March

So March is right around the corner already. It is hard to believe.

I was driving home from picking up my wife's purse because she left it at a friends house tonight and I realized that March is kind of a significant month for me.

There are two event in the month of March that have altered the coarse of my life forever.

5 years ago I told my wife that I interested in her. I was not going to do it, however circumstances developed that kind of led/cornered me into expressing my interest.

Those that know me, know that I cry at just about anything that involves emotions to any degree.

haha.

It kind of makes me feel ridiculous.

Anyways, I was practically sobbing as I tried to spit out to Kirstin how I felt about her. I look back and I just laugh at my self with a sort of regret in my stupidity of emotions.



March 7 years ago is when I became a Christian. By far the greatest and most life changing event of my life.

My life was in just one instant changed from my old self to a new self. Which for many was an answer to prayer.

I am thankful for those prayers.

A friend used to say, "Joe is the only person I've know who led himself salvation!" A joke of coarse, stemming from how I became a Christian. I showed up to this bible study and not one person knew who I was until the person who invited me showed up late.

Very uncomfortable by the way.

For some reason at the end of bible study during our prayer time God saw fit to change my life. It was emotional and authentic and I could say that I really was a new man.

What a great event in my life.

In the 7 years I have been a Christian I have been through a lot. There were a couple of years of unhindered growth. Those days were a real amazing time in my life. There have been many more years of struggle.

The struggles have varied and they have come in different intensities.

In my darkest hours I have experienced deep depression with a gnawing relentless hopelessness. There has been some deep moments of ruthless temptation and often I buckled under its weight.

I have been plagued with sin

Yet, there has been moments of victory. Some small and fewer big, none the less they were victories.

Through some of it I had friends that helped me along and many times I was alone left to fend for my self.

I have also had moments of deep hurt from the church, and yet also moments of deep love for her as well.

There has been moments of great doubt and belief that God cares or will have any thing to do with me. But, there has also been moments where revelation/illumination of the scriptures have given great hope.

I have seen some come to faith in Christ, I have seen others fall deeper in love with Jesus. Sadly I have also experienced and seen friends believe in a christianity that is not taught in Scripture. Burned by the church, so they say. So they let go of truth for social justice and cultural relevance

Even more devastating, some of those friends deny Christ his Kingship and Deity. They have lost all faith in Him.

One of those friends was quoted(paraphrased) above.

Reflecting back on 7 years of Christendom I see many struggles and I continue in the same battles. I am certain I will continue to know these struggles, but one thing I can say more confidently than ever before, Christ is King! There is but one God and He exist as three distinct persons with different roles, but all three are equally one God. I stand confident of this, that the work that has been started in me will be completed when Christ returns. I know that there will be many who deny Christ and they will know His wrath and judgement someday, for that I am met with sorrow. And so I urge those who can not claim Christ as their one and only Savior to take heed to Scriptures warning; Christ is Coming Back!

Please be ready for His return! If you are unsure, you better make sure. Please ask me about if you are unsure.

----March----

PINK VACUUM!

Lately it has been really cold on KY. More cold than I would have liked, however, the huge ice and snow storm we had not to long ago was wonderful! It brought me back to a winter in MI! Many lost power in the storm and I certainly don't wish that on anyone, but I was fortunate to not have lost power thus allowing me to enjoy it more.

The semester started recently and glad to be learning at a seminary where the truth is sought for and held to the highest standard. What a blessing it has been in my life. The class I am taking isn't what I thought it was going to be, or at least not to this point it isn't. However, it is still a great class to take; Biblical Hermeneutics. Just by pure science, I am learning, that we can rely on and know that many of the good modern text of scripture are accurate to what the original authors wrote.

My new job is kind of crazy, my facility is really busy. I am enjoying learning a new Computed Tomography(CT) scanner. As well as developing my skills as a CT technologist. I am gearing up to and working toward taking a test that would certify my in CT. It will be some grueling studying after I get all my competencies fulfilled. I will have to re-learn my physic and math portion plus learn new physics and math portion specific to CT scanners. As well all the other things I will need to refresh on. That stuff should be easier since I use it all the time in my day to day working environment.

I have been losing weight! which is a wonderful thing. I am trying to get my life into healthy limits again. This is my second attempt this school year to lose weight, the first time I was around 255-260. I dropped down to 245ish and then the holidays hit. I went back up to 250. Now I am down(as of this am) to 235.5. This time though I have a commitment to getting healthy that I have not had in along time. The realities of my life are hitting me harder as I get older. I don't want to be an unhealthy father or husband.

This semester I am all going to start going to biblical counseling. There are alot of issue in my life that I think come from my life growing up. My issues are negatively affecting how I view my family(the hills)/my wife/my birth family/God/friends/fellowship of Believers. Anyways, I am both super excited to start dealing with this stuff and very much nervous and afraid of what is ahead of me.

