Supply and Demand

Hey, ya know what? This is an un-blog. Kinda like the un-parade in Manhattan, except different, but the idea is still there. I shall explain. You perform an action under a certain pretense in protest of that action. Which in my opinion is rather nonsensical, but here I go conforming again. So in protest of blogging, I blog. How weird! But I shall here lay down the blame at the feet of Sarah Williams my beloved blogging, fellow Teen power ministry helper, D-groupie friend. This is not merely to satisfy you, but only to share my lack of thoughts. Quite simply and succintly, if I post an un-blog it will satistfy the hungry blog readers. Kinda of like the pizza vultures from last night, except different. It's really nice that you can blather on about nothing and just post a nonsensical blog and people will actually read it! So here I sit supplying the demand of the supply and demand nature of blogs, or blog readers. And there you sit, probably annoyed, ticked, frustrated, saying, "This is so stupid!" Or your laughing.

Good night.

-Anonymous

Warding Off Vultures

College
It's a dangerous thing
Walking down the hallways
Pizza in hand
Warding off the vultures

So what's the purpose of working out if you're gonna sit there afterwards and eat vanilla bean ice cream straight from the box?

Ahhh. Very satisifed, happy and content - that's what I am. I got to share and minister with some kids at Teen Power tonight, (talked to them about some spiritual stuff) and we also won our volleyball intramurals game for the first time, (won in the last few seconds in double overtime) and I also worked out and wrestled tonight (which I find very fun and satisfying). Let's see...no seven o'clock class tomorrow, AND my D-group is going to Ben & Jerry's tomorrow night.

Jogging at 555AM tomorrow. Ooooh yes!

-Uncle Sam

The Thinker

So I was wondering today...dangerous, I know. What happens if we actually believe what people say about us? Many questions have nagged my mind and I have learned to dismiss them with a graceful rudeness. We are not people destined to people's words and opinions of us. Although words are heavy influences of what we do, they must not convince us. My fear is that we believe what people say of us, and they most certainly mean well, but it leads me to doubt and question who I really am. It's really like a prophecy fulfilled. Tell me something, and I will wrestle with it, question it in my mind, and eventually believe it and become that person, or do what they have said about me. For explanation, some examples may be: your self-perception/self-esteem, your career, your dreams, and even your interest in a certain member of the opposite sex. I have really found wisdom and guidance in the Holy Spirit on this one. I can't really be specific but only as to say this: whatever people may say about me doesn't shape who I really am. I still have the God-given capacity to choose and to choose well, through His strength and help. I've learned that I am blessed when my strength is in God. Remember, you have the choice!

I also thought of the importance of not getting caught up in the mundane, everyday life of college. I sensed the Spirit telling me this morning not to get caught up (as I mentioned) and not to give up on the dreams He gave me. Not just sometimes, but very often it is so easy to look back and wonder, "Wait a second, what am I doing? I have gotten so caught up in life, that I have forgotten who I am, what I am here for, where I'm going, and the plans God has for my life". As "Waking The Dead" puts it, "To live in ignorance of spiritual warfare is the most naive and dangerous thing a person can do...It's like swimming with great white sharks, dressed as a wounded sea-lion and smeared with blood". We do not realize that we are in a battle, and the best thing Satan can do for our destruction is to just get distracted with school, with life...we must realize this! Without recognition of this spirtual battle, without doing our very best to be in the most intimate relationship with God, we are standing tall on the turret of the tank headed directly into battle ready for failure.

"Blessed are those who strength is in you...No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." -Psalms 84:5a,11b-12 NIV

Simply,
Sam

Ready? 1...2...3...

It was great. I need pictures. I had so much fun tonight at the concert. Went with Cheryl, Mel & Leanna to Winter Jam and had a blast. Really enjoyed the music and time of worship. Nothing better than live music and just breaking loose while raising your hands affirming the joy and beauty of what God has done in your life [Which is what I did tonight]. There were also a couple of things that I did not like which I discussed with a few people that I talked to about the concert, but I shall let those things go unsaid on this blog.

So college is great. Staying up late. Singing great hymns of the faith to completely different tunes. (Try it some time! Just match the meter of the song to another song. There's a meter index in the back of the hymnal. For example: Sing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Joy To The World").

We also ran down the halls, air mattresses in hand, slamming into each other with the intent of knocking each other down. I got a really good slam on video. It was hilarious!!! [So much fun!]

There's nothing like falling down to your knees on the floor, laughing so hard that you struggle for breath with tears running down your cheeks.

Yes. There's no question. College is great.

-Sam

[Disclaimer: This is the weekend. This is not all we do in college.]

