Sometimes Christians are the worst people

I have had this pastor on my mind for a few days. After hearing parts of a sermon he gave  ”Why I hate Barack Obama” Mark Arum of WSB 750 replayed some of it this past weekend. It has deeply upset me, that someone who calls themselves a believer can stand upinfront of others he is trying to lead to a relationship with Christ and say that he prays at night that “Barack Obama would die and go to hell.”

Regardless of Obama’s poicies or even live choices he has made, nothing he has done has warranted this prayer from this man. Even if one would say he was evil (which i don’t) the bible would say pray for your enemies, pray for everyone’s salvation. Love one another, your neighbor etc. I am deeply troubled by this man preaching this about anyone, let alone our president. Though i an Obama supporter politically, i do pray God would lead him in leading our country. For God asks us to pray for our leaders.

So i pray now for Stephen L. Anderson to realize the true word of the bible and understand the love and grace that is poured out through our relationship with God. I pray that God can change him so he could be someone who could lead people to God not down the “religious” path that is hurtful and excluding. The “religious” path that so many people are mistaking God for, and not the church.

I just hope what this pastor has talked about hasn’t turned anyone away from the grace of Christ. Because Stephen Anderson isn’t a good representation of the body of believers.

Here is the link to the sermon i am referring to Click Here here is the link to the church he pastors Click Here.

95 Hours

There are only 95 hours til I get married.

As for the wedding we are good to go. just couple things left to set up before Saturday. Today i met with Tim Harman and we are really excited for him to be our photographer. Amy is getting her roots done today, actually as i type this now. We are a Joseph and Friends.

The question i seem to keep being asked every few hours by someone is “Are you nervous?” Honestly i am not i have been thinking about i guess you would call it reflecting on our life coming up. Watching the movie Marley & Me this week sort of summed up alot of the thoughts i have been having. I do wonder if when we are 5, 15, 25 years down the road if i will be looking back at my life and wondering what if. I sure everyone does this when they get older regardless of their relationship status. I have though a lot on this and decided i am sure i will look back and wonder what would have happened if i didn’t leave SSR, or didn’t let her speak first, or go through and buy the ring and give it to her. All i know now is that i have no regrets of my past. I have NO regrets of today. I am more excited in what God has in-store for us. I don’t know how to formulate the words.

While i have learned some basic “guy” emotions and random thoughts don’t go away. I have learned that it feels as if i would forget to breathe or how to eat if i lost Amy. I know I know that is LAME and WEIRD. But i never thought i would love and other human being with as a fervent heart as i do with her.

So with job change, moving, Africa, agent appreciation day, and getting married all happening in 4 months, i would have to say 2009 has been by far the best year in my life. I have grow so much closer to God in my relationship with him. Watched my fiance, develop her relationship with Him too. It is all a little overwhelming. Also knowing that in a mere 94 hours i am going to stand in front of most of the people who have helped shame me into the man i am today, and say i will love, hold, and care for Amy for the rest of my life.

It was the best of times, and the worst of times.

Today is the last day for me here at Solid Source. The company that took me to Africa, and saw the grace that is there in the worst of conditions. The company where I learned the difference between raster and vector and how to use them. The place where I decided to come back to church and give it another go; the time where I met my just about to be wife, and people who I was able to produce three shows at the fox theatre for. I have been in a wonderful place and God has used this time for me to grow, spiritually and professionally. I know that I would not understand what I have found in Amy to be so amazing if I wasn’t in this stage of life. I have learned and taught myself so many things. I am all mixed up about leaving.

On one hand I am excited for the new experiences, and the end of some of the hassles I deal with here. I have seen a lot come and go, people loving and hating this place. I know we all both love and hate a lot of our jobs, even at the same time. But Solid Source was good to me and was very helpful in many ways. From the new car, new talents, and new places I have been. I have loved them all; I will miss this place and some of the people.