Our vacuum died a couple of weeks ago. So I took some pieces off it to discover that our belt had broke. So like a responsible husband I went on-line and ordered a new belt for it. When they came in I put the new belt on and tried it out. Just seconds after turning it on we were again smelling burnt rubber. I looked again at the belt, it too was broken. I ventured to touch the motor the belt was connected to and it was HOT. All this to say, we got a new Vacuum this past weekend. It is a DYSON! We had been research them for awhile and have been keeping out eyes peeled for a good deal on one for quite some time. Although we did not expect to buy a new one for awhile. needless to say, we did find a great deal on one at target and bought it. the bad part about it....it is pink. That is why we got a good deal on it. It is a special addition for breast cancer. Anyways, they seemed to have an over abundance of them, thus the really good sale. Needless to say, it is a great vacuum! Far greater sucktion power than our previous vacuum. I wont mention the brand we previously had, **cough, cough, bissell, cough, cough** as we were not happy with it at all as far as it's cleaning abilities.

how about that for a new blog.

Traitor

So those of you who do read my blog if you just happen to take a look because I never post anymore, this blog is for you. Haha
Although, I think all of you are pretty current as to what has been going on in my life so maybe this will just be boring to you. I do however have alot to blog about, however I do not feel like blogging about all of it. I will just get started and see how far it goes.

So last week I started seminary, which by the way was a huge blessing. I have been nervous and excited about the whole thing. I did have some new student issues to work through (i.e. getting registered for classes properly, getting my student id(which I have already lost and need to get a new one), buying my books, etc.) So far things are going ok with it, I did have a few obstacles but I am making through. I started out going to take Personal Spiritual Disciples and I even started reading for the class, but I had to make a switch at the last min. and now I am taking Systematic Theology 1. Which by the way is and awesome class. Oh and one of the people I went on summer project with her dad is my prof. Small world?! Anyways, I will admit that it is strange to go to a class where we pray before class and we open our bibles all included with information that I am interested in. It is way different than undergrad so far. I have to read alot but the thing is I want to read this information, so it does make it so bad. As far as other feelings about the class, I feel very unlearned. I feel somewhat out of place. Seminary is a culture shock to me. Alot of people who know alot about alot of things. ( i know there were alot of "alots" in that sentence). It is funny also that there tends to be name dropping. You know the type, "this professor, this", or "this professor, that". I have decided to do my best not to be a name dropper. These profs are great men to lookk up to, but they are just as human and fleshy as me. Anyways, I do like my class thus far.

I am also in the process of transitioning to a new facility with in the jewish system. I will be moving to the medical center that kirstin is working at. It is called Jewish Hospital Medical Center East. I am very excited to make the move, as it is very close to my home, kirstin and I both work there, and I will have a more opportunity to learn. I have been taking alot of flack at work about it. They have been calling me a "traitor". Oh well, all in good fun.

Ok...my wrist and fingers are starting to hurt...I think I will end this blog for now. I have no typing longevity. haha

You all have a great day.

Shaken tea

So I am not sure how I am going to start this blog off so maybe I should begin with the events of the day. I had today off from work, which was really nice! I slept in until 11am or so. When I sleep-in I usually do not sleep in that late. However, this week I will be working some third shifts so I am trying to get my body on that schedule a little more before I have to actually work. Once I got up from bed I bummed around a bit just doing small things, but really I didn’t do much. I did get into my bible and studied the first part of Philippians 3, which we studied last night in small group. I wanted to hit back on it again as well as write a little about it in this blog. It will help me meditate on it more and thus being able to focus my thought on things above.
Back to the event of the day before I get back into Philippians 3, after my pretty uneventful morning I got ready for my 3 o’clock interview at the University of Louisville Hospital for a full time CT position. I should know by the end of the week if I got the job. Anyways, once I got home my wife and I talked some and I read some article in a magazine and kirstin messed around on the computer. I took her to work and then went home to eat as I watched a episode of Extreme Home Makeover on the computer. Then I went out and brought kirstin some food to her at work. Followed by some good old exercising at the gym. Now I am at Starbucks drinking some wonderful tea, listening to some awesome music, and writing a blog.
I got their “shaken tea”, which I have never gotten before and let me tell you…IT IS AMAZING! Some of the best iced tea I have had. I am so glad that I found out about this creation because every time I come to Starbucks and get a coffee based drink I am usually disappointed, as I do not like strong coffee. All of Starbucks’ coffees are strong blends. So this usually leaves me with only a few options. Now I can add more items to my list of things I like at Starbucks.
It is interesting to come to Starbucks by the way. Because we are relatively close to the Seminary I usually see a lot of Southern Seminary students here reading/studying and socializing. Really, I think at the various Starbucks near the Seminary they are the most concentrated places to find students other than the actual school. Just something interesting I observe every time I come here. Also, the staff are really nice here like tonight I was given not just ONE free drink but TWO! Can you believe that? Awesome!
Anyways, I think I will stop talking about Starbucks since I have written almost as much on Starbucks as I did on the rest of my day. I will get back to Philippians 3. I want to add the scripture I was reading today but since I do not want to pay for the Internet here at Starbucks I think I will just type a section of it.

