So, I went to sleep last night at like 1AM.  I missed Ben Folds on Conan, which sucks, but I guess I need the sleep for a long day ahead today.  Anyways, I was having this conversation with a friend last night that kept me up but it really got me thinking about inward devotion versus outward devotion.

Like how easy is it to just have no peripheral(spell check) vision in American society?  It makes life so easy to just have to concentrate on yourself and be totally content with that and that alone.  We have IPODs or internet or whatever and it just makes life absolutely content that the minute something "bad" happens life just goes to the crapper.  I think that's where we become so inward nowadays.  That nothing else really matters.  That we don't necessarily have to care about the oppressed or the sick but that we have our own problems that mean everything to us.

It's great to see that stereotype broken in people though.  For instance this weekend I'm going to be able to make it out to an amazing fall retreat based on the show Lost (wednesday's episode was on of the best episodes ever by the way).  But, to be completey honest, I'm pretty excited about the retreat but not for the fact that like I'm going to be doing this amazing thing and have this awesome inward God experience, but that I get the chance to be fully outward with my faith because I get to room with a non-believer.  Get the chance to be around and show him a characteristic of God that he's never experienced before.  I'm totally excited with that even more then the retreat. 

As another example I'm more excited about the Africa Tent (www.actingonaids.org/impact1) then I am about the retreat.  Totally outward once again because I want to see more people have a heart for the oppressed and I believe that this tent is going to accomplish that.

So, anyways, it's great to see this breaking of the norm in myself and in a lot of the leaders in IVCF but I really want others to be able to partake in this great feeling of being outward instead of inward.  I really want to learn how I'd be able to share that with them and just like get them into this better place.  So, that's my ramble, and I guess a new vision that I want to look into and really ask God to speak to me on.  Who knows?  Maybe God will talk to me this weekend.

Anyways party people, hope you enjoyed and I'll see you again when I get back.

God Bless.

Aaron

Long Time?

This is so different now.  Anyways I haven't used this crap in so long but here I am again.  I'm thinkin I'll write my real harsh blogs here or just write here the and copy the blog over to myspace.  But, I guess I'm back on xanga, until I get lazy and just don't feel like logging into this.   

So here's my first blog.  Enjoy

I have a lot of homework and shouldn't be on this. 

Thank you very much.  I'll be blogging again soon.  Peace.

Since this blog sucked, read my previous ones.  I wrote em a long time ago when my writing skills were pretty decent.

Currently Listening Illuminate By David Crowder Band Open Skies see related

I wrote this a long time ago on myspace but I'd thought that I should let my xanga fans read it too.

LIVING WAGES

In today's economy centered society, money has always been a source of lifestyle.  People tend to focus all their day's attention to the great and mighty dollar bill.  It's no suprise you see families torn apart because daddy's to busy at work, and mommy has no source of the tender loving care she needs to get through her day, or even seeing the tear drop rolling along little Johnny's cheek because dad missed his first t-ball game.

When you hear these types of stories it always breaks your heart and you just ask yourself how you can prevent these events from occuring, and then it hits you, what if, money was free?  What if, you can have that beautiful life handed to you?  What if, you had a boss, that didn't just work above you, but did the work for you, and afterwards continue to help along the way?  It would be like heaven on earth, wouldn't it?

At first glance you would see this and think it's just way to good to be true.  Nothing good ever comes for people on this earth, right?  No, wrong.  All of these things were made possible for you the day the tomb became empty.  On that day God gave you a gift more valuble than all the money in the world.  God gave you the chance to have the most beautiful life ever imaginable.  God became that boss that did the job for you, and not only that he continues to help you out after the job has been done. 

How you say?  God humbled himself, he came to this earth and died for you, and he conquered death, finished the job.  Then he left a little friend, in the Holy Spirit, to help us out, after the job had been completed.

God wasn't that boss that hovered over you while you worked for him.  God is the boss that works with you.  Helps you, mentors you, and set the perfect example, Christ Jesus, for you.

You know that gift I mentioned earlier?  The one more valuble than all the money in the world?  That gift, is the gift of eternal life, and that gift was paid for, not with money, but with blood, the sinless blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  That gift has been offered to all of us on this world, and you don't have to work a job to receive it.  None of these long hours or seven dollar wages.  All you need to do is believe with your heart and say with your mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and eternal life is in your hands.

All of this you see everyday.  Look in your wallet, see that green piece of paper, read it.  "In God We Trust" there it is, you just received your first paycheck on the road to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Written by Aaron's Holy Spirit..

Forward this message like a farmer planting wheat.  Let it grow.

