Moderate White

It's about time, right? So it's summertime! A lot has happened in the last few weeks/ months. Let's recap:

•  I graduated.
• I wrote, submitted, and received an A on my Master's thesis! Ask me about it, if you want to read it. It's pretty cool, I think.
• I have been married for almost 6 months. Whoa. 
• It has made my life about 8,000 times better.
• God has been so good!
• I have secured a job teaching college English for two years. I just--can't explain it. God is just--wow.
• I am currently working maintenance at the school--specifically in the paint crew. It's a blast.
• Um--
• Oh! A few times a week, we have been visiting our neighbors and playing Super Smash Bros. with them. I am getting better, but rarely win the rounds. I am comfortable with Samus and prefer not being other characters, but I probably should if I want to get better. 

Okay I think that pretty much sums it all up. I would like to blog regularly this summer, if possible. Well it is possible. Heh. I guess I mean, if I actually do it. I miss chronicling my life. Well, this is going to be a strange summer for me. I have NEVER had freedom like I will this summer. I am married and living on my own--yet. But I also am not working at Jones' which is sad and not sad because, well, it has always limited my summers. I will miss it, sure. But it will be fabulous to see what I can accomplish when I have evenings free.

The main reason I wanted to write this was to reveal my summer reading list. So far, I have been a major slacker, but I plan on reading at least these first few, and we'll see how far I get. Here we go:

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1.

First, we have Ol Huck Finn which I have embarrassingly never completed. I am several chapters into it now, and am enjoying it! I hope to get it done within a few weeks here. I know that it's so important, since, well it is considered to be THE American novel, but I know I'll be teaching it someday.

2.

Next, we have Harper Lee's classic that I have been wanting to read for some time. I have  not heard one bad review about it. In fact, it seems to   appear on most people's favorite book of all time list. I am fairly stoked about this one. I am pretty excited to watch the Greg Peck film as well.

3.

I have owned Frankenstein for several years and am pretty excited to actually read it. Jenn tells me that it's one of her favorites. I believe that Mary wrote it as sort of a challenge amongst friends to see who could write the best horror novel. She won. 

4.

I have heard mixed reviews of Lord of the Flies. Regardless, someone purchased me this book a few years ago, so I really should read it. I may or may not like it. I know it's pretty dark, which usually doesn't bother me , but with spiritual things, I don't know. We'll see! It seems to be pretty captivating. 

The Other Side

I miss this so much. I am going to begin blogging again. I finally have good access to the web and more time to think and process things.

(picked up March 31)

Where was I? anyway. I am married. I am still a teacher. I have plans for the next 2 years as a college teacher here. I just can't comprehend why God chooses to be so good to me. I really wonder how those who aren't believers can go to sleep at night. I don't toss and turn--I just look at my amazing wife, and pray to my amazing God, and I have a peace. I wonder why unbelievers do what they do. I mean, at the end of the day, can they really be happy? I mean not like winning the lottery happy. I mean, a real and true joy that permeates every aspect of life. When things fall or collapse, I have this happiness that just emerges from my soul.

God is so good. I want to get back to blogging. I discovered my old Tabulas blog a few minutes ago. I blogged 250 entries for a 4 year span! I also blogged at Youthglue. Wow... I have so many memories.

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Right now, I am:

* trying to graduate

* trying to grade 3 classes of papers

* trying to teach sunday school

* trying to write a decent thesis.

* trying.

But God is here, and I just love this--this whole situation my life is in. I am saddened to see folks I grew up with just wandering around in life. Not all of them. Several of my old time buddies are fine, but I just worry about so many people from my past. Anyway, I hope to return to this blog and make something of it so I can look back and reflect when I am older.

God is so big.

A Late One.

I was reminded recently (Thanks Man) that I haven't updated in a while. I wish I would/could. I miss blogging. I am currently sitting at an incredible hotel in Birmingham. It's the cheapest room we could find... it's really nice.

I am about to start summer classes... I always fail to achieve my goals... I got some great stuff done in three weeks though.

This was officially the Summer of Golf. I golfed 2 times... (total of 3 in my life) this break. I am beginning to enjoy it. I didn't say I am good. I didn't read the book I needed to read for class... I didn't work as much to make money as I should have... I didn't go to the doctors to look at my stomach thing again. I didn't go camping, or mail Jenn as much as I wanted to...

But I learned golf. I played games with the family. Got to talk to Jenn more than last summer... had great times with Chris... amazing times with Ben... and got a few good talks about life, the universe, and everything with my dad.

Golf is a great sport. It's relaxing... difficult, time consuming, head clearing, and enjoyable. I am terrible... I have a long way to go... but I want to improve. I am about to take 3 classes in three weeks. Should be a killer.. I am ready for a killing. I think I can handle it. Let's see what happens.

By the way... I am gonna share a link for a radio show I made with a few college buddies.

https://sites.google.com/site/alandtyreek/

it's called The Fellowes and we recorded them about 2 years ago. Well... we made 10 episodes back then... and did 2 more this year. It's a fake talkshow... everything is made up on the spot. It's about 20% funny... 50% entertaining... and probably 20% stupid. But if you stick with it... it's pretty fun.

I think I missed my calling... I really wanna voice act professionally. It's so much fun.

Anyway... I hope to get into the swing of things soon with blogging. I miss this old junk. It kinda defines me... helps me reflect.

Let's do this.

Thanatopsis

Hmm... I can't begin to explain how amazing my life is right now.

