So, if you have read my blog for a while (whenever I post something) you know the last two years I have posted a Christmas post. I love Christmas, and I was going to do it again this year, but I had no computer to write a blog post on. Now, I do, and have decided to reflect on something else;
New Years
My second favorite time of the year. The turning of the calendar is something that I always love. I've always said that I want to go to those big New Year's parties with the balloon drop, and champagne, and the works. So far in this life, I have not gotten that chance, nor do I have any plans (yet) for this year.
However, those celebrations encompass something more; hope.
The turning of the calendar is not merely a technically thing. For many people it is a new start. It is a fresh year. It marks the start of something new. Granted, from December 31st, to January 1st, not much will have changed. I'll still be working at the same job, live in the same town, go to the same school, even be the same weight. But, it'll be 2012, the start of a new year, with new possibilities.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVED 2011. It was a GREAT year. However, 2012 has so many great things in store. Some people even think it is the year of the world's demise! Regardless, it is the time for hope. It is a time for hoping for a new start, a new beginning, and new challenges. Therefore, I leave you with these two things;
1. Make a New Year's Resolution
2. Set Goals
What better time to start something like a resolution or a goal than now? Teresa and I have already made the resolution that we will work out at the gym (or run) three times a week, and cut down on going out to eat in order to work on a healthier lifestyle. As for a goal, I currently have a 3.6 GPA at Baker. This calendar year marks my last year at Baker. My goal is to finish with at LEAST a 3.67.
Again, I encourage you, even if its small, set something to push yourself to bettering yourself in the new year. Here is to a Happy (and hopeful) New Year!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Positions vs Ideals
So, I got kind of nostalgic today.
I had my last unoffical meeting with the Greek Life Advisor at Baker as IFC President. Don't get me wrong, I've been ready for the responsibility to leave my hands for the last couple of weeks, but seeing it be real is a little weird.
The last year of my life I've kept my cell phone at my side every weekend just in case something in the fraternity world comes up. I've ran meetings with some of the top Greek leaders on Baker's campus. I've talk to potential new members on behalf of the entire Greek communtiy. I've talked to various faculaty and staff on campus about Greek Life. Myself and four other men have stood for Greek Life and the ideals that fraternities exist for.
Now its over...
It's made me realize something very important.
You cna pour your life into a position, a job, a career, or an activity, but it is not that you should be pouring your life into. What you should be pouring your life into is the ideals that you stand for. I loved being IFC President and doing those duties. However, it wasn't ever about being something, it was standing for something. It's standing for the ideal that fraternties are a place where men grow into competent leaders and make the world better. If I'm just pouring my life into being IFC President, and NOT the ideals that I'm trying to uphold, then its pretty pointless.
We should never do something because we want to be something, its because we want to stand for something.
For example, you don't take an accoutning job just to be an accountant. You take it because you want to provide for your family because you believe that is an ideal you believe in. Or you do it because you love the work, and you stand for the ideal that you want ot be happy.
I don't know, I'm still working through this idea, but, stading for something in what you do is much more important than just doing it. A purpose. A reason. Isn't that what we are all searching for?
I had my last unoffical meeting with the Greek Life Advisor at Baker as IFC President. Don't get me wrong, I've been ready for the responsibility to leave my hands for the last couple of weeks, but seeing it be real is a little weird.
The last year of my life I've kept my cell phone at my side every weekend just in case something in the fraternity world comes up. I've ran meetings with some of the top Greek leaders on Baker's campus. I've talk to potential new members on behalf of the entire Greek communtiy. I've talked to various faculaty and staff on campus about Greek Life. Myself and four other men have stood for Greek Life and the ideals that fraternities exist for.
Now its over...
It's made me realize something very important.
You cna pour your life into a position, a job, a career, or an activity, but it is not that you should be pouring your life into. What you should be pouring your life into is the ideals that you stand for. I loved being IFC President and doing those duties. However, it wasn't ever about being something, it was standing for something. It's standing for the ideal that fraternties are a place where men grow into competent leaders and make the world better. If I'm just pouring my life into being IFC President, and NOT the ideals that I'm trying to uphold, then its pretty pointless.
We should never do something because we want to be something, its because we want to stand for something.
For example, you don't take an accoutning job just to be an accountant. You take it because you want to provide for your family because you believe that is an ideal you believe in. Or you do it because you love the work, and you stand for the ideal that you want ot be happy.
I don't know, I'm still working through this idea, but, stading for something in what you do is much more important than just doing it. A purpose. A reason. Isn't that what we are all searching for?
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
RESTART!!!
So, looks like I need to restart my blog, and to do that I need to reset and go to where I am.
I am still at Baker University, and I recently found out that I will be graduating early. Yup, in December of 2012 I'll (hopefully) be walking across the stage with my Bachelors of Science degree in communication. This is all very exciting. I do not know what I am going to do immediately after that.