(2) Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. (3) For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – (4) through I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: (5) circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; (6) as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. (7) But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. (8) What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ -- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. (10) I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The first thing that stands out is the instruction to “watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil”, but what really gets me is the reason Paul uses. It is the next verse that Paul makes a distinction between a christian and a non-christian. There is a sense of pride in identifying with Christ. It gives us the feeling that we are set apart for something different. In contrast to what we might be set apart for Paul writes that he had every reason to put his confidence in his flesh and not to believe in Christ. He was a Jewish stud. He was passionate, smart, born of the best blood line, and he followed the law to the T. In his day he was at the top of his game, with a brand new car, nice home, people liked him, he had valuables, he was looked at as someone to imitate, the grass was defiantly greener on his side of the fence. But Paul writes, “whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” Isn’t that interesting, he understood that he was set apart of Christ. He had it ALL, but he considered it a “loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus”. Literly he lost it all. Paul was sitting in jail with no possessions, no nothing. Because of what?, because he identified with Christ and he understood that he was set apart to “glory in Christ Jesus”.
His sole desire was not doing the God things, but God Himself. I think the conviction behind Pauls words in verse 10 say it all. “I want to KNOW Christ”. I don’t know, Paul is one crazy dude and intense. I certainly hope that I can be just as crazy and intense. I think that Paul is still a stud, not because of all his fleshly qualifications but because he has ONE desire; Jesus Christ. Can you really count all of life’s stuff as a loss to knowing Christ? What a stud.

I certainly want verse 10 to be true of me.

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Memorial Day Blog

So yesterday Kirstin and I went to the movie theater to watch the new Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. I throughly enjoyed the movie. It was good not only for entertainment purposes but also for spiritual reasons. There were several lines in the movie that were very convicting. At one point I broke into tears not because of a sad scene or the expression of love between two lovers or the intense joy of character, but because the Lord reminded me of my relationship with Him. He reminded me of truths I so easily forget. Even the character development in each of the four kids portrayed aspects of my self as I have related to Christ. There were displays of ungodly pride and unbelief. There was scene where susan depicts the idea of getting comfortable back in england, just as I am so often comfortable with the worlds way of living. However, there were displays of lessons learned, courage, faith, and focus on the one who really takes helps us win our battles and not our selves. At times these things have been true of me and I long for a day where they are true of me again. Needless to say it was a good movie. I have never read the actual books, so kirstin and I started reading them together last night. I want to have the entire story not just the movie version.

In other information, kirstin has a few people interested in her night shift position so hopefully she will soon be able to move to a day shift. The new person would still have to get trained and all, but it would be nice have someone in place so we can get a date in place. Kirstin is really getting tired of working the night shift and it is really taking a toll on her body. Plus it would be nice to see each other more.

As far as jobs go I have an interview on tomorrow(Tuesday) for a full time CT Technologist position, first shift at the University of Louisville. For several reasons I want to land this job. 1-It is a first shift position. 2- It is full time job. 3- It is in CT (Advanced training). 4- There is probably no better place to learn this modality. However, the hospital is not somewhere I want to work. I do not like the facility at all and it seems really dirty. I am willing to forgo that concern to become a good CT technologist. So I am hoping I land this job.

Kirstin and I are moving on June 21. We are moving to a bigger apartment with-in the same apartment complex. It has a kitchen twice the size and storage as our current kitchen which I am super excited about. Also, it has a fire place and a much bigger deck than I current apt as well. However, the real reason we are moving is because my brother in law is coming to live with us so he can go to school down here. We need more space and we needed rooms on opposite sides of the apartment for privacy sake. Long story short...we are moving. Oh and I getting a grill for my birthday so I can enjoy the large patio with some awesome food!

You know there are so many things I want to blog about and I often tell kirstin that I want to blog about whatever it was we just experienced. However, most of the time I think about the blog in my head, but when it comes to writing it I just don't want to think about it anymore. So there are ALOT of blogs that have been written in my mind that you all never see. oh well. To bad I forget what most of them are or I would give you a snippet for the sake of having a laugh or two, but I just can't think of the anymore. Oh oh, I almost forgot I also this past week sent in my application to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. We will see how that goes. I still have to get one letter sent out for a recommendation as well as request my transcripts to be sent to the school but other than that I have done most of the leg work needed to apply to school. Which by the way my last blog entry was something I had to write for the application. I just though I would make a blog of it just so you could have something to read because I blog so few and far between. Ok I think I am done for now.