The Devil is in Atlanta. Army Surrounded. The Civilians panic.

Listening to: The Chariot- Someday in the event that mankind actually figures out what it is that this world revolves around, thousands of people are going to be shocked and perplexed to find out that it was not them. Sometimes this includes me. I LOVE The Chariot. This album is so rad. I read a review that said that only The Chariot can make noise and sound good. It's true. Oh yeah, gotta love that short and catchy song title. Ironically this is the shortest song on the record. It was over before I finished typing it's title!

Tomorrow I be werkin' at the Timmy of Ho's. Yay for that. By the way check out this. Code has hit the nail on the head with this one.

Peterborough now has another used cd store on George street to tempt me. Disc Depot. Oh joy. The last thing I need is another used c store on the same block as the other two. My friends will now hate me more.

My Love is like a dead, dead rose.

So for my English class I was asked to write an imitation, parody, or travesty of a work by another author. I chose to write a travesty of the poem "My love is like a red, red rose" by Robert Burns. I hate this poem. It is so bad, I just had to ruin it. The many years of death metal didn't help, either.

Here's the original:

My love is like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June.
My love is like a melodie,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair thou art, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I,
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun!
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands of life shall run.

And fare the weel, my onely love!
And fare the weel awhile!
And I will come again, my love.
Tho it were ten thousand mile!

Here's my travesty:

My love is like a dead, dead rose,
That's withered in the fall.
My love is like the requiem,
That makes me want to bawl.

As pale you are, my boney lass,
So lonely now am I,
And you will lie there still, my dear,
Till all your bones are dry.

Till all your bones are dry, my dear,
And your flesh is all decayed!
And you will lie there still, my dear,
While my sanity is frayed.

And I won't leave, my only love!
And I won't leave, indeed!
And I will be with you , my love,
Tho you're 'neath the planted seed!

Yeah, that's kinda sick. Sorry 'bout this one kids.

Ladies and gentlemen, please refrain from removing your pants.

Listening to: Nothing, but... The Chariot makes me happy when I have it with me.

So I'm in my English class, and I mention how one of my classmates threatened to castrate me yesterday. (That's another story all together, that involves waiting a very long time for the George North bus).

Anyway, another classmate mentioned that it would be a good idea if men could receive temprary vasectomies until they are ready to have children. My response was "Or, you know, they could keep their dicks in their pants..."

Then another classmate said that she advocates mandatory birth control once a girl hits 14. I chose not to respond.

Hmmm.... Mandatory birth control? Temporary vasectomies? Why? It seems to me that it would be easier if people just refrained from having sex unless they actually want a child. Makes sense. Oh wait, but then people won't be able to "experiment with their sexuality."

It's funny how we complicate our lives by doing things we do not need to do, then rely on our "amazing new technologies" to save our asses. I have a solution that doesn't cost billions of dollars in research:

Ladies and gentlemen, please refrain from removing your pants. Thank you.

You Too

Listening to: U2- Even Better Than The Real Thing See Below.

So, January 23 is now offiially U2 day. This is why: I hung out with Mark and Christy on Sunday, and we:
- Listened to 4U2 albums through (Achtung Baby, Pop, All That You Can't Leave Behind, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
- Watched 2 U2 DVD's (Go Home, U2 and 3 Songs)
- And I read half a book about U2 (Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 By: I forget his name)

So there you go.

I'm at school now and should do some work. My The Chariot cd came in yesterday. I need to pick that up.

N/A (Refund not applicable after 13/32/11. Please contact your local provider for more details. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer.)

Listening to: Wovenhand- To Make a Circle This is one of the most intense and convicting worship songs that I have ever heard. This one song is worth the price of admission on this record. Thankfully the whole record is killer.

Just got back from the Bridge... I'm starting to be more comfortable there, being "myself." Whether that means initiating a game of "Statue" (and being the only one playing...) or sticking Star Trek: Deep Space Nine stickers on everyone, or trying to convince a girl that Odo is her perfect man... it's fun to be myself.

I got mwY today as I said. Oh how I missed thee.

Time to sleep off the crazy fun.

"You think I don't mean what I say? Well, I mean every word I say!"- ajw

We all will walk in victory, with a sword in our right hand

Listening to: Wovenhand- Chest of Drawers Yay for hymns by David Eugene Edwards.

