The 365 Project - Day 26 (Super Bowl XLIV)

At last, after almost a week of seeing pictures of giant blue aliens, far off planets, an empty bed, and a package of Oreos, here are some decent human-including pictures. I am sitting in on Boyce's super bowl party, the first big student event of the semester. I am happy that I made the decision to go out to the event. I was able to make friends with someone close to home. He's been at Boyce for 2 semester, and I didn't even know him. His name is Jacob, he's the guy to the left of me in the picture, he's from Florida. Miami to be specific...It is great because I know a lot about where he's coming from, we can relate. Having grown up only an hour away from each other, there is much to that. So it's awesome.

Today I managed to finish chapter 23 and 24 of the book. I am now up to 237 pages. I cannot get over it. I feel like I am just trucking along. I have 2 more complete weeks to get to my date, and basically what that means is that all of my free time (apart from going to the gym and classes) are going to be devoted to finishing the book on time. I am debating if I really want it to be 42 chapters, but I set that goal for myself a long time ago, and I really want to stick to it. I hope that people don't get too depressed when they read it. I want to describe the book almost as a 21st century version of the book of Job. So much goes down in the story, you are left to wonder how things will happen, whether they will be good or bad.

As I watch the superbowl, I am sort of hoping that the Colts win it, but it would be great if the Saints win because of what New Orleans has been through. Hurricane Katrina was the event that got the city to see how America can come together and help out for the greater good. It won't matter to me either way, because no matter who wins, it will be a great victory, and that's the truth.

Today I ended up going to Valley View instead of LifeSong, because of the party, and it was great. Pastor Joel was wild, and his message was inspiring.
Check it out here:
http://valleyviewchurch.org/this_week/messages/

FLASHDEVO

I was finally able to do my devotions in the morning, reading Romans 3. I am so very proud of myself that my spiritual health has so greatly improved. If I can just get the physical to follow after it, I should be okay :P

There was a passage later on in the chapter (v.9-18) talking about how there is no one righteous person, NO NOT ONE. I remember this passage from a song by Caedmon's Call "Thankful", it was part of the verses in the song. It is so incredible to realize that because of sin, even the most Godly, most spiritually driven people who do their best to please their creator, they are still sinners who need the blood of Jesus. It is deep. I am really looking forward to getting deeper into this book, so look for my posts later in the week.

PEACE!

The 365 Project - Day 25

Okay, now I can officially say that I'm not lazy anymore. This was a picture I was hoping to take to show people what my room has. You've seen my desk, my chachkies (Yiddish for dust-collectors), and now you can see my work area. Last semester, that would have been a bad idea to place things, since I had a roommate, and he slept there, but now, I keep my folders, important papers for classes, and my bible stuff over there. I bought that commentary book in the picture (The John MacArthur Bible Commentary) last semester, when it was on sale for $20. I have used it a couple of times, and right now, as I find myself reading Romans for quiet time, I have often looked through that book to answer some questions about Paul and what he was doing as he wrote the Prison letters.

Also here is an incredible update. I am on chapter 24 of the Chronicles of Judah, and right now, the book is an incredible 227 pages long. I am so happy with the way it is going, and I have so much in place to finish it, and with my goal in mind (February 26th) I hope that it will finally finish as planned, and I can start having it ready for printing and eventually editing.

FLASHDEVO

I am going to try to do my reading in the mornings from now on, but I wanted to talk about Romans 2. In this chapter, you are seeing Paul, and how he wants people to be who they are supposed to be. Non-judgmental, and open to sharing Christ's love. He spoke of how there is no difference between Jew or Gentile and how we are not supposed to regard someone as better than someone else or how we are supposed to live our lives as to not let someone else stumble. It's something I often think about. Could our lives be affecting how someone else lives, how someone else believes in the Lord? Dwell on that today.

As far as the superbowl goes and who I'm rooting for: GO COLTS! (This is only because Peyton is Eli's older brother, and Eli is the quarterback for my New York Giants)

I look forward to tomorrow night's game.
PEACE!

The 365 Project - Day 24

Okay, so I am getting so lazy with not taking my pictures, but I have a story behind this one. This is a persian cat, named Maybe. She is currently being held for adoption in San Antonio, and I was looking at her for when I move to Texas. The chances of me having an animal right away are very slim, since I will have a small apartment, and I'm not even sure they allow animals...However, there are some places on Southwestern's campus that do allow pets, but it's more money...

