Author and Perfecter

Hebrews 12:2-3
"Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted"

Amen.


Love God. Love People. Hail State.


Seth

Birthday Post

Well i know this is like 8 hours late.. but when I explain my day to you, you will understand why I was unable to post yesterday.. Great Birthday.

The day started out as normal.. minus people telling me happy birthday in the office, and them singing to me during the prayer time.. ha. Normal day really until lunch, then after lunch I am just in my office working minding my own business when two of my great friends, Allyson Basden and Patty B, come rolling in the office. They drove up from their SB10 destination, Charleston, SC.. just to see me on my birthday, man I have good friends!

So they came and spent the rest of the day with me! I got to show them around both camps, and show Patty where she will be working this summer! It was real fun. Well after work, we headed to have dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe for my birthday, but they were way to busy and we were hungry so we walked down the street and ate at Jack of the Wood, and it was real tasty.. but then we hurried over to my dodgeball game, yes, I have joined the Black Mountain Community Dodgeball League, NBD. So Allyson and Patty B came and cheered on the Ridgecrest team and took some pictures, so here you go for your pleasure..



It was very intense, but a great way to spend your birthday night.. It was our first night to play in the league, so we were surprised by how serious some of these people take it, you play for 20 minutes 5 people on each side, whoever wins the most games in the 20 minutes wins the match. Our first match, we lost... 7-2.. second match we lost 7-2.. but don't worry, now that we understand the rules and how serious it is, these people won't know what hit them next Tuesday night, well I will miss next Tues for the Matt Kearney/Ingrid Michaelson concert in Charlotte, but in 2 weeks, they better be ready!

Then the last news of the birthday is the addition of my friend/birthday present, my new fish Kathleen gave me..

It's a betta fish.. i hear they are deadly, I really wanted a fish for the summer, so Kathleen was awesome and got me this one, to keep in my office "The Situation Room" this summer (If we are blessed that it lives that long, i shall try). I named it Snooki, for many reasons. 1. Because I can now call it whatever I want (Snooks, snookums, snick, snickers) 2. It is staying in "The Situation" room this summer.. and no not after Jersey Shore, it has been called that for years, just happened to be humorous this year. 3. I love the trashiness that is that show so it is funny to call it Snooki... I may buy him a friend this spring and call him JWOWW..

Overall.. this was an amazing/random birthday.. I am ridiculously thankful for this birthday. God has really blessed me in this time of my life where I have no idea what is going on in life. I continue to praise him daily for giving me a peace in life right now that is a time where in my mind I feel I should not have a peace at all, He gives it to me.. the song "In Christ Alone" really is some good meat in this time. I will leave you with the first verse of that song, it speaks to this time in my life..

Thank you, all of my friends for making this birthday awesome, and for the prayers you all are sending my way, and know they are coming back towards you!


"In Christ Alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled when strivings cease.
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ i'll stand"

Love God. Love People. Hail State.

Grace and Peace,
Seth

Birthday Eve

here on this the eve of my birthday.. I read a special thing on birthdays.. yeah i know im weird.. but anyway, it was funny because it was a theme verse from camp last year that talked about the "birth of man"... Genesis 1:26-27.. It talks about how I was made in His image and how in His image i was created... that makes my birthday mean so much more, honestly.. to think of not only was I born into this world, but CREATED.. in His image.. we are each beautifully and wonderfully made.. rejoice in that people.. and know we are His..


Love God. Love People. Hail State.

Ps. My BDay is TOMORROW!! woot (there is nothing fun about 23)

Grace and Peace,
Seth

Being joyful at midnight...

**This did not post for some reason last night, So I am posting it now.. as yesterday's (Sunday) Challenge**

Today has been a ridiculously horrible day.. well only athletically.. I woke up with only one thought on my mind.. the SEC championship game.. I went to church with Sharon and Beth to a new church (for me) called Biltmore Baptist.. it was very big, but the service was pretty enjoyable and worshipful.. While there the preacher spoke on being strong in your faith and joyful even at "midnight", he used the example of Paul and Silas being arrested, and thrown into the depths of the prison only to begin singing psalms (he mentioned theologians think the Psalms were 118-123ish) , so the gist of the sermon was no matter how upset/mad/down/in trouble you are remember your faith and where it comes from..

