Matthew 3

Ok guys. Matthew 3. Don't be shy, or else.

The Next Step, or alternatively a brief history of my college experience.

Allow me to be verbose. I am not a short story teller. I remember early on in college I would get nervous telling stories or longer jokes because I felt like people would grow impatient before I could finish them. The good thing about writing is people can look ahead and see how long something is going to be without committing to fully reading or "hearing" the story. And after four years I've found friends that I don't worry about being brief with. That's why I like the name of this blog so much. The irony of the likes of Sam, Cabe, Matt, B-Mart, Garrett, Nathan, Drew, and Colin starting a blog and calling it witless brevity, still cracks me up. Of course things like using third person and first person in the same sentence crack me up.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and realized I was going home. Home to McAllen, but not "for summer". Well technically I'm only here for the summer, but in reality I was/am leaving Austin, or more accurately leaving the world of being an undergrad for good. (I carefully worded that because I'd like to go to seminary or grad school or something, so you never know. But, the life on an undergrad is probably unlike the life of a grad student, I think.) See how many sentences I've added in the middle of my story? Basically I should just parentheses half of what I say/write.

Let the weirdness commence. I have a job, but that job is raising support so that I can go to a vaguely defined place on the far side of the world. I very clearly know what is instore for me in terms of more or less where I'll be, yet I do not know what the experience will be like or how it will impact me. All I know is that yes it will be an experience and it will impact me.

I'm glad Andrew and Cabe came over and helped me pack. They saved me probably 30 minutes to an hour of work, but it also was nice to not leave the house alone. I left Austin this afternoon as if a few friends were dispersing to go to the next location we were planning to hang out at. Matt also showed up, but conveniently after the work was all done.

The other night Matt said something that meant a lot to me. Matt does this sometimes. Every so often he drops some encouragement into the conversation. Sometimes you don't even pick up on it then. But it's the type of encouragement that is genuine and heart-felt. He said that I was really open and real, and that he loved that about me. More words may have surrounded that, but that's what's been in my mind.

Cabe said some nice stuff about me on here. Stuff like that always means so much to me. Sometimes we go too long without saying what other people really mean to us. Maybe I'm a closet romantic, but I really like the ring commercial (or maybe its just a diamond commercial) where the guy and girl are walking along and all the sudden the guy starts shouting "I love this woman!" over and over. She's embarrassed and is like stop stop (but the keep going kind of stop). In the end he gives her a ring or diamond or both to symbolize him shouting to the world of his love for her. This story is only vaguely related since we're all dudes, and we're all heterosexual. But sometimes our maleness prevents us from the edification that a community is supposed to do. I think we do a good job of encouraging, but there's always room for more. I also think this is how I want to do my looking back at college post, through the impact my friends have had on me.

Cabe and I have never been closer then this semester. I remember being intimidated by Cabe early in my sophomore year. That changed as we experienced the growing pains of learning how to drink together. Our experiences with learning about alcohol are another set of stories entirely. This semester with Brian overseas and Garrett graduated I wasn't prepared for the loneliness and big hole in me not having them physically there left. This semester Cabe was a friend in need. To be honest though so was I. I had a harder time realizing it, it wasn't like I got a phone call that said oh hey, you're going to be lonely and feel disconnected from your best friends. It was just reality that I really only realized now. This semester I could very easily have slipped into a depression. I teetered right on the edge one week. I was really down. Sam talked some sense into me, and Sam's always dependable. I got to know Cabe more this semester though then ever before. He is a really cool dude. I got to have lunch with him frequently when he was unemployed, and now that he is employed I've gotten to hang out with most nights until he has his bedtime. Really this semester Cabe has just been there for me. I didn't realize how reciprocal our need was until the other day really.

I talked a bit about B-Mart earlier, but man I can't say enough about this guy. I love this guy. Though we disagree on baseball teams (though I am cheering for Pujols to put a clean HR record up), we became really good friends my sophomore year and that continued my junior year. B-Mart is perhaps one of the most amazing and capable guys I know. God could use him in anyway to do anything and I would not be surprised and whatever feat he accomplished.

