food for fish

I am exhausted. You know the feeling, where you just kind of sit down and stare off, and absolutely nothing goes through your brain, that�s how I feel, except that this is going through my head. I would go to sleep, but I�m kind of stuck helping some friends out in there cell store, I have vowed to never work in retail. I�ve often told myself things I would never do again, but I do� I said I would never take a 6:30 in the morning class again, and I did, twice. I said I would never take a Saturday class, and I did twice. Why do I do this to myself? One side of me is like, okay sure, I�m not doing anything anyway, and why don�t I make some good use of it! The other side, NOOOO, I don�t want to do anything� but then I feel lazy.

Here are a few past entries I would like you all to read, they are entries I posted because I wanted to hear back from people, but I never did, or I just want more (i'm greedy). That seems always the case with the ones I really want to see comments on. But whatever, in the end none of it matters, it�s just nice to hear from people, get other people�s ideas and input; I don�t want this to be the Travis show. Oh wait, than what�s the point of a blog? Okay it is the Travis show.

Rethink
Who's in control
The boy
Proverbs 12
The boy now
This Generation
Just wait

So, tell me what you think, what's not good, what is good. Hopefully this provides enough reading for a while, so I can catch up on my sleep. I'm excited for tonight, I get to hang out with a really cool friend, he's my partner in crime, and he absolutely rocks this world!

Oh yeah! Don't forget to check out the entry before this one, it's got my birthday list on it, can't forget that!

I'm feeling particularly good tonight. I had a regular Thursday routine but it was good. First I woke up at the God awful time of 6:00am, but got out of bed at 6:45, 15 min before I was to be at work, which is a 20 min drive. But at least I got to work closer to the start time rather than the end time.

All day at work, I was tired, CRU was incredible last night but as usual we stayed up late, I love hanging out with all those people, it's so uplifting. As I was at work, I tried to remember to do everything to honor God, but I realize I am so human, it is so hard to be cheerful at everything you do, especially when you��re tired. But when I am unusually polite and patient with someone, it is so worth it! Because I��m the youngest person at my place of work, a lot of times I feel under appreciated, this is that selfish thing in me telling me I'm worth more, but in all reality none of that matters, that is gratifying. I still get upset over it, I want to be recognized, but I know if I truly work for the LORD I will be recognized, where it counts.

I had a really boring, semi-informative meeting today during work, the speaker was so passionate about his job, I kept thinking, wow, this guy really enjoys his job... thing is, he does almost the same thing I do, except he's thirty something and has even more work to do. Then I realized why I'm so sick of my job, I'm bored to death, I'm so bored I don't want to do the little things, so I don't. This in turn makes people think I'm unreliable, which I guess I am to a certain extent. I want to be a person of integrity, but it is so hard when I really hate doing what I��m doing, I'm not learning much right now, I just want to learn.

It was really sad to hear that Mr. Rogers died, that was a serious wake up call for me. Mr. Rogers was an intergral part of my childhood, this was truly a sad day. A moment of space to honor him and his ministry...




So, the rest of the day was blah, I missed my lunch because the meeting went forever, and I missed my break, mostly because I was 20 min late, but I still missed the 10 min I should have taken. So I left for home at 2:50, 40 min early for skipping my lunch and break. I got home had three pieces of old left over pizza which sat on my counter all night, then went to keep my roommate company at his work, just a few blocks from our apartment. That was fun, I saw a few people I hadn't seen in a while.

While I was there, his boss, Dave, was answering the phone, and I noticed how he talked to his clients, I need to be more like him in that area. He's a Christian too, and it's so cool to see how he handles the wacko calls IT people get. I realized I have plenty of time to better my self, and to keep on trying. I just want to serve, but I surely don't when I get the chance.

So after that I went home for about 20 min and read the newspaper, then I went off to my Young Adults group. I really like that group, I'm always stretched a little bit, but recently it's because I've been helping with the sound setup. I don't really feel like I fit in with the leadership or worship guys, but at the same time I know I have no real reason to make this a reason to stop trying. I really feel God doing something there, and I like that I'm a part of it, it's a good thing. After young adults (or 18/28 as we call it), we went to Red Robin, what a surprise, that was fun, talked to some girls and guys I've not talked to before, it was all good. Thankfully no one told the server my birthday was coming up, so that little embarrassing bit, where you stand on the chair, didn't happen. Although, now I would do it... yeah I would.

I've been thinking about what I want for my birthday, and here is what I've got so far:

- My Dad's guitar fixed, I really want to learn to play
- Money for my missions trip
- Money for tuition
- My car washed and vacuumed
- Maybe, MAYBE, a nice fruity drink of some sort...
- Concert tickets to see Third Day!
- Windows tinted on car
- Something really cool that I would never guess
- New jeans
- A new worship CD
- My brother comes to church with me!

