Takin' care of business

I'm living the good life this summer. I'm working about 25-30 hours per week, getting paid pretty well for working on my thesis, and I don't have to live in Sweetwater. Anyway, Cole, the undergrad we hired to work on my project with me, has a sense of humor extremely similar to mine. I'll try to post funny things that happen up here. For example, last week:

Abe: "Cole, how big does the countersink need to be for that bolt to fit inside?"
Cole: "Let me measure."

*measures with caliper*

Cole: "Looks like about...two-point-five tenths of an inch."
Abe (laughing): "So, you mean a quarter of an inch."
Cole: "....Hmmm....I guess you could say it that way...."

Also, there is nothing better than waking up after you (not so) accidentally fell asleep in your office chair.

Posting delinquency

Ok, I know it's been a month since I last posted. Sorry to all 3 of you who still stumble by here every now and then.

I've been thinking about a particular issue a lot lately. While on a long drive, a non-Christian friend of mine and I were talking about religious philosophies. During the discussion, he said something to the effect of, "Yeah, I think there's probably a God, but I don't see how he could hold me responsible for what I've done -- I mean, I'm just who I am, and I'm doing the best I can with what I've got." That is a really compelling argument to a lot of people.

Here's how I think a common response would go to the way the gospel is often presented. A Christian would tell someone that they've committed high treason against a king, and that the punishment is death. One might say (and with good reason), "What? I didn't know about any king, or any rules, or any of that!" How can God hold people responsible for breaking rules they didn't know existed?

I think the answer to this response lies somewhere with the theological issue of depravity. To our ears, the charge made above sounds like, "You messed up where you should have (i.e. could have if you would have tried harder or known or whatever) done this." The charge of treason to the human ears needs to also go towards convincing someone they need to be changed. "You're in a state of treason. You can't do better. You are in a state of wanting to choose yourself over God. You are dead and need life." Christianity then becomes about being transformed. Maybe then we would stop trying just to integrate Jesus into our current self. Maybe eventually we could stop underselling the gospel. Of course, what it means to believe then takes on an entirely new depth. It is no longer only about wanting forgiveness. It transforms into seeing the person and character of Jesus as perfect and lovable, and wanting to be transformed into that person. Forgiveness is also important, but I think it is too small to capture the enormity of the process (at least the way we've sold it for so long).

Anyway, please leave comments or questions. I haven't really thought this out entirely, but I think it is of enormous importance. Perhaps more posts to come on this issue.

Jaw Surgery Recap

Well, it's been a week and a half since the dreaded surgery. First, and most importantly, my teeth fit together properly now (yay!). Now, for the rest of the story (said in Paul Harvey voice)...

I went in around 11 AM on Thursday, May 8th. I filled out the paperwork, changed into the stupid robe and everything, and lay in a bed for a while. Then, the anesthesia started and they took me in (this was around 12:15). When I came to, it was after 3 (how much after, I don't recall, as I was a bit loopy -- anyone who has been on general anesthesia can relate). The worst part of the whole experience for me was the fact that when I woke up, I had a tube up my nose down into my stomach, pumping out all the blood I had swallowed during the surgery (note to hospitals everywhere: don't use clear tubes if you're going to pump a whole bunch of blood out of the stomach of a patient who is awake, as it is a bit disconcerting for said patient). Anyway, after a while, they took the tube out (which hurt a lot). I hung around for a couple more hours and got home around 7. Tara bought me Guitar Hero II and brought it over with her brother's Playstation, so I didn't get anything read this week (on an unrelated note, I am really good at Guitar Hero II now). Sunday was the peak of the swelling. My face was absolutely huge. I did not look human. If you're lucky, you'll get to see pictures. Anyway, I still look a bit swollen, and have already lost around 10 pounds. I wasn't really in any pain the whole time, since I was on some heavy narcotics.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and stuff. Many thanks to my mother for fixing all of my meals in a blender. I think I'm going to lose even more weight now that I'm back in Lubbock and have to make my own stuff now. I'll post pictures if I ever get some.

Jaw Surgery

The long awaited jaw surgery happens tomorrow (Thursday) at noon. If you're in the DFW area, feel free to bring me a milkshake sometime next week.

Are you nearsighted or farsighted?

Today I saw the Ben Franklin impersonator from "The Office" (the one with the stripper) walking on campus. I swear.

Skateboarder

Yesterday, I was riding a bus, and I saw a skateboarder ride out into the street in front of us, but in the opposite lane. He wasn't looking where he was going at all, and when he turned and saw us, he tried to stop, but he flailed his arms and toppled over backwards, and his skateboard went flying. It was hilarious.

And seriously, enough with the snow. We have to stand and fight. Let's all go buy nonbiodegradable goods right now to speed up global warming.

