Why should we study?

I often wonder about why I’m hear at Texas A&M. What was/is my purpose here? Why do I have to take what seem like meaningless classes that take up all of my time? Shouldn’t I be out in the world helping just, Christian causes instead of inside my room studying away and affecting no one? How does this class benefit the Kingdom?

I continually think about these questions. I came across a quote by Mark Driscoll that helped me with all of these questions. In response to the question “Where and how do you feel Christians can have the most impact on culture?” he said this:

“Christians need to get upstream to have the influence to change what culture is made of. What I mean by that is, culture is like a river, and most Christians are a downstream bunch who tend to complain about the junk that flows down to them on TV, in movies, in politics. To change things, we need to stop just fishing junk out of the river or culture and get upstream where all the junk is being thrown in and sent downstream to the masses. The key is to get wise Christians upstream running record labels, TV stations, businesses, and other places to be a force for good, like Joseph and Daniel”

I feel like this answers many of those questions. As Christians, we are called to represent Christ wherever we go. Whether that is to the mission field in China or the mission field in Corporate America. We are in these classes as a way into each of our mission fields. You can’t influence the top of a business if you can’t get to the top, and you can’t get to the top without the proper education. This doesn’t mean that you always sit in your room and study and never participate in community or the local church, its just one reason why your pull the all-nighter to pass your class.

Learn where God has you in the future. Pray about your purpose. If you don’t feel God’s call to be a Christian businessman or teacher or engineer or professor or whatever it is your studying, re-evaluate why you’re in school. God is bigger than Texas A&M (or wherever you are). He could call you to leave school and pursue something completely different. Don’t let the culture around you that says “You need a college degree” hold you back. Trust God. His word says he will take care of you. And for those of us who feel like the “business world” or teaching or being a doctor or being an engineer or being a musician is where God has called us, sit through that lecture, study for that test, and do your very best to accomplish the necessary requirements to go where God has called. However, we should always remember that we are here, wherever here is to you, to glorify God and not ourselves. Don’t get so caught up in the process that you forget the end result. Also remember, God will take care of you. Nothing happens that isn’t according to His plan.

Link to THE Soundtrack.

I made an iTunes Music Store iMix with some of the songs from THE Soundtrack on it.

Here is the link:
THE SOUNDTRACK

THE Soundtrack

Opening Credits
Song: Control by Mute Math
Scene: The opening credits are rolling over a group of friends that are out storm chasing. They are having a great time, but they don’t ever see anything. This is to symbolize those times whenever you went out in search of something and realized the journey was the important part, not this actual goal or destination

That Scene Right After the Main Characters Have a Fight
Song: The Compromise – The Format
Scene: The main character (probably a guy) is confused by everything that is going on around him and he can’t seem to figure out why everyone is acting the way that they do.

Background Songs
Song: Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games – Of Montreal
Song: Mama’s Room – Under the Influence of Giants

The Sad Scene
Song: Hide and Seek – Imogen Heap or Dreaming With a Broken Heart – John Mayer
Scene: The scene after the main character and his girl have had a major falling out and he is sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed thinking while she is out with her friends trying to pretend she doesn’t care (but she really does).

The Troubles Really Begin
Song: Love for Granted – Phoenix
Scene: A series of things have gone terribly wrong for the main character. His brother is sick and his sister is locked in a marriage she hates. His parents are together but live separate lives. His friends are around, but only want to have fun and never talk about anything serious. So the main character walks home from a bar, with this song in the background.

Random Scenes
Song: Off the Record – My Morning Jacket
Scene: The song is to be playing the background as a couple of guys sit around and talk about important stuff, stuff that SHOULD stay in the group. Therefore the song, Off the Record, symbolizes that the things being said should not be repeated.

Song: The Way Life is Suppose to Be – Bob Schneider
Scene: One of two scenes:
An intermediate scene in between other scenes, which shows random things like: a dad pushing his kid in a tire swing, girls laughing, guys playing sports. a group of people laughing at dinner. Basically, things of how life is suppose to be.

or

The credits at the end.

The Climax
Song: Open Your Eyes – Snow Patrol
Scene: Everything is coming together. The thing that the main character is missing is becoming clear. He flashes back to scenes earlier in the movie where he was missing things. By the end of this song he has made a decision to change the direction he is going, and to open his eyes to all that he has been missing. Maybe something like he runs back to the girl he should be with after considering many things and options during the course of the song (in flashbacks).

Tune in Next Time......

I will soon be posting, what I consider, to be a great a movie soundtrack, complete with the scene during which each song should be played. I am still working on this, but if you have any ideas let me know.

Stay tuned....

A Long Overdue Post....

Well, its looks like its been seven month (to the day) since my last post. That's too long. A lot has happened since then... I got engaged, got my Aggie ring, got asked to the best man in my two best friend's weddings...craziness. It would take a while to catch up, so instead, I am going to talk about something I realized last night.

Yesterday, I realized the cyclical nature of our relationship with God. I was thinking and praying last night when I realized that all the things I was asking for were things that I hoped to use to glorify Him.

Best example I have for this is whenever you were little and you asked for money from your parents so you could get something for them for Christmas or their birthday or whatever. Now, your parents already had the money, but after you took what they gave you and gave it back (as some sort of cheesy present) it meant more to them than what they gave you.

I dunno if God is exactly like our parents, but I know He takes joy when we take the gifts and abilities He has given us, and use them to glorify Him. I just thought this was a great thing. That all that we have this is good is from God, and our purpose with the things God has given us is to turn around and glorify Him with those things. Great stuff.

Texas Monthly article

I had to writing something for my english class and post it on our group blog so I figured why not just post it here too. Enjoy!


I was reading an article in Texas Monthly called "Size Matters." The article was about how high school students usually do better in smaller schools. They get more attention and encouragement and are more likely to succeed. However, Texas schools are not getting smaller. In fact, most communities are in favor of big school for one reason: better athletic teams. Texas has 24 high schools with more than 3,000 students and that number will only grow. The communities of schools like Austin Westlake and Converse Judson voted down proposals for a second high school in favor of one high school with a bigger talent pool. Duncanville even chose to expand its current campus instead of building a new high school. The campus is now 863,137 square feet and home to almost 3,800 students. This is sad truth in Texas (and California, which has 25 campuses with more than 4,000 students). Sports are not everything. I won a State Championship in soccer while I was in high school but lucky for me I knew that there was more. Some of my friends didn't, and all the know how to do is play soccer. I think that sports are important, but not so important that compromising the quality of education is an option. The Dell and Gates Foundations are making headway and some campuses, including Austin's Johnston High School, are adopting a "school within a school" policy where the same teachers work with the same student for their entire high school career. This is a start. Education is the point of high school. Not sports, not band, not ______(fill in the blank). Extracurricular activities are important, and can be very helpful in the development of a student, but they cannot be the point.

I also thought it was interesting that on the cover of this issue of Texas Monthly was Vince Young with the title "The Best. Ever." In the same magazine where an article is written about how Texans glorify high school sports, especailly football, is the glorification of a collegiate athlete who will never finish college. What message does this send?

Generally I'm not one for cheesey song lyrics, but I don't think these are chessy. Check them out.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand