tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279544091962821342024-03-13T04:42:18.853-04:00resolution was designed for stronger handsR Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-88581323672429924022014-02-13T17:56:00.001-05:002014-02-13T17:56:21.668-05:00I am hereI am here.<br />
<br />
At the precipice of my thoughts<br />
the top of my mind<br />
or the bottom of my future<br />
<br />
They precipitate around me<br />
out of the air the form<br />
first dust then pebbles<br />
then boulders and mountains<br />
falling with force on the un-firm ground<br />
<br />
I am here.<br />
<br />
The moment passes but the wreckage remains<br />
I shovel the surface clean<br />
packing it in cardboard boxes<br />
padding it with packing peanuts<br />
sealing it with clear tape<br />
I place them in rows<br />
on the edges of my mind<br />
for the moment the cliff feels far<br />
but the past moments linger<br />
<br />
I am here.<br />
<br />
The house may be swept clean<br />
I may be strong for surviving<br />
but even the strong man can be tied up<br />
he can be overcome<br />
<br />
the boxes begin to break<br />
cardboard ins't thought tight<br />
what seeps from the edges chases<br />
follows pursues attacks<br />
restrains me once again<br />
back at the drop off<br />
<br />
I am here.<br />
<br />
At the precipice of my thoughts<br />
the end of my mind<br />
or a new beginning of my future<br />
<br />R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-64479635024836756582013-10-16T15:45:00.001-04:002013-10-16T15:45:36.865-04:00"... but in my opinion miracles will never confound a realist. It is not miracles that bring a realist to faith. A true realist, if he is not a believer, will always find in himself the strength and ability not to believe in miracles as well, and if a miracle stands before him as an irrefutable fact, he will sooner doubt his own senses than admit the fact. And even if he does admit it, he will admit it as a fact of nature that was previously unknown to him. In the realist, faith is not born from miracles, but miracles from faith. Once the realist comes to believe then, precisely because of his realism, he must also allow for miracles. The Apostle Thomas declared that he would not believe until he saw, and when he saw, he said: "my Lord and my God!" Was it the miracle that made him believe? Most likely not, but he believed first and foremost because he wished to believe, and maybe already fully believed in his secret heart even as he was saying: "I will not believe until I see."<br />
<br />
- Dostoevsky, The Brothers KaramazovR Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-60713070649133688862013-05-01T23:38:00.001-04:002013-05-01T23:38:42.295-04:00Finishing Well:<br />
<br />
Finishing well means leaving behind:<br />
1. The Gospel<br />
2. The Kingdom of God<br />
3. Praise and Worship<br />
<br />
To finish well means to leave things conducive for these things to grow and continue.<br />
<br />
To finish well means leaving these things in the hearts of the people and places we have touched.<br />
<br />
To finish well means to leave no strings untied.<br />
<br />
To finish well means to love how Jesus loves.<br />
<br />
R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-57179685943376385842013-03-31T19:02:00.003-04:002013-03-31T19:07:17.678-04:00Easter 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">Matthew 16:24-28 :</span></div>
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"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.</div>
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“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.""</div>
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Good news guys.</div>
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The tomb is still empty.</div>
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Jesus, the man, and Jesus our Lord was dead.</div>
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But now he’s not.</div>
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He suffered brutal asphyxiation, he was mocked and insulted by thousands, he cried tears of blood, he hung there naked, and seemingly helpless.</div>
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As he breathed his last painful breath, gasping for air, our sins, our fears, and our own death breathed their last too.</div>
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The tomb is still empty.</div>
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He is risen.</div>
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Our fears did not rise with him. They lie dead and condemned.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">
Jesus is alive. Now.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">
His reign has begun.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">
He has gone to the father for a little while, but he is coming back again!</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">
We have not tasted death, but we have seen the Son of Man come into his kingdom.</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-76111388942180589062013-02-27T14:51:00.001-05:002013-02-27T14:51:15.774-05:00So here it is. The first post in a long long time. I wanted to put a large chunk of an essay entitled "Belief" by Donald Miller from his book Blue Like Jazz, but I don't have time for that.<br />
<br />
Instead, I encourage you to read it (or re-read it).<br />
<br />
And now I leave you with 3 thoughts.<br />
<br />
1. Mark Lasitter is a good roommate. He also loves my blog despite the fact that I don't have time to write any more.<br />
<br />
2. I think that The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is an extremely unique parable. Not only does it reference real people directly (Abraham) while just about all the other parables only get as specific as "Son" or "Bridegroom" or "Widow" or "King", it also feels very unique in storytelling and content. I'm not sure what to think of it as I read and ponder over it again. I wonder if this is where a lot of the imagery for Heaven and Hell that feels ingrained in our society comes from. I would bet this definitely played a major role, along with the other pieces of scripture where there is discussion of fire and burning for sins. I would also bet that wasn't Jesus's main goal in the parable...<br />
<br />
3. Sneak Peak:<br />
<a href="http://kellyandboyer.ourwedding.com/">http://kellyandboyer.ourwedding.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Happy Wednesday.<br />
<br />R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-19191200480441188822012-09-06T20:13:00.002-04:002012-09-06T20:13:10.388-04:00Lord, Let me be your servant. Use me as you choose. Put me to doing; put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or be put aside for you. Let me be full; let me be empty. Let me have all things; let me have nothing. With a willing spirit I freely surrender everything I am and everything I have to your plan for me. I make this covenant with you, O Christ, with all my heart and soul. You are my Savior and Redeemer.<br />
<br />
-UnknownR Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-27356446782219733302012-07-11T22:30:00.001-04:002012-07-11T22:30:09.774-04:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It feels as if the dream has died, and the time has come for
me to face the facts and realize the truth of the matter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I no longer see a perfect American future; a perfect wife, a
perfect marriage, perfect kids, a perfect job, in the perfect suburbs,
