I went to Main Event primarily for social reasons. I figured it would also be a good time to worship God through music and hearing a lot about him, but I considered that it would simply be another advantage and not so much my focus. It turns out this idea was wrong. God totally used this weekend to tell me some things. One of the biggest is that Japan still matters and missions still matter and that if I’m not going, I better be staying for the right reasons. So I’m evaluating my reasons to make sure they’re legit and not excuses.

One of the other big things is the importance of spending time with him. Having been a Christian most of my life, it would seem like this should be obvious. I know about it, for sure, but so often it’s easy to put aside the simple things like spending time reading the Bible in order to run off and gratify my own selfish desires. That ain’t cool! I need to spend more time listening to him and talking to him.

My primary reason for going was also satisfied. Thursday night, I got to Kansas State and was able to spend a large amount of time with Allie and also go to Nav Nite. The time together with Allie was wonderful. God gave us some good opportunities to talk and he certainly answered some prayers.

I really enjoyed seeing my other friends as well including many from this summer like Engle, Larry, Leslie, and others. I saw some friends from Nebraska including Cora, Jake, and Double-J. There’s also Jenny who somehow seems no longer a Nebraskan while she’s wearing purple, but is certainly not somebody I would consider a “Wildcat” yet. But she’s a friend, so the color doesn’t matter.

As soon as I finish posting this, I’m gonna get ready and drive up to Lincoln and spend the rest of today there before heading home tomorrow. Yay for that!

This is me signing off. G’day.

Tags: Allie, Cora, Double-J, Engle, Jake, Jenny, Navigators

It’s incredible how much more important the whole concept of communication becomes when you’re in a dating relationship. The thing relationships and communication have in common is a requirement that two people be involved. One person says something and the other person listens.

I reread a large part of Joshua Harris’s book “Boy Meets Girl” today (during work — we couldn’t develop film because our machine was broken), and one of the chapters focuses on communication, rather than kissing, being the primary use of lips in a relationship (he’s all into the courtship terminology, but it applies all the same to any sort of boyfriend/girlfriend relationship).

So, the question is, what did I learn? I could recite the five principles he outlined, but I’ll tell you in a different form. This also includes other personal thoughts that may or may not be included or intended in what Harris says in the book.

To communicate affectively, one most realize that communication stems from what’s going on inside the heart. If bitterness and hatred exists within the heart, it’s gonna jump up and make itself known through the things a person says. If selfishness has its ugly grip holding tightly to the heart and sucking the life out of a person, then the person’s gonna have trouble being unselfish in words and actions.

In order to communicate, it’s necessary to listen. You can’t always talk. Note, however, that you cannot always listen. Sometimes talking must occur. Sometimes to let somebody know what’s really going on, you gotta be honest about who you are and tell ‘em what you’re thinking. Even tell them what you’re feeling — as frightening as that may be. It’s easy to be dishonest when you’re not talking about what’s really going on in your life by hiding on the inside. (I’m not saying tell everybody everything ’cause that’d just be stupid — it talks about that in Proverbs somewhere — I’m just saying sometimes people gotta open up and let others know what’s going on!)

Communication isn’t happening if there’s never any conflict. If you’re communicating what’s really going on to another person there’ll be conflict sometimes and it’s okay! You gotta learn from it, work through it, see what’s there, and address the _real_ problems instead of pretending they don’t exist.

Motive matters. Right things, right reasons, that whole concept. If It might be a great technique to speak with the tongues of men and angels, but if it’s being done for the wrong reasons it’ll end up hurting both people more in the long run than stuttering truthfulness.

Luebbe and Cora, this one’s for you! Guard your heart. Hmm… we’ve had this discussion before, I think. You know what I mean. Yeah, you know. You know!

Ok, sorry for the sidetrack. Mostly, I’m just typing this out to let y’all know what’s running around up in my head as I’m still trying to figure out what it’s telling me.

Tags: communication, Cora, dating, Joshua Harris, Luebbe

Hey, what’s going on?

A lot’s been happening lately. Busy, busy, busy. Except, of course, for the long reading breaks I take. Lately, my book reading has involved The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. It’s an epic fantasy novel of immense proportions. The paperback is over 800 pages long, and this is only the first of over a dozen books. Unfortunately, I only own the first one, but that’s where the used book shop will play into future plans.

Last Saturday was a busy day. Navigator’s had a Fundraising Banquet around noon that my parents came to. After it ended, I talked to some people I know including a few UNL Nav alumni and friends. My parents left to head back to the hotel at that point.

