Work Hard

Side Thought:
The most dangerous thing today appears to be living a life of mediocrity. In physical health, mental health, and spiritual health.

Okay, I was getting frustrated this week because it appears some people work harder than others. Feeling treated unfairly, I couldn't help thinking of the parable of the man who complains that his pay should be more since he worked all day and others are getting paid the same amount for working just the afternoon. The story is commenting on heavenly rewards, but can be applied practically. I glorify God with my work. Working hard isn't for me, my boss, or my company. I work hard to out of gratefulness of God's blessings in my life. Solomon said it was good for man to work hard. It is pleasing to God when I work hard. I struggle often when I think that life is hard/unfair and I "deserve better". Society/advertising/culture is wrong. I deserve less and am blessed richly.

Personally Important things in a church

1. Beliefs/Teaching
2. Attitude of members
3. Worship - style, depth, and traditions
4. Outreach 
5. Church Government
6. Age Distribution

I made this list last sunday, while visiting my wife's home church in Jackson. Nikki and I have been searching for a church home in Starkville but can't seem to find one that fits. I made this list to try to quantify something that is very much a non-quantifiable decision. 

Teaching and beliefs are the foundation of a church. I cannot go to a Muslim church to learn about Christ. Ensuring that the church is teaching from the Bible in a manner that is comprehensive is critical in our decision.

The attitude of the members is also important to me. I often feel that if a church is closed minded to anything outside of its historical traditions then it leaves God little room to work. It's almost as if the church is hiding from God and trying to box Him into a controllable container that is always comfortable and safe. The God of the Bible, from what I have read, is neither of those things. His disciples died because of their faith, tortured after living lives of hardship. 

Worship is usually a good indicator of the health of a church. By worship I mean songs, prayer, recitations, etc. done as a congregational body. I come from a church that was going through the motions of worship, trying to put on a show/act instead of being real. I left because I was afraid I would fall into the trap of thinking that that was normal and ok. I want to see the heart of a church as it worships the Lord.

Outreach of the church reveals if the church is inward or outward focused. Facilities and staff are good if they are being used to reach out to the communities and beyond. 

I recently learned a bit about the differences in church government. I have a preference in how I desire church to make decisions and I would like to attend a church that operates in this manner.

Lastly, a good distribution of young and old people would be awesome. The passion of the young can be good but the wisdom of the old needs to be present as well. The presence of both is very desirable in a church.  

Hopefully this isn't sinful to think about all of these things as we choose a church. Obviously, we can't have it all. There is no perfect church because the church is full of sinners saved by grace. That's good. I will fit right in. Please pray for us in this decision...

Purpose of God's Church

My next few posts will be my delving into the Bible on what the purpose is of God's church. For a long time, I've felt that we aren't getting it, what church is, and what it was intended for. I'm looking forward to discovering God's intentions for establishing the church...

God...help!!!

I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this. It is only by the grace of God that I will ever survive. It feels like there are a million different things I need to do, need to be, will I ever get it all done? Will it work out?

James says that trials are good because they provide steadfastness. I feel like I am preparing to be the most steadfast man in the entire world. I just am going to be anchored to God, I must be anchored to God. That's it. That's the lesson I'm learning now.

Lady, Bella, Buttercup...Dog

This was one of those things that I feel men are called to do and we hate doing it. I mean, who wants to be responsible? Nikki and I were offered this cute puppy while on a date and after Nikki held it and fell in love I just couldn't say no. I mean, who could turn down 2 adorable ladies at once? However, after staying up for 2 nights keeping the cute thing happy (aka keeping it quiet) we decided it was too much to handle right now. I can only imagine how a baby is going to be...

But I think that circumstances like this are monumental in our lives. As men, we are definitely called to lead, to make the tough decisions, and to listen to those we are leading. The decision to give the puppy to the animal shelter was definitely difficult, I kept waiting on tears from Nikki...but it was really beautiful seeing how my future bride and I made a difficult decision together and we were in unity. No fighting or anger was present. No resentment. I know we will have to make many tough decisions in life and I can only pray they will be as beautiful as this one was. We acted as one, we acted like we were on the same team. I listened to her and she listened to me. And it was awesome to see each of us submitting to the other. I can't wait to be married to this woman!

