New Beginnings

I started college yesterday after several years away from formal education. I left Southeast Tech with a horrible GPA which was rightly deserved due to my lack of attendance, reading and general effort.

I have returned to Southeast now with much more maturity and direction than ever before and I can honestly say I am excited to learn! It will be a great learning opportunity to be challenged in my thinking! I am dipping back into education with my best friend Tyler Bonynge and are taking the same courses together. We are only taking 6 credits at first, aiming for 9-10 next semester and then onto full time education at a university somewhere seeking a major in Theology/Philosophy. Much work to be done and each step taken at its proper time, so now, back to the present.

This first year I aim to develop many traits that I am lacking in, currently. Some of these include:

• Time Management (Balancing socialization with work and study)
• Being more productive and dedicated to the things I undertake
• Preparing for a career in ministry (My aim being seminary, Lord Willing)
• To develop maturity sufficient to lead a family and provide for their needs
• To meet new people and be an encouragement to them if they are Christians and to share the Gospel with those who are not.
• To challenge the secular world views that will be taught in my classes

This list contains just a few and I am sure I will discover more needs in my development as my "Wisdom Goggles" become more precise. 

There is a saying that one can look back to ten years ago in their life, no matter what their present age, and think to themselves how stupid they were! Then, in another ten years, they will look back on the time they were in when they last thought about such things and think precisely the same thoughts!

How true this is! Tis the blessing of spiritual maturity fit to recognize our shortcomings and plead more for continued growth having grown thankful for the Lord's work already done. It is amazing how seeing what the Lord has done in the past makes us eager to see his plan's unfolding in the future!a

Speaking of time management, now I must get to work on my first paper for English Composition. It is a diagnostic paper that I just have to turn in to receive for credit. My teacher wants merely to see where I am at in my writing abilities. I look forward to developing my writing habits and would like to receive constructive criticism from any of you who may be reading this! Perhaps I will post my papers on here for peer review before I turn them in... I will have to consider this more.

I also have to read for my other class, Marriage and Family. That will be a class full of interesting and challenging discussion I am sure. I am sure that many of the posts you read here will be based out of discussions had in that class!

More on these developments later!

The News

I was reading a devotional today, and as I read the "standard" gospel account of Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins so that we might live.... I kind of skimmed that part and thought to myself "Oh, I have heard that before..." I am a Christian even, unopposed to this message, and yet I skimmed it like it hadn't impacted my life at all...

Sure, you might be saying, oh "its okay Luke, you just didn't react because you became a Christian years ago", or "You already know the good news in your heart, so why would you react to hearing it again?"

Okay, well to that and any number of "It's okay, your not doing anything wrong" questions, let me pose this thought I had...

How come I (Like so many) can read an article about some crazy person on a bus in Canada who cut someones head off, and continually ask myself how that could be? And then, each and every time that I think about that particular event, I cringe? When the beautiful, and yet horrific death of Jesus, The Son of God, on a cross is only "Old news?"

I wasnt at either even personally, but I believe both happened. I also believe that my sins, as well as your sins, were paid for at the foot of the cross. Yet, I'm not jumping for joy? My life was revolutionized by the Holy Spirit, and has been with me ever since my conversion, and yet very little reaction...

I mean, I dont fully understand God, or Jesus, or what happened on the cross, but then again, I dont understand at all what would make a person just snap and cut someones head off while they were sleeping next to him on a bus, in the middle of the night, in Canada! Where they dont even have an army that I know of...They probably one of the least violent countries in the world....but anyway, the point remains.

How can I skim things like "Jesus died for your sins, Luke Lorenz of Sioux Falls SD, 57107" and then awe when someone tells me about a "Random Man decapitates a random sleeping passanger on Bus in Canada...meanwhile wondering if they themselves knew about Jesus death on the cross, for there sins?!

Just something to think about... I am sure I'm not the only one...

Confession! I Steal Chocolate Delectables!

I was at the mall with Nakita and Jane and I had a little mishap at the DQ.
I walked up to an open part of the counter and told an attractive young woman that I wanted a Large French Silk Pie Blizzard, with Extra Pie Crust. (Yes, all of those caps are necessary!) Anyway, she began to prepare my blizzard, while another attractive young woman was ringing up some other people on the other side of this structural pole I was leaning against.
I noticed a small clear plastic bowl filled with triangular cut brownies, and thinking to myself, "Oh, free samples!" I said out loud, "What are those? Free samples?" and it was with my presupposition of "Yes, those must be free samples" that I reached and took one out of the bowl and proceeded to take a bite.
Immediately I was then informed by two Indian fellows that they had just purchased them.
Meanwhile, the attractive women working at the fine ice cream establishment were laughing. I am not sure if at me, or just objectively at the situation, but either way, I was turning red.
So, I tried to talk my way out of by casually (although sincerely) apologizing to the two individuals and explained it was an honest mistake. The woman at the cash register then offered to give him one more triangular shaped brownie (Who sells triangular shaped brownies anyway? I had no idea they did this...) and I offered to pay for them, and he declined and said it was fine. He then motioned to the small crowd around him and asked if anyone else would like one.
They left after our short dialog and then the woman rang me up for my blizzard. I think I can safely say that was the MOST embarrassing moment of my life. That is saying a lot too...
*****UPDATE: 9-6-2011******
After restarting my blog, rereading my posts, deleting some, editing others, I thought it appropriate to update this post!
This is not the most embarrassing moment of my life any more! (Should I be excited about that?)
Perhaps I just don't think I would be as embarrassed if it were to happen again. Of course, I probably wouldn't have reached so presumptuously for a brownie in a public market, either. In either case, the reflection on embarrassment is probably a pretty accurate measurement of growth.
I must have grown a lot since the writing of this post! I have learned a lot of things.
I have learned to see that honesty is still the best policy, but there is a difference between honesty and full-disclosure.
For instance; It is honest to tell someone who inquires of you to reveal the most embarrassing moment of your life, "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." (Thank you Captain Barbosa!)
We do have a right to secrecy, you know! Keep in mind, however, that the motives behind your secret-keeping ought to be closely examined, for the idol of self-preservation, ego, pride, opinions of others or the like are often the reasons we keep secrets.
Though I am still open to much disclosure, I don't have time to update my most embarrassing moment right now, nor am I sure of its edification factor. If, at a later time, I deem it worthy of writing about, perhaps I will. Perhaps on another day when I don't have a plethora of other tasks to devote my time to.
For now, I hope that this update will register on the edification factor for someone out there.

My current music selection is perfectly suited for this day for me, perhaps it will suit your's as well. NeedToBreathe is on the playlist and it's invigorating, refreshing and seems just fit right now. Check em' out if you have not heard of them. They are very good!