perfectly happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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No this dream has died.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The weight of the world is too much.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The giants before me have toppled over without a crash or a
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towering figures gone, their shadows are gone too and the light illuminates so
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<br /></div>
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It seems that at the dusking of my day of innocence the
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by recruitment. As the night and reality settle, fear rises up. Will I be the
next statue toppled? Will I dive willingly to my death into a dry well? Will I
run towards an oasis in this desert only to realize that the mirage is not
matter but a cavity? Simply a deep ravine calling me to jump into the cool
blackness, to give in to the world and rest in its simple shadows.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But as my eyes grow dry and the kaleidoscope from tears
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<br /></div>
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A thin dirt path, well traveled but walked poorly, with many
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the single-star light. Dust rises from it as I start to walk, yet I shake it
from my sandals at the night around me as I begin to run. Is this where life
truly begins? Where Joy and Suffering dance a beautiful waltz down this same
path, a dance heavy with sorrow, yet filled with hope, building suspense to a
climatic finale, only for them to keep their hands clasped together as they bow
at the curtain call. Their fingers are interlocked. A keen eye will notice a
wedding band on the left hand of each. I see the weight ahead. I have felt the
weight behind. I see the dance ahead and know the end of the dance has come
before my beginning, but its echoes beckon me on. I see many mirages and lies
that look like life in the light of the night.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I run. East. On the dirt. Towards the sunrise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The son who rose yesterday has yet to fail me. He shines.
And he will shine. He will return in the morning. I will be there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-35541681691001407562012-04-08T22:41:00.002-04:002012-04-08T22:41:27.753-04:00<div class="MsoNormal">4/8/12 (Easter)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p>A poem:</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My legs are broken, I cannot stand,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The battle is lost, I have no plan<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The ship has sunk, my fears resound<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The growing darkness shows no bounds.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Like a bird, hope’s flown away.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And I wonder if pain is here to stay<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Death creeps in, as the golden leaves fall<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And with trembling hands, I mourn it all<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet you question still:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Can you wait just three more days?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I watched my father die that night<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The twinkle in his eyes passed in the twilight<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The warmth of life left his hands<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And my heart questioned reprimand<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">My family continued its broken state<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">With anger and sadness we searched for our place<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">A lonely mother, a lost brother<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">What could I do to even begin to recover!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This all happened years ago,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet the weight continues to wound and grow<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Who am I, if not a son?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And what of all things left undone?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet you question still:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Can you wait just three more days?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Alone I sat in a foreign land,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Actively seeking the living plan.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet no ears seemed to hear my cry,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And life seemed to be lived only to die.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Minute by minute I asked for a sign,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And prayed and hoped that one I would find.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">To know that the Lord was real and true,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This was all I longed to do.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Like a criminal, my doubts encaged me<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And my fears began to enslave me.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was scared to return back home,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">To try to live the full life I once had known<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">To see true friends and be in community,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">What if they rejected me?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And some rejection I did meet,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Some of my dreams were met with defeat.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But distant, faint, and deep in the night<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">There was a shimmer of some future light<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And for all this you once again asked me,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Can you wait just three more days?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He cried out, “why have you forsaken me?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And “Please God, take this cup from me!”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet high on that cross, he lost his ground<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And felt the wrath of God abound<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The father’s gaze left the face of his son,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And all loving hope seemed foregone.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">His body bore all mankind<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And his heart yearned for a future time<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet when his breath had breathed its last<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was then the walls all cracked<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The curtain was torn, a bridge was built<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Life was given for his blood was spilt.