I'm in a little "nook" in the library. I go to the library to study/do homework maybe once every two weeks, so when I do it's a pretty special occasion and I stay for usually four or five hours. I really enjoy it, actually. The library atmosphere is extremely conducive to feeling like a college student and actually getting things done (as opposed to my room, whose atmosphere is conducive to taking a nap). Anyways, so I just finished a paper for Intro to Christian Ministry and am about to compile a review outline for my Philosophy test on Tuesday (dun dun dun...).

Anyways, I wanted to share this real quick - I listened to two Antioch podcasts and then a Matt Chandler one. All were good. I roughly typed up this quote from this podcast (that I highly recommend). It's paraphrased because some things spoken are really hard to convey written, but I think I got the heart of what he was saying:

"We have two options: we can retreat, or we can risk everything. There's no middle road. It's been throughout redemptive history that His people have had those two options. In Numbers 13 the people are on the brink of the Promised Land, and they start complaining and rebelling. They send out some spies and are gone for 40 days and came back with a favorable report. However, the other guys wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt, even though the land was RIGHT THERE. It's sad if you read this; Hopeful, but sad. Basically the people rebel and God is angry, so Moses intercedes on behalf of the people. He pardons them, and then He basically says this, "Everybody who's complaining, none of them shall see it. Nobody who retreated will see the Promised Land". So this is what I want to say: this is not a matter of salvation, of whether you are going to Heaven or Hell. It says the Lord pardoned them, and the Lord will pardon you if you choose to retreat. But the sad reality is He'll let you wander in the wilderness to die. There's a Promised Land, a massive inheritance just on the other side - it's within gazing distance. It's beautiful; and yet, here we are. We risk so little for the mission! We have our nice comfort zones, we have what we are willing to give up. But we still have two options: the option to retreat, and the option to risk everything."
-Caleb Gallifant (a guest speaker for Dwelling Place, the college service Wednesday nights at ACC Waco)

As I said in another post, I've been on this huge Caedmon's Call kick. I'm going to make a few CC  lists real quick. Except this time, the order is deliberate (I'm going to try my best!):

Favorite Albums
1. Caedmon's Call (self-titled)
2. 40 Acres
3. Long Line of Leavers
4. In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship


Favorite Songs
1. There's Only One (Holy One) (Where my Shepherd leads / Where else can I go / Who else fills my cup til it overflows?)

2. Faith My Eyes (Keep on comin' / With the lines on the road / And keep me responsible / Be it a light or heavy load / To keep me guessing / With these blessings in disguise / And I'll walk with Grace my Feet and Faith my eyes)

3. Thy Mercy (Thy Mercy, my God is the theme of my song / The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue)

4. Thankful (What part can I play / In the work of Redemption / 'Cause I can't refuse and I cannot add a thing)

5. Hope to Carry On (I can see Peter put away his sword / He won't fight no more / 'Cause Love has Come / And it's given me hope to carry on)

6. Bus Driver (What would you say / If I told you that I won't be by today / Would you say that I'm just a bus driver, what do I know)

7. Coming Home (You say You want a living sacrifice / Well I am a burnt offering / Crawling off the altar and back into the fire)

8. Not Enough (I find direction in east-bound clouds / And long for what they have / but when I step into its mist / The substance I cannot grasp / So I paint a portrait of You / As if You had human disguise / With oil and canvas to be clay / To open up their eyes / Like You opened up my eyes)

9. God Who Saves (There is life in the blood of the lamb who was slain / There is power, there is power in His name)

10. The Danse (Jesus dansed into the world singing his heavenly song / He taught the danse to those who would listen and learn as He moved along / But the steps of His danse led to a cross / where He died as the haters mocked on / But he dansed through death’s arms and over hell’s gate / and in three days dansed forth from his tomb)


Favorite Abstract/Hard to Understand CC Songs
1. Close of Autumn (In just the same way / the stream becomes swollen / Swollen with cold over the ground / When my heart draws close / To the close of autumn / Your love abounds)

2. Not the Land (This is not the land that was promised me / Near or far as my eye can see / I'm so wound up, I can't even breathe / I don't want words, I just want some peace)

3. Standing Up for Nothing (Lack of interest leads to / Lack of knowledge leads to / Lack of perspective leads to / Lack of communication leads to / Lack of understanding leads to / Lack of concern leads to / This complacency denotes / This approval denies the Truth)

4. I Just Don't Want Coffee (Something's changed today / What it is, I just can't say / And if I don't seem okay / Well I'm okay / Sue me, sue me / If I just don't want coffee tonight)

5. Stupid Kid (Daddy, it's Saturday / But I don't want to go outside / And mow the grass today / Would you love me just as much if I was just your stupid kid?)


That's it for now.