food for fish

So, this weekend has turned out to be absolutely amazing! What can I say; Lord it's you I follow. For the past 10 months I've been focusing on just God, so I can prepare for Poland, a relationship was out of the question, I thought it would be unfair to me and to whomever to be gone for a year. Well, in the past month, God has been brining me closer to a friend, who has had remarkable similarities. She is an amazing Woman of God, both of us know that our relationship can only work if Christ is the central governing body. I never thought it possible for me to have a girlfriend at this moment in my life, I never in my wildest dreams imagine it to be this woman of Christ. She is beautiful on the outside as well as God centered on the inside, and has a wonderful smile which reflects Christ's love. I ask for anyone of the praying variety to please pray for us, and if God is telling you anything about "this" please have no fear in telling me or her.

One thing that I am so happy I had decided to do, well before I was even thinking of engaging in any relationship, was asking someone of extreme importance for "their blessing" on me dating someone. In this case I asked her brother. He was, to say the least, surprised. But he was quite happy, and he said it was great. So, it's official, Alexis Coho is my girlfriend, but our master is Jesus Christ.

We know that Poland will be a huge struggle, but at the same time we both have an amazing peace about it. There are many details to talk about, but you will get them as I put my mind back together.

PS. Can't update the webcam picture, because our FTP isn't working... I also have lots of pictures from this weekend, but can't upload those either... rats.

Yep... sorry kids. I have decided to take a random trip to the Grand Coulee Dam in eastern Washington. Have a great weekend, and i'll tell ya'll about it when I get back. May God's peace, grace, and mercy be upon you. God is good, and right now i'm really noticing!

This local news story caught my eye. Here were these trained firefighters, and an ambulance who �just happened to be there� when this lady needed them the most. Someone was watching over her, this story is incredible. I wonder sometimes how many times a day things like this happen, to me, to you, with out us even knowing. I�ve been asking God to show me signs and wonders, small or big, this is for sure one.

[Yesterday's post, my blog was being upgraded, YAY!, I like it]

Is it even possible to go outside of human understanding? Can we even begin to understand God's grace and mercy? I say to you yes, yes we can, because Christ came to free us, to free us from this human world, and to be with him. Here I am at the end of the wetlands catwalk on the UW Bothell/Cascadia campus, and I can hear humans all around me, but you know what I feel? The absolute presence of God, thousands of creatures are within throwing distance of me at this very moment. The wind is blowing, and as the saying goes, I can't see the wind but I can feel the effects of the wind. I can't see God, but I can feel the effects of God, and I can feel his absolute love. Nothing is relative for God. Nothing can take away that feeling, just like nothing can stop the wind from blowing.

I was reading 1st Timothy four, five and six earlier before I biked out here. The thing that jumped out at me was in chapter five. Paul was telling Tim about teachers and leaders in the church who would argue over the meaning of words, that's how I feel lately. I feel like so many people are quibbling over minute details, and not seeing God's great plan for us, for you, for all. Thankfully the piece of the body I fellowship with, understands this, and realizes when they are falling into this trap. I just pray for the body to begin coming together, and worshiping together as one true body. I don't know if this is right or wrong, but I really feel like "false teachers" like the ones Paul talks about on a number of occasions should be pointed out, and made aware to the unbelievers, that these people do not serve the God of the universe. I'm not sure how, and like I said, I don't eve know if it is right, but there seems to be so many of them, and they for sure are not leading people to God. My heart breaks for those who have been hurt by the "church", by "pastors", by "priests" by "Christians". I do not want to be one of those, I am a Christ follower.