I have been discerning about it, and I'm leaning towards sticking around the area before heading off to Washington DC in the Fall of 2013 for seminary. Teresa and I are looking to check out Wesley in DC at some point soon, as well as talk with some of my Zeta Chi brothers of taking a road trip to Chicago where I'll check out my 2nd choice (Garrett). Of course I'll also visit St. Paul's (KC) at some point, just to see if it sparks my interest.
I think I've nailed down what direction I want my life to go and where I am being called to. I am very solid in my call to go into ordained ministry, and I want to focus on church revitalization and conflict resolution in churches. I really enjoy both of these topics, and I feel that is where my focus will be.
Speaking of churchy things, I am not a jurisdictional delegate for the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church!!! What does that mean? It means in April, myself and 11 others from the eastern third of Kansas will go to General Conference in Tampa, FL. General Conference is the only body that can officially speak for the UMC. I will be a reserve delegate, at that conference, and a regular delegate for the jurisdictional conference in Oklahoma City in July, where we will elect bishops, among other things. This means I will try and blog about issues coming up at that conference as well.
Other things in my life? I am still with my girlfriend Teresa. We are almost at the year mark, which is REALLY exciting for us. I work at Arrowhead Hardware in Baldwin City, KS as a part-time "do whatever they tell me" guy. I have been president of the Zeta Chi fraternity this past semester and I was just elected to serve another semester in that capacity.
I have also been a leader in a "Freshman Salon Class" this past semester. I will do the same thing this coming semester. The class I will be co-teaching with Baker Campus Minister Ira DeSpain is on "Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White" by Adam Hamilton. I will also try to blog on things I see from that book as well. I will also be taking a class on "Communication in the United Methodist Church" another class I may blog about.
Is that it? Ummmm....I cleaned my room yesterday....it looks nice. I think that is about it. I'm going to blog more often, promise!
I am still at Baker University, and I recently found out that I will be graduating early. Yup, in December of 2012 I'll (hopefully) be walking across the stage with my Bachelors of Science degree in communication. This is all very exciting. I do not know what I am going to do immediately after that.
I have been discerning about it, and I'm leaning towards sticking around the area before heading off to Washington DC in the Fall of 2013 for seminary. Teresa and I are looking to check out Wesley in DC at some point soon, as well as talk with some of my Zeta Chi brothers of taking a road trip to Chicago where I'll check out my 2nd choice (Garrett). Of course I'll also visit St. Paul's (KC) at some point, just to see if it sparks my interest.
I think I've nailed down what direction I want my life to go and where I am being called to. I am very solid in my call to go into ordained ministry, and I want to focus on church revitalization and conflict resolution in churches. I really enjoy both of these topics, and I feel that is where my focus will be.
Speaking of churchy things, I am not a jurisdictional delegate for the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church!!! What does that mean? It means in April, myself and 11 others from the eastern third of Kansas will go to General Conference in Tampa, FL. General Conference is the only body that can officially speak for the UMC. I will be a reserve delegate, at that conference, and a regular delegate for the jurisdictional conference in Oklahoma City in July, where we will elect bishops, among other things. This means I will try and blog about issues coming up at that conference as well.
Other things in my life? I am still with my girlfriend Teresa. We are almost at the year mark, which is REALLY exciting for us. I work at Arrowhead Hardware in Baldwin City, KS as a part-time "do whatever they tell me" guy. I have been president of the Zeta Chi fraternity this past semester and I was just elected to serve another semester in that capacity.
I have also been a leader in a "Freshman Salon Class" this past semester. I will do the same thing this coming semester. The class I will be co-teaching with Baker Campus Minister Ira DeSpain is on "Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White" by Adam Hamilton. I will also try to blog on things I see from that book as well. I will also be taking a class on "Communication in the United Methodist Church" another class I may blog about.
Is that it? Ummmm....I cleaned my room yesterday....it looks nice. I think that is about it. I'm going to blog more often, promise!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Search Me
Wow its been a while...
So I just got shot.
No, not physically shot.
A spirtual shot.
A wake-up call if you will.
Latley I have been really struggaling with my call. Going into ministry is the only thing I've seen myself doing. But I have started to get anxious about my future. Is the church really going in the right direction? Will I make enough money to support my family? Am I going ot fit into a ministry setting? If I am a methodist elder, how will moving around effect my (hopefully eventual) family? This had started getting to a point where I decided that I was no longer going to go into ministry. I didn't tell anyone this, but it is what I felt.
However, God started talking.
It started with my girlfriend, who, at times, has a much better perspective on life than I, saying, when I told her that I was thinking this, said, "I don't want you to give up your dreams for material gain." At this point it had gotten so bad that I almost just shook it off. However, deep in my heart, I felt smethign screaming saying "YOU IDIOT!!!! SHE IS RIGHT!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!" That voice was too distant to listen to though.
