Thursday, May 28, 2009

Meet me In St. Louie

Ok, so for the last couple of weeks I literally have been somewhat depressing.  A typical day may look like this.... Sleep 'til noon, get up, lounge around for a while, go running, take a shower, watch NCIS on USA, play FIFA on Xbox, go eat dinner and watch the NBA playoffs at Mikes house, go home and watch a movie and go to bed around 2:30 or 3.  Occasionally it varies, I ref JV basketball a couple nights a week but thats really pretty much it.  Now you may think that sounds great but I really have just felt down.  For a while Georgia was here but she was always studying for the MCAT, which she takes tomorrow, and now shes back in Arlington.  I have been applying for jobs and pretty much just waiting to hear something.  Some days I won't even see another person I know.  I have felt pretty alone.  Im not sure I have ever been more ready to go home.  Maybe first semester freshman year but thats it.  I'm genuinely homesick.  I miss my family.  But not only that I miss my city.  I love St. Louis.  Especially in the spring time it is beautiful.  The days are warm and nice and the evenings are cool.  Everything is green and you can smell the vegetation.  So much more so than here.  No matter where my life takes me St. Louis will always be my home.  Living by myself has been great but I'm ready for something different for a while.  I also get to spend a week at camp Ne-o-tez which I am incredibly pumped about, but thats a subject for a whole other post.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Walking where He trod...

I have found that the key to writing a blog is pretending that people are actually going to read it.  Otherwise you may as well be writing a journal.  I already write one of those from time to time and thus I must pretend people are actually reading this.  I have a good imagination.  

So I went on my own and saw Angels and Demons yesterday.  Yes alone, I enjoy seeing movies on my own now and then it's relaxing.  I've never understood why people use movies as social events as a movie allows for minimal conversation or social interaction... but I digress.  The movie was actually pretty good, much better than the da Vinci code.  Not surprising seeing as the book was also superior.  Once again the movie revolves around the Catholic Church and a group they once oppressed.  Far from the major point of the movie but one I found interesting is the countless forms religion has taken throughout the centuries.  One book has inspired various religions, religions people have been willing to kill and die for. To quote, "Religion is flawed because man is flawed."  As I sat and thought about the implications of this statement I realized just how much religion is a creation of man.  Christ came to this Earth to not only to allow us the grace that is so wonderfully given because of His sacrifice but also to show us how to live.  Now you may be thinking, "of course we all know that."  But do we?  He didn't come down here proclaiming a new religion so much as a radical way to conduct our lives.  Under the banner of Christ have spouted numerous religions, all built upon the same basic principles.  But we have come so far from these principles.  No Christian based religion is free from guilt in this.  Even the Church of Christ, which I accept as my brand of religion, is so greatly flawed.  We waste time bickering over minute details of religion all the while over looking the simpler, yet more important principles of faith.  When we stand before the judgment seat what question will be asked of us?  Did you allow a woman to preach?  Did you play instruments while worshiping My name?  Did you have a racially diverse church?  Or will it sound more like this... Did you treat others with love and respect?  Did you take care of those in need?  Did you seek out the tired and the weary, the lost and forgotten, and offer comfort?  Jesus didn't come proclaiming a new religion, just a new faith.  A faith that requires only that we believe in Him and thus treat others as He would.  To seek out the hungry and the sick, the weak and dying, His lost sheep.  This is what Jesus was about.  This is what he called people to.  If only we could cast aside the petty differences that divide His people and realize the all-surpassing power of Christ's disciples united in a common goal.  I believe this is the church Jesus envisioned when He came down here, and it's an incredible shame humanity decided we could improve upon it.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Start of Something Good

So my brother in law Joe has faithfully written a blog for a few years now and has quite the following.  He and his family are going through some changes and the time he allots to blog will be greatly diminished. That being the case I have decided to take up where he is leaving off.  Before you get excited I will warn you that my posts will be quite different from his, but I figured I should keep it in the family.  
Game 1 of Lakers vs Nuggs was last night and as you can see from title, it was a good one.  I was working and so didn't get to tune in until mid-way through the 3rd and when I did the Nuggs held the upper hand.  As we know it didn't end that way as Kob went off late and Ariza of all people made some great defensive plays. This series has potential to be more like Celtics-Bulls than Lakers-Rockets and thats a great thing.  While Kobe was great and I will always love him, what I was most impressed with last night was Mello.  He finally proved that he belongs in the conversation with Kobe, Lebron and Dwade.  The latter two and Anthony all came in the league together in one of the best draft classes of all time.  The debate back then was who was going to be the best out of these.  Since then Mello has fallen back from the other two, from what seems mostly a lack of motivation and desire.  I think he's found what he lacked.  It was impressive to watch him overpower Kobe (who when he tries is the best defensive player in the NBA) in the post and even take on the challenge of guarding Kobe himself.  Regardless of how this series plays out, it will be remembered as Mello's coming out party.  

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Yes, I did

So I've joined the blog world.  I realize I am a latecomer to this sensation that has swept the nation but I decided there was no use putting it off any longer.  Writing a blog has become some sort of right of passage into adult hood, and being on the verge of adulthood myself I decided to indulge.  As to the sort of things that will appear on this blog, your guess is as good as mine. 

As I sit on my porch and borrow Internet from the neighbors on this beautiful spring day my thoughts stray to the rapidly approaching L.A. Houston game 7.  After watching "Kobe Doing Work" last night on ESPN my incredible respect for Kobe only increased.  I really enjoyed getting to see the side of basketball that we aren't often shown.  The true floor general that Kobe is was obvious as he shouted instructions, bantered with the opposition and stood up for his teammates.  His leadership didn't stop there as he continued to discuss tactics with his mates during time outs.  I mean does Phil Jackson even do anything?  Needless to say, if LA does not advance today it will be a shame, and also a deprivation of something special for basketball fans.  I love intriguing match ups, and it doesn't get much better than Kobe vs Carmello, then vs Lebron.  It took Mello long enough to join the party but he is finally here and I would hate to see Denver just walk over Houston, so please Lakers, come to play today.