Oh, hey blog

So it's been awhile. I forgot to blog toward the end of the summer, and then I became very busy at the beginning of this school year.

Like, far too busy. Balancing 17 hours, Achordants, marching band, Teaching Fellows, RUF, and (very soon) playing in the pit for Kiss Me Kate leaves me with no time for myself. I'd like to get out and play basketball more often, I really miss playing. I'm sure I'm pretty off my game.

That's enough rambling from the top of my head. Here are a few things on my mind currently...

I gave up drinking, and have been going strong for awhile now. This has been the culmination of many things. Not even my bad experiences drinking, which I have had probably 2 or 3 of. Those were not my main deterrents, but instead the fact that I have become closer with God recently. Samuel and I have both been trying to strengthen our relationships with God again, after pretty rough years last year. I know I have had success in this, and from my conversations with Samuel he is doing well too. Halfway through the summer I decided to quit completely, which piggybacked off of my decision earlier in the summer to drink responsibly, limiting myself to a buzz, and not to be given to drunkenness. However, I decided that it would be better for myself to avoid temptation to quit completely, and that it would give off a better appearance as a Christian. As I said, I've been going strong, but the point of me writing all of this is that it's VERY hard! I'm tempted to go out and have a drink with my friends, and be OK with it as long as I'm responsible. However, I can fight these feelings by realizing they are driven by the world. The chief end of man is to glorify God, and I am trying harder to glorify God in everything I do. That means I shouldn't drink at all, just to maintain a better image. The idea that everything I do should glorify God has made me a more responsible person in general, not even necessarily in a religious lens. I go to bed earlier and get enough rest, I do my homework, and I am just all around more mature and responsible. Though it's hard, I thank God for the positive change he has wrought in my life.

The second thing on my mind lately deals with the loss of close friends. I have been fortunate my whole life to have had great friends, but this year I feel I have lost some of that. I guess I'm insecure, and I like to be liked by others. However, I really loved these people, and it is sad to me that we have grown apart. 3 of my closest friends from high school have now become either superficial or nonexistent relationships. I guess this is part of growing up. It still pains me right now, and it's hard to deal with at times. However, I am grateful for the friends who I still rely on. I thank God for them, and also for my family, who are an ubiquitous support system for me.

I see my own personal philosophy reflected from my friends and family. The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third. I pray that I may live this out day by day.

Praise be to God for all things.