Twelve Metric Tons of Fun at Big Bear

One of the highlights of my first semester in college (and one of the very few things that I blogged about) was the Generations Retreat. I made great friends, like Steve and Tommy (pictured above), enjoyed morning "Chariots of Fire" runs along the beach, learned from solid, biblical teaching about pride/humility, and was convinced to go to IBEX. But that was so last year.

This year the retreat changed from the shores to the mountains. I went with 50 other Generites (that is not a small number!) to Big Bear for the weekend. We stayed in some sweet houses while we were there; my roommates and I dubbed our room "Bag End" because the door only came up to our chest.

Once again, I had unprecedented fun on the retreat. On Saturday afternoon, a big group of us took over a Starbucks for a few hours to study and hang out. When we got back we took a hike down to the lake and enjoyed some fellowship and meditations about God. Saturday night turned into a massive tournament of "4 on a Couch;" the guys dominated.

I also enjoyed the retreat because I did not have to bring much homework with me, so it really felt like a retreat. I was able to think about the messages from the retreat and the past week of chapels. I started to realize how all of life needs to work together to glorify Christ. My schoolwork, my devotions, my relationships, and my blogging are all unified in an effort to make life all about Christ. This changes my perspective on many things. I'm not studying just to make good grades, but to prepare for a God-glorifying life. My relationships are not just for fun, but for fellowship and encouragement.

Yesterday, we drove back down the mountains and back to homework and the other busy parts of life at college. But I found that my perspective was refreshed over the weekend. Because all of life is to be lived for Christ, I can have joy in all of it. That's pretty cool.

Thanks. Bye.

Salt, Light, and Nerf

One of my fondest memories of my childhood is Nerf Wars. I remember spending many afternoons in Carpinteria in the heat of battle with all the neighborhood kids. I even remember my brothers talking me into going on many"kamikaze" missions and me thinking that was the coolest thing ever.

However, these battles are no longer only memories because the new hotness in Hotchkiss is Nerf. Last Friday night/Saturday morning, a few friends and I visited every Wal-Mart in the Santa Clarita Valley looking for Nerf Guns. On Sunday night, we had one-on-one battles in the lounge. There are big plans on the horizon for Nerf Wars. Happy days, Hawkins, happy days...

On a different note, I've been kicking a question around in my mind over the past week: "What should the Christian life look like in modern America?" This question is pretty huge, and I'll admit that I don't have all the answers to it. However, I think the answer to this question can be easily made more complicated than it is. The Bible is full of helpful pictures of what the Christian life should look like. In the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus describes the differences that should make Christians "the light of the world." The Galatians, Paul lists the fruits of the spirit, which stand in direct contrast to the deeds of the flesh.

All this to say, that it should not be hard to apply the Bible to our lives. It should affect the way I treat my roommate, how I treat my schoolwork, my involvement in my church, the way I talk, my attitude, my whole life. Also, it should not be that hard to stick out as a Christian. Our lifestyle should make it obvious that we are living for something different than the world.

That's all for now, until next time watch your back. There might be a Nerf dart flying towards it.