Break is almost over. It is a sweet end. I have enjoyed it for the most part, though at times the days became excruciatingly long and boring. I used my time to expand my notes on old testament prophecy (I am not yet completed; I'm estimating around 100 pages when it's all said-and-done). I've also spent a lot of the break introspectively: looking into myself, digging beneath the skin, uncovering old and scaly demons and forming strategies to defeat them. I've also entered into a new relationship with a wonderful girl--Jessica--and everything is going well. We will get to see each other so much more once school starts up; it'll be great!

I move back to college either Saturday night or Sunday morning. I have a mandatory Hilltop Coffee Shop meeting at 12:30 on Sunday, so I need to be there. I'll probably end up just going Saturday night, because my parents are going to church Sunday morning. I already have my schedule for the first week back. I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but I have Monday and Friday off. Overall, I'm really happy about it. I'm excited about my upcoming classes:

1. The Gospels (The Synoptics & John)
2. Paul & His New Testament Letters
3. The Life of David
4. Modern Ethical Problems
5. Basic Bible Doctrines II
   

Much of the introspective processes in which I've engaged have revealed to me two critical faults in my character. The first fault is that I have become semi-apathetic regarding God and His kingdom. The second fault is that I have failed to truly repent as He has called me to do. I have thrown together a daily regimen of discipline in which I will enter in order to deepen my roots in the substance of God and to allow the Holy Spirit to transform me as I bathe in God's presence and keep company with Him. This daily discipline includes prayer, scripture-reading, meditation, and fasting. This is not an original discipline for me: back in May 2005, I practiced this daily discipline for a month and grew so close to God that I could feel His presence, and an unspeakable peace and joy covered me. I crave for this communion so badly! Right now my scripture reading is 1 Peter. It's an excellent letter. I read a chapter a day, pausing through my readings to meditate and pray and seek for God's voice.

I am also doing a new daily regimen of discipline regarding my physique. Let's just say these holidays have been... harder... on me than most! I want to be skinnier and more tone, and Jessica is going to keep me accountable. This regimen includes a diet of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and water. The exercise (for me) involves weight-lifting and cardiovascular (she's only doing cardiovascular). We plan on going to Gold's Gym hopefully three times a week to keep things in gear. I am going to try and go every day if possible; Caleb wants to go with me, too.

I have a tendency to philosophize everything. I am, at my roots, a deep-thinker. So, when I am left alone, my thoughts tend to become dangerously philosophical. I try to keep this from happening, but it is inevitable. My thoughts also have a tendency to become dangerously wild, and all sorts of worries and anxieties flood my system. "What am I going to do after college?" "How will I provide for my family?" "Am I really doing what God wants me to do?" "What if I make a mistake in career choice or something of that nature, and I miss what God has in store for me, or I hurt other people in the process?" These worries consume me. Mom reminded me of a beautiful scripture Sunday night:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Christ, Matt 6.31-34 (the message)