Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Snowy Sussex

Jeff and I went on a walk at like 12:30am on Saturday night when it was snowing. It was so beautiful. I took some pictures, but due to the quality of my camera, they didn't turn out so hot. I messed with them some, but they are still not the greatest. These pictures definitely do not even come close to doing the beauty of that night justice.


Railroad Crossing

Light Post.

Railroad into Sussex.

Snowy Fence

Tree

Monday, November 28, 2005

Toilet Paper In My Eye


No that is not a metaphor for some deep thought I had. I actually got toilet paper (which for the rest of this blog will be known as TP) in my eye. Here is what happened.
I am cheap so i always use TP to blow my nose in. Except when I have a really bad cold or something and then I get kleenex with lotion it, but that is beside the point. The night of the incident I was using TP. Anyway, I ripped off a rather large piece and as I brought it up to my nose the end of it hit my eye. Naturally i blinked. What happened next still boggles my mind. My eyelid cut the TP when I blinked. Crazy right? Thats what I thought, but nonetheless I then had a piece of TP in my eye. It hurt. I tried to get Becky to pull it out, but she was afraid she would scratch my eye. I appreciated her concern. So I had to do the job myself. My first thought was to leave it. It took about 2 seconds to realize that wouldn't work because it felt like i had a piece of fiberglass in my eye. It itched. So I held my eyelid down and after half-a-dozen tries i got it out.
So that is my dumb exciting story for the week.
jeff

Underground Church

I know it's been over a week since Underground Church, but I was waiting until I got the pictures to do another post. The night went real well. We scared some kids real bad and they were all miserable. That was the point though. Being persecuted isn't supposed to be fun. In the end, two kids got saved and the kids enjoyed lookin' at our guns and what not. It was a successful night. Here's some pics of us and our airsoft guns.

While we're at it, let's rob a bank.

What?! The KGB aren't suppose to smile.


That's more like it.


Our sweet airsoft guns. Top: M-4 Bottom: MP5

Becky's baby up close.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Boy Meets World Quote--Week 3

"Awkward?! Mom, this wasn't awkward. Losing your gym shorts while climbing the rope--that's awkward. And BURNS! This was beyond humiliation--way beyond! This was, this was agubua." -Cory Matthews

In With the New

I'm 19 so why is it I think I can't pick up new hobbies? Let me explain. There have been so many hobbies that have fascinated me since I was in Jr. High. I've always wanted to learn how to snowboard. Learning to play guitar would be sweet. And my most recent obsession...I would love to get into photography. For some odd reason I have it in my head that it is too late to learn these things. The worst part? I've had this crazy thought stuck in my head since I was in Jr. High. I don't really know why. It's never really been a conscious thought, but it's always kept me from pursuing new interests. Maybe it's because the one thing I was always good at and wanted to pursue (softball) was something I started at a very young age. Whatever the reason, I'm done thinking that way.

Not only have I thought like this about pursuing hobbies, but I've thought like this in evangelism. Once again, let me explain. I feel like people (friends, family, strangers) in there late teens and early twenties who have fallen away from Christ will not come back. It's like their too old or something. I know, this is a crazy thought. But my thoughts in this area are so much like the ones above. It's not a conscious thought, but it makes me lose hope in reaching these people. I think I think this way because I decided to become serious about Christ at a younger age. But this by no means is any reason why people can't at a later age. I have no idea if I am making any sense. It is difficult to explain a concept I do not fully comprehend. It's the way my brain has been wired, but, with the help of God, we are rewiring it.

Back to the former. As I mentioned, photography is something I have recently become very interested in. I'm starting to see everything in pictures. I use to take a lot of pictures of me and friends, but now I'm more interested in objects and nature. I downloaded some free editing software (photoplus 6) and have been messing around with it today. I'm still trying to figure everything out, but below are a few things I've done. I'm hoping to get a photo blog started, but I'm probably going to wait for a digital camera before I take on that task. Anywho, here they are.

Wedding

Waterfall

Beach Sunset

Friday, November 25, 2005

The Church of Anything Goes

Daily Devotional from 11/25/05

The Church of Anything Goes. I had an epiphany a while back. I am tired of having to pray every day for the finances of this ministry. I am tired ofpeople sending me nasty and hateful emails. I am tired of warning people of God's coming judgment. So I decided to start a new church. It will be THE best church man has ever known. You will be able to come every Sunday and never have to worry about feeling convicted because of the choices you are making. You will never have to hear about things like sin, service, or sacrifice. No, you just come each Sunday knowing that nobody will ever judge you or tell you how to live because you will be at...THE CHURCH OF ANYTHING GOES!

