What to do?

I went to work this morning at the school, and the doors were locked. I guess I am off for MLK, Jr. Day. I really need to practice, but hey, I've just found two hours to kill. What to do? Well, obviously, I'm off to Edward McKay's. Sometimes the answers are right in front of us. Here's to brevity!

Another Arrogant Adventure (or How I Enjoy Taking Advantage of my Youthfulness as well as an Initial Update on the Holidays)

I had a very fine Christmas Season. I've never been a fan of the New Year's holiday, but the time off from work was nice. The time with the family was excellent. My parents made a deliberate and successful run at the family togetherness over the holidays. We went bowling one night (I lost to everyone, even my mom); we spent two (2) nights in our basement watching holiday movies. Two (2) nights! That's pretty intense for our little family. We ended up watching "White Christmas" (which is where the song was first introduced) and some Max Lucado film that wasn't quite as good, although perhaps the message was better. I really enjoyed the former, because the acting was quite swell and everyone danced. I guess times were just better back in the day. My family, on Christmas night, almost broke out into a board game, but we decided to save that as a goal for next year. The day that I left I had lunch with my very first friend in this life, Kevin. It was refreshing (and tasty, too! Thanks Panera!), and, as always, enlightening. Perhaps I'll bring this up next time we talk, and perhaps in another blog as well. I'll just leave some tidbits on which one may chew. Labels. We have them and we use them. What does it mean when you believe in Christ but do not wish to be called Christian? In addition, what does it mean when you take the label "liberal" (as in modern politics) without blinking? Well, to some, obviously taking the label "Christian" associates you with many terrible right-winged fundamentalists and would cause people to judge you unfairly while denying a common bond with millions around the world. "Liberal," however, allows people to judge you fairly, seeing you as you truly are, an open-minded, open-hearted carer of the poor, middle-class, and children (post-birth, of course); it links with you with millions of people across, well, just the United States really. Does this make sense?

So, Tim, Cass, and I went for a hike yesterday. I know, many are thinking, "Another hike with Tim the Trailblazer? What were you thinking?!?!" Yes, my friends, but this path was clearly marked, or so we originally thought, and Scooter would be leading this expedition. We hiked the Bald Eagle Trail, named for the sightings of the Great American Bald Eagle that nest around the lake. We didn't see any of those, but we did see a Great Blue Heron. It was pretty cool. The scenery around Lake Higgins (Bald Eagle is a watershed trail) was quite breathtaking and even magical at times. I imagine that in the autumn this trail would be a bountiful feast of colors. So, we get to the beginning of the trail, and it's looking pretty nice, you know, It's a three mile trail that has a little loop at the end and then we double back. Six miles, we got that, right?

WRONG. The trail was pretty nice, but then came the splits. The trail went two ways. "Which way do we go now?" said a terrifically timid Timothy. Cassandra, with her trusted sidekick Scooter by her side, declared, "Follow the white diamonds!" I thought to myself what an odd statement that was, until we saw them. Little trail markers that were diamond-shaped white pieces of plastic nailed onto the trees. It seemed, at the time, if you wanted to live, it's best to follow the man-made plastic. We trudged on and on for what ended up being hours. At one point, we passed an Asian girl jogging along the trail. At the time, Tim and I said our hellos and thought nothing of it. Cassandra, however, noted a strange smell in the air. It was....fresh. It was odd, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Moments later, a young Asian male passed. Tim was very tempted but very wise NOT to say, "She went that way!" Tim, an Orientalist at heart, somehow managed to control his wild thoughts. However, Cassandra, smelling again a fresh scent, stopped immediately. After some heated dialogue, Cassandra determined not only was it odd that two Asians had passed us, but they both smelled the same. It became apparent at this point that they probably had showered moments before going on a jog on a muddy biking trail. We pondered this for a few minutes.

