getting back into reality

Welp, i am officially (kind of) back from Christmas Vacation. I managed to keep away from email for a whole week, and really the internet as a whole. I had a good vacation and now experience the classic "hangover" from a week of chillin' (i have to return to being a responsible youth pastor once again). When I was in school, it could take me up to two weeks to get back into the swing of things (studying or at least trying to study, and attending classes) after a long Christmas break. I am hoping to be revved up and ready to go (again, to be a youth pastor) after I get back from the Rose Bowl, which, by the way, I leave for tomorrow!!! CALIFORNIA HERE I COME!!!

New Book

I just picked up a new book called "The Blue Parakeet" by Scot McKnight, a New Testament Bible scholar. the premise of the book is to answer the question: "How are we to live out the Bible today?" McKnight's goal is to reshape how we read and interpret the Bible, being sure to steer clear of too conservative and too liberal interpretations of Scripture, hoping to land somewhere in the middle. We will see (i am only 40 or so pages in).

Thus far, the book is very good. Though i do not think i will agree with everything he will say (i have read some of his stuff previous and he can be a little sketchy at times), i love how he words things. He has a way of bringing you to those "aha" moments. McKnight will definitely make you think. This book will stretch you, possibly aggravate you, and also encourage you all at the same time.
I recommend it to anyone who desires to have a deeper understanding of how we can apply Biblical principles in today's culture.

New Year's Resolution

I am not one for New Year's resolutions since I'm so driven and goal oriented anyway. Beside, nothing really comes of them. However, this morning i was in the office of one of our Pastor's chatting it up and he expressed that he reads through the Bible every year. His wife spoke up and said that he has done this ever since his first year in ministry. That would be a whopping TWENTY FIVE YEARS!!! Needless to say, i was slightly impressed. To consistently read the Bible from cover to cover for that long is a great achievement.

In this middle of this conversation, i came to the realization that i have never read the Word cover to cover...never. so, i decided to give it a shot this year. Going to call it my New Year's Resolution. It is officially my first year in ministry, therefore i will start blazing my trail by reading the whole Bible for all its worth. Wish me favor!!

empty words

I am about to be on my merry way to Panera Bread for a study session and a delicious caramel latte. but before i do this, i will stop by the "Christian book store" that is conveniently next door to pick up a book for my dad's Xmas present. whenever i pay and walk out the door, without fail the lady behind the counter will say "God Bless" to me. i smile politely and wish her a good day.
This makes me think every time. words can become ignorantly routine and ritual.

I made up my mind a long time ago to avoid being cliche with my words. All too often we (me included. though i made up my mind to avoid it doesn't mean i always do. after all, i do tell the lady at the book store to have a good day) say things without really thinking about what it is we are saying. even worse, we sometimes do not mean what we say. for instance, many people wish someone a good weekend when in reality they could care less if it sucks or not. furthermore, we ask someone how their week was going but really do not want to get into a conversation about it even though we asked. It is just a common, or cliche, courtesy that is anticipated from most people.
When someone has a phrase or something they say all the time to people, i wonder if it has become a routine (like "God Bless") and in the process loses a touch of true authenticity. Words are powerful. They have the ability to build up (and destroy as well). But words can lose their meaning and effectiveness if we allow them to become routine. They just become empty, and that is no good to anyone.

The best fast food ever

Last Saturday evening, i was craving a juicy chicken sandwich. Thus, i decided to grab a Chic 'Fil a. as i rolled into the drive-thru, the young gentleman greeted me with a dash of authenticity in his voice by saying "welcome to chic 'fil a, how can we serve you this evening?" i was dumbfounded! SERVE me? why, you can get me a delicious chicken sandwich. As i pulled up to the window to pay, a teenager (not the same guy who took my order) greeted me with a smile and asked me how my evening was going...all before asking me for my money!!! I said "good" and gave him the credit card. as i received my sandwich, the kid thanked me for choosing to eat at chic 'fil a and wished me a good weekend!

I am not going to lie, because that would insult your intelligence; that was the best fast food experience i have ever had! my dinner tasted a little better because of the service! Chi 'Fil a has it down; they Get It!! It is all about others!!! Why can Chic 'Fil a afford to close up shop every Sunday? Because they value the customer every other day of the week, so much that people will gladly spend their money on a Chic 'Fil a fast food chicken sandwich, even if it is a dollar and a half more expensive than a T-Bell burrito or chicken sandwich at Mickey D's. they understand this concept of being others-centered.