On the other hand, I am nervous; nervous that I could be making a mistake. I know I truly believe God is leading me away from Solid Source, you know there is a small thought that maybe you are dumb to do this 22 days before you get married. I am glad Amy and I had come to grips with what this means to leave here and find the next path for the next season in our life. But you know God brought her all the way from New York to be here in my life. I am sure he is going to lead my life in the new direction. This is the time I need to leave I cannot and will not allow us to start our life together in a position where I do not feel happy, challenged, or good about my work. She deserves me to be happy, challenged, and confident in my work.

So now I move on and look for other things, I have some leads and I definitely have the ability. I just keep praying and trusting that the next step will be the correct step.

I guess the one thing that SSR gave me, was the confidence to believe in myself, and confidence to know who I am and that God REALLY does love me.

So thank you God, for bringing this into my life, and thank you for giving me the courage to leave it behind and the ability to stand firm and walk away with my head held high.

Sometimes you fit in when you don’t think you do.

As I am moving on to this new part of life, a part filled with a wife, new job, new place to live. I cannot help to look back and see where I have come from. Lately it seems like a lot of people from my past have been popping up either in my mind or in person. I have been thinking about the different seasons of my life that has brought me to now.

I guess this is normal when you are preparing a list for people to come to your wedding, or your thinking weather you should go to the 10 year high school reunion or not. I think we all stop and think back from time to time. For me there were only a few people there to help me along the way, and God brought them into my life at the perfect time each time. I didn’t always treat them kindly but they were there, unlike some of the people who have helped me along the way, there were these teachers I had starting really in the sixth grade that really seemed to take an interest in my well being. An interest in my life, mind, and ability. Namely, Ms. Mangano, and later Ms. Cohen, they were sent from heaven in my opinion. At a time where I was most impressionable and susceptible to a lot of bad influences, these two people dealt with my short comings and flaws to help me harness my abilitiesy and make be better for it. 15 years later I look back and I am so grateful for them. What if they didn’t care, what if they didn’t like me, what if they were just mean to me cause I was a lot of trouble like a lot of the other teachers were to me? Who knows I could have gone down a very rough path in life, a path where I may not have found Christ. I may not have graduated even high school. I probably definitely wouldn’t be 25 days from marrying Amy.

So I write this especially for Ms. Mangano and Cohen, to say thank you. Thank you for standing behind me and encouraging me when no one else was besides my mom. Thank you to all teachers who have this kind of impact in their students lives. Not just to teach them the material but to show them something that will stay with them for the rest of their life.

Amy is scheduled to go to school in the fall to become a teacher herself, there is a special place in my heart for teachers. Especially Ms. Mangano, Ms. Cohen, and Coach McKay.

Moving Parts

Had a wonderful weekend, yesterday didn’t do much of anything, honestly it was wonderful. So today is 33 days until I get married, not a whole lot left to do. I am so excited to get married. Sometimes it is hard to believe and still seems like it is so far away. We have finished out pre-marital mentoring, and now I just need to get my tux fitted and some odd and ends then we will be there. Outside 

of that, I have moved and put in a resignation at the company I work for. I know a lot of you have asked, “Why would I leave a Job like this in this economy?” Honestly the only answer I have is I truly believe God is leading me on a path away from Solid Source. I have loved working there and learning the things I have learned. But it is time to move on. I would be a fool to stay when I and others believe God is saying move on. At least this way I leave on my own terms and not forced out the door.

The timing seems a little weird, I know. But even though I have 11 days left at Solid Source and 33 till I am married I am not worried. I am standing firm in what I have done and I am letting God move me in the right direction and into the right position. I have been on 12 interviews, and submitted over 100 resumes in the past two weeks. I feel confident everything will work out like it always does.

I haven’t updated my blog in a while. I have been contemplating where I should steer it. The good thing about the trip to Africa, leaving Solid Source, Getting Married, finishing Agent Appreciation Day, and searching for a job is that I haven’t had the time to dive into the politics. I know what’s going on but I am not brewing over it all day.

So for now, I am continuing looking for a job, finish everything for the wedding, and continue getting excited for what God has in store for both Amy and I in our lives ahead. Cause in a couple years, this transition will be the best thing for me. And the stress of not having a job will long be forgotten.

