DzetaMostly's Xanga

Friday, August 15, 2008

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:31:58 GMT

Greetings, random and happenstance readers. I know you to be so because there hasn't been a post on this blog in ages; Xanga is still blocked by ALERT, but that's ok, since I don't really have a whole lot of time to write while I'm down there anyway. At the moment, I'm at home for a two-and-a-half-week period that started Wednesday night; I head back two weeks from tomorrow or Sunday, depending on how things work out. I just finished seven weeks as a Group Leader for Quest (see previous post). My best friend is the head of the program, and my brother has worked with it since its inception in '06, so hanging with them for two months, as well as the rest of the leadership team, was awesome.

I was originally going to simply stay on campus or maybe bunk with those friends I mentioned until the start of Basic Training Unit 40 next month, but then my family decided that yes, it was time to move, and no, they didn't want to do it without me. So I'm back home to help out with that project; the new house is less than forty minutes away, two doors down from some good friends of ours, and we're moving most of the stuff ourselves, short of the biggest furniture. Once that's all done I'll be back in Texas until the end of November, after which I hope to come home, get a real job, and start moving forward with the next stage in life (not to mention figuring out exactly what that is). I'll have my cell phone for the rest of my time at ALERT, so give me a ring sometime, especially if you're ever coming through the Longview area.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:13:03 GMT

Something happened this morning that I never saw coming.

I went to log in to Xanga, and I couldn't remember my password.

I guess considering that my last official entry was nearly six months ago, I shouldn't feel too bad, but on the other hand I've had this blog for three and a half years, and I've only changed my password once. All that aside, those of you who aren't on Facebook (a number I'm estimating at about... three) likely have no idea what I've been up to. Here's the scoop: All has gone pretty much as planned since my post in January; I worked on the landscape crew at ALERT for nine weeks, which was a blast, then spent March, April and May as a squad leader for Basic Training Unit 39. This time around was a very different ride from last fall; the upside was that unlike last time none of my guys ended up in the hospital, but downside was that on the whole, the squad didn't get along well at all. But God worked, and they got things straightened out by the end, and praise God, every one of them promoted - even the one who was up until midnight several nights the final week finishing the required memory work.

A week after the new Responders promoted and went home, I graduated from the ALERT Academy, having completed 51 weeks of training. This means that when I go back this week, I'll be on volunteer staff, which translates over into free room and board and permission to use my cell phone and get online. I won't be on as much as when I'm at home, of course, but if any of you ever need to get in touch with me, I won't be anywhere near as inaccessible as I've been for the last year.

The plan now is as follows: My brother and I fly out early tomorrow morning, and as in January, I haven't started packing yet. We'll spend two and a half weeks in leadership training for Quest, a one-month camp program designed to teach 14-17yos how to make the transition from boyhood to manhood without the joke of teenagerdom that some think should come in between. Once that wraps up halfway through August, I'll have a two-week break before Cadre training starts up again. I'm not sure what I'll do during that time; I might hang out around campus and help with odd jobs, but there's also the possibility that some friends not too far from Big Sandy could put me up for that period of time. Anyway, then comes Cadre training and Basic Training Unit 40, which the same brother will be coming through as a recruit, along with some other friends of mine; should be fun.

The sad part about all this is that, while I'll have Internet access as I mentioned, ALERT's server blocks Xanga, so I won't be able to post while I'm in Texas. I will, however, be keeping up on Facebook, so you can find me there, or give me a call if you want. I'll be back home once Basic ends in November, this time for good; I hope to get a job near my family's place so I can continue living with them for the time being, at least until I'm not broke anymore. On that note, pray for them, because it looks like they're going to be moving pretty soon, probably while I'm gone. And pray also, while you're at it, for me during Quest and Basic, and then for job prospects for me once I get back. To be overly melodramatic, it's a short ride from here to the unknown, but it's gonna be good all the same.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:19:51 GMT

You all need to call my cellphone. Yes you, right now!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:16:33 GMT

Let's see...

It's one in the morning... I'm pulling out of the driveway at 8:00am... I'm halfway packed...

It's sad that this is such a familiar feeling.

You'd think that with all the traveling I've done, in addition to the fact that I spent most of last year at ALERT, I would be a little more prepared by now. But that's ok; I'll get it done, I'll get in bed, I'll get up, I'll get in the car, I'll get to the airport, I'll get on a plane, I'll get to Texas, and it'll be all good. And so will begin another chapter in this adventure that started just over a year ago.

I realize I still haven't told you all about my Basic Training experience last spring. Maybe someday I'll write a book. Or maybe I could just call up those of you that I haven't already talked to. Either way, I may eventually get around to that, and I may not. I may or may not also get around to talking about ERT last summer, Cadre for Unit 38 last fall, the upcoming PC1 (Property Care = landscaping) unit in which I'll be spending the next ten weeks, or Cadre for Unit 39, which I hope to be a part of in March. But at least there you have it. If you're reading this, and have heard nothing else of me over the past few months, that's what I've been up to, and that's what I'll be up to between now and when I'm next able to post, which will be this coming June. (It's not just a matter of whether or not I can get online at ALERT; the server there blocks Xanga, Facebook, and a number of other networking sites.)

I have to admit I miss the days of Verity, when some of my innermost musings found their ways to these pages. Maybe those days are gone, but maybe not; all I know is that they must necessarily be put on hold for now, as a number of other things have been over the past year - plans for a job, plans for music, plans for a relationship, and so forth. But that too is ok; this was God's plan all along, and He's working it out just the way He means to. In the meantime, I'm going to try not to inadvertently throw too many wrenches in the works - not that you can do that to God anyway.