I'm going to start this new church in Tampa, Florida where I live. I wasthinking about a good place to meet and realized The Church of Anything Goes is going to be so popular we won't be able to hold services in a normal building. So I'm going to call the Glazers who own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and rent Raymond James Stadium on Sunday mornings. RJ holds about 70,000 people and that may not even be large enough, since I have no doubt people will be running to attend services at The Church of Anything Goes. Within a year we will have branches of this new church in every city, town, and village in the U.S., and within two years, all over the world.

In planning some outreaches for The Church of Anything Goes, I came up with three right away. The first is an Adultery Pride Parade. I am so tired of seeing people who are only being themselves and have to have sex outside of their marriage being told they are wrong. After all, everyone knows 99% of the people who are married commit adultery. Everyone knows that people are born to have sex with multiple partners. I can't understand why people are so intolerant, so judgmental of others who aren't bothering them. Didn't God say, "be fruitful and multiply?" God created people to have sex so why are people so upset with people who are married having sex with people who aren't their spouse?

Those who have sex outside of their marriage have been made to feel shame long enough. It is time for them to "come out" and be proud of who they are. Why should anyone be ashamed of being an adulterer? A parade is the perfect answer. Marching up and down the streets of America, proudly proclaiming that, "I'm an adulterer!" Floats, balloons, marching bands, a real time to celebrate the joy of committing adultery. I can see this parade being broadcast on TV just like the Rose Parade on New Years or the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

The second outreach for the new Church of Anything Goes is going to bepolitical. I don't know about you, but I think it is a shame that in thisgreat country of such diversity, people who enjoy having sex with animalsare treated like second class citizens, denied their basic human rights,discriminated against. If you happen to love a pig and people at your jobfind out about it, you are most likely going to be terminated. If you tryto buy a new home for you and your chicken that are in a committedrelationship, chances are good that you will be denied. If your significantother happens to be a goat, they aren't going to be eligible for the samebenefits married couples receive. A man and his sheep should be able toadopt children! How dare states limit marriage to a man and a woman when a woman and her horse have every right to enjoy the happiness and fulfillment and full legal benefits of marriage.

No doubt one of the first outreaches of The Church of Anything Goes will be to help insure the legal rights of those men and women who by no fault of their own, were born to have sex with animals. In addition, we will start public awareness campaigns to help society be more tolerant. A good place to start will be in the schools, educating children through clubs andcurriculum that there is nothing wrong with people who choose to have sexwith animals. That is simply who they are, and just because you have a mother and father, some children have a dad and a goat.

The third big outreach we will have each year is Swap Days at Disney. The Church of Anything Goes will be a very popular church among those who like to trade wives and husbands. Swingers from all over the country can come to Disney one weekend a year and literally take over the facilities. They will book all the hotels and of course no need to close any room doors during Swap Days. They can go to the Magic Kingdom with their wife one day, visit the Animal Kingdom with their friend's wife the next, go to Epcot the next day with someone else's wife, the possibilities are endless. After all, even though Disney promotes itself as a "family friendly" theme park, we all know that as long as a group can bring them millions of dollars they welcome them with open arms.

OK, I better stop before too many of you start heading to St. Petersburg tohave me committed. Because I have been doing this for so long and know some of you may have taken me seriously, let me state for the record that I was being facetious. Let me now be very serious. As much as I wish The Church of Anything Goes was a fictional church, I am sad to say that it really does exist. Of course they don't have the guts to use that name, but in essence that is exactly how they operate. You will never hear about sin, how God expects us to live according to His Word, or about surrendering our lives to Him. You will only hear about how "God is love," and all you have to do it try, and that we all sin so don't worry about it, and most of all, do whatever makes you happy.

These are the churches that treat God's Word like a "nice book with somegood thoughts," but not something you should take seriously. These are thechurches where you will find gross sins like homosexuality, murdering babies, fornication, people living together without being married, and many others accepted and tolerated because they don't want to "offend" anyone.In these churches, Truth is not found in the Bible but is whatever you wantit to be. These churches tell people there really is no place called Hell and there are many roads leading to God. Such churches are an abominationto God and a stench in His nostrils!!!