Later Saturday evening, the Navigator’s 2004 Formal occurred. Good times, of course. We had a large group this year: Amy H. and I, Phil and Rachael, Double-J and Lauren A., Cora and Nathan J., Jake, Jenny, Tracy, and Hank. For dinner, we consumed food at The Olive Garden. They have excellent breadsticks if you were wondering.

The dance itself was great fun. Latrice deejayed with assistance from Steve and a few others. At my request, they played P.O.D. - Rock the Party. It was one of my favorites of the night ’cause it gives all the guys a chance to rock, jump around, and pretend to mosh. (Real mosh pits are much more painful, or so I hear.)

Amy and I both had a lot of fun. This year’s formal was different from the last two because there seemed to be less pressure and a lot of that is simply due to my own approach to the event. It went as well as and better than I had expected.

Today, I’ve got to rewrite the five page paper I messed up last week (wrote on the wrong topic). Thursday, I’ve got a fifteen page paper due. Basically, I need to start researching, forming ideas, and writing. Pray for me, please. Latez!

Tags: college, Cora, Double-J, Hank, Jenny, Navigators, P.O.D., Phil, Robert Jordan, The Olive Garden, Tracy

… if I tried (da da na da da na…)

Think Smashmouth remix. Yeah, you hear me clucking, don’t ya?

Java Love was tonight. Beforehand, I went to dinner with Varvel, Cora, and a bunch of other girls from the thirteenth floor. That wasn’t the only thirteen involved seeing as today (or at this point yesterday) was Friday the Thirteenth. I like the number thirteen, and today proved no exception. Dinner was great after we finally got seated.

We showed up late to Java Love. The speakers I saw (the last two sets) were what I’d expected. Not a bad thing, but I’ve heard it plenty of times by now and I’m still single, so in some ways it’s frustrating to hear people talk about being single and using that time to pursue God. Well yeah, I know I need to seek God. Perhaps I’m just more interested in hearing about how people got through the time without going INSANE and made it to the next stage instead of hearing all the little rules and regulations they set for themselves on the way. Well anyway, this isn’t a well-crafted exposition of my thoughts on the issue, but you get a hint of the flavor.

The dance was super-sweet. The songs weren’t bad, but they were definitely heavy on the oldschool DC Talk and Newsboys (think Luv is a Verb from DC Talk and lovelibertydisco from Newsboys). They played a few harder rock songs (Tait?) that were great for jumping around and headbanging. A few country songs for swinging. Some other swing, ska, miscellaneous. A few slow songs as well.

All I’ve gotta say is I need to put together some good grooves for this year’s formal. A couple T-Bone tracks, a little bit of L.A. Symphony, KJ-52, John Reuben. On the rock side, I’m not sure what I’d throw down. Maybe I can talk ‘em into one hardcore/emo song that Soper and Perez can mosh too and I’d definitely be moving around not really knowing what to do but enjoying myself anyway. Switchfoot would have to be included for Sean. Rawkfist by TFK? Who knows. Now I’m rambling. Other ideas? Leave comments. I’ll have to find out who is doing the music, but I’m sure I can throw a couple mix CDs in their direction.

Well, I shall now depart. Fare the well, kind ladies and gents.

Tags: Cora, dc Talk, Newsboys, Smashmouth, The Varv

Last night was only the second Nav Nite I’ve been to this semester (out of three). I enjoyed it quite a lot. More than anything, I enjoyed being around my friends. I got to sit next to the venerable Jesse Luebbe and the wonderful Cora (both of whom are featured prominently in the quotes).

At dinner yesterday I discovered that I could interpret Jesse’s expressions to a third party. I was amused and so was he. I guess that’s one of the benefits of living around a person for so many years.

Nav Nite Message Summary: Don’t waste the opportunities you have, because life is short. Live for God and tell others about him.

After Nav Nite, six of us packed into Misty’s car and headed down to The Mill. Didn’t get anything to drink (I figure on being broke until at least 2007), but I played cards with The Varv, Cora, and Brian (an Edge member visiting from UNK). Brian and I ended up winning in a “winner-takes-all” hand playing 10-point Pitch.

After my initial dissapointment with having to take another three credits of arts/humanities to graduate, I’m not too angry about it. In all honesty, it’s a mistake of my own that caused me to still need that class. I’ve still got to hammer out the details, but I’m hoping they’ll still let me go through the ceremony in May, then I’d take a three week History of Rock & Roll class, and then Florida for a Navigator’s Summer Training Program.

I’ll let you know how it works out. (And maybe those CDs I ordered in December will finally get here today!!!)

As a final piece of joy and cheer, I leave you with the newest addition to the quote database: “My purity today has been compromised by a naked orange.” - Jesse Luebbe

Tags: college, Cora, Luebbe, Misty, Navigators, quotes, The Mill, The Varv