That's all for now... I hate lists like these, I always feel selfish for some reason, but I guess a birthday is special, since It's your day to be special.

Advertising

Well, I�ve noticed something quite interesting with blogger. It seems that the advertising at the top of all blogger pages, is mysteriously somehow related with the content of the blog you are viewing. I just find that amusing, yet another random thought from Travis.

Who's in control?

In an attempt to secure the sovereignty of God, theologians have overstated their case and left us with a chess-player God playing both sides of the board, making all his moves and all ours too. But clearly, this is not so. God is a person who takes immense risks. No doubt the biggest risk of all was when he gave angels and men free will, including the freedom to reject him � not just once, but every single day. Does God cause a person to sin? �Absolutely not!� says Paul (Gal. 2:17). Then he can�t be moving all the pieces on the board, because people sin all the time. Fallen angels and men use their powers to commit horrendous daily evil. Does God stop every bullet fired at an innocent victim? Does he prevent teenage liaisons from producing teenage pregnancies? There is something much more risky going on here then we�re often willing to admit.

Most of us do everything we can to reduce the element of risk in our lives. We wear our seat belts, watch our cholesterol, and practice birth control. I know some couples who have decided against having children altogether; they simply aren�t willing to chance the heartache children often bring. What if they are born with a crippling disease? What if they turn their backs on us, and God? What if�? God seems to fly in the face of all creation. Even though he knew what would happen, what heartbreak and suffering and devastation would follow upon our disobedience, God chose to have children. And unlike some hyper-controlling parents, who take away every element of choice they can from their children, God gave us a remarkable choice. He did not make Adam and Eve obey him. He took a risk. A staggering risk, with staggering consequences. He let others into his story, and he lets their choices shape it profoundly.

//Wild At Heart: John Eldredge//

This book is targeted at Christian men, but I found this passage applicable to anyone; it�s a question that I�ve gone over and over myself, and this is the first real good explanation I�ve read, and could investigate. I think many Christians have this belief that God is controlling every little detail of our lives, God has this power, but he doesn�t use it. I believe that God works this way because he loves us, why make us robots, or control everything, let us make our decisions, then it�s genuine and true.

A great night.

Had by all.
G'night.

Once again, conjuring up thoughts, building ideas, much life to explain, and ask of.

Hello Friends, Family and Coworkers!

It�s an opportunity made for me. My plan is to move to Poland in September 2003! Why? For how long? Please read on to see how this came about in my life.

What you are about to read is a story about a changed life, and I have to share my experience with others. I know many of you I do not talk to on a regular basis, and for some, this is not a welcomed letter, but you have been put on my heart, and I need to respond to that. Over the last few years I have grown in many different ways, but the deepest has been spiritual. I have come to have a relationship with God.

Throughout elementary school, middle school, and half of high school, I wasn�t �popular�, but I wasn�t really picked on or laughed at (except for a bad 7th grade year). I was just a wallflower who kept out of harms way. My story isn�t one of drugs and sex, but rather of loneliness and emptiness. I always wanted to have the attention that comes from something, whether it is smart, rude, cocky or �popular�. Through most of my school years I was a negative and cynical person, and never did much to change that. Then one day I noticed a huge change in one of my friend�s who I�ve known since preschool.

Of course it should be known that I had a crush on this friend, a girl, so I would listen to her and be with her as much as possible. This all happened in the beginning of my junior year at Cedarcrest High. Making a long story short, she had met the best person in her life � Jesus. I didn�t know this for a long while, but I did notice the new excitement and life in her, which is part of the reason I was attracted to her. We hung out a lot, got to talking, and she invited me to go to church. About 6 months later, I finally went. I heard some awesome stuff about life and God, but I wasn�t quite sure what it was all about. I had claimed to be "Christian" my whole life, but I had never really followed Christ, deciding to do my own thing instead.

Sometime near spring of my junior year, I was invited to go on a missions trip with her church. I still wasn�t quite sure of all this, but I decided to go since she was going. Well she ended up not going, but I had already paid the non-refundable portion, so I went with nearly complete strangers! The missions trip was to the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, and I learned the people I went with were different, they had life that I didn�t. They befriended me and showed me a life I had never seen before, one filled with hope.

After returning from the trip, I gave this whole new life a good look, and within a few weeks I personally accepted Jesus into my life. Of course not everything was perfect right away; it was a long road to understanding how God has designed our lives to work in certain ways, and the consequences for not following those ways. But the most important part is that I truly felt God in my life for the first time.

Much more has happened in these last few years, and I have grown in Christ more than I thought imaginable. I still make stupid mistakes, but I have a consistent love and hope that is real. My mission in life now is to show that love to everyone I come in contact with. I have to admit, less than five years ago, I would have thought I was crazy for even thinking this way. Most importantly, since I believe I am being called to "spread the love" of Christ, I need a good training ground. That training ground the last few years has been at work and school, but now I know that God is preparing me for something new.

