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Hello,
I have decided to switch over to a blogspot webpage, the livejournal just would not let me do what I wanted to do. My new page address is... http://letusriseup.blogspot.com/ that is where the new posts will be. Thanks.
-Brian
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Hey all,
Last weekend was great! On both Friday and Saturday I played a few pick up games of Ultimate Frisbee with some of the guys and girls from the team, and ran around a lot. Also I had some great diving touchdown catches. On Friday afternoon I had an interview with Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs, for a job over summer. The interview went pretty well. I learned what the position is, and that is helping out the very low income people of that zip code, 99202. I would mainly work in the small food bank they have there, and help to distribute food to people who desperately need it. I think this could be a great opportunity. It would be more than a summer job that pays more than camp, it would also really help me open my eyes toward a group of people I have little if any interaction with. Also I hope that God would use my service there well. I will hear back on Wednesday. So I guess we shall see.
I also did a fair amount of reading this weekend. I enjoy reading, and hopefully this summer I can do a fair amount. On Sunday, my mom came out and picked Christina and I up, and we all went out to my aunt and uncles house for my 8 yr old cousin's b-day, and the rest of my family minus my sister were all there, as well as a lot of family friends. Unfortunately my sister had car trouble, and the car was being fixed this weekend, so she could not come home like she planned. Yesterday was the first time that Christina spent any time with my family, and I think it went over pretty well.
The summer is coming fast. I have finals coming up next week, and the last week of regular classes this week. I am sort of excited to be done with school work for a little while, and have a break from homework, especially with this nice weather. However, as summer approaches I realize more and more how much I will miss Christina this summer, I know she will have a great time and really do some great things up at Camp, I am just sad that I will not be up there with her (and many other great friends there). I don't even think I will get a chance to come up and visit like I had originally planned. I need to save money for a car, and for a study abroad trip I am taking in Europe next January. But summer will be alright. I will be around my family more, which will be good, and a few close friends will be in town, but it will not be the same as that wonderful forest at 5000 feet. While I may not be up at camp this summer, my heart will be there in spirit.
Peace.
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Tuesday, April 26th, 2005
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Ok, so here is the deal. First off, I went this past weekend up to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Our traveling ultimate frisbee team went up there, and we played in the sectionals tournament. The first step towards nationals. All the college teams from the pacific northwest were up there to battle it out for the chance to win one of 7 spots to advance on to regionals in Davis, CA. Our team did well, but we did not win enough to go on to regionals. We won two out of three tournament games. The best that we have done thus far at any tournaments. Also, we got jerseys that look pretty sweet, and we actually looked like a team. We played on both Saturday, and Sunday, and stayed at one of the guys houses in Bellingham, Washington which is pretty close to the border. So that was fun, and I feel like each tournament I go to I am making that much closer of friendships with the guys on the team. We got back on Sunday night at 9:30 pm, and we all played hard, and the weather was absolutly beautiful, clear skies and in the high 60s to low 70s all weekend.
Next, there are six pictures posted below, all of them of me. I just got a haircut yesterday, and decided to take some before and after pictures. I did enjoy the longer hair, but I have an interview this weekend, and also Christina has wanted me to cut my hair for a few months now, so she is happy. I don't know how to use flickr and post all six pictures in one post, so just look down the page. If you like the pics, you can click on the image, and I think it will take you to my flickr page and then you can see a larger image, as well as my other pictures.
So, summer is getting close, everyone here at Whitworth are starting to wear less clothing, and tan more. This is not in and of itself bad, but just kind of annoying to not be able to walk across campus with out seeing girls in bikini's. I mean summer is just barely starting, and will be here for a while, so I just wish they could wait and tan over summer when they are not here. We only have this week and next week of regular classes left. Then we have finals, and will be out. I am excited for summer in some ways, but in other ways it will be hard to say goodbye to Christina for the whole summer. Back to the long distance phone conversations. I think that it will be really good though, for now we actually have been dating for a while, and now when we part ways, we will not be just starting the relationship, like we were in the fall.
