In 2007 I:
Played drums in a praise band leading hundreds of kids in worship to Adonai - Starred as Jesus in Godspell (the first play I ever tried out for) - Learned how to play the ukulele for it - Was cast in a one act called "No Fading Star" as a minor role - Learned about the Jewish roots of Christianity - Played percussion in the Kempner High School Symphonic Band - Saw "To Kill A Mockingbird" at the Alley Theatre with my mom -Was cast in another one act, "Sorry, Wrong Number," as a minor role - Got a job at Family Christian Stores - Became a "passing ship in the night" with my mom - Was initiated as a thespian into Thespian Troupe 4385 - Recorded and released a full length album as Cadenza - "This Is For You LP" - Played my last concert in the regular Kempner High School band program - Took an English AP test - Finished my Junior year of high school - Took the SAT Reasoning Test - Went to Kadesh session I - Took care of my little brother, Luke for 3 days - Watched Luke accept Christ and be baptized - Turned 17 - Went on a Mission Trip to Mexico - Was informally initiated in Troupe 4385 - Had some dentist appointments - Went camping with my dad - Recorded an EP with the praise band - Was accepted to ACU!!! - Started my Senior year of high school - Starred in a musical production of Schoolhouse Rock - Learned how to play the banjo for it - Took my senior pictures - Built a Sumerian Harp with my Dad - Played in the praise band again and even sang with some guitar - Went to the homecoming game without being in band - Skipped the homecoming dance to see David Crowder in concert and become in huge fan of Phil Wickham in one foul swoop! - Hosted the Schoolhouse Rock cast party! - Starred in one act play, "Small World" - Gave blood - Visited ACU - Went to Convention! - Led worship and spoke at church - Was cast in main stage play, "The Dining Room" - Saw my first midnight showing, R-rated movie - Learned how to Snowboard - Snowboarded! - Went to San Antonio with my mom and saw Brendan and Erin get married - Started a lot of books and haven't finished any of them - Made this list of stuff I did in 2007
Through all of this I:
Discovered my passion for theatre - Made a bajillion new good friends - Developed deeper relationships with my friends Greg and Eric - Met the girl of my dreams, fell in love, and made a new best friend - Became Luke's Godfather - Continued struggling in sin - Had a flexuous relationship with God - Met Jessica and asked her out - Am finding myself growing closer to and more comfortable with Jessica everyday - Have had an absolute Blast!
Of course this list is incomplete, but this year has been full and fun! I think this has been my greatest, funnest year yet! And I haven't even gone to college yet!
Writing this list and thinking back leads to thinking forward. As adventurous and exciting as this last year has been I can't imagine it even comparing to my next! Thinking forward leads me to thinking about the end of high school, seeing a lot of people for the last time, saying goodbye to so many things. But, at the same time I'll be saying hello to new things. I approach the end of a road and the beginning of a new one.
Solomon talks about the way that time passes, "The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it returns to its place where it rises. Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind and the wind returns in its cycles. All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full. The streams are flowing to the place, and they flow there again." What a picture of human existence.
I think that around New Year's everyone starts setting resolutions, assigning themselves penance, and trying to fix all their problems. The problem is when we try to fix our own problems the picture that Solomon just described plays itself out. There is a better way.
Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah, Son of God, God came. His blood reconciles us to Him. This word means to restore or renew. To change. We don't have to fix ourselves. God has already done it. Paul says to let God transform you by changing the way you think, by renewing your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, perfect will of God. I'm still trying to figure out how this works and how to explain it, but somehow, when I live by the Spirit of God, when I let God breathe through me, I no longer want to sin. I want to please Him. I want to live in a good, pleasing way that is inside of the perfect will of God.
I encourage you guys to step out and try this with me this year. Let's live in the breathe of Adonai. Let's walk down this road, not knowing what comes next, trusting in Him. As I approach the end of a road and the beginning of a new one I trust that God will guide me. I'm not going to assign myself penance, I'm not going to try and fix my problems, but rather let God transform the way I think and renew me. I may not feel any different right now, but if I let God in things will change.
Ecclesiastes 1:5-7 CSB
Romans 12:2 NLT, CSB
