Back on Track

Okay, here's a little about me. When I went to college, I was looking for something. Satisfaction, success, joy, something. Whatever it was, I didn't find it in the places I was looking and so to compensate, I ate. I ate a lot. Over the course of my first two years in school I gained somewhere between 70 and 80 pounds. I slept a lot, then ate, missed class and ate some more. The last few years have been about realizing where joy is truely found, Jesus and learning how to live a life in pursuit of that. The last deed to undo from that period of my life is the weight, so in June I started counting points on the weight watchers program. Before moving, I lost 34 lbs! I was eating healthier and feeling great. I dropped pant sizes, shirt sizes and felt like I was on the road to healthiness. The process of moving though, made it easy to level off and being in transition was a good excuse. We've been in Fresno now for 2 months and it's safe to say that the transition is over. Last week I was watching my weight again and as of today, weigh in day, I lost 4 pounds! I'm down to 38 lbs lost and am now inviting all of you to be a part of the process. I weigh in every monday morning and will try my best to post the results. My goal is 80 lbs and I'm almost half way there.

The Gospel

On Sunday I got to have a conversation with people at church about Jesus and lost people. What struck me though, was that we're not all on the same page about people's need for Jesus. Essentially, the conversation was that you can get to heaven without believing in Jesus, and that it's "unfair" that God would send people to hell who have never been given the chance to hear the gospel. Maybe I'm being too vague and so you don't understand what I'm saying. If that's the case, I'm sorry. What saddens me is that we would look at babies who are still born (as my twin sisters were) or people in distant parts of the world who have never heard of Jesus and think that God is being unfair in not giving them heaven, instead of being so radically transformed by the unfairness of God dying the most brutal death ever imagined to pay the price for a lying, cheating, sinner like me. What about Grace?! When did the fact that God broke into my heart and rescued me from a death that I absolutely deserved become something I was owed. When did I or these unknown tribal peoples of the world deserve salvation. Why are we not blown away by the mercy that God has "lavished" on us and then stirred to go and reach these lost people. If we believe that this "in born knowledge" of God or "creation pointing us to God," as it says in scripture, is enough to get us to heaven, then why did Jesus die? Why aren't our lives so blown away by this one amazing act of grace that we are willing to die for others to know this Joy; this abundant life that we get? How can you and I take this gift of grace and then go back to our regular lives?

The Honest Boss

Jenn is volunteering with ICON, the college ministry at Clovis Hills. Her new boss sent me this. I wonder what he's trying to say...

A little love for my friend by the Fresno Bee

So my buddy Dana made the paper! Dana's doing some cool stuff for the Susan B. Komen foundation. Since my mom is a breast cancer survivor I'm appreciative. Check out the story and his blog and hey, maybe send some support Dana's way. Check it Out!

I love blogging

So how stinkin' small is this little world of ours? I've been blogging for just a few short months now, but have already been more connected to friends and have made a few new ones along the way. Yesterday for instance, I read Carlos' Blog and found out that he was in Fresno for his wife's high school reunion. I posted that he should come by and today we met, hung out and talked about leading worship and everything that goes along with it. Los, I had a blast.

Funny Shirt of the Week

So I regularly do a funny shirt of the week. This guy did 155 shirts. He wins.