Ndola, Zamdia

Thirs day in africa. things are good met some awesome people and have had some interesting food. it is quite amazing. i have tons of pictures and video. tomorrow we are going to eat some food with some of the widow caregivers in their homes. which are mud huts in the compound. each day there are more things that are just blowing my mind. the way God is using people here to help the others is quite amazing. life is so very different here more than words, pictures, or video could describe. this has truely been a life chaning expierence. i do miss my fiance dearly though.

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, oh oh. Gonna make it right tonight…

All Packed, devises all set for long plane ride, all prayed up. Now tonight I spend the evening with my almost wife. Tomorrow I will worry about the rest of the things that need to be done. Will be at airport at 2:00PM tomorrow.

I bless the rains down in Africa!

 

From March 12, 2009 to March 23, 2009 I am going to trave to Africa. Ndola, Zambia to be exact I am traveling with a group called Wiphan. The hold that area to help support Widows and Orphans. Solid Source Realty, the company I work for has purchased a school and began a feeding program for part of the area. We are traveling there to film, serve people, worship God, and let God lead us. We are filming to show our agents what we have done with their dues. To show them how great God is. So I will be writing and posting some pictures etc while I am there. So stay tuned as I show you all the details etc of the trip. Below is where we are going i will put up more information so you can intercede on our behalf.

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Better than last valentines day.

Everyday the wedding is becoming more and more closer and real. I know I gave her a ring and I proposed and I knew that was for us to get married. But the more I think about it I get a little more excited, scared, happy, and frightened.

Excited, cause I know I have made the right decision with the right girl, that God has brought to me.

Scared, cause we all are a little or should be a little scared about the things unknown. We know a lot of marriage now, we have listened to sermons, read books and talked to people. Even with all of that at least for me there is a little scared.

Happy, cause it never fails to bring a smile to my face everytime I think about her or someone brings her or our wedding up. Happy because I have never thought I could be loved by another human this much let alone love another human that much myself.

Frightened, mainly because I am afraid I might not be the most wonderful husband and father all the time. Each day I am becoming more and more confident that God can have us get together God can whip my ass into shape to be the man of her life and the man of the family.

So I guess this is an early Valentines blog, but I would have to say that the past 386 days more wonderful and completely unexpected that I could have ever thought. My life went from where to go drink Friday night to what can I do to may Amy smile. From what games me and the boys are going to play to what can I make for dinner to make Amy happy. I thank God everyday for bringing me through my past so that I could be with Amy.

Thank You Jesus!

Today is two days before Christmas. Two days before the day that we represent as the day Jesus was born. Two days before God sent his son to be come a savior. This year is a special one for me. This year God changed everything for me forever. I remember last year where Christmas morning I sat at home watching a movie til some of my friends got done with their families so I can have some company. I am not saying I don’t have a great family, it’s just I was one of the few without my own family. So my sister got to get up and see her children excited cause of Santa and my other sister too. My mom got to spend her 18th Christmas with her husband (my dad). I was laying on the couch watching superman, I said a little prayer, “God I know you are in control and I know you have a plan, I just hope I can have my own family.” As in an act of foreshadowing 18 days later I stopped and said a little prayer, “God please let me know if she is the one. God grant me the patience and calmness with this one she seems special, and I ask you to be apart of this.” Fast forward 345 days later, I wake up this morning to get ready for work, I squeeze my fiancé and giver a kiss and wish her a good day at work. In those 345 so many things have happened but I see how God has answered my prayers from last Christmas and this past January. He brought me someone who I am starting my family with and he is a part of our relationship. I never thought I could or would have someone so beautiful, smart, logical, realistic, loving, caring, humble, woman as I have found in Amy. Plus the fact that we both are seeking Gods path is truly amazing. I have so much to be thankful for, but I want to thank you God for giving me something I have wanted since I was a little boy. The chance to have a family, and be the husband and father my father wasn’t. The birth of a family of my very own. So Merry Christmas and thank you God for you have done all of this and brought the two of us together. I love Amy Buschor, and I will continue to love her after she becomes Amy Hoover.

Oh what a year 2008 was.