God is so awesome when you give him the time of day�

And that is exactly what I did today, I gave him time. Time for me and him to just communicate, its like talking on the phone with someone, you actually have to listen. This little "program" of mine is working out great� well it's only been one day, but I have enjoyed it a lot! During my first session, I realized just how out of shape I am, which I think correlates with my lack of communication with God these days. Then I picked up "The Plot" it�s a book that a friend sent me, the idea is give you the overall "plot" of the Bible, and see just how small some of the details which we Christians argue about are. So far, it's been really good, I'm only in the first chapter, but I like it, so I'll continue it. My bike trip was fantastic, it felt so good, and I got to visit with my good friend Jen who was working at Tully's, we talked while I cooled down with a milk shake. During my ride, I was able to truly think about life and pray to God while listening to Worship music of all kinds, my MP3 player decided to play some very old stuff, and instead of skipping it, I listened, and heard the beauty. Any worship is AWESOME worship as long as you are truly worshiping God. So, this God time, showed me how hard work and determination is going to be my next lesson in life. Amen for that.

PS. I still havn't been upgraded to Dano... it sucks... I want it.

Let the games begin.

Okay, so they are not really games, and they are not really competitive, but� I still have to get in shape for these games� What are these games? The games of life. Jesus told us to love the Lord, Our God, with all our Hearts (emotionally), Minds (educationally), and soul (spiritually). I have devised a system for myself to train my self in each of those areas. So what is a time with God and Travis going to look like?

20min of Push-ups and sit-ups � This is to prepare myself for the educational area, plus a good workout always leaves me feeling more spiritual.

20min of reading the Bible/Christian readings � This is the educational area, I think twice a week like Tuesdays and Thursdays I will read from some kind of Christian reading other than the bible, such as "The purpose driven life".

20min of bike riding and listening to Worship/Christian music� This is the spiritual area and more physical activity to prepare me for the emotional activity, during this time I'll listen to worship music and other Christian music w/ my cool MP3 player, this is actually the main reason I bought it, and I've never used it for this purpose.

20min of blogging � This is the emotional activity, this is where I'll write about what I really got out of my time with the Lord, this is the time I'll truly see how I am suppose to do what he has said in this time. This is the time for me to open up and chew what I've eaten.

Total 80min w/ God� not bad, that's like a class period in high school (we had a block schedule). Awesome, now I've got to actually stick to it, but because I've laid it out, I believe I can do it.

I know it's been about four days since I've posted, sorry. I've been incredibly busy, but I've been learning a lot. I have a lot of planning and fundraising to do for Poland, and I have a lot of people I need to contact. Now that I've taken a small "vacation" from "normal" life, I'm going to hop back in at nearly full speed. I've got some things to take care of, like working harder at work, I need to talk to a couple of people about some serious stuff, and I need to really start a program of spiritual, physical and emotional workout. So, if you will, please pray for me, my friends and the relationships people seem to be getting themselves into, both friendships and more. Here is a quote I heard on Thursday, which I really really like; this is my memory recalling it so it is not verbatim, and I can not remember who said it:

"Love is serving, and fulfilling the needs of another person, and forgetting yourself. Lust is thinking only of what you can get from the other person, and expecting to receive something from another person." - Jesus loved, he did not lust.

Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being at the right place at the right time.
People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often caught by sudden tragedy.
[Ecclesiastes 9:10-11]

We live in an unpredictable world. Because sin is what controls this world, because we each make our own choices, which lead to our own consequences, we must realize we live in the world which has been destroyed, it is no longer the way God intended. But God uses these failures, and consequences to teach us. God's nature is for us to be with him, but because of sin we are separated from him. There is an opposing force, which we must fight. Pray continually for God's plan, wisdom, and power to overcome, our prayers empower God's Holy Spirit to continue the good fight. God has a plan to restore the world to his original plans. God wants us to truly love him though, so he has given us the choice, we can take it or leave it. One day every person will confess he is God, and one day every knee will bow, can you imagine? God has already one the battle, we just need to fight our own. This life is not fair, bad things happen to good people � but we have something which Satan does not, we have everlasting life.

Warning Doctrinal Argument ahead, proceed with caution, or take this detour.

