Currently Listening Keep It Going By Mad Caddies State of Mind see related

New to Seattle

I haven't updated in about year and lot has happened so if anyone is still reading, you just get the broad strokes.  I loved my job as a Network Administrator for a small university in SoCal and I made a lot of great friends down there.  However I never got used to the climate and the way of life in the SoCal Inland Empire.  The geography and climate reminded me too much of Afghanistan.  It was hot and dirty.  No green.  Ugh!

So I moved to where I've always wanted to live.  Seattle, Washington and I love it.  And guess what, ITS GREEN, very green.  In fact its so green they call it Emerald City.  Im still doing network stuff, though hopefully for not much longer than a year or so, before I go back to school.  Anyway, not much time, so this is going to have to be it.

Email me if you want more info.

J

Currently Listening King of the Blues Guitar By Albert King As The Years Go Passing By see related

Well I don't know if any of you are still checking this, considering Im back in the states and oh yeah, I haven't updated it in about 5 months.

Well as most of you know, I made it home ok and just in the knick of time.  A lot of bad stuff happened that month that I left and it got worse in the days right after I left.

I took a month off, then took a road trip out to the Pacific Coast to visit my Aunt and several friends as well as to visit a few colleges.  I arrived back in Loveland a week ago tonight.

The fruits of that vacation yeilded some unexpected results.  I almost ended up staying in Seattle.  That place is my dream location and city.  Im destined to live there someday, I can feel it.  However that time, does not appear to be now. My original plans were to spend about 5 days with my friends there in Seattle, but that stretched into about a week and half.  Thanks to my good buddy Josh for being so hospitable and putting up with me.  Im sure he thought I would never leave. *L*  Cheers Yoshi!

Asides from that however, I came back with a job offer as a Network Admin for a small private university in Southern California.  I take up residence there in another week or two.

My spiritual life is full of ups and downs, as I suppose is everyone's.  This time however I'm determined to keep trying and not let myself fall into that, "I'll never be able live a christian life, so why try" mentality.

Currently Listening Trust By Phillips Craig & Dean Thank You For Praying see related

Ah Spring time in Kabul.  The weather is warming up, the trees are budding, rain falls, rockets explode, and the bats are beginning to fly.  There is a headline on Yahoo saying explosion rocks US Embassy, so I wanted to let you all know, Im fine.

Its been awhile since I posted a blog so I thought I would get back to it.  I am finally about a month out from heading home and the aforementioned explosion only reinforces my decision not to stay here another year.

Let me bring you up to date on what has been going on with me since I last blogged.  My location here in Kabul has made me accutely aware of the tensions and conflict in this area, obviously, and maybe its my overactive imagination, but it doesn't feel like things are heading in a good direction, especially now with Iran entering the mix.  Hopefully time will tell, but I am finally convince that the end times Adventists are always talking about, are fast approaching.  The chaos and destruction I see actually have bothered me quite a bit lately and whether its for the right reasons or not, I have decided to rededicate my life to Christ and live a life pleasing to him. 

I figure that even if I am wrong and there really is no God, believing that there is one watching out for me and that there is something better after death is a much better alternative than the hopelessness, pointlessness, and fear of not believing.  Maybe this is the "There Are No Atheist In Foxholes" syndrome, but regardless of what it is, it has helped me tremendously. 

The way my grandfather passed away has never left me and I often think of it.  He died with peace, happiness and seeming eagerness.  His death witnessed to me more than most that are alive have tried and I want to have that peace, happiness, and eagerness in my life and my death.  Outside of believing in God, that doesn't exhist.

This decision has brought about a lot of changes.  I have told God that I would do whatever he wants me to do when I leave here, so now I am trying to determine Gods will for me in my life, to see if MY plans for moving to Seattle are part GOD's plans for me.  I have been pushing God for an answer now so I can get on with my planning, and have been frustrated by no direct answer.  However the other day after praying about it I was impressed that I need to wait for Gods timing.  There is a lot of time before a decision has to be made and God will make his plan obvious to me in his time.

Anyhow, in about a month I will hopefully be seeing most of you who read my blog.  Pray for me I really need it.

Currently Listening Comin' from Where I'm From By Anthony Hamilton Better Days see related

Things Im looking forward too when I get home in no particular order:

Sunday morning breakfast at The Egg & I with my family, enjoying a nice hot cup of hazelnut coffee.

Going to the movies.  I'll get back just in time for the summer blockbusters.

Going out to eat with friends.

Hanging out in Old Towne

Driving

Hanging out with my sister

Drinking microbrews

Grillin in a late afternoon on a lazy weekend with some friends and some cold ones

Listening to the stereo in my car cranked up

Listening to the rain fall while falling asleep next to an open window.

Currently Listening Superunknown By Soundgarden The Day I Tried To Live see related

Im starting to think that the local Afghan population believes that riots are social events.  Because they don't have many community events to bring them together, they organize the riots for just such a purpose.  Im pretty sure they have a planning committee and their meetings go something like the following:

Leader: Ok lets take a look at the calendar of upcoming events.  Hmm, doesn't look like we have anything that we can riot about in the near future.

Voice from the back: What about that guy that converted to Christianity?

Several voices chiming in: Hey yeah thats a great idea.  Yeah, what about that?

Leader: Great idea.  Think about it.  Either we can have a public execution or if they drop the case and let him go, we can riot.  Its a win/win situation.  Excellent suggestion! 

Let's see, this thing is going to come to a head over the weekend, so we should have either the execution or the riot on Monday.  Im thinking we can maybe even stretch this out and turn it into a several day affair. 

Alright, so lets plan on getting together next Monday, say around 9ish.  All in favor ....

Group: Aye

Leader: Its set then. I'll bring the meatballs, who's gonna bring the casserole?