Um... Hey. It's been a while.

     Recently, I was hanging out with my friends and it was a blast. We were just relaxing, watching old disney movies, taking strange pictures, and having genuine bonding time. It was the kind of fun that seems boring to everyone else. 

     

     And tonight we were talking about God at the Gathering and Eric mentioned the fact that we shouldn't love God because we fear Him, but rather we should fear Him because we love Him and we know what He is capable of. Also, in D-group we discussed how you cannot exaggerate God. If you try, you didn't lie. Any exaggeration you make isn't an exaggeration at all, but rather the truth. Weird? Well, on top of all that, tonight at CRU bible study, we were sharing our testimonies and we shared our "but God" sentences. 

--for example, "I was living one lifestyle, but God showed me who I really am."--

     I say all of that so you can have the same "ah-HA" moment that I had. Maybe you won't share it with me, but at least you can hear where I'm coming from. Basically: when was the last time you hung out with God? 

     Everyone has those friends who only call you when they want a ride, money, or whatever. Doesn't that bother you to only be called when someone wants to use you? Yeah? Well isn't that how most of us treat God? Like a slot machine. We put a prayer in, pull the lever, and hope we hit a jackpot. But that's not what love is. 

     Love is a bigger word than I ever imagined. Love means that we are literally willing to die for a person. DIE. Are you? Will you die for your roommate? The loud person down the hall? The man who tailgates you in traffic? But, then again, aren't we supposed to? "Love your neighbor as yourself"? Well, hmm. That sucks. 

     Then again, when you put your own genuine love and time into a God who can create so much beauty, He instills a love in you that is contagious to everyone you meet. However, how do you really get to know someone if you never hang out with them? You can't know the deep, dark secrets, the weird quirks, or the annoying habits. I didn't know what angered my friends until I hung out with them and learned this information. God is no different. You can't only use him for your own benefit, but get to know Him and spread His love to those you have trouble loving yourself. "The Lord is strongest when you are weakest." Trust in Him. 

  

     My D-group leader once told me that "if the Lord put a desire inside of my heart, then He put it there for a reason." In that case, we were talking about marriage, but it applies to loving as well. He has instilled love in all of us, but do we use it the way we should? Can we see what that means to tell someone that we love them? Do we flirt with the fine line between love and lust? Do we try to find "love" in temporary objects and emotions? 

     Of course we do; we are stupid humans. But it's freeing to know that there is someone up there, a parent to watch us, telling us to change and giving us many open doors and opportunities to go out into the world and love. Don't judge someone you don't know (or someone you do know, either). Don't assume things based on circumstances. Don't laugh at the person who fell while running to class. Don't get mad at the girl holding up the line, or the guy who uses chicks to make himself look cool. These are temporary, miniscule things in respect to the grandness that the Lord offers us up in heaven. 

     As pastor Steve says, "the devil will fly you first class to Hell." He will put you in cozy chairs, tell you how awesome you are, how beautiful you look, and make you feel awesome about yourself. But your destination will be a dark, constantly burning pit of non fatal torture. 

     For me, I'd rather join Steve in the putt-putt plain that shakes and creaks during the flight if it means my destination is one of perfection and eternal praise to the Lord himself who saved me from something that I didn't even know was killing me. 

    This post was scatter-brained, but it's been a while since I've blogged and a lot has happened in that time. I hope you guys at least retained some of it. And if anyone ever wants to talk about something, do not hesitate at all to ask. I'm rather chatty, and I would love to show you someone who will never stop loving you. He hasn't left me yet, and I've done some pretty icky things. The best part: I know that no matter what I do, He won't leave me. Ever. No matter what. What other man can you say that about? Just a thought :)