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MuchGame24
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Name: Mark
Country: United States
State: Kentucky
Metro: Louisville
Birthday: 8/26/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: Music: You gotta give props to Andrew Peterson. Thats my boy. Derek Webb, Andrew Osenga, Shane and Shane, Caedmons Call, U2 (Bono is a stud), Bob Dylan,Johnny Cash, John Denver, Coldplay is cool, Frank Sinatra(all Rat Pack), Over the Rhine and Neal Diamond. Then of course my 2 favorite musicians, Keith Green and Rich Mullins, real men who lived their relationships with Jesus passionatly.
Favorite books:
C.S. Lewis-Chronicles, Problem of Pain, Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity,
John Eldredge-Wild@Heart, Waking the Dead, Journey of Desire, The Epic
Pascall-Pensees, Journal of Jim Elliot, Hudson Taylors Spiritual Secret, Hand me another brick(Story of Nehemiah as a leader). Ravi Zacharias books Lotus and the Cross; Jesus among other gods. Travelers gift; Island of Saints;
Sports:
Basketball and Ultimate Frisbee.
I would put Jesus but he's not an interest, he is beyond an interest, he's my life. All I Have. His word over laps those books. My song to him overlaps those songs,
Occupation: Student
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
3/9/2005
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| Yesterday I started watching a movie called "Click". It's an alright movie. Has a couple of inappropriate scenes in it. But besides those, the movie is solid.
As I was watching it I really started getting a little down. Not sure why, throughout the day I had had some issues that put me in a negative mood through a part of the day, but then I started feeling okay. The movie really started to hit me when the main character(Adam Sandler) was ignoring his father for the last time before his father died. Automatically I was just hit with a title wave of emotion. Many things started bugging me. I started thinking about how much my dad loved me and how I used to mistreat him when I was younger. And then I broke.
There aren't many ways to describe your self when you are by yourself crying over a movie that isn't that serious. Some guys would argue that it makes you less of a man, others would say your over-sensitive. But I don't mind these times. I don't wanna become an uncontrollable basket-case of emotion, but I do feel there are many times in ones life where they will be left with no other solution. No other way to release the emotions appropriately.
I may have been rather tired. I had not had much sleep which led me to getting angry earlier on about something petty. Lonely is a definite. That is probably one of my biggest struggles. Thats why I try not to listen to sad music much or watch movies like 'Sleepless in Seattle'. They bring me into this sad mood. Then there are times where I feel great and don't mind singleness or loneliness. Lately its been a lot more like that, content.
Something random that I was thinking about while watching that movie is not allowing this day-in-age to get a hold of us. With that I mean cell phones, laptops, i-pods and other technology. I hate when your in a group and everyone is on one of these things and the conversating is at a low. I really think that this stuff can be a hindrance to relationships. Very much like the TV. When I was home, my mom got a laptop and was on it a lot. I'm not home much so it bugged me to see how the laptop took all of her attention and I got the scraps. I have the habit of doing this to people with my cell. I need to be a good steward of it and understand there is a time when it has purpose but also I can't allow it to hinder my relationships.
Thats something I have been challenged more as of late is spending QUALITY time with people. Not multi-tasking while talking to people. But giving full attention. In the words of that movie, not being on "auto-pilot". I think that that was an aspect of Jesus ministry was he would try to give full attention to people. His touch and words showed true care and compassion. Not half-hearted. As well, I am trying to become more affectionate. This is an area that I struggle in because I have become really uncomfortable with it through certain relationships and bad decisions I have made. I know that physical touch can be a great thing as long as it stays in it's own boundaries. I have just struggled with how to do this right with girls I care about in my life. Guys, I have no problem with telling a guy I love them and hugging them. But with girls I don't tell them I love them. And when I hug its hard to tell if I am close enough with them to give them a hug. These are areas that are hard to deal with for me. I used to be very comfortable with these areas but not anymore.
This last section is not about the Colts, it's about YOU!
We all know that the Colts won the Super bowl. It was a great game. Peyton played solid and Coach Dungy is the man. But when I think about the past 2 years for Coach Dungy, it is a story I have heard before:
A man goes through trial(He got fired from the bucs the year before they won it all), he comes to a new place and gets re-started. While restarting takes tons of criticism for doing things the right way. Then starts off destined for his goal(Super bowl Colts were 11-0). Hard trial comes into his personal life(Son commits suicide). More trial(They lose winning streak). More trial(They lose to Steelers who win it all).
They start over, and start strong again(7-0 start of next season). Trials and testings show weaknesses(They start losing and are known for their horrible defense). They are so weak there is considered no chance of success(barely make wildcard spot and predicted to lose badly). Strength is found in the "weakness", there is a chance to do alright, still no chance for total victory(Defense plays remarkable, they win in games where they were not favored). Now attacking the biggest fear of all, the one problem that has always kept him from total victory(The Patriots). Overcoming the obstacle(defeating the pats). Seemingly to start sluggish, the hopes starting to get lost(1st quarter of Super bowl looked horrible, 3 turnovers). Total Victory(Super bowl champs).