Do we go straight to heaven when we die? I did a google search on this and found 116,000 different answers. So, do we? There seems to be many different articles and opinions. I strongly recommended you go looking for your self. It's an interesting question when you look at these verses:

John 6:38-40
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life--that I should raise them at the last day."

Daniel 12:1-3
"At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever.

1st Corinthians 15:22-23
Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will be raised.

The jury is still out on this one, but just remember things like this do not change who we are living for or why we are here on earth. We are here to love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to love others as unconditionally as humanly possible.

So, another beautiful day in Seattle; I'm telling all you skeptics of Seattle weather, we have a lot of sunny days, and they are 100 times better than any sunny day in any other city. You know why? Because they are GREEN! Our winters may not be white, but our springs, and summers (which by the way usually continues through to early October) are green. I love Seattle, today I was fooling around at work (not much else to do today, kind of slow) and I ran upon a website which has pictures of 35 different pictures around the world, and the author of this website said that out of all the US cities he has visited in the States Seattle is the best, so far. See even non-Seattle natives love it here!

So today is Mitch's 21st birthday, so I'll be going to his place for a bible study, and then later on, a night on the town. I love Seattle. Party hardy, Christ style.

So why am I going to Poland? So I can get away from this busy life here, and depend on God. So I can focus on serving others, and being there for them. So I can understand God more, so others can understand God more. Because God has set it up this way, and because I want to serve him and love him. I don't want to be religious, and do things just to look good, and have others things I'm a "good" guy. I want to know God so that he doesn't say "Depart from me, for I do not know you".

[Mathew 25:31-46]
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'
"Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'
"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, `Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
"Then they will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' And he will answer, `I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."

So please pray, and if you feel it is God's call, donate. Otherwise continue to pray for God's guidance and wisdom in my life and the ones I will be entering. Thanks.

For those of you questioning parts of Christianity, or are looking for answers to common questions about Christianity, take a look here, it�s a lot to read, but its good information. It answers all the questions I had before I was Christian, and has made some of my current answers stronger. We have to remember that God created a plan, God has given and shown us the way, it may be hard to accept and follow, but it is the only way.

God's plan is not politically correct, it does not satisfy those who are lazy, and only those who search for God and accept the plan will be with God. It is completely understandable to have problems with people, "religious" people; but to take those problems and then use them to keep yourself away from God and away from other people truly seeking God, which is when you will encounter problems yourself. This article tells it as it is, it's hard for some to accept, but God has made it clear to us, why would he make it unclear? What God is that? Not my God, and not the only God of the universe.

Wow, this post from cre8d journal is exactly the reason I am going to Poland. I have been hearing from a few different sources that many of the Polish people are very "religious" and do not understand the joy of Christ. Reading things like this; lights a fire under me, it reminds me why I'm trying to raise money to go, why I have so much work to do. I need to get on this whole money raising kick anyway, so, if you could, please click on the Paypal donation link on my sidebar. I need about $500 more to get my plane tickets. The world needs Jesus, but most of all they need Christians to just be Christ like. So in preparation of that, I'm going to be studying a lot, studying my bible that is. Please pray, and donate if you can. Thanks!

Rar.

I wish I had a digital camera... it was raining earlier and now it's beautiful! Eric if you read this, can I barrow your digital camera? I also need to remind myself to do my "day" project, I keep forgetting. So this is a note to myself. Digital Camera, Day project, call Cindi. Okay I think that's it.

Have a good day. I am planning on posting something with actual meaning here, soon, but I'm at work, so I can't really think straight.

Good god, school is done.

Well I left Cascadia for the last time today, well at least for a year and a half. This has been an interesting time in my life. I remember going into Cascadia's temporary offices back in the summer of 2000, it was a small office near the Seattle Times building in Bothell. I took the tests, did my own registration, and I was so excited to be attending the newest community college in the state of Washington in like 20 years. Well, one of my first classes was a 6:30 in the morning web development class (a pre req for network support), boy I told my self I would never take a 6:30 class, you know what, I did, and I hated it. I even took a couple of Saturday classes in my years at Cascadia, and I hated those too.