OH MAN, did I not know he was preparing me for my day.. You probably know if you follow college basketball at all what went down today.. 1st we lost to UK (with some sketchy calls!?) in OT (again) to lose the SEC Championship game, and after beating UF, and Vandy and lets be honest.. practically UK on a neutral site, we get snubbed by the NCAA tournament committee.. yeah, we had some bad losses earlier in the season.. but you can not tell me that 23 wins and being one of the hottest teams in tourney play in the country doesnt make us better than say.. Houston or Cornell or East TN State to get in the tourney.. ugh.. ok enough about that..

The point of this blog is not to vent about today's happenings.. although i just did a little, it is to say I was reminded, after getting so upset, almost to tears after the game today, that I remembered where it lies in the grand scheme of life... Don't get me wrong.. Mississippi State and Sports rank high on my life priorities list, of course behind the important things, but I do have to remind myself, I am blessed to even have the opportunity to cheer for that team, God has given me so much to be joyful about in this world, there is no reason for me to sulk about not making the NCAA.. I will praise him through this small time of frustration.. it is almost silly now that I have calmed down and thought it out..

Psalm 118:28-29
"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
His love endures forever!"

P.S. -- I hate the NCAA and UK right now

P.S.S-- Lets win the NIT

Love God. Love People. STILL Hail State.

Grace and Peace
Seth

Birthday Weekend..

Well this weekend is fun.. I am house/dogsitting for my boss, Phil, and it has been a great time, it is real nice to be in a real house again, and especially a house that is pretty much a picture perfect house in my mind. I also had some ridiculous, but amazing options for this weekend, that I had to not do.. like driving 9 hours to Destin for the weekend, or driving to Charleston to see another group of awesome friends, or drive to Nashville to the SEC tourney which is turning out to be awesome (Hail State!!) ... but luckily I decided to stay here in Asheville to celebrate my birthday weekend with my co-worker Sharon, whose bday is on Monday... and mine is Tuesday (hint).. anyway, I will be watching the game tomorrow and for us to beat Kentucky. But anyway this weekend is going great, although I do miss Spring Break greatly, like for real.. I can feel summer getting so much closer and I am extremely excited/nervous about that. I can't wait for it to all happen.

I have to be honest today about my challenge.. I just, being so busy and lazy at the same time.. yes that is possible, did not even take time to chill out and spend my time with God today.. so I am not going to fake anything specific that I learned or found out about God today.. but I am thankful for all he has blessed me with again.. great friends, a great job and place to live, and great times..

Everyone should watch and cheer on the Dawgs tomorrow...

Love God. Love People. Hail State.

Grace and Peace,

Seth

Take pleasure in my work....

2 John 1:8
Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.

With all of this Spring Break talk by all of my friends, I had to turn to the Word to make me feel better about not having a SB10 and not be in Destin on the beach with all my friends.. so I remembered this little jewel. I need to remember that I am working towards a great goal to provide a great summer for about 1,000 kids and 80 staff this summer and the return will be this summer. I praise God for the opportunity he has given me with this job, and I should not fret just because I do not have one week off for Spring Break.. although it is hard.. ha


Love God. Love People. Hail State!

Oh yeah.. I really hope we win the game tonight in the SEC tourney, but I cant watch it, because the ACC tourney is on the same station ugh.. so I will just go to my Derek Webb concert at tonight.. WOO HOO


Grace and Peace,
Seth

Be joyful.. at all times

James is one of my favorite books.. and just from lack of time and being in the office all day, I am going to leave you with a little encouragement/charge for today that I have found helpful lately!

James 1:2-3 Count it all as joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance

Amen

Love God. Love People. Hail State

Grace and Peace,
Seth