This past fall, I was presented with an opportunity to travel to Poland. I've been invited to help bring this same hope and life to others which I received my junior year. I�m not going to force anything down anyone�s throat; I�m going to form relationships with people who have lost their hope. I want to show them that my relationship with Jesus is real and invite them into my life with him. Granted we are all human and make mistakes, but this is what makes God so much better than I ever thought possible. So I have decided to take this step of faith.

I will be joining two missionaries who have been in Nowy Targ Poland for seven years. There is a college/career Bible study group which is requiring more help. The people attending the group need more individual time to develop their walk with Jesus. Even Christians in Poland have a difficult time understanding the hope that is theirs now. Plus, these missionaries desire to set up a web page for this age group, which is evangelistic in nature. This is a perfect job for me, along with training others on how to keep it going. I�m sure I�ll be learning from these people too. I trust God to make it a growing period, where I must trust him.

I invite any of you who are reading this to also search for a relationship with Jesus; it is one decision you will not regret!

As you have probably already guessed, this will of course take funds. I plan on staying there a year; God may laugh at that plan and change it, but it�s a goal nonetheless I will seek. It will cost me about $750/month to live there, which includes health insurance, plus airfare of about $2000 (that is $1000 one way). Before I start living there, I will be going to a conference, which will educate me on Eastern Europe. I will tour Auschwitz, and other historical sites, as well as learn what Communism did to the people of Eastern Europe and why they feel no hope. In short, I only want to provide an opportunity for these people to have the hope and love that I have.

Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, love, and encouragement. I will very much appreciate all of that and any tax deductible contributions you can send. Your support may be in the form of monthly payments or a one-time gift. Please send checks made payable to Mission Dispatch to the following address:

Travis Mielonen
C/O Mission Dispatch
654 5th AVE. S. Suite 300
Edmunds, WA 98020

You may also make a non-tax-deductible donation through this site using PayPal:

All money donated through PayPal goes directly to my missions account, but is not tax deductable because it does not go through a non-profit organization.

For Him,



Travis J. Mielonen

Changes

Okay, this time tell me if you like the colors... I wasn't to sure about the previous color scheme, but I didn't know it was hated.
Also, feel free to read and comment on the last few days of posts... I've posted a lot, but you only need to comment on one, please. Start w/ this one. I'm going to be busy, so if you havn't read these, it'll give you something to read. Oh yeah, and check out the "Posts with the mosts" and "more posts" sections, old stuff of which I particularly liked. Thanks!

I don't know what to do.

Tell me what to do for my birthday. I'm turning 21, open to most ideas, except the drunk kind. Whoever has the best idea, i'll ummm yeah, invite ya or something... Hmm... Lauren... Jordan... I have a lack of stuff to blog about, actually I don't, i'm just really lazy right now.

Twenty One Years.

In ten days I will officially be twenty-one years of age. Woo hoo. So I can now get drunk legally, yay. Not going to happen. But I do like the fact that I can now go to twenty-one and over shows, go to bars, where you can find decent food late at night, no more Denny's or Sherry's for me, well that's a lie, but I can try. Oh yeah, I can even buy alcohol for myself now, wow what a privilege.

Picture this: Travis entering some dance club, lets say, Poly�s. He has a few drinks, does some dancing has some more, dances more� the night goes long. He�s wasted in the end, doesn�t know how he got to wherever he is, but there�s about 5 others, yay, and they all are sick to their stomachs� Sounds great, not to mention the fact that clothes are missing. Well I�ve seen it all, and no thanks, people laugh at it because it�s stupid, grow up, please.

But I do like the fact that I can now find good food late at night! But I can now have wine and Champaign for those special occasions�

Picture this: It�s a late summer early fall kind of night, the stars are out over the Seattle skyline, and the moon shining brightly over the cascades, the air is crisp. The wind is blowing, and I can barely hear her. Since a ferry�s bow is whatever direction is forward we stand at the �bow� of a ferry, I�m thinking the Bremerton/Seattle run.

We�ve just returned from an awesome rock show at the Roxy in Bremerton, I�m thinking something along the lines of Switchfoot and, since this is in the future, Strange Occurrence- they�ve hit it big. We had an awesome time of worship, fun, and just simple fellowship. We�ve been �courting� for a year now, I�ve had many awesome and wise people counsel me on my way to making one of the single most important decisions in my life, I�m feeling the momentum building. Her parents are in on it, they said God has blessed each of us they know this will work, so they�ve arranged to call her at 12:30am. I know I love her, and I know that God has chosen her for me, and I for her.