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yet this son of man had a few days more,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">To live behind a large stone door.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But when the stone was rolled away,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">All the world seemed to hear him say,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">“My peace I leave you, my peace I give,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I bring life different than the way you live,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Trouble may seem to break you down,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But rejoice for I have risen from the ground.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And it is for all this I say,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">That despite the pain I feel today,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">That I believe you are who you say,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And I will wait just three more days.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-57065627315086555442011-12-23T01:26:00.000-05:002011-12-23T01:26:48.550-05:00I've begun studying Isaiah over break. Its one of those books of the bible that we hear in passing all the time, as so many prophecies come from it, but most people have never really read it. Well, I have actually really read it before, but I've never really studied it. So I figured, what the heck, let's do it.<br />
<br />
Anyways, my current thoughts on Isaiah, both from prior readings and my current study, are this:<br />
Isaiah is a book that centers around two things: Comfort and Punishment. I feel like Isaiah himself would call it blessings and woes or forgiveness and justice.<br />
<br />
It seems that the theme of the book is summed up in Chapter 1: 18-20. (The commentary I bought says just verse 18, but there's far too much woe to be only the good...)<br />
<br />
1: 18-20<br />
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD.<br />
"Though your sins are like scarlet,<br />
they shall be as white as snow;<br />
though they are red as crimson,<br />
they shall be like wool.<br />
If you are willing and obedient,<br />
you will eat the good things of the land;<br />
but if you resist and rebel,<br />
you will be devoured by the sword."<br />
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.<br />
<br />
Just like all the other prophets, Isaiah says "obey the Lord's commands, like he told you too. Its best for you, really!" And follows it with, "and if you don't follow God's commands, you're going to get what you want, which isn't God and results in a lot of things you really don't want."<br />
<br />
It's funny though, that all of this is manifested through Jesus, a constant figure in Isaiah (though shrouded in some mystery here...). He is the comforter, the forgiver, and the savior that the book continually addresses.<br />
<br />
Yet he is also fully the lord who promises to take all of Judah and Jerusalem's food, water, leaders, and skills (chp 3:1-2) and the one who "lifts a banner for the distant nations" to come (to Israel/Judah) and "like young lions growl and seize their prey and carry it off with no one to rescue."<br />
<br />
Dang.<br />
<br />
But the passage I like most so far is this:<br />
<br />
4:2-6<br />
In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those whoa are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.<br />
The Lord will wash away the filth of the Women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgement and a spirt of fire.<br />
Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy.<br />
It will be a shelter and shade form the head of the day, and a refuge and hiding place form the storm and rain."<br />
<br />
After Israel goes through a whole bunch of rotten stuff, the dedicated few left in the kingdom will be cleansed and purified. And the glory of God will surround them, and there will be a canopy of protection around this select remnant. Pretty cool.<br />
<br />
Its just a picture of the future kingdom that I haven't seen in a long time. A very physical one.<br />
<br />
The question then becomes can this promise of a physical kingdom be generalized to the ingrafted branches of Israel? (Romans 11:11-24) (which includes this guy...)<br />
<br />
I'm going to go with yes.<br />
<br />
A final thought: It often seems that scripture and the christian life is so simple in principle, but so difficult in action.<br />
<br />
Basically, I feel like the only thing I have been taught (by scripture, sermons, life, etc,) recently is obey God's commands and be blessed, abandon them and get what you want (which actually sucks.).<br />
<br />
That doesn't make it easy.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-67758629620994077762011-12-17T19:34:00.006-05:002011-12-17T20:18:54.852-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since its christmas time, I feel a christmas post is warranted:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First here is some Christmas songs that <b>shouldn't </b>be:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.<b> Santa Baby</b>- </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't think whoring yourself out to santa is the best way to get what you want (a yacht, a ring, and a baby blue convertible...) Even if the lyrics never intentionally say "momma wants to get with Santy", it seems pretty dang implied.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <b>Christmas Shoes</b>: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't remember this, watch it here.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkI7GW2V34"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkI7GW2V34</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Never has there ever been a more depressing christmas song. I won't start on the musical side of it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <b>I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is thing, for those kids who believe in Santa Claus, to see Mommy kissing him would be, um, how do I say this, crushing? Not only is your mother having what seems to be a one night fling, if not an affair, its with some guy in a red jump suit. So who's your daddy now?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, its played off like it is a jolly good thing to see Momma and Santa making out under the mistletoe. The lyrics say, </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Oh, what a laugh it would have been, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Daddy had only seen</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night!"</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daddy would have laughed that Mommy was being unfaithful with a large, perpetually old, mythical man!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure its implied that Santa Claus really is daddy because Santa isn't exactly real. But still, I'm going to call not cool. If our culture is going to lie to everyone under the age of 10, they should at least do it so that kids don't have to be crushed by divorce AND lies.</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.<b> Last Christmas</b>:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Originally written by George Michael for Wham! so you know its good.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. <b>What Can You Get a Wookie for Christmas:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does Christmas even exist in Star Wars world? Wasn't it a long long time ago, in galaxy far far away, ya know, before Jesus?