At this point we reached a road, only to discover that we missed the loop, or that there was no loop; either way, the sun was setting and we were still about 4-5 miles from the car. I valiantly suggested we start back through the trail. Cassandra and Tim, the cowardly couple, decided to stick to the road and take the long way back. Outnumbered (as usual) I counted my blessings and started up the long valley road (which, ironically enough, was named "Long Valley Road."). We took note of the new housing developments, saw some Italian greyhounds (I believe), and had jolly conversation all the way. We made it to the real road at some point and started down the highway walking through other's yards. By this time it really was getting dark, and Tim knew his doom had come. Now, I cannot really speak much to this, as I had eye surgery a few summers back, so I also have trouble seeing at night. Nonetheless, mailboxes and ominous ditches of disaster lurked 'round every bend. Sooner or later, we knew it was bound to happen. Tim was following closely behind, and as Cassandra and I coolly made our way around a mailbox, we heard a loud, ringing "thunk!" I hung my head in shame. I needed not to turn around to see the mayhem that lay at my feet. Tim, glasses askew, lay in a shivering heap upon the grassy knoll.

We continued on our way, Cassandra holding Tim tightly as Scooter continued to lead the way. When we had finally reached our last turn, onto Hamburg Mill Road (as if I wasn't already hungry enough, suddenly I had a craving for Cookout). It was at this point that I looked up. By this time the sun had been long gone, and we were all alone in tiny Summerfield. I should clarify here: Greensboro is a nice town and all, but there is so much light pollution. It is very hard to see any stars at night; sometimes the sky is even pink due to all the light. It's very frustrating for one who enjoys such night visions. Summerfield, however, is not nearly as polluted. So, I looked up. The moonlight was so bright and beautiful, outshining all but a few stars. It was at this point that I reflected upon my life. I was thankful for the trip and the mishaps we had had. The long road home ended up being a blessing in itself. My friends, the stars, my health, that silly, silly dog--I was thankful of them all. We did make it safely back to the car, where Tim and I took separate turns "marking our territory" in the woods (I mean, come on! We hadn't used the restroom in like, 6 hours!). The drive home was peaceful, and believe it or not, we went hiking again the next day (although I'm sure Tim would like to tell that story and grant himself a bit of grace [he fell down a lot on that trail]).

Appreciate the life you have.

It's been awhile (or a while?)

Anyway, so, the semester is almost over. It's been pretty hectic since I got back from Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was pretty nice--I got to see some family and most of it was not that awkward. We decided as a family that we were going to try to actively engage one another (I've been reading too much Emergent literature) in dialogical activites. I think the first step (and we all agreed) is to just go out and do things as a family. Bowling was suggested. Now, it may seem weird that my family is having this discussion. At least to my recollection, we were never the type to break out the board games or sit around and watch movies together. Oh, we have in the past (more movies than board games), but it never seems to be a priority. We're no Rauschers, that's for sure.


Aside from all that jazz, school is almost over this semester, and really this degree is almost complete. One more semester and I'll have my master's degree. Yes, I will then be addressed as "Master Haggard." I think it's only appropriate. I remember the Xanga days of wondering what to do after completing my Bachelor's, oh so long ago. I can put off the real world no longer, I must seek a job. I'm not sure what to do, though. I'm looking into several things, including seminary (talk about putting off the real world), finding a paying church job, private school teacher, traveling musician and teacher (this is actually looking like the most promising at the moment), and other such nonsense related to music. I wouldn't mind spending some time professionally researching some interesting aspects of music. People have to sponsor you, though, and you usually have to have credibility and maybe even a real job. So I suppose I will wait and do what I can from my laptop.



I am finishing up a semester long project/presentation/paper on Lili Boulanger (1893-1918). She was 24 when she died. I'm 24 right now. She's considered the "foremost woman composer in music history." I'm not even close to anything like that. In fact, I had a dream last night that I was singing in a performance of her setting of Psalm 130. What a gorgeous piece. I mean like, just weeping all over the keyboard gorgeous. Right now, and I am discussing this in my paper, there's a debate over her identity, which is kind of odd. Some want to say she was this angelic figure, child genius who through the grace of God accomplished all that she did, in spite of her constant illness. Some say she was this conniving feminist who "played the game" to succeed where her sister, Nadia, failed to win the Prix de Rome (Lili was the first woman to win it in music, btw). Others say she was kind of a mix. Others say she was this mystic who was obsessed with the number 13. Who really knows for sure? Next the year all of her documents and correspondence will be released, and I hope that perhaps I may get a chance to look at them. Of course, I'll probably need to learn French and have to sweet talk a bunch of old lady feminists, but we'll see.

