A Stroll Down Memory Lane

I attended a real estate education fair in Auburn last Tuesday and decided to hang around afterward and take a stroll down memory lane. Even though Auburn has changed a lot since the late eighties and early nineties when I was a student (ooh...that hurts) I was still able to drive around and see some memory-jogging sites. I actually made it to all of the places where I lived during my tenure at AU including Village Green, Lakewood Commons (B108), Crossland Downs, Ridgewood Village (the trailor where I witnessed a mushroom grow out of the carpet), Court Square (D201), and The Brookes. I also saw the Spectrum where I worked many late hours. It felt so good to see those places and enjoy the memories that are a part of them. Now I know how my dad probably felt when he took us to Auburn games when I was young and would point out places where he had class and lived while he was a student. Those are memories that you hold onto for a lifetime.

Something else I did was attend Devo at the Auburn Christian Student Center that night. It has been a long time since I participated in the weekly devo at the good ole ACSC. It was great to see the Brinkerhoffs and also see some college students from Vaughn Park who are very involved in the student center. Brink had a great lesson (more on that in the next post) and the singing was very enjoyable. However, I realized during devo that I was nearing information overload with these memories when I looked across the room and saw a girl that looked almost exactly like someone I dated in college. I was amazed at the resemblance and questioned whether or not I was losing my mind. After breaking into a cold sweat worrying about finding a date to Spring Banquet, I decided I had spent too much time in Auburn and needed to go home.

At this time twenty years ago, I was recovering from ankle surgery, finishing up my freshman year and deciding to change my major. It really seems like yesterday. Before I know it, I'll be 59 and thinking back 20 years on the day I posted this message on my blog and telling myself...you know, that seems like it was just yesterday. Please excuse me while I go sob uncontrollably.

A Close Call

As I type the words of this post I continue to wipe the sweat from my brow. I had a real close call today. I came home for lunch which I have not done for months. That really makes no sense seeing how I live only 3 minutes from my office. Anyway, I was in the mood for a peanut butter/mayonnaise/banana sandwich and was going to watch some performances from American Idol again since Tuesday night was the best night of singing so far (Jordin and Blake rule!!). I put the mayonnaise on my bread, cut up the banana and situate the pieces just right, and then I got a big blob of peanut butter on my knife. Right before I spread it on my bread I am somehow reminded of the peanut butter recall. I'm sure it was an angel sent from God to trigger my memory. I look at the jar and see that it's Peter Pan. "Is that the one that was recalled?", I ask myself. I run to the computer and google Peter Pan to find the recall notices and get the number to check on the jar lid. BINGO! The number matches. I run back into the kitchen and quickly wipe the knife clean and throw the jar away.

I admit I have no memory at all. Isn't it neat that something just didn't seem right as I scooped out my peanut butter? If I had proceeded with the making of that beautiful sandwich, the results would definitely not have been beautiful. I can only imagine the colon explosion that could have taken place. I turn into a little baby with just the slightest upset stomach. If I had to experience the sharp stomach pains and rectal eruption from some sorry peanut butter, I'm sure my life would have come to an end.

If you haven't done it yet, check your peanut butter NOW! I must be doing something right to have been spared that harrowing experience. As I'm on my knees tonight, God will hear a strong "thank you" from me.

Facing the Giants

My small group just finished studying 1-3 John and are now in transition trying to decide what to study next. Last night we decided to order pizza and watch a movie. What kind of bible study is that?...you may ask. Well, the movie was Facing the Giants . I had heard a little about it but didn't know much at all. I was very pleased with what I saw. The acting left a little to be desired but considering the movie was made by a Baptist church in Albany, GA and the actors were volunteers (including ministers and a minister's wife), I had to be impressed. The message was huge and really started my wheels turning in evaluating my life and where I am falling short.

You may find a lot of criticism of this movie because of the acting. Other criticisms include labeling it a "vending machine view of spirituality". Critics complain that the movie makes it seem so simple to put your faith in God and receive answers to all of your problems like bad grades, losing records, car problems, and infertility. The message of the movie is so simple. Put your faith in God and let Him take control. As long as you honor God in everything you do, nothing is impossible. Can it be? You mean if I increase my faith (which I really need to do) and turn everything over to God then I can be more successful at work, play better basketball, get a new car, and get pregnant? Well, I doubt I'll get pregnant...let's change that. I'll be able to impregnate somebody? Well, there's strike two. Being an unmarried man, I really don't need to do that. Ok...let's forget about pregnancy. You mean things in my life will get much better if I let go and let God as the old saying goes? Is faith that important and does it have that much of an effect on my life?

Ok, critics who think that this view of faith is too simple and too convenient...let's look at a few examples in scripture and see what God has told us long before the man who wrote this movie script was a thought in his mother's mind. Look at how individuals' faith was involved in their healing in Matthew 9 with the sick woman who had a bleeding problem and the two blind men. Jesus said they were healed according to their faith. Look at the refusal of Jesus to perform miracles in his hometown in Matthew 13 because of the people's lack of faith. Jesus then identifies the strength of a person's faith in Matthew 17 and 21 by using the same example. He said faith could move a mountain and nothing will be impossible. Faith without doubting can make a fig tree wither and cause a mountain to be thrown into the sea.

Alright, Ryan, you can't take everything that is said in the Bible literally. This is simply a use of hyperbole by Jesus in making a point. Maybe He is exaggerating a little, but that doesn't diminish the statement that nothing is impossible with Him if you have faith. Are we acting like the kicker in the movie and convincing ourselves that we can't make a field goal even before it's kicked. Do we doubt the very things we are praying for? What good is it to pray if you don't believe you will receive?!

