A New Year, A New Decade

It’s that time again! Time to rollover the calendars and start off another year. The one different thing about this year is that it is the dawning of a new decade. A time to start some new trends that we as a society will later regret and look back on the ones that we already do… but also look back on the good times we have shared this decade.

As we stare the coming year of 2010 in the face I take a personal look back at my life this past decade. (In no particular order)

-I have made so many new bonds with people, along with strengthening some old ones. Some friends have come to be more like family.

-I graduated High School in 09 and made the decision to go to school in Tennessee, where I also now work as a Student Ministry intern.

-All of the time spent in middle school and high school, learning ad becoming who I am today.

-I went to China and stood on the Great Wall and saw the Forbidden City… AMAZING!

-I really got to see this country, and all its beauty, through the eyes of someone growing up, trying to find their place in it.

-I earned the rank of Eagle Scout with a lot hard work put forth to do it.

-I gave my life to God’s calling of me to full time ministry! I can see God molding me and I praise him for that.

-I found one of my life loves in learning to play guitar and slowly developing my skills. I found no more of a rewarding use for it than worshiping our God, and leading others to do so as well.

-I voted in my first Presidential Election

-Some of my most fond memories are all of times spent with my youth group and church family over the years.

There are so many memories I could pull out, we would be here forever. I praise God for my family, my parents and the strong bond they have formed with me. As well as my close friends, who are as close to me as family. Josh (Emily too), Floyd, Brittany, Sam, Gregory, Ross, Raquel, Logan, and Colton. I love all of you guys! Also this decade I came to know Jeff, his wife Stephanie, and daughter Karis. I consider Jeff not only as a mentor, but him and his family as dear friends as well.

Everything and everyone I have mentioned have been a major part in my life throughout this decade. Looking back I see where God has blessed me in so many ways, and I look forward to whatever he may have in store for me.

Happy New Year to you all!

New Surroundings

So I'm working on my third full week of classes now here at Austin Peay. I'm loving it here, but it still taking some getting used to. There's so many differences here in Tennessee from living back home in Texas. For one, it's not as open, there is a massive abundance of trees, much like East Texas, but I have grown up in Central Texas, where from my house you can see downtown Ft. Worth and Dallas. Another thing, people from Clarksville think there is nothing here, but they have a lot compared to what I'm used to. Midlothian was always a small town, and business wise still is, so here it's a completely different atmosphere. I still don't understand the barbecue argument between Texans and "Southerners". Barbecue is barbecue! If you smoke some meat and throw some homemade barbecue sauce on it I'll eat it, whatever kind of meat it is. On second thought, I might have a couple of reservations on the meat choice, like no domesticated animals, that's just weird. Everything here in Tennessee is great and beautiful, but in a different way than Texas. A few things that are great about being here. Like the fact that my favorite style of music, bluegrass, is in abundance here. I love helping out at First Baptist and being a part of what is going on there. The students are a great group, and the college ministry is a blast.

If there's something I have learned here, it's that you can't forget who you are. Not in the sense of me being from Texas, but in the sense that even in an emotionally stressful time, in the midst of changes in life, you can't forget who you are in Christ. When something is thrown in your way you can't revert back to how you used to be, but accept it and move on. Things happen, and since being here things have been tossed in my way that started to make me doubt myself, and have that "poor me" attitude, but through some constructive words from back home, I had to remember who I am. Christ has made us new, and there's no reason to go back to the way you were before that, because the slate has been wiped clean and you are alive in Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17


Just for fun, I mentioned bluegrass at the first of the post, here's some bluegrass!