May He bless you, and I'll be back in June.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 01:54:00 GMT

It was only during the singing of "Silent Night," the final song of our new church's service of lessons and carols this evening, that I finally felt Christmas was on its way. The celebration of God's ultimate condescension in becoming fully man has definitely crept up on me this year. I've been running a lot of errands recently, unrelated to the holiday, but I guess all the performances of the three-family choir I'm a part of should have helped me prepare. As it is, I have to stand here and say with the Grinch, "Tomorrow is Christmas - it's practically here!" I'll be spending it with my family at two homes - mine and my aunt's. Presents at my house, food at hers. Works out. God's blessings on you, friends, at Christmas and always!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:16:04 GMT

A man wiser than I once shared a revelation. He had spent countless hours poring over the works of one of America's Founding Fathers whom he revered, when he suddenly realized he was selling himself short. "Why," he asked, "am I reading what this man wrote? So many of his great thoughts and words must truly be secondary; he read and studied just as I do. I ought to go straight to the source myself and read the works of the great thinkers that he read." It occurred to me yesterday during family devotions that that's exactly what we're able to do when we study God's Word; all wisdom, all good philosophy, all significant truth can be traced back to the greatest Book ever written. Yes, far be it from to me cast aside the writings of the preachers, doctors and commentators who themselves have examined nearly every imaginable aspect of the Scriptures for our benefit; these too are of great value. But immeasurably more precious is the source of it all...

the Bible.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:13:30 GMT

Well, I missed saying anything about Thanksgiving, but mine was great, thanks for asking; we had dinner at my mom's sister's house, and it was awesome as always. But now we're getting closer to Christmas, and I thought I would post some brief thoughts that I wrote down a few months ago on the subject of worship. I'm not trying to start a controversy here, but I believe that, in America at least, churches call it "praise and worship" but in fact too often practice just "fun with Christian music." Instead of seeking primarily God's smile, we make getting ourselves joyful the priority, and I'm worried that that may be a mistake. Here's how I laid it out one day over the summer...

"The question of proper worship must begin with asking what will please God most, rather than asking what will please me and thus put in the right mood or "spirit" to worship. This means being more concerned with having a contrite heart than with being zealous; God wants to see contrition before zeal. A contrite heart that is not zealous is nevertheless on its way to being infused with zeal. A zealous heart that is not first contrite has more than likely already missed the mark."

This is to be a season of worship, and when it comes down to it, "worship" simply means showing God what He is worth to us. Is He worth our praise even when we're not in the mood? Can the world tell, by watching us, the true answer to that question? A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:13:25 GMT

End of August... Yeah, about that...

After spending two straight ten-week sessions at ALERT instead of one, and thus completing ERT and continuing on to be a squad leader for Unit 38's Basic Training, I arrived back home for a six-week furlough around midnight two nights ago. I'm still unpacking, I'm still tired, and I still haven't seen Bourne Ultimatum (or Supremacy for that matter, but that's going to change soon). More on ALERT later.

Today was fun, though. Most of my family spent the hours of eleven to five at a church, packing and loading boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Not to mention that yesterday I visited my family's new church (not the one just mentioned) for the first time. There's nobody my age so far as I saw - although maybe they'll all be back on break from college next Sunday - but the place is rife with Eagle Scouts just waiting to be recruited for Unit 39...

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 07:06:29 GMT

Well folks, here it goes again...

I'm heading out this morning to spend ten more weeks in Texas at ALERT. This time I'm going for ERT; 'nuff said. (Actually, that's nowhere near enough said, but it's 4:00 in the morning; 'nuff said.)

Sorry, but that's all I've got for you. My brain is shot. Plus I'm not done packing. I'll be back at the end of August. See you all then!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:09:07 GMT

Last night my brother and I saw Phantom of the Opera on stage. If it ever comes to your town, see it. This particular rendition was spectacular; I remember reading a day or two ago that the musical featured some of the most elaborate costumes and sets ever conceived for the stage, and they weren't kidding. The cast was marvelous too; nearly every singer outshone any performance of their parts and songs that I had ever heard before. (Christine was perhaps the only exception; she was excellent, don't get me wrong, but of course it's hard to best Sarah Brightman.) What I think I liked most, however, was finding that the stage musical, far more so than the film, left me single-minded on the matter of the Phantom's villainy; as much as he begged for pity, there was no doubt he was 100% the bad guy. All in all, the show was amazing.

But that wasn't the best thing that happened to me yesterday.

Last Friday, a fifty-year-old father who had been battling cancer for some time passed away. His funeral was yesterday morning, and two days prior I got a call from my pastor asking if I would be willing to sing a song that the man's wife had requested. It's called "Wish You Were Here"; I hadn't heard of it before, and if you haven't either, go to www.lyndenchilders.com and select the third song from the player at the bottom of the page. In order to sing it, I needed sheet music, so I called Mr. Childers and asked if he could help me. He unfortunately didn't have the music himself; the song was originally recording by The Kingsmen Quartet. I spent a good part of the morning looking online and calling music stores, but in the end, I simply listened to the song on his website and wrote down the lyrics and chords. Thus God worked all things together for good, and I was able to sing it at the funeral, accompanied by my mom on guitar and a friend on piano. After the service, the man's wife thanked me and told me something I never would have expected to hear - that this was the best thing that had happened yet following his death. Lord, thank you for enabling me to bless that family in a way that I never imagined would mean so much to them. Everybody else, pray for them if you would; their husband and father trusted completely in God, and they will continue to do so, but they still need your prayers.