Here's my challenge to you. First of all, watch the movie. It's entertaining, inspirational, and educational. Then look at your life like I'm looking at mine. How strong is your faith? Have you tied God's hands behind His back because of your doubt? Let God work in your life. Praise God in the defeats as well as the victories. Honor God and discover that nothing is impossible.

It's Time

I finally took the time this afternoon to check all of the blogs of my friends and see what has been going on. I was pleased to see that I was still in their lists of bloggers even though my last post was January 1. Therefore, I am proud to announce my reentry into the world of blogging. I'm sure the question "Where have you been?" has been haunting everyone who has been exposed to my blog. Well, my absence was due to several factors.

First, I had a lot going on in January and February. I started teaching a course at Faulkner University that I have taught before but they had just changed textbooks. Therefore, I had to read the entire text and redesign my course. That took a lot of time. I am also leading a small group on Sunday nights and had to prepare for that lesson each week. February was the busiest month I have ever had at work. It was good to be busy because time goes by quickly (even though I am now getting to the age where I would like for life to slow down a little bit). Another reason for not posting is a lot of things that have been occupying my mind recently are things I would rather not advertise to millions of people who may stumble across my blog site. There are some things that just need to be kept to myself.

However, I am now ready to emerge from my 2 1/2 month absence and once again share certain events and experiences in my life. Some of these may be humorous, some may be thought-provoking, and others may be just downright boring. However, I encourage all of my former readers to return and experience the Mind of Ryan.

Merry Sickness

I normally wouldn't share with everyone what I got for Christmas, but 2006 was an unusual one. Here are my Christmas gifts in the correct order of reception.

1. A sore throat
2. A head ache
3. A loss of strength in my body
4. A swimmy head
5. Body aches
6. Body chills
7. Cold sores on my lips and in my mouth that made talking and eating very painful

Even though a few of my Christmas gifts were short lived, others decided to hold on for a while making my 2006 Christmas a very memorable one. I don't know what naughty thing I did last year to receive this proverbial "coal in my stocking" from Satan...I mean Santa, but I really would like to find out so I never do it again.

Here's to a wonderful and successful 2007 including a Christmas that more than makes up for this last one.

Procrastination

What has prompted me to write about procrastination? It seems to be running rampant in my life right now. As I began thinking of things that I have started and never finished or never started at all, the list continued to grow. Let me share why I think I have become a procrastaholic.

1. My last post was dated September 12. That's over 3 months, people!

2. I created a MySpace account and have not done anything with it for several months. I'm in the process of cancelling it but, for some reason, I haven't finished yet.

3. I started swimming at the YMCA during the summer on a very consistent basis. I have not touched that pool water in months. I continue to take my bag with swimsuit, goggles, and towel to work intending to swim afterward, but I never get wet (today being a great example). I'll probably have to get an employee to give me directions to the pool once I decide to return.

4. A friend of mine has been going through a lot lately and I bought a card to send to her several weeks ago. Has it been sent yet? I think you know the answer.

5. My debit and credit cards were stolen back in late August. A sales rep named Hannah at Compass Bank was incredibly helpful and I had every intention of writing a letter to the branch manager to let him know how she went out of her way to assist me. So far...no letter.

6. I have had the same half finished drawing on my drawing table for many months. I would love to finish it, put it in the pictureless frame that is currently hanging on the wall, and begin a new drawing.

7. I began building a model of my house out of balsa wood probably over a year ago. It still sits unfinished.

Believe me, the list continues but I don't want to bore you. Am I alone in this condition? Why can't I complete these tasks? I have had a lot going on since September, but that's no excuse...especially for the things I started long before September.

New year's resolution #1: Finish things! I may have to go into seclusion and deny myself the light of day until I can close the book on some of these activities, but it will be done. You can count on it.

An Interesting Worship Experience

I visited a former college roommate in Atlanta this past weekend and worshiped with his family Sunday morning. He had warned me prior to my arrival about what I should expect. I actually received several warnings of preparation and began to wonder if I would see snake handling or have both hairs on my head blown by a mighty rushing wind as everyone began speaking in tongues. My friends previously worshiped at the North Atlanta Church of Christ and then participated in a church planting conducted by North Atlanta. They stayed with that new congregation for little while and then made the move to the North Point Community Church in Alpharetta. Andy Stanley (Charles Stanley's son) is the minister and had a great message that morning to accomany two baptisms (husband and wife). The worship leader was an acoustical guitarist leading a full band in playing worship songs. I had never heard the first two songs, but they had great messages of musical praise. The third song was an oldie that they put to music but, because of senility setting in at the age of 38, I'm not able to tell you the name of it. Anyway, it was a very interesting experience. Communion takes place in small groups on Sunday night where it is a more personal and sharing experience.

I talked to my friend about his decision to worship there because I know some of the teachings there are not what he was raised to believe. There are a few things where he says he has to agree to disagree. Overall, he is very happy with the direction of that church. They currently have three services on Sunday morning and will be planting another congregation very soon so people can move to the new location and make room to grow. They already have two auditoriums where people worship simultaneously. Two separate worship bands play but Andy Stanley preaches in person in the East Auditorium and is broadcast on screens in the West Auditorium. When the next location is planted and established, Stanley will be broadcast there as well.

I enjoyed the time with my friends and being able to worship with them and see how excited they are about North Point. It was a good experience for me to be exposed to something different. I look forward to another different worship experience in the near future when I attend a conference in San Antonio. I plan on worshiping at the Oak Hills Church where Max Lucado preaches. I think that will be just as interesting as this past weekend and will once again open my eyes to various worship styles. I'll give you a report at the end of the month.