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MadeAliveWithChrist
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Name: Josh
Birthday: 5/16/1988
Gender: Male
Interests: God, running, bball, fooling around... I would like to become a missionary to Japan after college
--I'm adding to the list... Reformed theology, Calvinism, and HISTORY
Expertise: I don't know if I'm an expert at these things, but I LOVE doing them--bball, running
Occupation: Supervisory
Industry: Education/Research
Message: message meEmail: email me
AIM:  jlaurunner15
Member Since:
9/21/2005
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| I was reading through the history from the end of WWII till the end of The Cold War, and I was thinking about Germany. Germany rose, first economically (and in terms of national unification) leading up to the first World War, and then militarily, after it grew strong financially. Then after the 1st World War, it collapsed, but in the 22yrs leading up to WWII, it rose again in a very similar way to leading up to the first war.
Will Germany rise again? This probably sounds ridiculous, but it's been only18yrs since Germany was reunified, and if there is a major economic resurgence again, I almost wonder if nationalistic movements similar to those firing and fueling the World Wars won't occur. And if it isn't Germany on the rise next, will it be China. Some people say China will rise, but I wonder about Germany... History is very unpredictable it seems.
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| Wow, it's funny how Xanga has become deserted and silent now. Practically no one uses it. I still need an outlet for my thoughts, though. Even if everyone else is gone.
If nothing else, college life has been different. I'm learning lots of things. And most of them, the hard way. I'm learning to concentrate on my work, but only after attaining an amazing 2.11 gpa for the first semester. I'm learning a huge amount about how relationships work. Only the hard way, though. I have to say, this life and this world aren't so easy. Really. Now, I can't even back out of a relationship that I think it most wise and best if I do let alone. It's not in me to tell someone, we need to let our relationship be as just friends. No more.
I'm learning a little more about what sacrifice and commitment mean. Too late for when I could have used that knowledge. All I can say is, boy I'm going to be glad when I see my Maker again. When all the cares, anxieties, worries and desires of this life have passed away, I will be able to praise the Lord all the day long. I'm learning to depend upon God, growing in my closeness with him, and I'm beginning to realize how weak I really am. I am nothing without the Lord my God and the Holy Spirit. Despite the hard time that I've been through, all I want to do is praise the Lord. Why do I want to do such a thing? A few months ago I would have said instead of praising him, "Why?" But, learning my weakness and seeing his strength, learning to depend upon him, it only causes me to say, "How Great are you, Lord!" There is none like you. I cannot survive without you.
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| I finished my first semester at Grove City and am on break until the 22nd of January. It's great to have finished my first semester... No homework, no nothing. I was really getting tired at the end of the semester. I left the U.S. on December 21st for Japan and I'll be here with my family till January 18.
I went on the Takarazuka church retreat from the 26th to the 28th. That was pretty fun cuz it was good to see my friends here in Japan again. It went well, & I was able to talk to my friends a bunch. I've run a few times already with Jon, and today I went running with Jonathan and Daniel. It's great to be back with my family again! Especially without the pressures of schoolwork and everything... Well, I need to get to bed now.
Sayonara
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| It's been good to get a break and go do something that I haven't been doing over and over for a month and a half. I hate having a totally routine life. That has been the way it's been since the beginning of school. It's been good to be able to just relax and take it easy.
Today was Felicia's birthday! I went over to Steve and Felicia's for a birthday party with close family + Gorg's family. We had the most awesome steaks in the world today. I ate over a pound of steak, then potatoes, salad, bread and 4 or 5 pieces of German chocolate cake (made by Steve). Felicia's parents came all the way out from Indianapolis and surprised Felicia by showing up at where she was working. It was great to have a night with Steve's family, Dave's family and the Gorg family show.
I now have a Bible project, Calc homework, reading for history and Bible to do tonight so I'd better get to the stick soon. I gotta call someone soon too, so I'll have a long night ahead of me depending on whether or not I feel like staying up. Then there's church tomorrow, so I'd really better be getting to bed. Oh, yeah, can't forget. PAC championships are next week Saturday! Time to kick some major butt! Just pray that there'll be good whether, that it won't be snowing and that it won't be 32 degrees F outside. Which reminds me, I saw snow for like the first time ever in the first week of October. We were running outside during practice, and all-of-the-sudden it started snowing. I was like, this crazy, it's the beginning of October. I guess I have a great winter of weather too look forward to. Enought of Xanga. Bye bye.
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| Things have begun to settle down some more now. I was really busy for long while there. I had no time to do anything really but run, eat, sleep, and study. I've been fooling around a little bit too much though. I just turned in a paper that was due on Friday, today. That was really bad. I'm definitely not doing that again with any more papers.
Running has sort of (not quite) hit a flat right now. Last week I wasn't allowed to run in the race because I was 2 minutes late for breakfast with the team. That was ridiculous. I really wanted to run in that race, and move up from #8 on the team to about #5 or so. So I'm not exactly happy about that. It's not the end of the world though. Our next race will be the PAC championships in 2 weeks. I have to run well there and beat a few guys by a little bit, or else I won't get to run in the regionals.
I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, and I'm going to try and regulate how late I stay up more from now on, but surprisingly, I haven't had nearly as much trouble with being tired as I thought I would.
I'm learning more and more about God's goodness to us each day. Not only through what I seem to see in my only life and the lives of others, but also reading the Scriptures shows me that God cares for his people in ways which they don't realize right away. In the end, though, all things work out for the glory of God and the good of his people. There truly is no reason to worry or fret. So reassuring, so comforting, and it draws me nearer and nearer to the Lord each day. No matter what trials and problems come, he always turns things for the good of his people. Well, I think that's enough writing for this time.
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