Passage: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to this purpose.” Romans 8:28

Well, I didn’t get the WorldCom position. It actually took about two weeks longer to find out than that one fateful night chronicled in the last thought I had, but I finally got “the letter”.

“We are pursuing other applicants…”

That didn’t make me feel very good, to be honest with you. I had been wanting to work for WorldCom for a while, and even though I heard that I was the first alternate, it didn’t really ease the disappointment.

But I got another offer. A company called Stonebridge Technologies was interested in me. I could work in Birmingham, commuting from my apartment here. I could save some of the money that I would earn over the summer that would have been spent on finding a place to live in Jackson, Mississippi, while keeping my apartment here too. Plus, I’d be doing really interesting, challenging work.

What else was there to say? I accepted the job this week.

What does this mean? With God sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you always get what you need, and you pretty much find out that what you needed ends up being better than what you wanted in the first place.

There have been many times that I wanted something and I didn’t get it. For example, I wanted to be a host at the BCM last year. I thought that it would be really neat to live at the center and get my rent free, etc. But now I look back at that and see that if I would have gotten my wish, I would have slowly gone mad. This year was hard enough with my own apartment and living space; getting all of the work done was difficult at times and downright near-impossible at others. Trying to do it while hosting at the center would have been insane.

Recently, I had my eyes checked. I needed a new pair of glasses because my old pair was out of fashion. Really out of fashion. I hadn’t had an eye exam in a couple of years, so I knew that I probably needed one. My glasses were about a prescription behind my contacts, so I figured that was a safe bet.

Let’s just say that the doctor was amazed that I had managed to drive there. Referring to my old lenses, he inquired, “You’re sure that you can see okay out of these?” I answered, “Sure.” I saw enough to know where I was going, I was thinking.

Lo and behold, when I put on these new glasses (stylin’ frames and all), the whole world opens up anew to me! Anyone who’s just had their prescriptions recently strengthened will testify to this. You can see the individual leaves on the trees again, you don’t have to wait until the last second to read signs when you drive, and on and on.

The obvious analogy in all of this is that my vision is only as good as the old pair of glasses. I think that I know where I’m going, and I think that I know what the best way is to get there. But God has the full perfect vision that I lack. He can see the whole picture, and it’s crystal clear to Him. He can see the details of my life that I miss. And the most important thing is that he knows the best path for me, even if it means not going the way that I, with my blurry vision, want to go. If I let Him, he’ll direct my paths, all the while improving my vision for myself, so that one day my will and His will shall be one.

Passage: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

It is 10:00 in the evening as I write this, and I have a little bit of anxiety right now.

Actually, a lot of anxiety.

You see, tomorrow I get a big idea as to where I will be working over the summer. I’m supposed to find out my status on an internship position tomorrow. I’ve really wanted to work for this company, and so it’s a big deal to me. I already know that my fate is not in my hands, though. Someone else has first opportunity at this position. If they take it, I have to look somewhere else. But if they don’t, it’s mine if I want it (which I do). So it’s hard for me at this point to feel anything but nervousness about the whole thing; after all, I have really no say in it.

Or do I?

In the above passage it says that I should present my requests to God. I have already been in prayer about where I should go over the summer, and about this job in particular. 1 John 5:14-15 says that if I am presenting my requests to God in His will, then I shall have what I ask for.

So I’ve asked for this position, if that’s what I’m supposed to do. I know that God wants what’s best for me (Romans 8:28), so really I’m asking to know if this is what He wants for me. Now, I can’t honestly say that this has somehow magically put me in a completely tranquil mood. I’m still not exactly at peace with this. But I do know that He is watching out for me.

Now, to extend this to other things in my life:

I was going to write a thought about how I feel that I don’t know a lot of things about life, and as a result I worry about them. I don’t know what a real job is like, and so a lot of the time I feel that I’m going to be inadequate when I start one this summer (wherever it may be). I don’t know how to live completely on my own yet, and so I’m concerned with what it’s like. (It’s comforting to know that my sister and brother-in-law have gotten along swimmingly so far, but that doesn’t completely put me at ease.) I worry constantly if I will ever find someone. When I think I’ve found them, I worry about how to act around them, how to approach them, etc.

I could keep on going for a while about such matters. But that doesn’t really do anything except make me think (and therefore worry) about them. One of the things that I have to constantly keep working on is to put my faith in God when it comes to myself. Too many times I want to take control of my own life; then I find that by “taking control” I mean just worry about everything. I have found that when I am really close to God everything really works out well. That goes back to 1 John. When I am in His will, what I ask for will be granted because what I want and what He wants are one and the same.

I know that I’ve got a long way to go before I completely manage to put this into action. But I know that it’s going to be better for me as a whole when I do.

Passage: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

Something rarely seen in the world today is someone who really cares about their fellow man. Sure, people care about each other, but usually there’s some sort of reciprocal effect going on for it to take place. In other words, people have to know that the other person cares about them to care about the other person.

That’s not what the Bible teaches. We’re supposed to care about everyone. In 1 Corinthians 10:24, it says that “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” That’s something you don’t usually see in this day and age.

This isn’t limited to just those that are easy to get along with. Ephesians 4:2 says to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” It’s really easy to get irritated or even angry at our brothers and sisters; it’s a lot harder to do this, yet that’s what we’re called to do.

What’s more, we should care enough about each other to support each other. Galatians 6:2 says that we should “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ.” This doesn’t mean that we should be nosy or try to solve everybody’s problems. It just means sometimes that we need to be that proverbial shoulder to cry on or a sounding board.

