12.29.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:13 pm by Perry
Well, today it is Thursday; one day until Friday (a.k.a. the weekend), two days until the 31st and the beginning of a new year, and five days until we Raider’s start classes again. In retrospect, it seems this year has gone by really fast but I guess that can be said about most years. Internationally, the world saw one of its largest natural disasters in the form of a tsunami that killed just under three thousand men, women, and children. Not much farther away, many more lives (well over a thousand) died in an earthquake in Pakistan. Some things didn’t change, we still are facing ongoing carnage with daily road side and suicide bombings in Iraq that has led to 2,000 American deaths and over 30,000 Iraqi deaths (30,000!!!!!). As the year comes to a close, the world continues to struggle with an unmentioned genocide in Sudan and an ever growing number of diseased and starving population in Africa and other poverty stricken areas of the world. Nationally, America has been dealing with numerous hurricanes that have ravaged Florida and left New Orleans as a virtual waste land.
On the flip side of that coin the world has seen Iraq undergo two successful elections for both a president and assembly. In other important and revolutionary elections, Chechnya spilt from its ruling power and now stands as an independent nation and Afghanistan. returned to the polls to for another round of violence free elections. International pressures from the U.N. and United States were great enough to prevent Putin from turning Russia into the Communist dictatorship that Stalin and Mussolini held so tightly. From North Korea, a team of scientists published an article in the journal Science that they successfully cloned a line of stem cells from an individual donor egg. As far as what has happened for good nationally, we have had an overall mild winter and the David Crowder Band released their best album to date.
As far as what has happened with me over the past year, I have first and foremost become married to the most wonderful and beautiful woman God has ever graced the earth with. There have also been many other accomplishments along the way, I became certified as a medical assistant (C.M.A.), I got a new job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a student researcher, I bought and moved into a new house, and many other things which escape me now. Most importantly, I feel this past year, and most recently at that, I have really come to understand what it means to find joy in having a relationship with God. I have made a commitment to the Lord which has truly changed me whole perspective on everything. I am so appreciative of the amazing friends I have who wait patiently on me as I slowly come to understand how I am to walk through life with my eyes focused on God and his glory.
As with a new year transition, I have a few resolutions (in no particular order). Number one, I am going to try to strengthen my relationship with Patrick and Laura, my younger brother and sister, and become a stronger force in their lives. I also want to do the same for my Mother during her time of illness. Secondly, I want to regain my relationship with my older brother and soul-mate Chris which is not as strong as it once was and truly is an anchor on my heart. Third, and most defiantly most importantly, I want to fully focus all that I do on knowing Jesus more fully in my life and marriage and proclaiming his glory to those who do not know it. Finally, I hope to become a better person as a result of these things.
What is your story from this past year? What has changed you and shaped your life? What do you want to change for next year? Leave a comment and let me and everyone else know.
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12.11.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:00 pm by Perry
I haven’t posted in a while and I have a few different things on my mind so I am going to try and be brief and cover all the topics rushing through my head.
- First, and not in chronological order, Miriam and I saw the "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" on Friday. I have read the book and I must say that it is absolutely honest to the book. With it being a Disney movie I thought that the might cut out and/or tone down the Christian symbolisim but they maintained it in its entirety. The whole movie just permeated not only the life and death of Jesus Christ but also a detailed explanation, through the story, of the significance of His death and resurrection. I could write pages about all of the symbolism such as the two girls weeping over Aslan’s body, Aslan’s sacrificial death for Edmond, the blood price that was due for Edomnd’s treason, the cracking of the stone table, and so on. It seems like it might truly be a tool for evangelizing to people who can’t understand the biblical narrative. Please everyone, go see it!
- On a recent escapade through downtown Dayton on Matt’s birthday I had the opportunity to read through the sermon on the mount in Matthew in chapter four and five. I was recently thinking about how Jesus instructs us to not swear by anything on heaven or on earth under any circumstance. This made me think of how in courtrooms people are made to swear on the bible to tell the "truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" and how that is clearly against what Jesus had instructed us to do. I can only imagine the "Christian" uprising if anyone fought to end that practice. Talk about ungodly and unbiblical.
- Next thought, what is the true meaning of Christmas? Why do we as Christians celebrate this holiday? Is it recognized as a time to come together and enjoy family, food, and friends or is it something more. There are Christians, wink, wink! (you know who), who refrain from the holiday all together because they feel it is too commercial and has lost its meaning. I can’t help but feel that we should be called to celebrate the holiday for what it is; a time set aside to contemplate the love and grace of God to come to earth for a purpose such as the one he fulfilled. Instead of shunning the holiday, lets embrace it as an evangilisim tool.
- I had a great chance to go to Chicago this week with Matt Martin and Bobby Fleck which I soooooo wanted to go on but had to forgo at the last minute due to serious family issues. I soooooo wanted to go but I know that I must align my priorities and a family emergency comes before a road trip. I just hope that I can continue to grow in my friendship with such great guys and that they don’t take my absence for the reasons that arose as a sign of avoidance.
- I took the new job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. I am not a part of the machine and no longer the friction (giving props to Thoreau)
Well, that about sums it up. Be sure to check back when I splurge again in a few weeks.
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12.02.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:35 pm by Perry
I recently interviewed for a job through SOCHE (a student internship org.) and today had my second interview on base at WPAFB for a position as a student researcher in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. I would be doing research on the effects of deformation of metals under different circumstances with application to jets, planes, and the sort. I would be making $16.00 an hour with regular raises and with unlimitied flexibility and freedom as compared to my current job where I make $ 11.00 an hour with some freedoms and rare raises.
The problem is that I am not passionate about what I would be doing at WPAFB. My passion is everything medicine and I want to pursue a career in medicine. I am currently working in a doctors office as most of you know and while I am not thrilled with my specific job it is still more interesting than cutting and analyzing metal alloys all day. It is also more applicable to medical school. But, practical research experience is also important in applying to medical school and it shows that I would have job diversity.
I think a lot of my hesitation is related to the friendships I have made at my current job. Many of my co-workers came to my wedding and I consider them to be good friends and I would have to lose that connection. I suppose that I might be afraid of leaving my comfort zone a little. I guess I need some input. This site is being lame and not allowing anyone to post comments but you are welcome to e-mail me with any wisdom.
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