To My Readers,
It certainly has been such a long time. I've been convicted for a while to get back to writing this blog, but to be honest, i've been lazy and decided not to write it. I figured my excuse, "I don't have time, maybe tomorrow I can make some time," will never go away. I'll never really have time, so I might as well should just write. My tuesday's are typically a busy day. I only have one class at six p.m. but I also have chapel at 11.
I slept through my alarm today, go figure, and woke up around 10. Sadly, I was up until around four a.m. trying to see the Leonid Meteor Shower, sadly, now living in San Antonio, I wasn't able to see a thing. I stayed up super late for practically nothing, though it was a beautiful evening. The weather has dropped down into the low 50's as the lows and into the low 70's/high 60's for the high. I love winter when its actually cold, though Texas has a tendency to make winter no different than summer. I hurried over to chapel to find out that today was a special prayer chapel. We didn't have the sign in sheet as we usually do. I stayed and prayed for some time.
Afterwards I went to lunch with Scott Duff, a great theologian here at the Baptist University of the Americas, in the cafeteria. Scott is strongly supportive of the organic church and has great insights to issues where the institutionalized church has missed the mark. More so than that, Scott is quiet a funny guy and good company. Our discussion for whatever reason, was on divorce and the original Greek meaning of the word when He said that divorce is only allowed by "porneia" (greek word usually translated as sexual immorality but is much deeper than just sexual immorality, i wont go into it now ) in Matthew 19:9. (Btw, I have found my calling here at the Baptist University of the Americas thanks to the help of Dr. Ramos in seeing what God had so clearly placed on my heart to do. I will talk about it in a blog to come.)
Afterwards I went on a search for a tea kettle, and to no avail, didn't find one. I returned to the library to be interview by a friend, Yacxara, for her English class. It was primarily about why I had come to BUA, my experiences being here, and about how BUA fit into my calling in life. It was interesting and strange being interview, even if its simply for a school paper. Our culture says interviews are for people worth saying something. Im not getting a big head, but it was strange doing one at the same time.
Afterwards I went back to my apartment and started to work on homework. I had some reading to do for Intro to Theology (HIstorical Theology) tonight which I jumped on. It was primarily about God's revelation and the different theologies on those revelations, between General & Special Revelation. Interesting, however to have an three hour class on this topic was going to be...sooooo much fun.....(read sarcasm in whenever you'd like). Its a great class with a great instructor, Dr. Nora Lozano, except, we have many students that would rather argue for the sake of hearing their voice and making their opinion definite truth rather than seeking out answers on questionable topics on the basis of discovering truth. Some may be asking can those be the same thing? Its a matter of the heart from some students. We have a few that believe a well renown doctor of Theology knows less about theology than a gnat knows any human language. Needless to say, instead of learning from our professor, some students feel it is necessary to stop her lecture and enter a discussion as useful as kicking a dead horse. However, thats a different fish to fry. I was texting Katherine Robinette, who is one my best-friends, until she insisted I pay attention, regardless if there was pointless arguing taking place. It is always uplifting talking to her. I was so thankful to get to spend time with her this weekend while I was visiting home.
I was also able to talk with Sydney Sever tonight. Syd, is a dear friend I met in fall of 2007, while we were both at Blue Knight camps and have been good friends ever since. She is going to be going overseas this coming spring. I am very excited for Syd and all that God is doing in her life. We discussed being pen-pals, so I can write letters and her send me awesome postcards! I really have been wanting an old fashioned pen pal, however with Facebook and cell-phones, mail has become obsolete to my generation. I am very excited to embark on such a cool challenge. Writing letters. lol!
Marty arrived in Denton last night. I found this out via Facebook chat during class as well. Yes, i have the terrible sin of multi-tasking. We did small catching up along with the rekindling of an old idea with chess. It was good to know Marty is only a few hours away rather than a few days.
I ask that we keep Sydney in your prayers. She is going to be overseas and far away from friends, family, and her loved one. I know it is going to be such a great and life-changing experience for her. Be praying that she finds a community that will embrace and love her as we, followers of Christ, are supposed to. Pray for her to find friends and for everyone whom she will encounter, because I know she can impact everyone she meets. Pray that God speaks to her heart during this time and challenges and builds her up in their relationship. Syd, kick some butt this spring.
Simply,
tex g.m. rule
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:to loose the chains of injustice & untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free & break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry & to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, & not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" Isaiah 58:6-7
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
the threat...
I woke up late today, again. It appears to become a normal routine for me, waking up late. I simply sleep through my alarm for some odd reason. It blows my mind as to how some days I will and some days I dont, yet if someone across the house makes the floor creak, Im wide awake.
Well anyway, I dressed in a hurry and ran out the door to class. As my day went along I took part A of my test for Sight Singing and Ear Training (part b. is wed.) and I waited for a friend to get out of class. I nearly waited another forty minutes before she was released. Holy Poop! Take forever why don't you? However, I went along with my day, with this awkward tension and ended up at home attempting to mow our lawn with my roommate Eric. We have a very large yard b.t.w.
What had happened was that someone had made a "threat" that the mayor was coming to visit our house because our yard was in violation of city codes. We had mowed the front part of our yard recently (which was the easier half) but we never have gotten to the rest. The grass was a bit larger than stomache high and it was a pain in the butt to mow with a push-mower and weed-eater. The church we work for has a riding mower that we're allowed to use but for some reason wouldn't start. And yes, it did have gas in it.