The phone rings, I�m not sure what they are telling her, but I quietly sneak back to the car. I grab the bottle of strawberry or raspberry wine (something sweet, because she is), the wine glasses (a mysterious blue/purple color, because she is) and the ring (a creative, but simple silver or white gold band with a single diamond, because she is the single woman for me). I put all this in a back pack, I return to the bow, where the wind is howling, and the air is getting colder, the Seattle skyline is now in it�s full glory. She asks me where I went, and what�s the bag for, and her parents sneakingly tell her God is good, and have a good night. I first pull out the wine bottle; her bright green eyes grow large. Second, I pull out a glass for her and a glass for me, as I reach for my glass, I put the ring on the tip of my index finger, upside down, so she doesn�t see the diamond, she doesn�t even notice the ring. I pop the cork to the wine, I savor the smell, and with a smile she does too.

As I�m talking to her, letting her know how much fun I�ve had, and how much I feel God is truly the center of our relationship, I poor my glass first, set it down, and as I poor hers, I let the ring fall in to it. I ask her to pray with me, so we celebrate and worship God in his creation. As I�m praying I thank God for her how she is as sweet as the wine, and as mysterious as the color of the wine glasses, and how simple yet complicated all at once, just as a diamond, and that I believe she is the single women for me, for the rest of my living days on earth. I end our prayer in thanksgiving, and I as I take my first sip, I stop, as she does the same, she had looked into her glass during the prayer, and saw the ring, and she is beaming with delight. She looks at me, makes a soul connection, tears begin to flow down both of our cheeks. I take the ring from the wine glass, the wind is cold, and Seattle grows closer. I take her hand, and I slip the ring on questioningly, and she nods her head, it�s a yes. She sets the wine down, and I do the same. I tell her �I love you�, this is the first time she has heard these words from me, but she knows why it�s the first time, it�s because I did not want our relationship to focus on becoming married, but rather on God. We hug, and stare off into the city�s lights, and we sip on the sweet wine from the mysterious glasses.

Now what use of alcohol honors God?

You have helped, made me think, rethink, and have changed my mind.

Okay first I�m going respond to each comment I feel I need to; in regard to my past few posts. Then I�m going to return to my previous format, because for some reason I lost it back there a few days ago, and I �spoke� with out thinking, and made my self look like an idiot. Although I still believe what I wrote, it made me look bitter. But I�m not sorry about it or ashamed, in fact I�ve grown, this is one of those life lessons which I hold dear to my heart, I�m so thankful that I know Christ, otherwise my life would be pointless.

Regarding the �To whom this may concern� post and comments. This posting was in response to something which God has been laying on my heart, I felt the need to tell someone (no one specifically) that once God becomes your number one love and foundation, and he is the center of all your relationships, then you will experience his awesome love.

In response to �Again, are you telling me that I shouldn't react the way that God made me to react? Isn't it defying his infinite wisdom to tap into that instead of using what he gave you?� As you may eventually learn, God didn�t make us to react in any way at all. It�s true he created us, our souls, our physical body for here on Earth, our spirit and our mind, but he did not create our reactions, we learn as we grow up how to react to certain things, because of the original fall of Adam and Eve, we are separated from God and must grow near to him, so we may be changed by him. We have our own wisdom separate from God�s, which people have created, through all the bible (written by humans, inspired by God, written in the culture of the time) we are reminded that God�s wisdom is separate from our own, we must strive to receive his. God gave us the ability to choose our own ways. He did this because unless we have the ability to choose our own way, how are we to truly love him?

In response to
�Let me tell you something you don�t want to be told� posting and comments. I know this sounded insensitive, it wasn�t meant for pre-Christians, and I completely understand that some people have things which have happened to them in the past which may make it harder for them to change and be more Christ-like, I myself was sexually abused and molested, which has made lust a huge problem for me, but I am overcoming it (which means I�m still dealing with it, but it�s become a much smaller issue) because I took the step to change, I decided it was not good for me, and I gave it up to God, instead of leaning on my own wisdom.

Response to:
��...your not letting the Holy Spirit guide you, your still in control.�

Wait, I'm confused here, are you actively telling me to give up my will to God? I'm wondering how you can preach about the evils of other people if you blind yourself to seeing any evil or good other than what your religion (note: not God) tells you to see?�

Hopefully my response above explains some of this, but let try and answer this question specifically. Yes I am saying that if a Christian (someone who can confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord and savior, who died on the cross and rose again and is the Son of God and has received the Holy Spirit or wisdom of God) gives up his/her plans to God for the guidance and wisdom of God he/she will experience the awesome grace and mercy of God. I�m sorry you see me as a �religious� person, in fact because of that remark, I�ve been thinking the last couple of days, and have been asking my self �am I religious or Christ-like� I hope that I am Christ-like, Christ�s character is the only thing I strive for, but because I am human, I can not become perfect as Christ, but I can always strive to be like him, but I will always need him because I can not be him. The word religion rings �legalistic� in my mind, I don�t want rules and regulations, before I was Christian that�s what I thought Christianity was all about, rules and regulations, IT IS SO NOT! I have found that because I�ve began to follow Christ, and become more like him, I have stopped doing some things, and started doing others, it has nothing with doing what�s right or wrong, it�s all about Jesus, he came not only to take our sins away, but to lead us, and give us an example, he broke many of the religious rules, he made all the religious leaders of the time angry, because it�s not about rules and regulations and being good and making sure that we are more good than bad, it�s about our hearts, where they lay in God�s eyes, our hearts.