As soon as I'm done with this paper, I'm going to start applying for jobs. Whoo! I'd love to hear from you all soon. If I don't, Merry Christmas!

I'm out

I officially am at a loss as how to reconcile my faith and my politics. With the Democrats, I cannot bow down and allow the state to legislate love. Because, in essence, you can't. I do admire their fight to provide "rights" (which are not really rights at all) for the less fortunate. I think that's cool. I think it's a good thing to take care of the earth. I think it's always great to question something like war, because you can easily get carried away into murdering the innocent. War is always a horrible thing. It's an act of justice, and not so much mercy (although this is debatable). However, I can't move on the abortion issue. There are so many things wrong with the argument. Forgiveness is a great thing, but one must also pay the consequences of one's decision. The alternative is not an option. I've been reading (can you tell?) a book called "Jesus for President." Now, it's not a bad book, but it is very pacifistic, which may not necessarily be a bad thing. However, they brought up this argument for abortion (paraphrased):

You have to have a consistency in your ideas of "pro-life." Meaning you can't be pro-life and support the death penalty and war but be against abortion. If you are going to be against abortion, or "pro-life," you have to be willing to take responsibility for people's mistakes. You have to be willing to take in that baby that nobody wants.

Now, these are certainly some good things to consider. I agree, we should step up and be willing to bear another's burdens for the sake of the life of the child. However, HOWEVER, the alternative of saying, "No, I'm not ready to bear the burden, so I guess we will just have to kill it," is NOT an option. Even if I were the most hateful, unforgiving person in the world who preached up and down that all abortionists were going to Hell, it would still be wrong to turn to the alternative of killing the unborn.

With the Republicans, I have much sympathy. I was raised this way, and many, many people I hold dear to my heart are of this persuasion. I admire the moral values that Republicans push, although they may not always take them to heart. I do like less government involvement, because I think it is the Church's responsibility to step up and start caring for the poor and people who need help. Christ commanded as such. However, I am no longer a fan of the economic policies. I think it is ok to tax the rich. *Gasp* I am a supporter of the FairTax, though, which taxes what people spend, and not what they earn. Some Republicans, like Mike Huckabee, were of this thought. Not all of them are, though. The Republicans don't always offer solutions to the problems of the people. The "invisible hand" of Adam Smith is really not so invisible. It's my hand, it's your hand. Somebody has to bear the burden, and I'm willing to step up and be the Church to people. I think the Republicans sometimes allow greed to overtake them in an effort to sustain capitalism. I think perhaps this war in Iraq has gotten out of hand. Although I may not have acted as Obama will, it will be good to stop bloodshed, if only for a moment. It may prove to be worse in the long run, but let us pray for peace, as nations and as individuals, so that pre-emptive war may not be necessary in the future.

I don't know what to do. I don't know how to vote. I want to move away and be a nomadic Christian, wandering the world as it's not my home anyway. I have to make this disclaimer though: I am young; I am single; I have no children; no one relies on me to support their daily existence. I pray that God show me how to be holy in a culture so different in many aspects, but also the same in other aspects, than the culture in which Christ lived.

Because sometimes I can't keep my mouth shut...

Boy, circumstances sure can be difficult at times. Not necessarily in my own life, because it is a blessed life that I lead. I don't always understand why God does not choose to judge me here and now to give justice for undeserved luxuries within which I dwell. Christ died to make a way for me to overcome Hell, and I grasp that (as much as one can with such human comprehension). I sometimes wish my own conscience and my own standards for living (which I don't live up to on a daily basis) would be satisfied. God doesn't call us to our wills, though. Many times the standards we set can get in the way of God's own holy standards that he set so many years ago.

