Praise the Lord, for He is Good!

I have been so captivated by the love of the Father God! I can't quit dancing in His presence.
See you soon, morning! :)

Think on this: God of the Angel Armies, by Jonathan and Melissa Helser

It seems like all I can see, are enemies surrounding me
It seems like all I can feel, are lies you're not real
I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the one
Who made the earth and heavens

I believe You're more real, than what my eyes can see
I believe these hills are full, of a mighty angel army

God of the Angel Armies, you're mighty to save
God of the Angel Armies, you're worthy of our praise
God of the Angel Armies, you fight for us
God of the Angel Armies, you come down....
when praises go up

Finally I'm starting to see, things are not as they seem
Nothing can come between, your mighty love for me
No ear has heard, No eye has ever seen
What you have planned for those
you set your love upon

I believe you're greater than, I could ever dream
I believe you're coming again, with a mighty angel army.....

Praises go up and You come down
and you walk through the walls

You come down at the sound, of my praise

You come.. You come..
wave after wave

I gotta worship, this is what I was made for... I gotta shout!

This is what I was made to do, is worship you Lord

all those angels, I wanna waste my life with the angels
Pourin' out praise...

I don't care what the world might say,
I believe.
that you're more real.. than what my eyes.. they can see..

I am a Temple

Deep inside me there's this burning that just won't let me go
You are my fire, You are my righteousness, You are my rock and roll
I wish I could fit you down inside my chest, God
I wish that I could swallow you whole
I'd wrap you up in a blanket of my skin and you could call my body home

I really like John Mark McMillan's ability to express my heart in its rawest desires. This song has been speaking to me a lot recently. I'm also learning a lot from Jesus Culture, Misty Edwards, and Kari Jobe.

I'm not good at this.

I'm bored in Islam class.


I should look like this.


I'm good at twitter. It works well with my distractible attention span.
Blogging is different. I wish I could do it better.

I feel like I'm moving away from technology though...
I quit watching TV. (WHOA!) I tried to watch a movie the other day and I couldn't get through it. What's going on?
I don't know, but I'm spending my time on things like relationships, studying, and getting adequate levels of rest.
I love coffee now, but only black. Weird. I hated it period before, but now I crave it in its most pretentious, purist-esque form.
Classes are going well. They're all really interesting, but I am so disillusioned with the path that America chooses for graduates...It makes me want to just drop out and flee the American Dream.

I finally finished The Irresistible Revolution. It was really good. I'm in a book mood. Nothing sounds better right now than sitting in Cuppa Joe for 6 hours with something like The Raggamuffin Gospel or The Cost of Discipleship, which are the next on my list.

All this new free time (since I'm not wasting several hours each day filling my mind with empty entertainment that whispers and sometimes screams messages that oppose the gospel), have lead to a thirst for knowledge and growth. We're studying the Holy Spirit in my sophomore study, and the book of Judges in my senior study.

God keeps revealing Himself to me, bringing forth the New Man in me, helping me to seek my identity in Him, and showing me how He loves.

PS: I just finished the first month of my Senior year in college. Weird. I'm simultaneously scared, excited, ready to leave, and ready to put down roots and stay forever. Lord, lead me to Your heart and Your place for me.

Haha. Just found this pic on the compy.

I want to Be A part of B.A.! Buenos Aires! Big Apple!

My time here has been great. I've grown a lot in my understanding of who God is, based on seeing the diversity in which He created us in His image. I've met a lot of really great people who are studying at one of the best universities on the continent. This weekend, I went on a service trip that really stretched my willingness to obey God. I've been sick, tired, excited, joyful, loved, loving, happy, and ready. Ready to see what God does with me when I get back. He's stretched me in prayer, and I've surrendered more of my heart into His care.

I'm not sure what I should write here. My journal is much more full. It has been hard to find internet I can use long enough to update. I'm sure you will see more of my post-trip reflection than you've experienced so far, but I still have 1 more week before debriefing, and I'm planning to make the most of it.
So Imma sleep now.
Watching World Cup?
VAMOS VAMOS ARGENTINAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

10 days in and I'm feeling good.

Yep. I've been here for 10 days now. Buenos Aires is incredible. I'm so happy to get to come and share Christ's love. I've seen so much nationalistic pride, so much sincere religion, so much passion for bettering the world around one's self, and so much brokenness since I've been here. It breaks my heart to see people so misdirected.