Now for the �I�m passionate, so shoot me� post and comments. I know that if I am passionate about something, people will debate and argue, to be honest the only reason I posted this, was to draw attention, I was really feeling attacked or anything, I just wanted people to think, and a little bit of it was just to whine, I�m human, and I�ve already changed my mind on this, and wish I hadn�t posted it, but oh well.

In response to:
�Passionate people are always shot.

Welcome to my life.

Why is it that you can go off on stuff but when i do i'm shot down like a duck in Duckhunter? I'm not criticizing you personally Travis, you don't do that, but let me tell you it happens a lot more than anyone thinks. so just prepare yourself, if you are going to be passionate about anything, especially something that many of your friends have issues with, you're asking to be screwed and left in the dust. all unintentionally, of course, which is why it's so bad. yes i know i make no sense, and that i'm whining, but oh well, it's my day to whine.�

I think I am prepared, and that�s why I don�t feel like I was shot down. Of course if something is controversial then, your going to have some people shoot back, but if you respond in a patient and soft manner, then you can persuade someone, if it is in God�s will and your not trying to manipulate.

And onto the next: �Liberal Christianity� to be honest, I was quite tired when I wrote this, so I don�t think it�s very well thought out, so forgive me on that part. I was just trying to (and I don�t think it achieved this at all) point at that our Liberal society (at least in my experience in the Seattle area) has persuaded Christianity off track, that we need to find balance, we tend to lean one way or the other, w/o looking for the biblical reference points. I feel like I�m writing rebuttals for a voters pamphlet.

Comment: " that�s because after knowing Christ I had a solid truth to stand on, to compare and analyze everything against."

Hmmm, interesting thought, but isn't faith, by definition, a train of thought that you come to believe without a solid truth for it stand on? So how is it that Jesus is a solid truth?

My first response: Good question. Faith is a train of thought to believe with out physical evidence, but the things which Jesus taught (and through out the rest of the bible not just the Gospels), are just instructions for living life, IE: Love your neighbor, Love the LORD, A foolish person gets angry when insulted a wise person listens and learns and changes... the little things. That's what I meant by following, his words; his words are true to my life, which, you could say is liberal. It's an idea, in my experience, and my understanding that I find true.


I guess you have to assume that Jesus is real, which if you don�t know Christ, you can�t know that he is real. So, with that assumption Jesus is a solid truth. I�m not an expert in scientifically proving that Jesus Christ is real, but there is an excellent book called �The case for Christ� which was written by a scientist (an anthropologist, I think?) who originally set out to dis-prove the bible and Jesus Christ, and in the end, became Christian. I read parts of it once before I was Christian, and now I�m reading it again as a Christian, it�s great.

Thanks for reading, I love every one of you who comment and visit, you help me strengthen my knowledge and my ideas. I am completely open to debate, and questions, it�s what I strive for, to be stretched. But I know that no matter what, I will never forget the black void experience.


.:prayers; prayer requests:.

Hey God,

Thank you for just being here in my life at all times. I realize that I may have stepped out of your will recently, but you know where my heart is, and I NEED to continue and change that. Thank you for bringing my brother one step closer to you, one step closer to your light. Thank you for providing me with the accountability I NEED, I also pray for your wisdom and guidance. I ask for the oppurtunity you presented today at work to show again, and this time I want to harness the power you have given me to speak of your awesome love, I want to be a light to everyone, and that means telling them why i'm going to Poland, the real reason, not the worldly reasons. Thank you Lord. So be it.

And I leave you with, this little tid-bit I just read from "one word" (see the departures section to the right)...

Circle. God moves us in circles, as opposed to straight lines. Even His Son traveled a circle, from heaven, to earth, to the Cross, resurrected, back to heaven. At the lowest point of the circle, there is good news! You're on the way back to the top! Often we look for straight lines in life, for the follower of Christ just look for the next step, and recognize there is a circle...that leads Home.

On the light side.

So, this is a little overdue... but remember when I stole a certain Jeffersonair's idea? If you don't know what i'm talking about, click here.

