Remember when Fresno Pacific was awesome?

This helped me remember.

Yes..yes it did.

Remember when she was good?
I don’t, and this definitely did not help…watch about 2:45 in if you can last that long..

April 15th

Is finally here..

You know when you’re a kid and Christmas is like the “most exciting thing you’ve ever experienced and every night is like 30 hours long leading up to it?”  That was me for this tax season ending date.  It is here, I am at work, and not doing anything, because it is over.  Just waiting for the go ahead to leave!  I am glad I’m alive..and now it’s time for a day and a half off.  Thank you.  Good Day.

*Paul

American Idol is tonight. Watch it. Remember the heroes of the past..

Good Morning Internet! This blog is full of random thoughts.

So I am up ealy on this sunday morning. Why, I have no idea. I don’t have to be anywhere until 10:45 when church starts. Oh wait, I’ve been waking up early for work this week, as I have almost completed “hell week” in the field of accounting. I am on call today, and will work a lot tomorrow before calling it a tax season.

I think the thing that has been the second most beneficial of this season is the feeling that even though I was on the clock for 70+ hours this last week, I was ready to jump out of my window and end it all okay with it. Obviously I would much rather not be working, but to know that the 12 of us at the firm are working as a team to finish this thing out has been encouraging

Seriously, why did God turn the heater up on Fresno so high this weekend?

Me and Jessica have been doing great. We hungout with some fellow FPU alumni at the “West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale and Auction” last weekend. ( I was really surprised that they had a website actually). That was fun eating all those German traditional foods like chicken sandwiches and funnel cakes. She traded her jeep for her parents truck, so if you’re looking for that white jeep with parts of the door panel missing to know that it’s her driving, you’re out of luck. That truck is nice! Deep and red. Almost as pretty as she is

Phil Wickham had a calendar saying May 9th on his blog. Anyone have any idea what that is? I haven’t heard.

The one thing that I wish I could change about this last week was the fact that as times gotten busy, all of a sudden my relationship with the Lord took a backseat. Big problem. I should have drawn encouragement from his word about the living life to the fullest but I didn’t. Something for me and anyone reading this to consider. How is your relationship with him when life gets busy? Really busy?

So there you have it, one serious question you need to answer, here’s another one. I found myself loving Rally’s more and more. Do you love it?

Oh and I almost forgot. Congrats Sean and Allie. I’m happy for you both

Ok for some reason, this blog is not letting me post a video. So there will be no video for the first time ever. That’s too bad, I was going to have a plethora of videos on the Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

*Late edit, it’s working now!…here it is!

Seacrest Out.

I don’t know what is going on.

Ever since I moved out of school, out of my home, I have started watching tv.  TV shows that I never watched in college because I “had a life”.  This year I was glued to the TV every sunday afternoon watching football, and now it’s every tuesday watching American Idol.  I watched these extensively in the past, but now it’s like i’m obsessed.

On this season of American Idol, they keep saying it’s the most talented season they’ve ever had..I strongly disagree (remember season 5 anyone?) but I do like these competetors.  Since everyone likes lists, I will rank them in the order I think they should finish counting down from ten.

10. Kristy Lee Cook
9. Ramiele Blahblahby
8. Chikeze
7.  Jason Castro
6. Syesha Mercado
5. Michael Johns
4. David Archuleta (I just don’t like this guy’s style. I really don’t have a reason though.)
3. Brooke White
2. Carly Smithson

And number 1

David Cook (tool box, but oh so talented)

Now we all know that how we want contestants to finish, or how we think they should finish is rarely how it ever happens.  If the crowd reactions were an indication, the final would match Jason Castro versus David Archuleta.  American Idol is basically a popularity contest.  The judges do a good job of getting us down to talented singers, but at this point, it’s just popularity.  Look at the past 2-3 people, they were people who didn’t have as big of a fan base.  The goal of this competition is not to be the best singer week in and week out, but rather to be no lower than above the least popular person of the week.   Seriously, how else do you explain season 5, Taylor Hicks? Come on, seriously?

How did he beat out (in my opinion), the most talented contestant to ever grace the stage of American Idol.  (Yes even ahead of Kelly Clarkson).

This guy..

I couldn’t let it go a month. (again)

Hello all!

It is March 24, 2008.  Here is an update of where I have been and what I have been doing..

For starters, it is right in the middle of a favorite time time of the year for us accountants called “kill me now, seriously” or as you folks may know, “tax season”.  So it’s been 50-55 hours a week, but I’m getting through it alright.  It’s so weird to me, this year after college.  So hard to remember that one year ago I was preparing to lead 1200 kids in worship in Anaheim, and then to see where I am now, I have traveled a long road.  A good road, but, much different, and much less social.

In case you were wondering, me and Jessica are doing great.

I’ve realized a lot over the last few months that family is really important, and I have made an effort to spend more time with them and get along with them.

So I have been reading the word quite a bit lately, not really following a certain path, but seeing many different faces of God throughout time.  Reading and skimming through Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy reminded me of how Holy God is.  It’s really interesting how you can read these stories about God ordering Moses to lead the army into the tribes that were inhabiting the promised land to slaughter every man, woman and child.  You think, “Our God? Demanding for the destruction of human lives?”  Well, it’s all due to a concept of Holy war.  These people dilligently and defiantly lived out their lives in every single way that was the opposite of how God intended for us to live.  Whether it was blatant idolatry, or human sacrifices, God’s Holiness would not allow these types of civilizations to inhabit the promised land.  That really showed me a lot of God’s Holiness and changed my thoughts of how I approach him and his Word.

