Hight Tech Redneck

After living in my Apartment for almost 6 months now, i finally have wireless internet. Which is nice because both my room mate and I were sharing internet. Moving the modem around the place was getting pretty old. Anyway, along with the internet I have also gotten a netflix subscription and having an xbox makes it al the more sweet. Let’s just say I’m really going to have to focus this semester with all these new little distractions in the Apt. I really don’t have much else to say. Life is good. If you want more frequent updates you might just want to make a twitter and follow me there. My username is jtothet.

peace out.

Schooly

I started school back today. I feel like I am so close to graduating. Just 3 tiny semesters left. I am taking 3 Bible classes and two other required classes that I have just been putting off. One of which is General Psychology. I’m not too sure how this class is going to play out. But as of right now it seems as though the professor thinks the class is way more important than it should be. The course load seems to be a bit heavy for an introductory class. I just don’t need this class to distract me from what I am really trying to learn. I mean, if i end up enjoying it, I’m sure I’ll be singing a different tune but I just don’t see that happening. Anyway, enough about school. The diet is going good. I’m just not so sure i have lost any weight yet. With my back being hurt I just find it hard o do anything physical, even after I got my bike set up and ready. 

This Friday some friends of mine are having a barbeque and it will be the first time in awhile that Katye will be able to accompany me. Needless to say, I am pretty excited.

All for now.

jt-out

Motivation

Man, things are really getting interesting. Life is so good. Last night I rode with my dad while he did his delivery thing and i got to thinking and talking. I realized something. I am truly blessed. For a long time I have felt regret about the things I have done, but after awhile I realized that there is no way I would be where I am today if i had not done the things I did in the past. As much as those things may seem like mistakes, (a lot of which were) they  really have made me who I am. For that, I am not ashamed and wouldn’t change it for the world. I look back and remember times, really desperate times, and I love them. You really see people for who they are when they are at rock bottom.

As the title is concerned, all this reflection has made me realize that life is always worth living and there is no reason that we should no try our best in everything that we do. I guess I’m just growing up. I’m learning to love life and all the little subtleties that come with it. I love work, school, church, friends, food, family, you, me, God…you get the idea.

JT-out

Time to diet.

So, I’m going to start a diet pretty soon. Inhave come to the concluion that that is my problem. I’ve maintained my weight for a while doing absolutley nothing. So, the next time I go to buy groceries I will be buying for my diet. It will be low carb and I am also going to try and cut out red meats. So from here on out it will be salads, yogurt, and alot of soy and turkey. Here goes nothing.

iphone

So, I just downloaded a wordpress app for my iPhone. That could mean that you will here from me alot more than usual. Maybe? Maybe not? Who knows? Anyway, I’m laying in bed typing this. I think that is why I don’t really update often. Sitting down to write a blopost just seemed so formal. Now I can do it whenever I feel like it. Well that is it for now. Whew! Two posts in one day. You guys are lucky.

Stupid!

That’s how I feel right now. I just had a huge brain fart and clicked on nearly every item on my desktop before finding the one i wanted to open. itunes. Silly.

Anyway, Im using this time to update. I don’t do this very often and for that I apologize. I am so ready for the new semester to start. I don’t think that i have ever been so bored as i have been this summer. Not to mention, i am getting more and more impatient as the number of semesters i have left dwindles. My life is progressing, for the better. I look back at my life a few years ago and, honestly, i just feel silly. There are few things i regret but regrets i do have. I often wonder what my life would be like today had i done things differently. I mean, i wouldn’t trade the life i have now for anything but i still wonder.

hmmm. current events.

Don’t know if much has happened. Like i said my summer has been pretty uneventful. Not much worth mentioning.

I guess that is it for now. I’m sure i will post as soon as school starts back.

 

JT

out

Wish List

I wish more people would realize the authority and timelessness of scripture and that we would all come to a better understanding of the sufficiency of Christ.

Off the top of my head..

You will have to excuse this post as my opinions may offend some.

Lately, something has come up in encounters that I have had at my local church. For the sake of those involved I will not include names.

On two different occasions I have had discussions with evangelicals who have come to the conclusion that Homosexuality is not a sin. I have some problems with this and, if you read the Bible and believe that it is the infallible word of God, you should too. 