Lyrics and Such

Surely We Can Change - David Crowder Band

And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even when it wasn’t hit

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let there be grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Help them be brave
Where there is misery
Bring expectancy
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Something

And the problem it seems
Is with you and me
Not the Love who came
To repair everything

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something

Respect, Honor, Integrity, and Character

It has been wedding season for a while now with my friends. I do not understand how so many people blow off special occasions such as a wedding. I must admit, I have been one of those people for a good deal of my life. But I have realized that I've been making mistakes. There are certain events that only happen once in a lifetime. Or should, maybe the idea of marriage is becoming so casual that it is no longer a special occasion. Maybe we're just so dang busy that we don't have time to celebrate with anyone other than our close group of friends, and only those that entertain us. I mean what is a friend? Is it someone that is entertaining, someone we can use, and discard when we're bored? I don't think so.

I am close friends with a few guys, and that number has significantly decreased since graduating high school and college. I realized a lot of people I thought were close, weren't really as close as I had hoped. It really kind of sucks. I think its more than just people being thoughtless, I think we're just getting too busy to have relationships. I mean, right now I'm working 12 hour days, 8 at work, 4 for studying for the FE. Who has time? I'm not sure when it happened but I suddenly got amazingly busy. And I hear its only going to get busier. Maybe I just need to be more efficient with time. 

I worry sometimes about not being able to slow down. Not being able to relax. I see symptoms now and I think it's unhealthy. BUT I want to work hard. I want to come home exhausted. That is good and right and what God expects of us. This is obviously a period of my life that is going to test me, refine me, and prepare me for later in life. If you are reading this, please pray for me as I have begun the journey of adulthood. I both love it and hate it. 

 

Eyeballs

I'm so tired of being bombarded by sexual advertising. It's everywhere. Sex is used to advertise every product, with the lure of becoming more sexy, more attractive if you use this product. Some of the advertisements on tv today were considered pornography not so many years ago.

It's not just on tv, it seems to have spread to normal people too. Granted, living in a college town means that the latest trends will pop up early. I can't help but notice that it seems every female workout outfit seems to have some sort of sexual appealing feature. The loose shirts that look like they are about to fall off the shoulder, the tight spandex, is it really necessary? I'm at the gym to work out, to be healthy, and to take ease some stress from the day. I'm not there to get a date, nor am i looking for one. And the guys that are, most likely aren't the guys you want to be dating.

I think that men should be self controlled, disciplined, and should respect and cherish women as our sisters in Christ. And women should do the same, respecting men as brothers in Christ. Even if you don't take the Christian viewpoint, at least put some value in yourself. Guys are going to go after the girls dressed to seduce and expect to be "getting some." If you are advertising your body, that's what you're going to sell. If you are advertising your personality, the complete "you" package, then that's what men will see you as.

I don't think its understood how visual men are. We see things, are bombarded with sexual images, and told we are perverts for being so sexually charged all the time. Men need to control themselves. No exception. And we also need to start encouraging modesty. And ladies, cover up please. For us and for you.

Selling Life

You often hear that college is the best years of your life. I think this is because you are being told that you can do whatever you want with your life with just a little work. You have all these dreams that are wide open and all the opportunities in the world at your fingertips. You just have to go get it. And it's exciting.

When you graduate, you are told something else. You now can work hard for all the stuff that is going to make your life easier, simpler, more fun, etc. It's a lie. I think that some of the most content people I've ever known are the least wealthy. You see, the more stuff you have, the more responsibilities you have to take care of everything. Boats, cars, motorcycles, guns, houses...they all take a lot of work to maintain. And you are working constantly to pay for it all. And maybe you enjoy it on the weekends.

I think that there's more to life than just gathering toys. I want to live simply, but the glitz and glam that is pounded into american culture is attractive, for a very short time. Think about it. The best memories I have are definitely not when I got stuff, but when I was experiencing life with people. My first vehicle was awesome, still is, but what was awesome was seeing how my parents were acting. Mom was definitely thinking about safety and Dad was ready to cruise around town with me in the truck. It wasn't the vehicle, it was the significant moment that made it special. Some old junk car would have been just as special to me.

I'm afraid the advertising industry is changing though. Adventure and free-spirited living is being advertised and perverted. The surfing/climbing/hiking culture is being shown as an awesome way of life but its glorified as living selfishly, always seeking the best for yourself. Living selfishly isn't fulfilling. It's like trying to fill a vacuum, its always going to need more. Maybe this doesn't make sense. Maybe it does. I just know that God created me for more than living a life of thinking about myself all the time. I am not claiming to be an expert on this at all. I fail like all the time about putting others above myself. My life is a "God's Work in Progress"...

