progress.

Love of God =/= love of country

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:21:57 -0400

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIWs_G4oJaA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLTsefTbL1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBQPN0rVs1I

Please watch these if you’re a believer living in America. It applies so heavily to the mindset that a large majority of us grew up under. Total runtime is 21 minutes.

so...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:57:48 -0400

i got really pissed yesterday when some dudes were hating on my band. then the longer i thought about it, the more these words were pounded into my head: “in humility, consider others better than yourselves” — “bless those who curse you” — “all that matters is faith expressing itself through love.” glad i have peace about that.

i better rest my eyes ‘cause i’m growing weary of...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:03:00 -0500

i better rest my eyes ‘cause i’m growing weary of this point you’ve been trying to make

so rather than imply, why don’t you just verbalize all the things that you’re trying to say

i better check my pride

because i was starting to think that i was onto something good

but things started to slide and i sit here in retrospect,

understanding that i misunderstood

why don’t you come right out and say it?

what it is you’re thinking though i’m thinking it’s not what i want to hear

todaysdocument: On January 26, 1837 Michigan became the 26th...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:53:54 -0500

1/26/1837

CADILLAC ASSEMBLY LINE 1973

Load of White Pine Logs on a Sled

Superior Street, Munising, Michigan 1929

Swimming at Crystal Lake, Wellston 1938

Mackinac Island, Michigan 2004

todaysdocument:

On January 26, 1837 Michigan became the 26th state!

schriemy: A recording my friend Kurt Roy did for me. :) this...

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:57:17 -0500

schriemy:

A recording my friend Kurt Roy did for me. :)

this guy. he’s the real deal.

So, I’m in the process of refinishing my drums. This is...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:38:00 -0500

So, I’m in the process of refinishing my drums. This is the FIRST drum (of five) that is finished with the sanding process, which is definitely the most time-consuming step. I just figured I’d share what my approach is going to be.

I started with the $40 hand sander, which I used to take off the glittery, clear coat over the actual paint on the drum. It turns out there’s a really thick layer of primer, paint, and clear coat on the shell of a drum (a drum that doesn’t have a wrap, at least- my friend Spencer recently underwent a similar process with his drums, but they were wrapped rather than painted…lucky). All he had to do was peel off the wrap and sand off glue residue! Not so with my drums, unfortunately. So the sander is used to basically do a lot of the removal of top layers. I sand with it until I can barely see the wood, then I started with 100-grit sandpaper.

When all of the paint/primer is off, I went through with 220-grit sandpaper and smoothed out everything. I’ll probably go over it once more with 220.

Since I’m probably planning on going with a paint/lacquer rather than a stain, a primer will be next. I’ll let you know when I get there!

sounds really cheesy, but...

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:21:00 -0500

until this year, I didn’t know what it meant to dream. I’m the most driven I’ve ever been and coincidentally it’s during a time where I’m being challenged more than I’ve ever been (in school, at least). the future freaks me out yet gives me butterflies.

dream on.

joshcollesano: Here is the recap video for this years Fall...

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:47:34 -0400

joshcollesano:

Here is the recap video for this years Fall Retreat “Greater Than”. It was an honor to be able to lead our high school students in worship. Our production team did an incredible job on two back to back weekends worth of students. A HUGE thank you to Sandon, who shot and edited this video.

THE TEAM

Drums: Drew Stoutenburg

Bass: Ben Dage

Guitars: Joe Mariucci/Justin Thiede

Vocals: Katy Baty/Josh Collesano

Audio/Producer: Kevin Folster

Lighting/Video: Seth Brown

Capture Team: Jordan Kassis/Sandon Voelker

Speaker: EJ Swanson

on the day i called, you answered me and the hope in my soul...

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:47:01 -0400

on the day i called, you answered me

and the hope in my soul increased

i lift my hands and turn my eyes

to the God who heals my heart and gives me peace

you are more than my words could ever say

you are lord over all, over all my days

i will see this season through, i will fix my eyes on you

only you

i worship you and lift you high

God forever let your name be glorified

i will my voice and sing your name

for you gave your life to cleanse my sin

and took away my shame

hallelujah, the earth will sing

may your name be glorified

i will see this season through, i will fix my eyes on you. only you.

I’ve been evaluating myself lately. I’ve been trying hard to examine my ways and...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:32:00 -0400

I’ve been evaluating myself lately. I’ve been trying hard to examine my ways and behaviors and reactions to certain situations or certain people. Here is why:

The truth is that we’re supposed to love everybody. Plain and simple. Sometimes I try to justify my (often selfish) behavior by thinking to myself, “Oh, ‘love your neighbor’ doesn’t mean I need to be friendly with everybody, it just means don’t be enemies with people.” But that is terribly misguided. I’m gently convicted by this:

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…”

Shoot, man. To walk in the way of love, like Jesus did… huge concept to me. Does that mean I need to act “this” way? Or say certain phrases or go to certain places? Or do certain things for specific people? — my mind instantly starts to analyze and tries to count and quantify the things I need to be doing in order to “live in love” as Jesus did. But I think that this approach, while well-intentioned, is also slightly misguided. The main question is how did Jesus love people here on earth?

by always coming under people in loving service? yeah.

by reaching out to the broken, outcasted, mistreated? yep.

by turning the other cheek when mocked and tormented? …yes.

by ALWAYS considering others before himself? absolutely.

That’s the kind of love we’re supposed to live in? God wants me to love like that?

