Brand New and finally through...

Life as it turns out rarely turns out the way we hope. (as I'm writing that, I feel that I have blogged this before). My life as it were never took the linear lines I thought it would. Check out these current stats on my life:

I attended 3 colleges in 5 years (was never kicked out - I left voluntarily, seriously).

I have had 4 jobs in the 4 years since I graduated from college, despite having been at my current one for the past 2 years or so

I rarely discuss major purchases in my life with anyone - you can ask my wife

I never thought I would get married, despite wanting to have kids and a family... mostly because
I feared failure i.e. not being a good father, husband, neglecting my wife, losing romance etc...

I had a life changing accident while in college, I couldn't walk for more than a month and in that time learned to play guitar, which I later used to begin leading worship at churches... God completely used that to change my life and the lives of those around me - or so I'm told

I have had this blog for over a year and yet rarely write in it and it is rarely read and even less rarely commented on.

All that said, I wouldn't change a thing, not the colleges, or the accident, the failing blog or waiting to marry. Instead I look to the way life seems to pour itself out in front of me and choose to see the good and the God in it. Even when life turns me on my head like yesterday at work... I have hope and usually, a fairly good attitude.

Now for the great "TaDa." This blog is over done... It's time for a new thing - sure there will be others, but for now, this one will be as it is - complete.

Chasing Cars

Artist: Snow Patrol

Album: Open Eyes
Song: Chasing Cars (lyrics)

We'’ll do it all, everything, on our own
We don'’t need anything or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world

I don’t quite know how to say how I feel
Those three words are said too much
They’re not enough If I lay here

If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world
Forget what we'’re told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that'’s bursting into life

Let'’s waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace to remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world
Forget what we'’re told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that'’s bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes
They'’re all I can see
I don'’t know where
Confused about how as well I just know that these things
Will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world

Check this out - Christian Apology

A friend of mine from college - PC Walker - who is this amazing writer and introspective type of person finally got published, although I think this is the first time he tried. I'm sure if he'd been trying, he'd have been published a long time ago! haha.

Check out his article in the Sacramento News and Review he wrote, it is an apology for Christians and the judgmental ways we all act from time to time. It is a cry of God's love for the world that we often fail to fully express.

Enough said, check out the link SN&R.

Wha??

There's really nothing to say. I am a sporadic blogger, and I probably always will be. Good thing I write for my own pleasure and not to satisfy all of my curious readers who rarely comment. 23 days until I am totally hitched and married and forsaking all others as a covenant before God to one woman on this planet. YIKES! No I'm ready to do it and glad to be making those promises to my best friend.

Last night Jen and I were talking about life and how unprepared we are feeling for the actual marriage to begin. It's going to be quite a transition to living in constant community with someone, sharing all aspects of life with another. It's rare in life that you find someone that you would love to do this with, and yet I have been blessed to do so.

I think Jen and I need to start praying daily as we head into this marriage, to saturate our hearts with truth and open our lives up more to the grace of Jesus and to each other. That will be the challenge - to truly share everything in our relationship, both the highs and the lows and carry the burdens together... that's my prayer.

Coming soon - a day in the life w/ Will. An hour by hour blog... should be fun

Weekends

Lately, my weekends have been feeling - well not so weekendish... It's kind of a sad state I'm finding myself in. I work all week, only to work more on the weekend. In the midst of it all I'm trying to balance a personal life, leading worship, engaging with my friends when I see them and not totally blowing everyone off just to work more. What's funny is that when I was younger and apparently pretty naive, I thought people who worked late or long hours were cool, or driven and usually successful. Now I know the real truth - the were simply tired. Probably tired of the hours, tired of feeling the pressure in their minds and in their shoulders... and probably even just a bit tired of life itself. Unfortunately, I now know this feeling all too well.

I know that I am the kind of person who doesn't want to let people down, but life is just too short to spend it working constantly - or to be constantly thinking about work... This weekend when I head over to my family's cottage on Diamond Island in Cassopolis, MI to lay a tile floor in the kitchen with my dad, I will be resting... Despite the intense physical labor I may endure, I will be resting in comparison to the non-stop life I lead now...

That's all I know 4.5 days and counting until I can relax - I hope...

In You

Here's the beginning of a new one...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

All creation

Sings your name

I listen with my heart

I hear this glorious sound

Of faith lived for your renown

.........

In You….

In you I find my freedom

In You…

In you all fear is gone

God In You

In you I take my refuge

In You

In you I find my joy

God sustain me

Rearrange me

Rescue me from sin

I give my life to you

To help make your dreams come true

Lord my thoughts

Lead me away

From all I have in You

I lay down my heart again

Come change it from within

Michigan!

If you haven't heard this guy yet, and if you live in Michigan - well you should just be ashamed of yourself. He wrote his first album devoted specifically to this state - I mean it's called Michiagn but seen as "Greetings from Michigan - The Great Lakes State on the album." He is a bit eclectic musically, but the more you listen the more you love.
Here's the track listings on this superb album:

1. "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)" - 3:44
2. "All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!" - 4:33
3. "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" - 3:57
4. "Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!" - 2:46
   • (The track title refers to a Michigan tourism slogan from the 1980s)
5. "The Upper Peninsula" - 3:23
6. "Tahquamenon Falls" - 2:18
7. "Holland" - 3:26
8. "Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)" - 8:20
9. "Romulus" - 4:41
10. "Alanson, Crooked River" - 1:18
11. "Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie" - 2:52
12. "They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)" - 6:21
13. "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)" - 9:23
14. "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" - 2:02
15. "Vito's Ordination Song" - 7:07

For those of you of the Illinois persuasion - his second album (of 50) in the states concept albums had the words "Come on Feel the Illinoise" on the cover for his album dedicated to the land of Lincoln. A highly enjoyable experience as well - I would describe his music as hilarious / brilliant.