Blogging With A Guilty Conscience

I, uh...am not sure really what to say or where to start. I suppose motivation is where I shall begin. Sarah talked to me last night and strongly suggested that I blog that night because she wanted to read something new. And I, with guilty conscience knew that I had been wanting TO blog, but had not had any time to blog at all. It's been a week since I've written anything and I must say, it feels good to feel wanted, but really I just have been wanting to write. I have not had any time to just sit down, think, and start writing. Let me explain: Monday night I was up till 2AM. Tuesday night was 1:30. Wednesday night was 300AM. I felt sick the next morning. Thursday night was 1230, and tonight, here I am sitting at 200AM blogging. This week has been so busy, so stressful, and so fun. Lest you think me a partier, understand that my late week nights are because of the homework load that I have. Honestly, I don't think that I'm wasting too much time during the day, but doing so many things, that the homework jumps into a pile and then stares me in the face in the evening. Oh, and roommates are also a negative factor to getting some homework done, but I can handle that. So really I'm blogging with a guilty conscience. What DO I write? How do I write what I want to write, and share what I want to share? Really I don't want to type out this big-long post.

[Excuse the grammar]
Went skiing saturday...had a blast. The ski club and a group from college went to Perfect North slopes. It was 19* degrees and they made snow the whole day. I dressed warm but 'froze my face off'. The only downside was that I didn't ski as good, because I wasn't used to the powder and the hills there [new ski resort]. But for my third time going skiing, I did not do bad. I even managed to jump a few times and even impressed Jonathan by a 180* flip off a small side ramp. [Which I did not land and was totally accidental!]

Sunday, I was very sore and tired, took one of the longest Sunday afternoon naps. Was disheartened by the news of the loss of one of our youth staff workers at church, but encouraged by the addition of a new member who is eager to work with youth ministry as I am, and has a real heart for God plus the addition of loving to have fun.

Oh, and Physical Science Lab: Watch out for swinging pendulums!

Pulled off a great prank for Mr. Profitt in English 2. Placed small notes from Marginalia in the margins of the poems we read Wednesday for class. He noted this and in class said that whoever they were, it was "Clever. Very Clever." I just smile and pump my fist. ["Don't be a ninny." Marginalia - Billy Collins]

Helped the Barr's move today with a couple of kids from college, and went ice skating tonight which was fun. Starbucks too! [for those of you who sit with jealous tongues].


It's early. My feet are cold. I'm going to bed.
-Sam

Yes that hurts!

Ouch!
So last night I was writing some information down on a piece of paper and had grabbed a pen off my desk. Now this was no ordinary pen, it was a Pilot Precise rolling ball black ink pen with an extra fine tip. [Which in my eyes, resembles a blunt needle]

I wrote the information down and then proceeded to cap the pen. With the cap in my left hand and the shaft of the pen in my right hand I then proceeded to shove the shaft of the pen into the cap. Unfortunately, due to a vigorous workout earlier that night my arm muscles were a little weak. Unfortunately, while I was shoving the pen into the cap, the cap dropped from my shaky hand. Thus the shaft of the pen punctured the palm of my hand. This caused much pain and the wound began to bleed as I uttered sounds of pain and agony at my misfortune.

I called my friend who is a nurse and asked her advice on it (which I know is the classic thing everybody does) and so then I went and washed it out and also got some peroxide from a dorm-mate. The wound is still puffy, but the tenderness/soreness is going away, and the little black ink dot is hardly noticeable.

Perhaps I shall live...

Ahhh...College Life

So this is very odd because I never see them both sitting on the couch at the same time. [Nolan & Tyler] Anywho. I thought I'd share a picture from college life. I'm sitting in my comfy spinny office chair that I got at goodwill for $5.


I also have yet to name my friendly spinny chair, but that time shall come later...



I'm also thanking God for a mixed up schedule that permits me two and a half more hours of sleep tomorrow morning. [And this popcorn is lacking in the butter department!] Wait, Tyler informs me as he stands in front of the schedule posted on our door that we will have third period class tomorrow. The syllabus says that we are not going to, and as far as I know the teacher won't be back from New Guinea by then...To me syllabi are etched in stone and are sent from heaven on the wings of doves. So I'm not sure if we will have class or not. Perhaps, I will be granted less sleep than I first thought.

Five minutes later:

I now have a bowl of cereal in front of me. Nothing says "college" like a bowl of cereal at 11:30pm at night. I'm feeling kind of lazy. The thought of it drives me to action. I must finish cleaning this room, and I've got homework, and I need to get some rest tonight...

Asking God to search my heart. Only one thing comes to mind with revival in the looking glass tomorrow: "Will You not revive us again: that your people may rejoice in you?" -Psalm 85:6 "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not." -Jeremiah 33:3 "

Do you ever have that longing in your heart where you'd like to talk with someone about anything...but you know deep down that it will do you no good? Do you ever feel that the busyness and things you wrap yourself up in are just layers that must be cut through later on? And then I hear the whispering..."I'm listening."

Fare well.
-Samuel

Okay, so now what?

If resolutions are so good, why don't we keep them? Okay people I must say this. It always bugs me. People make resolutions and most of them never have the commitment, the guts, and the perseverance to make it last. To me, resolutions are high-minded, well-intended nonsensical notions! Personally, I made a couple of commitments. Now Cheryl told me that its the same thing as a resolution, just different words, and I smiled. I told her, "No. I'm starting the revolution."

I have a collage of random things on a board in my room. Most of you have seen this. There's a little paper on there. It's green with white letters. I leave it on there for a reason. It says, "Let the revolution begin." Now it was last year that I realized the serious error of this statement, and so I leave it on there as a reminder. It should read: "I am starting the revolution."