This is something we as the Church have missed. OH if we could grab a hold of this art!! I once heard John Maxwell say that "the church is the only place where people are treated poorly and expected to come back next week." There is no doubt in my mind that if our churches acted like a hospital for the hurting and diseased (something Jesus modeled for us with great efficiency: Mark 2:13-17 and Luke 19:1-27, with emphasis on verse 10) rather than a country club for the privileged few, we would not be able to get everyone through the doors of our churches!
I have always said that i am not the least bit interested in "maintaining the flock", but rather passionately strive to empower redeemed sinners (Christ-followers) to seek and to serve the broken, lonely, and hopeless in our neighborhoods and world. Our job is to do everything within our power to accomplish such things. I hope to be apart of the solution to the dilemma of what i call insider syndrome, where all we care about it making the right "church people" happy (to put it generally). i want to be externally-focused; others-centered, just like a famous fast food chain named Chic 'Fil a, and a glorious savior named Jesus (Yeshua) Christ...my Master and friend.

Too Mighty

i was reading the Bible this morning (something we pastors should do from time to time) and i ran across Psalm 18. verses 16 and 17 particularly jumped out:

16 He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

As a young youth pastor, i have come to the realization that everything put in front of me is way too mighty for conquering outside of Jesus' help. teaching, meetings, serving, leading, giving, pouring time, energy, and ability into a ministry; challenging leaders, teenagers, and parents. These are just a few of the all-encompassing responsibilities of the minister. grant it, they are not the enemies David was speaking of in this Psalm, however, they can be just as overwhelming and frightening to say the least.

Now, AS A MAN it is tough to admit that you cannot handle something; that you need help and are overpowered...overwhelmed. It takes a special prayer like this one, admitting the need for help and a rescuer, because life is way too mighty for an individual to "handle" on one's own. And the good news is: God Desires To Be our Rescuer, our Redeemer, Our Fortress, Our Rock, and help.
Boy i am glad we are not alone in this life! (read the beginning verses of Psalm 18 to get a good perspective on what is going on in verses 16 and 17. if you dare).

Book review, "The Last Lecture."

i am enjoying my time reading at my favorite starbucks spot on my well needed day-off, a ritual that i have come to love within the past 3 months. not but three weeks ago, my lead pastor handed me his copy of a book by the name of "the Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. his words were crystal clear: "try not to write in it." easy enough right? wrong! this is a great book about a man who has captured a nation and quite possibly the world, as he chronicles his life with the realization that it will soon be taken from him by the Pancreatic cancer he has contracted. this authentic, funny, and inspiring autobiography is written with tact and will touch even the most calloused of hearts. i have thoroughly enjoyed Pausch's wit and insight, guiding his reader through the different chapters of his world and challenging us to never take for granted the time and lives we have been given.

This is an easy, short, and yet profound read that will have you struggling to put it down and refrain from crying at the same time. pick it up and be inspired to live life with no stop signs.

Leadership is hard

Many wise people have said, "Leadership is difficult." I knew this before i was considered a "leader" and i now know this from a practical standpoint. Good leadership is engaging one's self into the Art of Balance: free time, work time; teaching (in my case) students, training volunteers and staff, creating safe, fun, and healthy environments, managing skills, empowering and equipping people to reach their potential, finding avenues where people can do these and making sure the "avenues" are running well. So much has takes place. Great leadership is hard work. Doing a few things great is not a cake walk. I cannot imagine how some/many leaders lead and manage fifty different things at once within their organization or ministry or whatever. The idea of balance, for me, is doing a few things (that means saying "NO" a lot) and doing those things with excellence.
We (my leadership team and i) are in the process of figuring out what those few things, for us, are and we are having a blast doing it!! I am enjoying the hard and tedious work of leading a group of people who want to see change in a youth ministry that hasn't seen much happen in the past year or so. Just thought i would fill everyone in.