I also read the resurrection story according to John in “The Message”.  This time, I didn’t read starting in the garden, but rather I was reading the chapter before, in a section where Jesus prays for his followers (which includes us today).   Picking up in the middle of this prayer, in verse 13:

“Now I’m returning to you.  I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing so my people can experience My joy completed in them.  I gave them your word; the godless world hated them because of it, because they didn’t join the world’s ways, Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways.  I’m not asking that you take them out of the world, but that you guard them from the Evil One.  They are no more defined by the world, than I am defined by the world.  Make them holy -consecrated- with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth.  In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.  I’m consecrating myself for their sakes, so they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.”

Substitute them or people for Paul, or “your name here” and it gives you chills.   It’s hard for someone out of touch with the Lord to connect him living and working in today’s world with our lives, but it is truth.  The very words spoken thousands of years ago hold the same meanings and power that they did back then.  Now, I’m no preacher, but I will say to remember to live in the power of Christ not just remembering his death and resurrection in this easter season, but each and every day.

And now for a Christian band that pretty much dominated the landscape from 1990-2000.

Gene, Please tell me you have not seen this.

Cuz I want to break it to you..
right here..
right now..

I’ve almost never been prouder to be an American

Too bad she’s crazy now.
but geez, she could belt out America’s song.
If this doesn’t give you goosebumps, you’re not living. You’re dead.

Musical Recommendations: Volume One

Welcome to the first volume of “Musical Recommendations”

Being on the FPU campus, I had the opportunity to be exposed..to be exposed to lots of music. I learned so much about music, and what I preferred in music. I went in to college believing I would only rock mid 90’s alt. rock until I died. While I still like that music, my world has been opened to so much more. Since I have the best taste in music ever, I thought I would impress my library on my faithful readers. Okay..maybe that was “a little bold” but seriously..it’s about time we get started here.

First up on the list of unheralded artists that you must listen to..now:

Jeremy Lister

Okay..so after doing some research..he may be semi-heralded. I think he’s one of the guys where you’ve heard his music before, on tv shows and such, but you don’t know who it is, you just know it’s a good song. I forgot who I first heard about his music from, but I have a hunch it may be from this guy. I love his music, from the first track to the last track, it is different each time I listen to it. I have the album, “Old Ideas, New Ideas” and I especially love the tracks, “Fools Gold”, “Garden of Eden”, and “Into my Life” It is a really pleasing album, that I listen to often when driving out to my girlfriend’s house. Seriously go give this guy a listen and love him. Or at least love his music.

Only 361 days until this crappy year is over with

Haha just kidding.

This is what me and Jessica did at our fabulous new years bash!!

This dog, Poppy, was ready to p-ar-ty!!

It started off with a game of…

Jessica clearly knew what she was doing..

This was going to be an easy game for me…or was it??

No way, I just couldn’t figure it out…Jessica on the other hand was on a roll.

Me trying to ponder my next move

This is what it looked like from my view..

AHH COME ON JESSICA!! HELP ME OUT A LITTLE BIT!

She played dumb with me..

Whatever, I ended up winning.
Then after that game…we played this.

That game took way too long, so there were no pictures taken.

Then i popped these in the oven!

They tasted much better than they looked.

Then the dog woke up..

Just in time for…

GUITAR HERO!!

We rocked out a lot

and sometimes we didn’t…

I had fans cheering for me when I played..

Then after the new year..people started shooting and one of the big dogs came in the house..

Then the party died down and it was the beginning of a brand new year.
Can’t wait till it’s over..hah just kidding..again?

2007!

Today during church I was accenting the sermon that I was hearing with a quick reading of Abraham’s life of faith.  It really struck me of how easy it was for him to just do the things that God told him to do.  The way the Lord told him to sacrifice his son, and Abraham had the intentions of doing it because God told him to, the way he leaves his family and roots to go to the place God told him to go.  It seems so easy to me, if God told me audibly, “hey, do this, seriously” I would do it.  If he audibly told me to move to Pakistan or Iraq, it seems as if I should, because I audibly heard the Lord tell me that and I know that is what he wanted me to do.  It’s hard to remember that, though God chooses not to speak to us audibly, he still speaks to us loudly through his word and through prayer.

It always puts weird and possibly spiritually immature thoughts in my mind, like, because God spoke audibly, does that mean it was much easier to follow him? Does it seem to be “harder” and “more work” to follow after him now rather than get commands from him that our ears could hear? One could point to Jesus and the commands he left for the church leaders of that day, but in their mind, he wasn’t “God”  He was just Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenters son.  It’s crazy to me, and I will have to dig in more to the stories of the leaders of the Old testament to get more examples.

changing the subject..

I’ve found that no one really enters a state of reflection when coming to the end of a year, so I will carry the torch and reflect on the year that was.  These are 10 things that happened to me in 2007 that blew my mind:

10. Started this blog
9. Seeing a lot of my friends experience the joy of marriage
8. Hungout for a weekend in San Diego
7. Viva Las Vegas! (for work.)
6. Leading worship for 1100+ kids at Anaheim ‘07
5. Moved into this complex
4. Bought this car
3. Graduated from University
2. Started work

and the #1 thing that blew Paul’s mind

1. Dating her
or this video! (sorry for the bleeps, at least it’s bleeped.  I can’t imagine Peyton Manning swearing that much anyway)