Until next time...

Goodbye Harrisonburg.

Goodbye, JMU – 4 years later, I’m walking away with a bachelor’s degree and many, many fond memories on your campus. Oh the memories! Incredible professors. Dhall. The Quad. Forbes, the Music Building, and the School of Music. Amazing friendships. Challenges and growth. Insane Asylum. Snowpocalypse. Recitals. D-Unit.

Goodbye, Apartment E – you’ve been a wonderful home. From laughter to tears, you’ve seen it all (on a weekly basis). You’ve witnessed 3 girls forge a friendship that will continue for the rest of our lives. Christmas trees and lights. Cookies. Smiggling. Late night snacks. Homemade pizza. Birthday surprises. Notes of love.

Goodbye, Kline’s – please, would you have peanut butter cookies and cream whenever I visit? You will always be one of my favorite ice cream places!

Goodbye, Harrisonburg traffic lights. I won’t miss you at all.

And the hardest for last…

Goodbye, Covenant Presbyterian Church, and all the wonderful people that attend there. You have truly become my church family. Thank you to all the wonderful families that have taken me into their home (decorating for Christmas, flying kites, jumping on a trampoline, babysitting adorable girls, surprise birthday party, bridal shower, holding a yard sale…what more could I ask for?). Thank you to the incredible pastors who love the Lord, love God’s people, and are passionate and committed to speaking truth in love. God bless you for your faithfulness – and don’t worry, I will be back! J

I am thankful for how God has blessed me above and beyond what I asked for or deserve. Harrisonburg will always have a special place in my heart.

So goodbye Harrisonburg…until next time!

The grass is (rarely) greener on the other side...

Sometimes it’s easy to fall prey into the lie that “once I achieve ____” or “once I have ____”, THEN I’ll be happy. Or then I’ll truly be fulfilled.

Once I get that perfect 100 on that test, then I’ll feel like I’ve achieved something to be proud of.

Once I am engaged, then I’ll feel peace and be secure.

Once I am married, then my life will really start.

Once I graduate, then I’ll have time to really enjoy life.

Or, sometimes I go the other direction and think, “I really miss how my life used to be. It used to be so good back when…(you fill in the blank)”

But you know what? I am never more “happy” than I was before. Sure, I am enjoying married life, but that doesn’t mean I wake up every morning thinking “Wow, I am just so THRILLED to be ALIVE!” Maybe I need to start thinking that way more, though. J Either way, it doesn’t feel like I’ve reached a whole new level of fulfillment, and I need to stop buying into the lie that the next achievement/stage of life will give me more contentment.

As the Apostle Paul says, “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Phil 4:11b)

And I am so very thankful for how God has blessed me in my life now (and in the past couple of years).

So yes, I am learning. And will continue to learn.

To be continued in my next post: Goodbye Harrisonburg (a recap/thankfulness post for the ways God has blessed me in the past 4 years).

Independence Day from a Mennonite Perspective

Two points before I get started. First, a disclaimer, I don't necessarily consider myself a Mennonite. First and foremost, I am a Christian: A believer in and follower of Christ. However, growing up in a Mennonite church, and attending a Mennonite university, I can't deny the influence of Mennonite theology on my own. (I am currently attending a Presbyterian/PCA church, which in many ways has been a refreshing change). Secondly, I am merely sharing my own views on this important holiday, please feel free to comment, but I do not want this to become a "typical" political discussion as I often see (and, admittedly, take part in) on Facebook.

Independence Day is the day when we celebrate the United States declaring herself free from England. My first question is this: what is "independence"? The freedom that we often associate with "independence" is a wonderful gift, and while I don't support most wars and military action, I don't deny the price that was paid for many of the freedoms that I often take for granted. But is "independence" really what we as Christians should idealize? Even though my own political beliefs lean libertarian, aren't we as Christians supposed to recognize our weaknesses and be "co-dependent"? I'm all for limited government involvement in society, but does this breed a selfish "I can do everything myself" mentality?