Sorry for the lame 80's metal title for this blog (three cheers for Sacred Warrior), but after having my internet dead for a week, having it WORK for a change makes me feel like I'm walking in victory (with a sword in my right hand...)

Last night I hung out with Sarah all night, that was fun. Tonight is the Bridge.

Oh yeah, spending two days reading Paradise Lost by Milton and listening to dreary Wovenhand will do crazy things to your brain. CRAZY THINGS.

I think I might re-buy mewithoutYou's Catch For Us The Foxes today to replace my lost copy. The only album I know worth buying three times.

Anyway. It's 10:30 and I have done absolutely nothing beyond walk into this room today. I shall go now.

We will weave our hands together, forever 'round the throne.

Greetings from the University of Trent (again).

So last week, on Wednesday, I ordered the album "Consider the Birds" by Wovenhand. And it arrived yesterday, exactly one week from the time of order. What service.

Christians need to be united. There needs to be "unity in the Body of Christ," if we are to accomplsih anything in this world. I don't think Christians really get what unity actually means though. To many North American believers "unity in the body" means focusing on God's love and grace, any not mentioning (or caring) about things that are "divisive."

Do you baptize with sprinkling or immersion? Who cares!
Are you a Calvinist or an Arminian? It doesn't matter!
Do you believe in cessationism of continuationism? What the crap are those?!
Should women preach in the church or should only men do that? Well, I guess it depends on where you go!

Hey, as long as we "love" each other, and don't cause "division" we're doing God's will right?

Despite the way we (including me) act, God does care about doctrine. He wants us to have correct doctrine. A friend of mine frustratedly asked in my general direction last week, "How do you know what correct doctrine is?" My unvoiced answer: "Because that's what the Bible says" Ah, but can't we all interpret the Bible in may different ways? The pharisees accused Jesus of being a demon and casting out demons. He replied "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:23, NIV) This indeed applies to the kingdom of God. How can the kingdom of God stand if it's people disagree on the nature of God's salvation? It cannot.

Jesus prayed that his disciples would be united as one, and he said: "Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17, NIV) How can the church be sanctified in truth if different factions of the church interpret the scriptures in diametrically opposing ways. People use the same verses to attempt to prove cessationism and continuationism, eternal security, and the loss of salvation, and many other opposing doctrines.

Should we, the church, therefore ignore these differences in the name of unity?
Do we not realize that these differences are the cause of our disunity?

God is consistent, he does not change. God's word is truth. Apply it as you will, but I guarantee you, there is only one correct interpretation of any given passage. Am I going to be so bold as to say that my interpretations are the correct ones? No. I find it difficult to understand God. There have been times in my life where I have shifted back and forth between these doctrines. I do not claim that my knowledge is perfect or always right, and it will not be until Christ returns and all is made perfect.

But, what I will say, is that the body of Christ must be united, behind solid biblical exegesis, behind a thoroughly orthodox view of the scriptures, in submission to God, truly fearing him, truly seeking his wisdom, knowing that we will be held accountable for leading anyone astray. God cares about doctrine. If he didn't he wouldn't have filled half the New Testament with lettters correcting errant doctrines. God wants us to beleive his word. That is the first step to unity.

We must be united in truth before we can be united in love, for a love of God's truth brings about a true love for his people. If we are united in truth, nothing will be able to separate us... our love for each other in the truth of God will keep us together. And then we will shine the light of God's glory.

Preaching the truth found in the word of God creates worldly division, but it also creates Biblical unity. I pray that I will always preach the truth of the word of God, with humility and reverance.

Subsequently they will fill your chair, forgetting all your sitting there.

I'm at the University of Trent at the present moment.

My internet connection decided to commit suicide on Friday, hence my lack of postings-ness. (May it rest well). Sarah came to my house for dinner on Saturday and that was interesting. I still have a lot of things to learn. Women are most definitely an interesting percentage of the population. It seems to me that when God brings about Salvation in a woman, and she is filled with his Holy Spirit, she becomes even MORE difficult to understand. Great. PS I love girls, wish I could follow them better, though. My Grandpa also came. The grandpa who wears the killer country shirts.

I need to get caught up with all my readings and essay writings

Small Group did not happen on Friday due to a distinct lack of attendees. However, that was time as now I have two more weeks to create a beautiful study of God's Holy Spirit. And Pastor Norm is currently doing a series on Him, which helps no doubt.