"coffee" review

just thought i'd give a shout out to one of the Starbucks' Holiday favorites: the Expresso Truffle.

i must say, i love this drink. i am am told that all they do is add a couple of shots to their signature hot chocolate. wow wow, it is just splendid! be still my heart!

anyway, while i'm at it, if you are one who hits up the "Bucks" a couple days a week like yours truly does (mainly because there is no "hip" non-corporate coffee place anywhere near me!! i'm not bitter or anything), i would highly suggest you invest in the starbucks gold card. the rewards are worth it! two hours of free wifi everyday, and all kinds of discounts on drinks and many other things. if you ask me, it is well worth the 25 green backs. Ballin'!!!!!!

a prayer request

for all the millions of people who read this (did you sense the sarcasm?), i have a, what will seem like meager, prayer request. so here it is:

Many people know that i am a huge USC football fan, and yet have never been to a game. well, one of my life goals is to go to a bowl game with my Father in which USC is a participant.
this just might happen...IF, USC beats UCLA this saturday. yes, i have two Rose Bowl tickets on their way into my hands and my dad and i are going to Pasadena if the Trojans beat the Bruins. i will repeat, If my USC Trojans beat the UCLA Bruins this Saturday, i will cross off yet another life goal of mine by attending the USC vs. Penn State Rose Bowl match-up. Your prayers for USC's victory is MUCH APPRECIATED :)

thank you. i love you all.

Road Retards

i am just going to vent for a couple seconds here...since i can't afford therapy, this is going to have to do...

so, there are some tiny snow flurries today (which i was, surprisingly, delighted to see) which in turn makes it a tad bit nippy out, which in turn makes the roads a little slick.
anyway, i am driving to the office today, on my day off, to tie up some loose ends since i was not in wednesday through sunday. as i am driving, an old small brown honda civic is about to turn out of a burger king driveway into my lane, when the dude driving the friggin car skips looking to his left and proceeds into my lane.
now, being the good california driver that i am, notice this genius and anticipate what is about to happen from about 50 to 60 feet away. I slam on my breaks (which didn't matter because if you recall, the roads are a little slick) and conveniently honk my horn as i slide up just behind him...thankfully not destroying his puny excuse for a car. NOW, This is what ticks me off:

1. the guy didn't even try to see if a car was coming. all he had to do was turn his head rather than adjust the radio. There was just an assumption made on his part...and we all know what that does.
2. HOW COULD YOU MISS MY CAR?!?!?! it is a lifted, white, Toyota 4Runner SUV!! even if the dude didn't look, there is a good chance he could have seen me coming.
3. He didn't even attempt to APOLOGIZE!!! he just went about his merry way. disregards the fact that my monster SUV could have chewed him up and swallowed him whole, no need to spit out anything (i know i'm being a little dramatic. i will apologize to all who are irritated at this point). BUT, the dude didn't do anything! so, i'm thinking: "i should have plowed right into him. woulda taught him a lesson and i would have been covered because it was his fault. plus, my SUV would have had very little damage." but that is not a good motive.....i think :)

now, i don't get as worked up if someone checks all angles, makes sure things are clear and just flat out doesn't see you. BUT, this guy didn't even look!! that, in my opinion, is flat out stupid. how does a person not look into oncoming traffic? absurd.....
does anyone else have a similar story, or am i unique on this?

thank you for putting up with my frustration. I now digress.

Turkey Day

since it is the day of thanksgiving, i thought i would throw down in writing a few things i am grateful for:

• i am so thankful for friends; those who love me deeply and care for me in a way that is foreign to American society as a whole today.
• Family. there is nothing like having a family who loves and cherishes you for who you are.
• this nation. America is like no other nation on earth. the fact that i can sit in a nice cozy house in front of a 1,000 dollar computer sipping a 4 dollar Latte without any serious worries is testament to the prosperity and freedom this nation has been about since its inception.
• Grace. there is nothing like the grace and love of God. no-thing can compare. grace is the greatest asset a follower of Jesus carries, simply because we have received it ourselves. Thank God for his grace and mercy.

Welp, those are just a few of many. so, what are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving break

so, unfortunately, my parents live in Springfield, MO for the time being, while my dad finishes up his master's degree, (no offense to all who live there and love it. i just would rather be on the beach and consider every other place more than 45 minutes from the beach and/or cascading mountains to be second rate...to put it nicely) and were not able to make the 7 and a half hour trek up to the nasty nati (Cincinnati) where i currently reside. therefore, i decided to fly out to Springfield with high hopes of enjoying a quiet, relaxing four days of Turkey fest 2008.

