So Today i was reading my bible, something that i have been trying to make a habbit for some time now, I was reading Galations 5... the chapter about the fruits of the spirit etc... a chapter that i have read again and again my entire life. Its intresting how you can read something a million times and the read it again and find new meaning that you never have seen before. this is sort of what happened for me today. let me type the verse for you just to highlight what stood out to me...

Galations 5:18-25

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy,
fits of anger,
rivalries,

dissensions,

divisions,

21 envy,

[4] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

peace,

patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,

self-control;

against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

k so i don't want to sound like a preacher, but this verse really got me thinking.... it says not perform orgies or get drunk and not to take part in the things of the flesh but also in the list is dissentions, divisions, rivalries, fits of anger... how many times have i argued with my parents or gone into fits of anger at sibilings? how many times have there been divisions and dissensions among friends?
the word says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom... that is powerful language... that is a higher calling.

my prayers recently have reflected that. i have been praying for the fruits of the spirt to be evident in my life... that i would be patient... kind, i have been praying that i would have self-control. and what stuck out to me for the first time was the word peace. that is the one attribute that doesn't really fit... its not a verb... you can't "peace" someone... so i am taking it as an emotion, like joy, or self-control... which i had never really thought before. it is a fruit to be at peace about things... "Michael, don't be anxious about anything!"

keep praying for me as i continue strive to live for christ.

~Michael

a little update on my life...
yesterday, at home inside (it was raining) drinking tea, trying do do homework...ending up on facebook...whats new?

anyways.... i started this yesterday and i'm finishing it up here at school. school. what am i doing here? what do i want to major in? where do i want to go? i finally think i know what i want to pursue... political science.

in the realm of politics there are hundreds of jobs besides running for office and its really something i enjoy... i love people, and i feel like i get along with them pretty well... i have no problem calling people, planning things, trying to organize events etc... and i have already taken 2 political science classes and loved them! i guess it just kind of dawned on me the other day.... so yeah, idealy i would love to eventually move to D.C. and just get a job working for a senator or ambassador or who knows... a president? (:-P yeah right.. it never hurts to dream though...) my cousin is living in D.C. and is in international relations.... see i would LOVE that! anyways i am blabbering now. and i need to go!

cheers!
Michael

last night me and my family got home from closing up our cabin (picture above)on labor day, a lifelong tradition for our family... labor day marks the end of summer for me... the end of days at the lake tubing and skiing, climbing trees and making ropeswings, going for walks by jesse lake, and making bonfires on the beach... however, as fun as all this is, it saddened me this weekend about how little time i spent up at green lake and how my summer mostly consisted of working... but thats life.

also this summer i lost good friends. Trey, Mason and their family moved to virgina which was hard for our entire family. the previous 3-4 months before they left i didn't feel we did as many things together as we used to; mainly because of us moving to Wyoming MN, but also we started hanging out with different circles of people... but what really makes a true good friend is that he still would call me up out of the blue just to see how i was doing.. and i would do the same. and even though he struggled with his faith, he would still ask me about mine, and it was never a burden to talk and pray with him about his faith. we really were like brothers. loosing someone who actually really cares about you is always hard. So this summer has been a learning time for me, where God has shown me that friends move away, and all friends are human and can fail, and as close as you think you are to someone God can take it all away, and show you his glory through it, and can make your relationship with him so much sweeter.

as much as i love summer and its random adventures and lots of free time i am looking forward this fall. I love fall with its cooler weather and regularity. as strange as this might sound to some i'm looking forward to once again having a routine and getting into a regular schedule again.

God bless
Michael