Let's just say that... I am being paid to do what I love and what I want to do for my career while getting paid to help others do what I love...while learning what I love to learn about to get a degree so that I can do what I can to serve the God that I love for the rest of my life... I am rooming with one of my best friends... living near the girl that I love... she is living with other people that I love who happen to be some of my best friends.

God is so big. I can't believe that my life is this good.

I love it.

So many things to write about... maybe I'll make a collection of things and post em later.

Oh man.

Arguing with Idiots

Oh MAN. People really make me angry.

Ok... before I get ahead of myself... maybe I should explain.

Why am I a Christian? Honestly... because I was raised in a Christian home. I mean... I don't want this to change topics too quickly so I better keep myself on track. When I look back... it doesn't really matter how I came to God, as much as it matters that I am not a follower of Jesus and I am going to a real place called Heaven when I die. But let's face it: I have Christian world-view because I was born in a Christian home. Jesus did the saving, not my parents, or me, or anybody else. Christ did. But Hey, I am willing to admit that my environment was very influential on my current situation.

Fast forward 2o years....

In 2008 I watched the movie "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." And I loved it. Of course I did... because I don't believe in Evolution... but recently I came across a stupid website that personally attacks Ben Stein and his work... simply because they are Evolutionists and they don't want this movie to influence people for Creationism.

The website attacks Stein's movie saying all this stuff about how there is one instance of a Christian textbook that had the words Creationism changed to Intelligent design after the supreme court ruling and all this other stuff about how it's a propaganda movie that is trying to force people to believe in Creation.

FALSE. This movie was not about proving that God created the earth. It was about how the freedom if religion is being squelched by the system. In the secular world (Universities and Public Schools... or should I just say Government Schools) Evolution is proven to be a fact, and Creation is a stupid fairy tale. If you disagree then you are black-listed and considered to be unlearned and pathetic.

That is the point of the movie. Sure, he weaves some pro-creation elements in there, such as proving that Evolution isn't even a good theory... and so on. But that website totally missed the point. Stein isn't even a Christian! He is a Jew I think... but he is an American who is frustrated that Evolution is the supreme fact and there is no room to question it.

I say that Evolution takes JUST AS MUCH faith to believe as Creation. Evolution can't even be proven... and is more absurd to believe in my opinion.

Yeah I don't believe in Evolution because I was raised to be a Christian. But now I have taken Christianity and made it my own. Why do I choose to stay in my own Christian orientated world? Because my beliefs and opinions don't matter to my country. If evolution is going to be taught... they do not have any right to teach it as a fact... I don't see why they don't teach all ideas together and simply say, "This is what people believe"

The bottom line is that Evolutionists are just trying to avoid being held accountable to a God, so they came up with this wacked out idea that is apparently a fact now. And I love how our Bible has not changed EVER, yet their theories are allowed to change every few years. Google "how old is the earth" and you will see a long record of changes to this answer from our friends who believe evolution.

I loved Expelled because it brought to my attention the fact that Evolution is gaining speed and power. I only hope that others will realize the same thing soon.

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I don't like blogging about opinions usually... because then this just becomes another forum on the internet... but that website really got me goin.

we are the music makers: we are the dreamers of dreams

I just finished reading "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" which was fairly enjoyable. Wasn't a "page turner" so to speak, but I liked it. It kept my interest. It was a novella... which are really fun to read because they are usually less than 100 pages so they are somewhat quick and intense and full of action (like short stories) but are slightly more developed. I think he could have developed the characters wayyy more though. They are GREAT characters. Classic characters even. He could have made it a huge novel... but I liked it.

I figure, it's a good story if you know the plot and characters and haven't even read the book. If it's that influential, it must be good. I started Dante's Inferno... which is gonna be a beating probably... it looks pretty rough. But I know it's an important work so I should read it. I also have Huck Finn and Frankenstein on my docket for the summer... and maybe some H.G. Wells in addition.

Reading has become easier for me I think... I can now read with slight distractions... whereas before I had to have complete silence.

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Anyways, life is great. I miss Jennifer like mad... but I will be seeing her in a few weeks as I trek down to the wasteland that is Alabama to spend a week(ish) with her at Camp Victory. I am sure it will be a week to remember. I hope God just shows me some awesome stuff as well. I haven't done many ministries as of late, so I think this could be a great time for me.

I am way behind on my devotions... I need to read super extra to catch up on my read-the-Bible-in-a-year thing. I want to finish it though... I have come half way... I don't want to give up. it is not quite as meaningful if you read to accomplish reading the whole thing... but it's just something I need to do.

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anyway. Life is great... God is good. I am happy.

22

Weird. It's my birthday. This year has been the year of Changes for me--for sure.

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Not really sure what happened... just didn't take the time.

So what has changed? Well...

*I am graduated.

*I have experience teaching 11th Grade History and English

*I have a girlfriend.

*Go ahead, read the above mentioned again. It's true.

*She is amazing...

*my family continues to be the source of many blessings from God

*Jones' still exists.

*Don't know much about Arnie Palmer; but I know he came up with a great beverage.

*I made plans for the next 2 years of my life... and after that. Who knows. Well... God does. I don't. I kinda like it that way.

*I have wayy too many books to read, wayy too much time to read them, and wayy too little ambition to read right now. that needs to change.

*I miss driking tea. I need to get back into that.

*So this list has just become a random catalog of stuff on my brain... not so much a "list of changes" but that's fine. I should really do some other things.

Anyway so sum things up:

I haven't been this happy since... ever. Well... not that I wasn't happy before. I guess I just became happier.