My New Favorite Class, and Something That Got Me Fired Up!

I know I said in my last post that my Small Business management class was my favorite, but after class today I think I've changed my mind. My Legal Environment of Business class is really good! It's far and away my most difficult class, but the professor really cares about his students learning, and does everything he can to challenge us. Today in class he taught us all of the basics of court jurisdiction, and after that he taught us every step of a courtroom trial. It is all very fascinating to me, and if I didn't want to start my own business so badly (along with a few moral issues I have with our judicial system) I would consider going to law school instead of getting an MBA. Speaking of getting an MBA, I was talking to my LEB professor during the break that he gave us during class today, and he told me that I might be better off getting my masters in organizational management since I want to start my own business. I've always assumed that getting an MBA was just the logical next step for a business man fresh out of college, but I don't see anything wrong with this idea, and I think it is definitly worth looking into. So, I am going to start praying about whether or not this is the direction that God wants me to go in.

I am learning so much right now that I can barely take it all in, but I absolutely love it! Learning is a passion of mine that drives me and inspires me to obtain the maximum amount of knowledge that my brain can retain (both Biblical and Academic). I am tired of Christians being labled as unintellegent and bias individuals.

I recently had an encouter at work with my boss who asked me what sort of Christian I am. Dumbfounded, I responded by saying, "I'm the sort of Christian who believes that Jesus died on the cross to save me, and I'm the type of Christian who would rather skip church and live a life that honors my God than go to church and pretend to love Jesus so that everyone around me thinks I'm a good person." She just looked at me for awhile and said, "Matt, you're the first Christian that I've ever met that I actually believed." She continued saying, "Matt, you know where I stand as far as religion goes (agnostic) because you were willing to ask me. . .which, now that I think about it, most people wouldn't ask their bosses that." She said, "The problem I have with Christianity is that most Christians believe the Bible without knowing anything about it. They try to shove an idea down my throat, and they can't even answer simple questions about it." The thing she said to me next is the one that fired me up, and hurt me deep inside. She said, "Matt, why would I want to believe in something when the people who believe in it don't seem to know what they're talking about?. . .Why would I want to be part of a religion/faith that is backed by people that seem so UNINTELLIGENT."

"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."
-I Peter 3:15

HOW ARE WE DOING?

~Matt

School is Back in Session...

The big list aside for now, I'd like to post something that is actually going on in my life for once instead of writing something vague that only kind of applies to my life (like I tend to do so often). As my only reader knows, I just recently started taking classes at Pulaski Technical College (a community college in Little Rock, AR). I am enrolled in 5 classes:
Microeconomics, (MWF)
Human Resources Management,(MWF)
Small Business management,(MWF)
Accounting 2,(T,TH)
and
Legal Environment of Business.(S)

School has only just begun; however, I have already encounter some very interesting people. I have three classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and for the most part they are all simple. The problem is that nobody else in the classroom thinks that these classes are simple.

Lets begin with Microeconomics, or as I like to call it, "Obama is going to save the world-conomics. Just for the record, every single one of my professors is very outspoken about how much they dislike President Barrack Obama. That being said, the entirety of this 9am class consists of students shamelessly raising their hands and reassuring my economics professor that our new President has everything under control, and there's no need to worry about what she is trying to teach. I rather enjoy sitting back in my chair listening to ignorance get owned by intellect...It just makes getting out of bed on Monday worth it.

My next class starts promptly at 10am, and heaven forbid I'm ever late to this abomination of a class (-5 point just for being tardy). Let's just put it this way, Human Resources Management is the most pointless, boring, and unintelligent class that I have ever had the displeasure of attending on a regular basis. Ironically it is the only one taught by a professor with her doctorate. I'm not going to even begin to talk about her ridiculous standards for such a lame class. Instead, I want to talk about an encounter I had with a guy whose name I forgot, but for the sake of having a name we'll call him "Goldy" because, Goldy has the largest two front teeth (and the worst breath) that I've ever encountered, and one of them happens to be gold. I'm convinced that Goldy doesn't know how to speak English because I haven't understood a word that he has spoken to me yet, and he sits next to me every day Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. More on Goldy later...

My third and final class on MWF is also my favorite class. Small Business Management is probably the easiest and most entertaining class that I have ever taken. My professor is a tightly wound 30-something woman who hates taxes more than anything on the planet. She owns a couple of businesses, lots of rental property, has 4 kids, and her husband is apparently a lot smarter than she is (that's all she said about him). This class is awesome! We don't have tests, and it's basically just a free-for-all. 80% of the class doesn't understand that the purpose of the class is to learn how to start a business, so instead of asking relevant questions, they treat the class like it's some sort of Q & A on how to get rich quick. Let me tell you, these people are dumb, and it's so sad to hear some of their questions...I'll take notes on the stupid questions asked tomorrow so I can have an example, but trust me when I say it is very hard to keep from laughing out loud every class period; in fact, the professor laughs at them for me...It's just sad.

