a stretch of time

a stretch of time Current mood: I’m sorry Jess. has passed since we last met here. I have missed you, however, my brain has been adrift in the sea of BLANKNESS... I couldn't write something to save my life. So I'm just hitting the keys and seeing what comes out. This appears to be (in my eyes anyway) an act of desperation, and the camera pans out, out through the roof of the church office where Jon sits typing, above hundreds of trees in the surrounding community, up even higher till we see pineville and alexandria from a birds eye view thousands of feet up and then we hear the tiniest of voices cry out...."I'VE GOT IT!" and we are drawn (rather forcefully) back into jons head and staring back out of his eyes into the vacuous computer monitor and he begins to type. So I started working out again recently. And I am feeling the bittersweet feeling of having muscles so sore that i can barely move them. I have also been text messaging two young ladies that appear to be having identical friend problems. I have been struck by a parallel that hit me rather forcefully, you see, when you were with my brain up in The Air Up There, I stretched and was greeted by a feeling like a dozen ball peen hammers sriking me in the immediate shoulder, chest and bicep area. It was a good feeling, but boy did it hurt! I have been thinking that these young ladies are going through some pretty common teenage young lady problems with their respective friend, and I was wondering why that particular time of our life is seemingly so difficult. Then I was remided of the scripture in James chapter 1. He reminds us in verse 2--   "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." See, what he is saying here is that in all walks of our lives, we have to go through some crap. or junk, or stuff, (use whichever is the least offensive to you, they all mean the same thing) so that we can learn how to take all the crapjunkstuff that LIFE is going to throw at us ALL THE TIME! I remember when I was younger and I thought that life was SOO HARD...  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! I had it made when I was a kid, I didn't have to worry about a thing!!!! I don't think we fully realize that until we are pushing 30 and wondering how on earth I made that stupid mistake with the bank account. (AND, all of this with the possibility ((POSSIBILITY)) of a baby on the horizon! ((i put this in here because when you're married there is ALWAYS that POSSIBILITY- I am not trying to subtley tell you that me and jessica are expecting, because to the best of my knowledge WE ARE NOT))...) I think we are told by James to learn to buck up when a friend says something bad about ya, or maybe you got jipped a little on that super awesome thing that was supposed to happen with your buds, and you got blown off... guys life kinda sucks...but it has to sometimes so that you can get STRONGER! I SEE THE POINT! I SEE THE POINT. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I SEE THE POINT TO THIS BLOG! See I opened up by telling you that I was in pain. But the thing is, the way our bodies are built, in order to get them better or stronger, sometimes IT HAS TO SUCK! Sometimes it has to hurt, it has to groan and stretch in uncomfortable ways. Just like we have to in order to become who God wants for us to be in His ultimate plan. There is not a single person in the bible who didn't go through some sort of MASSIVE trauma so that Gods will could be done in their lives. Does this make God a masochist? NO!!! Of course you will always have your "Overly persecuted" few that want to cry that we serve a cruel God or that He doesn't care about us because they had to go through something a bit harder than they are used to....guys it is NOT because we serve a cruel God (which we do NOT!)  but it is because HE WANTS YOU TO BE BETTER!!! STRONGER!!!! MORE INCREDIBLE-ER.... you get the picture. Take the scripture in this blog to heart... it will do you far more good to remember it on days that the sun just can't break through the clouds. (completely metaphorically speaking of course, i love my cloudy days...weather wise of course) I hope this has been of some encouragement to you. It has helped me IMMENSELY.  good day and God Bless. BLARG! jon

Currently Listening For The Love Of The Game By Pillar TURN IT UP see related

Unprepared!

Current mood: adventurous

wow. Talk about unprepared! About a two weeks ago me and Jessica got our new computer delivered. OH HAPPY DAY!!!! (unfortunately I am currently cheating on said computer by being with another computer at work) Well, in order to highten our entertainment fullfillment experience we decided to go out and check out the computer games. You know, a little RPG type SIMSish game for her and the blood and guts for me! However, we could find nothing that could satisfy the both of us. We tried here. We tried there. We tried over there. Then we tried over here. No luck. Well, about midway through our trek to the last place on our list (the aforementioned "Over Here") something odd happened.