I fell in love with the Persian breed after seeing a famous one in the Harry Potter books. Hermione Granger has a cat named Crookshanks who is a Persian. I don't know what it is about the cat breed, but I find it so adorable. These cats are actually ugly, they have a squished in face...But who cares, cats are intelligent, and they are also very easy to take care of because they don't liked being walked or told what to do, so they require very little care, and if I were to get a cat, I wouldn't have to worry about taking it outside, just feeding it...

FLASHDEVO

Finally started reading the prison letters, and I am now in Romans... You are finally hearing about what Paul does while he is in prison. It is never clear about his treatment, but we do know that he was kept in a house with someone guarding him on a regular basis...He wrote this letter to show that he was finally going to Rome to meet the believers that he had only heard about. In Acts 2 (during Pentacost) there were Jewish people who accepted their Messiah, and were from Rome, they went back, and from there is it a supposition that a church was started. Paul was writing to the church condemning those people who were saying that it was okay to be living in sin, and he gave specific warnings (listing out the sins by name, through the end of chapter 1) telling people what to avoid. I hope that this encourages you. I am just bored during my history class, and thought I would blog today...

The 365 Project - Day 22/23

Life can sometimes get in the way as people get busier and busier, and yet (as you can see in the pictures I've taken, I am clearly managing to have a social life)
The first one (taken on Wednesday) is a typical scene in my room, of people coming to play Super Smash Brothers Brawl on my Wii...
It has become my breaks from studying, and just enjoying time with people on my hall.

The picture I took today is the ultimate goal I had with people here at school. I dedicate this photo to my good friends in Japan, the Fujino family. During the summer when I lived in Tokyo, the Fujinos would have the IMB interns over at their house to watch movies. Often times we would choose to watch the Harry Potter films, or something else, but it was just so much fun to do. So I made a sign like the ones you would typically see while you'd be around the apartment building where they lived. I am now doing a "Harry Potter Marathon". Tonight I did the 1st movie, and I am hoping to go through all 6 films by the middle of March.

FLASHDEVO

I was beginning to have anxiety because I haven't done devotions for about 4 days, and it was about time that i got back to it. I finished up Acts today (YAY!!!!) Paul finally makes it to Rome, and is put under house arrest where he writes the Prison letters (what I am about to move forward to read now). I am just amazed at how the Lord kept Paul alive through all of the trouble he went through just getting to Rome. He was ship wrecked and nearly died. And yet, through all of this God used Paul and helped him write what became one of the most significant parts of the New Testament. I have never found more encouragement, than when I sit to read the prison letters. They are one of my favorite parts of the Bible (next to Exodus) of course.

Anyway, this post goes out to all of my former co-interns who are choosing to follow their Heavenly father's will and return to Japan. Someday I will go back to Japan and I will serve there again...I am praying for that day.

God bless you all...
PEACE!

The 365 Project - Day 21

Here is just a look for you guys into my dorm room. This is my bookshelf. It holds all of my movies, and my books for classes. The second shelf is my designated "missions" section, will all of my books from my major (missions) and the shelf after that is my entertainment section, where you'll find Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter...

Very slow day today, and uneventful, but I hope you all have a great week.
No flashdevo today unfortunately...

PEACE!

The 365 Project - Day 20

Another day in which I didn't take the picture, but I am just thinking about the process that goes into making something so grand as this movie. Right now, I am still writing my book, "The Chronicles of Judah". I have been working on it for just over 3 years now. James Cameron started working on his movie AVATAR in 1994, writing the script, hoping that the movie would be released in 1999, just 2 years after Titanic came out in theaters. However, the technology needed to make the movie what it was, wasn't available, so the movie was put on hold for a while. If it has been made in 1999, it would have been a complete bomb, rather than the monstrocity that it now is (box office wise).

I cannot begin to fathom how it must feel to know that something you poured your life into became so successful, and so huge.

I came to a point today where I found everything that I needed to finish my book. i had all of the details I wanted included in the book, everything that would describe how it ended, I did it. And now I am going to run with it. So I chose this picture to express my view that doing things that will become successful will often take time, and you have to trust that God will help you through all circumstances...