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/w6ZF-hj-8_k" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Anything by Alvin and the Chipmunks, for obvious reasons.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One Christmas song that is so intentionally horrible it should <b>continue being</b>:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gRiYKf19T-k" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes please.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Now</b>, for a short rant on a commercial series:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Game on Santa is the worst, worst possible way to sell your products.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Qeg6Z4jhZWY" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently people who give you nice stuff for free are hateable purely based on their physique. Or maybe Mommy is jealous after Santa went back home to Mrs. Claus after their brief one night make out session last christmas. She gave him her heart, yet he gave it away. Yet instead of giving it to someone else this Christmas as Good Ole George Michael would, she's taking it to him with a best buy beat down.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and she hates her dog.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like I said, bad commercial.</span><br />
<br />
</div></div>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-10752384164265369392011-12-02T15:59:00.000-05:002011-12-02T15:59:18.048-05:00Some thoughts:<br />
<br />
-When you have sinus surgery, you think everything is out to get you in the face. Doors are trying to open into your nose, every frisbee and football is coming straight at your face, and everybody has a secret urge to punch you that they are using all of their will power to resist. Someones going to crack soon.<br />
When did I get paranoid?<br />
<br />
-The number of seconds in the five second rule is directly proportional to how tasty the food your eating is. Brownies get a full minute, even if they are gooey and pick up a ton of dirt. 3 day old little caesar's pizza gets around 3 seconds. I expect fruitcake gets negative time.<br />
<br />
-The internet can be wonderful. There is a lot of trash out there, but good ole prospectors can sometimes fine the gold. These can entertain you for hours:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://cheesepeople.tumblr.com/">http://cheesepeople.tumblr.com/</a> and <a href="http://breadpeople.tumblr.com/">http://breadpeople.tumblr.com/</a> - Famous people with Cheese/Bread for heads. And Puns.</li>
<li><a href="http://kimjongillookingattthings.tumblr.com/">http://kimjongillookingattthings.tumblr.com/</a> - North Korea FTW.</li>
<li><a href="http://moustair.tumblr.com/">http://moustair.tumblr.com/</a>- What if the hair on your head was actually your mustache?</li>
<li><a href="http://therapboard.com/">http://therapboard.com/</a>- Catch phrases</li>
<li><a href="http://textsfrombennett.tumblr.com/">http://textsfrombennett.tumblr.com/ </a>- Obscene, but hilarious.</li>
<li><a href="http://selleckwaterfallsandwich.tumblr.com/">http://selleckwaterfallsandwich.tumblr.com/</a>- Tom Selleck, A Waterfall, and sandwich. Always.</li>
<li><a href="http://bethanyamandamiller.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/the-56-bestworst-analogies-written-by-high-school-students/">56 Worst Analogies/Similes</a>- Came across this for like the third time ever this week. Still as good as it was back in high school.</li>
</ul><div>- I really need to get cracking on finding a summer internship. And my homework.</div><div><br />
</div><div>-On a more serious note, I am seriously considering unbecoming a football fan. I love Clemson, and I love watching football, and I love when the tigers play well and win. I mean I can even enjoy it when they lose. But people care WAY to much. There's too much hate. And I'm not just saying between Clemson and Carolina fans. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I sat in great seats for the Wake Forest game this season with my mom. Clemson wasn't looking their best, though they did scrape a W. Anyways, at one point in the third quarter the people beside me, who had been yelling negative things at the coaches ALL GAME LONG, got in an argument with a woman four rows in front of me. They seriously screamed at each other for 2 or 3 minutes. In order to break up the fight, a guy in between them got up and yelled at both of them. </div><div><br />
</div><div>They were all Clemson fans. They all hated each other. </div><div><br />
</div><div>After they finished screaming the girl I was sitting beside was murmuring to herself about how "these our seats and if they don't like how we yell then they should leave."</div><div><br />
</div><div>It was the worst football experience I have ever had. If I hadn't had a commitment right after the game (surprise birthday tailgate, what-up!) I would have gone home.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you think that's an isolated experience, go scroll down your Facebook newsfeed. Everybody's hating on everybody about Clem/Carolina and its been a dang week.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Its an inflated piece of leather. It doesn't matter.</div><div>Nobody remembers who won the Clemson Carolina game in 1999.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Clemson won, and went 6-6. Carolina went defeated that season. I just looked it up, and I still don't care.</div><div><br />
</div><div>We will see how many games I go to next season, I feel like hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, climbing, and resting might all be better alternatives. Football just doesn't seem worth it.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>-Expect another blog post in a day or two.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
Song of the day:<br />
Your New Twin Sized Bed- Death Cab for CutieR Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-16212077414870437762011-10-13T15:45:00.000-04:002011-10-13T15:45:35.848-04:00<u>Foods that sound gross and are delicious:</u><br />
Cheesecake<br />
Cream cheese (and cream cheese icing)<br />
Sour cream<br />
Refried beans<br />
Hot Dogs<br />
Zucchini/Pumpkin Bread<br />
<br />
<u>Foods that sound gross and are (or at least probably are):</u><br />
Pickled pigs feet<br />
Spam<br />
Baby food<br />
Blood sausage<br />
Carrot cake (y'all can fight me on this one, but i'm right.)<br />
<br />
<u>Foods that sound good but are gross:</u><br />
Fruit cake<br />
<br />
<u>Why do they sell that?:</u><br />
Chicken necks<br />
<br />
<u>Foods that sound gross and probably are delicious but I refuse to try:</u><br />
Pork Rinds (Deep fried pork skin?...)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unrelated to todays' ponderings on food:<br />
<br />
I really have been sitting in Philippians 2:12-13. It reads,<br />
<br />
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always <b>obeyed</b>- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence- <b>continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose</b>."<br />
<br />
Isn't it strange? Like this whole salvation, following Jesus thing? We are called to work out our salvation, with fear and trembling. We are supposed to try. But at the same time that we are called to work it out, we are told that it is God who works. Some cognitive dissonance there, huh?<br />
<br />
Its almost like we are supposed to try, but we should expect to not be able to do it on our own. Or maybe trying is learning to try in a way outside of our natural human design, one of humility and asking for help. Can you tell I still don't get it?<br />