So there's my Monday, Wednesday, Friday in a nutshell...more to come soon...

~Matt

Upcoming list...

After creating a short list of movies for my best friend this afternoon I started to think about which movies are my favorites. I would consider myself a quasi movie-buff/nerd, and I definitly appreciate movies that are not only well made, but have good storyline and acting as well. So, with all that said, I've decided to put together a list of my favorite movies. I will attempt to put them in order, and I am not going to set a limit on how many movies I will choose. I have never chosen a favorite movie before so this is going to be difficult for me to do, but I'll try not to have a tie for first (it may happen anyways). I'll compile the list over the next few days, and it probably wont be my next post.

~Matt

This is where I'm at right now...

"Whatever You're doing (something heavenly)"

by Sanctus Real

It's time for healing time to move on

It's time to fix what's been broken too long

Time make right what has been wrong

It's time to find my way to where I belong

There's a wave that's crashing over me

All I can do is surrender

[Chorus]

Whatever you're doing inside of me

It feels like chaos somehow there's peace

It's hard to surrender to what I can't see

But I'm giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestoneTime to begin again

Revaluate who I really am

Am I doing everything to follow your will

Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills

So show me what it is you want from me

I give everything I surrender...To...

[Chorus]

Time to face up

Clean this old house

Time to breathe in and let everything out

That I've wanted to say for so many years

Time to to release all my held back tears

Whatever you're doing inside of me

It feels like chaos but I believe

You're up to something bigger than me

Larger than life something heavenly

Whatever you're doing inside of me

It feels like chaos but now I can see

This something bigger than me

Larger than life something heavenly

Something heavenly

It's time to face up

Clean this old house

Time breathe in and let everything out

I love this song! I've been listening to nothing but christian radio lately (and I usually never listen to the radio) and everytime this song comes on it reminds me that God is working inside of me. The line that says, "It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace" describes exactly how I've felt these past few weeks. I've felt absolutely torn apart for the last two weeks, but through it all I've had a peace about me that can only be from the Lord. This song has great lyrics, and reminds me every day just how important it is for me to allow God to break me down and mold me like clay in His hands.

A dream...

I started writing this yesterday, but I wasn't able to finish it. I still think it's worth posting.

Early this morning I decided not to wake up at my scheduled 7:30am wake up time. Instead I slept until 8:30, and I'm glad I did. During that hour of extra rest the Lord gave me a vision of a narrow dirt path running straight through a beautiful forest. The path itself was ugly, and just wide enough to walk on without touching the lush green forest around me. The forest was immaculate. The trees were thick, but perfectly spaced, and every needle and leaf was placed in just the right spot on the ground. The forest was much more inviting than the path, but I knew I had to keep walking on the path. The longerI walked on the path the more beautiful it became, and I stopped looking at the forest around me. By the end of my dream I realized that the beautiful forest had changed into a dead, overgrown, wasteland. The path was glowing and beautiful and lead to a beautiful place that I could only catch a glimpse of every once in awhile off in the distance. Just before I woke up I heard a voice saying, "Stay on the path."

God uses so many different ways to communicate with us, and for me He uses dreams. I have wandered off of His path so many times thinking that where I was going was beautiful, but I was wrong every time. Lately, I've been realizing how important it is for us as christians to not only block out the things around us that want to pull us off of God's path, but to realize how beautiful God's path is. I can't wait to see what is further on down the path.

~Matt

Authentic Manhood...

I remembered something today, during my quiet time, that I heard Robert Lewis explain at Men's Fraternity (A leadership training thing for men who want to be real Men). He said a real man is a man who is willing to:

Reject Passivity
Accept Responsibility
Lead Courageously, and
Expect the greater reward (God's reward).

It struck me today that I am not fulfilling the requirements of a real man. I thought I was doing fine; I was saying the right things, having a daily time with Jesus, and I have a job and go to school. But where am I leading? Where exactly am I stepping out of comfort zone for Jesus? I am adding a new goal to my goals/resolutions for the year of 2009. This year I am going to get uncomfortable for Jesus. I'm going to start by going to a new church (on time) this week, and I am going to try to be as actively involved as I can be. I want to be a man after God's own heart so that when people look at me they see Jesus first.

~Matt

The Good Things...

I could easily use this post to write about the plethora of negatives in my life right now. I could right about my family's lack of money, my awful school situation, or even how I feel inadaquate because I have a dead-end job and go to a glorified highschool for college. But I am sick of focusing on the negative things in life. I am dedicating this post to all of the good things in life. To my friends that make me smile when I'm having my hardest days; to my God who has become my closest friend in my time of need, and to anyone who has ever remembered me in their prayers - Thank you - I wouldn't be where I am today without all of you. I am blessed to have such great people in my life.