New Car -- Final Chapter (I hope...)

Hey everyone, I just thought I'd give you the final word on my new car (hopefully). Kam (the salesman) had the car delivered to my parents house in Arlington, and my friend Dallas gave me a ride to go get it last week. Anyway, it looks great and drives even better. Here are some pictures from the dealership (I haven't taken any yet). And yes, that is a "moonroof" you see...

The ongoing saga of my car

Alright, I know I haven't posted anything in a while, but I've been stressed out by this whole car situation, and I've been on the phone for at least an hour or two a day for the last 3 weeks. I've been dealing with Clara Turner's insurance, my insurance (claims, adjustors, agents, total loss specialists, and much much more!!), banks, credit unions, used car salesmen, shipping companies, highway patrolmen, my parents, and maybe one or two more that I forgot about.

Bottom line, I'm ordering a replacement car from a used car dealership in Houston, which will be covered by the money I'm getting from my insurance company for my old one. It is the same as my other car, only it is an EX (the trim level above my old one) and a two-door coupe (which I'd actually prefer). Kim saw the ad for it on ebay and she emailed it to me. It is basically the same price as my old one. However, I did order it from a used car dealership in Houston (which seems good based on all the investigating I've done), and it scares me just a little to purchase a car that I haven't actually seen. After speaking with Jacob Hubik, friend and employee of Alliance Federal Credit Union, there is not much risk in doing all of this. It is being delivered sometime either today or tomorrow to Arlington, and I'll get it out here somehow or another. Today, I did get a little spooked when a highway patrolmen called me and said that the truck with my car didn't stop at a waystation and claimed he wasn't transporting the car commercially, it was for a friend named Pete. But after calling the shipping company and talking with them, it seems like it was just a dumb truckdriver who was trying to make up a story to try to get out of some trouble with the cops for not having proper documentation or something. I'm more than a bit anxious to get this car and have the whole thing over with. Further car bulletins as events warrant.

I don't have much else on my mind right now, so that will be all for now.

Car Update

My car is totaled. Sad day. Everyone should do something nice for me, like find me another one just like it.

Car :(

Short of myself or someone I know being seriously injured or killed, I went through pretty much the worst possible thing that could feasibly have happened today. (Okay, I'm sure you could come up with some worse scenarios, but spare me...unless they are really funny.)

Some dumb lady smashed my car to smithereens. I was eastbound on 4th Street (speed limit -- 50 mph) about to cross Indiana. The light was solid green both ways. I saw a black Dodge Intrepid waiting to turn south onto Indiana. She started inching forward right before I got to the intersection, but it looked like she saw me. Then, at the last minute, she started pulling out in front of me, just slowly enough that there was no way I could do anything but minimize the damage. I swerved to the right a little and smashed into the front corner of her car. I then caromed into two cars who were waiting at the stoplight to proceed northbound on Indiana. One of the vehicles was an SUV that I barely dented his bumper. When I looked up at the other car, I heard, "It's Abe!" It was Tara and Johanna in Johanna's car on their way back from the rec center. So now, mine and Johanna's cars are both at Lubbock Wrecker waiting on estimates to see if they are totaled or not. I drive my stinking '92 Nissan Sentra for so long without a wreck, and I get a new car and it gets smashed in less than two weeks. If only someone would have smashed my old car. Oh well. No one is hurt, and the lady who caused the whole thing was insured, so everything will get taken care of eventually. I just won't have a car for a few days, and I won't have my car for who knows how long.

God is good. No one is hurt. My identity isn't in my car. I'm trying to love the poor ignorant lady who probably shouldn't have a driver's license, but who needs and deserves Jesus just as much as I do (or should I say "don't"). She said she was going to dispute the citation she received for failing to yield to right-of-way in municipal court, but I doubt it will come to anything. She was probably just embarassed and depressed about wrecking a bunch of cars, and it is always easier to act like it wasn't your fault in situations like that.

Anyway, there's my story for the day. This way, maybe I won't have to tell it like 199482783 times.

Aren't you the sovereign God of justice?

To all my Christian readers, especially those who subscribe to reformed theology: The O.C. Supertones have some incredible lyrics. You wouldn't think it based on the image that they have. Most people who grew up in youth group remember hearing about them in the same breath as some shallow, Christian-ska-or-swing bands like the Insyderz or the W's. If you're lucky, you even might associate them with Five Iron Frenzy (slightly silly, but incredibly poetic and powerful at times). However, it is amazing to look at the theological development of lead singer/songwriter Matt Morginsky through his lyrics. His philosophy on church polity and how theology should affect our lives is incredibly mature for someone in his line of work. By far his most complex album is "Loud and Clear". I highly recommend checking it out. You might want to read the lyrics before you listen, especially since the music is a little different from what you might be used to hearing. I put a few of my favorite snippets here. This album has quickly turned into my favorite morning run music since I've recently rediscovered it. Anyway, the music really might be too much for some of you to get into it (it's a weird mix of white-boy rap, ska, and rock), but it is a far cry from his early lyrics.

