debater57's Xanga

Bye Bye Xanga

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:07:04 GMT

Well for the forseeable future I am going to be done with xanga. I have moved over to blogspot, and I am working on moving alot of my political/currentevents/cultural posts over to my website. I will also start following a lot of y'alls blogs in my blogspot dashboard. I would definately encourage y'all yo take a look at my new blog. Any way keep writing and loving life.

New Website

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:01:36 GMT

Just incase any of you still pop onto this site here and there, I have started a new more political blog. Y'all should stop by and check it out and leave some comments.

Summer Break So Far

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:00:46 GMT

Hello Xanganians,

Well life since school has been pretty good. I pretty much started break with that nailbiter of a Republican Convention back on May 31st in which the establishment candidate was 66 votes away from being ousted out of over 10,000 votes. What a nail biter, but quite a lot of fun. I have gotten to work the table for Generation Joshua at two homeschool conferences this summer: one in Richmond, and the other in Knoxville TN. After the last one I helped staff Generation Joshua camp. This was the camp to blow all other camps out of the water. We had mock legislature, a presidential election, national security emergencies, lobbyists, a formal dinner, and we finished the week off watching the 4th of July fireworks in D.C. on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial.

Other than GenJ related stuff I haven't really had any solid work. Jobs really are scarce for people who just want to work the summer. This has meant that I can do fun things. I've been to Busch Gardens four times, and I have gotten to help lots of people out with different projects. I also got to run in my first 5k. I really enjoyed it and I want to do it again. My time, and please don't laugh if you are a real runner, was 31:26. My goal for next time is to get below thirty minutes but we'll see.

For those of you who are wondering how I could survive for almost two months without politics, don't worry. At the start of the General Assembly's legislative session I participated in a rally at the capital to tell the legislators not to raise our taxes. It was a lot of fun, and we were very successful. I have also been workign on phonebanking for good 'ol Congressman Bob Goodlatte VA-6, as he works on gettgin reelected and tries to turn out the vote for McCain in western VA.

I have also gotten a decent bit of reading in. A nice mixture of school and fun stuff.

Also if you haven't seen them yet, Wall-E actually was very worth seeing, and Dark Knight was absolutely phenomenal.

Well enough rambling. I just wanted to say hi to everybody hear, and hopefully start gettign back in touch with everyone on xanga.

Next week is the beach and about two weeks later is school.

God truly is great.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:48:29 GMT

Nature Declares the Glory of God

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:52:37 GMT

There is something amazingly calming and reassuring about nature.

Tonight we had a lunar eclipse which was absolutely gorgeous. The moon was orange and ringed with a crown of stars. As I stared in awe at it I couldn't help think abotu how inignificant our worries and fears are. At a time when things are happening people would have thought ludicrous last summer, friends are moving on to things I was supposed to be doing, tests are due, speeches need to be finished and delivered....

It is very reassuring to look at the sky and simply stand in awe at the beauty, and power of God.

The Psalms

144

A Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity

A Psalm of David.

Blessed be the LORD my strength,

which teacheth my hands to war,

and my fingers to fight:

my goodness, and my fortress;

my high tower, and my deliverer;

my shield, and he in whom I trust;

who subdueth my people under me.

LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him!

or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

Man is like to vanity:

his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down:

touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Cast forth lightning, and scatter them:

shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

Send thine hand from above;

rid me, and deliver me out of great waters,

from the hand of strange children;

whose mouth speaketh vanity,

and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:

upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings

will I sing praises unto thee.

It is he that giveth salvation unto kings:

who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children,

whose mouth speaketh vanity,

and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;

that our daughters may be as corner stones,

polished after the similitude of a palace:

that our garners may be full,

affording all manner of store;

that our sheep may bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our streets:

that our oxen may be strong to labor;

that there be no breaking in, nor going out;

that there be no complaining in our streets.

Happy is that people, that is in such a case:

yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

(picture courtesy of Patrick McKay)

Love, Love, Love... ARGH!!!

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:29:54 GMT

I don't know if it's that I'm a freshman, but the number of freshmen and sophmores I know in fairly serious relationships is simply shocking.

But why? What is the point of a couple of freshmen getting involved in a serious relationship? Especially for guys it is that they get a college degree, and if they are already pursuing that, why get involved in a relationship that will have to go on for at least three years? Until people are really ready to get married, or at least getting very close to that they shouldn't worry about courtship.

What if we just treat each other as brothers and sisters in Christ and wait till we are really ready to get married before gettign into a relationship? I have nothing against getting married early. I'd like to get married within a couple years of graduating from college, but I'm shocked by the number of people getting into relationships before they are close to beign ready.

P.S. If one of my young friends in a relationship read this, I have nothing against you. I'm actually hoping it works out for you. I just can't understand why someone would get into a relationship that early.