The answer to that is of course, yes. His life’s example is the definition of “living in love.”

By loving people and staying connected to him, we “bear fruit” like a tree. Except even better and sweeter! The kind that people instantly identify as other-worldly and not natural or instinctual human behavior: love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness begin to overflow and reveal themselves in our lives.

It’s often through our “fruit” that God is seen by people around us.

I want to draw out a goal for my life and hopefully yours. This was shown to me by my friend and mentor Josh:

God is love, right? Duh. Okay, well here are some of Love’s attributes:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Beautiful, really. But if we are to always reflect Christ (who is Love), then we too need to live lives describable as such:

“I am patient, I am kind. I do not envy, I do not boast, I am not proud. I do not dishonor others, I am not self-seeking, I am not easily angered, I keep no record of wrongs. I do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.”

crossroads

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:24:50 -0400

i always find myself thinking about the future and what exactly mine will look like. on one hand, i feel like with enough time and patience, i could have a career playing music. and i don’t say this to sound arrogant, but i receive a good amount of affirmation from other people about this (musicians and non-musicians alike). music is what my heart beats for and where my heart is at currently suggests that if it isn’t the largest slice of my pie as i get older, i’ll be miserable. when i talk to people who love playing more than anything, yet have to give it up because they need to support a family or pay for a house or whatever the reason may be, my heart tells me, “that will never be you.” and i kinda believe it. and that’s not to say those are bad things. in fact, they’re huge blessings but not something i feel like i want to trade for.

but at the same time, i also reallllly want a family someday. and i want my family to have steady support coming from me. i want to give my wife the choice to stay home and not worry about working if she needs to. going to grad school in medicine would allow me to invest two short years into higher education and then immediately enter the workforce of health professionals and make a good living doing so. i should also clarify, this isn’t just a job that i could kind of tolerate while basically abandoning my talents, passions, and interests to pursue. no, i’ve had pretty huge interest in this for as long as i’ve been studying biology.

so on one hand, i have a career that deeply satisfies my soul but is fairly dynamic and not always stable. on the other, i have a career that i like and can support a family with. i feel like this debate turns into a my-passions-versus-their-wellness discussion. where i am currently would choose my passions, of course. but i feel i also need the foresight to be able to place my future wife and children before me. i have about nine months to work this out. i pray for guidance from God but i also need to apply the right amount of initiative in working toward whichever is right for me… which, i need guidance for. so it goes back to square one. God, please guide my steps.

this week.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:55:51 -0400

wow, second post in the same week? that can only mean one thing: i have substantially more time on my hands than weeks prior. and i do! here’s why:

i was presented with the opportunity to go to florida to help jordan and meg move all their stuff. i really wanted to go, but wasn’t sure about getting the time off of work. considering the fact that my employment at dadco was only to be through august, I decided to give the manager my two weeks notice so i could go to florida. during this discussion, the manager pointed out that there isn’t much of a point in keeping me around if i’m not going to stay, so he sent me home that day. haha. so i’m no longer employed. and pretty pumped about it.

that was monday.

this week will also be the wedding of jordan and meg. i am so excited for them. this is what they’ve always wanted! at the same time though, i’m also sad to be losing one of my best friends to florida. he says it’s permanent but i’m secretly crossing my fingers that they’ll get tremendously homesick and move back home (but then again, that never worked with my brother).

the wedding is tomorrow, will surely be an incredible time. the guest list is nothing short of stellar and dressing up is always a great time. i honestly love slipping into a nice suit every now and again. and the general excitement in the air at a wedding is so nice, almost euphoric. we get to temporarily share in the the butterflies kind of feeling that the bride and groom must surely feel. i can’t wait until my day. but i also can’t help but think that could be me someday soon, if not by now, had i only done some things differently in the past.

on saturday morning, my bros and i will be driving out to go camping for three days in some dunes (somewhere). brady reserved it, so i know it’ll be a legit time. our first preference was a rustic campsite, but the ones with electric access were the only ones left. so, in lieu of the summer heat wave, brady is bringing his AC unit to put in the camper so we won’t roast at night haha! i am looking forward to that so much.

that’s all. bye.

reparations.

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:23:52 -0400

“my son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” proverbs 3:11,12

you reap what you sow. i brought this on myself.

God is still good.

summer job

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:39:45 -0400

…my first week at dadco is now over. the first week i’ve ever worked 45 hours haha. glad that’s over. life is great, bye.

“so now you’re gone. we always said that would be...

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:40:00 -0400

“so now you’re gone. we always said that would be the best thing.

now, i fear i’m wrong or at least, that’s what my heart is confessing.”

such sad words. it feels good to be sad sometimes though.

today

Wed, 25 May 2011 00:34:55 -0400

i spent the day at cedar point with matt, ben, dan, ry guy, katie, and tim. i was once told by my old boss at best buy that “tuesdays in may” are the best time to go.

he was right.

we rode everything. a lot. and now i’m sunburnt.

Yet again, called Jeff and shared my thoughts on Game 6....

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:20:40 -0400

Yet again, called Jeff and shared my thoughts on Game 6. I’m itching for my own segment on 97.1 pretty soon.

In case you were wondering my thoughts on this evening’s...

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:51:53 -0400

In case you were wondering my thoughts on this evening’s game. haha.

just scheduled out my next full year of classes...

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:51:17 -0400

then i’m done. finally.

a timeless memory

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:39:35 -0400

a timeless memory