So it Begins

I'm just hoping the universe doesn't explode. I told myself I would never put my real name on the internet. Now I've gone and done it, and I'm waiting for the inevitable.

It was something I wrestled with for several weeks prior to starting this blog. I've wanted to begin one for a while now, but I planned to use a penname of some sort. The impetus to finally start a blog arose from moving to Arlington as an undergrad UTA student. This city has so much to see and do that it makes me want to write about it all.

Well, what do I have to hide? I'm writing about the kinds of things that are more important to me than life itself and priceless in terms of money: my hope for salvation, the love of God, peace and tolerance, caring for canines, and finding homes for dogs until the shelters are empty. If an employer refused to hire me on these grounds, then, honestly, I doubt I would enjoy working for them.

Always, the potential for mudslinging exists. This is only logical. With the kind of wishy-washy, purple-prosy dreck I write that passes for a blog, all that can result of this is yet more dreck. This isn't going to be mainstream or linear or anything, just a mish-mash of my thoughts, opinions, and experiences.

The things Jesus talks about and promotes are the sort of things that mean a lot to me. I mean, apropos love, peace, tolerance, happiness, contentment, forgiveness, those sort of things. For God so loved the World, He gave His only Son … and He did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world. It seems that a lot of people only know Christianity as a system of intolerant haters who would like to impose their fanatical point of view on everyone they meet. That ain't what Jesus wants, and since I do my best as a human to follow in His footsteps (and usually fail), I believe that being Christian means tolerating folks for who they are … if you the reader think that the idea of God is irrational or stupid or intolerant in how exclusive salvation through Christ alone is, you have every right to be respected for that view. All Jesus would want is for those who claim to follow His teachings to talk about the gospel message: 

This dude named Jesus was God incarnate. He appeared as a human by making a virgin have a baby—and specifically a virgin, so it wasn't like what Zeus did at all. No swans involved, either. He felt all the awful stuff we do, all the joys as well, while in a corporeal form to make these feelings relevant to us, then, as He said He would, and as the Old Testament says He would, he made a conscious, personal decision to suffer two brutal death sentences (surviving the flogging, in macho fashion) to offer free salvation for people who hate Him and happen to enjoy breaking every moral law He sets down. Those people wouldn't even be condemned or considered any lesser, just equally valuable as a child of God. Then, Jesus rose from the dead in three days time, ate some fish, had a pow-wow with His followers, and generally proved that He was truly God, before ascending to heaven. His teachings are to love one another, show compassion for people and animals, be content, have a moral compass, and to have nothing to really worry about if you don't do a single one of those things, 'cause you're still going to be forgiven and saved anyways, and the things that run counter to God's ideals won't even be held against you—no condemnation for those who believe.

So, hi. Now, for some pictures. 

Horse Skull Statue

This is on the campus of Southwestern University, in Georgetown, TX, which I visited in January of this year.

Granger Lake, near Georgetown

January in Texas: 70° F

Ice in Houston

 A great big thank you to anyone and everyone who stumbles across this blog. I know it's just dreck and the opinions of one pretentious, arrogant college kid, and that it doesn't really contribute anything unique amongst the collective opinions of the masses who contribute their collective opinions online in the hopes of being unique. I also know, however, that this could be a splendid way to share the good news of salvation; a therapeutic, calming activity; and a means to meet like-minded new friends. It is my hope that everyone will find their happiness and inner peas. May God bless, and I'm going to continue petting a poodle.