Bear with me as I recover from that last tangent. My brother and I had a conversation a couple of days ago, and the issue of our "rights" came up. What is a right? I know I say it quite a bit. It's used in politics very often. I recall the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." (http://www.ushistory.org/) And yes, it does say "unalienable," not "inalienable," I checked. It's a powerful statement. One that perhaps many would take offense to in our modern America. Nonetheless, I go back to my original question: What is a right? Well, according to our good friends Merriam and Webster, one definition of a right that I find most interesting is this: "something that one may properly claim as due" (http://www.m-w.com/). A right can be defined as something that somebody or everybody OWES us. We DESERVE these rights. Right? Okay, well, back to the Declaration--unalienable: "incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred." (http://www.m-w.com/) Now that is just fascinating.

Now, it's true that perhaps Jefferson did not mean EXACTLY what those definitions spell out. However, it seems to me that (at the very least, one person) some feel that they in fact DO have a claim, a due to their own lives that God owes them (is it not He that gave us these lives in the first place?) that they cannot deny because these claims to our own lives are INCAPABLE of being surrendered. There is no choice in the matter. Do you think I'm looking too much into this? Because I'm not sure that I buy that argument, if indeed that is what you are arguing. This idea of being born with "rights."

Do I believe God bestowed upon me the desire for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Yes, I do. I agree with Jefferson; I agree with Jefferson to the extent that these rights are only satisfied in Christ. God created us with a chance for new life in Him. God granted us liberty, we screwed it up, and then He gave it to us again with Christ (the law of liberty). Happiness can be pursued the world over and can only be found, CAN ONLY BE FOUND in God. Anything else you find that has a fleeting happiness is merely a distorted reflection of its Creator.

So, my very good friend(s), what does it come to in the end? I question your self-interest. I ask, what do I truly owe you? Do you have the right to make your own decisions? Sure, go ahead. Do you have the right to make these decisions regardless of the consequences? Well, I may try to persuade you, but it is your decision to make. Do you have the right to make decisions that do come with consequences, some you may even abhor, and then claim another right to abdicate them in the same breath? NO. No, my friend, you do not. Make your decisions, but then be prepared to accept the consequences. Otherwise, don't make such bad decisions. This is how we learn. THIS IS HOW WE LEARN. I feel like a Baptist preacher--I've got to say things like five times before you get the full effect. CAN I GET AN AMEN?!?!?!

No, I don't want an amen. I just want consideration. Please consider the effects your decisions have. Please consider that although you may have "unalienable Rights," other people have them as well. Your rights don't nullify someone else's. If we even have rights to begin with....

Christ said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." To the rich man (who thought he had kept the whole law), Christ said, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (NASB) Christ tells us to lay down our rights, to lay down everything and to come, follow Him. To throw down our own selfish ambitions, our own desires, our own natural and seemingly quintessential needs, and instead pick up a rugged cross and follow Him all the way to Calvary and on to Heaven. If you claim Christ, you have to let Him claim you. It's so hard to do this. It's so hard to stick to the path Christ paved. Make sure the things that make it so hard, like your pride, aren't still being carried. Let it go, and let the love of God supply the needs and desires you thought impossible to fulfill.

"Oh, you're single? What a tragedy!"

Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, after explaining some pitfalls and concessions of marriage:

"Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion..." (this next part talks about marriage/divorce of believers and unbelievers, an important topic but not entirely relevant to this post) "...Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who wa scalled while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not posess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things fo the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the thing sof the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 5:7-9, 18-40)

This is a tough passage of Scripture. Obviously, a good portion of this Paul talks about "[his] opinion." It's one of the few times that I can actually see myself arguing with Paul, as he admits his bias and uses it in his language (v. 37 especially). Sure, we have to take into account that Paul is kind of on his own personal soapbox here. We also have to consider the cultural stipulations in this context (the fathers giving away their virgin daughters and such). Obviously, the church in Corinth was having some issues with this topic. So how do I approach it? Well, I really don't know. One thing is for sure: I can't ignore it; I can't just toss this particular passage away. Admittedly, Paul "also [has] the Spirit of God." None can deny. So, what then? How do I apply these tidbits from a guy genuinely interested in my well-being (as a member of the universal church)?