Lake cabin here I come! I also need to try and find a car to buy, and then a way to pay for it, and hopefully I can get the job I am interviewing for this friday.
Well, I hope you enjoy the pics, and enjoy this nice summer weather that is here.
Laters.
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Tuesday, April 19th, 2005
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There is much that could be said on this, and the answers could very greatly by each individual. I want only to pose a piece of what to live fully is to me. I think to live fully is to be in relation to God through Jesus Christ, and to be actively pursuing the kingdom of God. We can live in and taste that kingdom here and now, even though it will come in its fullness at the second coming. I think a big part of that is learning how to get past our selfishness. I am just as bad as the rest. But let us pause, and imagine what life could be like if we really pursued the justice and spiritual well being of others. Note here that I don't mean we must force our belief on others, but we must at least be giving them the option, for I feel strongly that it is each individuals own decision wheather or not to accept Christ. That aside, I can still love people, and I can still seek to help them. Please take a few moments to consider this.
I want to ask the Christians who are reading this, please visit the web site one.org it is something that I feel we must at least learn more about, and if you feel challenged, or if you feel convicted this is a very easy and free way to let your voice be heard. The voice that says I will not sit by any more and ignore what is happening in the extreme poverty and aids condition in Africa. I feel it is high time Christians rise up together, and put aside our differences of doctrine, worship, and litergy that we so strongly cling to. We must put those aside to unite and to make a very large positive impact for Christ in this world. It is all about love people, not about how I believe the worship in a church should look, or how I view things differently than other denominations. Let us put those differences away, and look beyond them, and realize we all believe in Christ, and God the father, and the Holy Spirit. Let us not only talk about the great love of Christ, but actually show it to this hurting world.
These are just feelings of mine, and I am by no means perfect, however I think we need to recognize our short comings first, then we can begin to work towards fixing them. Let me be a tool of love and compassion in this fallen, broken, hurting world.
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Hey all,
You should all go and visit this website, and add your signature to the list. It is totally free, unless you buy wristbands like I just did. I think it is a really great thing, and more than that it is a start to my deciding to go beyond myself, and my comfortable world. This is good, it lets all of our voices be heard, that we desire to rise up together, and make a difference, to try hard as a body to end the spread of poverty and aids. The website is www.one.org. It is time. Capp, thanks for spreading the word, I am trying here.
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Wednesday, April 13th, 2005
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Right now I am a little frustrated. I know that my problems are very small indeed compared to many out there, and I am not saying that these few frustrations are more than just that, frustrations.
First, I had planned and hoped to live with Greg and two of our other friends next year. However, last night I was informed that they decided it would be better if we did not room together. Now I need to try and find someone to room with before school gets out in one month. The only problem is that outside of those three guys I don't have any other good guy friends. I want a room mate, so that I will not have to pay extra for a single, and so that I won't be so alone, it really does make a difference, having a good room mate. That is the one thing I miss the most about Fort Lewis, I had a great friend in my room mate Brian, we could hold each other accountable, and we had many common intrests. I want a room mate here, but I want a good room mate, someone that I can become good friends with, and become brother in spirit with.
The second frustration is that I still don't have a job this summer, and that summer is drawing near. It is difficult, because I am busy with classes, frisbee, and trying to spend time with Christina before summer comes, and we have to leave each other for a while. It is hard knowing that I will not be going back to camp, it is a very fun, comfortable place. But that is just why I am not going back, I don't want to do something just because it is comfortable, because when I am comfortable, I am of very restricted use to God, and his kingdom.
So, if you pray, please pray that I could find a) a job for the summer b) a great room mate for next fall.
Thanks, and that is all.
