Friday, December 31, 2010

Year in Review 2010

A LOT happened in 2010, and I am sure I will probably miss a lot, but here are the Bullet Points. (In no particular order.)


1) Deepened my relationship with Kaci
2) Learned more about what it means to be a man of God
3) Switched to Westwind Church (Part of depening my relationship with Kaci)
4) Started a Blog
5) Started a larger accountability group
6) Became a Connection Group leader at Westwind
7) I was in my first Play/Production (tons of fun)
8) Got Engaged
9) Got Married
10) Got a new apartment
11) Met a ton of great Men
12) Had an AMAZING honeymoon
13) Increased my love for beards :P
14) Saw/hung out with my Brotha man.
15) My mom stayed with Kaci and I.
16) Saw my Wife officiate the wedding of my Brother-in-law.
17) Got a GREAT new job.
18) Screwed up a lot.
19) Combated my pride (still doing that)
20) Learned more of what it is to be a husband who is a “Servant Leader”

Thank you Jesus for the great 2010, I am looking forward to see what 2011 has in store.


Sincerely,

Ryan





P.S.

Preview of 2011 possibilities:
Pitter Patter
Good friend (Travis) getting hitched
Me sitting at the head table
Kaci and I falling more in love
More of my screw ups
Loving Jesus

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Oh, Job

I started a “Read the Bible in a year plan” on December 21st (I wanted to finish before everyone who starts on 1/1/2010 :P). I chose to do the Chronological plan because I thought it would be neat to read the Bible in the order that the events happened. So right around Genesis 12 the plan takes a diversion to the book of Job.




I was a little slow this week so I decided to get a head start on the reading plan, (I am now about two weeks ahead) so I read the book of Job in about three days, and I actually found it fascinating and beautiful. So here is a quick synopsis and my thoughts of the book, please keep in mind that this was not an in-depth study, and I am by no means a Bible scholar. (I read the HCSB version, you should check it out).




The books starts out with God and Satan talking, Satan just came from scouring the world, and God says something to the effect of “Hey man, did you see Job, he is a pretty awesome servant of mine” and Satan is like, “Psshhh, whatever man, that is just because you have blessed him, I mean who wouldn’t love someone who gave them all this sweet stuff”, so God says, “Fine, you know what you can test him. See what happens. But, you can’t harm Job, you can do anything you want otherwise.”




So Satan proceeds to kill all of Jobs son’s and daughters and take all of his possessions, (and Job was pretty much the “Bill Gates” of his time. But guess what?? Job doesn’t curse God, instead he honors him more. So then God dial’s up Satan and is like “What’s up now!” then Satan is like “Well you didn’t let me touch him, I mean your are really cramping my style man”, so God is like “Fine! You can touch him but just don’t kill him”.




Satan then proceeds to inflict Job with sores, and all sorts of medical badness, but doesn’t kill him.


What Job's arm may have looked like... I know, gross!


Here is where the story shifts gears. Job starts complaining to God, he is like “God, what the heck? I did everything you asked me to do and I am getting inflicted with all this nastyness??” and so forth, he still loves God, but is trying to figure out why God appears to be punishing him.
Job has three friends who respond to Job’s complaints, and they all pretty much have the same answer, “Well you must have done something to upset God, I mean, God only punishes evil people. So somewhere you must be evil.”



Job’s response is something like, “Well I have seen some evil people prosper, if only for a little while, so I don’t think you can say that God only punishes ALL evil people”



And it goes back and forth for a while, but Job’s last friend finally lays it all out. He says something to the effect of, “Job quit lying bro, you did some nasty stuff that we don’t know about, because I know God is perfectly just and He wouldn’t do something like this to a perfectly good person. Give it up man, tell us what you did.”



At the end God himself jumps in, taking the form of a tornado type thing. He tells Job that he did well, and tells his friends that they have sinned by putting God into their form of “Justice”, and might I add God has some pretty good points. He talks about “Behemoths” which I can only assume are dinosaurs, and how he made these huge creatures that eat grass, when they could easily hunt and kill smaller animals. He also talks about how humans are able to tame and control these large Oxen, which are much larger than humans and should not necessarily have to be subject to them. So God points out that He has ultimate wisdom and justice. (I would note that I may be totally wrong on what God was trying to convey to Job there)



I would have to agree with God, I mean there is so much on this earth, the way it was created and/or evolved that just doesn’t make sense, and that we don’t know anything about. Like the oxen, why don’t they take over the world? Additionally I would like to point out that God’s form of Justice is very different then our own. For example in the early days he would punish and entire line of descendants for the mistake of one of their ancestors (aka Cain), and that doesn’t really seem fair to me, but it did to God so I’ll take it. Plus there is so much that our minds just cannot comprehend, like “Eternity”, or how time is relative to the speed of light.



Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that God is how we explain what we can’t understand, because I think that through science/math and observation we can learn a lot about the universe, however, I believe that God is bigger than all that and God is one thing we may never be able to fully comprehend.



One day when I sit with Jesus perhaps he will tell me, but if not that’s ok too, as long as I get to be with Him.



Love,
Ryan

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Hero

I’ve been thinking for a long time that we don’t have many “good guy” hero’s in America anymore. They all seem to have a spotted past or seem to screw up often. Now are the hero’s who have a jacked up past more realistic? sure, but I think that we all shoot for an ideal, and kids look to role models to be (or “model”) that ideal. In most cases when you shoot for an ideal you will fall short, so I think that it is important that when an ideal is presented the bar be placed high so that even if you do fall short you still farther than you would have been had the bar been set lower. (ie: Having a goal to jump 10 Feet. If you fall short at 9 feet you still would have made it farther then if your goal was 8 feet and you fell short.)


The best example “hero” that I can think of is the “Watchmen”. Now I have only seen the movie, and have not read the graphic novel, so that is what my opinion is based on. Each one has his own SEVERE issues to deal with. More than one are murderers, one of the older Watchmen is portrayed as a rapist, one is a work-aholic. While I was watching the movie I was having problems picking sides. I mean who were the real bad guys?


I do believe in redemption, in an opportunity to become more than what your sin once made you. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross so I don’t have to carry the weight of my past sins; I believe that his sacrifice covered my sins, and can cover all other’s sins as well. With that being said I would not “aspire” to be a sinner simply so Jesus could save me. That is not what I want for my kids, I want my kids to have hero’s who learn from their mistakes, hero’s that don’t break the law, hero’s with integrity, hero’s with honor, hero’s that choose to do right instead of wrong.

I want to be a real hero to my children, and point them to my hero Jesus, but I think about the growing number of young boys who have no father, who is their hero? Who will they look up to as an ideal? With as much TV as the American youth watches it will be what the media puts forth, and those ‘hero’s’ are looking more and more like villains.
Until Next time
Ryan

Friday, December 17, 2010

Dudes

Lately I have come to realize how awesome some of the dudes that go to my church are, and thought you should know about them too.








Travis : Travis and I have known each other for a little over a year, we met through Kaci and Battlestar Galactica. Shortly after meeting we became accountability partners and quick friends. Travis started dating his now fiancĂ© Sarah shortly after Kaci and I became “official”. Travis and I have enjoyed the ups and downs of our relationships together and he has always been there to punch me in my man parts when I screw up. He was also a founding father of Beardenzia. I will be standing up for Travis at his wedding, just as he stood up for me at mine. Together we are sharpening one another as the verse in Proverbs goes. I am truly blessed to call Travis my friend.



Ryan Tow This is one of the most selfless people I know and a great man who leads by example. He has a family of three young children, and recently took in two foster kids. He is an elder at Westwind, and has led a Bible study that outgrew his house and had to multiply. He is one of the nicest men I have ever met and a guy who I often seek advice from. This is a man who leads by example, plain and simple.



Brother Minister Barker This is another guy that I go to for advice, (although I don’t always take it :P). He was with Kaci and I through pre-engagement counseling and is a great shepherd leader. He always makes sure I am equipped to lead my own Bible study, and reminds me often that it is ok to “say no”. He has also spurred me on to pursue Biblical Manhood, and is always at the church offices at 6:15am every Thursday for “Men’s Fraternity”.



Derek Martin: A member of Beardenzia, this Man also pursues Biblical manhood. His authenticity and ZEAL to get closer to God has been a great example for me. He also has a great somewhat subtle sense of humor. Also Beards.



David Khak Lam: This Cop from the rough streets of Vietnam (by way of China) is a man after God’s own heart. He is willing to open up and share his struggles with me and is always asking for advice. He also opens up his home and allows me to do laundry there FOR FREE on Sundays! Dave has also served as a great example of leadership. He is constantly challenging the men around him to grow closer to God and reject the sin they may have become accustomed to. He is also nice enough to record the UFC for me (since I don’t have cable). Dave is also a great example of hospitality, he has opened up his home to Derek and Travis, and there will be another guy moving in this winter. Besides having almost three roommates, Dave is constantly having get together at his house, this has built community in our connection group. Dave is a great guy, and single (ladies??).



Ben and Tyler These guys recently joined our accountability group (which is now, Travis, Derek, Ben, Tyler, and myself) While these gentlemen don’t share the same nerdy interests as Derek, Travis and I we do share a love for Jesus, and they are constantly authentic and challenging me to grow closer to God.



Anyway, that would be a brief overview of some of the great dudes I have met at Westwind Church, I look forward to getting to know them and sharpening them as they sharpen me. There are a TON of other guys that go to our church who are amazing, I just picked these few because they have had the greatest impact on my life.



Until Next Time,



Ryan