God has been reminding me that we were created to be worshipers and we do that all the time. So much of our worship is misdirected. I've seen people worshiping soccer, fashion, success, fame, English, education, national identity, ideology, etc. I want to share my faith and my own story, but it has been difficult so far. They know that they need more, but they don't know where to look. However, because people have had a bad experience with the church, they don't want to look to Christ.

While here, I'm working on the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Agronomy campus. So far on campus, my group has been working on a service project the name of which translates to"Improving the Quality of Your Life". We've been cleaning up the campus to show the students and faculty know that we are there to serve and not to be served. Several students have been coming up and helping. It's great. God is really showing His favor in big ways through people that don't know Him yet. :)

Monday I'm grabbing coffee with my new friend Tómas in the afternoon. Then Tuesday night I'll be merienda-ing with my friend Zac. I'm excited. Pray for that those times. God is good. I love His guidance. We need his hand and voice to lead us during these weeks.

See you soon. Love you all.
Comment if you read this, because I feel alone sometimes.
Dios te Bendiga,
Calebsito

Vida en Buenos Aires!

I'm in Buenos Aires!
Weird.

Today was my first day on campus. About 8 of us are working on the Agronomy campus of UBA (the highly esteemed public university system here in BS. AS.).
I'm really excited to see what ministry is like. Today we just ate at the cafeteria, met some students in the reigning political system there, prayed, and talked about the programs we'll be doing.

Oh, and I tried Mate. It's famous, and I'll make you all drink it. :P
Don't worry. It's safe too.


Okay. I'll try to explain things better in the days to come when I have time, but I wanted to update you real quick, so this'll do for now. :)

Peace and blessings (and besos),
Caleb

Let's Recap

Just realized that my last post was from the beginning of April. Yikes.

I'm not even consistent in the stuff I love.

Anyway, school is over. I'm not a Junior anymore. Weird. Last time I became a senior, I was a lot more excited about it.

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I've enjoyed them thoroughly. We got everything initially squared away for the house next year, did some dumpster diving (found some SWEET couches), saw some good movies, tried some good food, climbed some legally questionable things, and hung out with some best friends. Oh, and my friend gave me a mohawk. ;)

I like doing sporadic, adventurous weird things. My friend ChrisLazattack pointed that out about me. I'd never really realized it before, but I think that's true.

I'm about to set out on a new adventure: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Summer 2010, Pt. #1.

Details will follow as I begin to learn them, but here's what I know so far:

- I leave for the trip's briefing tomorrow, Sunday 5/16th.

- We leave for B.A. the following Wednesday, 5/19th

- I'll be working at a University there in the Capitol, teaching English and loving people like Jesus does.

- We get back on June 30th.

It is going to be an adventure. Hopefully I'll have more to say about the trip after briefing starts. Stay tuned!

It's a Good Friday

So Easter break has been real good so far. Most of the usual group has been away, so it was an exciting, Zombieland-esque sort of week. I've hung out over in Syme. I like East Campus a lot. I wish I had discovered it earlier. :(

Anyway, I'm so excited about the Ranch for next year. We'll be the "Original Ranchers" and it'll be real good. :D

Now I'm in Highpoint with JWong. We're going to his friend's birthday party tonight. I'm excited. She sounded pretty cool on the phone. haha

I had meat today for the first time since the end of spring break. It was real good. But I liked eating vegetarian. Imma do that 3 days a week I think.

Alright. Peace and blessings.

PS, Getting a haircut Sunday I hope. :D

Pray Hard and Live Miraculously

That's what I'm learning this year. Pray hard. If we want to see God move miraculously, we need to step out in ways that give God a miraculous avenue to work through in our lives. We don't see miracles very much in American Christianity, because American Christianity is way too comfortable.

In 1st Kings Chapter 18, Elijah opposed the Prophets of Baal. He was God's only servant, and he was up against 450 powerful religious leaders. There hadn't been any rain in a long time, and it was becoming dangerously dry. Basically, the king blamed Elijah for the drought and so Elijah challenged the heathen prophets to a God-off. They'd have a burnt sacrifice, only God had to light it. DAAAAANG. God didn't tell Elijah to do that, he just knew that God would come through. So Baal's boys worked all day moaning and crying and cutting and bowing, but to no avail. At the end of the day, it was Elijah's turn. He told the men to pour a lot of water all over the bull ("But wait!" you say. "Don't you want it to get set on fire?" Yes! Avenues for miracles, get it?) God didn't tell him to drench the sacrifice. He just had faith enough to believe that God would come through.

God did come through. Fire came straight from heaven and set the whole thing ablaze. It was incredible. How often do we waste situations for God to be miraculously glorified in our lives by playing it safe? Probably a lot more often than you'd think.