Both instances have involved people who I believe are wonderful people and strong believers but it just seems to me that they may be either ill informed or confused.

Let me also state that this is not an exhaustive explanation on why I believe that Homosexuality is a sin. I just want to share my opinion and give you some references so that you can decide fro yourself.

To begin with, the reason for believing that Homosexuality is not a sin was the same for both parties. ” I just don’t think that People choose to live that way.” While some may see this as a plausible reason, it just does not make sense to me. The statement, then, seems to suggest that people are born homosexual. I’m sorry but I don’t see a problem accepting that fact and still believing that it is a sin. I mean, I was born a liar but I try my darnedest everyday to not lie.  Of course I am predisposed to a million other sins that some would consider worse than lying and I struggle with them each and everyday as well. I digress. What I am trying to say is that Homosexuality is a sin just like lying is a sin. In God’s eyes they are the same. I think a lot of horrible things have happened because we believe otherwise-discrimination,hate crimes, etc. That is a different discussion for a different time. I guess the point that I am trying to make with all of this, and i know that I am doing a horrible job of making that point, is that we are all sinners and just because we can’t wrap our mind around why something is a sin doesn’t mean that we can just shrug it off and say that it isn’t. Now, If we believe that the Bible is the word of God, then we should take all of what is says as such. So I leave you with references where both the old and new testament speak out against Homosexuality. Forgive me if I have said anything that has offended anyone.

(Romans 1: 24-28; I Corinthians 6: 9-11) (Lev 18:22 ;Leviticus 20:13)

Let me end by saying that I struggled with this very fact for a long time as I have many loved ones who live a homosexual lifestyle and sometimes my emotions get the best of me and I find myself hoping that I am wrong and that homosexuality were not a sin. But I can’t deny what is affirmed in the Bible time and time again. The strongest proof that I can offer, however, is the internal testimony that i feel from the Holy Spirit and I know in my heart of hearts that homosexuality is wrong. 

Peace and Love

JT

Ok playa…

Well i guess wordpress decided to change my page or something. Maybe it is just a bug. but if you will look to the right you will notice that my links have disappeared. Which is quite  a pain. Anyway, there is not much new to talk about in my life. Summer is here and I am enjoying it. All i do is chill and work at the Church right now. I am enjoying a much needed break. In a few weeks i am going to the beach with my parents. Always fun. I hope Katye will be able to come for a few days, but who knows? She just started a new job at CVS and is trying to get all that worked out. I am so anxious for the future. I still have a year and a half of school left and it is about time to figure out what happens next. I have humored the idea of doing some mission work in Africa all of next summer but again we will have to see. I will have to figure out a way of paying my rent while i am gone. I like writing without using new paragraphs for new thoughts. Try to keep up. Anyway, I have started running and it has been allot easier than i thought it would be. Granted, i am running in a gym and not out in the humidity but hey, one step at a time right? I just hope i will stick with it. I would like to get my weight back down to where i was when i graduated high school. Which was 185. Let’s just say i have a ways to go. Well, that is enough of my rambling…hope this satisfies anybodies appetite for an update…

 

jt out

My father the Police Man…

My Dad is retiring from the Hoover Police Department this summer after fulfilling his 25+ years of service. He has talked about doing this for a while. I never really gave much thought as to how i would take this but i would never have guessed that i would be feeling the way I am now. I am really sad. All my life I have been proud to say that my dad is a police officer. I won’t be able to say that anymore. It’s not that i feel like he is anything less. I just think that an era is coming to an end. I see a man who was born to do Police work finishing out his days and while i think it is time for this, I just find it so hard to digest. I think about all the people that my dad has helped in the past and i can only hope that there will be someone else to see the job as he did. Service. My dad understands that police work is about sacrificing ones livelihood for the preservation of another. I’m sorry but i just think that is a minority now. A large amount of my discomfort as of late can be attributed my Dad’s retirement. It is just really affecting me more than it should be. With all of this said, I will never be as proud of anything like I am proud to be called the son of Sgt. Thomas Henry McDanal Jr. a man who will always wear blue in my eyes. 

I Love You Dad.