5ive

Currently, in my holiday reading frenzy, I'm going through Francis Schaeffer's book, How Should We Then Live: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. The following is a quote from the end of chapter eleven:

"Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire said that the following five attributes marked Rome at its end: first, a mounting love of show and luxury (that is, affluence); second, a widening gap between the very rich and the very poor (this could be among countries in the family of nations as well as in a single nation); third, an obsession with sex; fourth, freakishness in the arts, masquerading as originality, and enthusiasms pretending to be creativity; fifth, an increased desire to live off the state."

Sounds frighteningly familiar, doesn't it?

eChristmas Card

It came and it went, just like that. Christmas '05 is in the past and all that's is new toys, old lights, fat tummies, and wads of wrapping paper. This holiday season I realized a trend occurring in my life. Every year, Christmas (the Americanized, corporatized, materialistic madness) becomes less and less significant. I no longer count down the days in gleeful anticipation, nor do I rise before the sun in order to run downstairs to the tree. At the same time, Christmas (the seemingly forgotten one that signifies the birth of Christ our Savior) becomes more important and more meaningful. The true story of Christmas goes so far beyond the childish things ingrained in our noggins. It is more than nativity scenes in the yard. It is more than cute jingles and carols. It's infinitely deeper than all of our inventions. This year the Lord has given me a taste of the sweetness that is Christmas. My eyes have been opened up a tad more to the beauties of Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection. Might He move our focus to Him, for that's who this day (and every day) is all about.
*Bytheway, the cutie pie on the left is my brother Trab. Be sure to say hi.

Bachelor Party

Here are a couple more photos from my roommate's Bachelor party. The top one is quite Braveheart-esque, while the bottom is more AlternativeBandPhotoShoot-esque. Now this Bachelor party was not the norm. There was zero alcohol, nor were there any "nurses" jumping out of paper-mache cakes. Rather, there was sweet solitude in the Texas forest, bountiful amounts food, a big ol' campfire, and lots of exploring the land like we did back in our elementary days. That little boy scout in me got a taste of what he has very much missed.

T.P. Burn

Every now and then I get the urge to do a completely random post. Now is one of those times.

• The black & white photograph is a flaming roll of toilet paper. Bachelor party + campfire + 6 ingenious young gentlemen = Charmin Ultra torches. More on this camping trip in future posts.
  
• Copeland lyrics that caught my ear:
  Feel the pain teaching us how much more we can take
  Reminding us how far we've come
  Well if you would shine your love down here
  Make our hearts as perfect as new
  Oh if you would shine your love down here
  I promise I'd reflect right back at you
  
• I was in Academy Sports & Outdoors yesterday and had a major revelation. In the past, while shopping in the camping section, I saw these itty-bity tents on the shelf. They are only about 2 sq. feet, but they cost around $35. It seemed odd, but I just figured some people so love their dogs that they buy him/her their own doggy-tent. But yesterday, the truth was made known. I realized these tiny tents were scale models of the full size human tents. Incredible.
• Another revelation: the word compromise, when broken down, is "co" and "promise." Incredible yet again, I know.
• I decided to finally change the banner at the top of the page. I think it's a bit more "Christmasy". Let me know whatcha think...
  

Gone Astray...

Three passages (of the many) Joel Osteen must have glanced right over:

1. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. - II Timothy 4:3-4
2. Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, 'It shall be well with you'; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.' " - Jeremiah 23:16-17
3. And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." - Matthew 8:20

Skippy The Squirrel

I met a new friend today. His name's Skippy. As I was doing some reading in my favorite building on campus (the A.F. Chapel), a little critter caught my eye. Behold! 'Twas a squirrel! This poor fella was so very confused. He did not understand the concept of glass. Clear, yet oh so impenetrable. Up and down and around he went, looking for freedom. After a good half hour of entertainment, I decided to open up a window to assist his escape. He found freedom that day. Farewell buddy. Godspeed.

Cycle Time

My roommate and I have developed quite a relationship with our bikes. We have grown together and bonded with our two-wheeled friends. Our bikes have been very good to us, faithfully transporting us to campus every day this semester. So we got to thinking about how much time we have spent on these beauties. Here are the figures: 30ish minutes a day (6 miles roundtrip), 2.5 hours per week, 12.5 hours per month, 50 hours per semester. 50! That's 2 solid days of me sitting on a bike seat while pedaling my lil' heart out. Oh sweet times...