Well, I'll tell you this much. It seems as though I go home for a week, and now a new standard has been set. When I would talk to my mom on the phone it used to be: 1) How's school?, 2) How's your health?, and 3) How's the finances?. Well, they're all ok, but number 4 has now been added: 4) What about that girl?. Well, folks, there is no girl, and then the follow up questions come. Oh, there could be a girl. I've had several offers, though most were not directly from the female in question. My guess is that yes, there could be a girl, but probably not for very long. Ah, well. I suppose I'm just venting some frustrations. If I had a son (whoa, slow down) I'd probably say the same things. "So, son, failed to woo a woman, eh?" That's exactly what I'd say. I guess my parents are just nice about it.

I do think a lifetime of celibacy is a gift. I think a lifetime of marriage is a gift. I think grace is an amazing gift. I think every single day, every breath in which my intercostals pull back and forth on my ribcage allowing air to rush in and out of my lungs is a gift. However, like so many gifts, I'm not sure that everyone who has it knows it. I'm also not sure that, just like everything else, you have to be 100% sure (or even 37%, for that matter) if you want to prepare for that kind of life. By the way, what is the difference between preparing for singlehood and preparing for marriage? How does that differ from constantly seeking God through the Word and loving other people? If it's alright with everyone, I'm going to work on my other issues (you have MORE?), like living my faith out through works, as James suggests. If marriage does come up anytime soon (and please don't get me wrong, I really would love to share my life with a woman who is after God's heart, I have no fleshly desire to be single, and if I've got "the gift" I am completely unaware), I'll pull out my Joshua Harris books once again (if anyone is prepared for courtship, I better be number 1) and try that whole thing once again. Well, with that said, I'll leave you with the thoughts of Rich Mullins (I don't think he realized that he had "the gift" either):

"It's one of the things I love about being single, everybody always goes, 'Oh, you're single? What a tragedy!' And I'm kind of like, 'Well, yeah, you know, from about 10-2 every evening it is a tragedy, but that time is a tragedy for most married people as well.' One of the great advantages of being single is you can still pick up hitchhikers. If you're married, you don't wanna get, you know, slit or anything, so you gotta, cause you got a family to support. If you're single and you die it doesn't really matter, so you're free to do anything you want to do. I love that!"

Reflections from a Tennessean turned North Carolinian on visiting Tennessee

My brother Kameron is a freshman at the University of Tennessee. That's a pretty tough statement to swallow. He's off going to class, taking harder classes than I'll ever have to take (ugh..chemistry...although he's never experienced graduate research methods...fun!). He is a nursing major from what I can tell, and he eventually wants to be that guy that puts you to sleep during surgery. From what we know, these people make some pretty good money. His first day was yesterday, and as I saw him on Facebook earlier, he survived. Hopefully I'll get his thoughts on college later. He let me walk around with him on campus this past Tuesday, and we had a pretty good time. I saw the buildings and some of the classrooms where he has class. Actually, his psychology class is where I auditioned at UT for an opera assistantship (I ended up staying at UNCG). His campus is much bigger than mine, so his adventures should be great, although most likely unsafe. But where is the adventure, truly yea, without the danger?

Saturday was the day we moved Kameron from tiny little Seymour to Clement Hall. It took us FOREVER to get checked in. We met Igor, the RA, and it took very little time to get all of Kam's stuff onto a cart and up into the room. We did have to wait a day und half for the elevators, but we showed tremendous patience and courage, for Kameron's sake. We moved around the furniture (it's pretty cool, his desk is connected to his bed like a bunk bed and it saves quite a bit of space) and I got to chill on his bed for awhile. It brought back memories of my time with Tim in the dorm. His place is set up to share a bathroom with one other room (his suitemates) so his bathroom will probably be much cleaner than my dorm's. Anyway, we had a good time. I think Kameron is really happy to be out of the house and "on his own." He is on his own in many ways, but he still has to depend on my parents for the monetary needs and desires. We all wish him the best of luck and keep him in our prayers and this new chapter of his life begins.

