Ramblings

It's been a week since my last post, but I would like to continue to try to blog every day. I was going to last night, but then...didn't. Kim and I started the financial peace university class at church. One of the verses we heard during the first lesson was No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11). That's what this blog is all about: the unpleasantness of disciple, but the harvest of righteousness and peace once I am trained in it. Discipline is hard for me, easy for others, but through hard work, my life will be more peaceful. I'm looking forward to starting class in a few weeks. That will be a struggle again, and I will need to work hard to keep my grades where they should be. Shane has told me that there will be some classes that may suffer and I may only get a B in them. The once I sacrifice for I should be able to get an A. I'm shooting for all A's. We'll see how that goes. Eventually, I'd like to pick a topic to blog about and then start blogging. I'm not sure I am learned in enough topics to do that every day, and I don't want the blog to be all about my opinions and views on different matters. Maybe a blog will take a couple of days to do research on. I need to get out of this rut. TV is not important to me anymore and I think I can get away from it. That, again, will be a struggle, but I really need to set a better example for my kids. My parents are frequently on my mind. Not sure why I struggle so much wil talking to them. Do I still harbor anger or a lack of forgiveness? I'm 40. Is that still possible? I really should call to see how they are. Lunch is over. Back to work. Think of topics. Get steeped in the Word. Change the world. Give the glory to God. Mark 9/25/12

Day 3--Three and a half years later

How is that even possible? I started this blog three and a half years ago and then quit after two days? Incredibly ironic since I started it as part of my attempt to be more disciplined. I suppose it was because I was continuing to write in my old blog. Even worse, though, I don't think I am that much more disciplined than I was three and a half years ago. I tried to think of ways to begin to become more disciplined and blogging came to mind. It stings a bit when I hear people say that people "just don't ever change." I disagree. People change all the time through the power of Christ. Unfortunately, I haven't changed much. Let's see. What has happened in three and a half years? Well, Noah was barely two and a half back then. Still a toddler. Colton had just taken his first few drum lessons with Jim. Gabrielle would've been only been seven and without glasses or braces. She's become quite pretty as she gets older. Kim and I have finished the Discovery Series discipleship program and I have finished a few semesters of Bible college. It appears I began an application in early 2010, but would not restart it until 2011 after a bit of a push from my friend Tom. I received a letter recently stating I had been accepted into Moody's Biblical Studies degree program (Sept. 13, 2012 in case I do not write in this blog again for a few years). I had a short coughing fit when I read the first few lines. I'm still kind of negative and thought that the possibility of not being accepted was very real (perhaps it was; I'll never know). I'm going to ramble for this first post in three years. There is lots of stuff that's been on my mind. Most of it is not incredibly important, but I'd like to get it out there and maybe work though it through my writing. I know that I would like to blog for years to come since I like to write and I like to have reminders of what I have learned. I'd also like to keep track of what scripture I have read and if I learned anything. I can be a slow reader. I just finished Matthew after a couple months of starting and restarting. What did I learn? Not sure. I should've taken notes. Mark is next. Even if I read just a few verses, I'd like to log it here, in my online journal.