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Tuesday, April 12th, 2005
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well, here it is a Whitworth sweatshirt, now I must really be in college. I bought it a bit big for two reasons, first I already had one, but it shrunk in the wash, so I gave it to Christina, and second so I don't out grow it in a few years. I bought the shirt for you Miller, just so I could have a college sweatshirt.
Peace and Grace to you all.
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Yes, it happened agian to me. Today I went to church at a place called vintage faith, a friend of mine's older brother is the pastor there. It was really cool. Pretty small, but it was cool. I felt like it was about being a member of a small group of believers, not some big church were you are just one of several hundred, and there is no connection. Not a place where the pastor is too good to do mundane tasks, like take innitiative and run the powerpoint when everyone else is up having communion. Also it was an evening service at 5pm. That is also nice, then I can sleep in a bit on Sunday, and not have to worry about rushing off to church.
However, half way through the service, right about when we started communion, I felt really convicted. About a lot of things, but mostly just back to money. I spend so much money on myself, not only that, but things that are so trivial, and I could do just fine without. For example, my cell phone. Sure it is a nice convience, and last fall it was nice because then I could always talk to Christina, but now I rarely use it, and I spend close to 55 dollars a month on it. I mean, there are thousands of starving children out there, that 15 dollars a month would feed, and which will God look back on someday and say well done my good and faithful servent? I doubt it will be keeping Verizon in business. There are so many other things that I could do with my money. It doesn't even need to be giving to Church, or Christian organizations. While I think they are good, and that is something we Christians are called to do, there are many other ways to spend money and time better. I have decided to try harder to get a job, at least for the summer if not through the fall. Also, I hope that I will remember this feeling, and not be so selfish in the future, be able to settle for a nice used toyota or subaru rather than a new bmw when I grow up. I feel like we as Christians are living out idolatry, we just don't know it. Or at least I feel I am at times. No I don't have shrines in my room, but do I think more about how to love and serve God, or how cool my new ipod is? Or how cool this or that would be? There will always be a new gadget to spend my money on, but really, is that cooler or better than the God given creation of life? Wouldn't it be that much cooler to feel like I am really helping someone else out? Someone who is a human just like me, and deserving of food and the neccessities of life, but was not born into the white middle american class? Do I honestly think I am better than someone because of that? Or am I just lazy and not willing to dig in, and find a cool organization to give my money to, not all, but some. I don't feel that we are called to give everything up, at least not all of us, but we are called to help out. I cannot ever single handedly stop hunger or prevent poverty, but I can help out at least one more. Let us rise up together in this people, find where your passion lies, and use that to direct your giving. I could easily give to compassion international or something like that that is overseas, but I could also give to Union Gospel Mission that helps out the homeless guys here in Spokane. I think it is time that we quite just ignoring that call to feed his sheep, and I am first in line for the blame, don't think I am exempt in anyway. We must realize that the people who need help are not all lazy addicted people who waste their money. Most are people that have just hit hard times, and some even have masters degrees, but cannot get jobs. All I am saying is we must coorperately get involved, and really make sacrafices. If I can get a job, I am going to spend as much per month giving to church and an outside organization, such as Union Gospel Mission, as I do on my cell phone, and if I cannot, then I will cancel my phone bill, and get by with a phone card, and give rather than hoard my money.
I hope that you are currently feeling convicted, and even a desire to change something right now in your life, let us not be stagnant. If nothing else, I hope that this post will spark some thought. I did not mean to generalize, and call you all horrible selfish people, so please don't leave nasty comments, I just feel that if nothing else I can change, and this is the reality of it, whether I like it or not. It is not about me anymore. "He must increase, I must decrease" John 3:30.
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It has been good, school is starting to be a drag, I guess because I would rather be out playing frisbee or tennis outside.
Well, I got into the CORE 250 study tour for next Jan-Term, which means that I am in a group of 20 other students and a few teachers, and we will be going over to Europe next January for about 3.5 weeks, and traveling all over and learning about cool things. It will be great, I am pretty stoaked.
