To those of you who read this...

To those of you that read this, I ask of you, tell me a story.

Tell me about yourself, or tell me something that is pure fiction, tell me a lie, or tell me the truth, it doesn’t matter.

Share with me about things that have changed your life in ways you never thought possible, or share with me what you ate for lunch. It doesn’t matter they are all so wonderful and worthwhile to hear.

So, although I know most of you won’t, tell me a story anyways, and let me into the castle that you have built for yourself, if only for a while...

Puzzles Memory and Time...

(The Following is a result of watching Big Fish during those late night hours when everyone gets really creative emotional and deep)

Isn't it funny how sometimes when you stop to think about things the depth they can go to can sometimes be dizzying... like for example trying to mentally grasp how long eternity is.

The latest thing on my mind though is the chain of effects that we call relationships. From the person you marry to the guy you slightly nod to as you cross the street your pressence in the world effects the lives of those around you. And I believe that pieces of those you know and those you love are transferred to you as you transfer pieces of yourself to others...

When I was a child I had these two puzzles that had two dfferent pictures on them but the pieces were identical, So you could put pieces of the first puzzle on the second one and visa versa. In other words, you could completely mix and match the pieces of this puzzle and it would still fit together.

In a way that's kind of what I'm talking about as well... When you interact with people, you give them a piece of your puzzle and them you... though small that piece might be... and in effect you might end up giving their piece to someone else... I've noticed little quirks I've picked up from a friend that I've spread to other friends so I've seen this in action.

It's funny and a bit dizzying at times to think why you do certian things you do, I know many times for me it's something I picked up from someone, and in turn it makes you wonder where they got it from. How many pieces of others make up who you are?

What really got me thinking though was this... If we have pieces of others with us and can give those to others, then what piece would be better to share with others than the piece that Jesus gave to us? It should really be our goal to let the world see the Jesus in us, and to share it freely with them.

This life is so finite, we are born we live and we die... What's important is whose lives we touch along the way... Jesus wants us to love one another, and he loved us more than we can even grasp.... sometimes just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. Don't we owe it to others to share that love with those who don't know it?

I often wonder who will remember me when I'm gone.
What kind of stories will people have about me?
Whose going to be there at my funeral?
Will I be remembered as a Friend? A Husband? A Father?
I hope more than anything I will be remembered as a Christian...
I hope that someone somewhere can say "That man opened my eyes to Jesus"


....More than anything that's how I want to be remembered...

Where did everyone go?

Looking to the heart of the matter.

(This is a blog post I posted a few months ago in another blog I had not long after finishing Blue Like Jazz.... I dunno, it had some good stuff I think and I don't feel like coming up with origional material at the moment so here ya go!)


Having come from a very very conservative Church of Christ there were certian beliefs that were bred into me from the start that until I had a falling out with that church I wasn't able to see past... coming from the other side of all of that and looking back on who I was and who I am now it's kind of cool and kind of scary all at once.

Funny things that I never saw quite bought in the first place, like how no one clapped at all, not even after baptisms... To things that I was dead set against, like instrumental music... So many of our rules it seems now were self implemented and had nothing to do at all with God...


Matthew 22: 34-40
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The Church of Christ has a bad reputation as "thinking we're the only ones who are going to be in heaven" and while that is not at all the intent it is easy to fall into that way of thinking and not even realize it.

There are staples that are listed in the bible : That you should love one another, that you help the needy, that you need to repent and be baptised for your sins, that you love others more than yourself, that you should not forsake the assembly.

There are things we are told specifically not to be in the bible. (1 Cor 6:11)

But then there are things that God left up to us to figure out.... I've been tought my entire life that Ephesians 5:19 was a proof text forAccapella Music now more and more I realise that verse telling you to be sincere in your worship, putting your entire heart into it it is not saying make music with your voice, it is saying make music with your heart... God doesn't pay attention to the way things look, he pays attention to the heart and the intent.... if you can worship God better with instruments then that's fine.... if they just distract from true worship then don't use them... that's just as good... the Bible gives as much permission to use instruments as it does microphones and pews.