Well here is the outcome:

Girl's names:

Avril Jenni Toshnome
Easter Liv Minonnohj
*Naomi Trish Venjloen*
*Jasmine Noel Northiv *
Heaven Lori Jonminst
Annelise Ohm Trovjin
*Raven Shilo Jinmeont*
Laverne Josi Thomnin
Rose Jenna Tohvnimli
Harmoni Joslin Tevne
*Rosaline Nev Johnmit*
Tori Jane Mishlonnev
Tonja Meloni Rivshen
Anne Silver Tohjmion
Tina Helen Rovjinsmo
Sheri Love Minnajont
Sheila Joni Trenvonm
Joann Olive Trishnem
Shanon Evi Melonjrit
Rita Eve Johnsmilonn
Silvia Jen Thormonen
Sonja Emili Trevnohn
*Lani Simone Trenjohv*
Nina Lee Trisjohmonv

Guy's names:

Amelio Ren Sohnnjitov
Alvin Simon Tenorjhe
Amos Niel Trivjhonen
*Noah Elton Sirvmenji*
Anthoni Jeri Vesmoln
Earl Ivon Teshjimonn
*Elijah Otis Norvmen*
Romeo Hansel Tivjinn
Romeo Elvis Tahjninn
Ron Isiah Melvjonent
Evan Stone Hilmjorn
Lothar Sven Mijienon
Steven Mario Johnlin
Jonas Levi Trihmenon
Monte Silver Jahnion
Melvin Jason Tirhoen
Jose Milo Renivantin
Josh Eli Mortivannen
*James Loren Tivohnin*
Ivan Joel Nomentrish
Theo Lars Vinnomienj

*'s indicate my favorties! In bold look for usage in the future.

Thanks to a certain Sherbet.

Liberal Christianity
The line? What line?

English 101 and Math 99 �learning� community: An English �professor� from Yale; a math proff named Gregg.

Cascadia�s �learning outcomes�:

Learn actively; yeah I learned actively, a quick passage from my English 101 book �Flatland�:

�The greatest length or breadth of a full grown inhabitant of Flatland may be estimated at about eleven of your inches. Twelve inches may be regarded as maximum.

Our Women are Straight Lines.

Our Soldiers and Lowest Classes of Workmen are Triangles with two equal sides, each about eleven inches long, and a base or third side so short (often not exceeding half an inch) that they at their vertices a very sharp and formidable angle. Indeed when their bases are of the most degraded type (not more than the eighth part of an inch in size), they can hardly be distinguished from Straight Lines are Women; so extremely pointed are their vertices. With us, as with you, these Triangles are distinguished from others by being called Isosceles; and by this name I shall refer to them in the following pages.

Our Middle Class consists of Equilateral or Equal-Sided Triangles.

Our Professional Men and Gentlemen are Square (to which class I myself belong) and Five-Sided Figures or Pentagons.

Next above these come the Nobility, of whom there are several degrees�.

It is a law of Nature with us that a male child shall have one more side than his father, so that each generation shall raise (as a rule) one step in the scale of development and nobility.

But this rule applies not always to the Tradesmen, and still less often to the Soldiers, and to the Workmen; who indeed can hardly be said to deserve the name of human Figures, since they have not all their sides equal�

In some of the States there is an additional Law forbidding Females, under penalty of death, from walking or standing in any public place without moving their backs constantly from right to left so as to indicate their presence to those behind them; others oblige a Women, when traveling, to be followed by one of her sons, or servants, or by her husband; others confine Women altogether to their houses except during the religious festivals. But is has been found by the wisest of our Circles or Statesmen that the multiplication of restrictions on Females tends not only to debilitation and diminution of the race, but also to the increase of domestic murders to such an extent that a State loses more than it gains by a too prohibitive Code�.

Think Critically, Creatively & Reflectively: Okay, my critical analyses of this; this isn�t even close to a parable of the real world; creative analyses; this sure stretched my imagination; reflective analyses; this book made my head hurt.

Communicate, with Clarity & Originality: How�s this for Clarity and Originality; This learning community was a waste of my time, and caused me to just go nuts, not everyone is an abstract thinker, is not a college to cover all the learning abilities?

Interact, in diverse & Complex environments: This was certainly diverse and complex, diverse because I don�t think any of us in that classroom that quarter had ever experienced circles who were on top of the world and women who had to constantly move because they could hurt someone, nope I don�t think so. Complex, because math and English are so separate, and should remain so, you put them together and all you get is confusion. Each of us certainly interacted, because most of us were simply confused, annoyed, or not even interested in the entire �learning community�.

This is what I get for going to a liberal college? A bunch of nonsense that only the extremists in our population would enjoy? No wonder our sometimes make bizarre decisions which lack common sense, they were taught too!

Here is what I do like about going to a secular liberal college:

1. The attempt to have educated conversations.

2. The �community� of people, people are more accepting and open.

3. The fact that most are hypocritical when it comes to hearing about Jesus, that�s the one thing they are not open minded too. (this is where I want to make a difference)

4. Creativity is always accepted and respected.

What I don�t like I think is obvious from my take on my �learning� community experience above.

