Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Save Me From Myself

Save Me From Myself
Jon Foreman

My mind is dull and shattered
From these years of buy and sell
My mind has seen the glory
Of this hollow, modern shell
Sex is a grand production
But I'm bored with that as well

Lord save me from myself

The electric sun keeps shining
Wrapping daughters in the chrome
This world is where I breathe
Let it never be called home

Well the vultures make the money
It's where my body fell

Lord save me from myself

The vultures make the money
But I'm bored with that as well

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas! YAY!!!

So, I have had this on going battle within myself over the past few years of my life around Christmas time. Some years I love lights and reindeer and others I hate the commercialization that has happened to the birth of Christ.

I do believe we have taken the whole Santa Claus thing WAY to far and have made Christmas out to be something that it is not, but at the same time, it is good to be joyful and merry and give gifts to others. something we should do more than just in December.

So what do I do here, I dont want to be an extremist because in most cause extremities are bad. I dont think it is a sin to have a Christmas tree and all that jazz but do we truly celebrate the birth of Christ our savior? Is your "holiday" joy really the joy of the Lord? or just joy because of the pretty lights and the giving and receiving of gifts? Are we truly thankful that the Lord of Lord's became human so that He could die and, most importantly, defeat death?!

To answer those questions honestly, well, let's just say that all to often I am not proud of what my honest answer would be. I get caught up in the consumerism and commercialism that America brings to my door step and very often have to be humbled by God.

All I am saying is, check your heart and see if your "holiday" joy is truly of the Lord or if it is a joy from worldly things.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The Gospel Pattern

“Think it out! The only way for Jesus to get us out of our spiritual poverty and into spiritual riches was to get out of his spiritual riches into spiritual poverty. This should now be the pattern of your life. Give your resources away and enter into need so that those in need will be resourced.”

- Timothy Keller, The Gospel and the Poor

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

We Went, We Saw, We Rocked!!


Burkhalter's "mini tour" went off without a hitch. We went to Cali and rocked out with some old and new friends. We traveled from Sacramento to Fresno playing 3 shows, all with in two days, not getting much sleep along the way but enjoying every minute of it. We met some interesting people along the way and caught up with some great friends. We were even fed Elk and it was AWESOME!!




Here to the right you see Burkhalter with the Mintons, Rebeca, and little Ms. Sabrina. It was great times that will not soon be forgotten. Darin Wong is one to be thanked greatly for his time, money, and strength that he gave to help us as we traveled from place to place.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Headed Out West

Well, i am currently in Sacramento, CA but i will be heading to Fresno later today, i just had to tell of my adventure last night getting here.

Ok, it started when I got my ticket and the person who had gotten my ticket put it under the name JJ Yount, I dont know if you know this or not, but they airport folks dont enjoy names on tickets and names on ID's not matching. So, the lady security gives me a hard time but lets me through but one of my traveling companions, Rusty, was not as lucky as I. They patted him down, checked his bags, and swabbed his shows and such, checking for any "explosive" chemicals and such. We eventually got to our gate, just as they were boarding, at which point my other traveling companion, John, decides he wants to go get some food before getting on the plan. Against much discouragement he went and got food, so i waiting on him. He got back just before they were closing the door to the plane so we just made it.

The flight it self was to Las Vegas and it was a fairly uneventful flight except one thing. The crew was very entertaining and i am probably going to be way out of line with this one. They were all male and completely feminine and absolutely absurd but made for some good stories. the funniest thing was when we landed we hear over the intercom, "aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh, we've made it!", he goes through the usual landing info and then says, "be careful as you open your overhead bin because lets face it folks, shift happens!" say that out loud and imagine what is sounds like. that is only the tip of the iceberg of that crew, lol

We got to Vegas and got off the plane to be told that our next flight was delayed by and hour or two. after a long time in the airport, next to the slot machines, not joking, we boarded and headed to Sacramento. As we get in the air, for those of you who frequent planes you know the potential bumpiness of flight, well apparently the lady across the aile from us did not. every single time there was a "bump" or "shift" of the plane i heard, "OH S&*T!" The pilot told us as we flew that we were in for some bumps and turbulence. As we were landing it as a pretty bumpy decent and I hear, "Can he not just fly above or below this?!" as if the pilot can see the wind. There was several more four letter words said aloud and such but as we hit the run way this lady is braced, arms fully extended and clasping the seat in front of her and left leg up against the seat as well, say, "oh god! oh god! oh god!" the entire time. I am probably a jerk but by friends and i could not help but laugh the whole time, not aloud mind you just to each other, haha.

anyways, i just thought i would share some of the wonderful traveling events, haha

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

My heart shall rejoice in Your Salvation

Psalm 13

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.
But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Discussion #1

Bryan Cirlot requested that we attempt a comment thread discussion so we will try to do this every once in awhile on here and on his blog. I'll let you guys know when we are talking on his blog. You guys are all free to join in and add your opinions, your thoughts, and applicable scripture. I will have a starting point and we can go from there as the conversation leads us.

Discussion attempt #1 - Devotion to Christ

Starting Point - Luke 14:26-27
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."


Christ calls us to hate our family and our own lives and if we do not we cannot be His disciple; seems to be pretty clear here. but what about other times in the gospels when He calls us to Love our neighbors?

So, we are to hate our family but love our neighbors?