Keep Pressing On

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:06:19 GMT

Well I guess all I can say is I'm sure glad my whole life isn't politics. Three-four years of not winning would be tough if that were the case.

Thankfully there is a much higher authority than any elected official, and no matter who wins or loses an election, or what bill passes or fails God is in control.

Praise God for His sovereignty, and that it is not up to us.

I'm Going Home

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:37:59 GMT

Some reason today and the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (the two days before I came home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break) I've found myself singing and listening to the opening song in the "Gods and Generals" film, "Going Home" by Mary Fahl.

~Going Home~

Mary Fahl

They say there's a place
where dreams have all gone
They never said where
but I think I know
It's miles through the night
just over the dawn
on the road that will take me home

I know in my bones
I've been here before
The ground feels the same
though the land's been torn
I've a long way to go
The stars tell me so
on this road that will take me home

Love waits for me 'round the bend
Leads me endlessly on
Surely sorrows shall find their end
and all our troubles will be gone
And I'll know what I've lost
and all that I've won
when the road finally takes me home

And when I pass by
don't lead me astray
Don't try to stop me
Don't stand in my way
I'm bound for the hills
where cool waters flow
on this road that will take me home

Love waits for me 'round the bend
Leads me endlessly on
Surely sorrows shall find their end
and all our troubles will be gone
And we'll know what we've lost
and all that we've won
when the road finally takes me home

I'm going home
I'm going home
I'm going home

The song is a beautiful expression of a person's desperate desire to go home, especially when you will be going home soon but you simply aren't there yet. It also reminds me of how much I miss my real home. I am bound for the hills, and I can't wait till I can see them again.

Anyway...

I will be home in about twelve hours, and I so can't wait to see my family again, although I will miss everyone at school. When I get home I will have a couple weeks of no school, and no deadlines. I will finally get to read things because I want to, and work on a couple really fun projects. I will have a lot of time to do some pretty serious thinking and praying. Most importanly though, I will have a lot of time to spend with my family, my friends, catch up on sleep, and eat a lot of good food.

So anyway I can't wait to get home...

Amazing Grace

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:30:11 GMT

My brother made this movie up right before thanksgiving. It is does a good job of sumarizing our families year.

Recently with Thanksgiving, and my eighteenth birthday behind me, and the new year coming up, I have been doing a lot of reflecting about life: this past year, and my future.

I have to say that the story of this past year has truly been the story of God's amazing grace. Blessing dad in the job interview, and bringing out long family struggle to an end. Then sustainign us as a family for the four months dad was working in Richmond while we were still in Roanoke, as well as the care those in Richmond provided for him. The end of the spring I spent some amazing times with friends before we moved, and god blessed us to be able to go to Florida and protect us during that trip.

Then there was college...

The way God provided for me and encouraged me as I prepared for college, helped me transition over to college life, and then enabled me to make it through some tough times here, as well as bless me with amazign friends and experiences. The priceless time at home over thanksgiving break with family and friends, followed by an amazing surprise party when I returned. The professors, the friends, and the spiritual environment have all been an immense blessing these bast three months.

Watchign God work this year truly has been amazing, and I trust he will continue to guide me through this next year. (Boy will I need him more than ever next year.)

Abortion, When will the Holocaust end?

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:49:01 GMT

Last night was slavery movie night. We watched Amistad with Dr. Spinney as a U.S. History extra credit opportunity, and watched Amazing Grace, the story of William Wilberforce, later. My regular readers know that I absolutely love Amazing Grace. Amistad was also inspirational (note:: Dr. Spinney advises skipping the middle passage section due to nudity). It is the story of some slaves who captured their slave ship, and still end up in America. When they arrive they are tried for manslaughter in a case that makes its way all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States. This movie focusses on the legal fight for freedom the slaves go through.

So y'all are thinking, "He is tellin gus about slave movies and I thought this post was about abortion?" I know. Well I can't help reading or watchign the horrors of slavery and the fight against it with out thinking about abortion. Abortion is our national crime against humanity that has been justified, excused, and permitted for years. We need someone to stand up and dedicate his life and political career to ending this attrocity. While I am willing to be the one, I pray God will end this tragedy sooner. Abortion can't be allowed to go on for another twenty years.

On this same note, this is the reason the presidential race si so important. A liberal member of the court will almost certainly retire by 2012. We need to nominate a president we know will nominate judges who will overturn Roe. We also need him to be the man who can help the GOP regain it's image nationally and help it regain the senate. Without the senate the president will have a difficult time gettign his nominees confirmed.

As you think about your choice for president remember lowerign taxes saves money, while ending abortion saves lives.

"Jesus, please protect the little unborn children, they deserve a chance to run and play."