Anyhoo, i landed not but an hour ago, and like any respectable air traveler, decided to relieve my bladder (hope i'm not being too frank) at the nearby bathroom before hopping into my mother's Maroon Mazda 3. as i walk into the restroom, i notice several napkins strategically placed throughout the men's room with the words "Jesus is coming soon!! Are you ready for His coming?" scribbled with unfashionable handwriting. first of all, these kind of shenanigans somewhat anger me for the simple fact that it gives followers of Jesus a bad wrap. therefore, i immediately threw away the first napkin i saw. THEN, i see another at the stall i conveniently occupy. in a moment of glee, i hope that i am the only one who saw these "homemade tracts" and therefore can and will dispose of them with little to no damage done. however, as i am about to throw the second napkin away, i am hit with a thought that i can only perceive to be the God i serve: "Sean, [often, God is very personal when He speaks to me] i can use this." now, just because i perceive it to be God does not mean that it was, and yet i felt the need to leave this particular napkin alone.
Do i love tracts of all kinds now? by all means, no. my feelings for these types of behavior's from my fellow lovers of Jesus have not changed, but i also know that God is my Lord and i must do what He asks, no matter what my feelings are on the manner.

so, i wonder: do things like a tract in the bathroom help or hurt the kingdom of God? Christians already have a bad wrap; do these "shenanigans" feed it? Or maybe God uses just about anything to accomplish his will, and the napkin in the men's room is just not that detrimental to His, and our, cause?
thoughts, comments, or concerns anyone?

old times

i just spent several hours reminiscing and goofing off with some of my closest friends: Jeremiah Cartwright, Eric Prior, and Tony Hankins, known as "the Roommates." this was the first time all four of us were together since Jeremiah's first deployment to Iraq (he is in the army) over two years ago.
on the drive back from Columbus, where we all met for an evening of shenanigans, i got to thinking about deep friendship. this is not just the "hey we are best friends" kind of cliche. no, it is much deeper. when i think of these three guys, i am reminded of the friendship David and Jonathan had in 1 Samuel 18. it says that The soul of Jonathan and David were knit tightly together. this implies more than just friendship, but BROTHERHOOD. it's blood. a mending of souls, not in a gay kind of way, but in a sense that there is deep seeded connection.

Whenever the roommates and i get together, it is like we've never missed a beat; we haven't lost a step; and it goes way too fast. one cannot buy this kind of connection, love, and covenant friendship with all the gold in Fort Knox. And if you would ask me what one of the biggest things that is missing in the Church, i would say deep connection. i do not know what i would do without my Roommates, my brothers.

Just some food for thought to go with this: "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." WHY? what's the point Paiul? I think...well, because that is the type of a community of faith people everywhere are starving to be apart of. Brotherhood...deep love and connection.

God on Mute

i have to give a shout out to a fellow blogger and good friend of mine by the name of Justin Chandler. about, mmm, i would say the late summer mid fall of 2007, my fellow minister in arms suggested, no.....strongly urged me to pick up a book by the name of "God on Mute" by Pete Greig. whelp, i finally did just that, only a year later, and i will now suggest this read to anyone out there who enjoys using their cerebral cortex. i am not too far into the book, however, it has struck a chord in me and i will not keep it to myself. no, i will compose, and shout from the rooftops: "read this book."...and by all means, after you do, tell me what you think.

challenges

all too often, our goal in life is to avoid tough situations or circumstances at all costs; or so it seems. being in a new, foreign (for the time being) environment, i have found myself in the middle of one of my life's toughest challenges: being a leader at age 24. with this challenge comes a lot of battles: pride vs. humility, insecurities vs. God-reliance, patience vs....well, impatience, confidence vs. thinking i suck at everything known to man dealing with leadership and building a youth ministry, etcetera.
and yet, there is this little voice inside my head, the one that stands out from all of the other voices in my head talking to me constantly, which states: "sean, be patient; and remember, often time the toughest challenges in life end up creating the greatest opportunities." i guess the point is that no matter what tough challenge in life, we can always grow. this is an important lesson: the trials create perseverance, which makes us better people. Isn't that written down somewhere?

lately my mind has been so busy thinking that i find myself engaged in conversations with...well, myself. I sometimes wonder if that kind of thing happens to anyone else. Am i the only one who does this? Now, i know that i am not the only one who is "a thinker", but the way it manifests itself can be so weird! For instance, this morning on the way to my office i find myself arguing out loud in my car about a situation that has not taken place and most likely will not occur. I pause half way through my rant and wonder why i am carrying an imaginative argument.