That whole segment above is just something I wrote telling of how this is the story we know. I used the Colts as an example. But we are VERY familiar with this story because in essence, this is the gospel. All hope lost, no chance of Total victory, but defying the odds. This is the story we love, where the good guy is down and he's done for, and then getting back up one last time and giving the knockout blow. You've been reading, watching and living this story your whole life and never could put a finger on it.
Now knowing this, that in the end, Good has all already won. Enjoy today. Know what Revelations tells of, the Total Victory we have in Christ. And enjoy your day, Don't endure it.
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| Back in to the storm, or so, of life. Things are starting up back at Wheeler. Basketball league stuff will be begininning very soon. I am just really excited. These things really give me true joy. It's mixed with frustration, concern and worry; but it is good though.
If God wills it, I might be going to Cambodia in August.
I have prayed some and feel like it might be leaning that direction. I will be sending out a support letter soon.
I just got back from a conference in Illinois. It was for Urban Youth workers. It was REALLY good. Very informative, relaxing and also our staff got the opportunity to bond. There were a lot of seminars. One was on the causes of Crystal Meth and other drugs. WOW! That was really eye-opening to me. I have known people to get into that and other drugs. But I didn't know the severity of the first use. It's really nuts.
Besides that, I have been doing good. I talked to one of my close friends, Abel. Him and his wife left for Tanzania Thursday. I really enjoy seeing my friends walking with the Lord. And I really like to see my friends serving him as well. It's a blessing.
Hope all is well with everybody!
Mark
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| Well, I fought sickness for the last couple of days and now all is well. It is going cool. I feel good. I am excited about Christmas time. it's great. I feel bad for my boy Jake though. He went on a diet for Christmas and he is straight DEPRESSED. It's sad to see. Yesterday I watched him take his diet stuff after eating his food and he seemed as though he was dying on the spot. Those facial expressions he gave. I felt bad. Then for the remaining time I spent over his house he was currled over on the floor in a dead/fetal position for 20 minutes. But he'll start feeling better over time.
All is good on this side of the computer. I haven't got in the word yet today but I am planning on it later. Enjoy today!
Mark | | |
| When the apostle Paul started writing Philippians, why didn't he start off like this: 'Well, life stinks! I got locked up for preaching about Jesus. It's so hard. This place smells and the people are rude. If I am doing what God wants then why do I get treated like this. At least I got Timothy with me. Otherwise I would be wigging out about this place.' I know he didn't use our style of slang back then but he is locked up for obedience to Christ. I know that many times in my life when the mountain top is gone, I tend to complain and put up with the circumstances I must 'endure'. I talked to a friend of mine, Rebekah, today and we talked about that, allowing our circumstances to get the best of us. Paul praised God for his situation. He took comfort in knowing Gods power and will was stronger then the chains he bore. He knew that the chains he bore gave power to others that heard about his afflictions(1:13-14). For me, I don't want my trials to allow a wedge in from keeping me to honor Jesus with my words and decisions.
This past week bore more challenge then weeks prior. Thanksgiving was a special time for me. I went to Cincinnati and saw my family. I love them. That night was interesting but good. I spent time with a family that I call my own. They really help me see things from perspectives I am foreign to. That night was a good night in the sense of teaching me. Saturday morning I went home to Louisville. I spent the weekend with friends and family. Monday morning I planned on leaving back to Indy. But plans were thwarted. My mother had been having chest pain and breathing problems so my pops took her to the ER. The next morning I found out before I was to leave for Indy. I went to the hospital and found out the severity of the situation and called my boss Doug and asked to have the day with my mom. As the day went on she had a stress test done and they suspected that she had 2 heart attacks. She had a Catherization done yesterday and found out that she had a weak heart and was not in need of a oen heart surgery. But the weak heart is something to worry about because if she doesn't start to lose weight and exercise, it won't be good. With the comfort of knowing that she was going home tonight, I left to finallly come back to Indy. While on the road I got a call from one of our boys in the basketball league. Apparently, two of my boys that I am very close with made some bad decisions, and got put in Jail. The decision they made is not relevant, but with hearing about this I was brought to a hault. To look at the way I am living. Is my life an example. Do they see other options then the ones they are choosing. But I know, they make their own decisions and are gonna be held to them. I must continue to speak Christ. I said all that to say, Christ never stopped being good. He never turned the TV screen off while this stuff has been happening. He has been holding my hand the entire way (Psalms 37:23-26) and continuing to remind me of what he has for me.
Seek God. ~Mark | | |
| For about 3000 years there has been something known as the Caste system in India. It is a system constructed of 4 caste (In order of importance to the Hindu) 1.Brahmins 2.Kshatriyas 3.Vaisyas 4.Sudras These caste pretty much identify what a person is based on worth and financial wealth. But below these four caste is a group that is bottom of the heap. People have not known about them much at all. They are the Dalits. They comprise of 25% of Indias population (around 250 million). They are also known as the 'untouchables'. These people are treated as pigs in every which way and are hidden in the country. If a dalits shadow falls on a person who is in a upper Caste there is a strict cleansing the person must go through. Imagine walking down the street and people not wanting to get within 10 feet of you because you are considered dirty with no desease to your physical body. These people need to be freed of this horrible caste system. I say all of this for all of you to pray. check out: dalitnetwork.org | | |
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