So pray with faith. Expect God to move, and watch Him do His thing. Remember that His will is better than ours, though, and don't be disheartened if His answer doesn't look the way you thought it would. :)

Thanks for reading! Now I can't put off studying anymore. Got a test in 01:02:05. Whoops

Brooklyn, Brooklyn! Take Me In

I'm back. I love it here in New York.

Whenever I'm here, my heart breaks for the people of my country (and the world). I just sense the lostness of the world in a more poignant, tangible way. I'm really overwhelmed right now with a lot of different thoughts. On one hand, I'm so excited to be here. I got on the subway and knew what I was doing. That was a good feeling. On the other hand, I keep seeing people and looking at their broken empty faces. I almost started crying earlier.

I might just need some sleep. It's been a long day.

Spencer and I woke up at 6:30 this morning and started driving. We hit hard rain all the way up and ended up getting stranded in New Jersey when the Turnpike got shut down (because of flooding and a bridge that was out). Then the engine started smoking and we just prayed. There was a lot of prayer. Long story short, our 8 hour drive took 12.5. Then all but one other person (out of our 7 total) got stuck at RDU. And it is raining so hard. It is like a hurricane but in the winter.

I'm going to Tim Keller's church in the morning. That should be good. We met some cool people from Colorado. I'm excited about that. I'm worried about getting sick of the other 4 students from NCSU. I keep comparing this trip to last year. But it is different. I believe that that's because God planned it differently, because he wants to do different things. Satan obviously didn't want us coming up here. He's been up to no good all day. So God must have some good stuff planned. I'm pumped to see what God does.

I'm praying that I'll let God move in me. I don't want to get in the way. I want to see His Spirit fall on this city that way that the rain did today. Join with us in praying for that, okay? :)

I'll leave you with a poem my friend Tom wrote.

this week, the gothic feeling your insomniac culture gives reminded me that you are

one certain idea like no other showed me that you need and you give us people
and although these people, undead in their mind-body-soul, live around you
they hate you

there are few that call you beautiful
there might be a handful that can appreciate your looks
but they all call you home.

ages ago you were known as "the city of fools"
no one cared to give thought to the frame of your future
they never realized that they were-
the eyes
the nose
the fingertips of industrialization

my beloved
you are that heart

forgive me for once doubting you
i've realized the potential of the place i myself called..
now call
home.

the individual is the kneecaps in you
an intricate articulate syndicate of heart-work
i call myself proud to bolt the body to the ground and declare ownership

GOD
one city

the city that calls you home
and i call you the gorgeous mosaic

keep life old friend.
be safe.

Thanks Tom.

I love you guys!

I miss all my NYC friends from last year. :(

See you soon,

Caleb

Chaucer

So I had to write this paper about Portraiture of Characters in The Canterbury Tales for ENG 451, my Chaucer class.

I'm in there now, actually. Whoops, just got called on.

"Yes ma'am, I can read that...

"This markys wondred evere lenger the moore

Upon hir pacience, and if that he

Ne hadde soothly knowen therbifoore

That parfitly hir children loved she,

He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee,

And of malice, or for crueel corage,

That she hadde suffred this with sad visage."

Whew. Done. I don't really like reading Middle English.

Anyway, back to the task at hand. I could not write that paper!

It was due a week ago. I tried everyday for about 10 days. I didn't finish it until 5:15. TODAY!

There wasn't any kind of problem with getting it in late. She was fine with that. I've just never had that problem before. I'm usually a good worker.

My friend @Gato_Gordo said I should think about trying Adderall XR. I've never thought of myself as a person that needs to be medicated. I don't like that thought at all. But I'm worried! I could not focus. Today, an hour before the paper was due I was doing a crossword puzzle!

What. The. HECK?! Come on Caleb? Oh well. The paper is DONE. And so is class.

I'm so done with class today. ha!

Chelsea Rae, Morning Times was wonderful. Let's do it next time you're home!

Bye!

You Gave us the Most Beautiful of Days

Katharine Weislak wants her name in this post.

So I haven't updated this blog since last year. Weird.

Quick run-through of 2010 so far:

1. January 1st began at Encounter (http://www.midsouthcru.com/encounterblog/). I had been there for a while just loving God and His people. :) I'm so at peace with where God has me and what He has me doing these days. The theme of #CruTru09 was Encounter Christ the Truth. It was really great.
2. After praying in the New Year, we danced the night away. Well most of us did. I danced my 45 minutes of free time away. Then I left for the most epic domestic trip of my life. We titled it "There and Back Again" and it included the following:
   1. 6 Men
   2. A 2001 Pontiac Montana ("The Queen")
   3. 24 states
   4. 8.5 days
   5. 7432 Miles...
   