First, a tiny bit of backstory. The news had been calling for a terrible rain to come and slather us all in heavenly wetness.

(What? I told you it would be a tiny bit of backstory! Quit scowling and keep reading.) 

So I was dressed in some jeans that provided no particular protection except that against the dread Pirate Nudity. Also a T-shirt was draped across my once wiry but now top heavy frame. (And the next time some wit asks me "Oh! So how’s the baby?!" I am going to reply "Great! With a little butter and salt it went down easy!!!") As we stepped outside we noticed two things that are fairly noticeable without the help of a weather man.

1. It had begun to rain.
This was expected.

2. It was freezing mist being blown by freezing wind.
This was unexpected.

But there was nothing to be done but either stand there and get drenched in the onslaught, or RUN INSIDE OVER THERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!!!! We opted for the second option. Here is the brief and pitifully simple point for this long story...

Wait for it.....

Be prepared for anything. I don’t just mean weather wise, but I mean, you know, life wise. Anything can happen at any given moment and if we aren’t expecting it...we could be left out in the proverbial cold! Read up in your bible if you aren’t already, pray up in the morning if you aren’t already! Put on the WHOLE armor of God EACH DAY if you aren’t already! We are up against a sneaky enemy. He will attack at any given moment on any given day to achieve his main directive. Steal from you. Kill you . Destroy you. This is what he does. Now, we must also be prepared for anything because it may not always be an attack from the enemy, we may be going through something because God wants us to learn something....just always be ready for anything and you won’t be stuck out in the freezing rain!

cool quotable ending line.
jon

Currently Listening Lost Songs By Anberlin Naive Orleans see related

drained.

Current mood: blank

It has been one of those days that has lasted for about 2 weeks now. In and out of funks and stunks. I hate these particular times for me, I love being happy. There really is no better way to spend your life on this earth than being happy. I am happy about 94 percent of the time. Even when I am angry, I am happy in my upsettednessishness. But, like Snoopy, I find myself having a happiness letdown. Maybe I am just tired, and maybe I am exausted to the point of emotional drainage, but i just feel so FLAT this time of year. No matter how round I actually am. Haha, beat you to it.

I dunno really what to do, I have plenty to be thankful for. A wonderful wife, a gracious heavenly Father, a great job, an incredible set of parents. It isn't like I am in any state of depression about anything, all in all, things are really GREAT in my life. That doesn't change the fact that I feel like crap! I'm jittery, I don't really care that Christmas is coming up. I think I just want a break from everything. I want to sleep and rest, watch movies and play video games. Sigh. Yes, I typed out "Sigh".  I want to get back to being old fat jolly Jon. Hmm, sorta reminds me of someone....can't figure it out. Oh well.

I would ask you to pray for me, but I would feel ridiculous doing that while  knowing a person whose mother is suffering from an Anurism in her abdomen. The doctors have nothing they can do. The 83 year old lady is just kinda waiting to see what is going to happen, with death a very real and very probable possibility. Keep her in prayer. Me? I will get over what ever is bugging me. Just pray for Madonna LeBlancs mother.

I think one of the blessings of being me is that I am resiliant. I will be over this soon and read this entry and wonder why on earth I wrote this out like a little crying 12 year old girl in her diary. And the sad thing is I really won't remember.

hmmm.

jon

Currently Listening I'm Only a Man By Emery The Movie Song see related

WHEW!

Current mood: indescribable

So, hey, how are you? I feel like I just bumped into an old friend. One I haven't seen in a long time. You know the kind I am talking about. The kind that needs no re-introduction to your life, you can just give them the rundown on what's happened in your life thus far and you're off like a rocket, right back into that familiar warmth of a friendship? Well, even if you don't know what I am talking about...it's good to see you again.

There has been a lot going on over here at Chez Jon. I mean ALOT! First off, and definetly the most important, I am now a married fella. Sorry ladies, I'm officially off the market! LOL. I know, the joke is there...but let's just leave it unspoken huh? Unwritten? Oh well, I became Mr. Jessica Youngblood on September 1st, 2007. A day I can't really remember, but will never ever forget!