I love you and care about you so much. Sadly, too many churches have turned into The Church of Anything Goes. Once we compromise the Absolute Truth of God's Word, once that Book stops being our final authority in all matters, it literally does become a church that anything goes because you are now left solely to the imaginations of men to decide what is right and wrong. There is only ONE TRUTH my friend, and that is found in the Bible. There is only ONE WAY to God, and that is through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

You may have found the first 7 paragraphs somewhat humorous, but if you go back and read them again they are actually very chilling. All I really didwas take the prevailing mindset of this world and how it actually operates.People who have chosen to live in gross sin DO have parades to express their "pride" in the sin they have chosen. People who sin DO make excuses for their sin to try and justify how they choose to live, even using God's Word out of context despite the fact they live in rebellion to that very Word. There really ARE tremendous political efforts underway and programs that exist to indoctrinate children in an effort to force society to accept as normal the sinful choices certain men and women make.

May we pray that in these last days the CHURCH, the Bride of Christ andGod's number one instrument of change in our world will not be like those 7 churches in the Book of Revelation, but remain true to His Word and the work of equipping the saints and reaching the lost. Now more than ever the church must rise up to be all God calls it to be as we share the Truth of His Word and the hope and love of Christ with this lost and hurting world.

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Motivation

You guessed it. I am going to be discussing my motivation as of late--or better yet, my lack thereof. I have been one of the laziest, least motivated people lately. There is no excuse. No punches thrown by life which have plunged me to this state. I just have no motivation. My life consists of going to class in the morning and coming home around noon each day. I have my weekly events scattered throughout the evenings which include computer applications on Mondays, House at Carruthers' on Tuesdays, D-Groups on Wednesdays, and Encounter on Sundays. But those days, from noon to whenever I leave for the evening, I sit around drooling in pathetic (to steal a quote from Cory on Boy Meets World). Yes, we have been getting more involved, and yes we are spending more and more time with people, but this has not helped. If anything, I feel as if I have been plummeting the last few weeks. This lack of motivation is not good. Even my school work has been getting pushed aside to play Mah Jong Solitaire or scatter airsoft BBs all over our apartment. No, I'm not anywhere near falling behind, but I'm far enough ahead to where picking up a book does not appeal to me. School work is not really my biggest issue; that would be left to my walk with Christ. That is the area that has been suffering the most due to my lack of motivation. Where is my walk? It has been growing faint and is barely visible at this point. The only Bible I read is what is assigned for class. The only prayer done is that in class and chapel along with a few of my own throughout the day. I have this passion for Christ inside, but it seems to have gotten lost in the shuffles of everyday life. I do want to know Christ more and have a deeper relationship with Him, but something's been missing. I don't know what it is. I feel like I'm rambling. Maybe I am. God is good. I love Him with all my heart. I am excited for the opportunities He is going to provide for Jeff and me in ministry. I am excited for what He is going to do in my own life. So why am I so reluctant to move forward? I'm just as stumped as you are. much love becky

Monday, November 21, 2005

Boy Meet World Quote--Week 2

It's only week two and I'm already running a day late on this. I will try to do better in the future. My most sincere apologies.

"Yeah I'm sqealing! That's the sound you make when your best friend takes a gun and stabs you in the back right in front of your eyes!" ~Shawn Hunter

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Underground Church

I just realized we haven't posted about this, and it's one of the most exciting things going on right now. We've been gearing up for a huge game of Underground Church with Sussex Wesleyan youth group. We went to Frenchies today and got the finishing touches for out KGB outfits. Matt and Ryan went to Maine to pick up the airsoft guns todays and, from what I hear, that made it across the border with them. I'll tell you more about everything on Saturday, after we play, but I will discuss the basic premis for the game. Pretty much, us leaders are the KGB and the student and a few other leaders represent the underground church. Our goal is to instill as much fear into them as possible (hence the black uniform, airsoft guns, etc) without actually harming them. As much fun as the game can be, it's just as much a ministry. It's just a small touch of what the persecuted church actually goes through. Hopefully, through this, students and leaders alike will gain a better understanding of what it's like to not be so comfortable in our faith. Like I said, I'll give you more detials and let you all know how everything turns out on Saturday morning or Friday night. And I'll hopefully get some pictures of it up soon after. Hope you all have a marvelous day. much love becky

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

I'm Pretty Much Psyched Out Of My Mind About This SNOW!

