Just a picture change....

Hey guys, I'll post a blog a bit later, but I wanted to change my profile pic, and the only way to do that is to upload a picture by posting it first so...sorry to disappoint y'all. Um.... get pumped about SLR (Student Leadership Retreat)! That's what I'm posting next about!

-Trey

Life is a movie

Life is a movie…work the camera, baby!

Alright, I’m still coming down from the amazing spiritual high of elevation, which already seems a million years away. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but it was so much easier to connect to God back in Dalonegah; things seemed a lot happier, a lot funnier, a lot easier to see God in. Back in the ‘Nasty, it’s a bit harder to keep our spiritual lens focused. I know that as a senior, the cold chill of college searches is creeping down my back, and I still have no idea where I want to go or what I want to do. Everyone has worries about the future; what’s going to happen, and whether or not it’ll be as good as we hope. My advice: let go. Don’t worry about it so much. In this film, if we follow the script, there are only happy endings. “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes” (Matthew 6:34, The Message//REMIX). The thing about movies is that they’re linear; you can’t reach the end without the middle or the beginning. So what happens when we go through the beginning and the middle, just fixed on the end? Well, we end up at the end, but we have no idea what’s going on, we’ve missed the story, and maybe we don’t even know the name of our sidekick. Today is today for a reason. Elevation used to be today, and I got so much out of those days because they were all like a lifetime because I wasn’t thinking about anything else. Back there days go by and I couldn’t tell you what I did in them. The only way you’re going to enjoy your story is if you stop worrying about your next lines and just do the film! After all, you have the best scriptwriter, director, cameraman, caterer, publicity crew, sound producer, and videographer: God. What are you waiting for then? Live today like its Elevation! Make every scene an Oscar!

Epic Blog

Quid Pro Quo No Mo

Okay, I know I promised Acheson and Troller an epic blog because I’ve been so bad about blogging this year… but this is not epic. It does deal with some epic scenes, though, so partial credit, right?

Anyway. Being the closeted geek that I am, I just beat Shadow of the Colossus (for PS2) today. If you haven’t heard of the game, it’s awesome! The story is kind of complicated, but to sparknote it, the main character makes a deal with a forbidden god in order to resurrect the one he loves. So, as the main character, you have to go around, destroying these colossi (stone giants). In the end, however (Warning! Plot spoiler for anyone interested in playing the game), we discover that the main character was being used all along; the colossi were guardians keeping the god from entering the world, and now that they have all been defeated, the god may enter the world and wreak havoc.

Ever notice how there is always a deal? In mythology, someone always has to build the labyrinth, slay the minotaur, carry the world on his shoulders, find the golden apples, slay medusa and her sisters, the list goes on and on; nothing is ever free. It’s always quid pro quo: this for that. That’s what is so beautiful about God. He doesn’t ask you to do anything, He only wants to give; getting something in return is less important than giving. God doesn’t have us do three tasks or sacrifice a ram before we can ask for forgiveness and salvation. “This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he’ll most certainly give it to you. You joy will be a river overflowing its banks!” (John 16:24, The Message//REMIX). Mercy is a gift given from God to us, for free!

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Yeah, that’s great, but I asked God for a million dollars, and so far, no dough…” Well, as little comfort as it may be, God will give you all the things you really need (that’s the “according to my will” part of the verse); that means forgiveness, salvation, those things which are more important than iPods, college, Algebra II, or Sandi Patti. If you’ve asked God for forgiveness and salvation, you’ve already got the A on the test, but trying to lead a God-like life, that’s the extra mile that gets you the A+; that’s what gets you the excellent on Works Well With Others. God only wants the best for us, and he gives it to us, free of charge. It’s then up to us what we do with the gifts we receive.