a-HA! Thought I wouldn't post for another month, did ya?!?!

A lot has been going on lately. Both joyful and painful. I think I'll end on a good note like David did in Psalms.

Work has been interesting lately. I applied for a management position Sept. 8, and found out last week I will not be getting the job. My boss had a lot of great stuff to say about me, but he said I need more management experience. That's the classic catch 22 with management- you need to be in management to get management experience, but you can't get a management job because you have no mangement experience! ..But I understand completely, and, in hindsight, I would be very surprised if I got the job, considering I am pretty green in this particular area. It's depressing, because I had my heart set on it, but I knew it wasn't a done deal. It's just one of those things I have to trust God on. I know that disappointments, failures, delays, etc. are a powerful tool that God uses to make us more like Jesus. Plus, it's like God's gradually placing me in a leadership position, since He knows how much I can handle. I am going to be assistant manager, though, which should bring in some more money. Maybe a house is in the near future. I'm not sure. But it has been an interesting experience. I know God's going to get glory out of it, though.

Oh, the good news! Ahh... what a relief! Sorry, I'm getting dramatic. I saw this video from Promise Keepers called Dust (I think the video company is Nooma). There was a pastor from a church in Grand Rapids, Michigan that's one of the fastest growing churches in the U.S. But he shared an incredible perspective on Jesus that a friend had shared with him. I won't do it the justice it deserves, but here's the basics:
We need to look at the Bible through the historical context. In first-century Hebrew culture, kids around age 6 would start schooling, where they would memorize the Torah by age 10- that's Genesis through Deuteronomy! FIVE books! Then most of the kids would go and apprentice with their parents and learn a skill. But the best students would continue on with more schooling, including memorizing the REST of the Hebrew Old Testament- they would have had Genesis -> Malachi memorized by around age 14-15! Then most of these students would go learn a trade with their parents, but the best of the best would apply to apprentice with a rabbi. The rabbi would grill them with questions about the Torah, the oral tradition, etc. If the kid failed the test, the rabbi would tell him to go learn a trade with his parents. If the kid passed, the rabbi would say, "Follow me." The kid would leave EVERYTHING, his parents, his friends, his hometown, and spend his LIFE learning from his rabbi and trying to be like his rabbi.

So where does this historical evidence fit in? One of the places is in Matthew chapter 4. Jesus calls Peter and Andrew and they immediately drop their nets and follow him. James and John immediately drop their nets, leave their father, and follow him. Why is this important? If they were out fishing, they weren't following another rabbi, which means they didn't make the cut. They weren't good enough. When Jesus said, "Follow Me." What he really meant was, "I believe in you. I believe you can be like me." Jesus took a group of average joes and changed the world. THAT's why Peter walked on the water. He believed he could be like his rabbi, Jesus. Jesus not only believed in them, He believes in us. He believes we can be like Him.

Needless to say, this is mind-blowing and so cool. Yet another reason why I will absolutely love seminary. I might have to use a cane to walk through the halls, but God will get me there sooner or later.