Now what does this have to do with liberal Christianity? A lot, I believe that because of our schools (which many of our K-12 institutes fall into) have become too liberal. They have changed the minds of our future leaders into thinking certain unquestionable morals are now �out dated�, but these students haven�t even second guessed this for themselves, these liberal colleges want us to actively think, but when we do outside of their box, it�s wrong. Instead we have to think so abstractly that it doesn�t apply to anything in our real lives. One thing I have not been taught in any school is that everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt; I didn�t learn any of this until I became a Christian, that�s because after knowing Christ I had a solid truth to stand on, to compare and analyze everything against.

I have been taught in the American institutions that truth is relative to what you know and experience. I have taken a lot of this into my relationship with Christ, and I have blurred the line between Christianity and liberalism. The problem, most �traditional� Christians are not open enough, and most �liberal� Christians are too open. In general I have not seen the general balance that Jesus taught in any of my education. I have followed his word, although it went against a lot of what I believed at the time, I stuck to it, because I found it to be more fulfilling than anything else I have ever tried. You�ve just got to try it, it�s hard, not easy, and you will be attacked by those who don�t understand. I believe that true Christianity fits the liberal ideas more than current liberalism fits; think about it.

So, I'm passionate, shoot me.

I want this place to provoke feelings, provoke thought, and provoke some life. That previous posting was to bring up something which really bothers me, it may have sounded insensitive, but it is something I truly believe other Christians need to hear. So this is my place, my place to say what I want, and how I want to, with out having to worry about people reacting in my face before they know my full story. God wasn�t always sensitive to people, that�s not my excuse, I�m not God, but I truly believe that sometimes you just have to hear it straight up. The things I say are mostly for Christians; obviously you can not say these things to �pre-Christians� because they can not understand. I guess I�ll need to explain before I go off like I did, that what ever the subject, I am passionate, and sometimes this means I sound harsh. Come on people, we can�t always be nice. I am just a little sick of the �you have to be nice� syndrome, it doesn�t get through to people, but most of all we have to realize that God Loves us, and everything in his book is to help us have a better life not take things from it.

Let me tell you something you do not want to be told.

You know what really ticks me off? Christians who do not want to grow; they find every excuse so they don't have to live up to God's word. Such as "Well, around other Christians why should I act fake, if I curse, they know where my heart is", please, yeah I know where your heart is, not in God's word. I know how condemning this sounds, but as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:28-30 28 If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. I understand where people are, and I understand that sometimes, even as Christians we slip up, we don't think. But I also think that sometimes we honestly don't even try, and if you think your trying and you just can't stop, your not trying hard enough, and your not letting the Holy Spirit guide you, your still in control.

I bring this up because, I too have this same problem, not everything I do lifts others up, not everything I do is for God, but I let the Holy Spirit change me. This is what Jesus was all about, freeing us from having to experience the need to curse, be angry, have turmoil, he came to set us FREE! Just follow what he has to say, it's NOT going to be an overnight deal, it certainly was not for me. The easiest way for me was to just take on one thing at a time, first it was cursing, then it was the way I talked to people, then the way I talked about people, then other life areas, etc, etc, believe me it's true.

To whom this may concern

Forget everyone else; for you will never be happy until God is number one and everyone else number two. Communicate directly with whom ever is causing disharmony for you. Use God�s wisdom and not your own.

I am not special

There is nothing special about me. Every aspect of me is not "special" I am not the only one to have these qualifications which some have deemed �special� and therefore excuse themselves from ever having to live up to the same word I live up to, God�s word. This is the point in my life I have feared, the point where people are just excusing the change in my life. I�m just a follower of Christ, I haven�t done anything, and everything anyone witnesses in my life is because of Christ!

1 Corinthians 1:10-12
10 Thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers--none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. 11 There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you.
12 You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything.

I understand that God gives each of us specific gifts, but he gives ALL of us the gift of holiness, grace and mercy. We are �born again�, our old ways of sin are taken away, forgiven, we don�t need to continue sinning, and we are not slaves of sin. We are filled with the Holy Spirit, which helps us in being different in this world, being �special�.

1 Corinthians 1:7-9
Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.7

All of us have free will, the ability to do as we want, because God loves us, he allows us to do our own thing, but he has given us his Spirit so we can do wise things. This is all I have done in my life, read the words, listened to older Christians, and really let God speak to my heart and make the changes in my life.

1 Corinthians 1:18-24
The Wisdom of God

18 I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

"I will destroy human wisdom
and discard their most brilliant ideas."

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22 God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.

So, to take my self off of the pedestal I have apparently been placed on, this is all I have done, listen to God, watch and learn from others, but please realize that I am only human, everything in my life which is Good is of God and not my self, God didn�t make me anymore special than you.

