Part 2 of The Middle of Top Ten

Part 3: >>>>>

• Set small goals... just follow the link to read more.
  
  [to read more]

~nugy

Top Part of The Middle of Top Ten

another response to Shonnie's "Top 10" - posted on 04.10.06

Part 2:>>>>>

• Having an option for divorce is a good thing. Now hear me out. Commitment holds stronger if it there is a choice to not commit. Between two people, having no way out could be a breeding ground for resentment that chokes the relationship. If a problem arises and you feel that you are stuck in a relationship, you may feel as a helpless victim, removing yourself, and removing responsibility, from a relationship that requires work in the first place. Likewise, if you believe that the other person has no other choice but to stay with you, then commitment has become your leash. You may become more careless and unintentional in your relationship. You may start to take the other for granted. Instead, if you view that divorce (legally or not) is a real option, but “NOT an option that YOU will choose” you’ll begin to understand what commitment is. You begin to understand what love is. I believe that God made us this way from the beginning. He could’ve made us love Him and disregard free will. But He didn’t. Instead, He sought us and is constantly showing us that not loving Him does not make sense. All the while, we know that God can choose to leave us at any time if He wanted to. He has the ability. But He said that He won’t, and He keeps to his word. We then cleave to Him because being apart from Him is not an option that we will choose… hopefully. Our commitment is now stronger. That’s why we were given free will. So, choose to love and choose to commit... constantly and consistently give them reasons to reciprocate that commitment and love.
  

~nugy

Top part of Top 10?

a response to Shonnie's "Top 10" - posted on 04.10.06

I'’m not creative enough to conjure up some new formula or format. I don'’t mean to plagiarize. The only reason why I procrastinated this post for so long was that your post already made included a lot of what I wanted to say...… and then some. But I want to say something. I'’ll work off of your words, if you don'’t mind. By no way am I trying to change your post. I only mean for this to accompany the list you made.

I would like to post this in a few installments.


Part 1: >>>>>

1. Remember that life in no way is about how you feel or what you do. It is, however, more about who you are to others (not just what they think of you)...… if you bring them truth, service, hope, peace, support, edification, love, discipline, guidance, praise, etc. into their lives. Find a mentor, find a friend, and find someone to mentor to. I call this the trinity of relationship. If you learn to understand life this way, your life will be lived more fully and with purpose. No one will be able to say otherwise.
   
   
2. Christ came and built relationships with people, we are called to be like Christ. We are also referred to as "“brothers and sisters"”, but it is still hard for us to understand. We'’re not to just “hang out”. We don'’t need to just place ourselves in close proximity to others. We are here to get involved and get personal. We need more people who we truly treat like our brothers and our sisters.
   
   
3. Rest assured that God is all glory. You can not, by any stretch, give Him more glory than what he already is. You can, however, recognize more of how glorious He is. Fear...… and take joy in the fact that you can, in some way, effect how others view God in His glory.
   
   
4. If you seek to find purpose in life... you will be left asking. If you ask in opportunities to serve...… you will be left waiting. If you wait for the perfect moment to act... you will be left wanting. Simple. Go, live life, and serve others. It's a good start.
   
   
5. Freedom is a privilege. If something was given to you for free, would you say that you deserved it more than the next person? Freedom is a duty. If something was done for you for free, would you say that they don'’t deserve something done in return for their innitial, unsolicited generosity? Freedom is a choice. If someone lives life wildly, recklessly… are they still not slaves to their consequences? Without freedom, who can be blamed when things go sour? Freedom allows room for error and responsibility... meaning you can freely choose right or wrong. Your freedom may not be eternal. Choose carefully.

~nugy

A List Before Dying (a response to Joel's Blog by the same name)

My good buddy Joel (www.drunkenrogue.blogspot.com) asked me last night, "what are five things that you want to do before you die". So I took a few moments and a drive to McDonalds to pick up 2 hot and spicy McChicken Sandwiches (only a dollar each not the Priemium Chicken Sandwiches which are like $3.50 and they're not even as good as the one dollar ones), when I came back to his house I had my five.

Today I read Joel's blog, and I enjoyed it a lot, however, it wasn't what I thought It'd be. I didn't understand the question as "What are the five events or locations you can't allow yourself to miss out on" before you die. I understood the question more as "what five things would I want to accomplish before I die. What are my dreams and goals?" Actually sitting and typing it out, I'm not 100% sure my list fits the criteria above. But I'm pretty lazy and don't want to have to write out a whole new list...

here's my list of 5 things I wanna do before I die... (and just to reassure everyone, I dont' think I'm dying any time soon, for the record...)

(I usually like writing top 10 lists or top 5 in reverse order, but this one is specail so I going to put the most important thing first.)

1. Lead Someone To Christ- This is the only one that truly matters. Living for Christ and His service and purpose is THE ONLY THING that will make our lives worthy or signficant. I'd love to be the instrument that the Lord uses to bring someone into His Kingdom by using me to share the gospel and that person accepting it. This is what we should be striving toward, by letting people see Christ in us by the way we love them and each other.

