Tough Questions

I've been messaging one of my friends back and forth for a couple of weeks. He's been asking me some tough questions lately, questions that I haven't wanted to face myself or even put into finite words that could be answered instead of a form of abstract words, ideas and colors that I previously have had them floating around in my mind. It's good. It's a blessing in fact because I have to get back and answer him at some point which is causing me to face these questions.

This friendship and other friendships like this one are ones that I treasure. Friendships that encourage, challenge, and enlighten me are wonderful. God's definitely blessed me with some amazing friends and family. That is one of the things I'm most thankful for this season.

I didn't really mean to write a Thanksgiving-esque post, but it's the truth. Plus, it gave me more time to dwell on the questions at hand, which I will answer later. It's difficult as Charlie Brown once said, “In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.”

Why.

I enjoy writing, I do. That was originally why I got a blog. However, it has turned into something so much more beautiful in my life than just chronicalling what's going on with me or inside my head. I don't just blog, I read several (probably too many) blogs.

I've gotten the question of why I "waste" my time doing so. It's not a waste at all for me. I read a pretty good variety of topics from breakfast foods to urban pranks. Some of my favorite blogs are the ones that catch my attention as they stare into my heart and lay something in front of me that I'm dealing with or have continually dealt with in my life. This happened yesterday.

I'm not going to comment on it. I'm pretty sure it's a topic that everyone can relate to: forgiveness. However, after the quote I am going to quote a majority of what Pete Wilson had to say about it because I believe in what he said and think it would be wrong not to share that with you.

This is an excerpt that Pete posted the following excerpt from Deadly Viper by Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite:


"We made a pact with each other to be people who are fast to forgive. So much of our emotional volatility comes from relationship gone wrong. In the last couple of years, both of us have dealt with severe betrayal by trusted friends and partners. We were deceived and lied to by these individuals and their actions were reprehensible…
You see, when you don’t forgive someone, you let them park in your life forever. These people are like parasites that can suck the life right out of you and allow bitterness to rot you out. If you let these people and their actions haunt your thoughts, emotions,
and spirit, you allow them to continually damage not only you but those around you, too." - Deadly Viper


"I’m not going to pretend like forgiveness is always easy because we all know it isn’t. Some of you have been hurt in ways I can’t imagine. Someone wounded you, or betrayed you or lied to you or maybe cheated you. You’re afraid if you let go of the hurt, they get away with something. And you’re right, to forgive you will pay a high cost. In fact the only thing that will cost you more than forgiveness is not forgiving someone.
I know you want to see them hurt back but that desire is a weight or burden that actually becomes a part of you. You’ll carry that weight from relationship to relationship from season to season and if you carry that bitterness and anger around long enough it will choke the joy out of your life. It will cost you your heart. So be fast to forgive." - Pete Wilson

I'm Quitting College and Becoming a Trucker.

I've gone on four road trips in the last 10 days. That number is quite ridiculous, but way worth it. I went to Houston twice, Austin and Brenham. I got to see my family, UTXA and old high school friends, Jeremiah's family and our crew of friends for Halloween and the Williamsons. It was a glorious 10 days even though it was mingled with some crazy school.

One of my favorite things is just being on a road trip in general. Anyone can be in the car with me or no one at all. It's just amazing to watch the open road and have all that time for thoughts to mix and mingle in your mind as music is blasting, the sound of the tires hitting the road travel to your ears or a sermon is slicing through your heart with convictions and praises. Being on the road is one of my favorite things.

I've noticed a few things about my trips. I definitely have a preferred time frame in the day to hit the road. I am enjoying the fall season with the light that radiates from the sun. It casts such a beautiful light that hits the leaves as they have begun to transform from their ordinary shades of green to vibrant hues of reds, oranges and my favorite, gold. It's fabulous and captivates me every time I see it. That is very characteristic of my morning drives. In the evenings, I enjoy driving away from the sunset so when I glance at the car behind me in my rearview mirror, I see a variety of colors dancing across the sky as they flutter down beyond the horizon. Beautiful.

I've definitely pondered becoming a truck driver more than once in my life. They do have the best coffee, but more than that, there's something special about road trips. Something distinct about them that cause friendships to grow and thoughts to be layed on our hearts by our Lord.

In a podcast that I listened to on the way home from CS this summer, Ben Stuart talked about road trips and how Jesus took them with his disciples. I'm hoping to relisten to it this weekend on yet another roadtrip. (If I can figure out a safe way to take notes and drive, I'll try to post some notes on here when I get back. I'm just not sure how safe that really is...)

God really used my last roadtrip to Houston to speak to my heart about something specific. I'm not ready to share about it yet although I have a feeling that if God has a say (which He does!) it will be a for sure plan.