To Neverland!!!

Seriously, how cool would it be to go to Neverland? To be a child forever and ever? I can dig it.

You know that technically, Neverland is the only way we can enter heaven? (People be thinking I'm crazy.) Jesus actually says that in Matthew 18:3 (Hey, I biblegateway'd it for you) that we cannot enter heaven unless we change and become like children? I read and ponder, what does He mean to become like children?

I struggle with this every day. I love being a big kid. Seriously, my childhood was da bomb! I had dreams and goals that made others pale in comparison. I was gonna marry the first and only girl I ever dated (I was an odd child), a Sunday School Teacher was my dream job (along with being a preacher), and I already knew I wanted to go to a Christian college (did I mention I was only 6 at the time, a new Christian?).

Fast forward eleven years, and none of that seemed possible. I wanted to be a writer, in a second relationship, and wanting to leave christian schooling as soon as possible. I wanted to grow up and leave the child behind.

Three years later and we're here now. I've worked with children for two years, and for lack of a better phrase, it has changed me. I'm being a child again! Star Wars, Pokemon, and so much more from my childhood has returned, and with it an opening of my eyes. I remember my dreams and goals. I'm grateful for Liberty University, and excited for the ministry that I will do for the Lord.

Now, what's the point of this blog? Just a reminder of to always be like a child. Not in intelligence mind you, but in the heart. I've seen kids wanting to start businesses, kids who think I'm cool because I like Pokemon and comic books, and with kids there are no trends or cliques (Oh, keep an eye out for a blog post on that subject...dang, hipsters.). So, with this, I want to quote the great C. S. Lewis:

"[M]ost children show plenty of 'prudence' about doing the things they are really interested in, and think them out quite sensibly....He told us to be not only 'as harmless as doves', but also 'as wise as serpents'. He wants a child's heart, but a grown-up's head. He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate, and teachable, as good children are; but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to be alert at its job, and in first-class fighting trim."

So, be a kid and reject trends, cliques, and what the world tells you should be on your heart as an adult! Embrace your dreams, goals, and childhood. Combine that with a level head and ever constant mind, thinking through everything, you'll be a force to reckon with for Christ.

Well, that is all, and thanks again for reading my mindless rants! Have a good one, ya'll.

Shameless plug to my Twitter.

A funny thing happened at the boardwalk today.

So, I'm on vacation right now with my family and as we were getting dinner, a concert was going on locally. Well, it just so happened that this was a Christian concert with some small time band. They then played "Everything" by Lifehouse (Which I found out through Wiki-research was a church rock band at first) and these lyrics:

"Cause You're all I want    
You're all I need    
You're everything, everything"

just really made me think. Is Jesus all I want? Do I really see Him as all I need? Is He my everything? Or do I just use that quote or lyric as a status to encourage others (yes, unfortunately)? Sometimes I forget to encourage myself. Sometimes I forget to ask for encouragement. And all the time, I forget to ask Jesus to help me. If He truly was all I wanted, needed, and my everything, I wouldn't be too stressed and crazy and tired and lonely. 

The true test though comes after I press the "Publish" blog and this is for all to see. The test is remembering this. Remembering that Jesus is all I want, all I need, my everything. It's hard because I forget that He is always there. When you have trust issues, it takes baby steps (like ittle bitty baby steps). I just need to be like 1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Because, thank God, Jesus will never forsake me.

Well, I hope this made sense and thanks for listening (er...reading!).

What's Attractive: One Man's Perspective

Maybe I'm weird. Or maybe I'm just way too uptight. It could be that I take too seriously my baptist upbringing. The point is, I have a hard time being attracted to make up, skinny, or girls who show skin...

Let me back up a bit. I was working at the Pretzel maker, rolling in the dough (See what I did there?) and two girls came up to buy a drink. Now, these girls were pretty in the face, but how they were dressed just turned me off completely. Now, how were they dressed you may ask? Showing off their belly. What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing....except they were totally unattractive. So, am I right, or am I weird?

See, like any typical, warm blooded, imperfect male, I get turned on by the visual. I mean, who doesn't? So, whenever I see a pretty girl (by the popular standard), I am instantly attracted, but attracted with conflict. Because like Paul says in Romans 7:15-25 (Biblegateway it, great verse), I do what I do not what to do. My sin nature is all like "Mhm, dat girl looking fine," but my true, or Christian nature, is all like "Bro, that ain't attractive, it's just a girl."

So, conflict. And it's funny because this conflict pretty much runs my life. I can be with a group of friends chatting it up, laughing, and joking along, but totally not get what they're saying (I was sheltered, so sue me). Today I realized a fun fact though. This conflict also determined my opinion on myself.

I am ugly and fat. That's why I am single. Or...so I thought. I was brought a truth from a child (kids say the darnedest things). Today I had the opportunity to be a head teacher at summer care today. Of course, when you have all day to the kids, they love to learn more about you. Typically, that involves shocked statements of "You still live with your parents?!?" and "How old are you?" Today the children were shocked that I was single...which typically leads to "You're never gonna get married!" But today a child replied: "But you're cool and hansome (misspelling on purpose), Mr. David." Apparently, these children see more to me than what the mirror shows every morning. These kids see more to me than what the world tells me.

What's the point of the blog? I honestly don't know, I just want to vent. I just want to lay it all out now that I am proud to say that I will never call a girl babe, baby, hot, sexy, or any other terms the world or everyone else uses. I am proud to say that a girl who can dress modestly without make up is the gosh darnedest prettiest thing I've ever seen. I am proud to say that God has placed a beauty in each of us that can only be achieved once we finally understand who we are in Him.

But wait, what am I attracted to (I have to add this in, since ya know, it is the blog's title)? Maturity. Took me awhile to catch this, but maturity. A girl who can dress modestly in her own style (just something about a girl who has her own style, and not a "trend"), who love Jesus (of course), and enjoys discussions that are thought provoking (I like to think, whoduthunkit?) at coffee shops. Maturity is a rare thing to find in Lynchburg, and seriously, everything is a trend now, but that's what I am attracted to, and gosh darn it, I will find that girl.

I'm a nice guy! (According to God and my students)

So, I've been working with kids for about two years. I've heard many things from them (which you will hear (or see?) over the course of this blog), but today I heard a blessing. We have "emailer of the day" which is where we read a child's email and guess whose it is (simple, right?). Well, today, the email mentioned a name, mine. "Mr. David is a nice guy." Well, that was shocking. Seriously, I'm just a normal "teacher." I'm strict, disciplinary, and not fun, and yet these kids love me! They want to go see movies with me and I was even invited to go to the beach with one's family. Kids are always surprising, but also, I learned another thing with what they say. They are a blessing. I've been feeling down and unappreciated lately, and then these kids surprise me with kind words. God knows when and how to lift a spirit up, and I thank Him for that everyday.

Obligatory first blog

Well, I seriously have no idea what I am doing. I am just going to be posting things the kids at my work say, thoughts on life, and book/movie reviews. Yep....let's do this.


P.S. Anyone want to teach me?