vortex

Baby face

There are advantages and disadvantages to appearing younger than one's years. Sadly, most of the advantages aren't realized until one is at least middle-aged, while the disadvantages are often faced in one's youth.

Example disadvantage:

You're running late for class. Having just arrived on campus at BJ, you're frantically gettingoutofthecarputtingonyourjacketandgrabbingyournotebook when a van pulls up next to you with 2 of Public Safety's finest. They grill you about your employment status and place of employment and then, once satisfied that you're not lying, proceed to chuckle over the fact that you look like a freshman. Meanwhile, your watch's hands are marching inexorably toward 9:00. Finally, at 8:59, the officers wish you a good day and proceed on their way. You're left, silently calling down a storm of righteous invective on your face, with 58 seconds left. You walk into class late, but with a story that's pretty funny upon reflection.

I suppose I'll look back on this with amusement when I'm sixty and fat.

Choices, choices

Mandy (my fiancée) and I got our engagement pictures back from the developer this weekend. I think we've managed to narrow our choices down to 4. Let me know which one you like best. Yes ... we were chaperoned. :)

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Caught in the vortex

Wow, it's been a really long time since I last posted. Much has happened, in some areas, and little in others. Through it all, I've seen the Lord work, not necessarily in my circumstances, but in my heart. "Trust me. I care for you more deeply than you know." That is the lesson I seem to be faced with at the present time. Not an easy one for someone who likes to know what's in his future.

The answer to the question that I get several times a day. No, I haven't heard from Columbia concerning the job offer. Yes, I'm still in need of employment before July 24th. Please keep praying. This is the area that the Lord's teaching me trust.

On an entirely unrelated note, I'm becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my blog design. Sadly, my design skills aren't what they should be. I am a programmer after all. So...I thought I'd throw this opportunity out to anyone who'd be interested. If any of you graphic designers want to take a blog design in hand, I'd be happy to consider your work. Here's what I'd need.

• a PNG detailing both the front page and the archives

  My theme is rather tornado-esque, but whirlpools and other vortices are fine too.

• your name, so I can give you credit/kudos/accolades
• optional: a design description that I could feature with your design

In fact, if I like multiple designs, I'll probably build a little style switcher so you can flip between them. If you're all too busy, which I suspect is the case, I can totally understand. I'm interested in any and all takers to this little challenge.

More MT goodness

Got this MT tweak site via blogdsgn.com that I found via Andy Budd today. For all of you who want/need to do something more than the default MT install will let you. Enjoy!

Wonderful words

Some very comforting thoughts from the best Book on earth. They give those who know the Lord Jesus Christ a reason for joy. Joy, not just when things are great, when you're feeling well, when your bank account's full, but also when you don't know where you're going to live, when you don't have a job, and when you're dying of cancer. Hear the Word of the Lord as spoken by the apostle Peter.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:2-7

Why can Christians be joyful in the midst of trials?

Several reasons can be found in this passage.

First: Because God, through His abundant grace, has begotten us again unto a lively hope. We're given hope just because we're His children.

Second: Because we've got a wonderful inheritance to look forward to for the following reasons:

• It's incorruptible - it's not touched by death
• It's undefiled - it's not touchable by sin
• It doesn't fade away - it's not bounded by time
• It's reserved in heaven for us - it's already waiting for us

Third: The trials are necessary for our growth. If God didn't care for us, He wouldn't give us opportunities to grow. Trials can be, therefore, a reassurance that God does indeed care for us.

Those are some very comforting reasons!