I hope that I treat my brothers and sisters in Christ like I want to be treated. I know that I fail in this sometimes, but I pray that I will continue to get better and that I always love my neighbor with the love of Christ.

Passage: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’ ” Luke 2:10-11

I love Christmas. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of the year. There are too many reasons to count. I’ve already decorated my apartment. It’s nothing like last year’s land of 1122 lights, but it’ll do…

But sometimes (actually, quite often) I get too caught up in all of it. I listen (and sing along) to my Christmas CDs, not really thinking about the meanings of most of the carols. I put up lights and a tree and other greenery, not recalling that the light of the world and our hope of eternal life came to us on Christmas. I buy presents for my friends and family; in the back of my mind is the knowledge that the greatest gift of all was given to me (and the world) by my heavenly Father that night.

That really must have been a holy night. By today’s standards, it was probably a very surreal sight. A supernova-bright star high over shepherds and barn animals standing silently around a feeding trough, where a man and a woman, equally silent I’ll bet, looked (how could they not?) at the little miracle. And what a miracle he was. Born of a virgin, God and man in one. One who gave up his rightful place in heaven to become a baby, grow up and die a death he didn’t deserve. All for us.

In one of my favorite Christmas specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown is overwhelmed by the commercialism of Christmas and wants to know what Christmas really is. In desperation he yells out, “Does anyone know what Christmas is all about?” At which, Linus tells him, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about,” and procedes to deliver a monologue consisting of Luke 2:8-14. At the end of it, security blanket still in hand, he says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” And you can see the realization spread in the form of a smile on Charlie Brown’s face as he realizes that Linus is exactly right.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year…all because of a holy night some 2,000 years ago. Let us never forget…

Passage: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

One thing that I’ve learned is that I’ve got a lot left to learn. Another thing is that I tend to forget a lot of what I’ve already learned, making it necessary for me to go back and re-learn it.

Case in point: living for God. You’d think that I should have learned this basic concept by now. But it struck me the other day as I was listening to a lesson on this…everything literally means just that…everything. Nothing in a Christian’s life should be done without the desire to be doing it to please our Father.

Do we always do that? Do we ever? I had to really stop and think “when was the last time I stopped and asked myself I’m trying to please God?” I mean, I do things that I know please God, but I’m thinking of those times like right now, when I’m editing web pages. Or when I do my homework in school…or when I watch TV…or whatever I’m doing.

God gave us a lot of different things that we can choose to do. I like to design web pages, among other things. Someone may like to play an instrument or a sport. Etc., etc. I don’t do this often enough, but I hope to be able to get to the point where I live for God in the true sense of the phrase…everything I do I do for Him. Because I find that everything I do is that much more enjoyable for myself when I live for Him.

(or, some of what I learned this year)

Many many things. I learned this year that free time will be a luxury from now on. ECE 480 taught me that for the most part, but just that fall semester in general taught it to me as well. I worked harder than I ever have in school that semester. I was proud with the result, but I learned the hard lesson that sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to achieve some things. In my case, I had to sacrifice going to the BCM a lot. I feel like I missed out on a lot of stuff as a result.

I also learned that sometimes you *are* just a number. UA Housing taught me that lesson quite well over the years, but never harder than the last time. Having them say one thing, then say and do another, without any good reason for doing it, cost Ricky and I the apartment that we held dear.

Which brings me to the next thing…stability is a precious commodity. If you have any in your life, you’re better off than most. 1122 Productions lost its headquarters and its nucleus. Ricky will be living at the BCM next year, while for the first time since my freshman year, I will not have a roommate at all. But at the same time I realize that while we lost the apartment that gave the company its name, we haven’t lost the true backbone behind the company. Which, of course, is us…for true friendships last longer than mere stone and plaster can possibly hope to. (New 1122 motto: “It’s not the apartment…it’s the attitude.”)

And now I’m a graduate. And being a graduate entitles one to a few perks. One of which is the eventual money that I’ll make in my job (though I’ve still got MBA school to get through before that happens). But there seem to be even more obligations than there are perks.

For instance, you have to be a grown-up now. I’ve also learned, just in the past few days, that being a graduate is another one of those definite signs that I’m now a full-fledged grown-up. And while I feel in some ways that I’m not really going into the “real world” yet, another part of me feels as if I’ve been there for a while now. And I’m getting a big dose of it as I type this…I’m paying bills for the first time ever.

And what of what I’ve learned over these entire four years? In my freshman year, I compiled a list of college “tips” that I’ve been looking at. I had to laugh out loud at some of them because they were antiquated ($1500 for a Pentium-120 back then…my, how the times have a-changed), but most of them still ring true. “Keep your checkbook balanced.” (I still need to remember that one.) One of the tips actually talked about me starting my own web page “soon”. Now I really feel old… But they don’t talk about a lot of things that I’ve learned since then, such as:

• It’s impossible to keep up with everyone you meet at college. As a consequence, some friendships fade, and some die out. However, those you keep as friends, you’ll pretty much keep forever.
• Never let small things get in the way of relationships. You will regret it in the end.
• Graduating is a wonderful thing. At the same time, it can be an event that causes trepidation, because it means finally, really, leaving the nest. (Except for me right now. 🙂 )

Et cetera, et cetera. But perhaps the biggest thing that I’ve learned over these four years can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:11…

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

So it’s time to start really, truly, being a man. That doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy things like cartoons any more…I seriously doubt that. But it does mean that my thoughts and attitudes now have to be that of a college graduate…of a grown man…of a Christian…always. For I am answering to my God one day about the things I did here. That’s a lesson I have to continually learn.