Have a great day

My Job

For some people, my job may seem confusing, but I am a Civil Engineer in progress. Civil Engineering is unique somewhat because our value increases with years in the field. Basically, we become specialized in a certain part of the broad spectrum of Civil Engineers. I'm specializing in structures, particularly, metal buildings. My daily job is to take an architect's concept and to apply building codes, structural codes, and engineering recommendations to a design. A design will consist of the layout of members, the sizes of each member, and how each member will connect. It can get very complicated.

Not only are we supposed to make sure we meet all building code requirements, we are also trying to make money in doing so. Anyone can over design, but a professional knows where you can cut back and where you need to add material to make sure the building is safe. It takes a lot of experience to do that.

Lastly, an engineer needs to be able to communicate the design. This surprisingly is the most difficult. Trying to create ways to communicate the intricate details and define a 3D object with standardized words is very difficult to do efficiently. Its like learning a new language.

So that's basically it. I'm as green as you can be in this industry but I'm eager to learn as much as I can. I'm not a fan of being the "new guy" and I'm striving to learn because knowledge truly is power.

Christian = Less Quality

So this might be due to the fact that I've been sick for a couple of days, but it seems to me that "Christian" products are seemingly always sub-par to other products. Particularly in the entertainment industry. Are we just afraid to tell each other that its a good effort but not good enough? I was listening to KLOV, a christian radio station and realized just how little talent it takes to be a modern day christian artist. Much of the music simply consists of a catchy beat, similar to Chris Tomlin, and repetition of a powerful phrase. Is that really all there is to music? I've been going to a new church and have been introduced to some pretty powerful lyrics that are unfamiliar to me. I struggle during worship services to keep up with the lyrics and their meanings. But is this not good? Are we as a society not the most informed and educated people to have ever existed?
One of the things about music that I love is how each artist can have a unique feature that will make them stand out. Some bands, even in the Christian scene, do this well. David Crowder has some pretty powerful, yet simple lyrics that I love in his older music. Other artists, such as AC/DC have a one of a kind sound that made them famous. A music genre will sound similar but is "Christian music" really a genre?
One of the things I was thinking about is how simplistic and almost immature some of the lyrics are in today's worship music. There is nothing wrong with being simple. But have we as a church really become childish in our view of God? Are we all feeding off of milk and not ever feasting on meat? Everyone is at different levels of spiritual maturity but apparently the majority of the church is still very young. I am by no means claiming to be "mature" and have everything together. These are just some things I notice about the people that I identify with. I am very concerned with how the world views people who call themselves Christians because we are supposed to be representing Christ.
In summary, I will continue to attend and worship at church. And continue to encourage people to be involved in the music ministry. I've found that some of the most talented musicians are simply not involved because no one asked them to be. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what the noise is, it matters what the heart is. But I want to present the best possible offering to God that is possible, so why should we ever settle?

Dependance and Freedom

Sometimes I think I hate how easy life is for humans, yet I don't want to give up any of my creature comforts. I want to live an adventure and it really saddens me to see how a lot of men live out the adventure from the comfort of their recliner. I do it too. As men, we play video games where we can be the hero, gloriously beating our way through monstrous hordes of evil villains to complete the mission, and competing with other males in online battles to assert ourselves in the pecking order of the most talented. We go to see gladiator fights, I mean football games, where we take in domesticated scenes of battle and then spend all week digging into all the details so that on game day, we can show off our knowledge of statistics and insider info. My Question is this:

Is that really living the adventure?

I just have a hard time believing that it is. And just to let you know, I have no solution to solve this. I also fall into the sticky trap of action packed, spectacular adventures from the comfort of my couch. In today's world, it seems like knowledge is glorified while sex appeal is advertised. Smart and sexy? You're invincible. I agree that being smart is good. But being WISE is better. How often do people you know have a ton of head knowledge and little "common sense?" The wisdom I'm talking about is more than just common sense. It is a divine wisdom that comes from learning about our creator through experiencing Him daily. It is an adventure that leads to a life that is difficult, challenging and extremely rewarding. It can take you to Africa to witness and serve people in poverty. It can land you in vast wealth and ask you to give it away to help people. It can call you to serve quietly and unnoticed in the daily grind while choosing to make the right decisions when no one is looking or even seems to care. I guess I do have a solution to this epidemic of male emasculation. In pursuing my creator, I will become the man He created me to be. He gave me a spirit of adventure to use. He gave me passionate feelings to live by. He created me just as I am to be used as a tool to accomplish exactly what He needs to be done.
The Question is: Will I be willing to sacrifice my comforts, my selfishness in order to gain a life that will have meaning? This will be a daily decision...

