Mango Lemonade @ Applebees

The reason I started this blog again was not for views & not to be deep. Honestly, I am happy that this blog seems un-visited. Now I can type my troubles out. And although it is public, I doubt anyone checks this old thing anyways.

And if you are checking this, you stumbled upon my (seemingly) short-lived blog, then I am ok with you seeing this.

I met new people. People that live over a half-hour away. People that within sentences I felt at home. Friends who consistently meet me half-way.

One night in an Applebees and I was changed. I never realized friendships could be like this.

Almost every other friendship left me with the short end of the stick. I was the pursuer, I was the initiator and I was tired.

I find myself physically worn out from maintenance.

But this new group of friends, I just, I felt wanted.

Acknowledged.

Human.

I was NOT a pile of random facts to start conversation, random questions to continue conversation or just a dispenser of personal weaknesses and true struggles to force false friendship.

I was Mitchell, I was funny, happy and real.

And I really liked the Mango Lemonade. It was delicious.

Entourage

Who do you want to back you up in life?
What kind of words are you going to surround yourself with?
Do you want people to constantly be putting you down or lifting you up?

Facts:
God's purpose for your life is BIG.
It is so BIG the only explanation for this occurrence will be God.
This purpose is bigger than you, and there may be times when you feel discouraged.

So, when God feels far...who is your entourage?

Who is your back up?

FORGET THE FACT YOU ARE READING SOME BLOG AND ASK YOURSELF...

Who can you rely on?
Who has God put in your life to encourage you.

Discourage and Encourage.
Discourage is to take the courage out of
Encourage is to put courage in.

After tonight I have learned that you need to not only be aware of who your entourage is, but what kind of entourage you are to others.

Even 'watching out' for someone, or asking someone what is wrong can imply things and suffocate them. I will not be a friend who when things are genuinely fine will put a person down by battering them with 'Are you ok' -- 'Is something wrong' -- 'Are you sure' --
Just NO.

I can be there for my friends when they need me, but I am called to rejoice with them. (Cant forget that last part)

I am going to be an encourager.

Simple Lasagna

Hey, this is not gonna be a theological one.

I am eating Lasagna. Greasing up my dad's keyboard.

My dad was talking to me on the way home about Holy. (I wont blog about it now, but later-ish)

And I am blessed to have a wise father.

That was just on my mind.

Oh, by the way, if you are reading this I want you to (at the end of reading this blog) to pray for the next generation. I won't name any names but one in particular is believes that her purpose is to change this world and I believe her genuinely. Pray for a sound mind on her life.

Also, lift up the Connect groups. We are talking about sex and the fact that my group is opening up, I just want it to continue.

Okey dokey, that is everything that is on my mind for now.

I have never

Tonight it's C3 student connect groups. We had amazing worship courtesy of the 2 older Kurtz kids coupled with my brother's guitar. And listening to a 3 person rendition of Happy Day I felt a blogging spirit coming on.

Now, the blogging spirit isn't like a real thing. It's not like the Holy spirit, it's more like a state of being. Of awareness.

And in these states of awareness, I find that even the littlest thing can throw me off.

The littlest thing can get me thinking theologically.

Like an image,

a song,

or an icebreaker.

The ice breaker was called "I have never..."

Concept: All the students (and leaders) have a pile of candy in front of them. And going around the table each student starts a sentence

"I have never..."

Which would naturally apply to something they have never done. If you have never done this thing, then you put a piece of candy in your mouth. Now, you are not meant to eat the candy. It is just there so that overtime, you can't talk. Your mouth gets full and you have to spit it out.

So, in our game we had valentine's day candies, (NOTICE: it is 2 days after valentine's day) and when we had too many of those chalky heart-shaped "candies" we just couldn't speak.

Thoughts Begin now.

In this game what we haven't done suffocates us.

It prevents us from speaking.

Why do our conversations constantly revolve around what we don't do, what we want to do.

I am not saying that looking forward is wrong, nor am I saying that vision is incorrect.