I've been at Cascadia for three years, and I still don�t have an associate's degree, but I have a lot in my head that I've learned. One is� I am really awful at Math and if I ever take it again, I'm taking only math that quarter. I do best when I have a friend in the class, it motivates me to actually go to class and do the work. I've learned to do things on my own even more. I love the college scene, even though at a community college it's kind of lame, you don't live there so many students don�t really care about it. I've seen Cascadia go from a school of 1200 to a school of 3000 +, go from bear cement floors (which I liked) to carpeted floors (which made it a lot quieter), and have many other things done to it.

But the best thing of all about Cascadia was Campus Crusade. I have no idea how much I have learned and changed because of CRU (Campus CRUsade). God used CRU so amazingly in my life. Because of CRU I became more independent, but at the same time a person who truly cared and wanted to be meet the needs of others. CRU helped me develop into a leader, into someone who could facilitate events, and work in a team. I have met some awesome friends through CRU, many of them are going to be life time friends, if not friends eternally. I will always remember the CRU winter and fall conferences. I just ask for god's blessing on CRU at Cascadia and all other campuses around the world. It truly is an awesome ministry, and I just ask for God's holy spirit to live and dwell and guide all who are seeking after him. I ask for every student at Cascadia to think and listen for God, and let the Holy Spirit come upon them, so they can make the choice to follow Christ.

I will miss CRU, I will miss Cascadia, and I will miss the people most of all. But I know God is calling me to different places for now. But who knows, I have a special place for Cascadia in my heart, we'll see where God leads me.

Today's Mess.

1. Wakeup at 8 to go to class

2. Get to class at 8:35 for final presentation � Persuasive speech "We were meant to be�"

3. Class ends at 10:50 I get bumped from giving speech, this is the last day, must give before end of quarter � tomorrow

4. 11:30 go to Red Robbin for lunch w/ John, Jen, Nicole and Sarah, fun times, of course I'm worrying about my speech though.

5. Give speech at 1:15 � All goes great, my Instructor actually shakes my hand and tells me good job� wow awesome.

6. Get to work at 2:00 dink around, fix a few problems, etc, etc.

7. 3:20 Get to Tux shop to pick up tux for wedding on Saturday

8. 3:45pm Get home, start and finish one of the last assignments for my public speaking class, with 30 min to spare before deadline which is at 5pm.

9. 4:50pm Going to Cascadia one more time to do a video analysis of my final speech� yay.

10. 5:30pm Going to Mill Creek Foursquare Young Adults group, because I love it� hopefully I'll see ya there? 7pm? Yeah baby�

11. Get home sometime around mid-night God is good.

I think I've figured something out. Even though I love making sure people are walking straight with the Lord, I've learned it is better just to let people make their own mistakes, unless they ask you for advice. People have to take the first step in order to be helped. This is a very hard thing for me to do, I want to so badly tell them and sometimes even prevent them from making the choices they are making. I hate seeing people fall into the same wholes over and over again. I hate seeing people get depressed because of their choices, for the most part (I know there are some physical reasons) I think depression is a sum of people's choices. I would really like to see people grow stronger and stronger because they want to, not because they feel forced, because many times that fails.

It's taken me five years to realize that the main reason I've gotten to the point I am today is because I wanted to, not because people told me everything I was doing wrong, and pointed out all the bad stuff. It's because people pointed out the good, told me the good, and showed me the good by their lifestyles. This is hard for me to grasp, even though I now realize that it was exactly what I did. It's true that a few events I went to, I listened to the speaker, and made a decision to try, but I believe the majority of that was the Holy Spirit using that speaker to further expose a problem I was already dealing with. All I can do is pray and give subtle hints to my brothers and sisters when I see them making a choice which does not honor God. My closer friends know what these things are, so I think it's okay for me to say things here and there, I just have to be careful not to condemn them.

