... bones as tough as stones ...
Sleight of hand
and
twist of fate.
Gagging Order - Radiohead
Flood - Jars of Clay
Fake Empire - The National
Pyramid Song - Radiohead
Sparks - Coldplay
Trouble Weighs a Ton - Dan Auerbach
Baby Says - The Kills
Thistle and Weeds - Mumford and Sons
The Cold Part - Modest Mouse
Broken From the Start - Jon Foreman
See You Soon - Coldplay
Poison Oak - Bright Eyes
Give Up the Ghost - Radiohead
Feeling extremely introspective today…. Time to start writing out these thoughts and see where they take me.
- Today, and this probably has something to do with it being MLK day (may he rest in peace, what an amazing man, a true American hero…), but I really have a sense that I want to change the world; that God wants to use me to change the world. Normally these thoughts are too grandiose for my pessimistic mind: “who, me? Change the world?” They’re just a little bit too out of reach for me—I prefer to be more level-headed in my estimations of my own abilities. “I am going to be way more humble, I could never have a great effect on the world. I’m not a natural born leader.” Justin, why don’t you be more humble, and realize that God may actually want to use you for His purposes. ‘Humble? But I am humble! I’m extremely humble, that’s why I believe God could never use me for some grand purpose!”
See what I mean (actually you might not, now that I think about it, above may have been extremely confusing for you. Let me explain: that was just a conversation between two parts of me. Hopefully, that explanation helps, and here comes some more clarification) …
Maybe in my pessimistic, self-humiliation, I’m not allowing God to use me exactly the way he wants to… time to trust in Him, and surrender my shallow, faithless, vain, life to Him. That way I may actually be of SOME USE.
I think sometimes my pessimism, cynicism… my so called REALISTIC view of life, humanity and their respective problems of vanity, greed, decay, WORLDLINESS (just to name a FEW), tend to get in the way of trusting God and allowing Him to change me, in order that he may actually, possibly, CHANGE this polluted world….
Okaaaaay, so point taken: allow God to use me…. But what’s he going to use? I have nothing to offer…
Yes, exactly Justin. You have nothing to offer. But, and not to toot my horn (actually I don’t think I’m about to toot horn, what I am about to share are probably more weaknesses than strengths), maybe I’m a bit more cynical and pessimistic than the average person for a reason. Some strange, weird reason. Maybe my sweet sentiments about the terrifying reality of man, (if you don’t quite understand how man can be so greedy and terrifying, I just watched the movie, Inside Job. It’s a stunning documentary, about the collapse of our economy, and as result the rest of the world. In summary: it could’ve been prevented…) are actually meant to inspire me to change the world.
Maybe now that I think of it, I love spending time with children, because through them I get a chance to look at humanity, without it’s glaring faults. Maybe I’m hoping that I can somehow inspire this next generation to not be greedy, selfish, and irresponsible….
I want the world to be different. I hate how whenever I look around me, the first thing I look for are the negatives.
Maybe I need to trust in man more. Or maybe I need to trust in A MAN. I need to trust in God.
He’s our only hope.
God, only you can change the world. I want to help. How can I help?
For His glory,
With utmost sincerity,
a Willing, Undeserving Servant.
Your dad was shameless before you were and he answered nature’s call wherever he damn pleased to prove it. He was a life lion and his brazen actions were the unblinking representations of who he was. The warm flush of embarrassment blood never ran through his cheeks because he’s never regretted doing a thing. Sure, he splashed territorial urinary markings on the sea. Sure, he got surly off slosh liquids and engaged in non-sanctioned blacktop boxing matches. Sure, he swore like it was his native tongue. And sure, he flashed man tackle once or twice. But, he was never shamed by these actions because that was the s*** ripping lifestyle he lived.
So hipsters, next time you’re not apologizing for your actions because everything you do is always right and you don’t care what people think, remember this…
If you deny being a hipster it’s because you’re ashamed of the title you’ve helped create for yourself. Your dad would have owned that s*** with pride and honored it with a middle finger.
Thank you to Sara for submitting her dad.
Favorite Wes Anderson film. The Darjeeling Limited
One of the best scenes of The Office where Michael shows his appearance on the show Fundle Bundle.
Sick U2 poster on my wall! (Taken with instagram)
What I’m indulging in this afternoon… (Taken with instagram)
The View from My Room (Taken with Instagram at 239 Hope Hall)
