davidcrowderband.com :: the official site of the david crowder band
Last night I saw the David Crowder Band for the first time. It was a really cool worship experience. I don't really know how to describe the band personally, but in looking at reviews, other some other person suggested Dave Matthews + Incubus. They added in some pretty funky stuff with a d.j./violinist. However they're described, I'm sold. ;) I picked up their cd Illuminate.

Things are going fairly well for me but I'm extremely busy. The next two weeks look pretty insane:

• 3 exams


• 1 major project (learning new programming language for this one)


• 1 major research paper (very behind in the reading in this class)


• at least three other assignments

which all adds up to two crazy weeks before spring break. Then I'm off to Panama City Beach.
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Discipleship group is going pretty well. We had a really large group this past Monday -- 11, I think. I hope we're not getting so big that we're keeping people from talking. It might impact the environment we meet in. We went to Starbuck's before; I'm just not sure how good it is for communication in such a large group, in a place like that. As much as I'd like to go to Coldstone or Starbuck's every week, if we have such a large group, we may have to find a place where it's easier for a large group to talk!

Not the worst problem in the world to have, though, of course. ;)
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We as people really struggle with facing reality sometimes. We often find it easier to run from issues in our lives than dealing with them. Then that comes back to haunt both us and those around us.
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Maria, happy 5th birthday, tomorrow!
Everyone - Happy Leap Day, tomorrow!

And every single heart that I have held
In my hands, in my clumsy hands
I fumbled them around until they fell
It's much safer ground just keeping to myself

But I still dream of tomorrow
Where the past will not be in my way
Passion lives another day
And I still dream of tomorrow
Where perhaps she'll wait for me
And perhaps she'll wait for me

~Bebo Norman, Perhaps She'll Wait

"Forgiveness is love's biggest task, and it is love's biggest risk."

That's what my pastor said today. I agree pretty easily with the first half of that statement. What harder thing is there to do than to love those that hurt us, that make us feel pain, hurt that lasts long past when it is conceived.

That forgiveness is love's biggest risk, that I'm not so sure about. Maybe it is a bit of a risk... a leap of faith that... in spite of our natural instict, to hurt he who hurts us... that we will ultimately find satisfaction not in following our natural desires... to hurt... or to harbor bitter hatred for those who cut us so deep... but that we would find satisfaction in following through with God's call for us to love.

Love itself is a risk, but I guess within love, forgiveness is another risk. Maybe a defining quality of love.

Lord, help me to forgive and show compassion even when I feel like I'm being treated unfairly. Help me to love.

I drove home, passing streets I had never seen before.
Lost.
Like the look in Stanley's eyes as he muttered unintelligibly.
Lost.
Like a splash of Mr. Cortez's words when I tried to converse in his native tongue.
Lost.
Like my train of thought when Stanley's voice became clear, asking if I believed in God.
Lost.
Like me trying to figure out just what a living sacrifice is.