Garrett was literally an answer to prayer my freshman year. I had just finished praying about a roommate when Garrett called me to say he was interested in rooming with me the next year. Garrett and I did two years at Snow Ridge and were roommates one and half years. Garrett is like the perfect blend of cool dude and real friend. I appreciate the honesty Garrett's had with me about his life. He's up in the big D now. He's our professional businessman of the group.

Sam. Well, I don't think I can say exactly how Sam's been there for me. But it involves him wearing a helmet and letting me get alot of frustrations out by punching the hell out of it. I really am glad Sam, that I could be there for you too. He's one of those dependable guys. I'd definitely want him in a fight too. He's more of the independent one in the group. The other day Sam when you let me past the outside, it meant a lot to me, it really did.

Nathan is the David Beckham of the group. He's got a girlfriend, he's ridiculously good looking and he's just plain awesome. He likes soccer too so that's why Beckham comes to mind. Nathan is such a cool dude. If I weren't good friends with him, I'd feel pretty intimidated by him. I've really enjoyed the times we've hung out, especially some 20+ hours in my truck on the way to Mississippi and back. Nathan you are a leader. People just straight up look up to you. I'm very excited to hear how being a teacher goes this next year, and what plans God has for you long term. I know you are willing and God will use you.

Drew, the professional Christian. Drew you better write on this blog and no copy pasting your prayer letter straight on here. That's cheating. The students of Rice are blessed to have you. I've appreciated hearing your story. It's very awesome that you were able to submit yourself to God and allow Him to pull you away from being the perfect business student and going into the business world. I really do want to hear what God teaches you and what's going on in your life.

In short, these are the guys that I went through college with. Some I've known well since I was a freshman. Most of you guys I've gotten to know the past 2 or 3 years. All of you have lifted me up and encouraged me from time to time. I appreciate each one of you guys so much. Now that I've said all this be looking for your support letters sometime in the mail.

Matthew 2 Time

It’s that time to move on to Matthew chapter 2, but feel free to go back and do a post on Matthew 1; I know everyone had a really busy week.

The Iron that has Sharpened Me / My Fuzziness

In response to Matt’s post I wanted to recognize and thank all of you who have been my best friends these past 4 or so years. I really love you guys and it’s no secret that I’m going to miss all of you a lot.

I wanted to recognize Matt and Colin in particular for the ways they have been my friend in the past 4 or so months. It’s no secret that I’ve had somewhat of a tough time recently, and no one has really been there for me in quite the same way as these two men. In times of joy and in times of some of the toughest sorrow you guys have always had an open ear and were willing to continue to advise, challenge and encourage me in all of my hurt and struggle. You have really been Jesus to me. I don’t know how tough things would have been without these two men of God in my life, but I do know that I’m glad I’ll never have to find out. You two are both people I feel like I could wake up at 2 in the morning to talk to if I really needed to.

All of us are moving into different chapters of our lives, and it seems like most of us are only certain about where we think we should be for the next year or two, and after that it gets a lot fuzzier. I think that’s one of the most important functions of this blog. It’s going to enable us to share in each other’s fuzziness so that we might laugh and cry and dance and mourn with one another, even when we are in different cities, states or countries.

I think most of you know that I don’t feel particularly at home in my current software consulting job. Matt tells me I’m going to be a seminary professor one day, and Colin and I have talked about starting a church one day (of course all of you would be asked to be a part of that. possible name: The Witless Brevity Church? I think it’s golden…) and I think either or both of those would be things I would be really excited to devote my life to, as opposed to making the software of really big companies better. With that in mind, I feel like God is calling me in that direction, but I just don’t know what should happen now. This is my fuzziness and my continual struggle. For the first time in awhile I actually feel like I have some solid direction in my life (ministry) but I still don’t really know what the next step is.

I guess I should learn how to trust God or something.

Iron sharpens iron

Sometimes you feel led by the Spirit to just write, and this is one of those times. Sorry in advance for the rambling.

* * *

This semester has felt like the final chorus to a great song that has just come on the radio. When you first realize the song that is playing, anticipation and excitement comes over you. Half way through the song, you realize that time has flown by and the song is almost complete. By the time you reach the finale of the song, you realize that you have to cherish every moment that’s left. The song resembles friendships made in college, and final chorus is the good-bye.