I have come to the conclusion that some of us just need to "work things out" and that is how i sometimes do it. However, i can easily transform my attitude into a defensive posture if not careful, because the mind and feelings ARE that powerful. I am done with my confusing opine. please forgive the lofty discourse.

"just do it" syndrome

A couple of days after my birthday and a couple of months into my first job as a youth pastor, feeling slightly over my head...which is a good thing :) i realize more and more as the days continue to pile upon each other that it is God who transforms hearts and lives; i CANNOT. i am also handicap when it comes to "running" a youth ministry. without the Holy Spirit;...well, i am in trouble and do everything in vain. i have found that it is all too easy to fall into what i call "just do it" syndrome, where we do things just because. To the point of forgetting why we do them or for whom.

i have learned that "just do it" can be dangerous, to a point that we keep ourselves busy by pursuing our own agenda or someone else's. My hope is to only please God and accomplish His agenda. And this is a worthy cause to pursue.

as i sit here contemplating existence, i am thinking about how little things can affect emotion and outcome of situations. as a guy, it is easy to compartmentalize feelings, but eventually, if stuff is not dealt with, an emotional train wreck will occur. i know i'm being vague; it is on purpose. try and follow. we try and keep ourselves busy with things so we do not have to think about the problems people are going through in our family. or, our neighbors are going through a crisis but we conveniently put a smile on our face, holler out a "good morning" everyday and ignore their obvious pain. why is this? i believe it's because we are selfish....we (humans) do not understand how to bear with one another like we used to. but it also occured to me that we will all be better off if we do not ignore the small things; if we don't compartmentalize our concerns, aches, pains, and problems. i believe that sharing and helping are two of the most potent contributors to overall health and healing. i may have gotten a little of track here, but that's okay. there's some truth to this maddness.

movie review...the dark knight

this was a really good movie. however, very deppressing, as you dit though it you realize that Heath is no longer alive and it bummed me out. he did a great job as the joker....best villan performance since Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs....even then, Heath still rivals Hopkins. go and see the movie, keeping in mind that it is dark, depressing, and entertaining.

while sitting in a not so typical (since we had a guest speaker) sunday morning service, my mind begins to wander, something that occurs more often than it needs to. i see around me all types of people; young couples, young mom's, old people, singles, and the list continues. we all make up the body of Christ and yet we are so different in all kinds of ways. we have different preferences, backgrounds, opinions, IQ's, etc. and yet there is one thing specifically that i could not shake...something we all seem to struggle with: we all buy into lies about ourselves and our Master (Jesus). in one form or another, christians and non-christians alike believe lies. we believe the lie that we're worthless, dirty, loveless, a screw-up, unlovable, incapable of good, have little or no potential, are a failure, have to something to prove, and you can pretty much go on forever about lies we entertain. it is only a matter of time that if we go on believing and living a lie, it will kill us. truth sometimes can be so difficult to trust, especially if you've believed something antithetical for so long. imagine what could happen if people believed truth and spoke it in love and grace to all those we come into contact with; many who have lost hope themselves. i guess i started feeling like we should not just act like we have the hope of the world at work in our lives but actually believe in Him ourselves. believing what is true is the starting point for revolution.

one lump or eight?

i have been thinking the past few days about blogging something profound...something life altering. but i keep putting it off. most likely because writing something life-altering shouldn't require a lot of thinking, but, for me, tends to reveal itself through trial and tribulation; through doing life. so, here are several little tidbits i think i have learned this week which is healthy for us all to remember...wheather it's life altering or not: life comes at you fast, so enjoy each and every moment. learn to never take yourself too seriously. and be full a passion in all that you do.

grace and peace

home sweet home

i felt all the information i learned the last week of my Israel trip was going to fall out of my brain since i was unable to blog. but when you walk the land and are tested over it, i think the important stuff really sticks to the brain. like being baptized in the Jordan River. it was a dirty river, but nonetheless, this is where John held some of his ministry and baptized the Messiah. furthermore, there is never a dull moment when you are walking the shorline of Lake Galillee, where a majority of Christ's ministry was held. Galilee is a beautiful place, lush and green, with springs and rolling hills (calling them synclines and anticlines). we decended down mount arbel and walked the board walk of Tiberious. it was also a pretty cool thing to dive into the Lake of Galilee and throw clams at each other. i then thought that maybe Jesus did this with the Diciples and some of their friends.

