Connotation, Definition and ect.

I'll post this on my blog and facebook so that it won't be missed.

So, I have always seemed to have this problem. I like using words that I don't understand. It's been that way since I was very small. Once, after saying something funny as a boy of about 6, a family friend told me: "Josiah, I bet you'll grow up to be a comedian." To which I replied: "But I'm already a Canadian!"

Usually this was only a problem with big words like "discombobulated, penultimate" and my personal favorite: "disraught" (a cross between the word "distraught" and the phrase "what hath thou wrought?") "Fired," although a very short word, seems to be causing me a bit of trouble at the moment. I thought I knew what it meant, but I guess still I misunderstood. I'm good at that.

I should be familiar enough with this problem just from my own friends' slips of phrase. Recently, a friend (who shall remain unnamed) was rather disraught (hee, hee, hee) and said he was wondering: "where do God and I stand?" I was rather shocked.

"Dude, whoa! Are you OK? Do you even know what that means?"

He said that he did, but his definition was most certainly NOT mine. I told him: "Ok, this is what I think of when I hear that phrase. Example, if some girl that I was dating or engaged to or whatever came up to me and said: 'Josiah, where do we stand now,' I would be preparing for the end of the relationship."

My friend was shocked: "No, no, no! That's not what I meant at all!" And then he went on to explain that he was just having a hard time struggling with sin and spiritual depression. Well, who doesn't have a down moment now and then? But doubting your faith in God (which is what I took him to mean) is something else entirely!

So... let me define my terms. I suppose by everyone else's definition, I was not "fired." I was not even a full employee yet. I was still in a three week period of paid training. At the end of those three weeks me and my boss had a little heart to heart. I am a big picture kind of guy, working at a winery requires that one be constantly consumed with the details, making it a full priority. I could not afford to do that. I have enough details in my head with Latin subjunctives and the mitochondria of animal cells. I left on good terms, no hostility, no anger... just a mutual realization that that wasn't where I should have been.

I'm an odd bat. I have strange definitions sometimes. I still think that spring starts in February, summer in May, autumn in August and winter in November. Often... VERY often, I must clarify and correct myself. Thanks for listening.

God bless your weekend,

JSTT

Singleness Awareness Day

Valentines Day... is there an apostrophe in there? Well, I submit that there shouldn't be... since it's not Valentine's Day anymore (a holiday remembering the patron saint), it really is "valentines" Day, the day that you go out and get "valentines" plural... not possessive. Who knew you could come up with this huge argument with a simple change in punctuation?

It's raining... raining in the Idaho panhandle. It's snowing everywhere else... I think it might even be snowing in Florida right now. Nothing would surprise me weather wise at this point. Perhaps this is why the official term has been changed from "global warming" to "climate change." Notice that "climate change" is a bad thing. Obama said so in his state of the union address. Also notice what follows from that: not even Obama believes that all change is good. Bush was smart but talked dumb, Obama is dumb but talks smart. Which is more dangerous?

It's raining... depending on the kind of mood I'm in... I quite enjoy rain. Especially right now... at the end of a very, very long week. The roommates are out partying it up. The house is quiet, nothing but the water heater whirring in the background. "Be still and know that I am God." I'll probably take a nap soon. THIS is how to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I have a job... this makes me very happy. It really makes me focus on my school work when I have the time. I think I did pretty well on my science midterm... I've failed my last two. Maybe I can pull my average grade up from a C to a B this quarter. You never know. Last year 3rd quarter proved to be the best.

Already making summer plans... my long lost roommate, Russell invited me up to his place this August for Warped Tour. I went last year, but it was a total bore going alone. Rocking out with a friend is always so much more fun. As for the rest of this summer? Who knows? Well... God does. He always has. I keep thinking He doesn't. How silly of me. As me and my college friends often say in instant message speak: *headdesk*

Singleness awareness day... I think I won't even celebrate it when I'm married. That will be a tough one to spring on the wife. "Sorry dear, I don't believe in Valentines Day." I think I have a legitimate excuse though. Paul makes it very clear in his letters to the churches around the world that they ought not do anything that would make a weaker brother to stumble. I think our famous American red holiday does just that. Let me explain... no, there is too much...... let me sum up:

I was very prone to... seeking others' affections while in middle school, high school... and to some extent even now. I consider myself one of the afore mentioned "weaker brothers." Valentines Day always bothered me, it put pressures on me that needn't have been there. So, even when I am no longer single... I will nullify "valentines" day in my household.