Yes, the flakes are getting bigger! I am so friggin' excited! Seriously, I think there's something in the snow because I am in the craziest mood tonight! I LOVE SNOW! And I feel like I'm in junior high writing notes because all of these darn exlamation points. But, hey, what can I say? Snow is GRRRRREEEAAAT!

Snow, Snow, Snow

I see snow on the ground and it's still snowing! I know I'm going to wake up to nothing, but it's real exciting for now. WOO HOO!

IT'S SNOWING

YAY! I love snow. I thought after spending last year in Warroad with that crazy amount of snow, that I wouldn't be such a fan. But I am. It's not much snow...yet. And it probably won't be for a few weeks yet, but the first flakes of winter in Sussex are falling. That makes me so excited! I got me some snow boots last weekend and it looks like I might be able to wear them soon. WOO HOO! I love snow. Poor Jeff...he has to walk to school in the snow right now because he locked his keys in the car earlier. But he likes the snow too. I'm just so giddy right now. I think there's something in the snow. much love becky

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Boy Meets World Quote of the Week--Week One

Ok, so we watch a lot of Boy Meets World. The first 2 seasons (hopefully more after Christmas) are a large part of our life. Because Boy Meets World is such a sweet show and we watch it a lot, we've decided to post a Boy Meets World quote of the week. Now you have something to look forward to every week on our blog besides reading about our ever so interesting life. We'll try to post a new one every Sunday. Enjoy.

"So, you went behind your best friend's back and stole the girl he was lyin' to." -Eric Matthews

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Logos5: Boston

We get to go to the area Wesleyan youth convention, Logos5. We were asekd if we wanted to help out with security and so we jumped on it. The convention and hotel is all paid for so that's a pretty sweet deal. I think the thing I'm most excited about is going to Boston. I've never been to the east coast (US that is). Now we have something to do over Christmas break rather than sitting on our butts in Sussex for 3 weeks. We're like pretty much psyched out of our minds about this. I've been sick all week and can't think so I'm gonna go now. Hope you all have a great day. much love becky

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

4450

I love this picture so I thought I would share it with all of you.
Sure there are bigger tractors, and I would rather front wheel assist.
But just ask Dustin Voigt and he will tell you this is a beautiful thing.
This is for you man.

SICK, SICK, SICK

Ya, you guessed it, we are sick. Both of us at the same time. Who would have thought?
Well I am not so bad off, but Becky hasn't been awake for like 24 hrs and I think it will be at least tomorrow before she is.
Oh well at least we can get out of class legitametly this way. Other than that God is good, and life is going great.
Hope you all are feeling better and having a great week.
jeff

Friday, November 04, 2005

Time to Vent

Ok, so we use to have these great nighbors that we both really enjoyed. As we would walk out the door leading outside, we could usually look down to our right and see James sticking his head out the window and smoking a cigarette. This was a great chance to talk for a few minutes and get to know each other. We only met his wife once, but she also seemed like a very nice lady. They had two kids, but we wouldn't know it except we saw them, but we never heard them.

Right now, it seems like everyone is moving out of the apartments here...all three buildings. I don't blame them. We would too if we could. Our nighbors above us who we occasionly heard being loud (but not bad at all) moved out. We thought this could be a very good thing. No neighbors above us would mean not even the occasional bit of noise. But, no, we were wrong.

Our neighbors across the hall from us (James and his family) moved above us. As great of across-the-hall neighbors as they were, they are horrible living-above-us neighbors. They're kids are consatantly running around, screaming, and crying. We can hear everything that goes on. I have a constant headache and I don't think I've ever complained about anything as much in my entire life. Even as I type this I hear a constant pounding coming from above. It's difficult to study and to sleep. This is a real small apartment, so it's not even like we can go into the other room to get away from it. It is a constant annoyance that is really getting to me. I've about pounded on the ceiling, yelled at the top of my lungs for them to shut up, and gone upstairs to tell them off. But, none of those are like me. And none of this is important to any of you, but I had to vent. I'm sure Jeff is sick and tired of hearing me complain, so I chose another avenue this time. Please pray for my sanity as I have very little left. Hope you all have a great day. much love becky