   
   Them's mah pics:
   • Album 1
   • Album 2
   • Album 3
3. Got back the night of the Carolina Campout. Everyone else was freezing. I was wearing a tee-shirt and hoodie. The -36 (-60 with windchill) degree weather of Montana kind of ruined me towards feeling cold in North Carolina. It was a good night.
4. Classes started. I'm taking Film Production. That's great. Most of my other classes are pretty uninteresting.
5. We started studying James in my Bible Study. That is great.
6. I went to the 20-20 Conference at Southeastern. God is doing really great things. :) So glad I get to join Him in them.
7. LOST returned. That made me so happy. I watch it with Wes and Deepak. That's really good.
8. After LOST, I go to prayer. Tuesdays are so great. Justin Wong has taken over leading it. I'm always so encouraged at seeing God work here.
9. I figured out where I'll be living next year. Michael Orr, Jay Linderman, and I will be living with a few guys in the COOLEST house ever.
10. Collin came over and just wanted to hang out. I was so encouraged because he asked if I was gonna be leading Bible Study again next year. The devil has been trying to convince me that I shouldn't be doing this, or that it isn't affecting people. But it is. God is faithful to use us when we let Him. I'm so encouraged. Patrick is a servant team leader! Collin came to leader's retreat! Matthew continues to show me how much I can learn about Christ. Jesse keeps surprising me with how awesome he is (e.g. Slap Bet Commissioner tee-shirt). I see Will & Bentley all over, and I yell to them. And they always know it's me, haha. Brandon is such a great co-leader. I don't see him as much as I used to, but we're still BFF. :)
11. Wednesday, I found out that I made David Monsees' best friends list. That made my day.
12. Thursday, I saw God. He reminded me that He works everywhere. You don't have to be in Peru to have a God-room experience. That's really cool to me.
13. Friday, I went to visit the Furniture Capitol of the World! Not for that reason, though. Justin, Caleb, Suzanne, and I went to go trade Justin's car for some other ones. That was fun. I really like semi-spontaneous trips where we get to meet friends' parents. They're so great. :)

So that's a quick run-through. A lot more happened, but it's kinda blurring together for me right now. It snowed a lot. I'm not sure how I feel about that (thanks El Niño). But I feel like this was a pretty good summary.

Now I'm sitting in Gordon and Michael's room blogging, while JWong, Caleb, Monsees, Kweezy, Michael, and Gordane (minus Jordane. sad) play halo. We're listening to Hungry Like the Wolf, and I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have the friends that I do and a relationship with the God of the universe, who loves me for who I am. Dang.

It's always nice to look out the window
And see those very first few flakes of snow
And later on we can go outside
And create the impression of an angel that just fell from the sky

When February rolls around I'll roll my eyes
Turn a cold shoulder to these even colder skies
And by the fire my heart it heaves a sigh
For the green grass waiting on the other side

It's always winter but never Christmas
It seems this curse just can't be lifted
Yet in the midst of all this ice and snow
Our hearts stay warm cause they are filled with hope

It'd be so nice to look out the window
And see the leaves on the trees begin to show
The birds would congregate and sing
A song of birth a song of newer things

The wind would calm and the sun would shine
I'd go outside and I'd squint my eyes
But for now I will simply just withdraw
Sit here and wish for this world to thaw

And everything it changed overnight
This dying world you brought it back to life
And deep inside I felt things
Shifting everything was melting
Away oh away
And you gave us the most beautiful of days

Cause when it's always winter but never Christmas
Sometimes it feels like you're not with us
But deep inside our hearts we know
That you are here and we will not lose hope

I don't think I can do that. You better bring it!

Thanks for reading, guys.

Flip it, stick it, seeyoulaterbye!

Caleb

Recent music favorites: CONTRA (Vampire Weekend), Black & Gold (Sam Sparro), I Need a Dollar [How to Make it in America Theme] (Aloe Blacc), Jim Avett, Carolina Roadkill, MGMT, Annuals, United States of Pop, Aim and Ignite (Fun.), Gold Motel - EP (Greta Salpeter, of The Hush Sound), First Days of Spring (Noah and the Whale), GLEE, Fall Be Kind (Animal Collective), Pomplamoose♥, The Fame Monster (LadyGAGA), and a renewed love of worship music that only comes from Christ. God is so good. I love seeing that more and more.