Grammatical Genocide

Do you know what really drives me crazy?

When people mix up "you're" with "your".

Honestly, we are destroying the English language with our grammatical laziness.

Don't even get me started on instant-messenger abbreviations.

10 - 2

Soccer was pretty rough tonight.

We were pretty much torn apart like a wild gazelle trapped in the jaws of a crocodile.

Liturgy

I attended a pre-sanctified divine liturgy at Saint Michael's Eastern Orthodox Church yesterday- quite an enlightening experience. Quite unlike any church service I have been to before.

The building itself is absolutely beautiful, especially the inside of the dome.

Worshipping in an Eastern Orthodox church is a true multi-sensory experience, you see the icons, you hear the Word of God sung and preached, you smell the incense, you taste the Eucharist (well I didn't- but that's because I'm not Eastern Orthodox). There is a lot of ritual and tradition, a lot of pomp and circumstance, but we're talking about traditions that have been unchanged for over 1,400 years!

After the liturgy my brother, a friend, and I were invited by the parishioners to join them at potluck where we got to talk with the head priest, who was kind enough to answer all of our questions.

Overall, the entire experience really expanded my understanding of Christianity, and who my brothers are.

Music Update

Well, the tour with Ben may not be happening... that's still up in the air. If it does happen the it will probably be reduced to half the amount of shows.

In other news, I am currently working on no less than four musical projects.

Hopefully, Butterworth & Sieg will finally finish recording 2-3 more songs. We'll then release an EP, speculatively titled "Hammers and Strings".

Also a local band called "The Confessional" has asked me to appear on their upcoming CD. Should be interesting.

Meanwhile, Ben Smith and I have been collaborating on a top-secret musical project. I can't say much- but it does involves drum machines and quite possibly will make you dance.

Also, I have recently become inspired to release an instrumental album. I have been listening to quite a bit of underthejunipertree and the Photographic, and it's starting to rub off on me.

So hopefully I'll actually get around to finishing one of these. I'll let you know when that happens.

Spring Retreat

The Spring Retreat put on every year by Boyce Student Life starts today. It's going to be awesome for several reasons.

1. I won't be working- first weekend in FOREVER
2. I get an excused absence from class, which includes me getting to take 2 quizes at my convience next week, (thank Dr. Carlton, you're awesome)
3. I'm going for free since I'm running sound.

Yes sir, this is an excellent recipe for a good weekend.

I enjoy falling asleep.

I also enjoy reading theology.

What I do not enjoy is repeatedly falling asleep while trying to read theology.

Stupid daylight savings time, stealing all of my sleep.

It's still in the planning stages, but it looks like I will be going on tour with Ben Smith over spring break.

We'll be playing shows in Tennesse, Georgia, Viriginia, and Florida. If you're in the area, be sure to come out support Ben, he's an amazing musician and a brilliant song writer.

We stand in awe of the ocean,
The thunderstorm,
The sunset
The mountains;
But we pass by
A human being
Without notice
Even though
The person
Is God's most Magnificant Creation

-Augustine

In the Secret of His Presence

This song is simply amazing.

Salvation through Faith

"It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or the nature of faith, but in the object of faith... so that we could not more radically misconcieve it than by transferring to faith even the smallest fraction of that saving energy which is attriubted in the Scriptures soley to Christ himself."

- J. Gresham Machen, What is Faith?

"Moreover, although we do good works, we do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment... So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth without anycertainty, and our poor consciences would be tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior."

- Belgic Confession

I didn't have to work today, which makes it the first time I have had a Friday off in recent memory.

This phenomenon occurs in such irregular frequency, I decided to commemorate the occasion by purchasing a pair of argyle (or argyll if you prefer) socks from Old Navy, thanks to a gift card still left over from Christmas.

It is such a strange thing to have fun and enjoy life when I should be working.

It's a really good feeling.

Best reason to buy organic Doritos?

They're healthy, so you don't have to feel guilty for eating a whole bag.