<br />
Don't be an Antinomian. Grace doesn't entitle you to a right to sin. (Though Jesus will take his glory there anyway.) (Romans 6:15ish)<br />
Don't believe that works save you either. (pick your favorite reference)<br />
But remember faith without works is dead. (James 2:26ish)<br />
<br />
Jesus is redemptive, but he asks you to follow him.<br />
<br />
Peace and Joy. And humility,<br />
boyer.<br />
<br />
Song of the day:<br />
We will run- Gungor<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjNtlUqaCZo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjNtlUqaCZo</a>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-12092259766307163492011-10-04T13:40:00.001-04:002011-10-04T13:40:55.775-04:00<div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Psalm 121 </div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> I lift up my eyes to the mountains—<br />
where does my help come from?<br />
My help comes from the LORD,<br />
the Maker of heaven and earth.</div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> He will not let your foot slip—<br />
he who watches over you will not slumber;<br />
indeed, he who watches over Israel<br />
will neither slumber nor sleep.</div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> The LORD watches over you—<br />
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;<br />
the sun will not harm you by day,<br />
nor the moon by night.</div><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> The LORD will keep you from all harm—<br />
he will watch over your life;<br />
the LORD will watch over your coming and going<br />
both now and forevermore.</div>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-37761310911206465372011-09-26T21:13:00.001-04:002011-09-26T21:33:59.735-04:00From dust, to dust.<br />
For dust you are to dust you will return.<br />
<br />
People are hard, and you're one of them.<br />
<br />
Recently I have found myself somehow in the midst of all kinds of junk. People losing friends and family to illness and accident, people hurting longtime friends, people making bad decisions, people struggling with depression, and most of all other people being clueless how to respond to all the stuff that is happening around them.<br />
<br />
This world can be a weary place. That is something I have definitely been taught over my almost 21 years of life. It is something that I will never forget.<br />
<br />
But the thing I always forget to remember is that I am one of those ignorant, difficult, hard, dust filled people too.<br />
<br />
Yet Jesus lives, and for whatever reason, decides to take this sack of dust and sow some good seed on it. Suddenly, I the dust become the good soil.<br />
<br />
Yet it is not I, but the living water that changes me from dust. And the dazzling son that sows the seed.<br />
<br />
Thank goodness for redemption.<br />
<br />
Let's hope and pray for determined spirits that run toward the kingdom, that we may not make the return to dust ever. The part that deserves to return to dust has returned. I'm clean. And I'm wet and muddy and in the sunshine.<br />
<br />
Let the crop grow.<br />
<br />
Genesis 3:19<br />
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 / Mark 4:1-8,13-20 / Luke 8:1-8,11-15<br />
Titus 3:1-7<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Peace and joy. And Hope. Lots of it.<br />
boyer.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-20285467135196710332011-09-04T22:27:00.000-04:002011-09-04T22:27:44.197-04:00It's been a while since I have blogged. My life is crazy right now.<br />
<br />
Here's a quick experience,<br />
<br />
So last night, after a long day of friends, football, fun, and sweating (I'm sorry sweating doesn't start with an f) the roommates and I and a couple other friends were hanging out at our place. Eventually, I was like bump staying awake i have to be up at the crack of dawn, so I went to shower and then go to bed. After my shower, as I was laying in bed with the lights off, I felt the strong urging of the holy spirit to go and ask whoever was out in my living room still if we could pray. I didn't. I felt guilty, but I didn't.<br />
<br />
This morning I woke up and didn't feel guilty or shameful anymore. I felt like I had chosen the wrong thing clearly, but in doing so I had just chosen against some blessing that was set aside for me in prayer that night. It is beautiful to see how Christ's mercies really are new every morning for me, the prodigal son (or maybe just the elder son who hangs around home but isn't really about his father's business). It was also really good to realize that the prayer/situation that I neglected out of fear (of what i dunno) I was being led to was in order to bless me and my roommates. Now I find myself wishing to obey not for obedience sake but for my sake.<br />
<br />
How good is freedom. And how good is it to remember why we are asked to obey.<br />
<br />
1 John 5:3<br />
<br />
Peace and Joy.... and Freedom!<br />
<br />
Boyer.<br />
<br />
In other news, here's a pretty little proof I did for homework tonight:<br />
Let * be an associate binary operation on set A with an identity element, e. Proof that the inverse of an element is unique if it exists.<br />
<br />
Let y and z be inverses of x. We want to show that they are equivalent.<br />
y = y * e (Identity theorem)<br />
y* e = y * (x * z) (z is the inverse of x)<br />
y * (x* z) = (y * x) * z (associative property)<br />
(y * x) * z = e * z (y is the inverse of x)<br />
e * z = z (Identity theorem)<br />
<br />
Therefore, by transitivity, y = z and the inverse of x is unique.<br />
<br />
R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-60958264674072137542011-08-09T13:07:00.000-04:002011-08-09T13:07:22.360-04:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Notes of the day:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">CT scans don't take very long. Only about a minute and a half. But when the nurse says you can't swallow your saliva for that short of a time it is still really difficult to do. Especially when the whole reason you are there is sinus issues resulting in constant drainage down your throat.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The US government has the standard American family monetary problem, living outside of its means. All I'm saying is that if the debt keeps growing, pretty soon 20%+ of our annual budget will simply be interest payments. Yuck.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The new Mutemath single Blood Pressure is out on iTunes, along with the song Odd Soul. Its worth a listen to.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The only thing I don't like about OSX Lion so far is the inability to manually rearrange my desktops/full screen apps on mission control.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I got a twitter. I think i'd really like it if the musicians/celebrities/artists/athletes and such that I actually want to hear about would tweet 25% as much. As of now its ok.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A quote:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font: 10.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” -Søren Kierkegaard (Not saying i'm an existentialist...., just saying its a good quote)</span></div><div style="font: 10.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 10.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">A Poem:</span></div><br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hast thou no scar?<br />