Romans 14:5-6 "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God."

I'm fully convinced in my own mind, and I will not celebrate "valentines" day unto the Lord.

In Christ,

JSTT

Back for another round

Well, I just got back to beautiful Moscow, Idaho. I was a little trepidatious about coming back, what with traveling several thousand miles, and the whole going to school and being away from my family... again. But I shouldn't have been. Since when has being worried ever solved anything? Or... is it the other way around? That it DOES work? As the saying goes: "Worrying works, what you worry about never seems to happen."

I really hate planes though. Well, not hate. They help me get to see people that I love quickly and efficiently. We often complain about security checks and what not... but really, think about it for a moment: you are sitting in a chair......... IN THE SKY!!!! You are thousands of miles above the surface of the earth, defying gravity. What is NOT cool about that, huh?

Security checks do suck though. A friend of mine told me this morning that in some airports they have installed body scanners. Like... um.... yeah. They see everything. Not ok. Just not OK. Like in Britain they can't scan anyone under 18. Yeah. Ick. Somebody has got to put and end to this madness.

But still, the whole plane part is pretty much the bomb. (pun not intended) For example, on my flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake, they had personal TVs installed in the back of the head rests. BOOYAH! Even better, they had one jack headphone adapter things. Don't you hate it when you pull out your headphones to watch the in-flight movie and you suddenly realize that you need a pair of headphones with two jacks to watch in stereo? Anyway, they had Comedy Central. Stand-up comedy all the way to Mormonville.

Don't get me wrong. I love Mormons. They show us Christians up all the time. I mean, why can't WE be that nice? Huh? Somebody riddle me that.

While walking through the Salt Lake airport however, I was surprised to find people besides me wearing Goorin Bros. hats. You cannot go wrong with a Goorin. Mine is pretty much my favorite hat of all time. http://www.goorin.com/

Finally on the last flight from Salt Lake to Lewiston (read it as: middle of nowhere Idaho), I sat next to a nice girl going back to school too. Vandal pride. She had been in... Romania was it? Jenny. She pointed out that we were both wearing claddaugh rings. So we were. Imagine that. Turned out she had been all over Europe, and was considering studying there eventually.

Inevitably the subject of where I went to school came up. "New Saint Andrews," I say. A look of consternation. "You know, the little brick building on main street?" A look of recognition. "Yeah, I've heard of it... I think."

Suddenly, the man sitting in front of us turns around, looks at me, "Josiah!" He sticks out his hand, I shack obligingly. "I knew you looked familiar!" It's Mr. Garfield, one of the teachers from Logos private school... the little brother to New Saint Andrews.

Then he turns to Jenny, and looks at her hard. She looks a little taken aback, a little nervous. I can understand. Old guys (no offense, Mr. Garfield) staring at you will do that to you. "We're neighbors, aren't we?" Another look of recognition. "Mr. Garfield?" "Yup! How's the family?"

Small talk. We still haven't taken off yet. Salt Lake airport officials are pretty serious about de-icing all the planes.

Finally back in good, ol' Idaho it's still a half-hour drive from my landing point, Lewiston, to my final destination, Moscow. Pump Say Anything through the speakers. Punk rock with a psychotic messianic Jew as the front man, what's there not to love? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Say_Anything_%28band%29

I make it back at about 11ish, 2300 for all you military types. My body is screaming: "2 AM, 2 AM, 2 AM!" as loud as it can. I head to crash into bed, but not before my roommate tells me that one of the other guys left... like for good. Or at least for the foreseeable future. Not enough cash. That's the jist. Fading... fast. Bed eats me for a midnight snack.

Next morning... Sunday. Back to Christ Church. Home. http://www.christkirk.com/ I think that was the biggest thing I was worried about coming back, not the academics, not the weather.... the people. Like I said... I needn't have worried. With God you never do. You NEVER do. "He's always been faithful to me."



So... I'm back. Back.... home. "Home is what you make it." Never blame it on others, never fear, never despise where you are. If you harbor loathing in your heart simply for where you are, you are most definitely not living in God's will, you are not seeking His peace. Rest in Him always. He's never steered me wrong.

The glory and grace of God never fails.
Praise be unto His name!


Well, Latin vocab is calling my name. Until next time, I remain you friendly neighborhood Calvinist!

JSTT