"The Show Must Go On"

It is now official, today is my last day at AMTSJ.  It has been an interesting few months.  I had a great time and met a lot of really great people, but it is now time to move on.  Some of my favorite memories happened at "It's a Grind" coffee shop.  Many great conversations with really interesting and incredible people.   

I started only a short time ago working under the great T. Douglas.  I learned so much in the time spent working under him.  I got to visit a lot of really cool places, participate in "big people" meetings and work with some of the best printers in the world (Pisani).  

Although it is now at the end, it will not be soon forgotten.  The lessons learned will last me a lifetime.  It is truly a bittersweet time for me as I close this portion of my senior year and pursue new projects.

The End is in Sight

With only 23 more days until I leave the great North Valley Baptist Church and Golden State Baptist College, the world is starting to look a bit bigger than it has in more recent years.  Prior to this year, the world has been an interesting exciting adventure, but is taking on a different role.  In the days of yesteryear as a small child everything seemed so big, but an overall opinion was "It's a small world after all!"  The world can sometimes be a little intimidating and downright scary.  I'm about to finish college, become a big boy, get a real job, house payment, insurance, cell phones, taxes, taxes, taxes and many other things (a wife being one of the greatest things on this planet!).  It can be intimidating however.  Choices are never easy.  Some people let you down, others really surprise you and still others just sit by like bumps on a log.  Right when you think you know everything, something/someone reminds you that in the grand scheme of things, you know nothing.  Let it just be known to all right now, "I KNOW NOTHING!"  

People are very interesting.  They all have so many different views.  I do not understand one particular thing however.  People all "believe" something.  That is a fact.  They do not know why they believe it.  For some reason saying "I believe ________" makes it ok, but what makes it ok?  Who says that "All roads lead to Rome?"  Where does it say that when people do bad things there is no consequence.  The truth of the matter is this:

1. All Roads do not lead to Rome (Since I drive on De La Cruz Blvd everyday from one end to the other and still have not seen the Trevi Fountain on my way to work)

2. There are always consequences for all of our actions.  (Good and Bad)

This means that we, as humans, can't look at ourselves or our knowledge for any answers, but most go Higher.  Someone knows more than us and He has the answers.  Please find (big old fashioned word that is rarely used any more) "Doctrine" for what you believe rather than just telling me what you believe.  Tell me why you believe it and Who says we should believe it.  Just because I think that cars should run without using gasoline doesn't make it a reality.

I have talked with several people over the past few weeks and this has been a general theme.  I am not wanting anyone to be offended by this post, but to get people to think.

This post started out to explain the big bad world that is rapidly approaching and the choices involved within.  I sure am excited, scared, happy and sad all at the same time every  moment I am awake.  Lots of decisions that will not only affect me, but many of the people around me, including my future bride and love of my life, Stephanie.  I can't trust myself for these decisions because as previously stated, I know nothing, therefore, God's Word will have to guide me every step of the way.

The Meeting

So, today is the day... perhaps that will live an infamy.  Ok, so maybe that's a little dramatic, but it is a big day.  Today Stephanie and I will go to dinner with her parents and my parents for the first time.  Yes, it is the big "parental units" first meeting.  If I may quote a good friend I would say, "It feels like my insides want to come outside!"  It's ok, I'm sure everything will be fine, but it is a very nerve racking thing.  Below are pictures of my parents and her parents.  

Here is a picture that was taken of Stephanie and I at Jared and Liz's wedding.  It turned out pretty good.   Duh, I'm in it... Oh ya, and Stephanie too.  :)  Actually it was Stephen Troell who took the picture.  He is the world's greatest photographer.  Literally!

The America of the Past in the Future?

Today is a pivotal day in the history of not only the greatest country on the globe, but it will also have a unprecedented impact on the world.  Who will win the 2008 Presidential election?  Obama or McCain?  To be completely honest, I am not a fan of either candidate, but I did vote today.  It is my duty to do all I can for this country.

While this is a big deal, I believe that the bigger issue is sitting on the plates of the California public.  Proposition 8.  This is the balance of where America will go in the future.  For those who vote "NO" on Prop 8 are voting that a man and a man or a woman and a woman can be married.  For those people who vote "YES" on Prop 8 they are voting to protect the marriage of a man and a woman.  This will have a drastic effect on America if it gets voted down.  This will especially burden the churches.  It will make it a hate crime to teach that sodomy is a sin.  This has the potential to put Pastors in jail for teaching God's Word.  This, then is going against our First Amendment of the United States of America which promises us the freedom of speech and practice of religion.  

It is a scary day in which we live that our country is persecuting it's own people for religious freedoms and moving towards a socialistic government.  It is not the governments job to give things to the people, nor to take from the rich and give to the poor.  It is the governments job to protect the rights of the people.  If a man doesn't work, neither should he eat.