Playing Catchup Again!

To say I have been negligent would be a gross understatement. Today I have freedom to write as heart and mind wander, and so I shall.

Things are going well all around these days. Stress is most certainly a compainion of mine day to day as their remains so very much to do. Every day putting forth new requirements and requests. None the less I am still standing, glory to God for such wonders as it certainly amazes me.

Hmm new things, well since last time I posted a lot has happened so I'll try to get back up to speed quickly.

- I made a very short trip to Gettysburg the other week to get pictures and my camera pooped out 20 minutes after I got there. Oh well, Still managed to get some great shots. (Just click on the picture to make it bigger.)

- Speaking of great shots, before I went to Gettysburg my Aunt and Uncle left for the week a while back and so a friend of mine was asked to cat/house sit. I of course came over and played with the adorable kittens two days in a row. My alergies were a mess but I loved the time with them. I managed to get some great pictures of them as well. (Just click on the picture to make it bigger.)





















- A handfull of guys from one of my bible studies have been getting together on Thursday morning for a mens breakfast every week which is very nice. I feel older sitting with them. Not that we are old exactly, but I always viewed that as something the more mature people did. Like I said it is nice cause we can talk about whatever is going on and support each other in christian fellowship which is very important. Man getting up at 6:30am is rough though.

- I have been working on some drawing/poetry ideas. They are brewing up like none have before. In my mind these pictures have been developing slowly. Tehy are about me and how I feel in different situations. Very potent these pictures are, though whether they are still potent when I'm done drawing them is the question. Still, I am excited about the prospect of it as this kind of slow developing expression is not like me, not in this way. I usually sit and out it comes, even if it takes hours. Never do I sit and let it develop over weeks. We'll see.

- Also, the samichplatter forums have been renewed recently with activities and several fun and good natured members so if you are looking for a safe haven in the form of an internet forum feel free to follow the Samich link on the top menu. Good times.

When all else fails...

...find the escape key!

I am looking forward greatly to this summer. It will prove to be an adventure more than those past, I think. First, for a whole week in June I have enthusiastically accepted my Uncles time share which he and my Aunt aren't planning to use. It has been so long since I have had a vacation like this, wait, I've never had a vacation like this. o.O Ever. Not on my own and for myself. All the more to be excited about it.

It's south in Williamsburg somewhere and I am familiar with the area from family trips in the past which is great. It will cut down on my stress levels. For the most part I think I just want to take my books, stereo, some paper and a drawing pad. OH, and my camera of course! I have every intention of being outdoors and pressing myself to adventure with the camera. If not that then I certainly intend on finding a nice spot to sit and read or write. Far from the computer, far from work, and far from the battleground. An escape indeed. As far as I'm concerned it can rain or snow, I couldn't care less. ^_^

When I get back from that I'll have a month to prepare before camp starts mid-July. Yay! I'm a bit stressed for matters of preperation as I am not just the backup counselor like last year. One with few responsabilities other than keeping them from getting hurt. This year I have been assigned or aloted nearly ten hours of Webpage training/teaching as well as a mini-sermon of sorts and a group activity that goes along with the sermon. You have no idea how excited and nervous that thought makes me...well, maybe you do, I don't know. Lets just say that I'm grinning and getting sick at the same time.

No matter what I do in prep God will see to it in the end have no doubt and, worst case scinerio, even in failure their is success to be found. I remember last year to be so very cool and full of growth spiritually for me and even a couple of the kids. I even remember the names and faces of the kids I had, hope some of them come back this year, but for the time being I have my hands full with prep.

Aside from those two weeks it would be nice to take a few day trips to places. I'd like to take my camera to some of the caverns around the area as well as a series of individual road-side spots I already scouted out. Who knows if I will actually go or not though. I do hope that everyone reading this has some form of plan for making the best of the spring/summer seasons. If all you do is take a walk just around sunset every now and then to appreciate the atmosphere or stop to smell some roses if you prefer, just do something please.

The Silent Storm Rages

This is one of two major conflicts in my life. This one I can speak of, if only carefully. This one is not so much about me and my struggles as the struggles of others. This one is the reason I have been absent for so long. I like to do research online for things, information on various topics. Sometimes that leads me down strange or dangerous roads so I need to be careful and so do you if you are the same way. About a month ago while researching who-knows-what I found myself staring at a webpage calling itself an atheist forum. A rather large group of people from all backgrounds. All levels of intellect and heart. All over the world. All kinds of ideas on God or what they view to be the absence of.

At first I was apaled(sp?) to be honest as I read through the list of topics people had been talking about. After cooling down I decided to open a few of the threads (Topics) and read what kinds of things people were saying. This greatly disgusted me as well and so I recoiled for a few days from the site. The things I had read in that brief timespan were a direct assult on God, no other way for me to view it really. Not all things people said were spoken simply from anger at God, some were just angry at the followers of God, but the majority are just confused on the matter. Seeking support from the community they have built a small empire from what I can tell. I will mention no names or quote anyone from the site as I do not say any of this to bash those people or gossip about them.

Anyway, after I cooled off a bit I came to an understanding that perhaps I was to speak out on these forums. It certainly wouldn't make matters worse so long as I glorify God in my replies to them and love them like Jesus would. Being honest, upright, and soforth. So I picked about 7 topics and wrote on them and then posted the writings. It didn't take long to get replies of all kinds. Some were welcoming, others were bitter and hostile, still others were calm and more thought out. So long as they have been speaking to me I have been speaking to them. Back and forth, attempting to bring the light of God to the darkness of that place. Clarity to confusion on their reasoning against God and scripture.

I have learned much in the past several weeks about how people think. I learned a lot about the arguments againt God and theists. Though some of the peoples responses have been very well spoken and very well thought out their have not been any serious dangers to date. I have had one argument that threw me off for a day or two as I was hardly prepared for it, but even then God lifted me back up and steadied me. Some of the people are quite nice and interesting though it seems just as many are ignorant and accusatory toward any theist who strolls by.

Speaking of which, while I have met a couple of theists who are also staying the course on that site, though not many, I am quite saddened to see a victory for the atheists recently. A man I do not know who seemed to be an advocate for God, tried to be at least, broke down and converted this week. It is not so much a shock, I have seen it before in both friends and aquantainces. And everytime the truth comes out after the fact that they indeed never knew God, they were in it but not of it if you understand what I mean. Still, the loss saddens me as the same man who was at my side yesterday was attacking me today.

It has not all been bad by any means though. I have learned much about how to argue matters as well as which matters to argue about. I have been blessed by this battle and I believe that God can make use of the work done there if He sees fit to do so. It is all I can hope that a difference was made to Glorify God. It does however consume my thoughts as I do not post hastily on anything. Most replies take me well over an hour to prepare, yea..just call me flash. =P