I was fortunate enough to see my friend Kevin (I've known him since I was 2) and his band play on Saturday night after Kameron settled in. It was really very thrilling. I saw many people with whom I had attended church so many years ago when I was in the youth group of Seymour United Methodist Church. I didn't get to speak much with anyone, although, because the place was very small and the music was very loud. AND I forgot to bring my musician's earplugs so I've probably lost some hearing, or I will in the future. Nonetheless, I had a decent time and enjoyed listening to Kevin's songs. I was driving back home that night to drop a friend off at his car, and we had an interesting conversation. Now, I certainly don't want to devalue his opinion, but I thought I would share something that I've been thinking about and struggling with for many a year. I always appreciate my many friends holding me accountable, and this instance was no different. I was told (and I paraphrase, perhaps even inaccurately): "I just don't think you're at the point where you can sit down and talk with people who have very different ideas from you and just be at peace with it. You seem to take personal offense to some things and are just not at that point to where you can agree to disagree. You just shouldn't limit yourself and your friendships to people who think and believe exactly as you do. The way you operate, the way you think, the way you talk and act, Logan, is different from most people (I took this statement as a compliment!), and some of your conversations (we talked about sin and Scripture) are just not applicable. Some people just don't live in that academic world." We debated back and forth for a little while, with some personal examples that I won't divulge. Here was (and is) my basic stance on these broad ideas: 1) Either you believe the Bible is infallible and "applicable," or you believe it is not. I believe it is both of these (both infallible and applicable). The whole "some things are ok, others are not," the "pick and choose" mentality, is another debate, but that's an extremely dangerous road, and I urge Christians to choose faith over a very limited human comprehension. 2) If what I believe is true, a few years on this earth cannot compare with an eternity in Heaven. Heavenly thoughts and actions would seem to hold much more weight. 3) I don't "limit" myself, I am free to choose Christ. Yes, I have friendships and associate with those who are not Christians. Paul says, "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world." (1 Corinthians 5:9-10) Paul means not to associate with fellow Christians who are living in sin. So, yes, I do hold my Christian brethren to a higher standard. Yes, since we have an agreed standard, I'm going to to pursue developing deep relationships with these brethren. You can only go so far with those that are a) not Christians and b) firmly against what you believe. 4) An argument was made that I have "shunned" people in the past for disagreeing with me. One particular situation was brought up, and I will say this for those who don't know what I'm talking about. It was a mutual hiatus, although it was made reluctantly. It was a good decision. After the hiatus was over, the other party decided that they would no longer pursue my friendship. That's what happened, although I'm sure there are other opinions. I am willing to be anybody's friend, but I will not stop those who don't want to be mine. That's(those are) my stance(s).

I also sat down with Kevin on two different nights and talked about everything under the sun (and above it, too). I really enjoyed our time together. Although we don't see eye-to-eye on many things, we still have a lot in common, and our personalities still seem to mesh pretty well. I wonder if it's always been that way, or we just had profound influences on each other growing up that molded the way we view life. When Kevin and I talk, it always shows me where I'm at in my faith, often times because I have to assess, explain, defend, and compare it on a fairly deep level. I am thankful for the life I've been given and the friends that I have.

Also, and this will probably come in a later post, I received a subscription to a "20s-something Christian" magazine from my grandmother. This entire issue was devoted to why I'm not married. Different articles presented these view points:

1) It's ok that you're not married, you are a good and special person. You just need to prepare yourself for marriage, unless, of course, you're one of those "gifted" persons (those single for life).

2) You're way too picky. I mean, look at yourself. You should consider those less attractive girls that may not agree with you on every little picky theological/Scriptural detail.

3) You're being irresponsible. Marriage and family are the most important relationships you will ever have. Your priorities are messed up. (After being asked, "What about those who seek their Master's degree?"): The Master's degree is just another excuse for putting off responsibility. That's what these 20s-somethings are afraid of: responsibility.

Ooh, good stuff. More on this later.