as i sit here to recall all that happened the last week, i can't help but ponder on the highlights and realize once again that there is nothing more rewarding than living a life of purpose. i hope that after this trip, nothing will be the same inside my heart and mind. i have found that there is no higher calling than being like our Master. i have had the opportunity to walk where He walked; i have had the opportunity to take a look into the depths of Jewish culture and the Old Testament like never before, to better understand the Savior. it would be foolish to be unaffected by this trip; to walk away without any kind of motivation for my future. overall, i will never read the Bible in the same way again. there is no way. while overlooking the Jezreel valley in Megiddo, i realize that someday this world will come to an end and our Master will return with a vengence to redeem His beloved. it is exactly this that pushes me to love the unlovable and to share Jesus with all i come into contact with. i have a new appreciataion for living like my Rabii.

oh the land is a flowing

today we traveled along what is called the Shephelah, or the lowland of Israel. we saw where the battle of David verses Goliath took place, and a whole mess of others historical battles!! it was wicked. the valleys of the lowland are beautiful, filled with flowers and fig trees and wheat fields. also, i was able to pick up around stone in the same water shed David picked up his five smooth stones!! i kept it as one of the many souveniers. right now i am in Beer-Sheeva, which is southern Israel. overall, the highlight of the day was swimming in the Meditteranean Sea suckah!!!!! it was beautiful. we went to the coastal city of Ashkelon (ashquelon), yes the one that got hit with a rocket a week or so ago. it was warm and salty....which equals lovely. today was a blast...tomorrow, may not be. it's going to be hottttt. but hey, it's Israel.

The Good Samaritan

this Holy Land is so amazing!!! in about fifteen minutes, we were lead into the wilderness...the same wilderness Christ was tempted in, on the same wilderness road the Good Samaritan parable was staged! this was a great adventure through steep canyond and rocky terrain. there is little if no covering, and it really is the wilderness. there has been tourists in the past who will come into this place and get lost. it is hot and dry and tough. again, walking on a road that Jesus traveled many times. it was a nicer day, thank God, so we really didn't get the full experience of the desert heat. so, we went down to Jericho...very beautiful and fertile. just a 10 to 15 minute drive away from the middle of nowhere. all kinds of flowers and trees 'n' stuff. amazing. got to see the wall that fell at the hands of Joshua (actually God). with this said, i wanna be like the good samaritan...i think he is more like Jesus than me...

the Western Wall and the Master

the wailing wall, now known as the West Wall, was a great experience for me. the wall is the closest place any Jew can get to the Temple Mount, which is occupied by the Muslims. the Dome of the Rock sits right about where the Temple would sit. as i stood and marvled at its magnificence, i noticed an overwhelming amount of paper stuffed into the wall crevices. these are prayers of the Jewish men (men and women are seperated into two sections), prayers of peace and the full restoration of Israel. i got to thinking, this is all they want: to worship God in this sacred place. they view this place, the Temple Mount, as a desirable sanctuary. there is such respect and zeal to be in the Temple again. that is what they consider ultimate worship. and i got to thinking about America. we go through Church so nonchalant. we get caught up in the eb and flo of life and forget that when we enter a time of worship to our God, who has all authority and power, we don't treat it as a sacred time. a time in which we are to long for God. unlike the Jews, this sacred place can be anywhere because of what our Master (Jesus) did for us on the cross. therefore, my life should be one filled with worship and Glory to my Father God....eagerly searching for sacred moments in which i can encounter Him.