~Matt

Struggling...

I can't seem to fall asleep tonight, and I am struggling to find a remedy. I've been laying in my bed since 11:30pm (it is currently 2:10am) trying to fall asleep, but I can't get my mind to shut down. The ferris wheel of thoughts keeps turning over and over in my head. There are many passengers, but none of them ever get off the ride, and the ride wont stop until it's completely empty. The worst part is that I'm the guy making this sick ride spin. I'm the only one who can stop the ride, but I don't know how. I just don't know how. Oh Jesus, please help me beat this.

~Matt

Some changes...

God is good - it's as simple as that. He has done so much for us and we willingly ignore His blessings every single day. I've noticed lately that I take for granted many things that the Lord has given to me. Like this body that I live in for example. To be completely honest, ever since I got home from school in December I have treated my body terribly. I haven't exercised in weeks, I eat all the time, and I stay up very late at night. Not any more though! I'm done! I'm done being lazy. No matter how boring or depressing my life may be at the moment - that is no excuse for me to be lazy. Starting tomorrow morning, I am going to work out very hard each day. It is going to be hard at first, but I don't care. I need the discipline in my life right now, and I really want to be in better shape. God is so good to me, and I am not going to squander His gifts any longer.

~Matt

A Long Day

The day began early, struggling to fall asleep until nearly one in the morning, I realized that I was only going to get about four hours of sleep. I was right. Five-thirty came, and so did the half asleep shower that I regretably took. I got all of the necessary papers together, jumped in my car, stopped at McDonalds, and drove to Pulaski Technical College to register. I arrived at the school around six-thirty, two hours too early, and waited for the line that I had anticipated. The line didn't arrive until ten after eight and the staff that should have been there before eight didn't show up until eight-thirty. So I, frustrated and exhausted, proceeded to regurgitate my social security number and every other bit of irrelevant information that was asked for until I was told to go and wait in a different line. Much to my delight, the next line was friendly. I was met at the door by a kind middle-aged woman who offered me a seat. I sat and waited for a couple of minutes until my name was called. When I heard my name I sluggishly stood and strolled over to the door from which I heard the voice. I was offered another seat, which I took graciously, and was asked for my desired class schedule for the spring semester. The nice lady who listened to me told me that I could take almost all of the classes that I wanted, and I walked out of that room satisfied. Nine o-clock came and went, and it was nine-thirty when I found the back of the next line that I was meant to wait in. Two hours later I reached the desk and was told that I needed to have my grant transfered by tomorrow or else I would get booted out of all of my classes that I had just registered for two hours earlier. After a few frustrating phone calls I managed to resolve the issue, and then I only had two more stops to make before I could leave that awful student center. The last two stops were conveniently easy, and I managed to get out of there just before noon. I was first in line and it took me almost six hours to register for classes. I think Pulaski Technical College is the most unorganized school that I have ever been too, and if you know where I've been, that's saying a lot.

~Matt

What God is Teaching Me

God really spoke to me today while I was reading "My Utmost for His Highest" Today's passage was about waiting on God's will for your life and the importance of waiting for God's timing.

This is what the passage for January 4th says:

Why Cannot I Follow Thee Now?

"Peter said unto Him, Lord why cannot I follow thee now?"

John 13:37

There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. The blank space may come in order to teach you what sanctification means, or it may come after sanctification to teach you what service means. Never run before God's guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt--don't.

In the Beginning you may see clearly what God's will is--the severance of a friendship, the breaking of a business relationship, something you feel distincty before God is His will for you to do, never do it on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will end in making difficulties that will take years of time to put right. Wait for God's time to bring it round and He will do it without any heartbreak or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.

Peter did not wait for God; he forcast in his mind where where the test would come, and the test came where he did not expect it. "I will lay down my life for thy sake." Peter's declaration was honest but ignorant. "Jesus answered him. . . The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice." This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself, of what he was capable. Natural devotion may be all very well to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His fascination, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will always deny Jesus somewhere or other.

This is such a great reminder of just how important it is for us to wait for God's timing, trust God's will for our lives, and how important it is for us to know who we really are. God loves us all very much, and He has a divine plan for each of our lives...Lets put our focus back on Him

~Matt

Resolutions...

I have never been one to make New Years Resolutions, but I think now is a good time to start.

This year my goals are simple: I am going to:

-Work out very hard to get my body into the best physical shape that it can be in.

-Perform to my full academic potential while exploring new and exciting knowledge everyday.

-Commit myself fully to God by seeking Him daily through my quiet times, and daily activities.

-Honor God with all the words that I say and thoughts that I have.

-Pray without ceasing and become a man after God's own heart.

These are my goals for the year 2009 and beyond.