But... we cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the trivial.

If we constantly think about what we haven't accomplished, we won't accomplish jack.

Here is a quote for ya about accomplishments...

"All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

So, will you define yourself by the countries you have visited?

Is there some secret point system?

Eaten something new: +2

Watched a re-run: -7

When do you feel a sense of accomplishment?

What do you think?

Comment, ask, disagree, go for it.

Hope

I went to Hope Cafe last night.

When I first got there, it was empty.

I thought I was in the wrong place, or I was there the wrong day or something.

But gradually, friendly faces I hadn't seen in ages started to arrive.

And we sat in comfy sofa chairs.

While I was waiting for the "Lesson" to start, we began to talk.

I naturally started with playful banter and jokes.

My outer shell. My random questions.

But soon, we began to really talk about purpose. Jesus. Ministry.

While I waiting for something to start, it had already started. We never did have a "Lesson" that night.We just grew. I ended up getting questions answered, and getting some perspective on my future ministry.

I was exactly where and when God wanted me.

Love him in the midst of the seek.

-Karl Lentz (Hillsong NYC)

I finally understand what Karl meant by that first hand at the Hope Cafe.

I may not know exactly what kind of pastor I will be, or what kind of me I will be...

But now I set this rule in place ,

that despite being on this search for purpose

no matter where it takes me

no matter how much time it takes from me

no matter who is put in my life, and who I gradually lose contact with

I will love God in the midst of the seek.

I will love what God has put in my life.

I will truly enjoy.

I found my hope, not in the destination but the seek.

Quote of the day

Even as a work in progress, I want to be concrete territory for you.

-Lee Chatham

Background

That background appealed to me.

Because it looks deserted, doesn't it?

No water and a storm is coming. It looks like a big one too.

Jesus said to some pharisees that if we don't cry out & praise him....the rocks would cry out. (Luke 19:40 By the way)

Why would these rocks cry out?

Look at where they are. If they could talk, wouldn't they complain?

The very ground looks like it is about to be changed, shifted, and

--last time I checked rocks don't have eyes so--

they won't see the storm coming. Not until it happens, until they are in the middle of it.

Is this a background just a pretty photo?

maybe, maybe not.

Depends on how you look at it. Is it...

Random rock formations?

A template photo posted by somebody who thought it looked cool?

Or did God make the rocks their with a purpose. That those rocks will never understand.

Did God make it that way before time? With a plan for those rocks, even a plan for a picture of them to be posted?

Is Luke 19:40 talking about random rocks with something to say?

Or that every rock was placed where they are with such intricacy that there existence alone cries, YELLS out to a perfect God?

You choose.

Repercussions

I look back at the blogs I have written, from creativity & poetry to harsh words & inner thoughts.

Why did I start this blog? Why do I feel pulled to do this, again.

I want to start a new blog, but I haven't had a single bible verse or coherent thought yet. Was it about starting some new discussions or looking back at the old?

Or both?

Hmm, well I suppose this blog is just a rant about the thoughts going through my innermost emotional, metaphorical, brain labyrinth.

A rant about the 'what if'

I could have made better choices, been a better me...

wait.

I really typed that. Thought that.

Am I supposed to get over my stinging regret before I can think clearly? I have some thinking to do.

Firstly, I need to remember that God made me in his image. Not a still image, but an ever-changing, growing entity.

With

a

big

purpose

Time to blog

I am sick right now, sitting on my sofa. Just got the stomach virus everyone had. Either way, I have time to think.

Time to blog.

I haven't been too open about my thoughts and perspective recently, and on those rare occasions when I do, I just end up ranting and scaring people away.

So I need to get thoughts out. Whether that is

a. Bible thoughts

b. Questions

c. opening up

d. randomness

e. Typing about what I am up to

I will blog anyways.

Here it goes...by the way, (although I do not expect too many readers) if you are reading this I apologize, I am a little rusty with the typing of my thoughts.