Independence Day is also probably the most "patriotic" holiday on the American calendar. While I don't have anything wrong with patriotism per se, I get uncomfortable sometimes when Christianity is mixed with patriotism. Yes, there is Romans 13:7 ("Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed."), but to me "honor" is different from "worship." We are called to honor Barack Obama like we were called to honor George Bush, and yes, even our senators and representatives. But this doesn't mean we blindly accept everything they do or give our unconditional allegiance to them.

Jesus says "my Kingdom is not of this world." I believe our mission as Christians is solely the expansion of God's Kingdom. Politics and the expansion of America's "kingdom" (i. e., Democracy) can just be a distraction. What good is it if people experience the freedom of democracy (don't get me wrong, I believe it's a good thing), but don't experience ultimate freedom in Christ? Millions, even billions, have never experienced this freedom - shouldn't this be a priority for us as Christians rather than making sure Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons or China doesn't continue its persecution of dissidents? Also, what about the Pledge of Allegiance? Many people say it without thinking, but what are we really pledging allegiance to? What if our government asks us to do something contrary to Christ's commands? I pledge my allegiance to Christ alone.


Independence Day is also a time for the promotion of the idea of "American exceptionalism," which I even see Christians taking part in. I love Michael W. Smith's music, but I was disappointed the other year when I heard him perform at the Creation Music Festival. Toward the end of the concert he started playing patriotic songs, waving a huge American flag around and shouting "I love this country!" In another context that might not bother me as much, but just a moment before we were worshiping God and then in an instant it seemed to change to a worship service for our country. Is it just me or does this seem like idolatry? I truly believe that no other country has been more influenced by Biblical Christianity than America, but does this make us any "better" than every other country? In Christ there is no Jew or Greek (no American citizen or illegal alien - how's that for a political statement?!). At the end of time when we are finally with Christ (and no longer strangers and aliens on Earth) there will be praising God saints from EVERY tribe, nation and tongue. What a beautiful vision!


I hope I don't offend anyone. I merely want to share some of my complex political views (which do tend to be conservative, believe it or not) during this important holiday. I welcome any confidential messages if you feel I am in error or you want to discuss this further in a way that might start a political "battle" if posted publicly. My number one goal is to honor God and I hope I am not dishonoring anyone else unintentionally. Soli deo gloria.

Media Fast

After months of preparation, and over 3 years of dating, Claire and I are finally married! It's hard to believe - and I'm so excited for years ahead of working toward loving Claire more than myself and in the process growing closer to God.

I read something in the book "Intended for Pleasure" in preparation for marriage that got me thinking, and helped me make a radical decision that I think will be great for me in our first year of marriage. The book suggested taking a one-year fast from TV, or some other media that takes up a lot of your free time, during the first year of marriage. I've never watched much TV, but in reading this I knew right away that the Internet was a similar distraction in my life. For most of my recent life I've loved "wasting time" on the Internet. Not necessarily with bad things, but I could spend hours on sports and news sites, or Wikipedia. It's about time I take a fast from some of these things. For now I'm limiting all my Internet to Gmail, Facebook and Twitter (and, when I want to post something, Blogger).

So far it hasn't been easy, but I think it will be very good for me for several reasons. First, it will help guard me from temptation - which is ALL OVER the Internet and a huge danger, especially for males. Secondly, it will likely give me a lot more "free time," with which I will hopefully put to loving, serving and building my relationship with my wife. And lastly, I think it will help me put things in perspective. This past year I have placed too high an importance on things like sports and politics - not bad things in and of themselves, but things that have been "crowding out" my relationship with God (and, potentially, my relationship with Claire). Things like quiet time and fervent prayer have become things I do only when I "don't have anything else to do," which has become rarer because of "wasted time." I need more of God and less of distractions.

What are your distractions? What are the things from which God may be asking you to fast?

Alaska

• Mountains
• Rainbow over the mountains
• Whales frolicking in the ocean
• Waterfalls
• Snow-covered mountains
• Moose, otters, puffins, dall porpoises, bald eagles...
• Glaciers
• More mountains 

The Lord is an AWESOME Creator. And He is GOOD.