Amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDMLvpFvhEo

This is what I want to do.  Cannot imagine a better way to spend my time and life.  Watch it and if you don't tear up you are not human.

Refreshing Weekend

This weekend was simply amazing.  We had our Young Life North Coast Regional Weekend at Saw Mill in Sandusky.  I will be honest and say I was not too excited about this weekend going into it.  I always love them but for whatever reason I had a bad attitude all last week and was bitter about the price and about some things going on in my personal ministry of wyld life.  But from the moment I arrived things changed quickly.

   The first thing we did was watch a video about Young Life Capernaum which is YL for kids with disabilities.  Anyone who knows me knows that this is a passion of mine.  I am a spec. ed :moderate to sever major because I have the passion and hunger to serve this demographic of kids.  Capernaum has always been on my heart and I have been praying for a chance to get more involved for more than 4 years now.  So this video got me fired up right away, to see a ministry that I care for so much be given some attention in our region was amazing. 

   As the weekend went on I continued to just feel the spirit of God all around and get my attitude straight.  I had some great conversations with friends and met some new people as well.  The sessions and seminars were all great and I learned a lot.  But the biggest thing I took away was to have faith.  And that the only thing that matters is if we are personally desperate for Jesus Christ.  Of course I know this and have known this since excepting him in HS but I often lose sight of that.  I get carried away with life and forget why I do what I do.

   It was a nice reminder.  I slowed things down and realized that things are happening, they are happening all around.  Toledo YL, the region, a Capernaum ministry may be growing.  What the future holds nobody knows but I do know that I trust in the Lord and know that he will continue to work in my life and work through me.  This weekend just helped remind me of that.

Don't Be a Jerk Opher, Help a Dude

So the street I live on is directly across the street from UT's main campus which is very clutch.  It is normally quicker for me to walk to class than it is to drive and find a parking spot and then walk.  Parking at UT is ridiculous and freshmen who live on campus are not allowed to park on campus.  Instead there is a lot at one of our other campuses that is about a mile from main campus, the frosh can park there and take a bus to and from their cars.  Well, some of them don't like that option so they park their cars on our street.  Which is fine just annoying to see cars parked and not moved for an entire week. Sometimes they park directly in front of my crib which is where our friends park when they come over, this is irritating because then our company has no where to park.  And sometimes they partially block our driveway because they suck at parking.  Well this past week like much of the country, Toledo got a decent amount of snow.  My street is plowed pretty early because it is a semi busy street.  So all the frosh's cars get blocked in by a mound of snow and ice.
    The other night my roommates and I were watching from our window a dude trying to dig his car out, he didnt have a shovel and he was not going anywhere.  At first I thought is was funny and was like "haha, serves you right sucker!"  But then kinda out of no where Jesus was like "Hey Opher, why dont you go help the dude out instead of laughing at him.  People go out of their way to help and serve you."  And he reminded of a very important piece of scripture to me, Matthew 5:41. "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two."
Well, Jesus, he got me.  I went out and it only took about 10 minutes to free him from the snow.
    Point of the story is that I am continually being reminded of how I should live as a follower of Christ.  Jesus wouldnt laugh at the kid, he would help him.  I have incidents like this all the time and I think it is important to use the cliche of WWJD.  Go the extra mile for anyone and everyone.   Any chance we get to be a light to the world we should take.
Peace
Opher