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?<br />
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;<br />
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.<br />
Hast thou no scar?<br />
<br />
Hast thou no wound?<br />
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,<br />
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent<br />
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.<br />
Hast thou no wound?<br />
<br />
No wound? No scar?<br />
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,<br />
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.<br />
But thine are whole; can he have followed far<br />
Who hast no wound or scar?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Amy Carmichael</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Growing up is hard.</span></div>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-70327584038995210002011-08-01T23:40:00.000-04:002011-08-01T23:40:38.490-04:00<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">have you read the script?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">could you picture it?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">... is it worth the risk?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">everything i love</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">is on the line,</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">on these neon signs.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">but i need to know- when you looked away,</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">was it something that i said? was it something that i said?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">well okay, okay, i need you more than i did before.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">now that the concrete is nearly set.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">here in the second act i’m living in repair.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">strange how the heart adapts when its pieces disappear.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">and there, on page 28, i’m so tired of drying glue,</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">i begin my grand attempt at building something new.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">though i tend to write</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">the epiphany more immediately,</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">i guess i’m trusting that there’s such a thing</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">as elegance in dissonance.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">God, i’m skeptical of pulling scenes.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">was it something that i said? was it something that i did?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">please don’t get me wrong- i still need your help</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">as history repeats itself</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">here in the aftermath, i’m pulling at the seams.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">strange how the heart adapts in the absence of routine.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">and there, on page 29, i find “new” and make it mine.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">but i can't help casting shadows on all i leave behind.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">maybe i could afford to change a bit...</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">even let go of the reigns?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">every torn out page was worth the risk</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">now that the stakes have been raised.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">so here in the final draft, i've given all i have. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">strange how the heart expands in the absence of a plan.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">there's nothing left on the page, but i'm okay with that,</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">for i found my resolution</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">was designed for stronger hands.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">-Ryan O'Neal</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-60473001596195247222011-07-23T22:16:00.002-04:002011-07-23T23:52:14.134-04:00I am weary of this world. And I think it just means that I hold on to it too tightly.<br />
<br />
Over the past 48 hours I have read enough headlines to make me want to give up. We've got some crazy 'fundamental christian' killing around 80 people in Norway. We've got the United States government bashing itself internally and on the verge of defaulting. We've got Casey Anthony and the hatred by everyone surrounding that trial, and the fact that a child is dead. We've got a train in China derailing and killing 32 people. We've got war. We've got hunger. We've got natural disasters. We've got a lot of crap to deal with. And this is just the headlines that I've read in the past 24 hours.<br />
<br />
And then I look at my own life, and those close to me. I've got a dead dad. I had a friend tell me today that their dad committed suicide when they were younger. I see friends in pain from parents divorce, from breakups. Friends in financial struggles, and friends feeling hopeless as they fight to try and fix the broken-ness of the world.<br />
<br />
And the worst part is, I think its been this way for thousands of years. Look at Paul, in Philippians (1:21-26ish) he discusses his desire to depart and be with Christ, yet out of love chooses to continue to bear his burden that was ordained for him. (Acts 9:16- "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name"). He seems a little weary to me.<br />
<br />
In this world there will be suffering. And that's tough when you sit down and realize the implications of that.<br />
<br />
Basically, you could say I'm depressed. But I think weary is a better word.<br />
<br />
Its funny though, out of all of this hope stems. Slowly, but surely, the hope of redemption for the world, and justice for the world seem to break apart from their somewhat paradoxical standing and be reconciled together in the person of Jesus Christ and his hopefully soon return.<br />
<br />
Thank goodness for hope.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On a related note, I think its interesting how the cup is a symbol of both suffering and blessing in scripture. David's cup overflows in the presence of his enemies in Pslam 23. Jesus prays that the cup be taken from him in Gethsemane. How keen.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-57788414388226543382011-07-15T14:18:00.000-04:002011-07-15T14:18:43.315-04:00I just want everyone to know that I really dislike how the following words are spelled. This list will probably be added to soon.<br />
<br />
guarantee<br />
hilarious<br />
<br />
In general I hate spelling.<br />
<br />
There's a slight chance for a deeper blog post soon. just sayin'.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-43281792885165999262011-07-11T20:00:00.000-04:002011-07-11T20:00:23.502-04:00I need to go on a rant about somethings. It isn't a real rant, but I still give it rant status.<br />
<br />
The following things make absolutely no sense, yet everyone accepts them like they are normal and wonderful.<br />
<br />