Prayer is what I need more of

More of you is what I need.
Time with you is all I need.
I want you to be who my life revolves around.
Because only you matter in the end.
In the end love is all that matters.
In the end kindness is all tha matters.
Only Jesus is the one to follow.
I will fall at your feet.
And I will worship you forever.

Valentines Day

So I left for work today, forgetting it was a "special" day. �Special� in whose eyes; I don�t know. All I know is that I�m seeking to just love God, with all my heart, my mind and my soul. I want my relationship with God to be complete before I even think about having a relationship with a person of the female persuasion. I�ve decided that I�m just fine being single; I know that I won�t be forever, I don�t know how long, but it�s not forever, because God has shown me that I will have children and a family some day. I�m independent, I can do this, and yes I can.


Well, now I�m off to the CRU valentine�s party, but our valentine is better than any other in the entire universe. Our valentine is Jesus Christ!

So be it.

.: prayers, prayer requests:.

God,

You are awesome, help me to become a brighter light for you, share your love, and love your people as you do. I ask that you continue your work in me, I ask for your forgiveness because I have not obeyed your greatest commandments, to love you with all my MIND, HEART and SOUL, and to love others as I love myself. Thank you God for being with me in all I do, I thank you that you are so merciful, that I can mess up, that you are letting us learn here on Earth so we can see the full beauty of Heaven. I share my life with, be in my life in all you do!

So be it (amen).

Uhg. I hate it when I can't get to sleep

Has it ever been 1:00 am, and you just can't get to sleep? Your brain just goes on and on? Well i'm having that right now. I have to apologize to a certain person, I said things that just don't fly with me, but I said them because i'm an idiot when my brain is moving at rapid pace and my tounge goes faster than the rat in my head turning the wheels...

Okay i'm totatly stealing this from Carly.

But I want a penn name too!

Travis John Mielonen is my full name.

Use no more and no less of the letters you find above. \o/

Random ramblings before the real thing.

I was caught.
We were trying to remember old one hit wonders...
Well... what came to Travis' mind?

"You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery channel".... um yeah... no comment.

I should be trying to come up with more content for speaking tomorrow at CRU, but that's ok.

I've been really stressed out at work, I hate it, I really do, but I don't know why... why?

I want to be in school, like nearly full time, I hate working and I like learning.

I am SOOO excited for the missions to Poland, I know it is not going to be a vacation, but i'm going to learn! I'm going to be on the edge, i' m not going to know what tomorrow brings!!! That is exciting!

I love the ocean shore, I want to go back to the ocean, but this time with my wife.

There are people in my living room yelling "Ice, Ice Baby..." umm... scary.

Even scarier... The radio is saying "Ice, Ice baby" oh boy...

I want to love God with all my Mind (all that I learn and know to lead to him), Soul (My actions and "natural" reactions to life) and heart (My emotions and the way I handle things, making them a matter of my heart for God). I want to be able to do this all the time, I am so not able to do this at work right now... although I have no reason not too.

Have I ever mentioned that I really like pink lemonade?

I also love just having the time to be me and watch Star Trek, Play SimCity, and play The Sims.... you know how much this happens..... very rarely. (StarTrek has been at least 6 months, SimCity is restricted to Saturdays "my real sabboth", and The sims... I have no idea).

I've been so busy lately that I havn't washed any of my clothes in like 2 weeks... or more, good thing I don't have a physical job that makes me clothes stinky.

I'm so excited that I have next Monday off because of President's day... yay!

I support our Government, in war in no war, whatever they do... they know more than us... just like we know more about our lives... Not to say that some people do things just to be mean, but the majority of people are not... are you? are your friends? think about it.

Welcome to the world of Travis. More to continue.

Please wait for these comercial breaks.

Travis is going to Poland, he will require about $800/month... for a year... stay tuned for more information.

Okay... were back. Have a good day.

End transmission. \o/

Hello boys and girls!

How are we doing tonight?

It's been a week since i've written here... You know why? Life has been a huricane. But it's been good, real good.

For all of my Christian rock friends, there is an opurtunity strewing in my good ol' home town of Duvall. The Christian churches and the Christian book store are going to try and get a local Christian artist concert going, and hopefully it will be a regular thing. I'll keep ya posted for details. Also, the book store is willing to sell local Christian music (after they approve them, but they are cool people, so don't worry) for a commission, no cost to you, except getting them there and producing them. So yeah... more details to come later.

I took a "Spiritual Gifts and Personality" profile last Sunday, it was really intresting, I learned quite a few things about myself, the best part is that it told me the different areas I tend to either slack in, or people like me normally need improvment, and it was so close. So, that's been my goal.. i'll list them, and blogg more when I get home. I just had a few min here, so thought i'de leave ya with some stuff to read. \o/