I need to read the word more, and be in prayer on a consistent pattern. I need accountability, I need to grow. I'm very interested in seeing how Jesus dealt with this situation, I think that'll be my next series of reading, how Jesus dealt with the apostles when they made poor decisions. I need to be still and listen. Thank God school is ending, so I can devote more time to him, and really make a plan for my self.

Here ye, here ye. I declare my car has a curse or demon, or some evil hex� pray for it/me... So... the flat tire issue, the outcome... On a AWD Subaru Impreza WRX if you get a flat tire after about 10,000 miles of tread use, you have to replace all four tires, so you don't mess up your AWD system. So, one flat tire, caused by a stupid water meter cover just before the Freemont bridge on Westlake Ave being loose and splitting the inside wall over my driver side rear tire, has now cost me $470! Thank God he's provided me with these extra emergency funds, but I was hoping to have fun... oh well. But I'm wondering now, if God is telling me to sell my car to go to Poland... It's an idea I toyed wiht a while ago, but felt like he would provide other ways... please pray, I really don�t want to, I have a good car, w/ no car payments, if I sell it I'll need to buy another one, but I'll surely have car payments...

So, this has been an intresting weekend. I think God is telling me something about my car... make a visit over to Jeffersonair for more details (june 7th post)... On top of that mishap, I've lost my front license plate, illegal in these parts... that's another $20 or so on something I should have never needed to deal with. Oh and by the way check out the weather deal on my side bar, today has been GRAND! I tell you GRAND! Amen I love this weather, but not what we had for the last week, w/ the average temp being like 85 something... grrr. sick.

But when the Pharisees heard that he (Jesus) had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they thought up a fresh question of their own to ask him. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses?"
Jesus replied, "`You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
[Mathew 22:34-40]

Love God with all our hearts, souls and minds. So, love God with passion because we don't deserve his saving graceful love; with our actions, because he didn't have to act to keep us around; with our minds in what we learn and teach. But we are to love others just as we are to love God. We are to equally love others, as we love God. We can do this by forgetting our selves and meeting the needs of others around us. Of course God doesn't want us to be stepped all over and used and abused, but I can truly say I believe that if we serve others, God will protect us from those kinds of things. Maybe sometimes we are put through those kinds of things so that we can be a light to others, because we know God is just putting us through the fire to refine us and have all the crap burned off, so only the good will remain. So, I say this: Love God and People as you love your self, serve others as if they were your need, by doing this you are serving God, and in return he will provide for you.

For the most part I enjoy being the youngest person in a staff of three hundred plus. But sometimes it can be a real disadvantage; older people have this thing with young people, and especially young men. I'm twenty-one and the next oldest person is twenty-six, but he is a teacher and football coach. I always get the feeling that my work is doubted, that my skills are not as good as someone 10 years older than me, and that sometimes my opinions just don't count, even though I have the same or even more experience than my older co-workers. I guess its just part of life, but I really wish I was a little more appreaciated, a little more trusted. Sometimes I get all down about this, and figure it's something I've done, but I realize it isn't. I know for the most part I have their respect, and I respect my co-workers greatly, but I think it is time for a little appreciation to be thrown around. I will make sure to give that same appreciation I want from my co-workers to them. I will make sure to really be different then them, or from the other "nice guys", I want them to see why I tick, why I have passion, who I live for. I do not deserve God's love, I don�t' deserve to feel so at peace when others have no clue, I don't deserve any of the things I have. God's love is so real to me, yet I am so disappointed in how I show and give that love to others. So, that's my goal from now until I leave. I want to be in the light, as he is in the light. I want my light to shine for all to see, I will not hide it. I live for Christ, but he died and took our sins for us, he felt our sins, he took our sins as a parent who takes hateful words from their child, and continues to love and provide.

It is through grace alone.

Great weekend, fun times. I have some serious stuff to blog, and cause some conversation here, but i'm too tired. So, here's to another lame post. Amen.