Currently Listening Son, I Loved You at Your... By As Cities Burn Terrible! How Terrible for the Great City see related

In today's world people are so caught up in their time.  "I'm young and it's time for my rebellious age" or "I don't have enough time to live life for anyone but myself".  Common common excuses for those caught up with themselves.  It's so very easy to get caught up in that type of mindset just because it's our human nature.  It's our human nature to get what we want when we want.  Why do you think fast food joints are so popular?  It's because everybody see's it as being on their time. 

It all goes back to that classic movie scenario of the devil over your left shoulder and the angel over your right shoulder.  The devil says, "do it man, just do it, it's all you, you can sleep with that girl at your own will or, it's a free smoke just take it."  While the angel says, "don't, you already know it's wrong, you can see the consequences in your future and it's not gonna be good.  Do you want HIV?  Do you want to wake up next to a toilet with lung cancer? Think about it first."

But what do we all do?  That one minute high is right here at my hands, why pass it up, I have time to fix it later but right now it's my time, and I'm taking it for myself. 

And that's where the little devil on your shoulder smiles, laughs and takes in his victory.  But what does the angel do?  Not condemn no, of course you would think that right?  But no, that angel waits, waits for you to fall, and gives up it's pride to pick you back up and forgive you.  So, who's the better friend?  The one who sets you up to fall, or the one who forgives you and guides you back to your feet. 

So now it comes back to that decision.  What friend to chose?  What life to live?  The devil or the angel; the fast pace party life, or a special path.  A path set for you, that only leads to a place of perfect harmony, a place unimaginable to the human mind, a place that even the adjective "paradise" cannot describe.  Perfection comes to mind, pure and utter perfection, designed by only one true creator that has the power to part seas, to walk on water, to heal the sick, to give sight to the blind.  The power to raise the dead, flood the earth.  And even the power to humble himself to come down to this earth and die for us.  To die for our sins.  To have his skin ripped from his body, his face spit in, his hair torn from his own scalp.  To endure the weight of own casket, his cross, and to carry that to his own death site.  He was beaten and destroyed, his palms and feet nailed thru and thru into a wooden cross and as he was posted in his death position and posed to sufficate by his own weight.  But through all of this, this creator had the power to save one last soul, the soul of a sinner, a thief.  The power to endure and to love the world so much that he gave himself for us. 

But he rose.  He overcame the death caused by our sins.  He became sin in his death and rose above it.  He is Jesus Christ.  He is savior, messiah and Lord.  And he died for your sins.  Blanketing your sins with his own blood.  Jesus is incredible.  And Jesus has so much more to offer you.  He's offering you salvation and he's offering you a friendship, a relationship.  The kind of relationship that'll strike down that devil over your left shoulder.  It'll strike down those mornings with your face draped over the toilet, those diseases that we bring to ourselves.  Jesus is that ANGEL.  And he offers you something more incredible than any one night stand, he offers you the Holy Spirit.  And that spirit it going to guide you.  It'll guide you to where you belong.  Not to death, but to life.  To life in paradise, in God's almighty kingdom. 

Take this time to look at what you're doing.  And to turn around, to repent, to see Jesus eye to eye and to look back at the devil as he pouts because he was unable to ruin another life.  Don't let the devil win but rebuke him, because he's not your friend.  He lost his chance at paradise because of his own pride.  Don't let him lead you in his footsteps, but follow Jesus' footsteps, make Jesus the standard.  Don't let his blood go to waste.  Take advantage of this amazing oppurtunity.  Because then, and only then will time be on your side.

God loves you. 

As my friend El Jay says, "Jesus Lives, Live Jesus."

God Bless and thanks for reading.

If you're interested in taking Jesus' path, feel free to leave a comment or a message at any time.

Currently Playing Simply Nothing By Shawn McDonald Gravity see related

DENG YO..Xanga..feels sOo strange after being on myspace sOo freakin long..but..just thought I'd stop by and say what's up to all my adoring fans..hah just playin..

I don't even know what to type on this..as you can see..I finally put a picture up of myself with dreads..like..5 months later..they're pretty messed up though..need to wash em..eEe..but man it feels good to have em washed..WHOO..HOO..dandruff is a pain in the butt..but oHh well..my dreads are still cool..

I gotta make em all pretty this coming September because my cousin is gonna get married and i'm one of his groomsmen..hah..kinda nervous..but deng..I feel old..I remember going to weddings and just chillin in the background..but up in front like that..hopefully my dreads will be nice and locked by then..and no visible dandruff..

other than that uHh..music is great..I've gotten some great CDs at SWC..man I got some awesome CDs..and saw some great bands..can't wait till my new Haste the Day CD comes in the mail with my shirt and hopefully my signed Schecter Guitar..but we'll see hah..

but eyah..check it Shawn Mcdonald..awesome song writer and great singer..and he does it for Jesus..sOo that's what matters right..

anyways..I don't know what else to write..sOo..party people..it's pronounced five two..get my name right..hah just playin..God Bless..Peace and gotta get that Mountain Dew..