5 o' clock somewhere

At the end of every work day, I swear time slows down. If the time spent sleeping went this slow I would definitely feel rested every morning. Time is like the most valuable thing we as humans have. It is precious because there's really no way we can ever use any more than we're given. It's set. We have a predetermined number of days that we will be alive and there are few things that can change that (other than being careless with how you treat your body). Sometimes, I think that working is such a waste of time. I mean, if I knew that I was going to die tomorrow, would I go into work as any other normal day? Most assuredly not! But its part of being responsible. As I'm entering manhood, and becoming a husband, I think its finally hitting me how selfish of a person I am. Its not selfish to crave adventure. It is selfish to live recklessly both financially and in actions. BUT I refuse to become the domesticated, tame male that only thinks of providing himself and his family with comfort. That's not living, that's just existing. Rather, I hope to be challenging myself and my wife, and even my kids to be in the pursuit of something to better themselves. Downtime and rest is good, but not in excess. We only really have a short time on the earth. I don't want to get to heaven and God be like, "So, Matthew, what did you spend all that time on earth doing? I see you watched tv a lot. You made it to church sometimes. Did you do anything really, you know, significant?" I want to hear "well done" my servant. Its like I have this time to prepare myself for the rest of my life. I want to learn as much as I can and experience as much as possible in pursuit of wisdom and adventure that I believe God has in store for me. So here's to 5 o' clock, let the adventure begin!

The Daily Grind

I had my fiance send me a thank you letter today that literally made my day. Often I feel like my efforts are overlooked and are simply expected from my position as a significant other. However, a thank you now and then makes me want to please her even more by serving her and giving her what she needs. 

I realized that I need to be doing that in my own life as well. Often, I fail to tell people just how much I appreciate their actions and their presence. God has told us to encourage each other, and I know its not just supposed to be encouragement to behave. That's actually called nagging and very much less enjoyable! So thank you sweetheart. Your kind act not only encouraged me but also challenged me. I hope I can do the same for someone else today.

Adding Colors to a Black and White Life

Nature. Friends. Love. Adventure. Hard Work. 
I think there are a few things that distinguish vibrantly rich lives from dull and listless ones. Life has one purpose, according to John Piper, "The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever." Of all the things we do on this planet during the short period of time we have, we are supposed to glorify God by enjoying Him and His creation by His rules. The ironic thing is, we think we know better than God sometimes but His rules are actually the guidelines on how to live the most fully, vibrantly, colorful life we can imagine. It's not the easiest, nor the most fun, and certainly has challenges. But that's what makes it enjoyable. The challenges are what make life beautiful. There's a quote from a favorite movie of mine, Troy, that says that the gods envy humans because we are more precious than they [gods] are. We have only one life, every moment that passes can never be brought back or re-lived. How awesome and scary is that? We have choices that define us every minute, will we choose to enjoy God and glorify Him? Or choose to live our own way and tell God to leave us alone.
I would propose that one of the greatest misconceptions, even among Christians, is that following God is simply doing the right things. However, this seems to lead to burnout all to quickly. If there's no relationship, if there's no experiencing of God's person, then do you really know God? I ask myself this all the time. Mainly because it's easy to just try to follow the rules. It involves no emotion and leaves everything black and white. But that's not a healthy relationship. I will not just do what my future wife requires of me. Rather, I will look for things I can do to please her. We should be doing the same in our relationship with God. Warning: you might be blown away with how God starts to do amazing and powerful things in your life.

Start

So this is the first post. In trying to think of something awesome: I have nothing. Hopefully my thoughts will be interesting and I really have no agenda with the blog. It seems to help me sort my thoughts when I type it out. And I can't do the journal thing, I can't read my writing. As of lately, I've started a job and am adjusting to the "real world." Not quite the fairytale that is painted in my college dreams. But its good too. A steady flow of money helps the budget. Oh and I'm getting married in November to the love of my life. I'm pumped!
 Well lemme get back to work...more posts to come