Ramblings of a Sojourner

Where to start, I''ve been quite busy. It's been a while since I've posted, and have yet to find a roommate. I put my engine, tranny, and performance parts up for sell and I've been getting calls like mad. I sold it last night for the requested $500. I can't believe the guy actually asked if I would drop the price. The core charge for a Ford 390, C-6 auto tranny, all the engine accessories alone would be more than $500, not to mention the brand new aluminum 4 bbl. intake manifold and edlebrock cam and lifter set. I almost laughed when he asked me that. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask though. Some girl also called on my truck. She seemed stoked, but I guess we'll see what becomes of it. I hope it sells quick so I can get a Super Duty for me, Andre, and Gabe's surf trip to Huntington beach here in a few weeks.

As far as work goes they have us working mandatory 10 hr. days. This wouldn't be so bad save the fact that it's in the 110-115 deg. range every day. That means that it's like 120 or more to me while I'm welding. I talked to my boss today and let him know that I'm going to MCC to get my welding certifications and wanted to know if I could buy my steel through the company. He told me if I was willing to go to school, he would buy the steel. Good guy. Also on the school agenda I'm going to be going to Seminary/Bible college through the Vineyard Leadership Institute. The nice thing is that I don't have go anywhere. They use the home church as a sort of satellite campus so you don't leave for 2-4 yrs., return and find that things have changed. You stay very involved in the church and are required to serve weekly and come up with some sort of outreach or something once a quarter. I'm really looking forward to it. I believe that God is really going to teach me a lot and better equip me for the coming years that I hope and believe will be in the mission field.

On a different, maybe deeper note. I was thinking about something today. The following would be assuming that there was a woman of great significance in my life. I was thinking about how when you find somebody like that, that you would do anything, or give anything for that person. If somebody told you that you could not have that significant other unless you gave them everything you had, all your possessions, all your money, everything but the clothes on your back. Would you? I imagine someone with many possessions might think twice, but not if that person was important beyond even their own life. I don't have many possessions, but what I have I still value. Even still I would give them all up. Now comes the part that is hard to swallow. More still like a knife to the heart. There is a God who lowered Himself to the standard of a human being. His name is Jesus and He died for us without question, without hesitation, even knowing the pain and sacrifice He gave it all. The greatest possession He had was His relationship with the Father. This relationship was the greatest thing on earth past, present and future. Nothing could ever be as great, wonderful, pure and holy as this relationship. Still Jesus gave even that up so that we could be ransomed unto the Father. What do we have that could compare? What sacrifices have we made that even stand in the shadow of such great love and great sacrifice? And yet we put our things which are worthless and perishable before our Savior eternal. We place ourselves and our desires above the One who's love for us was so great that it killed Him. How dare we, how dare I do such a thing. And then we see for a second how wretched we are when singing such a beautiful song like Amazing Grace. (Especially after knowing the story behind the song)

Lord I realize that you know my hopes and dreams and the desires of my heart, but I lay them all down for You and Your will and Your desire for my life. I don't know what that entails, or what direction that means I'll be heading, but I'll trust in You.