Andy’s Blog

This was several weeks ago but I was just reading a book about relationships and the following experience came back in my mind and I thought “Self, I should write about that conversation.”

A number of weeks ago I was preparing lunch in the break-room at work and a group of co-workers were talking about marriage’s and divorces (one was the HR person for our location but all but one at the table is divorced) and I was minding my own business but listening in on the conversation because I knew there pasts. All of a sudden I hear “Andy…. why do you think that divorces happen and why do Christians think they are better at marriages than anyone else?” My response was along the lines of “I don’t think I’m quite the one to ask on this subject. #1 I’m not married, #2 Christian divorce rate has been documented to be just as bad as non-Christians.” After some more pressuring the asked “Well, why do Christians think that they are better than anyone else at marriage?” I answered, “If your friends or whoever thinks they are better than you they are missing the point of Christianity. We aren’t supposed to treat or even think we are better than anybody else because one sin is just as bad as another, we sin every day. Murder is just as bad as sleeping with the neighbors’ wife to a little white lie. We are called to love each other. They just don’t get it.” After some silence I took my food out of the microwave and joined them and just listened as honest conversation happened mostly bashing of ex’s and how much a co-workers salad dressing smelled atrocious, no lives saved but investing in them as a person not as a divorcee but as Christ loves me.

This begs the question, why don’t Christians understand that once they go to the cross they are called to humbly take up that very cross and share it when they can. Everyone at Cytec (the company I work for) knows that I go to Church and this is well established. I’ve worked at there for almost a year and this was the first question I had directly that I could stand up for Christ. Are we living in a way that people can approach us with questions? Have you gone to the Cross and just not changed your habits so much that people look at you and say “something’s different about you?”

Just my thoughts and rambling that include a story about opportunities.

Check out this story from cnn and I wonder what Jesus would think of the two factions participating in the beatings.

And people wonder why people don’t understand why the church as a whole is struggling to bring in new members.

I was complimented by my housemate by a conversation he had earlier this week.

According to him, a friend who didn’t know I lived in the same house but he/she mentioned that I was a very Godly person. I didn’t know how to respond it caught me completely off guard. But the important thing is that I am actually living my life in a way that Jesus Christ is on my shoulder and in my actions.

I’m not sure why I’m posting but I am just thinking out loud while I live out loud.

For those of you not in the know, I am a Cleveland Indians fan. I am certainly hoping they win the series and make it to their third World Series appearance in my lifetime. The last time they won the championship was in 1948 when they played the Boston Braves. That is the second longest wait for a championship other than the Chicago Cubs have been waiting since 1906.

Let’s hope the Indians win it all this year and leave the lovable loser cubs to wait for theirs.

With 2 outs left and the Indians about to go 3-1 up on the red sox it looks like life is good until Thursday.

So I was taking up space in my cubicle and stumbled accross this CNN article.
It’s not funny that the zoo keepers had to do it but rather the quote with the “specially trained firearms squad”.

I wonder what kind of specialty training these guys go through? Do they have to learn tracking an animal in an urban enviornment? Generally, I would go to the screaming people. But that is just me.

This is back!!! After a year and a half hiatus, one failed website (not really failed but rather too time consuming), and a relocation to the east coast from paradise, the wonderful world is back. Here are the top artists I’m listening to right now. Oh yeah, Nickel Creek concert is on October 12th and I can’t wait.

Christian
Chris Tomlin
David Crowder’s new CD

Folk
Tim O’BrienNickel Creek
Chris Thile and the How to Grow a Band

Podcasts
Car Talk
E-town
Switchfoot

Hey Everybody, I’m am pleased to announce the moving of my blog to Acoustic-Andy.com Check it out and enjoy the new site.

This is a qoute from a ESPN article concerning a guy eating an obnoxious (50)amount of hot dogs in 12 minutes.

“This could be so critical to our sport,” said George Shea, chair of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, which sanctions more than 100 eating contests, including the Nathan’s event.

Ummmm, I’m curious what he describes his to people he just met. Below is a exagerated guess at what I think would happen:

George Shea (GS)- Hi welcome to my family BBQ, would you like a hot-dog or 2 or 50?

New Guy (NG)- Actually, I just saw people pulling up, I am new to the neighborhood, I do a bland type of job in a cubicle and have lots of pointy haired bosses. What do you do?

GS- I am the head of a marketing company, we put on contests all over the world.

NG- Really? Tell me more, is it a sport or something cool like the strongman competition?

GS- Actually no, we put on eating competitions. I am the head of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, we actually have to get all these hot dogs ready for our festivities later. But roam around enjoy the pool and don’t be shy neighbor.

NG- Fascinating, I will talk to you later.

So there you go…… a BBQ in the backyard of the Chairman of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. Here is the link to the ESPN article… a great read.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2450250

Look at the face on the banner at the very top of the page. Does that face look like it says, pour out your life to me. The answer should come very quickly….NO. I know this is more complaining, but come on. I enjoy when people share, but at least I have to know you a little more than 15 minutes before dumping an emotional load on to me. ahhhhhhh, not regarding parents, just emotional dumps. Even though they seem to be an integral part of life and if I am that person to accept that, I suppose there are more dangerous people to do it with.

Anyhoodle, I’ve got lots of things I have been meaning to blog about and will probably be AWOL for a bit because I am almost done with acoustic-andy.com, at least the front part. Also there have been entertaining signs at hotels I have pictures of to show ya’ll, work falls in there too, and other things I am forgetting at the current moment. Remember, as long as there is safety third (have fun, look good, then safety) in the world…life is good.

Ok I know that I am not supposed to be left wanting after God, but I want my happily ever after now.

One of my favorite TV shows is Grey’s Anatomy. In that show is some (a miniscule) amount of truth to what there “lesson” of that certain show conveys. This week the “lovable loser” (with whom I relate to rather well) finally got what he deserved, a girl who respects him and cares about him. Somehow I wish that I could find that someone and move on with live after singleness. Of the things I miss most I guess it is a companionship and honest sharing from a girlfriend/significant other and that intimacy of sticking it out through both of your working issues out together.

Ultimately I know that this is a yearning and calling out for God. It shows some of my failings, and exposes them like a raw scab that keeps being picked.

All in the right time I guess.