The point is this, without sweat-producing, gut-wrenching commitment, we will get nowhere! And by the way, nowhere is also spelled: now here...Now here: still here...stuck here!

Okay now that I got that out of me...

I had a blast skiing! It was so much fun! I love flying down those hills. It was awesome. I did so much better my second time and learned how to ski black diamonds without falling down the whole way. Did I mention that I love skiing? Although I am suffering the consequences. I am a little sore, and I still need to catch up on all the sleep I lost. I woke up at 3:15AM and met my cousins, and left at 5 for New York. We traveled 4 hours, skied for 8 hours, traveled 4 hours home, and then I drove 4 hours to Cincinnati and got here at 4AM in the morning. I fell asleep once...or twice while I was driving. I was fighting sleep the whole way. My sister was sleeping in the seat next to me, so I couldn't roll the windows down or turn up the music so I resorted to calling my friend who works as a nurse on late shift, to no avail. Her phone wouldn't work! I drank an energy drink just to stay awake and I also scanned the radio stations and I had one [available] CD with me. Mom called me at 3:30 and I finally texted a friend so I could keep my brain active. Ahhhhhhh.

In my mind I say: "Now its back to the grind." but in my heart I say, "Let's get at it." I'm excited about this new semester. I excited about God and my relationship with Him. Isn't God good?

-Mule

Here's a Quote for You

"It's all love or sex these days. Friendship is almost as quaint and outdated a notion as chastity. Soon friends will be like the elves and the pixies - fabulous mythical creatures from a distant past." -C.S. Lewis

Comments on Comment

"Friendly, two-sided platonic relationships with the opposite sex are far, far rarer than you might like to admit." (Sobie, 2008)

Okay, so I'm in an admitting mood, but allow me to be stubborn. Let me discuss your comment. The friendly platonic relationships, yes, they may be rare and far between, but what I pound my fist at is the curving trend towards a double black diamond ski hill: a dangerous slope. Think the metaphor through. Perhaps this is just all in my head. Perhaps I am some "unlucky" victim. Perhaps I blow it beyond proportion. Perhaps it's getting to me......Perhaps. But it seems to me that today we are either single or in a serious relationship with the opposite sex. I have been accused - and I know accused is a strong word - of being interested or involved in a dating relationship with four girls! [Am not here to boast, God looks on the heart] My head says that the heartcry of many young people similar to myself (in Christian loves and values) male and female, is that they could simply just have friendly relationships with members of the opposite sex without people assuming they are chasing after a date. I sigh heavily with grief. I simply believe that although they may be rare, I state that I believe many people honestly want friendly, platonic relationships. Now there is also the whole motive of having these friends and relationships with ulterior "dating material" motive, but spare me, I beg of thee. I, for example know of two other people who are interested in such. And sure when you put the math against it theres not many of us, but we do feel this way. So there I've said it, and perhaps you will not fully understand, I doubt many will. So tell me, what do you think?

The Cave

I remember when I strayed from the light. We were exploring the cave together. I loved it. The misty haze in the air. The cold damp feeling as we went deeper into the darkness. But I remember the day when I heard that voice - different from yours, and beautiful. I followed it and found it, straying from you. I spent hours talking to the voice. Then the lighting of a match, a candle, and I saw the face. I loved it. There by the glow in the darkness I spent days with the face and the voice. Waking, falling asleep, talking, holding hands…you were watching me the whole time I learned later, called out to me even. To be honest I heard your voice, but most of the time I ignored it. You were there the whole time, waiting, with a painful ache in your heart. You weren’t stupid; you were just…loving, and patient. One day the voice left and I was broken inside. I suddenly realized that I was lost. I knew you were somewhere there in the darkness close to me, but I was so lost. I remember as soon as the face and voice left: I crumpled and fell down on the cold rock, that was wet with water dripping from the ceiling of the cave, or maybe that was my blood, I wasn’t sure in the darkness. I wept until I could no longer. I cried out to you, telling you I was so sorry. I begged you to come find me and help me. You did. I looked up and I saw you turn on your light. You were so close the whole time. Your light illumined the whole cave. I saw the water and blood on the stone floor of the cave and followed it until I saw its source. The blood was coming from you. I got up and walked to you. You embraced me. I whispered in your ear. You whispered in mine…So now I wander through this cold dark cave with you. You’re the one with the light. Sometimes you shine it just in front of me. Sometimes you shine it far ahead. Sometimes you turn out the light…but I know you’re still with me. There in the darkness I know you’re there. I trust you. I hate it when you turn out the light. I have to reach up and see that my head doesn’t hit the hard rock ceiling. I have to reach out and touch you, and make sure you’re there. You feel my touch and after a few steps you turn on the light, turn back and smile at me.
© Sam McConkey, 2007

Hmm. Uhhh....No

Yes, as odd as it seems, there are some of us who are fine with friendly, platonic relationships with members of the opposite sex. And no, we will not grant you the desires of your little heart by telling you of the new love in our life. No thank you.

Happy New Year.