Another dry summer? Not this year!

No really, it’s been unusually rainy this May :P

Flashback. May 11th. Back home after hauling away at college. I discovered how awesome a full night’s sleep was. And how awesome to find my cats still pooping by the red couch. Nothing’s changed.

Time to idly trot the predictable summer catwalk of self-improvement. Reading here and there. Learning (trying) Math241. Learning (trying) guitar. But with the unproductive time (the other 96% of the day), it becomes an indulgent blur of sheer freedom and fun. Yet, that’s all it really is. Fun. After buying next-morning contraceptives for my maybe-pregnant friend and hearing words that rhyme with “duck” at church (which is still the gossiping hub) as well as witnessing all sorts of defamations and defecations (yea…), I’ve felt a sort of uneasy tug at my heart. Well, actually, a nonbeliever could tell you that. In amazement I ask myself how people can fail the “basics.” Such transgressions are the easiest sins to avoid.

Fast forward to this week. Recent blessings. Last Friday, I went to graduation. As expected, Saunderson was still a G! Always “rak-ug-nizin’ our scoo’s finust, alright alright.” When the C’09 madrigals sang, I thought about all the funny people from the music department I don’t talk to anymore. When I saw Alex Lee, I thought about times our calc group messed around at lunch. When I saw Julius Rotimi, I thought about our little hodge podge of hopeless Cannella programmers. Sigh, high school mannn. Good memories, but then I got to thinking. How have I really changed since last year? Honestly, I’m still hanging out with the same people with the same faults doing the same unedifying things, just now manifesting into real consequences.

If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?"
-1 Samuel 2:5

Going through the simple mental checks of “What would Jesus do?” -- or rather, "What would Jesus think?" -- I can only accuse myself of utter acquiescence to mental sin. At least with public sins, there is help for my fellow peer. But who will pray for my hidden envies, anxieties, insecurities, and pride? I've been too cool to be pure of mind and action. Apparently, too cool for blogging. But alas, too cool for Jesus. My belief in the Savior stopped as soon as summer started. Good grief. I’m still worrying over my grades, as evident in the repeating nightmares. In these nightmares, my professors lose our finals somehow and make new ones. So for Chemistry Lab, I would have to make a 5 star pizza to get an A. I couldn’t do it, and all the while the girl I like refuses to talk to me. In one episode, she eats my pizza and dies. That totally sucks!!

So with sin, it’s time to rescind my judgment on those who’ve failed “the basics” --a

And what now? I’ve been yearning for a summer family group, and I have been introduced to three but none of which I’ve made more than one appearance. Pretty wacktastic. But He has given me another way. For my summer job, I am moving in with a quiet Chinese family. While perusing through the process biochemistry projects, mowing the lawn and washing the dishes for my host family, I cannot help but give thanks to God. I am put to real work. He gives me ample and necessary time to reflect so that I may look to Him and honor Him. God has promised the Christian every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places of Christ (Ephesians 1:3). The world pits me in spiritual warfare through daily existence. With the spectrum of attitudes, commitments, decisions, and temptations as my battleground, so must I seek discipleship.

I didn’t attend the Hillsong concert last night, but recently I’ve felt as if “from the inside out, Lord, my soul cries out.” lol oh my. So no more “Lakefront@830 then Alex’s house BYOB” texts. No more missed services for Saturday night antics. This summer, God, I pray that You entirely consume me, You consuming fire You! Your power to save astounds me!