I, personally, am not graduating but many of my friends are or have within the last year. Friends that I have relied on in the past four years, and friends that I will continue to rely on for much of my life. You guys have shown me love and brotherhood. In the next few months, we will all be spread out across Texas and the world (many of us already are). Like the ending of a great song, saying good bye in college is both joyful and sad. Joyful because we finally can continue with our lives after a short stint of college, and sad because good byes mean good bye.

Many people believe the definition of friendship is sharing a common history. Some of our best times in life, have happened in college: “Austin tea party” and the festivities afterwards, playing pool basketball in Sterling, playing video games at Colin’s, losing every year in the upper classmen vs. lower classmen football game, Juan and a million, football/basketball/Rose bowl (x2), drinking (though I don’t do it much), singing Mulan, DWC, Fall Getaway, and millions of other memories. Some of our worst times in life, have also occurred in college: your friend waking you up at 2 a.m. because he just got his heart broken or vice versa; encouraging each other after graduation when we all have no clue what we are going to do; telling each other when we’re wrong, in sin, or just acting stupid.

The next few months are going to be different than any before. First, we are, for the first time, officially cut off physically from each other making the actions of friendship (encouragement, refinement, and love) more difficult. Secondly, many of us will be looking for direction in the next few months (jobs, internships, girls, seminary, and ministry). I hope I can continue to share life with you guys post-college. I want to share in your joy like: completing support, finding a full-time job, getting accepted into seminary, getting a girlfriend, getting engaged (God forbid!), etc. Also, I want to share in your not-so-good times. And maybe through that, we can continue in our friendship of encouragement, refinement and love. Graduation can mean good-bye, but it can also strengthen friendships.

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Let us keep communication open, so we can grow together.

I’ll be praying for all of you guys.

-Matt

What's with all these kings? (Matthew 1)

Editor's Note: This post is part of an ongoing series about the Gospel according to Matthew. This week the subject matter is Matthew 1.

Genealogy was really important to the Jews in Jesus' day. Proving that one descended from the line of Abraham was pretty crucial if one wanted to establish one's sense of religious legitimacy. Jesus' genealogy is particularly impressive because it is an extension of the line of kings of Judah, and includes almost all of the kings which descended from David. Of course in the Old Testament it was very clear that the Messiah had to descend from this family line and Jesus being the Messiah and being in the habit of fulfilling prophesies is naturally going to be born into such a family.

This is kind of weird to me though. Jesus is the son of God; he doesn’t really need to have an impressive genealogy in order to be spiritually legitimate because he is pretty much the definition if spiritual legitimacy. I understand that it had to be that way because Jesus had to fulfill prophesies, but why did God choose to have the Old Testament predict a Messiah with a famous line of ancestors? Couldn’t God have conquered sin without so many name brand relatives? Why did he choose to do it that way?

It seems kind of against Jesus’ M.O. to have an impressive worldly resume. His parents were relatively poor working class people who lived in a really small boring town, he was born in a barn, he washes his disciples’ feet, he touches and hangs out with really gross people that most people in his day wouldn’t want to be in the vicinity of, and he just generally seems to carry around a very blue collar, humble attitude. Oh, and he laid down his life so that we could experience True Life. Why would somebody so genuinely accessible have to come from such a “spiritually elite” family line? And why does Matthew find it necessary to outline it all for us?

Summer Matthew Bloggings

This summer, and potentially longer, we here at Witless Brevity will be taking a look at the Gospel according to Matthew. Think about it like a really extended, at-your-own-pace internet based small group discussion/Bible Study. We will be taking Matthew in chunks, starting out chapter by chapter. This week (until Sunday the 21st) we will be treating Matthew Chapter 1. All who have thoughts ponderings or analysis on the first chapter of this great book should post them sometime this week. There are 28 chapters, so it would stand to reason that this should be a 28 week series, although we may opt to slow down the pace for Matthew 5-7 due to the EXTREME content contained therein. Of course everyone keep in mind that postings which have virtually nothing to do with Matthew will certainly still be fair game. Anyways, without further ado I present to you this our first formal blogging series.

I'm not really the rebellious type

But I'm seriously toying with the idea.