First of all, every single perfume, cologne, and deodorant ad or commercial I have ever seen makes no sense. For example:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Jvwq54x5Sqw" width="480"></iframe><br />
Ok, so other than the cologne bottle being thrown in their for about, oh, 2% of the commercial, this is completely unrelated to anything doing with cologne, let alone ones sense of smell. It has an attractive man, ocean waves, and music to go with the 4 second narration and brand name. If you don't feel like watching the commercial, I believe the clip order is like this: ab muscles, neck sweat, waves, back muscles, pretty face, pecs and sweat, waves, ab muscles, dive, facial shot, more chest sweat, cologne bottle, waves. I would just like to point out that nothing in that, aside from the cologne bottle is related to the product.<br />
But, Boyer, it has acqua in the name! True. I'll concede that. But I have a feeling that this cologne does not smell like the ocean. And I guarantee it will not make you instantly ripped and shirtless. And it certainly won't make you sweat super fast. In fact, last time I checked, cologne is supposed to make the wearer smell good, (but all they usually do is make everyone around that person ask what that strange smell is) and I can't see smells.<br />
Bottom line, apparently sex sells (we already knew that though...) and sex makes people forget that cool visual affects with attractive people is unrelated to smell (and reality).<br />
<br />
However, I will say that old spice makes commercials so ridiculous that they make sense. I mean Ray Lewis covered in bubbles riding on a giant, jet-powered raven that blows up saturn with laser-beams from its eyes is intentionally ridiculous. I'm going to hope it was designed as a satire, because it pretty much serves as one. (Old spice commercials <a href="http://www.oldspice.com/videos/">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
Second,<br />
Who thought that a great addition to any garden would be a lawn gnome? They are creepy and purposeless. Besides, who really owns a hat that is 2/3 their body length and stands straight up? Sorry travelocity. (not really.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pulpconnection.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/roaming-gnome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.pulpconnection.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/roaming-gnome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This one has a couple of exceptions, but the amount of throw pillows you find on any hotel bed (and I'm sure most beds that are not in my house or apartment) makes no sense. On a bed, you need pillows to sleep on and possibly a pillow that you can use to support your back while watching TV. Nobody, absolutely nobody needs a set of 8 throw pillows, complete with 3 pairs of decreasing size squares and a pair of tootsie roll shape pillows. Nobody needs a 6 inch by 6 inch pillow and a perfectly cylindrical pillow seems ridiculous and unwieldy. Most importantly, in order to sleep on a throw pillow covered bed, you have to throw your pile of pillows somewhere else to even get to the covers. They serve no purpose. Go google image 'throw pillows on bed' and you'll see this image first.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.richardtimothy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/31-bed-pillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.richardtimothy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/31-bed-pillows.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>All shapes, all sizes, and way too many tassels. It's an epidemic. Thanks for nothing pillows that stay on my floor.<br />
<br />
Alright, I'm done. Ban perfume and cologne ads (naked and half-naked people don't necessarily smell good), ban lawn gnomes (dumb hats is reason enough), and ban throw pillows.<br />
<br />
<br />
On a side note, no one can look cool while running out a garage door they just closed from the inside before it shuts AND successfully step over the laser safety beam. Just sayin'.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-41464604851655770732011-06-28T19:37:00.000-04:002011-06-28T19:37:21.126-04:00I'm home. And I love it.<br />
<br />
I'll probably keep blogging a little bit. Just if anyone is interested.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-58072343595740205952011-06-26T05:04:00.000-04:002011-06-26T05:04:36.968-04:00Everyone has been asking me all semester how big Greenville is. All I have to say is compared to Sydney its small. But I actually sat down and consulted my good friend wikipedia and now, on my last night here, I have a really good answer.<br />
<br />
Feel free to skip over the detailed section...<br />
<br />
-----------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The city proper of Greenville has a population of 62,000 people, which is well out of the top 200 that Wikipedia lists.<br />
<br />
The Metropolitan-statistical area of Greenville-Mauldin-Easely has a population of 637,000 people, making it the 83rd largest Metropolitan statistical area. A metropolitan statistical area is defined as a collection of counties with at least one core city with a population over 50000 and the area around it that has a high degree of socio-economic integration via commuting ties. There are 366 of these.<br />
<br />
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley is ranked 82 out of 942 of Core based statistical areas with population of 640,000. A core based statistical area is the same as the metropolitan-statistical area expect that the core population must be greater than only 10000. So something is wrong and Greenville area should be 82 and 82 or 83 and 83....<br />
<br />
Now for the shocker.<br />
Greenville is ranked 45th out of 718 Primary Statistical Areas with a population of 126500. This is the most well defined and extensive ranking out of all the other ones mentioned. Each Primary Statistical Area is defined as single or multi-core metropolitan areas that aren't in any other metropolitan areas.<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------<br />
I am from the 45th largest metropolitan area in the USA. I would have never, ever guessed that.<br />
Even if you look at the other rankings, top 100 is pretty surprising to me.<br />
<br />
Greenville is also the 6th largest city (city proper that is) in South Carolina, even though it is the largest metropolitan area in the state. Mt. Pleasant, Rock Hill, North Charleston, Charleston, and Columbia are the ones that beat it, in order from smallest to largest.<br />
<br />
Ok, I'm done. I just think Greenville is the perfect size.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-9830723882186960382011-06-25T09:50:00.000-04:002011-06-25T09:50:00.871-04:00I've reached the end and I don't really know what to say. My room is half packed, the house is a mess, and tomorrow will be a day full of chores, but tomorrow is the end. My last day.<br />
<br />
I feel bad that I don't feel bad to go home. All of me is ready to go, though not in the I'm 100% miserable here and all I want is home kind of way, but the home is where I belong kind of way. (Not to say that I haven't had several of those 100% miserable times...)<br />
<br />
Now that this marathon is done, and it wasn't always easy, I can look back and definitely say that my time abroad was good. I got to see and do a lot of cool things. I got to meet a lot of people from all over the world. I got to try out the big city life (not for me, surprise!). And my faith was definitely tested. I had long, long, seemingly endless periods of doubt and dryness and loneliness. But in the end, Jesus wins. It seems to be somewhat of a reoccurring theme in my life. Cancer lost. Doubt lost. You get the picture.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that God is. And I am thankful that out of a world full of people he choose me to give a little bit of faith too. It is a gift that is deep and filling, and probably isn't as big as a small seed- yet.<br />