OH THE TEMPLE WALLS:
sitting on the Temple steps, was amazing!! we actually sat on the second temple steps, the very one's Jesus walked on....the very steps the apostles and disciples walked on!! it was the hottest day since we got here; no shade was provided, yet it was energizing. many of the things i am seeing brings about a certain emotional experience inside of me that is difficult to express. i have walked on the streets that jesus walked. i have walked the Via Dolorosa, and it was intoxicating. there is no way to express how i feel when i look down a Hasmonean path just outside the Temple wall that Jesus walked at least three times a year. things like praying in the very place Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane have brought tears to my eyes. i have recieved a greater appreciation for my Savior. i have realized how much of a man he was....of course, remembering that He was God as well. the Bible is being brought to life right before my eyes, as we go to Bethlehem to visit the very place to which Jesus is born. if i had the resources, i would do this every year.

back in Jerusalem....thank God.

the last time i said my piece, we were in Petra, Jordan. well, i, along with my group, made it back into Israel after a tedeaous process at the border crossing. some sad news though....my viewfinder on my camera has cracked :( so i can't see what i'm taking a picture of!! but, i am praying that the Lord of Lords and King of Kings will miraculously heal it!! why not eh?!?! anyway, about 3 hours after we arrived at our hotel in Jerusalem, the rest of our group showed up, officially launching our 3 week escavation of the Holy Land!!

now, today we had a great day. started out at the Jerusalem University for some lecture and orientation. we then went around some Holy sites and walked into the old city. Jerusalem is separated into the Old City (where our hotel is at) and the New city, which is very modern and reminds me, quite frankly, of America. so, we toured the Old City today. there were a lot of cool things, but i wanna focus in on a couple of powerful places we went to.

the Church of the Seplucher, was an amazing experience. we were taken to where Jesus was crucified and buried. also, this Holy site also holds Joseph of Arametheas' actual burial site! let me say....this was one of the most emotional experiences i've had in a long time. we are going back to soak it all in a little better...hopefully with less people around. i cannot explain what i was feeling as i stood where Jesus, it is believed, shed His blood for my sins. i get choked up just thinking about it. there was, also, a replica of the slabe where Jesus was taken off the cross and cleaned up. furthermore, there was a replica of Jesus' tomb right where he was believed to be buried. how powerful!!! to be right where Christ was!! it is so easy to forget the price that Christ paid, and this experience reminded me of how hardcore Jesus' death was for us....i will be back to explain a couple other great things. gotta go eat :)

Israel here i am!!

wow wow wow!!!! sitting next to me is a cindy kam and samantha brewer in Petra, Jordan!! we landed in Tel Aviv at around 4:15 on Friday afternoon. it was a great flight and so far i am not suffering from jet lag. today i rose in Jerusalem to the sound of Muslim chants...that's right, at around 4:15 in the stinkin' morning. it was actually an interesting experience. the Mosque lays on top of the foundation of where the Temple used to be!! the orthodox Jews are bitter and pissed about that. i then laid in bed for a little longer before getting ready for our trip into Jordan. let's just say it was a fun experience getting inside the country....it was good though. btw, they (the people of Jordan) really LOVE their king; pics of him all over the place. but the places we visited (Pella, Gerasa) reminded me of Mexico, until we got into Jerash, which is a historical greco-roman, strategic city. a lot of great stories i tell you. it was a pretty modern city. we also drove through the capital city of Aram, which was a beautiful city! oh, we saw mcdonald's. interesting.

Petra, where i am now, is located in the south of Jordan, by the Arabian desert (i think) in Moab or Edom....can't remember which one (if this blog is scatter-brained it's because we've been up for over 18 hours doin' our thing!, needless to say, i am very tired....but i found wifi and desired to tell the world what's happenin'). as far as i know, Petra was voted on as one of the 7 wonders of the world, but didn't make the list. however, our tour guide tells us that it is one of the most beautiful cities he's ever been to, and is, frankly, really giddy about treking through it with us tommorow.

i am hoping to return within the next few days with a few more stories, something exciting, or just a bunch of information i didn't know that i can share. thusfar the trip has been wicked awesome; i have enjoyed looking at places where Jesus walked and did miracles (in Gerasa) and loved listening to the stories about battles Saul had around Mt. Gilboa, which by the way i have plenty of pics of! mt. gilboa was a magnificent sight, residing just south east of the Sea of Galilee. God is so freakin' cool!!! this land makes me feel closer to Him.....i know how cheezy that sounds, but it's true.

keepin it international,

sean dawg

going overseas!!

this is my first official blog for my trip to Israel. i leave in a couple days and i'm freakin' out because i've never been over an ocean, just bodyboarded in one. so, we fly to New Jersey, to Tel Aviv...10 and a holf hours over the Atlantic!!! GIT LIT!!! that is gonna suck. but hey, i get to go see the holy land....don't hate all you haters :)

welp, that's it. keep checkin' for updates throughout the trip people.