After two hours of attempting to mow/weed-eat we hadn't but barely got a small portion of the yard done. After prayer and must frustration Eric and I attempted to start the mower and after jumping the battery, it started up. The mowing job became much easier until Eric ran over a pipe sticking out of the ground in which I had to lift the mower vertical so that he could pound our where it had bent the undercarriage. During that lifting I grabbed a very hot muffler. It burned pretty good. But with much attempt around 7:45 we had a finished yard. We had started around 3:30 that afternoon. Talk about a lot of hard work.
I later went to my mom's house for dinner where I realized this. It took someone threating to have the mayor come back to check our yard's length in order for us to actually do what was the right thing. We were frustrated becasue we had to actually do it and change our plans in order to do this task. However, when in fact this is what was needed to have been done much earlier becuase it was our responsibility. In our own faith we do this so many times. We are supposed to keep up with our responsibility against sin or just regular life and when we ignore that sometimes God will place a threat there. Look at Israel. How many times did God talk about turning them over to their sin (which did happen eventually) and destroy them? Numerous but they, for the most part, returned to Him. That is what I noticed.
Why did it take a threat in order for us to accomplish something that is/was our responsibility? It in fact was part of our agreement with the house. Take care of the kids, our utilites, & our yard, but we were welcome to use their mower if needed. We seemed to do two of those well, but completely forgot and forsake our other responsibility. Those were the three tasks we were given to us. Simple no? Yet, we allowed other things to take the place of our duties and lose our priorities.
Even though it looks amazing to have the yard cut and done and have all this open feild, it also looks like poop. The dead grass in piles around the yard and it just really could have been done better. As exciting as it is to get the job done, it is a constant reminder of how much better we could have done.
Thank you Lord for giving me the understanding to see your message in the midst of my frustration and stubborness. I pray that you allow for us to not lose sight of our spiritual goal and expectations that you bestow upon me. Please give us all the desire and passion for your will that you desire us to have. Thank you for not giving up on us when we needed a threat but that you gave us mercy and your Son in order to forgive us of our so many wrongs.
With all I am,
Gary Michael "Tex" Rule
"Let me tell you a mystery: We wont all rest, but we will all be changed." 1 Cor15:51
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewarts of the mysteries of God." 1 Cor4:1
Well anyway, I dressed in a hurry and ran out the door to class. As my day went along I took part A of my test for Sight Singing and Ear Training (part b. is wed.) and I waited for a friend to get out of class. I nearly waited another forty minutes before she was released. Holy Poop! Take forever why don't you? However, I went along with my day, with this awkward tension and ended up at home attempting to mow our lawn with my roommate Eric. We have a very large yard b.t.w.
What had happened was that someone had made a "threat" that the mayor was coming to visit our house because our yard was in violation of city codes. We had mowed the front part of our yard recently (which was the easier half) but we never have gotten to the rest. The grass was a bit larger than stomache high and it was a pain in the butt to mow with a push-mower and weed-eater. The church we work for has a riding mower that we're allowed to use but for some reason wouldn't start. And yes, it did have gas in it.
After two hours of attempting to mow/weed-eat we hadn't but barely got a small portion of the yard done. After prayer and must frustration Eric and I attempted to start the mower and after jumping the battery, it started up. The mowing job became much easier until Eric ran over a pipe sticking out of the ground in which I had to lift the mower vertical so that he could pound our where it had bent the undercarriage. During that lifting I grabbed a very hot muffler. It burned pretty good. But with much attempt around 7:45 we had a finished yard. We had started around 3:30 that afternoon. Talk about a lot of hard work.
I later went to my mom's house for dinner where I realized this. It took someone threating to have the mayor come back to check our yard's length in order for us to actually do what was the right thing. We were frustrated becasue we had to actually do it and change our plans in order to do this task. However, when in fact this is what was needed to have been done much earlier becuase it was our responsibility. In our own faith we do this so many times. We are supposed to keep up with our responsibility against sin or just regular life and when we ignore that sometimes God will place a threat there. Look at Israel. How many times did God talk about turning them over to their sin (which did happen eventually) and destroy them? Numerous but they, for the most part, returned to Him. That is what I noticed.
Why did it take a threat in order for us to accomplish something that is/was our responsibility? It in fact was part of our agreement with the house. Take care of the kids, our utilites, & our yard, but we were welcome to use their mower if needed. We seemed to do two of those well, but completely forgot and forsake our other responsibility. Those were the three tasks we were given to us. Simple no? Yet, we allowed other things to take the place of our duties and lose our priorities.
Even though it looks amazing to have the yard cut and done and have all this open feild, it also looks like poop. The dead grass in piles around the yard and it just really could have been done better. As exciting as it is to get the job done, it is a constant reminder of how much better we could have done.
Thank you Lord for giving me the understanding to see your message in the midst of my frustration and stubborness. I pray that you allow for us to not lose sight of our spiritual goal and expectations that you bestow upon me. Please give us all the desire and passion for your will that you desire us to have. Thank you for not giving up on us when we needed a threat but that you gave us mercy and your Son in order to forgive us of our so many wrongs.
With all I am,
Gary Michael "Tex" Rule
"Let me tell you a mystery: We wont all rest, but we will all be changed." 1 Cor15:51
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewarts of the mysteries of God." 1 Cor4:1
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