<br />
Australia, you've been good. Hard, but good. I've loved sleeping under the stars in your desert, riding the waves on your coast, and laughing at your lazy animals.<br />
<br />
But it is time to go home.R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-41947645615764831352011-06-19T06:25:00.001-04:002011-06-19T06:44:00.144-04:00First, if anyone is actually reading this, stop what you're doing and go <a href="http://joshgarrels.bandcamp.com/">here</a> or <a href="http://noisetrade.com/joshgarrels">here</a> and download Josh Garrels' new album <i>Love & War & The Sea In Between. </i>It's free and it's phenomenal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.one21music.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Love-War-The-Sea-In-Between.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.one21music.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Love-War-The-Sea-In-Between.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, now back to my adventures. This past weekend I took a trip to the Gold Coast, which is the Australian hybrid between Orlando, Florida and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Many of you are thinking, "gross, why would anyone go there?" (and I agree Myrtle Beach is dirty and unpleasant), but I assure you the Gold Coast only combines the good elements of these two places. Bascially its a large touristy beach town, with miles of beautiful beaches and Australia's theme parks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I only had two full days here, so I didn't bother with any of the theme parks. I was much more excited about the beach. The first day I went whale watching in the morning and surfing in the afternoon. Whale watching was really cool. Whales are big and interesting. (However, dolphins are far cooler. They like to play with boats and people and stuff. How can you not like dolphins?) Surfing was a struggle as the waves were way to big out back (not to mention way to dumpy for me. A dumpy wave is one that pretty much breaks instantly in a big crash, as opposed to a slow breaking wave. Good surfers like dumpy waves cause they give you barrels) so I couldn't surf them. Then they kinda stopped and re-broke like 10 ft from shore, in an extremely dumpy fashion. Meaning I didn't really surf, as much as paddled around and hoped that the waves would change. But I love the ocean enough that I had a blast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Day 2 I really just laid on the beach. Got some sun. The ocean was too cold without a wetsuit to really swim in, so I just enjoyed it with my eyes. That afternoon there was like a free concert festival on the beach, so I moved up the beach 100 yards and enjoyed that until 7 o'clock when there was fireworks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only band worth mentioning was Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray. He was good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just want to let everyone know that I think kids between the ages of 1 and 5 are awesome. First of all, when they hear music they dance. I could see like 10 kids on the beach, through the crowd, that were all grooving to all of these random bands. And they were too awesome. None of their dancing was mind-blowingly good, but their joy was. Why don't grown ups ever dance just because? Let alone dance badly for joy's sake?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's some pictures:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXl2Nm38ZRTOvf72WU-g2s0vG-TB2jNObCtdvMpVp48Ivi797f4Cgb203rW8CflfK4CDMpizJ-zj_YKy0-4jjtlTOngkqEj47CpLc4s7635MRs5oGKzwWNAjXqwkRoLieIWCuwZPxXC6Wf/s1600/gold+coast1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXl2Nm38ZRTOvf72WU-g2s0vG-TB2jNObCtdvMpVp48Ivi797f4Cgb203rW8CflfK4CDMpizJ-zj_YKy0-4jjtlTOngkqEj47CpLc4s7635MRs5oGKzwWNAjXqwkRoLieIWCuwZPxXC6Wf/s400/gold+coast1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seagull is winning this war.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYuwWhpJHt-tsCEgZxOIgs1KCJyPhS3YNSEyp-SG_TX8aVhOa6vx7d7e_7EMmuIWspIa1QwzectnvfY5cvrLHFb4VCtxKkbJlBefBcaueXztv2vWyPElkC9hY2kaBuPY695cVQadPoe8M/s1600/gold+coast2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYuwWhpJHt-tsCEgZxOIgs1KCJyPhS3YNSEyp-SG_TX8aVhOa6vx7d7e_7EMmuIWspIa1QwzectnvfY5cvrLHFb4VCtxKkbJlBefBcaueXztv2vWyPElkC9hY2kaBuPY695cVQadPoe8M/s400/gold+coast2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVWBbKYJzPh5nST6JSX37AlDSqHNynsvWBhEF5jqRmXwYeMg1bW_sq540WfPynCgdaByVf5KflePIkUiZrwtoy_g_eccSb-8DIXCRDM0X0q7y1ayORkQk8vnGDxeN3zRMWqmQcI9uGn0F/s1600/gold+coast3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVWBbKYJzPh5nST6JSX37AlDSqHNynsvWBhEF5jqRmXwYeMg1bW_sq540WfPynCgdaByVf5KflePIkUiZrwtoy_g_eccSb-8DIXCRDM0X0q7y1ayORkQk8vnGDxeN3zRMWqmQcI9uGn0F/s400/gold+coast3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloiOQNoqUA_2I7VCmQ7UVE6g8BKufyjUGBKvk5rme31ZJK3rL4EYNsmTpdZC927vWq3XoG0ne3PQTE8jEBE6cgMsoQQdPtkCEYBKJAQ0kVq0gp1bR3ibtAOBMNN2R1accW66rttB_K7HO/s1600/P1040372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloiOQNoqUA_2I7VCmQ7UVE6g8BKufyjUGBKvk5rme31ZJK3rL4EYNsmTpdZC927vWq3XoG0ne3PQTE8jEBE6cgMsoQQdPtkCEYBKJAQ0kVq0gp1bR3ibtAOBMNN2R1accW66rttB_K7HO/s400/P1040372.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>In other news, I'm stateside in a week. Success!<br />
<br />
-Boyer.<br />
<br />
Song of the moment:<br />
Farther Along - Josh Garrels<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/FeJ2URNrozo">http://youtu.be/FeJ2URNrozo</a>R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-427954409196282134.post-64897164325521479992011-06-15T02:30:00.001-04:002011-06-15T02:31:13.193-04:0012 days till home. Oh I miss it so.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, while everyone keeps missing me, you should:<br />
1. Listen to this song:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MNJXflfneQo" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
2. Read this:<br />
Phillipians 4:4-7 (emphasis added)<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Calibri;" type="cite"><div style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"></span><br />
<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"></span><br />
<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29447" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Philippians 4:4-7</span></span></span></sup></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29447" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">4</span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29448" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">5</span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29449" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">6</span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-29450" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">7</span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</span></b></span></span></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></span></div></blockquote><br />
I miss everyone and can wait to see you soon.<br />
<br />
boyer.<br />
<br />
(exam 1 in 1 hour. Looks like I am studying realllllllly hardd......)R Boyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929971968011895763noreply@blogger.com0