2. See My Child Born- I'm not a sicko, I don't want to see a random lady delivering a baby. I don't think that I could handel it. I'd poop and vomit on myself simultaniously. But if my wife is pregnant you better belive that there's nowhere else on earth that I'd rather be, than to witness our child being born. It'd be gross but nothing that I'd miss on earth. (Even if the Dallas Cowboys were in the super bowl I don't miss it... we'd just be playing the game during the delivary... J/J)

3. I'd like to be on a movie set from start to finish. I've worked as an extra, where I'll come in for like a 2 or 3 days, and I'm gone. That is really fun, but I'd love to be on a set for the whole production. I don't have any overt desire to direct or produce, which would keep me on the set at all times. I'd just like a job that has me on set for more than a few days. I'd like the opportunity to get to know all or at least some of the cast and crew.

4. I'd also like to open up a restaurant with Nguyen and other friends. I really want to work with friends for my life. It'd be like work and play at the same time!!!! Isn't that the coolest idea ever? I would be dissapointed if we all lived our lives to the ripe old age of 88 (or something) and didn't have some kind of buisness together (preferably a restaurant because A) we could eat our own food and B) we could stay up all night playing cards and making fun of Watson or Jim Yancy.

5. I'd like to attend The Academy Awards. That would be one of the hightlights of my life. I was going to put in this slot, (see one of every pro sporting events in the US.) But I've already seen an NBA game (I was pretty young but Dominic Wilkins winked at me...), and NFL game (the Saints vs Packers a few years ago, Favre trew 2 TD passes and had like 3 fumbles and on INT. typical Favre). And when I was a 5 year old Romanian Immigrant we went to a Philadelphia Phillies game. (Though, seriously I was too young to remember so it doesn't really count...) but the point is that I only lack hockey and major league soccer ('cause I'm not counting the WNBA as being a real pro sport). AND I've been to a Wrestlemania! So the Oscars are where I am setting my heart next. The Super Bowl of Hollywood, with all the left wing propaganda to boot.

So that's my list. Your turn Shonnie... I know you don't write a ton on here, but me and Nguyen will take up your slack...

dre :)

Josh Is Smoking Crack

Okay, about a year ago or more (time flys, but that's a whole different story) Josh and I were in Wal-Mart. I saw the movie Uncle Buck on sale for $7.50 and showed it to Josh, and he said "that's a good movie but it's not as good as this one". He then picked up another John Candy movie Who is Harry Crumb? (on sale for only $5.50) and bought that over Uncle Buck. The only logical conclusion that I can come up with (and I've been pondering it for over a year) is Josh Smokes Crack!

For more info on crack and it's addictive behavior check out www.crackisabaddrug.com. For more info on Josh check out tonights Theif episode on FX, (he's an extra on tonights episode and you might be able to see his face... lets keep our fingers crossed.)

Dre :)

Top 10

Well, I was going to post about last weekend and the extent of fun that was had, the joy of meeting the constantinescu parents, and the goodness of the harvest grain and nut pancakes at Ihop...but, since it's thursday and a whole new weekend is aproaching with it's very own excitements, I feel I have lost my window of interesting...ness.

I went to a Passover Sadar last night at the Wesley which was interesting. I very seldom allow myself the right of ritual (which may or may not be good or bad), so this was a good time to sit and realize the grace of God in my life which I will never ever fully grasp. While there, I was talking to a friend (Chad Brooks) and he challenged me to make a list of 10 important things. Now, I'm not exactly sure the manner of importance these ten things are supposed to reflect...but sometimes I think it's good to just throw caution to the wind and fill in the gaps in instructions to make it be whatever you think it needs to be. So, having thought about it I will make a list of things that I feel would be important to remind myself over time, words of wisdom, if you will, to the future me (that I will most likely look back on and laugh at the ignorance of). Anyway...here goes...

1. Remember that life in no way is about you. It is, however, about anyone you come in contact with...their joy, hope, peace, etc. If you learn to live this way, in turn your joy, hope, peace, etc. will be filled to overflowing.

2. There is no scheme, ploy, or innovative idea that will "win people to Christ". It is not a game. Christ came and built relationships with people, we are called to be like Christ.

3. Never forget that in whatever you do, the glory of God is your end. Success in business, friendship, and family is not good enough in and of itself...there must be the purpose of glorifying God behind all of your endeavors.

4. Take time to think. You could have a million ideas floating around in your head, but if you never give time to those ideas, they will never be anything more than ideas.

5. Never, as much as possible, do things out of habit or ritual. Always examine the reason behind the action and if you don't understand why you are doing something, take time to research and pray about the meaning.

6. You will never fully find out what life is about...stop waiting until you do. Take every opportunity that God gives you and thank Him for His mercy and grace if you screw it up. Most likely He's not going to say, "Oh, too bad...no more opportunities for you."

7. Freedom is a privilege, but not something that was won or lost in a battle in America. It was given by God, through Christ when He died for you. Even if all of the American freedom is taken away, you will still be as free as you were the day before.

8. You are just one member of the body of Christ. You can't do it all by yourself and remember that anything you do is not only a reflection of you but of your fellow members.

9. Confidence makes things believable. Be careful. You don't want to pursuade people on confidence alone.

10. Remember that you can't gain a closer relationship with Christ by only reading the Bible, going to church, or just gaining knowlege about Him. When He wanted to build relationships with people he didn't read about them or go to a seminar about them, He spent time with them. He wants to spend time with you.

So, there you go...my list to myself. Now Andrei, Nguyen....your turn.


shonnie