Me and Jessica promptly moved into a house, unpacked and kissed lightly on the cheek to celebrate our nuptials. And if you believe the latter half of that statement, stick around, I have some land to sell you in Coastal New Orleans!  Being married is unlike anything I had ever imagined or expected. It has surpassed aforementioned expectations and imaginations IN FANTASTIC FASHION. I mean...wow...when people say that God blessed them in marriage, now I truly know what they mean. I cannot sing her praises enough...Jessica is by far and beyond the most incredible blessing in my life this side of Jesus. God has taken care of me ABSOLUTELY.

Not much more to tell, I will post pics of our little house shortly,  I get a kick out of living in small town usa with my little wife in my little house....it's a gas knowing that God was setting this up when I was being a jerk to Him. He was preparing this place and time for me even as I was turning to the bottom of a bottle of Jack Daniels and Jose Cuervo.

(I know what you're thinking, OH GREAT, HE IS GONNA GET ALL PREACHY NOW....) Well, guess what. You are absolutely right. But not for long. I just want to say this, GOD HAS AN INCREDIBLE PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. You can take it or leave it. It is entirely up to you. I could still be waiting in Lubbock for the job of a lifetime to come along, or for the ministry opportunity to show up. Or even chasing some dumb girl who has nothing more to do with my life than to play the role of passing scenery. Instead, I sought Gods purpose for my life, and I would argue with any one who might try to tell me that I could be happier elsewhere. The Lord is great, and I have my screw ups and I know that things could be even better were it not for my astounding shortcomings, even so, God has brought me to a place where I can absolutely and with all peace say that I am happy. You may make more money than me, drive a better newer car than me, even have a bigger house and a better job. Guess what? I could not be any happier with where God has brought me. So world, throw me everything you have, devil, come at me with your fangs bared, claws out...I am a child of the Most High God and I will serve Him with my life. I will fight you to the death in the name of Jesus. I will further His kingdom and spread His gospel for as long as there is breath in my lungs and a means to share. As long as there are people in my sight to protect, I will protect them with the word.

I will do these things if the sun is shining in my life, or if clouds of darkness try to take over. I will serve my King unconditionally.

This may not have interested you in the slightest, but I feel that I needed to have a written RESPARK of my faith, if you will. I'm only a man, but I swear to live my life wholly for Christ.

Do you think you have what it takes to join me?

jon

Currently Listening Stereotype Be By Kevin Max Existence see related

little miss

Current mood: pensive So you played us. You played us both so well. I expected the hit to come from elsewhere and I turned my armour on some of the more loyal...and all the while, with your tiny smile you were plotting your deception still. And you slid the knife of a smiling lie into my side. I saw the look in your eyes as you slid the knife gently home... and ran away to your "fun" and games. And heres the blessing of the job i can't stop believin that you will come back and that you will be sincere this time around... And so congratulations on a grand hiest. You took my trust and you threw it to the ground and I am supposed to wait for you to come back around... they weren't kidding when they said this job would be tough. And heres the blessing of the Job. That somewhere along the way a seed was planted and it is in your deceptive heart still... and that soon it will blossom during one of your hangovers or parties, or tirades of how people are judging when they have no right. Maybe one day you will open your eyes and realize that you once knew true love in its truest form. And that we love you still   but until that day, congratulations. liar.           DISCLAIMER i wrote this out of a hurt that I remembered. It isn't about someone that you know, so don't look or read into it too much. of course I realize the danger of putting this up and having one of my youth read it and assume that it is about so and so or what's-her-name, but it really has nothing to do with anyone we know currently. I just had to get the pain out...it was quite stifling. I have often thougt of what God must experience everytime we turn from Him to our sin... the pornography or cursing, or drinking and telling of the foul mouthed jokes. Of the times that our anger lashes out at those we care about and the only excuse we have is "That is just how I am!" I think of God in the room there, listening to us lie...and how He has chosen to never stop loving....and how amazingly difficult it must be to love us at all.  I think that the feeling has to be that of a Father who wants His child to make Him proud... And instead is making an utter fool of himself. And so remember the next time you take to your narcotic sin...He is waiting for you to make Him proud.... and with every step you take away from Him, you are hurting Him beyond any understandable human emotion.... Do you love Him enough to give up these temoporary pleasures? jon