FLASHDEVO

Tonight I find myself getting closer and closer to finishing Acts. Paul is being put on trial before several high-ranking government officials, all of whom don't see any reason to accuse him, yet people want him dead. It is so cool to see how the hand of God protects Paul in all of this, and eventually he finds himself in prison in Rome, where he writes most of the New Testament, I cannot wait to get to that point but for now, this is all I can offer, as it is getting late, and I want to be in bed, to be up in time for opening convocation tomorrow.

PEACE!

The 365 Project - Day 19

I know this wasn't exactly the most original of pictures, but it's the best that i managed to do today. I feel like I owe an explanation. Today, I decided to tap into my inner Southern Baptist and bring some food to church. LifeSong members are usually greeted by a pot of coffee, bottled water, and depending on who made them, cookies. So I take it upon myself to go out to Target on my way down to church, and buy these brand new oreos. Okay, let me just say that if it wasn't for the label on the package, you cannot taste the difference in any cookie. Oreos are the same as anything out there. A chocolate cookie with cream in the center. Something too tasty for its own good. I see food in general as a form of Kryptonite to me, it all has to stop somewhere, but you'll be happy to know, that the box was gone long before I could attempt to eat all of them ;). I am seriously trying to get my physical health in order. I am eagerly looking forward to receiving a copy of a Biggest Loser workout DVD (from the show on NBC). It's called the "Last Chance Workout". It should be about an hour long, and it's done by Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, the shows 2 trainers. I want to work at improving my life all around, and there is just so much I have to thank God for in the process. I am not dead, I have Jesus, I have a roof over my head, there is just so much to say, and I haven't been saying it. Despite there being negativity in my life, I choose to say, God You Reign, and I will still love you.

Something powerful to think about today.


Anyway, the weeks here are school are starting to mesh together. I am struggling to keep at my personal deadline of finishing the book manuscript by the end of this month, but if I keep going, if I don't give up, I'm sure it will be finished by February 26th (my goal date). Right now, there is just so much emotion to these chapters because you are encountering my main character right after being liberated from auschwitz, and now he and his girlfriend (along with her parents) are going to Israel for the first time. He plans to propose to her, and also, have a special memorial service to honor his parents and sisters who all died during the war...This is chapter 19, and the book is supposed to be 42 chapters. I don't plan on boring people by making the chapters over 10 pages each, (please don't think that), I just want the book finished already, and if I can do it, I will do it. I am setting a personal goal to have the book be at the least 350 pages, and right now, the book stands at a whopping 201 pages. So I still have a ways to go yet. (149).

FLASHDEVO

So I decided to stay up late, and spend some serious time in the word. As I still am, I find myself reading Acts. If i am to be in full time overseas ministry, I need to understand where these desires came from and learn from the greatest of all missionaries, the Apostle Paul. Many times (since coming to Boyce) people have asked me, if you're Jewish, why are you not ministering amoung them. It is true, I am a Jewish believer in the Messiah, and I do have a heart for them, but it is not what God has in store for my life. I am (in my mind) like Paul. I am a Jewish Believer who has a heart for his own people, but whom God has called among the Gentiles. Tonight I read Acts 19-22. By this time, Paul is before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. He has been accused of turning the Jews away from the law, and they are now following after what Paul teaches.

I am not able whatsoever to compare myself to what Paul went through. I don't know what it's like to be stoned, whipped, beaten, thrown in jail for believing in Jesus. I have been told that I am going to hell for being in a "cult", and been rejected by a lot of people, and ridiculed, but never hurt physically. It would be an honor to receive physical hurt in the name of Jesus. I would count myself blessed. It would be miserable, I would be discouraged, but I would know that he is still God and he still reigns.

Paul also talked to his brothers and sisters throughout Greece, saying that he had been with them for 3 years and his time had now come, he wouldn't see them ever again. That would frigten me. I plan to serve in some overseas capacity in Japan, and I don't know for how long that would be. I cannot imagine saying to my family, my parents, my sister and her family, my brother, everyone I know...Goodbye, I may never see you again...It would be hard, and I would cry, but they would understand that God is there to watch over me, and to use me to reach people for the name of Jesus.

When I was living in Japan, I had the extreme honor of leading someone to the Lord, and baptizing that person...I don't know if I will ever see them again, but I pray that he is growing in the Lord, and that my impact on his life will help him to stay close to Jesus.

I pray you all have the best of weeks, and look to the Lord for your strength this week, it is not of yourselves that you accomplish anything, but through Jesus who gives us strength that we do all things (Philippians 4:13)

PEACE!