As a team, the Ultimate frisbee team I am on decided that we would stay here this weekend, and not go down to the tournement. Which is great for me, because I need to get a few things like a research paper and a test studied for. And it will be nice to have some time to hang out w/ Christina.
This picture is just a memory of a great bike ride and some hang out time w/ a friend of mine back at camp last spring.
So, I am not working up at camp this year, just did not feel that is where I am supposed to be, so any thought from any of you of where I can work?
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Hey all,
So the update on what happened this weekend. Well, we drove out Friday night, and due to snow on the pass got into Bellingham at about 11pm. Then we played four ultimate frisbee games on Saturday. We didn't win any of those four games, but we did play hard, and made the other teams work for their wins. The weather was nice on Saturday, overcast, a bit windy, but no rain, however the fields were very muddy. Then on Sunday we won two games. The second game was great, it was raining and cold, but we all played hard and loved it. Then we decided as a team to leave early, and let the team we had just beat continue in the tournament. Simply because it was 2 pm already, and we all had homework we needed to finish, and a 6 hour drive in front of us.
Now we are all ready to go down to Walla Walla next week and play in Whitman's tournament, Onionfest. It should be another great time. But until then, I have plenty of homework to keep me busy.
Outside of Frisbee, everything else in life is going great. I just yesterday got accepted into the Core 250 study tour that will happen next January, and will be a class that travels through Europe for a month, it will be awesome. That is all for now.
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First off, I am very excited about this weekend. The Traveling College Ultimate Frisbee team that I am on will be traveling to Bellingham, Washington to play in a tournement. It will be the first of these I have ever been to, and I have heard they are very fun. I will write an update on Monday when we get back to let you all know how we do in it. But don't get your hopes up. The other teams are very good.
Secondly, just a question, does anyone even read this anymore? I don't do this just for my own personal intrest. It is not too hard, but sort of time consuming, and if no one reads it, then why bother, I have lots of other important things to be doing, and I certanly don't need any updates on my life, for I know what is going on, and the pictures I already have on my computer, so if anyone does still read and enjoy this livejournal, please take 2 seconds to comment and let me know. Thanks, and have a great weekend.
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This is a test post from  , a fancy photo sharing thing.
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hello all,
I want to wish you all a happy Easter! I hope that it is restful, and you have some time to remember what it is really all about, it is much more than chocolate bunnies, candy, and easter baskets. It is about Christ conquering death, for He is risen indeed. We must celebrate that and live in that, for by His ressurection we can be reconciled to God. But only through that. Those of us who are alive with Him have been ressurected as well, into a new and glorious life. So spend a little time and reflect on that, and be joyful about that.
As a side note, I just joined a flickr group, the calvin crest group. That is a photo sharing url, and to join, first make your own account, then add the calvin crest group, then download the marcromedia flash 7.0, then you can upload your own pictures, and put them on blogs etc, and also post them to the calvin crest group, as long as they have something to do with calvin crest, and best of all flickr is free. Here is the calvin crest group page, http://www.flickr.com/groups/calvincrest, so go and check it out. Okay, well that is all. Have a great next few days.
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This is taking a picture of our friend Murry's house at night, if you
look in the right hand side, you can see his giant (at least 25 ft
tall) lit up peace sign, unfortunately the picture doesn't really do it
justice. (Peace on Earth (like the U2 song).
Some of the desert plants, on my granparent property.
On of many great sunsets.
a moment before
A nice veiw of the sunlight cast on a neighbor's house.
These are my grandparents, standing in front of a boganvia plant in front of their house.
My grandfather.
Marvelous sunset.
A view of the ocean out of the tennis court we played at.
The private tennis court that we played at. Notice the palm trees, something we don't have here in Spokane.
This
is a picture over looking the desert, and beach taken from my
grandparents friend (Norm's) house. His house is set up in a saddle,
between two hills. Great view.
Same view, just a bit more to the left.
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