acts.1.eight

last night i stayed out late hanging out with jason stewart and kait.   we, apparently, had much to talk about.  about faith.  about the church.  about playing guitar.  about girls (mostly with regard to me).

we want to be better followers.  better disciples.  jason talked about the need to remember the truth of scripture.  when our days seem bad.  we need to remember what we’ve been promised.  who God says He is.  what He says He will do.

most of you know that i read a blog called dumb little man’s tips for life.   this week they had an entry about 12 things to do to jump start your life.  so i read it.  and there were a few things that i’ve already done.  i wrote down all the commitments, activities, and relationships that i have in my life and i’m starting to analyze them.  i’m trying to determine which ones are necessary (meaning i can’t get rid of them), which ones are essential (meaning i would put more time and energy into them if i could), and which ones are dispensable.  it feels fairly selfish, especially when it comes to relationships.  but i have been trying my best lately to reduce clutter in my life.  in my apartment, on my desk at work.  i think i need to do the same in my whole life.  if it’s just taking up space, why keep it?

the other thing it recommended, which i’ve decided to try, is to write a personal mantra.  now, don’t get worried about the hindu implications of that word.  dictionary.com tells me that it can mean a repeated word or phrase.  i suppose you could call it a motto, or something else, but i think mantra is kind of a cool word.  anyways.  the point is that you have this phrase that you use, that can apply to all things you do, that helps you stay focused on the things you want to stand for.  for example, wendy’s might have the mantra “healthy fast food.”  it’s short and simple.  and everyone in the company can know it and apply it to the way they do their job.  it keeps them focused on the mission of the company, without having to try and remember a lengthy mission statement.  so i decided to come up with a mantra for myself.  something that can help me remain focused.  that i can apply to all aspects of my life.  so i decided on this:  be His witness.  it comes from acts 1:8, which says, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in jerusalem, and in all judea and samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  i chose this, because i want to be a witness in all aspects of my life.  my job.  my commitments.  my relationships.  and i need to realize that it’s not by my own power that i do this.  but rather it’s the power of the Holy Spirit.  now, when i’m stuck at my desk at work, i can remind my myself, “be His witness.”  when i am frustrated with people, “be His witness.”  when i want to turn my alarm off and sleep all day, “be His witness.”

i think it fits in well with a lot of things that jason and kait and i talked about last night.  i want my whole life to reflect the fact that i follow Jesus.  i don’t want it to be limited to my church life, rather it should extend to my career and my hobbies and my interactions.

you live and you burn
twice this week, i have been asked by friends how the girl situation in my life is working out.  i do not mean that i have been asked about any specific girl, or any specific situation.  just how things are in general.  of course, my answer is, “no, i’m not seeing anyone.”  and then i explain that things are not necessarily conducive to a relationship right now, which is true.  and then i explain how despite the circumstance, i would really like to meet someone (and by meet someone, i really mean find a girl that i like who also likes me back.  this does not necessarily mean someone that i have not met previously).

i told jason about this last night.  about the conversations.  and he said that people ask me because they know that i am a good catch.  this got me thinking.  what does that mean exactly? a good catch?  if i am such a good catch, why has no one caught me yet?  it’s cheesy, i know.  but i started to compare it, in my mind, to fishing.  like say i am the fish, and the girls are the ones fishing.  fishing requires patience.  you can fish for hours and never catch one that is worth keeping.  the keepers are hard to come by.  and on the other side of the water is me, the fish that has no intention of being caught by just anyone.  i may swim past many lures, without even noticing.  i may nibble at the bait and realize it is not for me.  i am waiting for the right lure, the right bait, before i take the line.

go ahead, make fun of me for my fishing metaphor.  i know it’s lame.