Optimistic Disappointment

What you read above has been a recurring theme in my life for the last two days.. and it's basically just dealing with the rough stuff life tosses you in a positive way. I know I've probably disappointed a few of you guys, I know at least one haha, whether or not she is serious is a different matter entirely, but fact is that I've missed two consecutive days of posting to this journal. The other side of the coin, el otro lado de la moneda, is that this not a bad thing. Basically it means that out of this entire year, the last two nights have been the two where I've been active enough not to be able to access a computer at night. Sorry to let you guys down, but it was actually a welcomed hiatus, for me, at least. This is my journal, remember? The veracity to that is dropping all the time, although I think I've still got some pretty good content caught up in here for the historians, diluted as it may be with garbage.

The thirty hour famine was great. The disappointment was that out of all the fliers we handed out on Saturday, we still haven't got a donation from them. That's hard to be optimistic about, but we did raise a few hundred dollars as of right now. You guys put pretty close to $400 into my account once the rest of the cash comes in, I think it's officially at $378 right now. $541 for the group of eight. We haven't counted everyone in yet.

I have to admit that as much of a blessing this is, I'm still not entirely satisfied and want to let you guys know that the donation page isn't closed yet.

I got really frustrated tonight when all the information I carefully detailed out for everybody on the new subdivision of this Cover the Night community project I'm doing crashed. It took quite a while and when the work went away like that, it's reminding me right now of that quote to not store treasures up for ourselves on earth, where it's so easily lost, but rather up in heaven, where it lasts forever. What's important to realize is that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God rose him from the grave, that the rest of our life relatively does not matter at all. That is the most important thing in the world and it blows everything else out, and I mean everything, clear out of the water. I can totally fail with this community project as dramatic as it might seem, Kony might escape, and thousands more might needlessly suffer, but there will still come an end to the sufferings of this world and God will reign forever and benevolently. Those who are Christians among them will not reach their ends when slaughtered or in their lonely deaths, and as heartbreakingly tragic as they might be, there is still a hope for them. Those who have been saved will go to Heaven and live eternally in a paradise better than anything we have ever experienced, all the time.

Here are the references to the verses (I'm currently in search of a better word than verses, because when you use verses to refer to portions of the Bible you sound like a preachy English Major.. but quotes doesn't work, it sounds too commonplace and dumb.. references would get old after saying it, and it sounds like Sunday School or Sunday Morning old people sermons)

Matthew 6:19-20
"Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys,and where thieves don't break in and steal."

Romans 10:9
"If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

By the way, did you guys know what I get to do this summer? I love the verses by the way, don't think I'm trying to disregard or forget about them, they're awesome, but this is pretty great too, just a little more pressing even though less important.. don't forget that line between urgency and importance haha.

I get to go to China to be my Uncle Will's best man in his wedding, which means I get to learn a little Chinese for his toast, which I just asked Dan Folta to help me prepare. That'll be sweet if he can help me pull it off, I'm really excited.

I believe I've hit the requirements and am back on track..