Instrumenal versus Acapella music is a prefrence it is one of those matters that God left up to us... I prefer Acapella music and I wouldn't feel confortable in a church that uses instruments, but that doesn't mean I think it's wrong to do so. You can't condem someone for using or not using instruments and you can't force one way or the other upon someone... doing such is counterintutiave Christ's work .... you're not going to hell simply because you used a piano to praise God..... would you rather that piano be used to play some Marlyn Manson or something?

God did give us some fundimentals of worship but he really did leave so much of it to us, it's intresting to go to all the different churches out there and see the different ways that they worship God. I think God really did want to leave it so open so we could express individually our love for him. If there could be no creativity in that then would it really be an expression of love?

I didn't mean to turn this into a rant about music, and I could have picked one of many topics but the main point is this... Christians spend so much time fighting amongst themselves that they don't even try to take the message to the world. They are so caught up in their own self rightousness that people are drowning around them and they can't see past their own nose. And what kind of message does that paint for those that haven't come to know Jesus? Are they going to even want to learn when all they see is brother fighting brother and sisters who won't even talk to each other? And this too goes to a deeper root.

To better the group, one must first better themself, infact that's all one really can do. It's easy to point out the flaws in others, but as Jesus said do we have a plank in our own eye when we're point out their speck? Others can worry about theirself. One must be so Christlike that others can't help but notice and wonder how they too can be like that. A true Christian example will do more good than a thousand sermons ever could. So my goal is to work on me. to make me who I'm suppost to be... (and geez I got a long way to go...)

I also want to take this chance to say to all who read this that if I have ever hurt or offended you by being a narrowminded self rightous punk myself that I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I love you and I hope you will forgive me.

I just think how wonderful a world this would be if we could stop trying to Fix each other and just Love one another.

Your Brother in Christ,
-Ross-

The new chapter (the story thus far...)

Well, it's been almost two months since I left Pearland and came out to Anthem now. I still retain that my only regret in moving is that instead of being an hour and a half away from Beaumont I am now about 2 days away.

I need to be better about calling all the people I love back home but it's kinda hard with a two hour time difference. If any of ya back home manage to read this know that I haven't now or will ever forget about you... I just am really bad at picking up a phone. ^.^()

My new life here has been like a breath of fresh air. I was in a situation where I was spiritualy souffacating (sp?) and couldn't find a church home I felt I belonged at. (Save the Ridgewood congergation in Beaumont, and hour and a half away) I was stuck at a dead end job with no escape in sight. And I had a 15 year old car that while it was still running fine, was starting to show it's age slowly but surely. Then out of the blue, the job oppritunity with Thompson opened up, my sister Elaine was looking to sell her car, and my sister Elizabeth and her husband Stephen out of the kindness of their hearts offered me a place in their home until I could get settled.. And most important of all I found a church home where I not only feel like I belong, but feel wanted... after the Pearland incident it was hard to convince myself I was wanted anywhere. And believe it or not. The Job, the car, the housing (and thusly the church), all of it fell into place in less than a month... If I didn't already believe in signs I would now. I think it's very apparent God wants me here, and I'm glad to be here.

I am reminded of a realization I first had when visiting the Redgewood congregation for the first time. The Church is the family of God, so wherever you go you will have family there... it was apparent within minutes there as it was here.

To all of you at the Canyon Church of Christ, and expecally my crew ^.^

Thank you so much for helping me to expreience that feeling of unity once again. It was truly a breath of fresh air for my souffacating soul. And I look forward to working side by side with you doing the Lord's work.

... I truly believe this is the start of something beautiful

Your Brother in Christ,
-Ross-

I'm not dead!

Hey everyone! Just lettin ya know that no I'm not dead... my wireless card for my computer finally got here today so I can finally get on again!

I'll have my moved to Arizona post and whatnot soon I promise...