Don't get me wrong. I know where God has me going next year and I'm not backing out of that. I'll be there come August 20th. But the steps to get there. I'm not worried about support, or anything that's out of my control. All of the stuff that is out of my control is in God's hands, and therefore completely assured. What I am worried about is the stuff in my control. Specifically memorizing tracts.

Well ok I only have to memorize the 4 spiritual laws tract, but still after the 4 laws themselves (which is the easy part) there are 4 more pages of crap... er, I mean meaningful guidelines for spiritaul growth. Conveniently some of them actually make the acronym G.R.O.W.T.H.

Hear they are:
G: GO to God in prayer daily (John 15:7)
R: Read God's Word daily (Acts 17:11)
this one I have some problems with the verse selection here
"11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men."

Now I added verse 12 to add some context. It just doesn't seem like this verse really means you should read the Bible everyday. It says these Jews who were better then those in Thessonalica were comparing all the things Paul was saying with the scriptures (which I am assuming means the Torah, because a. they were Jews and b. Paul wasn't alive when the scriptures included the New Testament). I don't know, it just seems like they can find a better verse than that. Now that I've said that I was looking around and I can't really think of any really good verse about reading the scriptures daily. Hmmm sounds like that's not biblical. Sorry, sorry sarcasm does not carry well over a blog. I mean Psalm 1 is about daily being in the law of the Lord. But maybe that's too much for a new Christian, "I'm set free from the law but I'm still supposed to meditate day and night?" Anyway so maybe that's just problematic.

Anyway, its really not that bad I'm just procrastinating memorizing the thing. I'm calling it rebellion against the idea of tracts, but that's not really me. It's really just acknowledging that I'm lazy. I'd rather freely tell someone about the Gospel than be tied to a tract, that's ideal. But I don't DO that. I don't have spiritual conversations. I like to think the way I live acts out the Gospel. I hope it does, but my conversations don't really. Maybe I do need to humble myself and acknowledge that I need a tract to help me explain what I stake my life on, who I am, my very core. I guess that's why I resent the tract, that I need it to explain me.

Though I really do have a problem with how the Spirit-Filled Life booklet starts out: "Everday can be an exciting adventure for the Christian who knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit and who lives constanly, moment by moment, under His gracious direction.

Ugh. That made me want to puke when I first read it. It made me think of botox smiles and 5o's styles. Really the mental picture was something like the town in Edward Scissorhands before he shows up.

Anyway, I'm just frustrated with these things.

So I've got an idea...

What if we pick a book, any book, perhaps even a book in the Bible and read it as group. Take it chapter (or chapters) by chapter each week. I'm thinking more for a summer thing, not necessarily forever, but hey maybe. Thoughts don't have to be intense or funny, after all the title is witless brevity, seems applicable perhaps.

Thoughts? In comments maybe nominate ideas for what to read? Just an idea.

Vision

The idea here is to have a forum for ideas and ponderings, particularly of a spiritual nature. This also may play a part in us not losing touch after everyone moves to the four corners of the globe. It hopefully will develop into a place where we challenge and encourage each other in addition to simply bouncing ideas off of one another.

We've got quite an initial group here:
2 tentatively located in Austin, Texas (said with a Vince Young twang)
1 wanting to move to Houston
1 who didn't want to move to Houston, but had to
1 moving to Denton for a few years
1 Dallas yuppie
and 2 more who will be on the other side of the globe, in some undisclosed portion of Eastern Asia

I think this should be a great success, and should hopefully allow all of us to continue to stretch and sharpen one another. I'm excited about the possibilities.

So, when you are good and ready, start to post your ponderings. They don't need to be witty or particularly long; if they did we might have picked a more pretentious title.

First

Boo-yah I win, always. Someday when we write a book which will of course be basically copy pasted from our blog, we'll all think back to this day. (That was a shout out to Will/backhanded compliment) This momentous day when several of us (us is still being defined) decided to begin a glorious blogging adventure. This may flop. It may succeed. I have placed my bet on succeeding. In the end I am very excited. At the very least we all have found one more way to waste our time. That is always a beginning.

In two weeks or so I can post my talks from my first paid speaking gig. That's right. Awesome.

I'm going to neglect doing an"about me" intro, and I think we all should neglect to do that, because by the time anyone reads this blog besides we few who know each other already, we will have enough posts hypothetically to allow someone to know "about me".