The following has been my current playlist this week:
Twothirtyeight- You Should Be Living
Underoath- (They're Only Chasing Safety)
Further Seems Forever- How to Start a Fire
U2- The Best of 1990-2000 and Zooropa
Sixpence None the Richer- S/T (with bonus track "There She Goes")
Sixteen Horsepower- Folklore

Anyway keep rocking and reading. That's my motto.

Oh yeah, I can't help but fall asleep while reading my textbooks if I don'ty have some killer rock and roll playing. Yay for conditioning. I ordered Woven Hand- Consider the Birds and The Chariot- Everything is Alive, Everything is Breathing; Nothing is Dead, Nothing is Bleeding this week. Rocks to the Rocks.

Beyond the pale and beautiful...

Endings and Beginnings

New Semester begins...

Five minutes ago, Shannon broke up with me (on the phone). Before you begin to console me, realize that this actually makes me happy. See, I knew this wasn't going to work I knew that like, 4 weeks ago. I just didn't want to break up with her in case I was being dumb about it. Well, I did learn a lot about pride, patience, and humility, in the month long relationship I had in which I never actually saw the person I was "dating." Learn and move on. Now I will be better eqipped for the person I am supposed to be with...

Tonight is TCF and I get to hang out with Amber, and get my I-know-it-will-be-cool-I-wish-I-knew-what-it-schwas birthday present. My parents gave me a neat-o country style embroidered dress shirt. (I love David Eugene Edwards).

Here's to the new beginnings and continuings... and the endings. Can't forget those.

Blessed Persistence

Listening to: Twothirtyeight- Modern Day Prayer

So, Wednesday managed to be an utterly terrible day. There were exceptions. Seeing Shannon was really awesome. Being 1.5 hours late sucked. Losing my copies of Pedro the Lion- Control, mewithoutYou- Catch For Us The Foxes, and Damien Jurado- I Break Chairs REALLY sucked. Forgetting my Eastside Mario's girf certificates at home and having a bad argument with Sarah topped it all off.

But...

It's not all that bad. Losing the cd's helped mre in a way... they are just objects, and they are replacable. Relationships on the other hand, are not objects, and are not replacable. I also have a really bad temper. I need to work on that.

Yesterday I worked 12.5 hours, including an 11-7 midnight shift. Today is my Mom's birthday. My birthday is Thursday. I'll be 21. Small group on Friday, Holy Spirit Part 1. And of course, research proposal for HIS 23o is due on Tuesday. Now I need to peruse like, 13 books. Oh joy.

Bridge tonight. Rocks to that awesome stuff. ROCKS.

I changed my mind
and looked no better
hard of hart blind
blind to his higher art
my frustration
my anger in disguise
I slip under
I slip under quiet
he spots me anyhow
chalk up my name
you burn my bridges for me
to a dry and clackin stalk
I swallow stone
they do not recognize inside with them
the locust has no king
just noise and hard language
they talk me over but I fade slower
on fever
blessed persistence
right under my skin
blessed persistence
blessed persistence
right under my skin
You burn my bridges for me
to a dry and clackin stalk
blessed persistence
nothing comes to mind
("Blessed Persistence" by David Eugene Edwards)

Hart: Archaic form of "Heart"
Chalk up: To give someone entrance to a place, or a ride (for example, on a train) that they have not paid for. Often the person is undeserving
clackin: To hatch (from an egg) Derogatory if applied to humans
locust: Common Biblical allegory for destruction or false teachers

More Rain in December

So, church was cancelled today because it's freezing rain outside and you can literally skate down the roads. Actually, that might be fun... too bad I don't have any skates.

Last night I was pretty pissed off at some things while I was at work. As I was cleaning the tables some woman (whom I really thought was a crack-pot) started talking to be about my name, asking me how I got it and stuff. Then, she started talking to me about biblical humility towards God. I have never seen this woman before. She has a University degree in Philosophy of Religion, but she delivers papers for a living to remain humble.

I then realized that me being pissed was a result of my own pride, and inability to put others above my own desires.

So here's to random lessons from customers at work. Time to have a personal Church service.

Me: 0, God: Infinity X 10

Ever have one of those moments when you realize for the billionth time you're a complete idiot and that God is clearly a lot smarter than you are?

Yeah.