"What happened to our voice?
What happened to our influence?
Tell me who will listen to uneducated congregants?
And why should they when all we have to say is
Bumper sticker doctrine and cute catch phrases?
Does this amaze us that no one will take us seriously?"
-From "Escape from Reason"

"If you’d saved even one man
Surely this is undeserved
But the saints by your mercy
Stand with you uncountable
Is this not amazing?
Isn’t your name grace?
Aren’t you the sovereign God of justice?
Haven’t we offended?
Did we not crucify?
Guess that we can only wonder why"
-From "Lift Me Up"

"See wisdom and knowledge is one thing that we lack
You’ve been a Christian how long and you’re still on Similac
So I call on Martin Luther and all the reformation
Back then the common people couldn’t read God’s revelation
You had to be a monk or a priest or read Latin
That was all before the revolution happened
But the fire cooled down ever since that generation
We put down the Bible and pick up the play station
And we can’t defend our faith cause we don’t even know it
We say we love His word but pick a funny way to show it"
-From "Return of the Revolution"

"The rain falls on the righteous and the wicked
Mine is not to reason why this is
In this I rest in this I find my refuge
That my thoughts and ways are not His
I spend my life on looking up the answers
It’s rare that I can’t find a reason why
But reasons fail at children without mothers
His plan is more than I can know

God do you really understand
What it’s like to be a man?
Have You ever felt the weight
Of loving all the things You hate?
Have You struggled, have You worried?
How can You sympathize?

I have spoken much too soon
Put my hand over my mouth
I can’t contend with You
Your ways are so much higher
And we pass through the fire that Christ endured before us
When You were in the wilderness"
-From "Wilderness"

New Car!

I've been threatening to do it for months now, but I finally did it. I bought a car. It is a 2005 Civic LX Special Edition with a 5-speed manual transmission and a sweet stereo system. This really is my dream car. I was looking at new Toyotas and Nissans, but they were anywhere from $2000 to $4000 more expensive. And they felt like toys. This feels like a real car. I got a great deal on it, and the resale value will stay higher. Anyway, I'm very pleased.

It is going to be weird getting used to a new car. When something is that much a part of your life for over 6 years, it is hard to part with. Everyone told me that this would happen, but I didn't believe them until now. I'm afraid when I pull into my apartment complex with my new car and park it next to my old one that I left in Lubbock, the poor Nissan is going to feel very insecure. Anyway, you've been good to me, Sentra; I'm sorry for abandoning you like this.

I'm accepting suggestions for names for it. I'm not a big car-namer, but I know several of you are very adamant about this, and so I'm keeping an open mind.

Here are pictures:

Christmas time's a-comin'...

Has anyone else heard the Emmylou Harris version of that song? No matter how much I claim not to be a country fan, there's just something about growing up in Texas that makes you unable to dislike Emmylou Harris' voice, especially at Christmas...

Anyway, I just thought I'd comment on how much studying the Old Testament this semester has made me appreciate Christmas. Saturday night, I saw a Christmas story rendition with some soul at the Jubilee Theater in Sundance Square. It was great. Anyway, studying the Old Testament has given me such a richer framework within which I can see the beauty of Christ and of grace so much more deeply. If you were at Southcrest this semester, and especially if you were involved in small groups, hopefully you have some idea what I mean. I wish I could convey everything I learned, but it would be difficult to type a semester's worth of study in one blog entry. However, feel free to ask me about it.

Cheers to having nothing to do for a solid three weeks except try to make a dent in the small library I brought home.

Thanksgiving and stuff

Alright, thanks to Jill's comment on my previous post, I realized it had been a while. I've been busy, what can I say. I don't really have much to say here, either...

Anyway, Thanksgiving was nice. I always hate Thanksgiving break though, because you get all in vacation-mode, only to come back and have final reports and finals and stuff to finish. Unfortunate. Oh well. Over the break, I saw a Stars game with Kyle and my dad. I also saw "Deja Vu" with Rachel, which was excellent. Saturday, I ran a 5K basically cold turkey, meaning I ran a total of about 10 miles in the preceeding month. Amazingly, Brandon Williamson and I finished 1-2 in our age group (20-23). He beat me by like 2 seconds (we finished in right at 21 minutes). I would have tripped him or something had I known, in order to steal the glory of the Jingle Bell Run all for myself.

Okay, school is crazy for a little bit, so my posting will be scarce until finals are over. That is all for now.