Throwback Thursday: A few lessons learned.

Throwback Thursday is a series of posts, wherein I will on (some) Thursdays post a piece of writing from back in the day. Generally not from this blog. I will edit lightly for readability, but my intention is to allow each piece to stand basically as written. Over the years my mind has shifted on many things, as my knowledge of life, the Scriptures, and myself has grown. I'm not in the business of hiding this fact, so these will probably (at least on occasion) contain some things which even I think are crazy.

Originally posted on Facebook as, "A few lessons learned", January 1, 2011 at 5:25am

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So 2010 has been one heck of a year.  I've grown, learned, been broken, been confused, laughed, cried; it has simply been a roller coaster.  I thought I would take a minute here and give you some quick snippets of what I've learned this year, some serious or profound, others not so much.  There may perhaps be a tad of elaboration at times.

1.) Such a thing as good rap exists.  Thank you Reach Records.

2.) There really is someone for everyone.  I have no idea how she tolerates me :)

3.) You can never replace a close friend.  Miss you, Relic.

4.) I am a far better preacher than teacher.  I apologize to anyone who has to listen when I'm trying to teach a lesson.

5.) I need to read more.

6.) I need to write more.  Most of my frustrations in writing come from simply not spending enough time writing.

7.) I love my little brothers.  I would have thought that and told you that before.  But over the last year I have really begun to grasp how important they are to me.  I'm proud of every single one of them.

8.) I love my sisters.  And I need to learn how to show them that in a way that they understand, and so they can see that a real man does express those things.  Cause I don't want them settling for less in a guy when they get older.

9.) I need to lead by example.

10.) I have a real burden for teaching young guys how to follow God and live a life that exemplifies that.  Not that I've figured it out.

11.) I'm not obligated to be anyone's friend.  There should only be three kinds of people in my life.  Those I'm learning from, those I'm learning with, and those I'm teaching.  No point in investing into people outside of that.

12.) I care less about sports every day.  I enjoy them every bit as much, but I just don't care about them anymore.

13.) Long distance relationships really can work.  This is a pleasant surprise :)

14.) Miracles really do happen.  Sometimes I feel like the Apostle Thomas.

15.) I really don't like the NIV.

16.) As a proclaimer of the Word, the way in which I go about studying it and interpreting it may be one of the most important things I do in life.

17.) As a leader of people, the way in which I live out what the Word says may be the single most important thing about my life.

18.) The point of everything in life is the glory of God.

19.) God is glorified by me when I find my delight in Him.

20.) That means God desires my joy!

21.) I am thankful for my family.

22.) God has surrounded my with an amazing group of people throughout my life.

23.) I love studying the Bible.

24.) Not going to Bible school was a good call.

25.) Simul Iustus Et Peccator.  Jesus work justifies me in the eyes of God even though I still sin, and that is amazing.  Praise be His name!

Commonplace Monday

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for. 

Commonplace Monday

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
JRR Tolkien





Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for. 

Commonplace Monday

"Faithful children follow a good example and refuse to follow a bad one."
Douglas Wilson

Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for. 

Commonplace Monday

"The Church will outlive the universe." C.S. Lewis

Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for.