For The Record

Let it be known heretofore, I stole my "chipisthisguy" idea from Matt.  His original phrasing was "thisguyismatt" and I thought that was a great idea.  I didn't want to seem too obvious, so I reversed the order.  Anyway, if you have attributed any sort of genius to me because of my use of "chipisthisguy," you should really attribute mild plaigaristic tendencies.

The Opportunity Cost of Convenience

Would you have the guts (would I have the guts) to leave technology behind and "rough it?"  No laptop, no blackberry/Treo/PSP/PDA/GPS, iPod, iPhone - you name it.  I feel like my existence is being swallowed up by the need for immediacy.  It is becoming an addiction of American culture.  I want everything right now.  I am finding myself feeling impatient about how "long" shipments take to reach me.  These little gems of technological joy that I have had the misfortune to order online instead of purchase in-store.  "Snail Mail" takes too long.  Even UPS and FedEx take "too long."

You can post your minute-by minute activities to the Internet with a few keystrokes and high speed or 3G connectivity.  I almost feel nauseous with the online overload I've been experiencing lately.  I am afraid that humans are beginning to depend on the Internet for sanity and comfort.  It is like another member of the family.  We have built this machine, and it is slowly occupying every second of our time and every detail of our attentions.

This is all a pretty extreme view of technology and one I don't always think about - and I realize this is a personal thing that not everyone deals with... I think maybe I am beginning to lose my balance on the ledge of progress and this is my way to step back for a minute and take a breath, or to "Be still and know that I am God."

Offensive

I am worried all the time – well, most of the time, about what friends and even strangers might think about me because of my beliefs.  I worry I will be mocked, discounted, and shunned if I give any inkling of an idea of what I believe or attempt to explain or defend my beliefs.  And then it occurred to me how ridiculous this is.  That is the point, really.  The things that get my attention and make me think are offensive and different.  Thought-provoking, some may say.

I have used my quiet personality as an excuse to remain silent about my faith in Christ.  God has made me aware of this recently – and there is no way to describe exactly what being convicted by God is like to someone who has never felt it personally.  It is an amazing thing, though.  It is a catalyst for salvation, even.

It is sad... In America we worry about our reputations being affected by our beliefs.  In other countries and areas of the world, people die every day for their beliefs.  I don't want to be worried anymore.

I admit it, I am a nerd

Here's to New Beginnings

We turned and departed with more solitude and silence than a gaping hole, absent of anything, even atmosphere. We felt surrounded, nonetheless. I longed to feel the resonance of a dreadnought as I strummed brand new strings - forming the newness of a song never before played; the rumble of four 12-inch speakers powered by something I don't even comprehend the creation of, as the rising pounding, singing, plucking and jumping up and down one more time comes alongside. The shared looks and inside jokes sent across the sometimes smaller-than-a-closet fortress built out of metal, fiber, wood, music and love. Occupied by us and a genuine understanding of what we were doing was making a difference - even if the only difference it made was in us. We turned and departed, as if we were leaving our childhood home. Wandering into the rest of our lives with a direction yet to be determined, but guided by certainty. Driving cars we traded old reliable in for. A new coat sometimes is not better than an old, worn and familiar blanket. But those old, worn and familiar blankets had beginnings, too. I still look over my shoulder, wondering the whys, hows and what ifs, but I have this same wonderment when I am looking forward, too. And that is how it all started in the first place.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. I hope this will be interesting. We'll see.