absolutely love driving through the mountains. It's always breathtaking and I just can't seem to look around and not think there is a God. A God who so masterfully handcrafted something so beautiful for us to take part in. As we drove through, "Oh, how He loves us" by David Crowder was playing. That's just perfectly sums it up for me. After hanging out in hendersonville, we took a short drive to an apple orchard that sits on top of a mountain. Simply breathtaking.

Oct 9: Are you ready for some foooooootball!! College Gameday arrived to town! Let me remind you of what happened THAT weekend. The #1 ranked team in college football rolllllled into town (Alabama). My Gamecocks (yes mine) pulled out a sweet sweet victory. It was one of the best sporting events I have been to, apart from Illinois coming back from a 20 point deficit in the NCAA bball tourney a few years back. I had a great time. It was a balmy 87 degree afternoon. Unfortunately, I couldnt get Errik a ticket (they were going for hundreds of dollars, I mean these people take their football seriously!). I went with some of my friends that I have met through Nursing school. They are such a blessing and crazy fun. They will most likely help me survive school.

Oct 16: The SC state fair is in town for a week or so. Always good people watching...ha and Errik and I went to the Josh Kelley, Eric Church and Miranda Lambert concert. It was a perfect evening. We enjoyed the music, the food and of course people watching. Saturday was drove back up to the mountains. I was told that this was going to be PRIME fall colors weekend in the mountains. So, Errik and I decided to go hiking in the mountains near Asheville, NC for the day. Our first plan was to drive up to Mt. Mitchell, the highest point East of the Mississippi River. However, as we were driving up there, I decided to check the weather report again and it was a meer 19 degrees with windchill. EEEK. We wanted to hike but we were certainly not ready for that in our light pants and jacket. A cold front had come through there just 2 days earlier and there were black bear warnings all over the place. I'll pass. Mount Pisgah provided perfect scenery for us to enjoy. The day was absolutely perfect. Sunny and near 70 with a light breeze. The trees were almost at peak colors. We enjoyed a short 1.5 hour hike to the top, enjoyed the view, scampered back down and drove the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway into Asheville. We enjoyed downtown Asheville, very artsy and ecletic.

Oct 23: We had the PLEASURE of driving down to good ol' Macon, GA! Great friends of ours (the Browns) just moved down there a few months ago and we had the opportunity to go and visit. We had an amazing time. Just hanging out, playing with their kids, getting wooped by the boys in cards (whatever) and just being outside. We went with them and their cute kiddos on saturday to a "working farm" (do they know were from the midwest). Rock Ranch. It was pretty awesome...cane fishing (?), pumpkins shooting a million yards out of a cannon, bob and larry (veggie tales!), tiny town, paddle boats, giant jumping pillow thing, absolutely perfect weather....the list goes on. The point: We had a blast! We absolutely love spending time with them and their kids. Our time is generally filled with constant laughter, there is nothing better. We miss them but are so blessed by their love and faith in Christ and the awesome examples they set for us as well as their kids. And thank you bella for falling asleep in my arms. :)

This weekend: Harvest Party at church, a great opportunity to hang out with the high schoolers and be able to bless our community with a little fun and games. And Errik and I are going to the Carolina/Tennessee game on Saturday! Whew. What a month!

Hypocrisy

So last night I had the privilege of going to a on-campus ministry meeting at USC. It brought back old college memories. I was talking with some of the girls that invited me to come about this funny place in life Errik and I are at. We are in this funny place of being married, not having kids and too care free to sit and worry about adult responsibilities. What I mean by that is we don't feel grown up even though everything around us would point to that. But I'll talk more about that later. What was so awesome about last night was that I heard one of the best sermons I have heard in awhile. However, it was a tough topic but something people deal with at all stages of life. I hope to share some of it with you the best I can.

He spoke on Acts 4:32-5:11. In short, its a passage that talks about Barnabas (Joseph) and Ananias. Barnabas sold a field and brought all the money and laid it at the apostles' feet to help his church. BUT Ananias sold a piece of property, kept some of the proceeds and brought only part of it to the apostles. Peter asked him why he lied in his heart to the Holy Spirit and keep some of it back for himself. He lied to God and fell down dead. Later, Sapphira came in and lied about how much the property was worth. They tested the Spirit of the Lord. She fell down and breathed her last.

As you can see, Barnabas gave everything he had. He was all in with helping the church and the needy. Ananias, on the other hand, wanted the credit of giving everything even though he didn't. He wanted people to think he was as great as Barnabas and have his same reputation. That's the problem with Christian culture these days. People preach one thing but act completely different. The pastor brought up an article he read about how this writer took up being immersed in the Christian culture for 7 straight days. He read Christian books, listened to Christian music, went to Church, the whole bit. At the end of those 7 days, he said the Christian culture was the most inauthentic thing he has ever been a part of. It's pop culture without the cuss words and some Jesus words thrown in.

Wow. That hit me hard. Is that the image we are displaying for all the world to see? I think it's time we become honest with ourselves and find out who we really are. So much of us wants to live that Christian life but want to keep a hold of idols in our life. We want to change the outside appearance, which is much easier to do, than change whats on the inside. And how much we read the bible or know about the bible does not reflect our relationship with Jesus, not that I am saying you shouldn't read the bible. God hates hypocrisy. And guess what? God sees EVERYTHING. There isn't a single thing you can hide from him. Does that scare you? Because it shouldn't, you shouldn't have anything to hide. If you don't believe me, read about the Pharisees or read the Gospels. The Pharisees were the most religious people and God was often speaking to them. The Gospels aren't fluffy wonderful stories, they are about the bad junk that is made clean. These are the questions I had to ask myself. Am I living in a Christian bubble? Do I live two different lives? Because most likely, our hidden lives are who we actually are. Ouch.

My Generation

So there is a new show on this year called My Generation. It is the story of a bunch of people ten years out of high school. It is shot documentary style but they are fictional characters. I think it is interesting because there is so much that has happened in the last ten years in our country and there are so many directions people go after high school. I suppose I like it because I am partial to nostalgia and retrospection. I like to think about my own like and where I've been since throwing that square hat in the air some 7 years ago now. But the reason I say all that is because the choices we all make really do determine the value of our lives in this life and the next...

I decided to go into social work because it was one of the few professions I felt I could do some good in other's lives and be a christian at the same time given the talents God has given me. I could have walked down many roads and I can't help but watch a show like that and wonder if my life would count for anything had I made the wrong choices. Would I be stuck in some dead end job not using my gifts, would I spend my weekends at some bar instead of pouring into kids at church or would I be in a relationship that wasn't glorifying to God instead of married to my wife.

I suppose I say all this to say how important it is to take a look at one's life to make sure it means something more than "The American Dream" more than just getting ahead. I'm not their yet but I'm happy to say I am where I am supposed to be.

What it is to be blessed

Starting my third week of work as a social worker I am reminded of how blessed I can be without even knowing it. This weekend was filled with many of the things I love including spending time with my wife, hanging out with the 9th grade guys and watching the Packers and USC win some games. It was a great weekend, but every weekend for the next five months could look the same if I'm not careful. What I mean is that my life as a christian, as a husband, as a social worker had to be balanced.

It seems guys often get overwhelmed with the "fun" parts of life like sports but end up missing some of the more important things like building relationships. I hope I can find a balance that the lord will be pleased with. Whether that means limiting my time in front of a tv or computer or taking the effort to spend time with the 9th grade guys I'm working with, I hope I am up for the challenge. If I can find a good balance I think I will do something better than just be blessed...I might be able to bless others with the gifts God has given me.