The next occurance happened when I talked to a VERY wise professor, who happens to have a lot of expereince on this issue, and who also just happened to be my advisor. I told her what I was thinking, and she acted kinda shocked. She walked me through what it would take to get into Human Resources (the new career path I was looking at). She also listened to me talk about my issues with becoming a pastor, and said she saw my opinions and my reasonings on all my points. She told me one thing though that caught my off guard. "Bryce, you shouldn't dismiss the idea of being in ministry, because you have such a heart and personality for it, you could think about ministry in other ways besides being a pastor." That same voice came back, this time saying "Alright, now she's saying it, she validated how you are feeling, but are you really going to give up on this?"
Then, I went into the Career Development Center to talk about how to get a HR internship. The person I was talkin gto had all sorts of contacts and possiblities for me. It was quite amazing to see the possiblities. However, my heart was burning, and all I could think was "this isn't right...this isn't right...this isn't right..." it just did not feel right. The only time it gelt even close to right was when she suggested doing an HR internship in a church. Voice: "Are you ready to accept this yet?"
Finally, just 30 minutes ago, I was sitting at my house in Burlington, and for some reason, a memory, that has seemed to become more and more distant as the days have gone past, I went back to Youthfront. I remembered the worship services, I thought of the people, staff and campers. Then I remembered the connection I had with the Lord. I had to listen to the music again. So I listend to "Search Me" by Mike Crawford and His Secret Siblings.
That is when it happened.
I was shot.
With a shot of realization.
"Search me and know my heart, Oh God, test me and know my anxious thoughts"
Everythign came back. God knows my heart. He knows who I am. And for the majority of my recent life, I have felt called to a mission. That is where my heart is. My heart is to go into ministry. Material gains or not, it is what I am called to do.
What does this mean for me?
Well...I really need to find a summer ministry job. I've applied at one place so far, but I really need to find other possibilties too. I want to learn, I want to be shapened, because ministry is what I want to do. It is the life I am called to. I do not know excatley what kind of ministry that is. It might be pastor, it might be something else, but it is my call, and now I need to start figuring it out.
So I just got shot.
No, not physically shot.
A spirtual shot.
A wake-up call if you will.
Latley I have been really struggaling with my call. Going into ministry is the only thing I've seen myself doing. But I have started to get anxious about my future. Is the church really going in the right direction? Will I make enough money to support my family? Am I going ot fit into a ministry setting? If I am a methodist elder, how will moving around effect my (hopefully eventual) family? This had started getting to a point where I decided that I was no longer going to go into ministry. I didn't tell anyone this, but it is what I felt.
However, God started talking.
It started with my girlfriend, who, at times, has a much better perspective on life than I, saying, when I told her that I was thinking this, said, "I don't want you to give up your dreams for material gain." At this point it had gotten so bad that I almost just shook it off. However, deep in my heart, I felt smethign screaming saying "YOU IDIOT!!!! SHE IS RIGHT!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!" That voice was too distant to listen to though.
The next occurance happened when I talked to a VERY wise professor, who happens to have a lot of expereince on this issue, and who also just happened to be my advisor. I told her what I was thinking, and she acted kinda shocked. She walked me through what it would take to get into Human Resources (the new career path I was looking at). She also listened to me talk about my issues with becoming a pastor, and said she saw my opinions and my reasonings on all my points. She told me one thing though that caught my off guard. "Bryce, you shouldn't dismiss the idea of being in ministry, because you have such a heart and personality for it, you could think about ministry in other ways besides being a pastor." That same voice came back, this time saying "Alright, now she's saying it, she validated how you are feeling, but are you really going to give up on this?"
Then, I went into the Career Development Center to talk about how to get a HR internship. The person I was talkin gto had all sorts of contacts and possiblities for me. It was quite amazing to see the possiblities. However, my heart was burning, and all I could think was "this isn't right...this isn't right...this isn't right..." it just did not feel right. The only time it gelt even close to right was when she suggested doing an HR internship in a church. Voice: "Are you ready to accept this yet?"
Finally, just 30 minutes ago, I was sitting at my house in Burlington, and for some reason, a memory, that has seemed to become more and more distant as the days have gone past, I went back to Youthfront. I remembered the worship services, I thought of the people, staff and campers. Then I remembered the connection I had with the Lord. I had to listen to the music again. So I listend to "Search Me" by Mike Crawford and His Secret Siblings.
That is when it happened.
I was shot.
With a shot of realization.
"Search me and know my heart, Oh God, test me and know my anxious thoughts"
Everythign came back. God knows my heart. He knows who I am. And for the majority of my recent life, I have felt called to a mission. That is where my heart is. My heart is to go into ministry. Material gains or not, it is what I am called to do.
What does this mean for me?
Well...I really need to find a summer ministry job. I've applied at one place so far, but I really need to find other possibilties too. I want to learn, I want to be shapened, because ministry is what I want to do. It is the life I am called to. I do not know excatley what kind of ministry that is. It might be pastor, it might be something else, but it is my call, and now I need to start figuring it out.
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