andjosephsaid's Xanga

Friday, December 04, 2009

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:45:25 GMT

I'm writing more frequently but less online. Just letting you know.

Heaven

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:20:25 GMT

The foggy clouds lifted off my mind when I opened my eyes to the beauty and glory of the Lord – yes, You are Heaven

For what is Heaven if God you're not there?

Smoking? Non-smoking?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:01:01 GMT

This is a response to Maya's post about smoking.

I am in the Navy's Nuclear Power School "Pipeline", a school that is so fast paced and intense that it is considered one of the most demanding programs -- at least that's what Wikipedia says (link to Wikipedia) But seriously, many students find life to be very stressful. And so many students here smoke. There is a smoke pad here, where the last 10 minutes of every hour, a rush of students flood out to the "smoke pad" and a cloud of smoke rises up. They socialize there and relax. But don't get me wrong. While I understand why people smoke, I dislike smoking, because I dislike the smell. But I know people consider it a stress reliever, just like exercising relieves stress for some, or Facebook and the Internet for others. Smoking is not a healthy habit. In fact, you receive more radiation from smoking cigarettes than being on a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor for years (Yes! Our reactors are safer than smoking!). Smoking is a vice, since it leads to addiction and cancer for most people. It leads to death.

Consider this how this relates to God and the Christian. Our God is a holy God who hates sin so much that by his wrath, our sin bring us to death. Paul writes that while we were "slaves to sin" (by nature we were rebels), God has freed us by the substitutionary death of his son, making us "slaves to righteousness"! This is love. God is love, when he loves those who disgust him. For even our best deeds are like filthy rags, we are really disgusting. But now in Christ, God clothes us with his armor of righteousness.

We really need to love like he does! We really need to repent. We really need to quit "smoking". :-p But it starts with Love.

You Alone Can Rescue

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:03:53 GMT

Vlog #14: dink

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:50:05 GMT

To let you know, this video isn't really about the cat. It's about being "dink", or falling short in training. Currently I'm in the US Navy training in South Carolina learning how to get qualified. This is a video about how it's not easy being 'dink'

I purposely used video clips of my roommate's cat while talking about something entirely different to emphasize how hard it is to focus on one or the other... Plus I sort of feel like the cat in the sense that I'm easily distracted. It works on that level =p (But she is a cute cat... who loves lasers)

In the end, of course since this is andjosephsaid, this is a metaphor for being inadequate and falling short of the glory of God, wanting to follow God more surely and a plea for help, for only his grace is enough.

Song by Matthew Perryman Jones, "I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind"

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:31:08 GMT

I hear fires are bad in California, some of the worst ever! They have controlled burning over here... and humidity.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:11:03 GMT

second time the brothers met at starbucks. then after i went to jayson cleary's house. we played guitar and worship songs. it was a good time. then went to the beach. but anyway, i wonder... if there's something i should be doing.

I'm getting tanner from the beach...

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:37:11 GMT

The sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass;
its flower falls, and its beauty perishes.

I guess tanning is worthless, if "its beauty perishes" with the sun.

Vlog #14: Honor Courage Commitment 1!

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:31:03 GMT

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:09:56 GMT

The rest of the USA is not like Arcadia. At all...