You can have all this world.

I am sitting on my bed at one in the morning on my birthday trying to rack my brain for all of the things that I am sure I have left off of my packing list. There are lots of little random things that you normally wouldn't include on such a list that are absolutely crucial to have at camp. I think I have it all, so I'm just going to stop worrying about it. I have had a very fun and edifying 2 weeks back here in ol' S.C., and I have felt the Lord begin to prepare me and my buddy Trey as we gird our loins for the intense atmosphere that is camp ministry, Ridge Haven style.

I played the prelude in church this morning, and it was Beethoven's Sonata no. 1 op. 94 in G minor. I don't think I have ever enjoyed playing classical piano more than when I did this morning. Playing a piece that was composed only by direct inspiration from our savior in order to help prepare the congregation's hearts for worship is one of the most comprehensively fulfilling experiences I have ever experienced. I hadn't looked at it for about 3 weeks since my jury, and to my amusement I played it head and shoulders above the level that I did in my jury. Go figure.

I have wanted for a while now to blog about the book I am currently reading, but I haven't quite had enough time to get deep enough into it to really spell it out yet. The book is called "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman. It is a critique on the decline of the methods of communication over time, and the effect of the most current method, television and mass media, on todays culture. He diagnoses the problem as this. Humans and all of creation were created as part of a narrative. That narrative includes our individual lives, and the lives of those before us and those that will come after. We were created to view our circumstances in light of that eternal narrative. Since we are a part of this tradition, we should weigh the heaviness and/or lightness of our conditions in light of eternity. He shows that the biggest problem with todays deteriorated form of over-convenienced mass comunication is that we start to exist within small chunks of time. T.V. and radio are scheduled in hour or so long bytes, and the unconcious affect of digesting said forms of dialouge and entertainment is that we cease to exist as a part of a narrative but as a part of a convenient, self-centered short amount of time that is usually dedicated to our own gratification. Dialouge and communication becomes devalued; easy come, easy go. A common result is the LOL BRB TTYL LYLAS and all the impersonal abbreviations that are becoming a regular part of todays conversations.

The part that I love the most is how hopeless existing in such a state can make one feel, because it directs us back to the creator and the reason for which we were created. Being consumed with stress or rage or despair is a result of living in the moment. Our hope is in the Lord, the Lord of the past, present, and future who has ordained our steps and is watching over us, and we as Christians have the responsibility and privelege to enjoy and enrich the Christian Tradition that we are a part of. Thank you, Neil Postman.

It is now 1:24 in the a.m., the morning of my birthday. Nineteen doesn't fell any different. If anything, it feels like a step back from eighteen because of how far it makes you feel from twenty. Oh well, Im just happy that God allowed me to be alive. What a joy it is to breathe the air and drink my mom's delicious sweet tea and read good books and smoke cheap cigarettes on the front porch, all at the same time, all in one day!! Man, life is GOOOD. I mean, goodness. God is Good.

Pray for me that as I travel and settle in at camp tomorrow that Christ will work through all of the different speakers and teachers that will be a part of the training process. Also pray that the counselors will really be given a heart of absolute servanthood for the summer. Especially me. I love you wallballers.