ACU lectures

I had the great opportunity and privilege to go to the ACU lectureships this week. I was so uplifted by the messages that I heard - this is definitely something that I want to do in the coming years. One message that I heard in more than one lecture was concerning the way that baptized people should treat each other. There is so much division, pettiness, slander, etc. in the world today and we are called to be different. If anyone should be able to get along, it should be people that are in the kingdom of God. We should love each other adamantly and be able to dialogue knowing the person that we are talking to is a brother or sister in Christ. Yet we fight and divide over things like worship style, bible classes, race, bible translations, and many other things. Why don't we look at the person or persons that is/are disagreeing with us and understand that they are fervently trying to serve God to the best of their ability - like we are trying to do. Can we not agree to disagree sometimes? The church should be the one place that the world looks to and sees unity when unity would not be possible anywhere else.

I came away from the lectures wanting to live more like a person who remembers my baptism. I came away in awe at the thought that Christ rescued me. He certainly didn't have to, but He loved me so much that He wanted to and continues to seek me even when I'm not seeking Him.

Family Ties

I haven't spoken to my brother since the end of December. There was some family drama that occurred when we were down in the Rio Grande Valley for our family reunion. I got mad and called him an idiot and we hadn't talked since then. Until this morning...

I sent him a valentine like I did to my two sisters. In the valentine I told him that I loved him and explained my reasoning for being upset. I just don't think that he's respectful to our family, and I don't like that. So, he called me last night and left a message on my phone. I called him back but had to leave a message because he didn't pick up. He called me this morning and we talked for an hour and fifteen minutes.

The conversation was pretty heated. A lot of things he had to say were hurtful. In the card that I sent him, I mentioned that our relationship might never be the same again. He said that it can't be the same because I blew something small way out of proportion and got the whole family involved. I told him that this was going to happen no matter what I did - it was just a matter of time. The way that I see it, this is just a bump in the road that I'm on with my family. I know that I no longer have the influence on my brother that I once had - I guess I have to let go of thinking that I might say something that he'll listen to. But that's the thing - that's what gets to me. I can't believe that someone in our family won't respect our family enough to listen or to take advice from us. Is that a power trip if I want that to happen? Maybe so, but I do think that I have his best interests in mind.

I love my brother dearly. This is really hard for me to deal with, but life will go on. We are in relationship and it will change as we change. I hope that brighter days are ahead.

Happy Birthday Rob

Today is another good friend's birthday. Rob Conner is a great guy. He's one of those people that kind of makes you feel like an underachiever because of all of the things he's accomplished. He was Mr. ACU and received several awards when we graduated from college. In fact, the joke was that we, the other graduates, were happy we got to attend his celebration. He went on to SMU law school, and is now working for a law firm in Dallas. Besides all of that, he is one of the Godliest men that I have ever known. He is humble to a fault and always puts others before himself. I wish I were more like him.

I went to a surprise birthday party for Rob on Saturday. It was great to catch up with him and his family. I got to see some other people that I hadn't seen in a long time, BJ - Rob's sister, and Hayes Penland. David Chavez was also there with his new wife. It was good to see them as well.

Friendships are so great. I don't know what I would do without my friends. They are the ones that keep me going and the ones that I turn to when I can't talk to my family (sometimes family may be the problem). God has blessed me tremendously by placing people in my life that I can learn from. Rob is just one of the many. Thanks for reading.

Abilene

I tried to post this entry last week, but for some reason it didn't go through. Hopefully, this time it will.

So I got to go to Abilene this weekend for a step show by a group called Shades. I think this group formed about three or four years ago. Angie, my younger sister, told me that it had been heralded as one of the shows to go to while at ACU. I e-mailed her and told her that if she bought me a ticket, I would take her to JoAllen's (which happens to be my favorite restaurant). I know - I'm an awesome brother. Anyway, the show was great. There was a lot of talent in that group. It was very different than any other show that I had ever been to at ACU - of course, the only shows I've ever gone to at ACU are Sing Song and an occasional homecoming musical. This was loud and crazy and fun. Cullen Auditorium sold out - the students seem to be really supportive of this group. I can understand why.

The semester at UNT is going alright for me so far. I took a test for my internet course, Educational Research, today. I made an 88. I don't like making Bs. However, after reading this textbook, I think I'm OK with that grade because I wouldn't have wanted to spend anymore time reading or studying the material. So, if I get a B, oh well.

Not much else is going on right now. I guess I'm in the blah part of the semester. Hopefully things will pick up and get more exciting here soon. Thanks for reading.